The Commercial Appeal
‘VERY DISAPPOINTING’
CHICAGO – In Chicago’s workingclass Pilsen neighborhood, a 1960s-era oil-fired power plant rises up from an industrial lot behind Dvorak Park, which in warmer weather is packed with children climbing on its colorful playground and zooming down...
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18 inches marks biggest snowfall in Memphis history
For the third January in a row, Mother Nature is preparing to sock Memphis in the face with a big fat snowball. According to weather forecasters, Memphis is likely to receive more than 3 inches of snow between Friday and Sunday, Jan. 23 and Jan. 25,...
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Memphis and the Oscars: 10 Academy Award wins with ties to Bluff City
Nominations for the 98th annual Academy Awards of Merit — commonly known as the Academy Awards, or, the Oscars — will be announced Jan. 22. The winners will be announced during the annual Oscars ceremony — which will be broadcast on ABC and streamed...
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TN GOP proposes host of immigration bills
Tennessee Republican leaders have proposed cracking down on taxpayerfunded benefits for undocumented immigrants by creating a host of new requirements for proving legal status to access grocery and housing benefits, school enrollment, professional...
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Germantown weighs first TIF
The firm behind the redevelopment of a former Germantown shopping center is continuing to work through the suburb’s first proposed tax-increment financing (TIF) application. The Standard Germantown — a mixed-use, lifestyle center at 6685 Poplar Ave. —...
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School will soon be ‘anchor’ in Klondike-smokey City again
For Laquita Mcclelland and Scarlett Wright, seeing the Northside High School active again is surreal. h “It means everything,” Mcclelland said. “It was heartbreaking when we heard they were going to close the school.” h Both Mcclelland Wright graduated...
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A fish worth fighting for
Lake sturgeon can grow up to 7 feet long and weigh 200-300 pounds – roughly the size of a female ostrich. h Some have lived up to 150 years, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says. h “Lake sturgeon is just an incredible fish,” Tennessee Valley...
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XAI continues expanding in the Memphis area
It has been a very busy 18 months for Elon Musk’s XAI since the company first announced plans for its Memphis data center in June 2024. Since then, the company and its affiliates have acquired 1,156.62 acres of land, including three warehouse...
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New restaurants among many Lakeland projects for 2026
New housing. New restaurants. New retail. It’s all in the works in Lakeland — along with a possible new-to-market grocery store. The noteworthy Ashmont mixeduse development project is expected to bring housing options as well as restaurants, retail...
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Gov. Bill Lee faces budget strain, political crossfire
As Tennessee heads into a financially strained and politically charged legislative session, Gov. Bill Lee is racing the clock to expand school vouchers and charter schools — cornerstone priorities of his tenure — before leaving office. h The path ahead...
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Fans from around world celebrate Elvis’ 91st birthday at Graceland
An enthusiastic group of fans from across the globe gathered on Graceland’s front lawn early on the morning of Jan. 8 to mark what would have been Elvis Presley’s 91st birthday. The event honoring the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll — born Jan. 8, 1935, in...
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Drive-in, hotels & more: Memphis businesses we said goodbye to in 2025
The Memphis area saw several new businesses open their doors in 2025, from grocery stores to international retailers. h But the year also brought a number of permanent business closures, including Shelby County’s last remaining drive-in, a casino and a...
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10 new area businesses worth checking out
There was no shortage of openings around the Memphis area in 2025, especially on the retail and commercial side. h The area saw more than 50 new restaurants open over the last 12 months — and even more new concepts are on the way. h Hard Times Deli is...
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Trump says Memphis crime down 77%
In a Jan. 3 press briefing about U.S. actions in Venezuela, President Donald Trump also said crime in Memphis was down 77%. The City of Memphis was unable to confirm that number and it was not clear where the president was getting the data. The...
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FROM 201 POPLAR TO MORE BIG GLO
2Commercial Appeal staff 025 was a very busy year in Memphis. h It saw the introduction of the Memphis Safe Task Force, the Memphis-shelby County Schools board firing a superintendent and naming a new one in one night, a host of restaurant openings...
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Museums to mixed-use
There was no shortage of development news in 2025 around Memphis and Shelby County. Notable tech companies such as XAI and Google announced expansions and new development plans within the region. Additionally, local developers made progress on...
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Is Buc-ee’s opening in 2026 in TN?
While many may be anticipating new Tennessee Buc-ee’s locations in the new year, the gas station giant has revealed that 2026 might not be the year of the beaver in the Volunteer State. Tennessee has been among the newest areas of expansion for the...
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Memphis airport lands record 11 new flights in 2025
Memphis International Airport had a banner year when it came to air service. Glen Thomas, communications director for the Memphis-shelby County Airport Authority, said the 11 new flights that launched in 2025 at Memphis International mark the highest...
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Layoff notices impact 1,375 jobs in Shelby Co.
In October, Georgia-pacific LLC filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) notice for a pair of closures in Shelby County. On Oct. 17, the Portland-based company filed a WARN notice with the Tennessee Department of Labor and...
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Area author Yellin recalls Lawson’s brilliance, legacy
“For at the heart of racism is the idea that a man is not a man, that a person is not a person. You are human beings. You are men. You deserve dignity.“ These words from the Rev. James Lawson Jr. are inscribed on the I AM A MAN memorial in...
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A look back at 2025 in Memphis
With 2025 almost in the books, many are looking back at the year and all it brought. And what a year it was for Memphis and the Mid-south. h The past 12 months brought the inception of the Memphis Safe Task Force, with the associated uptick in...
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Meet the best in hooves
Gravel crackled under the tires of cars as they pulled into a fenced-in lot in North Memphis. A barn and acres of torn grass wedged itself between factories. It was a brisk 30 degrees, and the sun had just come into full view. By 7 a.m., the barn’s...
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Trump orders 2 new federal holidays near Christmas
Christmas break for some workers may be extended this year thanks to a new executive order from President Donald Trump. On Dec. 18, Trump issued an executive order that designates Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas as federal holidays in 2025....
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Goodwill Excel Center graduates 70 adult learners
On Dec. 3, over 70 adult high school graduates received their high school diplomas on stage at the Orpheum Theater. The graduates all attended Goodwill’s Excel Center to complete the remainder of their high school coursework. The Excel Center, a...
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Meet the artists behind the music of ‘Song Sung Blue’
Filmed in New Jersey, “Song Sung Blue” is the story of Milwaukee entertainers who perform the music of Neil Diamond, a pop superstar from Brooklyn. But don’t put away the road map yet. “All the music was made right here in Memphis,” said Craig Brewer,...
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ON THE SET OF ‘YOUNG WARRIORS’
During his time on the HBO series “Entourage,” Jeremy Piven won three consecutive Emmy Awards for best supporting actor in a comedy series. This distinction places Piven in exclusive, even extraordinary company. The others who matched this feat are...
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Elephant picks Liberty Bowl winner
Asali, an African Elephant at the Memphis Zoo, has her prediction for who will win the Autozone Liberty Bowl. The matchup between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Navy Midshipmen is set for Jan. 2, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. Asali, who turned 40 years old in...
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TN Court of Appeals to hear arguments on lawsuit
The Tennessee Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments on whether the National Guard has been legally deployed in Memphis. In an order filed on Dec. 18, the Tennessee Court of Appeals agreed to hear the State of Tennessee’s appeal of a previous...
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Firefighters get additional 2% raise
The Memphis City Council, during its Dec. 16 meeting, approved an additional 2% raise for Memphis firefighters. The raise came months after the Memphis Fire Fighters Association sued the city for altering a previously-agreedupon two-year raise plan....
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The BLVD on the grow
Anchoring a neighborhood around a church isn’t necessarily a novel concept — yet, in the 21st century, a case could be made that focusing a modern mixed-use development around one is. And yet, that’s exactly what Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church...
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MSCS opens ‘state-ofthe-art’ safety center
Alton Elementary School still looks like it once did from the exterior, before it closed its doors in 2022. The school is surrounded by suburban-like neighborhoods in South Memphis. Streets are wide and the sidewalks still run around the majority of...
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THE PRICE OF PAIN
SSheila Dummett had been shooting heroin for two years when a dirty needle landed her in the emergency room with severe sepsis that spread to the bone in her leg. Sitting in her hospital bed, the 58-year-old weighed her options. She could stay and...
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Huff called Memphis an ‘apex predator’
Memphis football officially has a new head coach, and he gave fans plenty to get excited about right off the bat. Charles Huff was introduced at a news conference on Dec. 10 at the football practice facility. “So what’s the mission, why am I here?”...
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‘NEURAL NEXUS’
One of Memphis’ most talked about “what-if” developments has new ownership and significantly larger plans. On Dec. 10, the Greater Memphis Chamber announced Legacy Power Capital is planning a “neural nexus” innovation district along Union Avenue, the...
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AI could worsen school inequalities
Today’s teachers find themselves thrust into a difficult position with generative AI. New tools are coming online at a blistering pace and being adopted just as quickly, whether they’re personalized tutors and study buddies for students or lesson plan...
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Union
Mound, a branch that just opened last year, workers spent much of the summer with no air conditioning, Mathis said. There have also been problems with accessibility infrastructure and doors not working. Safety is one of the largest concerns for...
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Huff ’s NFL experience and TN background appealed to Tigers
Memphis officially has its next football coach. The Tigers announced the hiring of Southern Miss coach Charles Huff on Dec. 8, choosing him as the replacement for Ryan Silverfield. The search lasted about six days after Silverfield left for Arkansas...
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St. Jude families take part in ‘Fantasy Flight’ to North Pole
Friday evening Dec. 5 saw the return of one of Memphis International Airport’s lesser-known international “destinations” — The North Pole. Ai Nguyen was smiling as her daughter, Rees, began dancing with excitement in anticipation of meeting Santa...
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A HELPING HAND
On Nov. 12, a cool, quiet night in Downtown Memphis, Lyle Udell woke a man sleeping in Fourth Bluff Park. He apologized for waking him, handed him a hot dog and laid a blanket over him. This was the last stop of the night. In about 90 minutes, Udell...
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SUDOKU
Solution to Thursday’s puzzle Enter the missing numbers from 1 to 16 without repetitions so that the sum of the four numbers in each row and column is the same as the corresponding circled number. Insert numbers 1-9 in each box with every row,...
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Officials appeal injunction on Nat’l Guard deployment
The State of Tennessee has officially appealed a Nashville chancellor’s ruling that temporarily blocked the National Guard deployment in Memphis. The appeal was filed Dec. 2. The appeal asks three questions: if the plaintiffs invoked an available...
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SENSE OF THE GAME
A potential industry-changing concept started nearly a decade ago at Overton Park 9. Golf buddies Tyler Kenney and Zach Smith were playing a round, getting tired of losing too many golf balls and a few too many missed strokes. The good — and...
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T’S ALL UP TO SCOTT
Memphis football is at a crossroads. h The Tigers need a new football coach after the surprising departure of Ryan Silverfield to Arkansas on Nov. 30. It’s a position they probably didn’t expect to be in as recently as a couple of days ago, especially...
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Monsters on Beale?
For the past several months, Beale Street — Memphis’ legendary entertainment district, where blues divas and guitar heroes reign, where Elvis acquired his coolest hepcat clothes, where W.C. Handy, B.B. King and Rufus Thomas made musical history — has...
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How major candidates are approaching governor’s race
Tennessee voters will choose their next governor in less than a year. h Their pick will inherit a $38 billion backlog in unfunded road projects, federal funding cuts that shift costs to states while state tax collections remain flat, growing rates of...
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Ashmont project in Lakeland could lead to big things for small suburb
Work is underway on a 100-acre mixed-use development in Lakeland across from The Lake District. Notable local developer Vince Smith, who is behind the flourishing Lakeland Town Square at U.S. 70 and Seed Tick Road, is also developing Ashmont at the...
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Inspiring young wrestlers
Jason Blake, 47, of Tupelo, Mississippi, took the concept of the traditional American “nuclear family” — mother, father, children — and ran with it. Then he put it in a headlock, gave it a suplex, and slammed it into the ropes. Operating on the...
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‘Call from God’
Stacy Hobson had been living with kidney disease unknowingly for years. She knew she had high blood pressure, but she did not know the severity of it. “I had an incident about eight years ago that caused me to go to the hospital. (The doctors) saw I...
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Whitehaven marching band keeps on raising the bar
Sounds of Perfection. With a name like that, it seems only fitting Whitehaven High School’s marching band was voted the best in the Memphis area. In October, The Commercial Appeal kicked off a series of polls to determine — by reader votes — the best...
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South Point is the ‘perfect grocery store’ for Silo Square
After years of planning, Silo Square finally has its own grocery store. South Point Grocery opened its doors Nov. 20, and despite the pouring rain, hundreds of people came to see the ribbon cutting and dedication of the store at 6295 Front St. in the...
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Flight disruptions unlikely to ease soon
Air travelers across the United States continued to face challenges Nov. 11 with the Federal Aviation Administration planning to increase the percentage of flights cut at 40 major airports from 4% to 6%. And mandated flight cancellations plus some...
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Documents show National Guard’s cost in Memphis
As part of the ongoing efforts of the Memphis Safe Task Force, the U.S. Department of Defense cleared the deployment of “up to 1,000 Tennessee” National Guard personnel to Memphis through Sept. 30, 2026, according to a Defense Department action memo...
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MYNDERS HALL OVERHAUL
The first women’s dormitory on the University of Memphis campus is getting a complete renovation, the first extensive renovation of the building since its initial construction in the early 1900s. Mynders Hall, which is one of the three original...
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SKY-HIGH MEDICINE
“Flying Eye Hospital.” That sounds like a science-fiction term, but it describes a real-life phenomenon. And it has a Memphian at the controls. Gary Dyson is the captain and chief pilot of the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital, a Mcdonnell Douglas MD-10 jet...
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COMMUNITY PROJECT BREAKS GROUND
A five-acre plot of land just minutes down the road from Ford Motor Company’s Blueoval City site in Stanton will soon become a YMCA Child Development Center to fulfill a need in “child care desert.” A local family gave back to the community where they...
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ICE can access Shelby County jail immigrants in deal with sheriff
Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner has signed an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, extending ICE access to people detained at the Shelby County Jail, Bonner said during an interview with The Commercial Appeal. The agreement is...
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Democrats sweep off-year elections
President Donald Trump received a rebuke as Democrats swept every major contest on Nov. 4, which they hope foretells a nationwide backlash to Republican control in Washington in the pivotal 2026 midterm elections. The results represent the first...
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Nashville judge to consider pausing Memphis NG deployment
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Officials are now waiting for a ruling on the National Guard deployment in Memphis — or a temporary one, at least — after a Nov. 3 hearing before a Davidson County chancellor. Chancellor Patricia Head Moskal did not rule from the...
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Overhaul in progress at Memphis airport
Memphis International Airport’s main terminal, Terminal B, hadn’t received an upgrade since it opened in 1963. But its transformation is underway. The terminal’s outdated infrastructure needs to be replaced to meet modern safety, security and...
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Memphis to get two new concert venues
Construction of two new Memphis concert venues has begun, as Grind City Amp and Live Nation’s Satellite Music Hall both look toward 2026 openings. In January, Grind City Brewing confirmed plans for a permanent outdoor venue at 76 Waterworks Ave....
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‘I mean if it’s easy, is it worth it?’
Years and years of hard work and dedication. That’s what former University of Tennessee Health Science Center campus police officer Marshall Jones Jr. said it took to become a student at the same school he protected and served. h “Nothing’s easy,”...
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SNAP recipients get ready for tough time
After a bleak warning from Gov. Bill Lee to expect a lapse in federal food aid next month, Tennesseans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are buckling down for a difficult few weeks going into the holidays. “A lot of parents are...
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Thousands attend Turning Point event after Charlie Kirk’s death
OXFORD — Vice President JD Vance and Erika Kirk headlined a Turning Point USA event Wednesday, Oct. 29 at the University of Mississippi, part of the conservative group’s “This Is the Turning Point” tour. It was among the organization’s first public...
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No ICE reports on MSCS campuses
Memphis-shelby County Schools has not had any reports of immigration enforcement on any campuses, General Counsel Justin Bailey told school board members Oct. 28. “Earlier this year, the board unanimously passed a resolution sponsored by board members...
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Cheers, reflection and a win
John Calipari stepped on the Fedexforum court on Oct. 27 not knowing what would happen. Would he get booed? He’s gotten booed before in returns to his old teams, even last year when he went back to Rupp Arena in Lexington and got roundly booed by...
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Could bail reform help 201 Poplar crowding?
Dozens of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies have begun their work patrolling Shelby County as part of the Memphis Safe Task Force, which was mandated by President Donald Trump with Gov. Bill Lee’s support. Since the task force began on...
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Ranchers push back on call to import beef
President Donald Trump’s suggestion to import beef from Argentina to ease prices has drawn sharp criticism from Tennessee cattle producers and national ranching groups. The president floated the idea to reporters aboard Air Force One during an Oct. 19...
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THE RESULTS ARE IN
As of Oct. 21, about three weeks since touching down in Memphis, the bulk of arrests made by the Memphis Safe Task Force have been for seemingly non-violent offenses, according to data provided by the task force. However, discrepancies in the data...
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Halloween haunts
Halloween is just a few days away. For some, that means stocking up on candy, finishing up costumes for yourself or the kids and, for the procrastinators, digging the pumpkin decor out of storage and procuring fresh pumpkins from your favorite patch or...
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‘Where our town goes, our region goes’
Things are trending up for Downtown Memphis. At least that was the theme for the Downtown Memphis Commission’s (DMC) annual “State of Downtown Memphis” report. DMC staff hosted the event Oct. 22 at the Halloran Centre for Performing Arts & Education...
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Memphis unions protest after legal challenges to police, fire contracts
Members from 13 different City of Memphis union organizations gathered outside City Hall on Oct. 21, protesting the city’s legal move to try to invalidate multiple memorandums of understanding. Roughly 200 union members stood outside city hall for the...
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‘They are different, and I want to see it for myself ’
A bold move needed to be made. There was an internal understanding that as constructed, the core group of players the Memphis Grizzlies had built around the past four years had a limited ceiling. Then came June 2025. While Desmond Bane was in Destin,...
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Lakeland Town Square nears completion date
A northeastern Shelby County suburb is reaping the benefits a prominent developer’s thriving mixed-use project that has even more business activity in the works. Memphis native Vince Smith’s projects include the 110-unit Poplar Art Lofts at Poplar...
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‘No Kings’ protest draws thousands in Memphis
Thousands of demonstrators filled the park at Poplar and Highland in East Memphis on Oct. 18, as part of the nationwide “No Kings” day of protest against President Donald Trump’s administration. “This is one of the most inspiring events and days in...
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