Spirit of Memphis
Ask the Memphian: Who created barbecue nachos? It’s a question that will rile some folks up
Who created barbecue nachos? Well, it depends on who you ask, and be careful if you do ask because both sides are feisty about the answer.
Jody Callahan
Jody Callahan graduated with degrees in journalism and economics from what is now known as the University of Memphis. He has covered news in Memphis for more than 25 years.
There are 596 articles by Jody Callahan :
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September 2025
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City of MemphisAsk the Memphian: Can Memphis bury its power lines?
Virtually any time Memphis gets enough wind, ice, rain or snow to disrupt the power, the howls start up again: Bury the power lines no matter the cost! But that cost usually dampens those howls.
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NeighborhoodsAsk the Memphian: To beat summer heat, where can you swim in Memphis?
Wherever you go, be safe, watch out for others and make sure to do at least one cannonball off the diving board.
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City of MemphisAsk the Memphian: The parkway system and its names? Make it make sense!
In this week’s “Ask the Memphian,” we answer a reader's question: How did the city’s parkways get their names, and why are parts of them so confusing?
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City of MemphisAsk the Memphian: Why are there so many potholes on area roads?
Everyone hates potholes. Here’s what they are and what you can do if you spot — or hit — one.
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NeighborhoodsAsk the Memphian: Are people really buried in Shelby Farms?
Shelby Farms is home to a herd of bison, 20 miles of trails and, unbeknownst to many, at least one cemetery. Here is the story of that lonely, forgotten graveyard.
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MetroAsk the Memphian: Could parts of Memphis flood like Central Texas?
In April of this year, the Wolf River had its fourth-highest crest on record in Germantown, inundating parts of that city and areas of Memphis. But experts say fatal flooding is unlikely.
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MetroAsk the Memphian: Did Union Avenue really change lane directions twice a day?
Union Avenue once reversed lane directions twice a day in a bold attempt to reduce traffic congestion. It may have worked for a while, but it became a confusing jumble that contributed to numerous accidents.
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Shelby CountyAsk the Memphian: Is it safe to swim in the Mississippi River?
The Mississippi River is a treacherous, deceptive body of water that will kill you if you don’t know what you’re doing. That’s why many experts caution people to be very wary around the river, wear protective gear if you must but stay out of it if at all possible.
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MetroAsk the Memphian: Why is there a Poplar viaduct?
For that matter, what is a viaduct, anyway?
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MusicAsk the Memphian: Did someone really try to steal Elvis’ body?
In what a former Memphis police chief laughingly calls a “goat rodeo from the word go,” three bumbling crooks hatched a harebrained scheme to steal the body of Elvis Presley two weeks after his death. It didn’t go very well.
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MetroAsk the Memphian: Justin Timberlake, his tequila and two annoyed women: How 901 Day began
After a barrage of ads for Justin Timberlake’s 901 Tequila annoyed them, two social media whizzes came up with the idea for 901 Day. Thirteen years later, it’s bigger than ever.
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Spirit of MemphisAsk the Memphian: The lizards have invaded Memphis! But it’s not really a bad thing
Two species of geckos can now be found in Memphis, part of an “invasion” from Florida. But not to worry: they aren’t causing any trouble.
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EducationStruggling CBU loses a third of its student population in one year
Beleaguered CBU lost a third of its student population from last year while other local colleges saw modest declines or, in the case of LeMoyne-Owen, a small increase.
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Public SafetyDNA links Texas murders to the 1997 rape of a Memphis girl
A Memphis rape kit from 1997 links to an assault in Dyersburg, Tennessee, plus the 1991 murder of four girls at an Austin, Texas, yogurt shop.
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Spirit of Memphis Back for its 29th year, Wifflestock lets adults be kids for a good cause
While its cause is serious, Wifflestock isn’t. Welcome to the world of Wiffle ball for adults, where the players talk trash while raising money for the Ronald McDonald House.
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Public Safety Memphis police shoot, kill man
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation confirmed that Memphis Police Department officers responding to a report of gunfire in the Parkway Village area shot a man Saturday.
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Education MacKenzie Scott donation to benefit LeMoyne-Owen College, officials say
Scott’s donation is part of a larger campaign by the United Negro College Fund to raise $370 million to fund a pooled endowment for each of the country’s 37 HBCUs.
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Public Safety New police shift targets speeding, reckless driving and drag racing
The Memphis Police Department has created a permanent traffic enforcement shift as part of an effort that is targeting four of the city’s main traffic arteries.
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Public Safety Bond set on day two of hearing for DeAndre, Vinessa Brown
“I’m absolutely befuddled why the city government, why the county government and why the state of Tennessee would give money to a person to run a nonprofit organization when they had been convicted of stealing money from a nonprofit organization in the past,” said Criminal Court Judge Lee Coffee.
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Arts & CultureGrandpa and the National Guard: A Memphis comedian goes viral
Zach Williams has hit comedy gold with his online clips about Grandpa, a National Guard veteran remembering his time in the Bluff City, and a bunch of Memphis-centric inside jokes.
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Spirit of Memphis When NICU patients, parents and medical staff meet again, the reunion has all the emotions
Nurses, patients and more gathered at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital Saturday, Sept. 20, for a neonatal intensive care reunion.
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Business FedEx reports positive first quarter results
However, FedEx Freight segment operating results fell.
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Music Mellencamp, McBride, Gales to honor Memphis Music Hall of Fame inductees
John Mellencamp, Martina McBride and Eric Gales will honor inductees at the Memphis Music Hall of Fame ceremony on Sept. 25.
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Spirit of Memphis Businessman, entrepreneur Walker Uhlhorn dies at 88
Walker and Ann Uhlhorn had a love that endured for 65 years, even though he often found himself making the bed because she beat him — again — on the golf course.
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