Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News | Daily Memphian | Lydia Williams

NASA, space plants and beauty: How red-light therapy found its way to the mainstream

lwilliams@dailymemphian.com (Lydia Williams) — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 04:00:04 -0600

Red-light therapy, a type of LED-light therapy, is a treatment that uses wavelengths of red or near-infrared light to stimulate cells into creating more energy.

Sensory deprivation tanks: Making stress float away?

lwilliams@dailymemphian.com (Lydia Williams) — Fri, 9 Jan 2026 09:48:32 -0600

Inside the dark and quiet pod, floating in salt water, the only thing left to focus on is yourself.

Memphis Zoo elephant predicts who will win the 2025 AutoZone Liberty Bowl

lwilliams@dailymemphian.com (Lydia Williams) — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 18:30:33 -0600

Can an African elephant make the correct call on a contest between Bearcats and Midshipmen?

From student to professional: UMRF Ventures provides real-world job experience

lwilliams@dailymemphian.com (Lydia Williams) — Sat, 29 Nov 2025 04:00:06 -0600

UMRF Ventures, a private, for-profit subsidiary of the University of Memphis Research Foundation, has been creating IT jobs and other service positions for college students since 2017.

Helen Hunt to speak at Methodist Healthcare’s annual luncheon

lwilliams@dailymemphian.com (Lydia Williams) — Sat, 15 Nov 2025 16:08:39 -0600

Previous luncheon speakers included Dennis Quaid, Taye Diggs, Leslie Odom Jr., Rob Lowe, Octavia Spencer and Diane Keaton.

Their motto is 'be prepared.' But Girl Scouts didn't see this coming.

lwilliams@dailymemphian.com (Lydia Williams) — Sun, 9 Nov 2025 11:06:04 -0600

For generations, Kamp Kiwani has been beloved by Memphis area Girl Scouts. Now the 1,219-acre property is being auctioned off as “an outdoor paradise.”

Memphis mayor says his admin trying to keep Task Force focused on violent crime — not immigration

lwilliams@dailymemphian.com (Lydia Williams) — Sun, 9 Nov 2025 10:56:23 -0600

While Mayor Paul Young is unsure how long the National Guard and Memphis Safe Task Force will remain, he said he wants to focus on sustaining a low crime rate once the operation ends.

High schoolers, hand drills and bone saws

lwilliams@dailymemphian.com (Lydia Williams) — Fri, 7 Nov 2025 16:36:18 -0600

Orthopaedic Exploration Day gives students hands-on experience with the nuts and bolts of orthopedic surgery.

MATA’s 90-day zero fare pilot program is set to begin

lwilliams@dailymemphian.com (Lydia Williams) — Tue, 4 Nov 2025 11:51:27 -0600

The pilot makes it so no passes, fare cards or payments are required on all fixed-route buses, trolleys and MATAplus services.

Partial funding announced for SNAP following court filing

lwilliams@dailymemphian.com (Lydia Williams) — Mon, 3 Nov 2025 14:29:16 -0600

According to a filing with a federal court on Monday, Nov. 3, emergency reserve funds will be used to cover “50% of eligible households’ current allotments.” These funds may be delayed.

MSCS board unanimously OKs expanded bus service in response to ICE concerns

damro@dailymemphian.com (Dima Amro) — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 13:19:43 -0500

Nearly 20 Latino and immigrant advocates requested efforts protecting and distancing students from Task Force operations, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Meet 3 young Memphians who are advocating for social justice

lwilliams@dailymemphian.com (Lydia Williams) — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 15:57:36 -0500

The NCRM’s 2025 Keeper of the Dream awards winners — Carlos Watkins, Pragna Rajashekar and Christian Love — answered questions from The Daily Memphian, from what the museum means for Memphis to where they’ll travel with their prize.

Pro TIPS: State program chips in for college savings accounts

lwilliams@dailymemphian.com (Lydia Williams) — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 16:29:57 -0500

Through TIPS, eligible Tennessee families can get up to $1,500 to help pay for college.

Freedom Award honorees call for action at National Civil Rights Museum

lwilliams@dailymemphian.com (Lydia Williams) — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 10:14:41 -0500

The museum awarded Marc Morial, Velma Lois Jones and Mark Suzman for their advancements in “truth, equity and justice.”

Glasses that slow nearsightedness in children now FDA-approved

lwilliams@dailymemphian.com (Lydia Williams) — Sun, 12 Oct 2025 04:00:03 -0500

“For a long time, it’s been our desire to try to halt progression as nearsightedness develops, especially with it being on the rise,” said a local optometrist. It is estimated that more than 50% of the world population may become nearsighted by 2025.

'It's a calling': Collierville educator is Tennessee's Teacher of the Year

lwilliams@dailymemphian.com (Lydia Williams) — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 05:44:09 -0500

When Brandi De La Cruz was deciding what she wanted to do with her life, a career as a high school math teacher was not on her radar. She wanted to be the next Martha Stewart.

Arrest info suggests task force focused on outstanding warrants, traffic stops

hardiman@dailymemphian.com (Samuel Hardiman) — Tue, 7 Oct 2025 07:55:44 -0500

Recent arrest affidavits suggest the Memphis Safe Task Force is reliant on traffic stops and instances of stop-and-frisk policing.

Who is the team behind the Regional One Health rebuild?

lwilliams@dailymemphian.com (Lydia Williams) — Sat, 4 Oct 2025 19:17:11 -0500

“This isn’t about outside firms coming in, taking out dollars and leaving,” the Regional One president and CEO said. “This is about combining specialized health care expertise with Memphis proven capabilities, ensuring that Memphis business grows.”

Botanic Garden begins entry courtyard renovations

lwilliams@dailymemphian.com (Lydia Williams) — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 16:05:43 -0500

The new courtyard will complement and blend with the existing building.

At Saint Francis Hospital, a team of heroes hand-crafted hope

lwilliams@dailymemphian.com (Lydia Williams) — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 15:22:55 -0500

The plant operations team at Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis walked into the conference room expecting a meeting. Instead, the team was met with a room full of people waiting to congratulate them.