As half the country was in a drought — Lake Mead turning into Pond Mead and our own Mighty Mississippi becoming the Measly Mississippi — the ginkgoes didn’t turn yellow. Until they did. 

For decades, a group of alums from Memphis’ Bishop Byrne High School gathered for an annual Thanksgiving Day tradition that earned the name The Cranberry Bowl.

“The nationally-recognized firm Enervision, is expected to submit its analysis to City Hall before year-end, a potential game-changer that MLGW will not acknowledge.”

“The modern American — me, included — can barely sit through a wheat-harvesting description without checking her phone for something a tad more interesting.”

“Every vote does indeed count. But election information should be more accessible to everyone, and candidates need to spend time with who they want to represent.”

“These are the women who raised my generation — the boomers — and taught, supported and sustained us — and amazingly have received only history’s condescending pat on the head for the effort.”

“And there is no Memphian, past or present, more deserving of the recognition. Weathers’ story is one of resilience, courage, perseverance and heroism.”

“We need more citizens preparing themselves to vote by weighing the choices to be made, making informed choices about their votes, and then showing up to vote.”

“It’s time to move past surface-level ‘fixes’ that blame the community for the problems that systems create. We believe that communities, particularly communities of color, deeply and intimately understand the problem and therefore hold the transformative solutions that will last.”

A deeper look at what the return of Jaren Jackson Jr. will mean to the Grizzlies.

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Grizzlies Insider: Memphis stayed on track despite Jaren Jackson Jr. absence

“Real, gut-level laughter is a gift from God; laughter was his design. It’s also a wildly underestimated instrument of light for both children and adults. It has the power to cut through some dark moments, and we need tools that have power like that right now.”

“From one end of the state to the other, we have children sleeping on the floors of government offices. There are more than 9,000 foster children in Tennessee, but less than half as many homes exist to care for them.”

Eliza Fletcher’s kidnapping and murder in September galvanized a city, and Memphians responded by the thousands — both here and nationwide.

In Tennessee, it was GOP business as usual following Tuesday’s midterm election. The legislature remains under total control by Republicans and Gov. Bill Lee cruised to reelection without breaking a sweat.

“Seeing history as informing who we are and what we must do in the present no matter what befalls us as a city, nation, and world.”

“It makes sense of a mother’s tears on the first day of kindergarten or at high school graduation. It recognizes a college graduate’s homesickness for her roommates. It validates a father’s emotion as he gives his daughter away on her wedding day.”

“We’ve done something remarkable together here in Memphis for the last 35 years. We’ve been people of faith who have responded to a broken health care system.”

MyCityRides is open, exactly where it should be, on Summer between Highland and Tillman, on quite possibly the most Memphis of streets. There are things and vibes on Summer that aren’t anywhere else.

“Girls and women in Tennessee need their fathers and husbands and brothers and sons to step up and vote to end the government’s regulation of women’s bodies.”

Diversity in many forms should be a compelling societal interest. And race should be one of several factors used in making hiring decisions.

“Brent’s experiences have equipped him to make a positive impact in the state Senate. He will be the voice in the Tennessee legislature desperately needed for Shelby County.”

“The recent community violence may seem unprecedented and shocking to some in our community. Yet, for many of our Shelby County families, violent crime has long been a part of their daily reality.”

“There’s no person who is completely free of faith. Even atheism requires a hearty and confident step of conviction. And when you find you’re locked in a teeny, tiny closet, even the smallest step matters.”

“C-PACER allows commercial property owners and developers to improve the energy efficiency of their buildings with low-cost financing provided by private lenders, shielding them from rising energy prices in the medium to long term.”

“In the name of individual freedom, these business interest groups wish to create different classes of workers to keep them pitted against each other instead of working in harmony for improved conditions in the workplace.”