The Early Word: Bondi talks crime decline, and Edey takes a hit to the head

Bianca Phillips By , Daily Memphian
Updated: November 25, 2025 11:56 AM CT | Published: November 25, 2025 6:21 AM CT Premium

Invest in stronger local news starting today! Take advantage of our biggest Black Friday deal a few hours early and receive a free month with the purchase of an annual or 2-year subscription using code BF2025 at checkout now through Nov. 30.

Good morning, Memphis. It’s Tuesday, Nov. 25. And we’re poppin’ bottles this morning (mimosa, anyone?), because The Early Word turns six years old today. Happy birthday to us!

Bondi touts crime decline: U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi cited a steep drop in the murder rate.

Mom sues MSCS: A Memphis mom claims her disabled child arrived home in handcuffs.

DeSoto captain rescues two: Two teens were saved Friday after their car wrecked into a water-filled ravine.

Y’all pay for your own jail: That’s pretty much what state House Speaker Cameron Sexton said about Shelby County.

JJJ is in, Edey is out: The hits just keep coming for the Memphis Grizzlies. This time, it was a hit to Zach Edey’s head.

Checking out: The city’s longtime library head, Keenon McCloy, is retiring in January.

No pain, no game: Memphis Tigers quarterback Brendon Lewis has been pushing through pain for the sake of memories

Topics

The Early Word Subscriber Only

It’s GivingTuesday week! Will you join the celebration?

Donate now to help power our free community news access program.

You
know the value of having unlimited access to The Daily Memphian’s news. When you subscribe, you get full access to our news. But when you donate, you help us reach all Memphians with quality, in-depth local news through
  • free access at over 300 schools and libraries
  • free podcasts and radio broadcasts
  • free newsletters
  • and more!
Pay it forward. Make a fully tax-deductible donation to The Daily Memphian today. 

Thank you for keeping up with local news. Thank you for investing in our community. 
Bianca Phillips

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. In her days as a reporter, she covered everything from local government and crime to LGBTQ issues and the arts. She’s the author of “Cookin Crunk: Eatin’ Vegan in the Dirty South,” a cookbook of vegan Southern recipes.


Comments

Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here