John Semien

It is seldom that you have a chance to thank a hospital for saving a loved one’s life with more than just words and donations.  Quintin Robinson has been given the chance to do that with his recent appointment as vice president of employee experience...

Former state Rep. John DeBerry Jr., who said he was defeated in the Dist. 90 race because he was forced to run as an independent in this year’s election, has accepted an appointment as senior advisor to Gov. Bill Lee. In a telephone interview with...

State Rep. Joe Towns Jr. (D-Memphis) has asked the state treasurer to pull the state out of any investments in McDonald’s Corp. because of a class-action lawsuit that alleges the fast-food giant discriminates against minority franchise owners and former owners. The lawsuit has gained 27...

Two brothers, who own and operate McDonald’s restaurants in the Memphis area, are lead plaintiffs in a proposed class action lawsuit filed against McDonald’s by Black franchisees seeking to address systematic racism at the fast food giant. The brothers, James Byrd and Darrell Byrd, currently...

Torrey C. Harris overwhelmingly defeated veteran state Rep. John J. DeBerry Jr. in the District 90 House race for the Tennessee General Assembly, according to complete but unofficial returns. Harris received 15,930 compared to 4,675 votes for DeBerry. Tuesday night Harris said he was so grateful...

The Local Initiatives Support Corporation, a national, non-profit community development group, has chosen to locate its 36th program office in Memphis. The $22-billion social enterprise, the largest in the nation, will look to expand affordable housing, businesses and jobs across the city. Kathy Moore Cowan, a...

As an elementary school teacher, Wilma Shaw Temple did things decades ago that caused former students to remember her fondly and to creatively show their appreciation amid the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic. Now retired, Temple, who turned 85 last week, was celebrated on Saturday...

A federal judge has modified a 1978 court order to broaden the constitutionally protected political activity of residents. The court-ordered changes cover social media and other advancements of the digital age, according to a release from the ACLU-TN. The modifications, issued by Judge Jon Phipps McCalla...

The COVID-19 virus hit home for nurse Rachel Clayton a few weeks ago when she and her husband, who is an emergency medical technician, decided one of them had to quit. “This is a decision we had to make because we have three young children...

The COVID-19 virus presents unique challenges for people already struggling in recovery from alcohol or drug addiction, according to local counselors and pastors. In addition to sickness and death, the pandemic has caused many non-essential businesses to shut down. The devastating result is that since...