The Early Word: Memphis really does recycle, and Tigers take down old rivals

Bianca Phillips By , Daily Memphian
Updated: March 03, 2025 6:18 AM CT | Published: March 03, 2025 6:18 AM CT Premium

Happy Lundi Gras! It’s Monday, March 3, the day before Fat Tuesday. Prior to the late 1980s, Lundi Gras was a day of rest, but these days, it’s rolled into the weekend pre-party before tomorrow’s big day. So, have king cake for breakfast. Live it up.

If you want to really be on theme, you could check out the new Ragin’ Cajun Seafood and Po’Boys in Bartlett. Our own Jennifer Chandler can’t stop thinking about the restaurant’s Who Dat Catfish, and she explains why. After dinner, head Downtown to watch the Memphis Grizzlies play the Atlanta Hawks.

For a look at what’s coming, check out This Week in Memphis.

We’ve all heard the rumors that Memphis recycling is a myth, that recycling crews just dump your cans, bottles and boxes into the same stream where your trash goes. So, we sent reporter Jody Callahan to find out if the talk was true. And turns out, it’s not. Memphis does recycle, and Callahan saw the process with his own eyes. He also talked with Philip Davis, the city’s director of solid waste, who offered a few theories on how the non-recycling myth gets spread around. Of course, there is a chance your recyclables get thrown into the trash if you’re putting them in plastic garbage bags. This story, by the way, is the first in our new Ask a Memphian series, where we try to answer your burning questions about the city.

The Memphis Tigers beat longtime rival UAB, 88-81, on Sunday. The win shouldn’t have been unexpected considering that UAB sits outside of the top 100 of the NCAA’s NET rankings this season, but there’s some deep history with this rivalry.

Plus, Shelby County Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr. was indicted on federal charges, state lawmakers want to make it harder to get high and the Grizzlies have a nail-biting weekend

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Bianca Phillips

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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