“On Wednesday, 600-plus members of our Memphis Jewish community gathered for our 63rd annual Yom HaShoah Commemoration, a solemn and vital moment for remembrance and reflection.”

“Every spring, when daffodils push up through the dirt and new leaves sprout on the trees, the earth re-tells this old story. It’s the same story, over and over and over again.”

“Progress for the city doesn’t only come from attracting big name companies and potential new jobs, it must also include environmental justice and protecting the health of all residents.”

“The nation’s institutions should encourage an open exploration of its past — one that accounts for both triumphs and shortcomings, one that eschews sloppy oversimplification, one that highlights how history contains an array of voices that have shaped who we are today.”

“There is bipartisan support for greater concerted efforts to leverage data from across the criminal justice system to improve effectiveness, evidence-based decision making, and transparency.”

“I know what it feels like to sit in jail awaiting trial, uncertain of what comes next, with no meaningful opportunity to defend yourself or reclaim your freedom. That’s not what justice looks like.”

“Thankfully, the angst gave way. The swirl quieted to a calm and left no indication that it had ever existed. If I weren’t so thankful, I’d be mad — mad that I can’t look back and identify a single silver bullet or a proven magic pill.”

Memphis Police Association Vice President John Covington writes , “There is an undeniable need for more officers, especially given the growing workload and escalating dangers that complicate our recruitment efforts.”

“On one side, businesses have food to spare. On the other, thousands of families are struggling to put meals on the table. The good news? There’s a way to bridge this gap.”

“We are all scarred, yes. But we are also wise. And in time, if we let it, aging will show us the beauty of life was never in perfection.”

The reality is stark — when vaccine rates fall, measles comes back, putting our most vulnerable, including infants and immunocompromised children (such as those undergoing chemotherapy), in danger.

“Imagining a Memphis supplied with a well-informed coffeeman, uninterrupted conversation and Sunday afternoon car rides isn’t so bad.” 

“Five years ago, our world shut down. Today, we are selling out venues and filling up summer arts camps. Let’s keep the momentum going.”

“Congressman John Lewis taught us that sometimes we have to get into ‘good trouble.’ Necessary trouble. Because when the system is under attack, silence eventually becomes complicity.”

There are more than 53 Muslim countries in the world, and more than 60 majority-Christian countries. There is only one Jewish country, so why would good people of all faiths not recognize the right of the only Jewish state to simply exist?

“Someday what we are after in the face of LeBron will be found in the face of God.”

“My continuing hope is that our leaders in Washington, D.C., will look more to Tennessee as an example of how government should work for the taxpayers and not the other way around.”

We don’t need uncontrolled, thoughtless regulations that limit economic growth, says Bill Dance, but we do need well-thought-out rules that allow construction and progress while protecting our surroundings.

“We have over 10,000 abandoned homes in disrepair, with overgrown yards, piles of trash, and more. It’s time to shift accountability back to where it belongs and make neglectful property owners pay up.”

“I’m fully aware that we didn’t have it all right back then. But today, I lament the passing of the past by submitting this list of Top 5 Everyday Experiences from My Childhood That My Kids Know Nothing About.”

Nearly every problem, both real and imagined, that citizens have with the Memphis Police Department can be solved by ensuring that each new cadet hired is a man or woman of character, Worth Morgan says.

“Educating children helps society to flourish. Denying education is a recipe for stagnation, more crime and increased misery for all.”

“I honestly don’t spend much time thinking about the lives of prostitutes, but during my kids’ bedtime story last week, the topic came up.”

“We need to do something now to protect both inmates and employees.”

“What we saw was inspiring — and it should serve as a roadmap for what’s possible here in Memphis, regardless if that’s through our local board of education or through state intervention.”