Memphis City Council will debate a temporary ban on the development of data centers in Memphis.
Also, one hospital in the Memphis metro area received an award for its stroke care.
Here's the latest in public health and environmental news in Memphis.
Memphis City Council to consider data center moratorium
Memphis City Council is set to consider an ordinance during its Aug. 18 meeting that would pause data center development in Memphis.
The ordinance, using City Council's authority over land use, zoning and development, would pause the acceptance and issuance of permits for data center developments in the city.
The moratorium is intended to provide the city with adequate time to study the impacts of large-scale data centers on Memphis' infrastructure, utilities, environment and neighborhoods, according
to an Aug. 14 press release from the City Council.
The ordinance notes the pause would not apply to existing, lawfully operating data centers, but would limit them from expanding their building footprint, electrical demand, utility capacity or operational intensity.
If passed, the Memphis and Shelby County Division of Planning and Development would work with a study committee to prepare recommendations for permanent zoning regulations to govern data centers. This study committee would evaluate a plethora of criteria, including water consumption, noise standards and wastewater discharge requirements.
Congressman Steve Cohen in June co-sponsored a bill that would impose a moratorium on the construction of new data centers until lawmakers could safeguard the public from the "dangers of artificial intelligence."
Health Department, school district to offer free vaccines
The Shelby County Health Department and Memphis-Shelby County Schools will offer free immunizations and shot records this weekend.
Families and students can visit the Teaching & Learning Academy, 2485 Union Ave., on Aug. 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to get vaccinated, the department announced via social media.
No pre-registration is required.
A list of the immunizations MSCS requires for students can be found on the district website.
Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto recognized for stroke, heart care
The American Heart Association recognized Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto with two awards for its stroke and heart failure care, the hospital announced Aug. 14.
The AHA presented Baptist with the Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award and the Heart Failure Silver Plus Quality Achievement Award. Both are part of the AHA's "Get With The Guidelines" quality improvement program.
Hospitals that participate in the program often achieve better patient outcomes, including fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates, according to Sabra Lewsey, volunteer chair of the American Heart Association Heart Failure System of Care Advisory Group.
Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis was ranked first in the Memphis metro area and second in Tennessee in U.S. News & World Report's 2026-27 hospital rankings.
Jack Armstrong covers breaking news and the environment for The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at jack.armstrong@commercialappeal.com and followed on X @jca2902.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Shelby County Health Department, Memphis schools to offer free vaccines
