City of Memphis
Immigration advocates say fear surges as Task Force ramps up
With helicopters in the air and detentions rising, some legal immigrants are afraid to leave home.
Jody Callahan
Jody Callahan graduated with degrees in journalism and economics from what is now known as the University of Memphis. He has covered news in Memphis for more than 25 years.
There are 408 articles by Jody Callahan :
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October 2025
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Ask the MemphianAsk the Memphian: What’s the story of the Shelby Forest Pig Man?
In this week’s installment of a special Halloween-themed “Ask the Memphian,” we’ll tell you all about the Shelby Forest Pig Man. It’s up to you if you believe any of it.
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Arts & CultureFor those spellbound by hoodoo, a Downtown museum goes down to its roots
Hoodoo is alive and well, one practitioner said Saturday at the grand opening of the Beale Street Hoodoo History and Folklife Museum on the third floor of A. Schwab’s on Beale Street.
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NeighborhoodsAsk the Memphian: Why do Memphians spend so much money and effort on Halloween?
In this week’s Ask the Memphian, we wondered why folks invest so much on their Halloween displays. The answers? Whimsy, fun and, for at least one person, revenge.
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BusinessThe fight over new East Memphis liquor store explodes into fireball
Ethan Edwards wants to open a new high-end liquor store in East Memphis, and he thinks he has the right to do so. Buster’s Liquors co-owner Josh Hammond disagrees, and the fight is getting nasty.
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Arts & Culture A perfect place for poetry and pondering opens at the National Civil Rights Museum
The National Civil Rights Museum celebrated the opening of the BlueCross Healthy Place at Founders Park on Saturday, the first phase of the museum’s two-part, $38 million expansion.
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September 2025
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MetroAsk the Memphian: Why hasn’t Liberty Stadium had a concert in years?
For roughly three decades, the only musicians who played what is now the Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium were marching bands. But why?
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City of MemphisAsk the Memphian: Who is Prince Mongo? And he’s from where?
Robert Hodges, otherwise known as Prince Mongo from the planet Zambodia, has irked as many Memphians as he’s charmed throughout the years. But in an odd quirk of fate, he may well have changed Memphis history.
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City of MemphisAsk the Memphian: Why are there so many temporary tags in Memphis?
In the latest installment of “Ask the Memphian,” we try to answer why Memphis seems to be overrun with temporary tags on cars. But it’s not just a Memphis problem.
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Spirit of MemphisAsk the Memphian: Who created barbecue nachos? It’s a question that will rile some folks up
Who created barbecue nachos? Well, it depends on who you ask, and be careful if you do ask because both sides are feisty about the answer.
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City of MemphisAsk the Memphian: Can Memphis bury its power lines?
Virtually any time Memphis gets enough wind, ice, rain or snow to disrupt the power, the howls start up again: Bury the power lines no matter the cost! But that cost usually dampens those howls.
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NeighborhoodsAsk the Memphian: To beat summer heat, where can you swim in Memphis?
Wherever you go, be safe, watch out for others and make sure to do at least one cannonball off the diving board.
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City of MemphisAsk the Memphian: The parkway system and its names? Make it make sense!
In this week’s “Ask the Memphian,” we answer a reader's question: How did the city’s parkways get their names, and why are parts of them so confusing?
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City of MemphisAsk the Memphian: Why are there so many potholes on area roads?
Everyone hates potholes. Here’s what they are and what you can do if you spot — or hit — one.
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NeighborhoodsAsk the Memphian: Are people really buried in Shelby Farms?
Shelby Farms is home to a herd of bison, 20 miles of trails and, unbeknownst to many, at least one cemetery. Here is the story of that lonely, forgotten graveyard.
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MetroAsk the Memphian: Could parts of Memphis flood like Central Texas?
In April of this year, the Wolf River had its fourth-highest crest on record in Germantown, inundating parts of that city and areas of Memphis. But experts say fatal flooding is unlikely.
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MetroAsk the Memphian: Did Union Avenue really change lane directions twice a day?
Union Avenue once reversed lane directions twice a day in a bold attempt to reduce traffic congestion. It may have worked for a while, but it became a confusing jumble that contributed to numerous accidents.
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Shelby CountyAsk the Memphian: Is it safe to swim in the Mississippi River?
The Mississippi River is a treacherous, deceptive body of water that will kill you if you don’t know what you’re doing. That’s why many experts caution people to be very wary around the river, wear protective gear if you must but stay out of it if at all possible.
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MetroAsk the Memphian: Why is there a Poplar viaduct?
For that matter, what is a viaduct, anyway?
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MusicAsk the Memphian: Did someone really try to steal Elvis’ body?
In what a former Memphis police chief laughingly calls a “goat rodeo from the word go,” three bumbling crooks hatched a harebrained scheme to steal the body of Elvis Presley two weeks after his death. It didn’t go very well.
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MetroAsk the Memphian: Justin Timberlake, his tequila and two annoyed women: How 901 Day began
After a barrage of ads for Justin Timberlake’s 901 Tequila annoyed them, two social media whizzes came up with the idea for 901 Day. Thirteen years later, it’s bigger than ever.
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Spirit of MemphisAsk the Memphian: The lizards have invaded Memphis! But it’s not really a bad thing
Two species of geckos can now be found in Memphis, part of an “invasion” from Florida. But not to worry: they aren’t causing any trouble.
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EducationStruggling CBU loses a third of its student population in one year
Beleaguered CBU lost a third of its student population from last year while other local colleges saw modest declines or, in the case of LeMoyne-Owen, a small increase.
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Public SafetyDNA links Texas murders to the 1997 rape of a Memphis girl
A Memphis rape kit from 1997 links to an assault in Dyersburg, Tennessee, plus the 1991 murder of four girls at an Austin, Texas, yogurt shop.
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Spirit of Memphis Back for its 29th year, Wifflestock lets adults be kids for a good cause
While its cause is serious, Wifflestock isn’t. Welcome to the world of Wiffle ball for adults, where the players talk trash while raising money for the Ronald McDonald House.
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