
The Early Word: Star fights Chickasaw gates, and Feagins won’t back down
Howdy, friends. It’s Tuesday, Jan. 7, and Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant is back in court today. He’s being sued for allegedly punching a teen during a pickup basketball game at his dad’s house in 2022.
The Memphis City Council is shaking things up in 2025. Beginning today, their meetings will start at a new time, and this should be an interesting one because both gun reform and Chickasaw Gardens “Gate-gate” are back.
On a somber note, today marks three years since five Memphis police officers beat Tyre Nichols during a traffic stop, resulting in his death three days later.
Today, the Memphis City Council is expected to once again consider whether Chickasaw Gardens can gate off parts of the neighborhood to restrict traffic. Some residents want Lombardy Road and Lafayette Place closed to cars, but those opposed say that would restrict access to a public park, which they argue violates the First Amendment. On the opposition side is Golden Globe-nominated actress Madeleine Stowe (“Last of the Mohicans,” “12 Monkeys”), who lives in a neighborhood near Chickasaw Gardens. Residents in favor of the gates cite accidents near the intersections they want to close, but Stowe has data that shows the remaining entrances could actually be more dangerous.
“While the board holds the authority to terminate me: I will not resign,” wrote Marie Feagins, Memphis-Shelby County Schools superintendent.
Feagins submitted her written response Monday to the school board’s efforts to fire her over alleged mishandling of financial matters. In the response, Feagins said she was “disturbed” by the criticism and had “not mismanaged district funds.” The school board is expected to meet next to discuss Feagins’ employment during a non-voting meeting on Jan. 14.
Plus, Beale Street has safety measures in case of attack, the City Council takes up gun reform again and Zach Edey’s haters may be eating their words.
Topics
The Early Word Subscriber OnlyAre you enjoying your subscription?
Your subscription gives you unlimited access to all of The Daily Memphian’s news, written by nearly 40 local journalists and more than 20 regular freelancers. We work around the clock to cover the issues that impact your life and our community.
You can help us reach more Memphians.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we provide free news access at K-12 schools, public libraries and many community organizations. We also reach tens of thousands of people through our podcasts, and through our radio and television partnerships – all completely free to everyone who cares about Memphis.
When you subscribe, you get full access to our news. But when you donate, you help us reach all Memphians.
Pay it forward. Make a fully tax-deductible donation to The Daily Memphian today.
Thank you for reading the local news. Thank you for investing in our community.
Bianca Phillips
Bianca Phillips is a Northeast Arkansas native and longtime Memphian who’s worked in local journalism and PR for more than 20 years. In her days as a reporter, she covered everything from local government and crime to LGBTQ issues and the arts. She’s the author of “Cookin Crunk: Eatin’ Vegan in the Dirty South,” a cookbook of vegan Southern recipes.
Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.