Lee Harris (politician)

Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris is preparing to leave office August 31 after two terms, stepping away from politics to return to teaching law. The University of Mississippi announced last week that Harris will join its faculty this fall as a tenured law professor.

In a reflective interview, Harris pointed to healthcare investments, including the Regional One Project, and a new Frayser High School as top achievements. He criticized state intervention in Shelby County schools, which he argues has jeopardized plans for a new East Region school, and said he had unsuccessfully sued to block a state takeover. On county finances, Harris defended recent borrowing to make payroll as routine and said his proposed balanced budget was altered by the County Commission, whose grant spending he says strains the county's rainy day fund. He also addressed criticism over the aging county jail, noting the charter places the sheriff, not the mayor, in charge of that facility, while affirming his support for needed repairs.

Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris has declared a state of emergency following a severe storm on Aug. 22 that brought straight-line winds exceeding 80 mph to the Memphis, Tennessee area. The declaration allows local officials to seek state and federal assistance as recovery efforts continue.

The storm knocked out power to roughly 148,000 Memphis Light, Gas and Water customers and damaged numerous homes. Crews have been working to restore power, with about 11,000 outages remaining as of Wednesday evening; full restoration is targeted for Thursday. The Shelby County Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency has partnered with volunteer organizations to assist residents with cleanup, including a dedicated Crisis Clean-up Hotline. Officials are urging residents to check on vulnerable neighbors, family members, and pets as the community works through the aftermath of the storm.