Weekly Update

Friends,

 

For years now, we’ve been asking state government for more Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) Officers to patrol state routes (i.e. interstate highways). It looks like those requests are going to be answered.

 

Thanks to Governor Bill Lee, Safety Commissioner Jeff Long, and TN Highway Patrol Colonel Matt Perry for making it happen; the state has increased officers recently from six to twelve in Shelby County and planning a new Memphis THP district headquarters in next year’s state budget proposal. (I had the chance to thank Governor Lee today in person while he was in town.)

 

 

Also, included in the budget proposal is more THP officers with a permanent Memphis presence. There will be 16 officers in our county by next summer with more to come next year if the budget is approved by the state legislature.

 

Why does having more THP on our state routes matter?

 

Because is adds to the overall enforcement component while also allowing our Memphis police officers to patrol city streets.

 

Thanks again to the Governor and his administration for helping with this important matter.

 

A second chance: The power of stepping in, lending a helping hand, and giving hope to someone who needs it should never be taken for granted. Every day, we’re working as hard as we can at city government to try and make lives better.

 

As I’ve mentioned in this space before, our administration and the City Council created two re-entry programs—one for men (Manhood University) and one for women (Women Offering Women Support). Individuals who want to turn their lives around can go through these six-week courses, and we work to place them in a job.

 

As was mentioned earlier this week, the City of Memphis is fully committed to these programs and has allocated $1 million of federal American Rescue Plan funds to help even more people who need it.

 

Thanks to Ken Moody and his team in our Office of Community Affairs for administering these programs and helping to change lives.

 

Thank you for you service: Each year, I have the opportunity to celebrate and honor our veterans at a luncheon that I host with Mayor Lee Harris. I truly enjoy participating each year with this event, especially for the main reason we do it. And, that’s to take time to say two words that can never be said enough—thank you.

 

 

President Kennedy once said: “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”

 

That’s why we at City government consider service to our fellow man to be a major way we show gratitude to those who have come before us and who have served so that we may be free.

 

The truth is—we should be having events like the one we held on Thursday every day of the year. That’s how much we owe the men and women who have served our country.

 

To all our veterans—thank you and God bless.

 

Enjoy your weekend!

 

Yours,