“The state has not merely encouraged white flight, the state has enabled it. The state has not merely supported white flight, the state built the airport, and the runway surrounds the city.”

Nykesha Cole joined Eric Barnes on this week’s episode of “The Sidebar” to talk about her work as the arts-and-culture liaison for Shelby County Government.

“Macsovits has taken what she’s been taught in the course of a lifetime, married it with the deeper and broader perspective she has earned in motherhood, and is now passing it on to others.”

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“We all know anytime there are gifts being opened, anytime there’s ice cream and field trips and dress up and games, anytime someone is empowered to do something they could not do before, there’s a party going on.”

“Every year on June 21, my brother Landon Williams sends me some version of the same text message ... ‘Hey Sister! Today is the 6-year anniversary of the day when Everett was supposed to die.’”

“Frankly, I don’t worry about the kids we serve within our schools. I worry about the kids we don’t. What happens to them? Where do they go? And most importantly, how can I help them?”

Research has revealed that Nathan Bedford Forrest’s slave pens were originally behind Calvary Episcopal Church, but in the 1880s, the church expanded to the east over the site of the pens.

It may be the best story of this basketball postseason. And one of the hardest stories, too. The former Memphis women’s basketball coach went to astonishing lengths to be with her Southern Miss team through it all.

“Rental property owners can reduce crime by utilizing police calls for service information at their properties. This is no untested theory. It is a proven method that has been put into practice in other crime-ridden neighborhoods in Memphis. And it works.”

“The observance of today’s Jewish holiday lends tremendous insight into the Jewish mind, namely the ability to accept life with a sense of humor is a key ingredient to healthy living.”

“When you get to be an adult, laughter can feel like an add-on like whipped cream, a free mint or pressing snooze on the alarm clock.”

The body of a woman found in Olive Branch almost 40 years ago has finally been identified. But the question remains: Was she the victim of a serial killer?

This is the same power grab of something positive, something working, something of real benefit now and in the future from the largest and neediest public system in the state to further separate it and isolate it.

Every March 21, Josh Greer walks all over Memphis from daybreak to dusk. Here’s why he does it and what we can learn from his annual trek.

Otis Sanford says that Kyle Rittenhouse’s only major accomplishment is that he escaped criminal accountability for taking an unarmed person’s life through needless gun violence after an unnecessary encounter. 

“Memphis basketball was left out again on Selection Sunday. It better not happen next year. Not if Memphis basketball is going to continue to be a dominant force in this city — or if Penny Hardaway is going to continue as the head coach.”

“I was under no illusions that this one event would stem the tide of gun-related violence in our city, but I showed up to move the needle on an issue that touches each of us.”

Even if you’ve determined a business opportunity is legitimate, be sure it’s right for you. Ask what you’d be selling or doing, how shoppers would find you, what your expenses would be and when you could expect to turn a profit.

“You can imagine our disappointment when there is $140 million allocated in the budget by Governor Bill Lee for private school vouchers, but none for state and federally mandated Early Childhood Special Education. How can that possibly be?”

All across Memphis, like the hives of Thistle & Bee, people are hard at work to bring fellow Memphians back from the ravages of poverty, abuse, neglect and the companions of those conditions — crime, addiction and exploitation.

“Sometimes in our race to the finish line, to complete the demands of the day, we forget to stop for a moment to appreciate the folks who spent a lifetime before us trying to make Memphis the place where we want to live.”

Skyy Jordan will be singing the national anthem before the Grizzlies game Wednesday night. Unlike the anthem singers that preceded her, Skyy is completely blind.

In the next several weeks: Ramadan is observed until April 9; Christians celebrate Easter March 31 and Jews will celebrate Passover April 22 - 30. I pray that these holy days where we each believe God loves us in a special way can open our hearts to remember that God loves us all just the same.

You don’t have to go far to get away from it all. Candace Echols has some ideas for where you can go to catch your breath amid your hectic schedule.

“Rather than flex his considerable corporate muscle in objection, a very busy man carved out two hours to spend with me to talk about something we both love. This city.”