Fine dining and disaster museums

Today, commercial real estate reporter Andy Ashby joins us to talk about the future of Downtown. Plus: A judge keeps the MSCS takeover paused as the legal battle continues A group is planning a mixed-use project on Madison Avenue A Memphis diamond seller is to retire after 55 years in the industry The Mid-South Food Bank scrambles to fill the gap as SNAP rules tighten Mississippi River Expeditions brings wilderness adventures and energy to Mud Island 

Walls, Mississippi, is a small, rural, majority Black town about 30 minutes southwest of Downtown Memphis. It's home to approximately 1,400 residents and, right now at least, one of the nation's many battles over data centers. Today, we're joined by North Mississippi reporter Aarron Fleming to talk about the community's concerns and what we know about an investigation from Mississippi's state auditor into the town.  Plus: The Tennessee Secretary of State says 25 people cast ballots outside of early-voting hours Marsha Blackburn names her 'Final Four' Comeback and Bob's Bakery partner on the new Downtown museum cafe I Love Waffle Cream returns Musk confirms two additional sites near the Macrohard data center Little Petals is now a FedExForum vendor

The Early Word writer Bianca Phillips is here and we get into what we have in store for us this week. Plus: Memphis Public Market is reviving a long-vacant Downtown corner A former City Council chair plans a run to replace Brent Taylor's senate seat The Chamber names its next president and CEO A Memphian could join the villa for 'Love Island USA' St. Jude calls on volunteers for the marathon weekend Crosstown Concourse's CEO is stepping down and moving into a new role

Newsletter editor Bianca Phillips is here, and we're talking about all the fun you can have this weekend. Plus: Scott Colom takes DeSoto but the final verdict still awaits on statewide results A Walls police officer-involved crash leaves fatalities Congregation Coffee is opening a new location Experts say Memphis can help the national shortage of medical devices for kids LBI buys a trio of medical-office buildings Campbell Clinic plans a new physical therapy office in Bartlett Memphis investors buy the Central Station hotel  

Joining us today to talk about the state of the local beer scene is food and dining reporter Sophia Surrett.  Plus: Blackburn names a new transition head and plans a Tennessee DOGE effort John Bradley wins the write-in campaign for a state House seat Dog & Bone wants a picture of your pup A major nonprofit says blood donations are needed as the holidays approach Pickering Firm expands into East Tennessee Downtown Dining Week returns A 56-year-old shopping center could be demolished to make way for apartments

Fifteen-year-old Haley Reedy was shot and killed in Millington in September 2022. Today, reporter Jody Callahan is here to talk about the case and how the suspect was discovered and apprehended in a small European country about the size of New Jersey.  Plus: Election results are in The Frayser Bauhaus goes to auction MSCS cleaning contracts offer a first test for an audit-response plan A bakery is coming to Germantown's Thornwood A former MSCS employee claims in a new suit that Feagins nudity ontirbuted to a hostile environment

It's election day in America. To mark the occasion, we are rejoined by longtime political reporter Bill Dries to talk about voter turnout (so far) and what it means for the election, the governor's race, October surprises and what other races we have our eye on.  Plus: A lawsuit alleges that the City Council chair engaged in illegal activity The DA releases video of a fatal shooting by the National Guard Early voting in Shelby County tops 183,000 Jesse Turner Park gets a more prominent entrance in South Memphis The Back Nine Golf tees up a Lakeland expansion Space XAI continues a Southaven buying spree

Newsletter editor Bianca Phillips is here to help us set up the week.  Plus: Breakaway pulls back, but the Memphis running community keeps growing The Grizzlies make a franchise-record-tying win a Halloween treat Memphis uses big plays and long drives to keep Army grounded Bartlett's performing arts center keeps losing money Executives say federal changes threaten revenue for Memphis hospitals FedEx Freight's first-ever earnings release includes mixed results International Paper beat Wall Street expectations

This weekend brings another conversion of spooky seasonal events and fall's seemingly other favorite, cultural festivals. Newsletter editor Bianca Phillips is here and we're talking through it all.  Plus: A candidate's mother is involved in a polling site 'disturbance', according to an MPD report Developers break ground on Union Station's first phase A DeSoto County Justice Court judge is retiring Germantown approves 41 homes in the Winchester development 'Asian Target' is coming to East Memphis A judge says the MSCS takeover will remain paused at least 2 more weeks Gregory Realty claims an "Amazon proof" shopping center in Bartlett

In early 2024, state Rep. Mark White told news outlets he planned to introduce legislation to give Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee the power to appoint up to six new members to the Memphis-Shelby County Schools board. When the MSCS board voted, almost exactly a year later, to oust its new superintendent, it set in motion a larger push from the state legislature: to create a brand-new, second school board, made up of appointed members, to run the district and its finances.  Joining us today is reporter Laura Testino to help us sort through exactly where we are now and discuss what we can expect to see in the future.  Plus: A Mississippi state auditor is investigating Walls amid data center concerns Lou's Lounge will soon open to the public A new Downtown rooftop bar will open next year HPV vaccines are up in the Memphis area A store fire in Collierville kills a parrot mascot named Popeye Officials say Downtown Memphis is moving in a positive direction