School board member talks about moving cocaine, weed, cash in Fred Smith tribute post
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Memphis Shelby County Schools board member says a Facebook post she made after Fred Smith's death about moving drugs through FedEx was misinterpreted.
In the Facebook post she has since deleted, Towanna Murphy said she worked for FedEx — the Memphis-based shipping company founded by Smith — for eight months.
'REST WELL MR. SMITH, THEY Trusted ME ENOUGH TO MOVE COCAINE AND WEED and cash off the trucks. THANK YOU!' the original post stated.
In a second post, Murphy said, 'I made a post earlier that was misinterpreted. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at FedEx. I was grateful to work collaboratively with diligent individuals 10 years ago. Fred Smith was a good person! Thank you!'
Memphis airport to be renamed in honor of Fred Smith
Murphy told WREG she was trying to say in the original post that she had worked in an area where items were shipped to pharmaceutical companies. 'I just worded it wrong,' she said.
She then said her response was 'off the record' and stated that if we wanted a statement, we should contact MSCS attorney Justin Bailey.
WREG has reached out to Bailey, to the school district, and to other school board members. We are waiting for a response.
In April, Murphy issued an apology a day after she threatened to deport a woman she exchanged words with in a private message on Facebook.
School board member apologizes for deportation threat
The messages were later made public and posted on the social media site.
In a statement released by a public relations group regarding that post, Murphy said:
I want to apologize to the community and my board colleagues for my interaction in a social media direct message with a member of our community. While I found the initial message from the individual to be disrespectful and upsetting, my response did not represent the professionalism and respect that I know should be a standard in my service as an MSCS Board Member. It certainly was not a reflection of my true feelings or intentions toward the Latino community.
MSCS Board Chair Joyce Dorse Coleman also released a statement admonishing Murphy.
Community leaders, lawmakers, and organizations offered their condolences after Smith passed away over the weekend at the age of 80.
City leaders offer condolences following Fred Smith's death
Smith was born in Marks, Mississippi, in 1944 and earned his degree from Yale in 1966. After four years of service in the United States Marine Corps, Smith launched FedEx operations in 1973 and turned it into a global shipping giant.
FedEx is headquartered in Memphis.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
6 hours ago
- Axios
Idaho firefighters attacked while responding to fire, governor says
Idaho firefighters were "attacked" while responding to a wildfire on Sunday, said Gov. Brad Little as authorities searched for the shooting suspect. The big picture: The Post Falls-based firefighters were responding to the blaze at Canfield Mountain, in the state's northwest, when "shots were fired" in the Coeur d'Alene area about 2pm local time, per a statement posted on the Kootenai County Sheriff's office website that urged people to avoid the area and follow shelter-in-place alerts.
Politico
6 hours ago
- Politico
Sheriff says 2 killed after Idaho firefighters shot near Coeur d'Alene
Authorities say a suspect shot at firefighters responding to fire near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and the sheriff said two people were killed and police were still 'taking sniper fire' Sunday afternoon. The Kootenai County Sheriff's Office said crews responded to a fire at Canfield Mountain around 1:30 p.m. and gunshots were reported about a half hour later. It was unclear if anyone was shot. Gov. Brad Little said 'multiple' firefighters were attacked. 'This is a heinous direct assault on our brave firefighters,' Little said aid on the social platform X. 'I ask all Idahoans to pray for them and their families as we wait to learn more.' The sheriff's office in neighboring Soshone County said on Facebook that authorities were 'dealing with an active shooter situation where the shooter is still at large.' An alert by the Kootenai County Emergency Management Office asked people to avoid the area around Canfield Mountain Trailhead and Nettleton Gulch Road, about 4 miles north of downtown Coeur d'Alene. The fire was still burning. No additional details were provided. Coeur d'Alene is a city of 55,000 residents near the border with Washington.
Hamilton Spectator
15 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Lululemon sues Costco for selling alleged dupes of its products
Lululemon Athletica Canada Inc. is accusing Costco Wholesale Corp. of infringing on its intellectual property by selling knockoffs of some of its most popular products. A lawsuit filed in a California court recently alleges Costco sells dupes of Lululemon's Scuba hoodies and sweatshirts, Define jackets and ABC pants. Some of the alleged fakes Vancouver-based Lululemon identified are sold under Costco's private label Kirkland, but others are made by manufacturers Danskin, Jockey and Spyder. 'Some customers incorrectly believe these infringing products are authentic Lululemon apparel while still other customers specifically purchase the infringing products because they are difficult to distinguish from authentic Lululemon products, particularly for downstream purchasers or observers,' the lawsuit says. Lululemon alleges these scenarios take advantage of patents it holds, as well as the reputation and goodwill it has built with customers. In its 49-page court filing, Lululemon says it tried to address the dupes by sending Costco cease and desist letters but is now asking a court to step in. Lululemon has requested the matter be heard by a jury trial, which it wants to order Costco to cease manufacturing, importing, marketing and selling the alleged dupes. It also wants the Washington-based retailer to remove any instances where it was advertising alleged dupes online or in print and is asking the court to require Costco to cover any lost profits Lululemon incurred from the products. Costco did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It has yet to file a response to Lululemon's lawsuit. Dupes have become incredibly popular in recent years as shoppers looked to cope with inflation and a global trade war by seeking products mimicking the originals made by name brands. The phenomenon has gained traction online in particular, with social media accounts sharing the best dupes they've found. While knock-off cosmetics are especially popular, Lululemon has also become a target because it sells its athletic wear at higher prices, which some customers find unattainable. The lawsuit comes weeks after Lululemon said it would try to weather new and possibly incoming tariffs with price increases that will be 'modest in nature' and applied only to a 'small' portion of its products. The brand has been working to bounce back from a lack of newness that disappointed consumers last year and earlier this year. Newness — how fresh a brand's products and styles appear to consumers — is one of the key ways retailers draw in customers. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 29, 2025. Companies in this story: (TSX:LULU)
