“If we want to really make a difference for everyone in our city, we will keep working to reduce crime, improve education and strengthen families.”

On a recent trip to Europe, I found few people engaged in regular religious life. Beautiful cathedrals were mostly for tourists and not worshipers. I don’t feel in America we are headed down the same path.

“There have been many instances when my mom and I were driving, and someone going 20 miles or more over the speed limit almost hit us.”

“It’s time to confront crime and safety issues in Memphis by focusing on data, comprehending the root causes of crime, and moving beyond policies centered solely on policing and mass incarceration.”

“If you’ve seen any of these before, just laugh again.”

“This weekend we will wear orange to honor the lives lost to gun violence and join the fight to help prevent these tragedies from occurring in the future.”

A neighbor saved the Burke’s Book Store aluminum sign from demolition heap. It spent the last 16 years on her back fence, and now it’s coming back. 

“Tennessee Career Academy will replace the idea of failure with hope and promise for a child’s future. I’m proud and relieved knowing Memphis and this new program will be there for my granddaughter in a few years.”

As Memphis embarks on the NBA offseason, it does so with once-unexpected notes of both certainty and uncertainty.

“Life can be hard, and the best way for all of us to make it through the troubles of the world is to care for one another. If we can commit to this, we will make it through the difficult road we all travel down.”

“Not all students want to go to college, but they need to get skills that will make them employable the moment that diploma is handed to them on their last day of high school.”

“This shortage is causing oncologists to make difficult decisions. Treatments are being skipped and delayed, doses are being reduced, treatments plans are being changed, and sequences of usual treatment are being altered.”

Cosigning for a child with no credit record to buy a first car may be a good decision; cosigning a credit card for a delinquent brother-in-law not so much.

“Shelby County has plenty of stable, capable, caring adults with safe homes whose service to our community could make a big impact for a child, a family, or even the system as a whole.”

“We are living in a time of an identity crisis for K-12 and higher education. The laser-focus on college preparation for all students in K-12 education, regardless of their interests or skills, led to mismatched priorities, frustrated families, and uninterested graduates.”

“With business giant Amazon adopting 20 schools in Memphis I am concerned that Amazon has encroached on Memphis-Shelby County Schools’ long-established Adopt-A-School program.”

“With that tragic event came an understanding that we have the unique responsibility to reject everything that pulled that trigger, the national events and mindsets that were behind that bullet then and now.”

“Voter sentiment about our city’s crippling crime epidemic transcends socioeconomic, gender, racial and ethnic backgrounds. Actual voters want violent, repeat offenders off the streets, legally. They want the bail ‘loopholes’ closed for these offenders who should be held in jail and timely prosecuted.”

“Whether the residency issue continues to dog Van Turner and Floyd Bonner Jr. in the court of public opinion remains to be seen. But both have legitimate responses about their time living outside the city.”

“We must continue to let our state representatives know how their gun laws have completely upended our city and that we demand Tennessee’s urban cities be given the authority to impose their own firearm laws. It won’t be a quick or easy road.”

Every NBA team must find its way. These are models that fit the Grizzlies: be patient with a strong core and coach but be restless and aggressive at finding the supporting pieces to elevate them.

“Under the proposed budget, each of the board members’ annual financial compensation could move from the current $6,495 to $12,000 a year. And that current amount already is more than any other suburban district.”

How about Justin Timberlake? Leslie Jones? William, Prince of Wales? No connection to Memphis is too tenuous to be mayor. Who would you choose?