The Early Word: xAI gets its way, and a crash can’t stop Guinness from flowing
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Happy (early) Independence Day, Memphis! It’s Thursday, July 3, and this will be the last Early Word before the holiday weekend. You can catch plenty of fireworks shows tonight, including the city’s Liberty for All fest at Liberty Park. If you’re in the ’burbs, you can find fireworks in Bartlett, Collierville and Horn Lake tonight, too. See details on those events and others throughout the weekend in our Fourth of July guide.
XAI gets its way: Despite opposition from neighbors and environmentalists, Elon Musk’s company got what it wanted.
Memphis Rox shooting update: Memphis Police say the second victim in the Sunday climbing-gym shooting is also the current suspect in the case.
Another arrest: The mother of the man who was arrested for allegedly sneaking a gun into the Shelby County courthouse has now also been arrested.
New health department head: The man tapped to lead the Shelby County Health Department on an interim basis played a big role during the pandemic.
Slainte! A Cooper-Young Irish bar has surprising news after being hit by an SUV Monday, and its sister restaurant opened yesterday in Collierville.
Scrum moves: The cofounder of Memphis Inner City Rugby is leaving Memphis.
Redbird strike out on socials: A MAGA-themed social post advertising a “Big Beautiful Buffet” for $47.45 caused quite the stir earlier this week.
Toe up: Here’s when Jaren Jackson Jr. may play again.
Don’t blink or you’ll miss it: A Memphis woman has skated her way to Austria.
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Bianca Phillips
Bianca Phillips is a Northeast Arkansas native and longtime Memphian who’s worked in local journalism and PR for more than 20 years. In her days as a reporter, she covered everything from local government and crime to LGBTQ issues and the arts. She’s the author of “Cookin Crunk: Eatin’ Vegan in the Dirty South,” a cookbook of vegan Southern recipes.
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