The Early Word: Trafficking probe sparks raid; NIH cuts will hurt St. Jude
Hey gals, how’s it going? And before all the guys get upset, know that today — Thursday, Feb. 13 — is Galentine’s Day. But if you identify as male, we’ll let that slide here, so stick around and keep reading.
As for the gals, you’ll find a few ways to celebrate with your girlfriends tonight in our Valentine’s Day guide. And if you don’t have date-night plans for Friday yet, you’ll also find some suggestions there, too. One idea for tonight: Invite your friends over for girl dinner and basketball. The Memphis Tigers men’s team plays South Florida at 8 p.m.
And while we’re on gals, our annual Women in Business Seminar is coming up on Thursday, Feb. 27. The panel will feature Tina Sullivan (former Overton Park Conservancy director), Ursula Madden (vice president of corporate communications at Memphis Light, Gas and Water) and Leigh Mansberg (president and CEO of Junior Achievement of Memphis). Tickets are available here.
The Department of Homeland Security said on Wednesday that Monday’s highly publicized raid on the Cordova TacoNGanas food truck was part of an investigation into “potential labor trafficking.” The U.S. Department of Labor opened an investigation into recruiting and employment practices at TacoNGanas in 2022, but it’s not clear if this raid was part of that probe. The agents, who wore hoodies, face masks and no ID badges, were with Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s criminal investigation arm. The ICE statement claims the three men who were taken were “unlawfully present in the U.S. as part of a worksite enforcement operation.” But Latino Memphis Executive Director Mauricio Calvo points out that trafficking victims are not typically detained.
President Donald Trump wants to slash billions of federal funding for medical research, which would carve into the work being done at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and make the price of medical school more expensive. The cuts, announced last week by the National Institutes of Health, were supposed to take effect on Monday, but they’ve been temporarily blocked by a federal judge. If the cuts are allowed to proceed, St. Jude said it could mean fewer new, life-saving treatments will be developed. And one local expert said the cuts could have an impact on academia that extends beyond medical research.
Plus, Bartlett says no to a mosque, a judge upholds a service-dog ban and the Grizzlies are already hibernating.
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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.
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