The Early Word
The Early Word: University hotel closes, and fire follows Clayborn leader
City Council wants to slash MATA funding, Riverside Drive is going on a diet and we’ve got the tea, er, juice on a new shop at Crosstown.
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.
There are 987 articles by Bianca Phillips :
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May 2025
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The To-Do List The To-Do List: Garden secrets, water lanterns and Miranda Lambert
This week, read in the Ravine with Cafe Noir, and try vegan dishes paired with music at Alex Wong’s Permission Party.
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The Early WordThe Early Word: Clayborn fire was intentional; DOJ drops MPD probe
Patel calls Memphis the ‘homicide capital,’ cops bring the Thunder in crime crackdown and the new Regional One is a few steps closer.
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The Early WordThe Early Word: City Council OKs raises, wants Downtown bathrooms
FedEx Freight has its first leader, St. Jude is tearing down buildings and some Bartlett residents say a developer is putting profits over kids.
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The Early WordThe Early Word: Liquor stores fight in the east, and Google’s heading west
MSCS wants more security, Ford says the budget fix is in and the Hard Times Deli guys are at it again.
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The Early WordThe Early Word: xAI’s water plant is coming; Pontotoc gets back to its roots
An old drive-in gets a new life, Fawn serves upscale comfort food and there’s more to the Memphis Grizzlies’ name than you might think.
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The To-Do ListThe To-Do List: SmokeSlam, Cosmic Carnival and Bill & Ted’s last adventure
This week, Ruby Bridges is here for her namesake reading festival and GWAR brings shock rock (and lots of fake blood) to Minglewood.
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The Early WordThe Early Word: FedEx makes up with Amazon, but can we forgive Coach Cal?
ATF is looking into Clayborn fire, Summer Drive-in is driving off and the WCBCC is still smokin’.
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The Early WordThe Early Word: State dismantled DEI; city wants sanctions in Nichols case
Ford’s trial date is coming soon, but TJ Shorts may not be coming to the Memphis Grizzlies.
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The Early WordThe Early Word: Youth Villages case dropped; GPAC head steps down
MSCS sues over a hacking incident, Bartlett’s Union Depot may get bigger and the NBA Draft Lottery wasn’t great for the Grizzlies.
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The Early WordThe Early Word: Local band kids win big, and Trader Joe’s is not coming yet
Riverbeat beat last year’s numbers, Union Avenue’s blue dogs are mostly gone and we try to determine who invented barbecue nachos.
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The To-Do List The To-Do List: BBQ fest, Greek Fest, Jugfest and art that’s out of this world
This week, Memphis celebrates Tom Lee, Soul & Spirits celebrates smoked beer and Wiseacre is having the most metal pop-up shop ever.
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The Early WordThe Early Word: A not-guilty verdict and a look into the city’s budget hole
Humes Middle could be an arts school, Oak Court could house a car dealership and Bar Limina wants to be the “space between.”
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The Early WordThe Early Word: xAI is power hungry; Yelp says Memphis ’cue is not No. 1
Trump cuts Health Department funds, Growler’s is going local and the new roundabout “will take some getting used to.”
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The Early WordThe Early Word: More AI is coming, and Ford actually brings the Raid
County Commission will vote to sync MSCS elections, Tom Lee’s legacy resurfaced in a time capsule and Darren Musselwhite has a famous cousin.
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The Early WordThe Early Word: Tom Lee’s rescue and Memphis’ drive-out tag ‘epidemic’
WKNO may face Trump cuts, the Real ID deadline is this week and we take a look inside the “River of Time.”
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The Early WordThe Early Word: Halbert mistake cost millions; Feagins wants to ‘take seats’
Clayborn Temple suffers more loss, Republicans want partisan school-board elections and the Grand Carousel at CMOM is a time machine.
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The To-Do List The To-Do List: Troll Fest, murder songs and the death of the Log Lady
This week, Alton Brown brings his “Last Bite” to Memphis, and Chris Isaak brings his “Wicked Games” to Graceland. Plus, Riverbeat takes over Tom Lee, and Memphis Fashion Week is here.
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The Early WordThe Early Word: What’s left of Clayborn; plus, a shoe store steps out
Acquittal is denied in the Nichols trial, an autism program counters RFK’s comments and more shake-ups may be coming to MSCS.
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April 2025
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The Early WordThe Early Word: Bed, bath, booze and an old golf course with too much green
Clayborn Temple fire probe is underway, college students get visas back (for now) and the Ostrander show will go on.
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The Early WordThe Early Word: Clayborn Temple may ‘rise again,’ but Oak Court Mall will not
Tyre Nichols’ mom takes the stand, some MSCS buildings are in bad shape, and you can leave your Halloween skeletons up all year in Germantown.
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The Early WordThe Early Word: Where is Mongo now? And do where the Grizz go from here?
Gun violence is plaguing Memphis, an xAI meeting gets heated and Lakeland used to be a lot more fun.
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The Early WordThe Early Word: Ja’s fall takes us all down; plus, expert says xAI isn’t so bad
MPD has eyes on Downtown, late-night Chinese food is coming and we meet the man behind Bartlett’s social media.
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The To-Do List The To-Do List: Race cars or crawfish, and nerd out on the science of wine
This week, watch 10-minute plays at Hattiloo Theatre, see Julien Baker & Torres in Oxford and get a sneak peek of Baron von Opperbean (with cocktails for a cause).
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The Early WordThe Early Word: Grizzlies need us to believe, and Redbirds just need money
MSCS board members could have terms cut in half, new jail may cost big bucks and MAS is bouncing back.
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