News of President Donald Trump’s Memphis Safe Task Force continued to dominate the metro team’s headlines last week. Among the stories:

• Gov. Bill Lee told The Daily Memphian’s Samuel Hardiman that local input — particularly from the Memphis Police Department and Chief C.J. Davis — would be crucial for determining how the task force, including members of the Tennessee National Guard, operates within the city.
• Bill Dries reported on U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen’s questioning of FBI Director Kash Patel in Washington, D.C., about the upcoming deployment of the Guard to Memphis.
• And The DM’s Laura Testino was at the Pink Palace Museum to hear Memphis Mayor Paul Young talk about the latest developments. Young said on Friday that hundreds of federal law enforcement agents are expected to accompany the National Guard personnel deployed to Memphis “within the next two weeks.”

Also, Aarron Fleming was in court for a bond hearing that lasted a full day and still did not finish. DeAndre Brown, the embattled head of the Shelby County Office of ReEntry, and his wife Vinessa Brown, remain in jail almost a month after their joint indictment Aug. 27 on multiple charges of computer crimes, money laundering and theft. The bond hearing is expected to resume tomorrow in Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Lee Coffee’s courtroom, where Fleming is expected to resume his reporting as well.

And in the latest installment of our “Ask the Memphian” series, reporter Jody Callahan scaled reptilian references in an attempt to answer the question: Are our eyes deceiving us, or are there actually more lizards crawling around Memphis these days? 

— Metro editor Jane Donahoe

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Gov. Bill Lee described the Memphis Safe Task Force as a “long-time” mission that could last six months or longer.

Cohen questions FBI leader about National Guard in Memphis By Samuel Hardiman

National Guard to be ‘eyes and ears’ on the streets, mayor says By Laura Testino

Do residents think National Guard is the answer to crime? By Lydia Williams, Laura Testino

Council members to push Gov. Lee to reject Guard deployment By Bill Dries

Competing rallies demonstrate partisan divide over National Guard deployment By Bill Dries

Ask the Memphian: The lizards have invaded Memphis! But it's not really a bad thing By Jody Callahan

MLGW takes step toward buying Cordova property By Samuel Hardiman

Buckley: Les Smith told Memphis stories. His impact on Memphis journalism is one to remember. By Tim Buckley

After 8 years, Parking Day pulls back up By Joel Haley

County reentry head, wife to remain behind bars for now By Aarron Fleming

From watercolors to landscapes, this art show is pure Memphis By Lydia Williams

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