Food News
Memphis in May barbecue contest starts smoking
The Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest got underway Wednesday afternoon, and for many teams, it begins with the wood.
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 410 articles by Jody Callahan :
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May 2025
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Public SafetyPolice likely looking for more suspects in Memphis Allies shooting
Memphis police likely still looking for at least two more suspects in mass shooting that killed one and injured five at Memphis Allies meeting, based on information contained in an affidavit.
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Food NewsSmokeSlam’s back on the river, bigger and smokier
The second installment of SmokeSlam began Thursday as thousands poured into Downtown’s Tom Lee Park while the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest continued at Liberty Park in Midtown.
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City of Memphis Both barbecue festivals are back on
With sunny skies and temperatures in the 80s, both the Memphis in May and SmokeSlam barbecue festivals are back to their regular schedules Saturday, officials said.
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Food Right on ’cue: Barbecue winners take home trophies, cash
Grand prize winners, along with a slew of other awards, were announced of SmokeSlam at Tom Lee Park, and the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest at Liberty Park.
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Bartlett TBI investigating fatal shooting by Bartlett police officer
A Thursday evening confrontation between a person armed with a knife and Bartlett police led to a fatal shooting, officials said.
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Arts & Culture Can you spell and drink at the same time?
Those who fancied themselves good spellers gathered Saturday at Crosstown Brewing Co. for the Drunken Dictionary Spelling Bee.
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Public Safety Three dead in fiery crash on Interstate 240, police say
Five cars were involved in the deadly collision on Interstate 240 near the Hollywood exit that backed up traffic for four hours, police say.
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Shelby County Man still missing day after trying to save drowning child in Wolf River
Thaddeus Smiley remains missing after jumping into the Wolf River in an attempt to save a drowning child, who survived. In a separate incident, a boy in Arlington was found dead in a pool.
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June 2025
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Metro Body of Thaddeus Smiley found in Wolf River
Smiley jumped in the river to rescue a drowning child on Friday before being swept away by currents that officials estimated were as fast as 6 mph.
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Education U of M raises tuition
University of Memphis President Bill Hardgrave would not speak to a reporter after the meeting when asked about the tuition increases.
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Music Beale Street Live music series kicks off
Meant to be showcase intimate performances by Memphis musicians, Beale Street Live kicked off Friday with a performance by local artist Savannah Brister.
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Update
NeighborhoodsPride parade and festival canceled, Juneteenth event delayed
Saturday morning’s thunderstorms that brought lightning and 1-2 inches of rain have disrupted several outdoor events planned for the day.
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Arts & Culture For some, Juneteenth a reminder of painful past
Each year, the two-day Memphis festival celebrates June 19, 1865, when enslaved Texans learned of the Emancipation Proclamation.
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Public SafetyEverybody Speeds: What auto insurers really care about
According to local insurance agents, speeding tickets aren’t as big a deal as they once were.
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Public SafetyEverybody Speeds: Memphis-area tickets are down, but traffic deaths are up
The number of speeding tickets dropped in 2020 and has never increased back to pre-pandemic numbers. The number of fatalities have gone the other way.
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Public SafetyEverybody Speeds: Where HAL 9000 meets the Highway Patrol
The way to curb speeding at first glance might be to put more police officers on the street. But it’s not that simple.
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Public SafetyEverybody Speeds: ‘You never know what you’re going to encounter’
A retired Memphis police officer reveals what a traffic stop is like from the officer’s perspective.
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City of Memphis ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ opposers rally citizens to call their senators
“So what we need to say, and we need to say clearly, is that these are measures that we cannot allow to pass.”
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The To-Do List The To-Do List: Black Pride, dog yoga and what to do for Bonnaroo FOMO
This week, Juneteenth gets started early, the BoDeans are at the Shell and the Memphis Social Bicycle Club races — in drag.
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Metro YMCA locations reopen under precautionary protocols
YMCA of Memphis and the Mid-South locations reopened under “precautionary safety measures.” Law-enforcement officers found nothing amiss following an “unspecified threat.”
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Public Safety Sorrow after losing son spurs parents’ quest to prevent pedestrian deaths
The death of 14-year-old William McConnell, who died in 2022 while crossing East Parkway, inspired the William’s Walk event at Overton Park’s Old Forest.
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MetroSpeed and freedom: That’s why roller skating will never die
The owners of Cordova Skating Center recently spent more than $100,000 on upgrading the rink. Why spend that kind of money? Because roller skating will never die.
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Public Safety Memphis police shoot man in Orange Mound
A Memphis police officer shot and critically wounded the driver of a vehicle in Orange Mound late Friday night after the suspect allegedly accelerated into another officer with the car, officials said.
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Metro For one Trump protester, ‘The Only King in Memphis Is Elvis’
Saturday’s protest was part of a nationwide “No Kings” rally against the Trump administration, with hundreds of thousands of people in more than 2,000 cities and communities nationwide united in protest.
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