“Turning a city around starts with addressing the crime rate, and after that the issues of poverty can be addressed, because recruiting companies and creating jobs becomes easier.”

Leaders of Tennessee State Pipe Trades Association say distorted rancor might make for more clicks on social media, but it does a disservice to Tennessee voters. So does demonizing labor unions.

“There is a unique splendor here that is unique in comparison with any place I’ve ever been. It’s found in the bare and beautiful faces of so many folks who make up this space, and in the way they live in community with one another — even when it’s hard.”

“Crime is not an entity. It is criminals that have the stranglehold on Memphis. You might call them robbers, rapists, thugs, punks or gangs, but they are also Memphians, Memphis-made.” 

“There are some things I want. I’ve wanted them for a while and the hints just aren’t working. So, I’ve made a modest list — 10 things you can choose from.”

Looking back at some of the first black classmates after the integration of Memphis schools, the writer shares memories of bravery in the face of racial and anti-Semitic abuse.

What would be possible in Memphis if every neighborhood was less than a mile’s walk to a beautiful gathering space where live music – and dance, and public art – was being performed on a regular basis?

After their seemingly perfect life crumbled, my parents — who run Jones Orchard — bounced back because of a tested and proven walk with God.

Guest columnist Phillip Tutor writes, “My optimism for Memphis’ future isn’t Pollyanna gibberish. It rests on Memphis’ historical resilience, a trait that’s rarely been more critical than it is today.”

“I absolutely hate that we have a city filled with seemingly responsible and respected people that will not acknowledge the connection between what we celebrate and what we see in our news reports.”

Former Shelby County Commissioner says, “It’s no wonder many are questioning whether they should leave town to get away from the crime. It is affecting our tourism, economy, jobs and our very lives.”

“When we carry with us the heaviness of the broken world wherever we go, we focus such intensity on how we experience the presence of evil in our midst and risk missing the presence of God.”

Guest columnist Jack Keith writes, “We have a messy history. But when I think about Memphis, my heart wells up with pride. I am proud to be from Memphis.”

For a city reeling from trauma, “Nothing is normal. Nothing is right. You’re not yourselves and really, neither is anyone around you. Maybe not anyone in all of Memphis.”

While African Americans in Memphis lent refuge and support to Meredith — and the city’s authorities generally decried the violent resistance in Oxford — many shared the twisted resentments of their southern neighbors.

High rates of crime largely go uncontextualized, rarely correlated to the long-enduring patterns of poverty found on many corners in Memphis. But Pass Over dramatizes these issues so that we can talk about them.

State government must not fail to fulfill the basic function of providing peace and safety to the people. We must fix what’s broken in our state criminal justice system - because we can do better than this.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has opened an inquiry into Buy Now, Pay Later loans to determine if they require additional regulation.

Memphis weeps for the beautiful lives and souls of those cut short by monsters. Yet all of this — all the horrors and the beauty — are a byproduct of the same place. A juxtaposition that is difficult to comprehend.

“I learned to be self-critical, to understand context and history before rushing to judgment. I learned to ask “why” questions before adopting the kind of moral confidence that only God can claim.”

Beginning the conversation is the first step in moving the needle towards care and a cure.

“Women should be able to run — to exist in any space at any time — without fear of violence. But that isn’t the reality we live in,” says guest columnist Sarah Hunter Simanson.

With Republicans losing every county office, a former local party executive director looks at what the GOP needs to consider if it’s going to win again.

“After this awful past week, many of us have something in common with Robert Church — we have the option to leave and the privilege of choice. I am so glad Robert Church chose to stay.”

With the implementation of the Education Savings Account Program, families in Shelby County can receive nearly $8,200 toward tuition, fees and transportation to attend Catholic schools.