“As my school librarian taught me, not all books are right for every reader, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t right for the library.”

“Those two elderly people have lived long in this place — this Memphis we’re in now. They’ve seen a whole lot of water flow under that bridge downtown.”

“Few of us, and certainly not this writer, can truly know the gift of immense talent and the impact of fame and mountains of money at age 23.”

This is perhaps the biggest young star in the NBA, subject to a league gun investigation twice in five weeks. It’s a red alarm issue far beyond Memphis. 

“While we might not agree on where to get the best pizza in town or which is the best Memphis in May band, we may find we totally see eye-to-eye on the ideal spot to catch a stunning sunset.”

A former MPD officer talks about his experiences on the police department’s Auto-Theft Task Force and the juveniles he encountered — repeatedly — during his time on the force. 

Tennessee has officially and legislatively become a judgmental, vindictive, homophobic, misogynistic, intolerant, small-minded, history-denying, science-denying, racially insensitive if not racist, and holier-than-thou state simmering in its own toxic stew.

“Those of us in Memphis fortunate enough to have known Ron Terry, and even those who didn’t, have one thing in common: We are better off because Ron Terry called Memphis home.”

Memphis needs a feel-good story, a redemption story, of overcoming stumbles, our pain and our negative national image. We need Ja Morant to bring his moves back to the Grindhouse soon and break ankles — not hearts.

“The mayor’s report not only had different conclusions than those that were reported, but they elaborated on specific factors in which MLGW’s actions when it issued an RFP were inadequate and unprofessional.”

“We create the ability to live with our fears by knowing that the goodness of life follows us on the journey.”

“The new garage is ultimately redundant and serves only to improve the mobility of people who can afford to drive.”

“For a hundred Lents, words have been offered — mixed, seasoned, and served — from the pulpit of Calvary Episcopal Church just as ingredients have been from its kitchen below.”

The Memphis Grizzlies have 21 games left in this NBA regular season, and the Western Conference playoff race is so tight that intrigue could linger to the final day.

Related story:

Grizzlies Insider: For Memphis, ‘the real test is on the road’

“There is nothing basic about racialized poverty and violence in Memphis. And there is nothing basic about the approach required to fix it.”

It never looks great on paper, but you can always be guaranteed that great stuff will happen. Like a magisterial Jill Scott cracking jokes and dispensing love advice, Sturgill Simpson surprising with a lacerating, hard country-soul set or that time that a nervy Randy Newman surveyed the afternoon crowd and began playing an unedited version of “Rednecks.”

“Justice for Tyre Nichols must happen. ... In unison with this, we absolutely can and must appreciate the actions of the hundreds of good officers in our police department.”

“I’ve experienced all of that, and Scripture backs those descriptions as by-products of walking with Jesus. Once you’ve seen stuff like that, it’s hard to keep it to yourself. It’s kinda like this: When you have tasted Pancho’s cheese dip, you can’t not tell other people about it when they come to our city.”

If it’s important to you that a product is truly made in the United States, research the reputation of the manufacturer or marketer making the claim, including with the BBB, to be sure they’re trustworthy.

“If you’ve been struggling lately, I hope today, for just a minute, you can look at your city the way the outsiders do.”

“Tennessee cities produce 92% of all sales tax revenue generated in the state. However, sales tax revenues returned to cities make up only 20% to 30% of their annual operating revenue.”

We’re showing all the originality of a bad band covering somebody else’s song, and not even a Memphis song at that.

Gene Bartow’s Tigers showcased a model of Black achievement and interracial harmony. If they make another NCAA Tournament run, we will again hear about how Memphians unite around basketball.

House Bill 1233 and Senate Bill 1029 — requiring people to attend a safety class if they fail to lock up guns in their vehicles or boats or if they don’t report gun thefts from a vehicle or boat within 24 hours — would be a small, but important, first step toward fixing the problem the Tennessee General Assembly created in 2021.

WYXR’s Dowd Awards will honor Ekpe Abioto, Dr. O.T. Sykes, Lester Snell, Anita Ward, Dan Greer, and Phyllis and Helen Duncan.