Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News | Daily Memphian | Opinion

Opinion: Memphis’ city planning failed us — Memphis 3.0 is the vision we need

editor@dailymemphian.com (Kelsey Huse) — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 04:00:08 -0500

“Those of us who don’t stand to profit off zoning decisions must speak up and support a vision for a more walkable Memphis. Not only will this support small local businesses, but it will save lives on our roads.”

Maxey: Selective recollections shouldn't become a reality that never was

rmaxey@dailymemphian.com (Ron Maxey) — Sun, 19 Jul 2026 04:00:14 -0500

“As I linger on the sweet and innocent memories, I try to never let them become my lone takeaway from that time in life when things felt better even if they weren’t. I don’t want my selective recollections of the past to become an encompassing reality that never was.”

Opinion: District Attorney Steve Mulroy makes ‘Force Science’ a straw man

john.covington@memphispoliceassociation.org (John Covington) — Sun, 19 Jul 2026 09:42:00 -0500

“Police officers routinely face circumstances few citizens will ever experience. They must distinguish victims from suspects, assess deadly threats, and make irreversible decisions in fractions of a second.”

Opinion: Before you condemn DA Mulroy, read what he said for yourself

erica.a.middleton@gmail.com (Erica May) — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 04:00:09 -0500

“There is a difference between criticizing law enforcement as a profession and criticizing how law enforcement officers are trained. Examining professional failures does not demean a profession. It strengthens it.”

Opinion: Risks of SpaceXAI data center outweigh benefits

editor@dailymemphian.com (Bill Bullock) — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 04:00:14 -0500

“If you plant the right trees in the right places, embrace and care for our native ecosystem, and hold industry and government accountable for their impacts on our environment, we may just succeed.”

Opinion: Memphis breweries ask SpaceXAI to keep its water promise

editor@dailymemphian.com (Rheannan Watson) — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 04:00:02 -0500

Opinion: “Memphis does not have to choose between innovation and stewardship. ... SpaceXAI must complete the water recycling facility, pursue water-saving technologies, and be the community partner Memphis was promised.”

Opinion: Why does my electricity go on vacation more than I do?

rmaxey@dailymemphian.com (Ron Maxey) — Sun, 5 Jul 2026 13:09:27 -0500

“The real problem here — the sweaty elephant in the room — is infrastructure sorely in need of an upgrade. But as an average user who just expects the lights to come on when I flip the switch, I can’t accept that power in an urban area should go out so easily, so often and for so long.”

Opinion: On xAI, Mayor Young is gaslighting Memphis

editor@dailymemphian.com (Joseph Ryan Kelly) — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 04:00:13 -0500

Opinion by Joseph Ryan Kelly: “If Mayor Young truly believes Anthropic’s partnership with xAI is unequivocally good news for Memphis, then he is badly misreading the moment.”

Opinion: Politics aside? When it comes to Otis Sanford — not quite

john.covington@memphispoliceassociation.org (John Covington) — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 09:10:55 -0500

Opinion: “Otis Sanford begins his recent column with a reasonable premise: Politics should be set aside when discussing the federal indictment of suspended General Sessions Court Clerk Tami Sawyer. Unfortunately, that’s not what follows.”

Echols: For the newest Grizzlies, 'Why Memphis is amazing'

candaceecholswrites@gmail.com (Candace Echols) — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 04:00:12 -0500

Opinion: “The secret sauce that makes Memphis amazing has nothing to do with barbecue. Actually, it is the people. The kindness of the general public in this city is rich.”

Opinion: Drowning prevention is a matter of public health — and equity

editor@dailymemphian.com (Bruce Randolph) — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 15:06:13 -0500

“Drowning is often viewed as a tragic accident, something rare and unavoidable. In reality, drowning is a leading cause of preventable injury and death, particularly among children and young adults.”

Grizzlies Draft Day Notebook: First-round reactions to Boozer, Lopez and what comes next

cherrington@dailymemphian.com (Chris Herrington) — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 14:37:34 -0500

As the 2026 NBA Draft’s second day gets underway, Chris Herrington has some more scattered Memphis Grizzlies draft observations.

Maxey: Walking is a way of slowing down the body — and speeding up the brain

rmaxey@dailymemphian.com (Ron Maxey) — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 13:20:27 -0500

“There’s really no overstating how much of an influence the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other – something most people take for granted once they’ve mastered those initial steps as a toddler – has had on the human psyche.

Echols: 'What am I doing to work in tandem with God?'

candaceecholswrites@gmail.com (Candace Echols) — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 09:34:39 -0500

“So much of what I think about and talk about and write about and pray about has to do with the here and now. Who is struggling? What’s on my to-do list? What has happened? What’s up next?”

Opinion: As bus riders suffer, Memphis needs to turn MATA around

editor@dailymemphian.com (Kelsey Huse) — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 21:16:25 -0500

“Last year’s audit made people believe MATA cannot be redeemed. But it is imperative that we not give up. Memphis should be a world-class city. Quality transit attracts employers and gets people to work on time. It also keeps people from going into debt just to maintain a working vehicle.”

Opinion: What Juneteenth teaches us about the America we’re still building

editor@dailymemphian.com (Russell Wigginton Jr.) — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 04:00:06 -0500

“Millions of Americans across racial and geographic lines are working harder and falling further behind. The basic infrastructure of a stable life is out of reach for far too many families. This is not a partisan talking point. It is the lived arithmetic of American households.”

Echols: A celebration of architecture — right here in Memphis

candaceecholswrites@gmail.com (Candace Echols) — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 12:46:31 -0500

“It felt as if someone was whispering good secrets to the rest of the world about my home, and I was the one caught unaware. Sure enough, that’s precisely what has been happening for about a decade now.”

Opinion: Call it what it is — a tax increase

john.covington@memphispoliceassociation.org (John Covington) — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 04:00:06 -0500

“If county government chooses to collect millions of dollars more than the state-certified revenue-neutral rate allows, taxpayers deserve the honesty of calling it exactly what it is: a tax increase.”

Opinion: 'No wonder we are so desensitized to the slaughter'

editors@dailymemphian.com (Jack Richbourg) — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 14:14:51 -0500

“We are more armed than other countries, and more permissive about how those arms are stored, carried, and used. Memphis knows this reality more intimately than most cities. Gun violence is not an abstraction here; it is a daily presence.”

Opinion: The new Memphis zoning code could drive away the retailers we’re desperate to attract

editor@dailymemphian.com (Shawn Massey) — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 04:00:14 -0500

“A zoning code that makes Memphis harder to understand, more expensive to develop and less compatible with national retail formats is not a neutral document. It is a competitive disadvantage.”