In 2022, Memphis lost rock ‘n’ roll stars, restaurateurs, coaches and athletes, philanthropists and “the giraffe man.” 

Today, we remember them once again. 

The boil water advisory remains in place even as MLGW has fixed 19 of 22 water main breaks. “What you’ll hear from our crews is that we are finding leaks everywhere now,” MLGW President Doug McGowen said. 

As a result, MLGW is offering bottled water starting Monday, Dec. 26, and accepting donations of unopened cases of bottled water.

Sonia Walker is retiring as associate pastor of First Congregational Church. 

Memphis has a massive crime problem. Steve Mulroy has lofty ideas about criminal justice reform, but priority is to reduce crime and make the city safer.

Thousands of state government workers received significant raises this month following persistent criticism that the state is uncompetitive in the labor market. Most TBI employees were unaffected.

When a rolling blackout hits, candles can come in handy during a chilly Christmas Eve service.

As of 9:15 p.m. Saturday, MLGW knew of five water main breaks. All customers are urged to use boiled or bottled water for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation until further notice.

“The risk of additional forced blackouts is low for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day,” said MLGW President and CEO Doug McGowen.

Multiple line breaks and production issues have resulted in a significant loss of water pressure, which can allow disease-causing microbes into the water system.

Tennessee Valley Authority enacted mandatory rolling blackouts among its 153 local power companies on Friday morning. The historic decision came as TVA saw a record power demand. 

• MLGW lifts boil water advisory
• Non-essential water use allowed again
• Most Memphis suburbs avoid boil water order from deep freeze
• Jennifer Biggs: “How about some sound infrastructure?”
• For more updates click here.

Memphis Light, Gas and Water President Doug McGowen will share updates on rolling blackouts and the water boil advisory at a noon press conference.

The founder of Memphis' Constance Abbey ministry to the homeless died early Saturday, Dec. 24, of injuries sustained in a biking accident near San Francisco.

It’s Christmas Eve and blackouts are back, and lasting longer than expected. And they’re in areas that weren’t expecting to be affected. 

Northcentral Electric Cooperative has canceled the temporary outages that will affect DeSoto and Marshall counties.

Memphis Light, Gas & Water has issued a boil water advisory for parts of Southeast Memphis, Germantown and Millington. And, after the TVA issued a Step 50 curtailment Saturday morning, MLGW began rolling blackouts with areas north of Downtown, near the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library and North Germantown. 

The TVA faces outages at two of its coal-fired plants and some of its natural gas plants, according to spokesperson Scott Brooks. 

MLGW said Friday evening that it was preparing for the possibility of TVA requiring its customers to cut power load by at least 5%.

In the hour before MPD’s inclement weather policy was issued, police responded to 43 crashes. There were 23 crashes in the following hour, and 22 the next. 

A warming shelter has opened in DeSoto County due to extreme cold, and Northcentral Electric Cooperative has canceled rolling blackouts.

During a noon press conference, Memphis Light, Gas & Water president and CEO Doug McGowen announced that MLGW will not be doing any rolling blackouts. 

Watch the press conference now.

Beginning at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 23, MLGW will implement systemwide “rolling blackouts.” 

Bill Lee grants clemency, a bid to recognize the 1917 Ell Persons lynching site moves ahead and Young Dolph is honored in a pop-up museum.