The Early Word: Bill proposes newer New Bridge; Lucchesi’s pasta is back
Good morning, it’s Monday, Feb. 24. And the Shelby County Commission is expected to appoint a new General Sessions Criminal Court judge today. The person will replace Judge Bill Anderson, who retires on March 1.
Also, former state Sen. Brian Kelsey is finally reporting to prison today, after delaying his 21-month sentence for nearly two years. Perhaps Kelsey should have heeded that old quote: “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.”
For more on what’s ahead, check out This Week in Memphis. And before we dig into the news, here are two more things you should know about: Tickets are on sale now for this Thursday’s Daily Memphian Women in Business seminar, and we’re also holding a ticket giveaway for Wednesday’s Memphis Tigers basketball game against Rice. Enter to win here before midnight.
Construction on a new I-55 bridge to replace the aging Memphis-Arkansas Bridge (aka, the Old Bridge) is slated to begin in fall 2026. And once that new bridge, to be called America’s River Crossing, is complete, the Old Bridge will be torn down. But a couple of Memphis legislators think two bridges into Arkansas isn’t enough, and they’ve filed a bill to study the possibility of a third one. (If we call the new I-55 bridge the “New Old Bridge,” would the third bridge be called the “New New Bridge”?)
Fans of Lucchesi’s Ravioli & Pasta Co. grab-and-go entrees, casseroles, flatbreads and other items will be glad to know they’re coming back to a store near you. The products were available in seven stores in Tennessee and Mississippi during the early stages of the pandemic, but new U.S. Department of Agriculture rules caused the company to pull all meat-containing products from the shelves. Now, Lucchesi’s is using a USDA-certified commercial kitchen, and that means more meaty options in grocery stores, including what may be the only made-in-house tortellini in Memphis.
Plus, the ethics complaint against Memphis’ fire chief is dismissed, a police reform task force is named and Arlington parents get calls from AI Dolly Parton.
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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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