Podcasts about Shelby County

Host Nicholas Wardroup sits down with Sustainability Planner Robin Richardson to explore the 2025 Heat Watch Campaign and the massive community effort behind its large-scale heat‑mapping event. Robin explains how the project began, the local organizations and institutions that joined forces, how the initiative was funded, and the training volunteers received to collect accurate temperature data. She also breaks down what the heat map revealed about which areas of Memphis and Shelby County experience the most extreme temperatures. This collaborative project now provides valuable insights to guide future cooling strategies, inform potential community projects, and even help identify ideal locations for cooling centers during the hottest months of the year.The resulting data from this project is available to review on the Office of Sustainability and Resilience's website: https://www.shelbycountyosr.com/heatwatch2025Have questions for Nicholas or Robin? Email them to buildingbeat@memphistn.gov, and you'll get an answer on a future episode

John DeBerry, the Republican nominee for Shelby County mayor, talks about state intervention in Memphis and Shelby County as well as his hopes for a gradual withdrawal of the Memphis Safe Task Force.

For the 30,000 children in Shelby County who get a book every month from Books from Birth, the benefits are innumberable. But getting those same books to the 30,000 kids in Shelby County who aren't in the Books from Birth program is the work of Wynett Jones and Porter-Leath.  Jones, program director for Books from Birth, joined this week's episode of "The Sidebar." The program, which is statewide, is run by Porter-Leath in Shelby County and sends 30,000 children of all backgrounds one book a month from birth till five years old. 

Alan's Soap https://AlansSoaps.com/ToddHonor John's memory and the legacy he created for Ian and Alan with Alan's Artisan Soaps “John's Favorites” bundle.  Get one bar of each of his favorites for only $28.99. Bulwark Capital https://KnowYourRiskPodcast.comBe confident in your portfolio with Bulwark! Schedule your free Know Your Risk Portfolio review. Go to KnowYourRiskPodcast.com today. Renue Healthcare https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddYour journey to a better life starts at Renue Healthcare. Visit https://Renue.Healthcare/Todd Bonefrog https://BonefrogCoffee.com/ToddGet the new limited release, The Sisterhood, created to honor the extraordinary women behind the heroes. Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE at:The Todd Herman Show - Podcast - Apple PodcastsThe Todd Herman Show | Podcast on SpotifyWATCH and SUBSCRIBE at: Todd Herman - The Todd Herman Show - YouTubeAI Wants Us Bored - God Wants Our Hands In Dirt and Sweat on Our Brows - Faith & Flag // Sending Christian Kids to Government Schools Is Sending Sheep To Wolves - Faith & Family // What Is The Proper Christian View of Gerrymandering? - Faith & FactsEpisode Links:AI Wants Us Bored - God Wants Our Hands In Dirt and Sweat on Our Brows - Faith & FlagA building in Box Elder County, Utah was packed with people protesting a data center the size of Manhattan being shoved down their throats(Utah) Box Elder County Commission allows data center to be built DESPITE OVERWHELMING community resistance. And look who the police protected….WARNING: They're Classifying AI Data Centers as “National Security” and Locking Communities Out | Daily Pulse; Once it's labeled “national security,” the rules change, and the people affected most suddenly have the least say.NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang Pushes Back on the AI Doomer Narrative: “The first thing that AI has done well is software coding. Meanwhile, we're hiring more software engineers than ever. Imagine that … The reason for that is because we now can use AI to do even more.”Sending Christian Kids to Government Schools Is Sending Sheep To Wolves - Faith & FamilyI've watched HUNDREDS of interviews from the “Kids Over Corporations” rally here in North Carolina. This one FLOORED me… This teacher, who is BARELY ARTICULATE AND DRESSED AS A WIZARD, is demanding a 20% PAY RAISE… ...for working only 3 YEARS as a teacher. WHAT?!This woman's 6 year old son “expressed conservative values” in his classroom. The teacher created a certificate for him that said “Most likely to become a Dictator” and presented it to him in front of his entire class while classmates called him a “Naziphile”What Is The Proper Christian View of Gerrymandering? - Faith & FactsSen. Raphael Warnock, who is still the pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church (which used to be led by Martin Luther King Jr), devotes a chunk of his sermon to complaining about the Supreme Court's Callais decision... and also 2013's Shelby County v. Holder.orig published 050626

Shelby County students can earn and learn through a collaborative model for student success. Talking about this innovative partnership from both the logistical side and the employer perspective are Cortney Richardson (Peer Power) and Roxy Nunnally (4D Marketing and Business Solutions Firm Corporation). Resources mentioned in this episode include: Peer Power Peer Power's Earn and Learn program 4D Marketing and Business Solutions Firm Corporation Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development Previous conversations on workforce development can be found New Memphis Summer Experience Memphis Shelby County Schools This episode is made possible in partnership with Independent Bank.

Leslie Taylor and Ron Walker from Memphis Crime Beat provided and update with all new data set on the Shelby County Justice system. Comparing Memphis justice data to other cities in Tennessee. Memphis & Shelby County justice data is leading in some, not so good, categories. Support the show: https://www.newstalk989.com/personalities/memphis-morning-news/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Jeremy C. Park interviews Cecily Berry, Miss Shelby County 2026 and financial advisor with First Horizon Advisors, who discusses her journey in the Miss America organization and her work promoting financial literacy through Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South. Cecily talks about her ties to and passion for Memphis, her recent graduation from Union University with degrees in economics and executive leadership, and how her mother's previous competition 30 years ago inspired her to join, describing the organization's focus on developing professional leadership skills in women while serving their communities. The program involves various components including interviews, public speaking, and on-stage presence, with significant emphasis on community service and advocacy. Cecily discusses her work as a financial advisor and her decision to volunteer with Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South to address a lack of financial literacy in early education. She explains how Junior Achievement's experiential learning programs, from 3rd grade to high school, help develop essential financial skills like budgeting and investing. She shares how volunteering has transformed her as a leader, allowing her to better teach complex financial concepts to both children and adult clients, and demonstrating that financial education can be effective at all age levels. The conversation covers her experience competing at local, state, and potential national levels, emphasizing the personal growth in confidence and professional development that comes with representing the title, as well as the responsibility of representing the organization and cause. Cecily shares how she has built friendships and been inspired by the other contestants, and how the competition has brought her closer with her mother. She explains the differences between local, Miss Tennessee, and Miss America competitions, noting variations in scoring systems and the number of participants. She discusses how competing in these events has helped her grow in confidence and professional development, particularly in networking and public speaking situations. Jeremy asks how others can support and follow her journey, to which Cecily suggests following her on social media and providing support through likes and comments online and through support of Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South. Follow @MissShelbyCountyTN on Instagram.

Memphis Morning News is joined by Tennessee's 9th Congressional District Candidate, Charlotte Bergmann to discuss what she calls, the "bad marriage" that people in Shelby County have been in with Democrats for yeats and how she's hoping to improve lives by freeing people from that bad marriage. Support the show: https://www.newstalk989.com/personalities/memphis-morning-news/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Historian and New York Times bestselling author Jemar Tisby joins Mark Labberton to confront the Supreme Court's 6–3 ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, which has eviscerated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and reopened the door to racial gerrymandering across the South. Recorded in the immediate aftermath, the conversation traces the long arc from the Three-Fifths Clause and Dred Scott through Selma to this hour. "This has landed in the black community harder and heavier than a lot of what we've seen during the Trump administration." In this episode with Mark Labberton, Tisby reflects on the history of black disenfranchisement, the cynicism of colorblind jurisprudence, and what remains of multiracial democracy in America. Together they discuss how the legal architecture of Jim Crow reemerges under neutral language, John Roberts's decades-long campaign against the Voting Rights Act, Justice Kagan's umbrella analogy, the suspension of Louisiana's primary, the black church's response, and why this midterm may be the country's last political chance. Episode Highlights "This has landed in the black community harder and heavier than a lot of what we've seen during the Trump administration, and that's saying a lot." "It boggles the mind that folks sitting on the highest court in the land who have been to all these Ivy League schools, have literally decades of experience, can get it so wrong and stand so arrogantly on such faulty reasoning." "Colorblindness only works if you're starting from a level playing field." "These are not good-faith actors, not people wanting a representative democracy, but people wanting to consolidate power, which we call minority rule." "If you can't win on the merits of what you believe, then you have to rig the system so that no one can get you out of office." About Jemar Tisby Jemar Tisby is a New York Times bestselling author, historian, speaker, and professor of history at Simmons College of Kentucky, a historically black college in Louisville. He holds a BA from the University of Notre Dame, an MDiv from Reformed Theological Seminary, and a PhD in history from the University of Mississippi, where he studied race, religion, and social movements in the twentieth century. He is the founder of The Witness, Inc., a black Christian collective, and the author of The Color of Compromise, How to Fight Racism, and The Spirit of Justice: True Stories of Faith, Race, and Resistance. His commentary appears on CNN and in The Atlantic, the Washington Post, and the New York Times, and he writes Footnotes, a top-ranked history publication on Substack. Helpful Links and Resources Jemar Tisby's website: https://jemartisby.com Footnotes by Jemar Tisby (Substack): https://jemartisby.substack.com The Spirit of Justice: True Stories of Faith, Race, and Resistance (most recent book): https://jemartisby.com/the-spirit-of-justice/ The Color of Compromise: The Truth About the American Church's Complicity in Racism (bestseller): https://www.zondervan.com/9780310113607/the-color-of-compromise/ How to Fight Racism: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/how-to-fight-racism-jemar-tisby The Justice Briefing podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/footnotes-with-dr-jemar-tisby/id1460240056 Louisiana v. Callais, opinion of the Court (April 29, 2026): https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/24-109_21o3.pdf Elie Mystal, "The Supreme Court Has Completed Its Quest to Kill the Voting Rights Act," The Nation: https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/supreme-court-demolishes-voting-rights-act/ "Sing Out, March On"—Joshuah Campbell's tribute to John Lewis, Harvard 2018 Commencement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=mKNRXQemxWQ NAACP Legal Defense Fund—Louisiana v. Callais case page: https://www.naacpldf.org/case-issue/louisiana-v-callais/ Brennan Center for Justice—Louisiana v. Callais: https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/louisiana-v-callais Show Notes Why this conversation now: the SCOTUS ruling on the Voting Rights Act last week News breaking through a group text of lawyers, organizers, clergy, nonprofit leaders "This has landed in the black community harder and heavier than a lot of what we've seen during the Trump administration." John Lewis, SNCC, and the march from Selma to Montgomery A baton hard enough to crack the skull, the hardest bone in the body "It boggles the mind that folks sitting on the highest court in the land…can get it so wrong and stand so arrogantly on such faulty reasoning." Allen Temple Baptist in Oakland—watermelons, bubbles, and jelly beans on a Sunday morning The Three-Fifths Clause and the architecture of representation Dred Scott v. Sandford—"property can't sue" Reconstruction Amendments: 13th, 14th, 15th—birthright citizenship newly under threat Jim Crow's neutral codes: poll taxes, literacy tests, grandfather clauses Voting Rights Act of 1965 as the culmination of the civil rights movement Edmund Pettus Bridge—Bloody Sunday going viral in its day LBJ signs the bill with Rosa Parks and MLK in the room Elie Mystal in The Nation: gerrymandering with plausible deniability—https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/supreme-court-demolishes-voting-rights-act/ Shelby County v. Holder, 2013—preclearance gutted Roberts's tautology—stop discriminating to stop discrimination "Colorblindness only works if you're starting from a level playing field." Cast and umbrella analogies for premature dismantling of civil rights remedies Plaintiff Bert Callais's January 6 ties; Louisiana's roughly one-third black population Governor Jeff Landry's emergency order suspends Louisiana's May primary mid-election "These are not good faith actors…people wanting to consolidate power, which we call minority rule." "If you can't win on the merits of what you believe, then you have to rig the system so that no one can get you out of office." The activism horizon—courts, churches, voter registration, midterm turnout, NAACP, LDF, Brennan Center The last political chance before competitive authoritarianism #VotingRightsAct #JemarTisby #LouisianaVCallais #SCOTUS #CivilRights #BlackChurch #FaithAndJustice #SelmaToMontgomery #Democracy #MarkLabberton Production Credits Conversing is produced and distributed in partnership with Comment magazine and Fuller Seminary.

Defense team trying crazy things..."Three Things You Need to Know"...rattler bites woman in Shelby County...texts...Lee brand up for sale.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

- Shelby County government provides free community-based resources to help youth and their families overcome obstacles. From therapy sessions to early intervention and alternatives to arrest and detention, the Shelby County Youth and Family Resource Center exists to meet the needs of youth and families in Shelby County. This conversation — led by Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris — illuminates innovation at work and showcases real impact. Tune in to learn how Shelby County is collaborating to build brighter futures for youth in Memphis and Shelby County with Amy Kalb (Shelby County Youth and Family Resource Center) and Mollie Barker Cook (National Assessment Center Association). Resources mentioned in this episode include: Shelby County Youth and Family Resource Center Youth Connect National Assessment Center Association https://www.nacassociation.org/ Shelby County Youth & Family Resource Center on Instagram This episode is made possible in partnership with Shelby County Government. Find out more at https://meanwhile-in-memphis.pinecast.co

On April 29, 2026, in Louisiana v. Callais, the Supreme Court invalidated a Louisiana congressional map, holding that racial considerations cannot predominate in the drawing of electoral districts. The ruling narrowed Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by requiring plaintiffs to show intentional discrimination, not just discriminatory effects. In this episode, we explore the Court's 6-3 decision and what it means for the future of the Voting Rights Act with two leading election law scholars: Edward Foley of The Ohio State University and Michael Morley of Florida State University College of Law. Julie Silverbrook, chief content and learning officer at the National Constitution Center, moderates.    Resources  Edward Foley, “The Supreme Court's indefensible evisceration of the Voting Rights Act,” SCOTUSblog, May 5, 2026  Michael Morley, “Voting Rights Case Sets Stage for 2050's Multiracial Democracy,” Bloomberg Law, May 6, 2026  Louisiana v. Callais (2026)  Allen v. Milligan (2023)   Robinson v. Ardoin (2022)  Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee (2021)  Shelby County v. Holder (2013)  Thornburg v. Gingles (1986)  Voting Rights Act (1965)  National Constitution Center, “The Supreme Court's Callais decision sets new framework for racial gerrymandering” (April 30, 2026)  National Constitution Center, Voting Rights Classroom Resources  National Constitution Center, Elections and Voting in the Constitution (Constitution 101 Curriculum) Stay Connected and Learn More Questions or comments about the show? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@constitutioncenter.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Continue the conversation by following us on social media @ConstitutionCtr Explore the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠America at 250 Civic Toolkit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate Subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen Join us for an upcoming ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠live program⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or watch recordings on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support our important work ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Donate

The Court's latest Voting Rights Act decision, Louisiana v. Callais, narrows Section 2 in a way that could reshape redistricting, weaken majority-minority districts, and intensify the fight over how race and partisanship interact in elections. We unpack what the Court said, what it quietly overruled, and why the reasoning matters far beyond Louisiana.We walk through the statutory text, the long-running collision between the Voting Rights Act and the Court's racial gerrymandering cases, and the practical consequences for future election-law litigation. Along the way, we debate whether this is best understood as a textual decision, a constitutional avoidance move, or a major shift in how the Court treats political power and racial representation.The conversation also covers the Court's emergency procedural move after judgment, Justice Kagan's forceful dissent, and the broader question of whether the decision is likely to help one party more than the other in the short run. The result is a sharp, candid look at one of the term's most consequential rulingsKey Topics[00:00:20] - Introduction to the episode and SCOTUS Blog partnership update[00:03:06] - Brief Supreme Court news: mifepristone litigation and shadow-docket timing[00:05:20] - Louisiana v. Callais and why the case is a major Voting Rights Act decision[00:11:35] - Voting Rights Act history: Section 2, Section 5, and Shelby County[00:13:39] - The collision course between racial gerrymandering doctrine and Section 2[00:16:17] - Allen v. Milligan and how the Court shifted course[00:21:21] - Procedural background of the Louisiana map challenge[00:23:02] - Is the decision constitutional, statutory, or both?[00:24:28] - Section 2's text and the 1982 amendments[00:29:14] - The Court's reading of “less opportunity” and the role of partisanship[00:41:46] - How the majority treats Allen v. Milligan and prior precedent[00:43:06] - Constitutional avoidance and the Section 5 enforcement-power question[00:46:28] - The Court's “updated” Gingles framework and why that matters[00:52:29] - Likely effects on majority-minority districts and partisan gerrymandering[00:54:25] - Justice Kagan's dissent and the Court's broader democracy critique[00:56:04] - The post-judgment timing dispute and Justice Jackson's separate dissent[00:58:55] - Final assessment of the decision and its likely consequencesRelevant LinksRick Pildes's post on the decision: https://democracyproject.org/posts/supreme-court%E2%80%99s-gutting-of-voting-provision-was-long-time-comingTravis Crum Amicus Brief: https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/24/24-109/373625/20250903201226237_2025.09.03%20Callais%20Crum%20Amicus%20Brief.pdf

Alan's Soap https://AlansSoaps.com/ToddHonor John's memory and the legacy he created for Ian and Alan with Alan's Artisan Soaps “John's Favorites” bundle.  Get one bar of each of his favorites for only $28.99. Bulwark Capital https://KnowYourRiskPodcast.comBe confident in your portfolio with Bulwark! Schedule your free Know Your Risk Portfolio review. Go to KnowYourRiskPodcast.com today. Renue Healthcare https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddYour journey to a better life starts at Renue Healthcare. Visit https://Renue.Healthcare/Todd Bonefrog https://BonefrogCoffee.com/ToddGet the new limited release, The Sisterhood, created to honor the extraordinary women behind the heroes. Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE at:The Todd Herman Show - Podcast - Apple PodcastsThe Todd Herman Show | Podcast on SpotifyWATCH and SUBSCRIBE at: Todd Herman - The Todd Herman Show - YouTubeEpisode Links:AI Wants Us Bored - God Wants Our Hands In Dirt and Sweat on Our Brows -  Faith & FlagA building in Box Elder County, Utah was packed with people protesting a data center the size of Manhattan being shoved down their throats (Utah) Box Elder County Commission allows data center to be built DESPITE OVERWHELMING community resistance. And look who the police protected….  WARNING: They're Classifying AI Data Centers as “National Security” and Locking Communities Out | Daily Pulse; Once it's labeled “national security,” the rules change, and the people affected most suddenly have the least say. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang Pushes Back on the AI Doomer Narrative: “The first thing that AI has done well is software coding. Meanwhile, we're hiring more software engineers than ever. Imagine that … The reason for that is because we now can use AI to do even more.” Sending Christian Kids to Government Schools Is Sending Sheep To Wolves - Faith & FamilyI've watched HUNDREDS of interviews from the "Kids Over Corporations" rally here in North Carolina. This one FLOORED me… This teacher, who is BARELY ARTICULATE AND DRESSED AS A WIZARD, is demanding a 20% PAY RAISE… ...for working only 3 YEARS as a teacher. WHAT?! This woman's 6 year old son “expressed conservative values” in his classroom. The teacher created a certificate for him that said “Most likely to become a Dictator” and presented it to him in front of his entire class while classmates called him a “Naziphile”What Is The Proper Christian View of Gerrymandering? - Faith & FactsSen. Raphael Warnock, who is still the pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church (which used to be led by Martin Luther King Jr), devotes a chunk of his sermon to complaining about the Supreme Court's Callais decision... and also 2013's Shelby County v. Holder. 

【聊了什么】 2026年4月29日，最高法院在 Louisiana v. Callais 案中以6-3裁定，事实上掏空了1965年《投票权法》的第二条，这也是首席大法官罗伯茨在长达四十多年司法生涯的"收官之作"。从2013年的 Shelby County 到今天，南方各州终于可以名正言顺地按党派利益重划选区，而几乎不再受到种族歧视效果的实质约束。本期节目我们请回了林三土老师，和我们一起把这场判决的来龙去脉：1965年VRA是怎么诞生的、两党围绕第二条经历过怎样的拉锯、此前的判决如何为今天埋下伏笔，以及它接下来意味着什么。 除了VRA这条主线，我们也聊了白宫记者晚宴外那场抽象的未遂枪击案、DHS停摆终于在沉默中结束、薛定谔式的伊朗战事，以及缅因州州长Janet Mills退选、Graham Plantner锁定民主党提名——这是民主党的"茶党时刻"，还是只是建制派的又一次失败？ 本期节目录制于5月3日。 更正与澄清：本期节目中提到特朗普被陪审团认定的是"性侵"而不是"强奸"。但 2023 年 8 月联邦法官 Lewis Kaplan 在驳回特朗普反诉时明确写道：说特朗普强奸了 Carroll，这个陈述"实质上是真实的"（substantially true）。之所以 5 月陪审团没勾"rape"那一栏，是因为90年代事发当时的纽约州刑法对强奸的定义非常窄，必须是阴茎侵入阴道（该法2024年已将强奸定义修改为包含更多侵入式性行为）。而陪审团认定的事实是手指强行侵入——这在纽约刑法以外的通用语境里，就是强奸。 【支持我们】 如果喜欢这期节目并希望支持我们将节目继续做下去： 也欢迎加入我们的会员计划： https://theamericanroulette.com/paid-membership/ 会员可以收到每周2-5封newsletter，可以加入会员社群，参加会员活动，并享受更多福利。 合作投稿邮箱：american.roulette.pod@gmail.com 【时间轴】 01:50 路易斯安那 v. Callais：最高法院6-3掏空投票权法第二条 04:36 从1965年立法到罗伯茨的四十年布局 07:12 2019年Rucho案埋下的伏笔 17:08 2010年中期选举：南方政治版图的彻底翻转 24:25 选区重划军备竞赛 39:55 下一步会不会是"一人一票"？ 46:50 选民反对gerrymandering，但也并不懂 56:30 白宫记者晚宴枪击案 1:04:40 DHS停摆结束：没有赢家的胜利 1:08:25 国会乱局 1:14:40 Janet Mills退选与Plantner锁定提名 1:22:33 薛定谔式的伊朗战事 【我们是谁】 美轮美换是一档深入探讨当今美国政治的中文播客。 本期的主播和嘉宾： Talich：美国政治和文化历史爱好者 王浩岚：美国政治爱好者，岚目公众号主笔兼消息二道贩子 小华：媒体人 林垚，政治学、哲学、法学学者，高校教师，公众号“林三土”，播客“时差”、“催稿拉黑”，2024年出版文集《空谈》 【 What We Talked About】 On April 29, 2026, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in Louisiana v. Callais, effectively gutting Section 2 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. For Chief Justice John Roberts, this is the capstone of a four-decade judicial career devoted to dismantling the VRA. From Shelby County in 2013 to today, Southern states can now openly redraw districts along partisan lines with little meaningful constraint from claims of racial discrimination. In this episode, we're joined once again by Lin Santu to walk through the full arc of the ruling: how the VRA came into being in 1965, how the two parties fought over Section 2 across the decades, how earlier decisions laid the groundwork for what just happened, and what comes next. Beyond the VRA, we also get into the strangely amateurish attempted shooting outside the White House Correspondents' Dinner, the quiet end of the DHS shutdown, the Schrödinger's-cat status of the Iran war, and Maine governor Janet Mills dropping out of the Senate primary while Graham Plantner locks up the Democratic nomination — is this the Democrats' Tea Party moment, or just another defeat for the establishment? Recorded May 3. 【Support Us】 If you like our show and want to support us, please consider the following: Join our membership program: https://theamericanroulette.com/paid-membership/ Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/americanroulette Business Inquiries and fan mail: american.roulette.pod@gmail.com 【Timeline】 01:50 Louisiana v. Callais: Supreme Court Guts Section 2 of the VRA in 6-3 Ruling 04:36 From the 1965 VRA to Roberts' Four-Decade Crusade 07:12 How Rucho v. Common Cause (2019) Set the Stage 17:08 The 2010 Midterms: When the South Flipped for Good 24:25 The Redistricting Arms Race 39:55 Could "One Person, One Vote" Be Next? 46:50 Voters Oppose Gerrymandering — and Don't Really Get It 56:30 The Shooting Outside the White House Correspondents' Dinner 1:04:40 The DHS Shutdown Ends: A Victory With No Winners 1:08:25 Chaos on the Hill 1:14:40 Janet Mills Drops Out as Plantner Locks Up the Nomination 1:22:33 Schrödinger's Iran War 【Who We Are】 The American Roulette is a podcast dedicated to helping the Chinese-speaking community understand fast-changing U.S. politics. Our Hosts and Guests: Talich：Aficionado of American politics, culture, and history 王浩岚 (Haolan Wang): American political enthusiast, chief writer at Lán Mù WeChat Official Account, and peddler of information 小华 (Xiao Hua): Journalist, political observer Lin Yao, scholar of political science, philosophy, and law; university faculty member; author of the WeChat public account "林三土"; host of the podcasts "时差" and "催稿拉黑"; published essay collection Empty Talk (《空谈》) in 2024.

2026年5月3日，我和《美轮美换》的三位主播（Talich、王浩岚、小华）聊了聊美国高院4月29日的重磅判决（Louisiana v. Callais⁠），以及这个案子背后以罗伯茨大法官为代表的美国保守派数十年来对《1965年投票权法》孜孜不倦的削弱。录完这个单元后我先下线了，本期《催稿拉黑》的备份也到此为止；除此之外，主播们还接着聊了诸如白宫记者晚宴未遂刺杀、国会批准国土安全部拨款法案、缅因州民主党初选、伊朗战争动态等其它时事，欢迎移步《美轮美换》播客收听本期节目的完整版。【时间轴】01:56 Louisiana v. Callais：最高法院6-3掏空投票权法第二条04:42 从1965年立法到1982年修订（反击1980年Mobile v. Bolden的保守判决）：围绕投票权法的斗争从未停息09:00 2019年Rucho v. Common Cause允许基于党派利益的选区重划，为Louisiana v. Callais奠定了基础13:16 罗伯茨反投票权法的四十年布局；2013年Shelby County v. Holder已经掏空了投票权法第五条17:14 2010年中期选举：南方政治版图的彻底翻转19:54 再论Rucho v. Common Cause的恶劣后果23:31 选区重划军备竞赛，以及两党手法在民主合法性方面的高度不对称35:26 共和党下一步完全有可能对“选区人口必须大致相当”的规则下手（1962年Baker v. Carr；1964年Wesberry v. Sanders）46:56 选民反对gerrymandering，但也并不懂

You miss 100% of the shots you DON'T take. That applies best to CNN's founder Ted Turner, who took every risk to elevate the brand of the world's first 24-hour cable news channel. We are joined by longtime Atlanta TV/Radio personality John Fricke who shared stories about Turner's legacy. Also on the show: Katie Porter continues to embarrass herself on the California Gov. Debate stage, Wanda Halbert loses by just 121 votes in Shelby County primaries, Marco Rubio gives a Superman-like speech, and TN Republicans revealed their proposed redistricted map. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ditch and Tim are joined by Republican Shelby County Mayoral candidate John DeBerry, as he discusses his vision for nurturing the growth he knows is possible for Memphis and Shelby County. Support the show: https://www.newstalk989.com/personalities/memphis-morning-news/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Arriba! Besides naming what our favorite Mexican dishes and guilty pleasures are, the big story is Rep. Steve Cohen making his case as the most important politician to represent TN's 9th Congressional District, a position that may not exist anymore. Also on the show: the polls are open in Shelby County, we discuss the legitimacy of Kamikaze Dolphins, Trump tells reporters Iran could have nuked the United States with a bunch of kids standing right next to him, and we play two rounds of Impossible Trivia. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The U.S. Supreme Court delivered another severe blow to the 1965 Voting Rights Act striking down protections against discrimination aimed at racial minority voters. After the ruling, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn tweeted a solid red map calling on the Tennessee legislature to redraw districts to ensure Republicans dominate every election. Tennessee State Representative Justin J. Pearson represents District 86 which covers Memphis and Shelby County. He says, "This is the only district that's in the entire state that is majority black and is Democratic that ensures representation for the people in our community. Representation they would not get otherwise because those would be all majority white districts. The fact that Marsha Blackburn who is running for governor of this state is proposing this, and other folks who are doing the similar thing, is really worrisome to the representation we deserve and that has been fought for. The reality of this is the use of racism, of bigotry, that created the need for District 9 in the first place have not disappeared. And our right to be able to choose a representative who understands our values, understands our culture, understands our dignity is extremely important. Now we are being told racism will not be viewed by the court, but racism can be used to take away, strip away our voting rights." Justin J. Pearson is now running for District 9 against incumbent Steve Cohen. NewsChannel 5+ can be seen on Spectrum/Charter Ch. 182 and over the air on Ch. 5.2. Inside Politics also streams live Fridays at 7pm and Saturdays at 3pm on our website: https://www.newschannel5.com/live3 as well as the NewsChannel 5 Now app on Connected TVs through Roku, AppleTV, AndroidTV, etc. The episode will air throughout the weekend on NewsChannel 5+ Sat. at 5:30am, 3pm, Sun. at 1am, 9am, 7pm, Mon. at 2:30pm and Tues., 3pm unless pre-empted. This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sam Alito's majority opinion rewrites the Voting Rights Act to impose a race-neutral standard on a law that was explicitly and intentionally race-conscious — designed to protect Black voters from racial vote dilution and racially discriminatory gerrymandering. Legal scholar Rick Hasen of UCLA Law calls it possibly the worst Supreme Court decision in 100 years. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry has already announced he is canceling May primaries to redraw congressional maps and eliminate Black representation from the state's congressional delegation. Tennessee's Nashville district — carved up like a pizza to dilute Black and Democratic votes — is a preview of what comes next nationwide. The Voting Rights Act, last reauthorized by Congress with near-unanimous bipartisan support in 2006, no longer has teeth. Section 5 was gutted in 2013. Section 2 is gone now. What remains is a statute with no enforcement mechanism and no path to sue. SUPPORT & CONNECT WITH HAWK- Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mdg650hawk - Hawk's Merch Store: https://hawkmerchstore.com - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mdg650hawk7thacct - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hawkeyewhackamole - Connect on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mdg650hawk.bsky.social - Connect on Substack: https://mdg650hawk.substack.com - Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hawkpodcasts - Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdg650hawk - Connect on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mdg650hawk ALL HAWK PODCASTS INFO- Additional Content Available Here: https://www.hawkpodcasts.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@hawkpodcasts- Listen to Hawk Podcasts On Your Favorite Platform:Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3RWeJfyApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/422GDuLYouTube: https://youtube.com/@hawkpodcastsiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/47vVBdPPandora: https://bit.ly/48COaTB

Alex opens the episode with an unexpected pairing—national parks and NBA blowouts—before turning to a Supreme Court decision that could fundamentally weaken the Voting Rights Act. He breaks down Justice Samuel Alito's argument that the law has fulfilled its purpose in a changed America, and notes that he finds himself torn on parts of the Court's reasoning, even as he grapples with its implications. The episode traces how decades of rulings—beginning with Shelby County v. Holder—have steadily chipped away at the Voting Rights Act, and what that erosion means for minority representation today. The decision, he explains, appears to permit political gerrymandering while rejecting racial gerrymandering—what amounts, in practice, to a distinction without a difference. Featuring sharp warnings from dissenting justices and voting rights advocates, the podcast examines whether the United States is closing the chapter on a civil rights cornerstone or reopening old wounds.

Earth Day, celebrated on April 22, is a reminder of the importance of caring for Kentucky's forests and the benefits they provide. It's also a good time to revisit forest health challenges, including the impact of the emerald ash borer.   In this edition of From the Woods Today Katherine Bullock, UK Department of Forestry and Natural Resources - Extension helps us learn the history behind Earth Day and why we celebrate it each year.   Also on tap...Dr Ellen Crocker, UK Department of Forestry and Natural Resources - Extension, talks about the invasive insect emerald ash borer (EAB). In 2009, EAB was discovered in Shelby County, KY and it has killed millions of ash trees across the state ever since. 4.22.26   To view the video for this podcast go to FromTheWoodsToday.com    

Host Nicholas Wardroup interviews zoning consultants Arista Strungys and Chris Jennette of Camiros about their collaborative work with division staff planners for the Unified Development Code (UDC) update. They bring their collective decades of experience working with other planning departments across the country to informing recomendations on changes in written zoning guidance and explanations here in Memphis and Shelby County. Arista and Chris share how they find satisfaction in helping municipalities simplify zoning for their residents and prepare for future development and growth.This episode is the second part in a two-part series about the Unified Development Code (UDC) update and adoption process.Have questions for Nicholas, Arista, or Chris? Email them to buildingbeat@memphistn.gov, and you'll get an answer on a future episode.

We crowdsourced questions for the candidates in the Shelby County Mayoral race, and got answers. Read "Questions for the Candidates" in this week's Memphis Flyerhttps://www.memphisflyer.com/questions-for-the-candidates/

Episode Notes On the next live and all new Real Talk Memphis; My guests include Sarah Houston, Executive director of Protect Our Aquifer. Recently, what appears to have been paused is the planned water recycling or greywater facility that was supposed to reduce strain on Memphis groundwater. She explains what that could mean potentially mean. Next, its election time in Shelby County and early voting has begun. Administrator of Elections Linda Phillips joins me for an update and what you need to know before you go. Lastly, how many stories have we heard about talented singers from our city? Well, here's another one. KJ Willis is a Memphis talent who is known as the singing barber at his shop but now, across the country as a recent contestant on the talent show ‘The Voice'. He shares his experience, if he will keep his shop chair and what the future looks like. That and more on air and online Monday, 6pm on 91.7 FM WYXR. Also, the wyxr app, Tunein, Facebook Live, YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts. Its time to talk!

A former NBA star vanishes after a trip home to Memphis, and for days no one knows where he went. Then a missed 911 call, a body in a field, and a murder weapon recovered years later begin to expose a conspiracy no one saw coming.A story of failed plans, shifting stories, and the long trail of evidence that finally brought the truth into focus. Beneath the headlines was a father of six, a hometown hero, and a family left waiting years for answers.How to support:For extra perks including exclusive content, early release, and ad-free episodes -Go to - PatreonHow to connect:WebsiteInstagramFacebookTwitterTheme and Closing Track:Original compositions created for The Minds of MadnessPlease check out our sponsors and help support the podcast:Shopify - Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/madnessQuince - Upgrade your wardrobe with pieces made to last with Quince. Go to Quince.com/madness for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.Marley Spoon - This new year, fast-track your way to eating well with Marley Spoon. Head to MarleySpoon.com/offer/MADNESS for up to 25 FREE meals!HERS - Feel like your best self again, Visit forhers.com/MADNESS to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you.NOCD - If you're struggling with OCD or unrelenting intrusive thoughts, NOCD can help. Book a free 15 minute call to get started: https://learn.nocd.com/MADNESSGranola - If meetings are eating up your day, Granola is a no-brainer. You can try it totally free for three months - just head to granola.ai/MADNESSNutrafol - Start your hair growth journey with Nutrafol. For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners ten dollars off your first month's subscription and free shipping when you go to Nutrafol.com and enter the promo code MADNESSResearch & Writing:Ryan DeiningerSources:Court TV RecapWatch Live: TN v Billy Ray Turner Trial Day 1Watch Live: TN v Billy Ray Turner Trial Day 2Watch Live: TN v Billy Ray Turner Trial Day 3Watch Live: TN v Billy Ray Turner Trial Day 4 (part 1)Watch Live: TN v Billy Ray Turner Trial Day 4Watch Live: TN v Billy Ray Turner Trial Day 5 (Part 1)Watch Live: TN v Billy Ray Turner Trial Day 5 (Part 2)Watch Live: TN v Billy Ray Turner Trial Day 5 (Part 3)TN v Billy Ray Turner Trial Day 6 - Prosecution ClosingTN v Billy Ray Turner Trial Day 6 - Defense ClosingTN v Billy Ray Turner Trial Day 6 - Prosecution RebuttalWatch Live: TN v Billy Ray Turner Trial VERDICTProsecution ClosingDefense ClosingProsecution RebuttalSentencingKilling Lorenzen: Billy breaks his silenceThe 12-year-long case of Lorenzen Wright's murder is finally closedLorenzen Wright WikipediaTurner Sentenced to Life Plus 25 Years In Lorenzen Wright Murder and ConspiracyWife of murdered NBA player Lorenzen Wright denied paroleFamily of Lorenzen Wright speaksLorenzen Wright killing: Shelby County man arrested, charged with murder WREG.comWho killed Lorenzen Wright? LA TimesHow Sherra Wright Orchestrated the Murder of Her Ex-HusbandLorenzen Wright's mom, son reunite after near-decadeNew drama involving murder of Lorenzen Wright as twin sons speak out for first timeSherra Wright and Billy Turner tried to kill Lorenzen multiple times, documents saySherra Wright's cousin details murder plot in bombshell statement, $15M bond for TurnerWho is Jimmie Martin? Alleged Lorenzen Wright conspirator has killed beforeBilly Ray Turner Appeal Dec. 16 Press Conference on Sherra Wright Murder ChargesDeborah Marion Reacts to Verdict

Host Nicholas Wardroup sits down with the Division's new Director, Brett Ragsdale, for a wide‑ranging conversation about his vision for the Division and what's ahead for the team. Drawing on his experience as Zoning Administrator, Brett talks about the opportunities he sees in this next chapter and highlights how each department's work supports our shared mission of people-centered, community-focused public service. Together, they offer an inside look at the Division's priorities, upcoming initiatives, and the ongoing effort to strengthen neighborhoods across Memphis and Shelby County.Have questions for Brett or Nicholas? Email them to buildingbeat@memphistn.gov, and you'll get an answer on a future episode.

ALSO: Governor announces $1 billion in incentives for life sciences, 11 suspects arrested in Shelby County sting of child-sex offenders, Aer Lingus adds additional weekly flight from Indy to Dublin, and IU Pacer car driver.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Meet Jerri Green — a Memphis City Councilwoman and the current public defender for Shelby County who's running as a Democratic candidate for Tennessee's open gubernatorial seat. She sits down with executive producer Whitney Pastorek to talk about what she learned as a “baby attorney” in Nashville, and how being a mom fuels her campaign. Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor. You'll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our City Cast Nashville newsletter.  Follow us @citycastnashville You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

Host Jeremy C. Park interviews Dr. Mario Ray, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at UT Health Science Center and Medical Director for the Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit and Federal Detention at Regional One Health, who highlights March of Dimes and the nonprofit organization's efforts to support healthy mothers and babies. Dr. Ray shares how his involvement with March of Dimes started years ago through his fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha, and discusses the organization's work in research, advocacy, and education. He highlights how prematurity is a leading cause of infant death in Tennessee, with rates higher than the national average in Shelby County. Dr. Ray explains that March of Dimes provides on-site support through staff like Ollie Johnson at Regional One Health in Memphis, offering training and support to families with premature babies in the NICU. He shares a personal story about a young family with premature twins to illustrate the significant impact March of Dimes has on supporting families during challenging times. Dr. Ray presents concerning statistics and grades for the United States and Tennessee on the March of Dimes report card for preterm birth, with Shelby County performing even worse with 13.2% of babies born premature. Dr. Ray emphasizes that community support is crucial, particularly through donations, local and national advocacy, and participating in events, like the upcoming March for Babies Walk event scheduled for Saturday, May 30th at Audubon Park. He explains that the event aims to raise awareness about preventing premature births and supporting healthier babies and mothers, with healthcare providers, local leaders, and community organizations expected to attend. Dr. Ray highlights various ways the community can support March of Dimes, including participating in the walk, making donations, starting teams, volunteering, and advocating for policies that support mothers and babies. He encouraged people to visit marchforbabies.org for more information on how to get involved. Visit https://www.marchofdimes.org to learn more about March of Dimes or visit https://marchforbabies.org to learn more about the March for Babies event taking place on Saturday, May 30, 2026 in Memphis, Tennessee.

Learn how Memphis is building and expanding economic opportunities with the Economic Development Growth Engine for Memphis & Shelby County — better known as EDGE — and the City of Memphis. Guests: Mayor Paul Young , City of Memphis Dr. Joann Massey , EDGE Hear from real leaders making a real impact in Memphis each week on the Meanwhile in Memphis podcast! Meanwhile in Memphis conversations connect changemakers and community leaders who make Memphis a vibrant place to live, work, and play. Created and produced by New Memphis. Resources and references mentioned in the episode include: Economic Development Growth Engine for Memphis and Shelby County (EDGE) EDGE programs City of Memphis, EDGE Launch Entrepreneurship City Initiative AAON Epicenter Greater Memphis Chamber Small Business Administration TN Economic and Community Development Powered by Independent Bank.

Interim Shelby County Public Defender Jerri Green talked on "Behind The Headlines" about dropping crime rates, the overflowing jail and the differing numbers used by different parts of the criminal justice system.

Host Nicholas Wardroup interviews Comprehensive Planning Administrator Christina Edingbourgh and Project Manager Isaac Bacon about infusing community voice into land use planning in Memphis and the upcoming Unified Development Code update affecting Shelby County. They discuss the differences between the future land use map and the zoning map and how their work is considering the future of Memphis and Shebly County.This episode is the first part in a two-part series about the upcoming Unified Development Code (UDC) update and adoption process.Have questions for Nicholas, Christina, or Issac? Email them to buildingbeat@memphistn.gov, and you'll get an answer on a future episode.Memphis 3.0 website: www.memphis3point0.comUnified Development Code (UDC) Update website: https://www.901udcupdate.com/

This week DJ got to sit down with Melissa Chesterfield and Melissa Midkiff. They both volunteer as leaders with FCA in Shelby County schools, and they talked about why they said yes to that opportunity, how they've seen students' lives change through FCA and what the Lord is teaching them as they continue to step out in serving others.So, let's listen in as Melissa and Melissa get to share their story.

ALSO: Protests erupt in Minneapolis after ICE officer kills driver, Legislative session plans, proposal for SNAP benefits change, and IU director of athletics on why Curt Cignetti was the right fit.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The leader of Shelby County's Community Services Division talks about the safety net of programs and the balancing act that comes with uncertain money.

Meanwhile in Memphis conversations showcase collaboration in Memphis and beyond, and today's episode is part of a mini-series within the show: Legislately with Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris. This collaboration will bring together experts and local leaders to amplify the way leaders in our community are learning, collaborating, innovating, and working to set Memphis and Shelby County up for success. Today's installment features a conversation with Montgomery, Alabama Mayor Steven Reed on education and investing in the future for each of their respective cities. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Montgomery, Alabama Mayor Steven Reed Shelby County Government Previous episodes of Legislately with Mayor Harris can be found here , here , here , here , here , and here This episode is made possible in partnership with Independent Bank.

Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris says the number of jail deaths calls for dramatic change that could include the county or the state taking over the county jail currently run by Sheriff Floyd Bonner.

Black Friday special edition of the Daily DetailBlanket Fort Hope in Shelby County officially opens  doors of new facility built as refuge for child victims of sex traffickingTucker Carlson explains the real reasons why he's being labeled an anti-Semite after an interview with Nick Fuentes

It was our honor to serve a meal last night to more than 1,000 members of the Memphis Safe Task Force, along with Attorney General Pam Bondi and HUD Secretary Scott Turner. State Sen. Brent Taylor, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, the Republican Party of Shelby County, Sen. Bill Hagerty, Rep. David Kustoff and Gov. Bill Lee worked the food line last night. God bless Sen. Taylor for sponsoring our event along with Rachel Belz, Paul Boyle and Memphis restaurant legend Jim LoSapio. Jim’s team served up a terrific Thanksgiving feast for the agents! KWAM loves law enforcement and we love Memphis! Listen LIVE Weekdays 7AM Central on the KWAM app, or Mighty990.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Passing Judgment, host Jessica Levinson welcomes Jan Wolfe of Reuters to break down a major Supreme Court case that could reshape voting rights nationwide. They discuss how a challenge to Louisiana's congressional map escalated into a broader attack on Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act—one of the remaining federal protections against racial discrimination in voting. Jan and Jessica unravel the complexities of the case, the Supreme Court's skepticism, and the potential consequences: from narrowing how race can be considered in redistricting, to making it much harder to bring successful claims under Section 2. The episode also takes a look at other high-profile cases on the Supreme Court's docket, including questions of executive power and social issues, highlighting the legal and political stakes at play this term.Here are three key takeaways from the episode:Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act is at a crossroads:Following the Supreme Court's 2013 Shelby County decision (which gutted Section 5 preclearance provisions), Section 2 remains the primary tool to challenge racially discriminatory voting practices. This case could either hobble or maintain its effectiveness, depending on how the justices rule.The current dispute reflects broader battles over race and "colorblindness":The case sits at the intersection of redistricting and the recent trend in the Court toward a “colorblind” constitutional interpretation—reminiscent of last year's affirmative action ruling. The outcome could make it significantly harder to prove voting power is being diluted due to race, with huge consequences for minority representation.The Court's decision may have national ripple effects—or remain narrow:While the justices have options ranging from a sweeping redefinition of Section 2 to a narrow ruling specific to Louisiana, the oral arguments showed splintering among conservatives and uncertainty about the ultimate path forward. Watch for possible “off ramps” that limit the case's impact nationally.Follow Our Host: @LevinsonJessica

Keith sits down with Terry Kerr and Matthew Vanhorn, the leaders of America's oldest turnkey real estate provider, Mid South Home Buyers, to unpack the practical systems that keep thousands of rental units profitable and tenants happy. With national renter mobility dropping, longer stays are now the norm. Average resident stay is 4 years—double the industry average, thanks to proactive maintenance and relationship-driven management. Instead of fighting for eyeballs on Zillow, they target HR departments at hospitals, universities, and major employers, tapping into pre-screened, income-verified tenants with stable paychecks and predictable work schedules. Invest where returns still make sense. Visit midsouthhomebuyers.com to book your investor tour and get $500 off your first property. Resources: Switch to listening to the podcast on the Apple Podcasts or Spotify app, as the dedicated GRE mobile app will be discontinued at the end of the month. Show Notes: GetRichEducation.com/576 For access to properties or free help with a GRE Investment Coach, start here: GREmarketplace.com GRE Free Investment Coaching: GREinvestmentcoach.com Get mortgage loans for investment property: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE  or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Invest with Freedom Family Investments.  For predictable 10-12% quarterly returns, visit FreedomFamilyInvestments.com/GRE or text  1-937-795-8989 to speak with a freedom coach Will you please leave a review for the show? I'd be grateful. Search “how to leave an Apple Podcasts review”  For advertising inquiries, visit: GetRichEducation.com/ad Best Financial Education: GetRichEducation.com Get our wealth-building newsletter free— text ‘GRE' to 66866 Our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/GetRichEducation Follow us on Instagram: @getricheducation Complete episode transcript: Keith Weinhold  0:01   welcome to GRE I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, learn about how to cut your rental property vacancies and keep tenants twice as long. Why Memphis, Tennessee stays the cash flow King, and exactly where to find really low cost, quality properties today. That make sense from day one today on, get rich education.   Keith Weinhold  0:26   You know, most people think they're playing it safe with their liquid money, but they're actually losing savings accounts and bonds don't keep up when true inflation eats six or 7% of your wealth. Every single year, I invest my liquidity with FFI freedom family investments in their flagship program. Why fixed 10 to 12% returns have been predictable and paid quarterly. There is real world security backed by needs based real estate like affordable housing, Senior Living and health care. Ask about the freedom flagship program. When you speak to a freedom coach there, and that's just one part of their family of products, they've got workshops, webinars and seminars designed to educate you before you invest. Start with as little as 25k and finally, get your money working as hard as you do. Get started at Freedom family investments.com/gre, or send a text now it's 1-937-795-8989, yep, text their freedom coach, directly. Again, 1-937-795-8989,   Corey Coates  1:39   you're listening to the show that has created more financial freedom than nearly any show in the world. This is get rich education.   Keith Weinhold  1:49   Welcome to GRE from New York's Long Island Sound to Washington's Puget Sound and across 188 nations worldwide. I'm Keith Weinhold, and you're listening to get rich education. There's an economic trend that you need to be aware of. We're going to talk about how you can play it in this era, sources ranging from Redfin to Housing Wire and others, you know they're all in agreement that the transiency rate, that mobility rate for Americans, is down. And what that means is, when people find a place to live, whether they're a property owner or a renter, they are staying put longer. They put this big, heavy anchor down, and that kind of goes along with employment. Although the unemployment rate is low right now, there aren't very many people moving jobs or changing jobs. So the rate of hiring is low, that's bad, but the rate of employer firings is low, that's good. So on balance, Americans are keeping their job if they've already got one, and they're keeping their home if they've already got one. But because movement has slowed, as we are in this slower housing market, I'll drastically oversimplify here. All right, a few years ago, you might have had a tenant stay for two years, and then there would be a one month vacancy between tenancies today, double both of those. You're more likely to see a four year stay, but two months between vacancies. So your occupancy rate, therefore, is the same in both scenarios, but there's less movement. Again, oversimplifying, but you can see the effect a longer vacancy period is bad, a longer tenant retention period is good, all right. Well, how do you increase your tenant's length of stay and decrease that vacancy in order to be more profitable as an investor and yet give your tenant a satisfactory experience too well. One thing that you can do is list your vacant unit with an employer. Yeah, advertise it through a local stable company. You're going to end up with higher quality tenants. See, there's already this built in screening that was done for you. The employer basically did that for you. So when you work directly with especially hospitals, universities, corporate campuses or military bases, what you're doing is you're fishing from a pond of already vetted, income verified and drug screened candidates. See these tenants what they had to do. They already had to pass HR background checks and employment verification in order to get their job. So for you, that saves you both risk and time compared to the you know, the Craigslist style roll the dice crowd. Now, Of course, we cannot discriminate against certain groups of people, and we'll get into that shortly. But of course, steady employment equals steady rent tenants sourced through employers. They usually have reliable paychecks, often through direct deposit. They've got predictable work schedules, and there's going to be less income volatility. So that means that you'll have fewer late payments and lower eviction risk. And some landlords, you know what they do, they even structure rent payments through payroll deduction. I mean that essentially automates the rent collection. Yes, you can do that. Employees who move for a job, they often sign longer leases, because relocating again would be a hassle. So many will stay in your unit as long as they stay employed. That could be two years or five years, especially in the health care, education and tech sector. So less turnover means fewer make ready costs for you, fewer showings and just more ease and peace of mind. So advertising through employers that is a really low competition marketing channel as well. You know, most landlords, they blast their listings on Zillow apartments.com or maybe Facebook marketplace. Well over there, your post is just one out of hundreds, instead of all that competition, what you're doing is you're finding quiet, uncrowded channels when you utilize these employer housing boards and their HR relocation departments, and this way you can even get inside that company's internal newsletters so you're reaching renters before they can even start scrolling listings over on Zillow and see employers love this too. It's not like the employer is having to do a favor for you. They love it, because when they can help new hires or transferees find housing, it's better for that company. It reduces the employee's stress. It improves the retention at that company. If they have an employer that's satisfied and has a good place to stay, and it really boosts that company's recruiting success. So you're helping yourself, you're helping that company, and you're helping their new employee, which is your tenant. So this makes HR departments. They are surprisingly receptive to you. They might even circulate your listing internally or add you to their housing resource list. So this is a perfect fit for these hands off turnkey investors. So if you're doing that or you're managing properties remotely, this employer outreach, it really gives you a nice extra layer of reliability. And as far as the people that will be your tenants, think about nurses, engineers. IT staff, sometimes teachers, sometimes military based personnel. I mean, they are all ideal long term tenants. Now the way that you can actually do this and put it into practice is identify major employers that are near your property, that could be hospital systems, that could be universities or manufacturing plants, then contact their HR or the relocation department, and after that, it's not hard just provide them with a concise PDF or a one page flyer with your property photos and the monthly rent amount. And one thing you can do, and you should in this case, is put the distance or the time it takes to travel to the employer from your rental unit, and then add your contact info. That is exactly how you do it. You can offer a small incentive, like $50 off the first month for employees. So this is a slick way to advertise your vacancy with employers and make you more profitable over time.    Keith Weinhold  7:02   Now today, we're going to talk to who is actually America's oldest turnkey real estate company. As far as we know, they're based in Memphis, Tennessee, and we'll learn how they advertise a vacant unit and screen prospective tenants and place them and maintain their units over time. They are called mid south homebuyers. You've heard them on the show before, and because of their success, both investors and other real estate companies, they actually listen in intently to what these people have to say. I mean, others study them and learn from them. These are the people other companies study, and you're still going to hear from their principal and their sales lead about reducing your vacancy time and increasing your tenant duration. And, you know, it's just kind of funny how often Memphis, Tennessee, which is where they're based, how often this comes up in cash flowing real estate conversations that you have out there over time? I mean. And Memphis consistently has the best cash flow, maybe, amongst any substantial Metro in the nation. We'll just say among metros that are big enough to have a major pro sports team. I mean, Memphis does have the NBA Grizzlies. There aren't many other cities that can even compete with Memphis as the cashflow King, although there are some that you can work into the conversation. Indianapolis, Cleveland and Oklahoma City are some of those places. Now, before we're done, you'll also learn about how, even following this generation's big inflationary wave, how purchase prices are still as affordable as they are in both Memphis and Little Rock. I mean, this is going to make you ask out loud today, how could they still be so low? We'll also talk about conventional, enduring property management techniques today, now next month here on the show, we're going to talk about how you can use AI to self manage your properties, and that show next month is going to be with an expert straight from Silicon Valley. We're going to talk to the CEO of hemlane then and their AI driven property management software. She used to work for Apple, and she's got a Harvard Business School degree. That is next month today. It's about tried and proven techniques to make you more profitable as an investor   Keith Weinhold  11:24   I'd like to welcome in longtime friends of the show, with the emphasis on long time since they were first here with us, nearly 11 years ago, They are those ever steady property providers based in Memphis, mid south homebuyers. They also serve Little Rock, Arkansas. I have physically walked their offices and properties in person myself. They are, in fact, America's oldest turnkey real estate provider. And it's the return of their founder and principal, Terry Kerr and a second guest who you'll meet shortly, Terry, welcome back on of the show.   Terry Kerr  12:04   Thanks so much, Keith, so glad to be back.   Keith Weinhold  12:07   Congrats on your success. Your model and operation is prominent and exemplary nationally. You've now grown to 110 w2 employees there, and your 13 plus year property management guru who's been leading that entire division is now your sales director. It's terrific to introduce him to the world today. Matthew Van Horn,   Matthew Vanhorn  12:31   Keith, so great to be on here. Long time listener of the show. Really great to meet you.    Keith Weinhold  12:36   Yeah. Appreciate it now you'll soon be listening to yourself on the show. GRE, listeners are familiar with the turnkey real estate model. What you do is buy a distressed property, you rehab it, and then you place a tenant in the property, and you hold on to that for investors across the nation for the production of long term cash flow. Well, let's get an update between Memphis and Little Rock. How many properties do you hold under management for investors now and then? What percent are single family rentals versus other types?   Terry Kerr  13:07   Right now, we're about 57 maybe a little closer to 5800 and the vast majority of them are single family houses. I'm going to say probably. What 5% are duplexes? Matthew, something like that. Yeah, something like that. So no other multis, just single family, most of them rehabs. And of course, now we're doing a new construction direct to rental as well.   Keith Weinhold  13:29   Interestingly, with 58 to 5900 rentals, I mean, you can easily sort of be your own surveying outfit in an informal way, in finding out what's happening with the market, what all the dynamics are. So why don't we start at the beginning, when you're marketing and advertising and looking to place a tenant, tell us about just what you look for, just what you need to avoid. I mean checking for the tenant. That typically involves an employment check, a credit check, a rental history. Sometimes something might appear like a red flag, say, a 590 credit score. Would you always accept tenants in that condition? Because there are times when there are extenuating circumstances when a tenant with a 590 credit score actually might be a good placement. So tell us more about that screening.   Terry Kerr  14:17   As you know, it is renters that drive our returns as investors, and so selecting the right renter is where the money is made in this business, for sure, we are doing as much screening as we can for our renters. There's a lot that goes into that. We actually have a whole processing department. You know some people here who spend their whole day working in the processing division. And what you really got to watch out for, as far as red flags, is just fraud. There are so many ways you can use machines to defraud, and we have people who are able to detect and weed out the bad actors there, but we know what works really well. We have, for instance, in. Arkansas, the main employer of our residents is Baptist Health Medical Center, and we love our healthcare workers there. So that's a place that, you know, starting from the marketing side, we're going to dial up our marketing in those places we're going to go to the HR department, or we're often in the HR department of Baptist Health Medical Center, pushing and asking for referrals from them, you know. And same with just referrals in general, good tenants tend to refer other good tenants. We're of course, looking for strong income that we can verify. And more than anything, we're looking for strong, credible current rental history, so someone who's paying the rent today somewhere to a verified landlord, not their sister, you know, but a very verified landlord. That's the big thing, Keith.   Keith Weinhold  15:50   Tell us more about that. That's great that you're being proactive and getting right in there with a stable, steady employer. That is where our rent comes from. After all, are there any other red flags, maybe things that people would not think about identifying as a red flag when it comes to that employment, in that credit, in that rental history   Matthew Vanhorn  16:11   one reason I bring up the localized marketing that some people may not think about is that renters who move from Out of state often will land in a place and then stay there for one year, which is fine, but then they often don't renew their lease and they'll move somewhere else. Now, of course, what we have to do above all is we have to be legal, you know, so we can't discriminate against someone from coming from out of town, but what we can do is dial up our localized marketing so that we're getting people who are in the neighborhood, who love the neighborhood already where they are, and so that contributes to longer residence days, and it's just little things like that. Once again, you're looking for employment that you can verify, so that you know that you're getting a quality renter.   Terry Kerr  16:59   I'll also say that one of the ways that we try to attract the most potential residents we can is by having a free application. So typically, a property management company is going to charge, you know, 50 to 75 bucks per applicant. And we're very fortunate that we've get a terrific deal from Equifax, because we're also lenders, we do some lending to our investors, which gives us a really good deal on paying for credit checks. And so we waive those fees for our residents. And so a lot more folks are going to apply with us, because it doesn't cost them anything to apply. And of course, the more people that apply, you've got a much better shot at a filling the property quicker, but also finding a much better resident.   Keith Weinhold  17:44   well this is a great part of building the connection. One of the first interactions they have with you is realizing that you don't have any application fee. And AI can be great for marketing and for doing things like writing listing descriptions, but you build that human connection there. For example, you do in person showings. You invite prospective tenants in current tenants into your physical office, kind of replacing society's trust crisis with humanity.   Matthew Vanhorn  18:14   Yes, that's right, Keith. In the last 12 months, we've spent more money than ever on technology, so we are leaning heavily into creating the systems and processes that allow us to get to our service quickly. And at the same time, we've invested more into staffing up in the past 12 months, into inviting people into our office, you know, and we can still do everything remotely. We can do it virtually for folks who want that, we found that a lot of residents love to look us in the face, and they like to come down to our office, and they like to sit across from Karen and across from Gabby, and they just love the personalized experience that we give them. It's hard to quantify it, Keith, but I just really believe that it drives longevity, right?   Keith Weinhold  19:04   Having a face behind that rental because your properties are freshly rehabbed, or, in some cases, they're new builds, so hopefully you won't have too many tenant service calls once they do become a resident, and you don't need to interact with them all the time, though you're there for them, but once you have chosen a tenant, and that tenant is placed, you know somebody has to be the adult in the lease, and we sincerely hope that the tenant is one of them. So with regard to that, how do you help ensure that tenants keep making on time payments, and you can keep tenants and not get ones that break the lease. So can you speak to us about that, how you can help identify that in the screening and then that ongoing relationship?   Matthew Vanhorn  19:47    I will say that perfect vetting does not necessarily lead to perfect collections, because it turns out that every one of our residents, they are humans, and as humans, we run into things you. Know, divorce can happen. Relationship breakups can happen, job losses happen. Just very human things happen. And so we like to stay in touch with our residents as often as possible, and very much encourage an open line of communication. We very much believe in compassion based collections here at Mid South. And so when residents fall upon hard times, we are truly there for them. Memphis actually has more nonprofits per capita than any place in America then. So when residents do fall on hard times, you know, and it happens, we're actually able to reach out. We have connections with several agencies that can help with rental assistance for renters who need it, we found that by pouring into our staffing with the resident support and solutions department that we've had a lot of success in collecting just by keeping that relationship intact when the pandemic hit. For instance, and I know that's been a few years from now, and maybe we all want to forget it, our collections rate actually went up during that time, and I attribute that largely to the fact that, number one, we had a relationship in place with our renters. We staffed up, and matter of fact, we had a full time person just working to get rent assistance for those renters who kind of had been disenfranchised by the pandemic   Keith Weinhold  21:26   during pandemic times or post pandemic times whenever it is us as investors, we're always interested in reducing that vacancy time. We seem to be in a period, at least nationally, where when people get a hold of a place, they want to keep it and hold on to it. In a lot of markets, the duration of a tenancy has been increasing. So despite what era that we're in, can you talk to us about some of the best practices for how you reduce the vacancy time? Because we all know vacancy and turnover is our biggest expense over time. As investors,    Terry Kerr  21:58   I like to say, you know, at the heart of what we do is making sure that when a hard working, single mother comes home at the end of the day, she can give her child a hot bath. And that's not possible if the water heaters out. And that's just one example, but our main job is to give a good quality of life to the residents that we are caring for, and if we can do that, and if we can treat them with respect when they do fall on hard times, like Matthew said, they're going to want to renew the lease. So we have got a almost twice the average length of stay as the industry average, which is we've got about a four year average resident stay. And when folks move out of a mid south house, it's not because they can find a better value they're going to get. They're already in the nicest house on the street. And if something breaks, we're out there lickety split to fix it. When folks move out of a mid south house. It's either because they're downsizing. Kids are moving out, or they're going up because they're having their family increases and they've got to move up, or maybe something happens to them, like Matthew mentioned, you know, death, divorce, disability, these things happen, right? But no one's moving out because they can find a better value or because they're not getting the service or respect that they deserve.    Keith Weinhold  23:25   That says a lot. Being managers of 5800 to 5900 properties, which gives you this sort of canvassing or de facto surveying ability that you have. What are we seeing for the direction of rents? We'll get into rents and prices later, because nationally, rents are just holding steady. They're really not rising very much. What do you see there?   Matthew Vanhorn  23:49   Yes, we saw them fairly stable. Over the course of 2024 I have started to see an uptick here in the past few months, I will say, which is encouraging for investors, for sure, each month, I'm looking at all of the renewal rates personally, to kind of look at that, engage the market. And like you said, it really is helpful. I mean, yes, we have all the tools, Zillow, rentometer, all these things, but there's nothing like just our own data of seeing, hey, what's the house across the street renting for? You know, how long did it take for that to rent and incorporating that into our data. And right now, our houses are moving at a faster pace on the leasing tip, which rent increases tend to follow that    Keith Weinhold  24:30   when it comes to optimizing rents, a lot of that coming back to reducing vacancy time. There are a number of strategies that one can employ now it's not with you guys, but I have a single family rental home in another market, and one promotion that that manager is running and encouraged me to participate in is a 50 inch flat screen TV having that and giving it away to the tenant. Somehow, that only costs $250 so I decided to do that. At for a vacancy that I have there in that market. Now, some investors might say, you know, why am I buying TVs for a tenant? I'm already providing them with a place. If the rent is 1500 bucks, a $250 TV only costs five days of vacancy, and that helps me reduce that vacancy period. Might even make a tenant want to stay longer, so sometimes you got to be thinking about how your tenant thinks, and you can come up with inventive ways to reduce vacancy. Do you have anything like that, any small concession that you've offered or have needed to offer in either market?   Terry Kerr  25:33   Well, we haven't done anything like that, Keith, but what we do like to do, and Matthew mentioned this earlier, is as great tenants tend to refer other great residents, and so we have a referral bonus that we pay out to our residents that refer other folks to us, and that does not come out of the pocket of our investors, that comes out of our pocket, because it's our job to make sure that We rent these properties as quick as we can to qualified residents.   Keith Weinhold  26:04   One thing that I've liked about Memphis, which few markets have, is that it's embedded within renter culture in Memphis, since it is such a renter city, that renters travel with their appliances, like the refrigerator, in their stove, in their dishwasher, which always seems crazy to me, so you're not providing those appliances. It seems like that fact alone might help with resident retention in Memphis. They're just less likely to move when they have more stuff to move.   Matthew Vanhorn  26:35   Yeah, it's really true. Yeah. And the longer people stay, the longer they tend to stay as funny as that sounds. And yeah, that's something that we found even in our new construction homes where we do provide the appliances we've been finding in many instances, still the residents are coming with their own appliances. And so we're storing our appliance, our brand new appliances, in our warehouse.   Keith Weinhold  26:58   Wow, yes, that's just something that you don't see in other places. And when it comes to retention, we're interested in maintaining the property like you talked about being proactive with are there some other things you do to help ensure that the maintenance expenses stay lower throughout the lifetime of that investor ownership? How do you approach that?   Terry Kerr  27:16   It really starts with doing a full blown rehab, right? So every once in a while, you know, we'll have houses that, you know, have some age on the components. But when we do a rehab, everything is brand spanking new, like a new roof, gut, the kitchen, got the bathroom, you know, all new electrical, all new plumbing, all new HVAC, a new water heater the whole nine yards. So it starts there, and then when a property turns over, we go into the property, and we are looking for safe and clean, right? So we want to make sure to keep the water out. We want to make sure that everything is safe and the property is tip top and super clean. Fortunately, the folks that are maintaining the houses for our investors. The technicians are the same technicians that did the renovations on the property, right? And it's the same materials. Yeah, it's like, we have an assembly line and a junky house jumps on the assembly line, and we rip everything off, and all the same materials jump back on the house. So we're able to keep costs low because of that, and also because the labor that we end up having to pay the technicians typically is a lot less than normal, because they're used to working on the same water heater, the same HVAC system, you know, the same furnace, the same dishwasher. So our volume model kind of helps with that.   Keith Weinhold  28:39   Oh, if you were listening closely, yes, what a huge efficiency that can be. You fellas, have any last thoughts about efficient property management, since that's what you've led for more than 13 years, Matthew,   Matthew Vanhorn  28:51   I resonate with what you said about how many investors overlook vacancy costs when properties turn over. And so I think it's just getting your rents right on the money, maybe just a little below, can actually drive returns, as opposed to maybe trying to get an extra 25 bucks more, which takes you three weeks longer to rent. You actually did not come out ahead in that, in that scenario, Keith   Keith Weinhold  29:14   today, with inflation, a $25 difference, I mean, we're down to what 12 hours of vacancy is, really how we're talking about there Property Management turning a passive income into an active lifestyle since forever. That's what they do. Property managers are the people that have never met a maintenance issue that waited until business hours. So that's why I'm grateful that my managers do what they do for me. That's what we're talking about today. More when we come back with Terry Kerr and Matthew Van Horn of mid south homebuyers, I'm your host. Keith Weinhold   Keith Weinhold  29:45   if you're scrolling for quality real estate and finance info today, yeah, it can be a mess. You hit paywalls, pop ups, push alerts, Cookie banners. It's like the internet is playing defense against you. Not so fun. That's why. It matters to get clean, free content that actually adds no hype value to your life. This is the golden age of quality email newsletters, and I write every word of ours myself. It's got a dash of humor. It's direct, and it gets to the point because even the word abbreviation is too long, my letter takes less than three minutes to read, and it leaves you feeling sharp and in the know about real estate investing, this is paradigm shifting material, and when you start the letter, you'll also get my one hour fast real estate video course, completely free as well. It's called The Don't quit your Daydream letter. It wires your mind for wealth, and it couldn't be simpler to get visit gre letter.com while it's fresh in your head, take a moment to do it now at gre letter.com Visit gre letter.com    Keith Weinhold  30:56   the same place where I get my own mortgage loans is where you can get yours. Ridge lending group and MLS, 42056, they provided our listeners with more loans than anyone because they specialize in income properties. They help you build a long term plan for growing your real estate empire with leverage. Start your pre qual and even chat with President chailey Ridge personally, while it's on your mind, start at Ridge lending group.com that's Ridge lending group.com   Tom Wheelwright  31:31   this is Rich Dad Advisor Tom wheelwright. Listen to get rich education with Keith Weinhold, and don't quit your Daydream.   Keith Weinhold  31:37   welcome back to get rich education. You've got the pleasure of listening to the voices of America's oldest turnkey real estate provider mid south homebuyers based in Memphis, Tennessee, and some years ago, they branched out to Little Rock, Arkansas as well, just about a two hour road trip west of Memphis. When us as investors buy a property, we've got to be cognizant of the fact that that property swims in an economic ocean, and therefore job vibrancy is, after all, how the tenant pays the rent. So tell us about economic developments in Memphis and Little Rock, because there are some exciting ones.   Matthew Vanhorn  32:24   So yeah, both in Memphis and in Little Rock, we've got the roads, we've got the rivers, we've got the rails, which drives both Memphis and Little Rock as distribution hubs here in the middle of America. And so of course, FedEx famously has their headquarters here in Memphis. Many of your listeners will know it's the largest cargo airport in America. We've had a resurgence of X. AI has actually come to Memphis and built the world's largest supercomputer here in Memphis, and they're actually working hard now on building a second called Colossus two, which is going to be even larger. They're saying it may hold as many as 1 million Nvidia chips, which I can't do that math, but that's a lot of money. And so x AI is has quickly become the second largest taxpayer here in Memphis and in Shelby County. And 25% of those tax proceeds, by the way are going, they're earmarked to go right into that local community beside where the plant is, and all the development is in Little Rock. You know, of course, it's Arkansas's largest city. It's the capital city, and so by nature of that, there are many stable state government jobs there that is a bulwark of the economic development there. There is a actually Fintech startup space is big in Little Rock as well. Lockheed Martin has been doing developments there, so a lot of aerospace development around Little Rock. Folks who look at our homes will also notice that we are in Jacksonville, which is a suburb of Little Rock that's anchored by the Air Force base there in Jacksonville. And there's actually a large munitions supplier there, Sig Sauer, which provides a lot of jobs to the locals there. And our number one, I may have mentioned it earlier, our number one employer in Central Arkansas is actually Baptist Health Medical Center. And just generally speaking, health care workers make up the largest portion of our residents in Central Arkansas. So a lot of great economic drivers that we're seeing bringing renters to Little Rock and and new jobs there. As a matter of fact, not just that, but I noted recently that the cost of living in Little Rock is now 10% below the national average. I think we had a report on our website a few years ago that it was 6% and that's actually. It's only becoming more favorable to live in Central Arkansas.   Keith Weinhold  35:04   You're talking about stable and growing drivers here, AI related businesses and healthcare. Let's talk about those rents and prices. Because really, this is one reason why national investors are so drawn to that area. It's that high affordability and that high ratio of rent income to purchase price. So what sort of rent and price ranges are we looking at in both markets now,   Matthew Vanhorn  35:29   it's not the same as it was when I started here in 2012 Reds have increased and so, you know, average rents around here start around 900 and now we're going up to about 1700 toward the high end there. And you know, the great news is that incomes have increased as well, and so our renters are able to afford this just as well as they were before. Or maybe even better, like I mentioned, cost of living in Arkansas has actually improved. And so what that means is people are actually making more money compared to the rent, even though rents have increased, which I believe is good news for investors, and it's been good news for us as a management company, as I think that contributes to the resident longevity there, once again,   Keith Weinhold  36:17   nowhere in the nation Do we hear enough about increased affordability stories, which is exactly what you have when your income rises faster than your rent, which is a harbinger of being able to increase the rent in the future. Tell us more about the rent in price ranges in both markets.   Matthew Vanhorn  36:35   In Memphis, if you get a two bed, one bath, you can often find that for as low as 808 850, something like that. As you step up into a three bed one bath, that's going to be somewhere between 1000 1200, depending on where you are in the city, there in Memphis, if you're in our new construction homes, those can range between 1395 all the way up to 1850 once again, depending on the size of the construction and the location out in Arkansas, rents tend to be just a little bit higher than in Memphis. So you see the rent starting there around 950 and going up to just under 2000   Keith Weinhold  37:19   and we're interested in that capital price, because a lot of times, investors think about their purchase through that perspective of the ratio of the rent income to the purchase price.   Matthew Vanhorn  37:30   As far as sales price goes, Keith, we started right around $100,000 on the low end, and those can range up to 240,000 thereabouts, on the high end, if you're talking about a new construction, three, two with a two car garage in an appreciating area. You can see that sort of range in Memphis, very similar, very similar. We have some of our smaller rehabs starting as low as 100,000 and going up to about that $215,000 range.   Keith Weinhold  38:04   Now, I would imagine, in the inflationary era that we're still in, that you get investors that call in there, and you do have these robust interactions with investors, where you talk with them on the phone like a human being, and people that say, come on. How can you get a respectable tenant in a single family rehab rental home that only costs $120,000 How do you handle questions like that?   Matthew Vanhorn  38:30   That's the whole job here is explaining that Sure, no where our renters are living. It's the best home that they've ever lived in, and it's it's in a affordable area. It's in an area where their friends live, where you just have workforce, just blue collar, but beautiful neighborhoods where they live. And I mean, they're proud to call these houses their home, and for many, it really is their dream home.   Keith Weinhold  38:55   People mold their lawns. The streets aren't littered with trash. I know where you guys invest. I've been on the streets there with you, checking them out. What percentage of investors finance the property, and how has that changed over time?   Terry Kerr  39:09   I'm going to say that it's probably about 75% finance, 25% cash. A lot of your listeners come with their own mortgage broker. The ones that don't, we have our tried and true mortgage brokers. Interest rates are not 4% anymore, and some folks are are wanting to pay cash, and they do, and some of them will pay cash, and then, you know, plan on refinancing later. But right now, that's probably about 25% cash, 75% finance.    Keith Weinhold  39:36   Yeah, it's interesting to see that direction, since rates did begin to get higher in 2022 you have this robust interaction with investors, but that doesn't only have to be over the phone. You guys are so proud of what you do that you've long offered investor tours. In fact, now you're doing more of those investor tours than you ever have. I believe you're doing 11. In tours per year in Memphis, and five in Little Rock as well.So tell us about that.    Terry Kerr  40:04   I guess it was maybe seven or eight years ago. We're so stoked that everybody wants to buy houses from us, and we've got, you know, a short wait list, and that's awesome, but we want folks to come visit us, and so, you know, we just started offering folks $500 off of the purchase of their first home, if they'll just come visit us. And so we know it's in our best interest to try to get to know our investors on a personal level, and the investors that do come to visit us, and we're able to pull back the curtain and show them, you know how operational efficiency benefits them as investors. I think they appreciate it, and then we do also just kind of like the nerd out on the nuts and bolts of the business. So it's fun to be able to pull that curtain back.   Keith Weinhold  40:48   Now, you don't have to be an investor to come on the tour, either prospective investors or regular investors that are already there can come on the tour. Is the Tour Free? Absolutely. So the tour is free, and you get a $500 credit if you end up purchasing there. Most investors never come physically see the property at all, but you sure can do that, and they make it really easy for you. Well, this is going to help a lot of people, especially when we think about how to manage the tenant and reduce our vacancy time in today's era. Before I ask how our listeners can learn more about you. Do you have any last thoughts at all about anything that we discussed management or properties or tenants or anything else? Maybe I did not think about asking you.   Matthew Vanhorn  41:32   I'll just go back to Keith talking about how well staffed we are here at Mid South. I think that's where we stand. Apart from a lot of our competitors is that we're not just two or three guys in an office here, we have over 100 employees. It takes speed to deliver good service. Service leads to satisfaction. Satisfaction leads to the residents staying. The resident staying leads to stacks of cash for you as investors, and the only way you can do that is if you're staffed up properly. And so that's something that you want to ask if you're ever vetting another property manager, is what does your staff look like? And really understand, can they actually provide the service to their residents and to their investors that they're reporting?   Keith Weinhold  42:17   You have helped more of our listeners than any other provider in the nation, certainly over 100 of them, perhaps hundreds by now. I'm not really sure if listeners want to get a hold of you, what's the best way for them to do that?    Terry Kerr  42:31   Invest at mid southhomebuyers.com   Keith Weinhold  42:34   that's a great starting place for you. And that way you can take a look at properties, get thinking about the market. Learn more about their management and get a hold of them. Terry and Matthew, it's been valuable as usual. Thanks so much for coming out of the show.   Matthew Vanhorn  42:49   Thank you, Keith.    Terry Kerr  42:49   Thank you, Keith.   Keith Weinhold  42:56   Oh yeah. Sharp insights from Terry and Matthew at mid south homebuyers today, waiving their application fee means more applicants, a bigger renter pool to choose from, which either shortens your vacancy time or it's going to get you a better quality tenant. Now, a lot of people, they think that real estate is unaffordable and even impossible, but few make it easier and more affordable than these people. And I think I shared with you before that, an 18 year old guy who I do know and have talked to in person, he bought his first ever rental property from mid south homebuyers. So it's kind of interesting. His goal was to own his first rental property when he was 18, and he closed just in time the day before his 19th birthday. I think he's age 20 now, but because fully renovated single family homes can be bought in a range of about 100 to 220k here, and you will put 20 to 25% of a down payment on that your monthly rent is about eight tenths of 1% of that purchase price. Okay, so that's renovated, and then new builds sell in a range of 200 to 260k rent to price ratios on those are a little lower. They're point seven five or so. Now we are here in an era where mortgage rates are in the low sixes for owner occupied that means you'll pay closer to 7% on income properties. But if you go new build, which is really something I've been suggesting to you for a while, if you can swing it, those rates are as low as five and a quarter percent for qualified buyers here, yes, at these low Memphis and Little Rock prices, they've got a few duplexes usually available as well, renting your residence. It's just something that's sort of in the culture there in Memphis, and that's why they're confident in offering a number of guarantees for investors. They just do things that. That other providers don't do in the rare event that your property is occupied and then it somehow falls vacant during your first year of ownership. Their releasing fee is free. They also have a guarantee that you will cash flow after you close. They have a one year bumper to bumper warranty on the renovations we're talking about from the doorknob to the ductwork, and there's a lifetime 90 day occupancy guarantee. What that means is, if your property were ever vacant for that long, they would start paying rent to you on day 91 but you know what's amazing? It's easy for them to offer that they'll tell you that they've never had to pay out on that, because they've never experienced the vacancy of more than 55 days. Just amazing. And all those guarantees I just told you about that is in writing on their website. So if you want to get a hold of them, there's virtually no one else in the nation that makes it easier and more affordable. I believe that's an email address that Terry gave there. Again, it is invest@midsouthhomebuyers.com their website is, as you might have guessed, midsouthhomebuyers.com that's midsouthhomebuyers.com interestingly, you can even look at their income properties. There some provider websites don't let you do that. And again, they offer free tours, and if you prefer, their phone number is 901-306-9009, this week, you learned some great techniques for reducing your vacancy and being more profitable, as well as a provider that can deliver it for you. Should you so choose? The proverb goes, give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Well, you've got the option of doing either one or both today, until next week. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, don't quit your Daydream.   Speaker 1  46:59   Nothing on this show should be considered specific, personal or professional advice. Please consult an appropriate tax, legal, real estate, financial or business professional for individualized advice. Opinions of guests are their own. Information is not guaranteed. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. The host is operating on behalf of get rich Education LLC, exclusively you   Keith Weinhold  47:27   The preceding program was brought to you by your home for wealth building, get richeducation.com  

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