Supreme Court abortion ruling reverberates throughout Memphis

Good morning!

This is Executive Editor Mark Russell, and you're reading the Daily Briefing, our one-stop digital shop for the best Memphis stories from our award-winning Commercial Appeal team. 

It's Saturday, and we're getting closer to Fourth of July events as we try to stay cool in what I am calling Sauna City. The forecast high Saturday is 100 degrees, with a cool front arriving Monday that will  lower the mercury to the upper 80s. 

The big news on Friday, of course, was the Supreme Court's abortion ruling. reversing Roe v. Wade.

There are a number of questions with no known answers surrounding the future of pregnancy in Tennessee. The only certainty now is that an abortion is likely to soon not be among the available options for responding to pregnancy,  Micaela Watts and Laura Testino report. 

"I am heartbroken that our worst fear has become a reality," said Ashely Coffield, the CEO and president of Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi. Memphis streets stayed largely quiet Friday following the seismic court ruling. 

Meanwhile, a quartet of Memphis and Tennessee leaders promised the public Thursday that a new law mandating people convicted of a slew of violent crimes serve 100% of their sentence will make Tennessee, and Memphis, safer, Samuel Hardiman reports. But will longer sentences stop violent crime? 

And, the Grizzlies made some major moves on NBA Draft Day Thursday as has been the recent pattern for the Memphis team. Wynston Wilcox helps you step inside Tennessee Vols star Kennedy Chandler's draft day as he was selected to play for his hometown Grizzlies. Here's what the Grizzlies' draft picks said at their introductory press conference Friday, Damichael Cole reports.

If you are a fan of the Grizzlies, Tigers or Memphis high school sports, you should consider signing up for the Memphis Sports Newsletter.

Thanks for reading The Commercial Appeal! Your support powers our ability to do important journalism. If you are not yet a subscriber, please consider becoming one. You can find the best deals at this site.