The Early Word: Francine’s at the front door, and gun reform is back on

Bianca Phillips By , Daily Memphian
Updated: September 12, 2024 6:29 AM CT | Published: September 12, 2024 6:24 AM CT Premium

Are you ready for this day to rock you like a hurricane? It’s Thursday, Sept. 12, and Hurricane Francine has arrived. More below.

The Land Use Control Board meets today, and they’ll consider updates to Cooper-Young’s Central Yards planned development, including the addition of a seven-story hotel. They’ll also take up a request to remove some housing in favor of more retail and restaurants in the redevelopment of the old Racquet Club site in East Memphis.

Tonight, as part of the multi-day Southern Heritage Classic festivities, “Godmother of Soul” Patti LaBelle will take the stage at the Orpheum Theatre. If you’re heading to the big game on Saturday, you might want to scope out the traffic plan. As usual, it’s happening concurrently with the Cooper-Young Festival just blocks away, so get some podcasts ready for all that time you’ll spend waiting in traffic.

Hurricane Francine is really just a tropical depression now that it’s made its way to Memphis. But don’t discount her: The National Weather Service-Memphis is predicting up to four inches of rain through Friday, with heavy rainfall predicted this afternoon, and a wind advisory in effect until 1 a.m. tomorrow. We’ve got a detailed look at Francine’s predicted impact. Here’s hoping Memphis Light, Gas and Water doesn’t have to update those improved tree-related power outage stats they were so proud of earlier this week.

There was big movement in the off-again, on-again saga of city gun control on Wednesday when Shelby County Chancellor Melanie Taylor Jefferson ruled that the three gun-control questions can go on the Nov. 5 ballot after all. The Memphis City Council had sued the Shelby County Election Commission, after the commission bowed to state officials who threatened to take away Memphis’ share of state sales tax if citizens were allowed to vote on gun-control reforms. But it’s possible the fight isn’t over yet.

Plus, the first witness was called in Tyre Nichols trial, Bob’s Barksdale is coming back and pumpkin spice season comes early this year. 

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Bianca Phillips

Bianca Phillips

Bianca Phillips is a Northeast Arkansas native and longtime Memphian who’s worked in local journalism and PR for more than 20 years. She’s a diehard morning person who spends her free time running marathons and ultras. She’s the author of “Cookin Crunk: Eatin’ Vegan in the Dirty South.”


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