Content Tagged 'The Watchdog'

The old saying is revenge is a dish best served cold. And in Memphis, we serve up a lot of cold dishes - revenge and deadly violence go hand in hand. But there's a new soldier in the war on crime in the Bluff City: The MED. Watch Video

The budget for the soon-to-be merged Memphis and Shelby County school systems was presented to county commissioners for the first time Wednesday. Watch Video

The Tennessee comptroller is warning the City of Memphis to straighten out its money mess. Right now the city is spending cash it doesn't have. Watch Video

For the Unified School System, which starts August 1, Wednesday is a critical day. This is the week that's going to determine how much money the school system gets. Watch Video

Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell already said he needs to raise taxes by 30 cents just to generate the same amount of money they got last year. But under his new budget plan, he needs even more money. Watch Video

A Memphis City Council contract impasse group is recommending firefighters also get their 4.6 percent pay cut restored. Different committees have recommended the same thing for police and sanitation workers. Watch Video

Tuesday was a marathon of a meeting; they actually got a few things done. But perhaps the toughest thing this board dealt with was realizing the public opinion that they're messing this merger up big time. Watch Video

The head of the Memphis City Council Budget Committee is telling you to keep an eye on city hall, and your money. Councilman Jim Strickland says with all these impasse committees agreeing to restore the 4.6 percent pay cut to city employees, there's only one way the city can afford to do it - raise your taxes. Watch Video

For the first time in years people started talking about cutting the Memphis Police Department's budget; it's something that was unheard of years ago. Watch Video

The rocky road to merging Memphis and Shelby County schools is about to hit its biggest pothole. A proposed budget is out, and it shows schools will need an additional $35 million from county taxpayers to produce a balanced budget. Watch Video

We've gone through an awful lot when it comes down to these inspection stations, but wait until you hear what's going to be happening soon. Watch Video

The interim head of Memphis City Schools says he's ready to let everybody know how much money the Unified School System will need. Dorsey Hopson says the budget will be given to Shelby County Commissioners next week. Watch Video

Former Memphis mayor Willie Herenton is about to get back into the education business, and he says he deserves top dollar for his experience. Watch Video

The committee charged with finding new names for three Confederate-themed Memphis city parks is ready to make its recommendations. Watch Video

Memphis City Council members say you will think they're increasing taxes by fourteen cents; it will sure look that when you do the math. But because of property values dropping, they say it won't be a tax increase at all. Watch Video

The Memphis City Council needs to explain why they don't have any extra money in the budget. The city no longer contributes $60 million a year to Memphis City Schools, so where did all that cash go? Watch Video

Memphis city motorists aren't the only ones fired up about the state's new car inspection plan. Memphis Mayor A C Wharton and his team at City Hall don't like it either. Watch Video

Memphis city employees and members of Mayor A C Wharton's administration are in heated debate over new contracts. Mayor Wharton ordered a 4.6 percent pay cut because of a tight budget, promising it would be temporary. That was two years ago, and it's still in effect. Watch Video

In the land of smart phones, smart cars, and even smart water comes another item: smart electric meters. MLGW claims they are more accurate, but a lot of you aren't buying it. Watch Video

There is no way the merger of city and county schools will be complete by August, according to school board member Kenneth Whalum.

A temporary 4.6 percent pay cut has lasted three years for Memphis city employees. Now, as budget discussions are about to begin, part of the pay cut could be reversed. Watch Video

In a new deal being offered to Shelby County Commissioners, city police would continue to provide security to all schools in the city limits. In return, Shelby County would take over day to day operations of the Memphis Animal Shelter. Watch Video

Judge Samuel Mays is deciding whether to expand the Unified School Board. The current 23 member board will decrease to seven by September, but Shelby County Commissioners want six more members. Watch Video

Federal Judge Samuel Mays will decide whether you get to vote on new Unified School Board members this year. The current 23 member board will shrink to seven in September. With all of this going on, one Unified School Board member says the whole merger needs to be delayed. Watch Video

Currently middle school students in Memphis don't have to pay for athletics; in Shelby County parents have to pay out of their pockets. In August, when both systems merge, that will not change, which means a lot of parents are not happy about it. Watch Video

Come June, the budget for the Shelby County Emergency Management Agency will be mauled. The feds took out the scissors and slashed more than $3 million out of their budget. ABC 24 Watchdog Mike Matthews talked with the EMA director, who says those cuts will come back to create troubles in his department. Watch Video

The committee charged with renaming three Confederate-themed Memphis parks is wrapping up its work. Committee members will present their recommendations to the Memphis City Council in a few weeks. Watch Video

70 percent of the people in Shelby County have been thrown under the bus, so says Memphis City Councilman Shea Flinn. He says the plan allowing the state to take over car inspections is unfair, since only city residents would be required to get their cars inspected. Watch Video

The sign is up for the riverfront's Beale Street Landing project; the building is partially open now, with a planned restaurant opening next month. The big issue now concerns the cobblestones. Watch Video

Shelby County Commissioners are on the verge of making a big decision on that will change the living conditions of more than 1,500 Memphis City Schools employees. Watch Video

When schools merge, all Memphis City Schools teachers and employees who were allowed to live outside the county limits would have to move back to Shelby County. But the county commission education board made a huge change in their committee meeting Wednesday morning. Watch Video

Every day, thousands of Memphis drivers hit a bad patch of road. In fact, road conditions are so bad they've become the number one complaint received by many Memphis City Council members. Watch Video

With no leader, what's next for the Memphis and Shelby County school merger? MCS superintendent Kriner Cash and SCS superintendent John Aitken have both resigned. For school board members looking for leadership, that August 5th deadline is fast approaching. Watch Video

Get ready to cough up the cash to protest in Memphis - or have a parade, or a block party, and you can thank the Ku Klux Klan. City council members voted Tuesday to change the law to require organizations to pay half the cost of police and any other security needed. Watch Video

Vehicle emission inspections are mandatory in Memphis; it's state law. But soon there's a chance there won't be anybody willing to pay to run the car inspection programs.

One of the most controversial members of the Unified School Board, Reverend Kenneth Whalum, says the board is working as quickly as it can, and argues the board's budget request isn't out of line. He also says a judge's efforts to push the merger to meet the August deadline could be devastating. Watch Video

The City of Memphis has removed the official park signs from Confederate Park on Front Street and Jefferson Davis Park on Riverside Drive. It happened Tuesday while many park supporters attended a city council meeting discussing whether to permanently change the parks' names. Watch Video

Memphis Chief Administrative Officer George Little said he's the guy that ordered the signs at Confederate and Jefferson Davis Parks removed. The reason, he said, was to avoid problems with state legislation that would make it illegal to change any park names related to the Civil War and its veterans. Watch Video

The judge didn't deal with any possible court hearings down the road. He didn't talk about legislation in Nashville. Behind closed doors he told all involved, including lawyers for the school board, to quit complaining and get to work. Watch Video

A federal judge received names of people who might act as the court-ordered master watching over the Memphis-Shelby County school merger. Watch Video

There's another problem for the upcoming merger between Memphis City and Shelby County Schools. County School Superintendent John Aitken wants out. He is talking with members of the board to buy out his contract. Watch Video

The union representing Memphis city school teachers wants to teach the Unified School Board a lesson in ABC's, with ABC standing for Another Big Controversy. Fearing premium spikes or cuts to their insurance coverage, the teachers could file yet another lawsuit in the city-county school merger case. Watch Video

Tennessee environmental officials are heading to Memphis Monday and they might bring bad news. They will be discussing taking over the auto emissions testing. Watch Video

The Shelby County Commission is back at it again. There had been a brief period of peace between members concerning the upcoming school merger, but war broke out again Wednesday morning. Watch Video

Big budget cuts have resulted in big ruts and potholes on Memphis city roads. Right now, with the budget they've got, the city will be able to repave a road every 65 years. ABC 24 Watchdog Mike Matthews tracked down the man in charge of roads to get answers. Watch Video