Howdy, Memphis. It’s Thursday, April 18, and if you think the mid-80s feel warm today, just wait until July when it’s 101 degrees and hotter than a blister bug in a pepper patch. You can go on and get ready for that with a super sale on summer wear (think: linen) starting today at Loudean’s. The Cooper-Young boutique will close forever later this month.

THE NEED TO KNOW

Officer Joseph McKinney, 26, was killed Friday, April 12, in the line of duty. (Courtesy Memphis Police Association)

Friendly fire? Memphis police officer Joseph McKinney was likely killed by friendly fire, according to a spokesperson for the Shelby County District Attorney’s office. But few details have been released about that. Instead, the DA’s office is focusing on the surviving suspect in the shootout, a 17-year-old who the office intends to transfer from juvenile to adult court as it pursues 13 charges, including attempted first-degree murder. The other suspect, 18-year-old Jaylon Lobley, was killed in the shootout. He’d previously been arrested on gun charges and was released on his own recognizance in early March, which has led to criticism by some local leaders. But The Daily Memphian’s Aarron Fleming explains that Shelby County Judicial Commissioner Chris Ingram was following the law when he released Lobley. 

Mid-South Pride walked in the 50th annual Silky Sullivan’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Beale Street on March 11, 2023. (Ziggy Mack/The Daily Memphian file)

Pride flag bill dead? A bill that would ban pride flags in public schools may be dead, as the state Senate runs out of time to vote on it. But the bill’s Senate sponsor claims the bill is still alive. It was pulled from a Thursday morning session and sent back to committee for some updates that sponsor Sen. Joey Hensley, R-Hohenwald, said needed to be made because of another flag-related bill before the Senate. In other General Assembly updates, a bill that would help fund $550 million in FedExForum renovations was delayed this week. 

The Lake District developer Yehuda Netanel walked by a display at Lake District Wine and Liquor. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)

Speaking of flags ... The developer behind Lakeland’s troubled The Lake District mixed-use project isn’t waving a white one. Earlier this year, a bankruptcy judge ruled against developer Yehuda Netanel’s Chapter 11 reorganization plan for the project, which has faced financial woes, unpaid contractors and promises to tenants that never materialized. Now, Netanel has filed a motion with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court asking permission to obtain financing to settle with a lender. If the money is there, he could potentially pay off the lender and retain the property, and a planned foreclosure sale would be called off. But Lakeland Mayor Josh Roman has been vocal about his opposition to Netanel getting reinvolved in the project.

Memphis-Shelby County Schools Superintendent Marie Feagins spoke to the media about her first week on the job on April 9. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)

MSCS wants money, honey: New Memphis-Shelby County Schools Superintendent Marie Feagins is wasting no time asking the City of Memphis for help. She asked Memphis Mayor Paul Young to include up to $25 million in the city’s upcoming budget to go toward 52 school construction and/or renovation projects. That news came just a day after Young announced he would seek a property-tax hike to cover a possible $30 million budget shortfall. 

Power to the ’burbs? Suburban residents are one step closer to representation on Memphis Light, Gas and Water’s board. The board voted on Wednesday to include two voting members from the county, since more than one-third of MLGW’s electric and gas customers live outside the city limits. But the change is far from a done deal: The Memphis City Council would have to approve it, and they’ve got some details to hash out since some suburbs have their own water systems. And then the question would still have to go to voters.

MEET MEMPHIS

Dana Wilson, 47, has been president and CEO at Bridges since 2019 and a member of the staff since 2008. (Submitted)

The board at Bridges USA, the Memphis-based youth leadership nonprofit, will conduct a national search for a new leader as Dana Wilson, president and CEO of Bridges USA, prepares to step down by the end of the year. Wilson has been with Bridges for 16 years, starting out in 2008 as a program coordinator and working her way up to the top role in 2019. During her tenure, the signature Bridge Builders training and development program grew from 1,200 young people to about 5,000. She also led the launch of Bridges’ Youth Action Center, which helps youth plug in their leadership skills.

THE NICE TO KNOW

The Mellowtone perform on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, at the Overton Park Shell during the Stone Soul Picnic. (Lucy Garrett/The Daily Memphian file)

Shell of a good lineup: The Overton Park Shell is waking from its winter slumber soon with the first spring concert scheduled for May 17. The Shell’s concert lineup dropped Wednesday with some old faves and new additions, including a new Memphis Black Arts Alliance Gospel Night and the Shell series’ first-ever EDM show by Memphis-based DJ collective Bodywerk. Returnees include the Sunset Symphony, the Memphis Country Blues Festival and quite a few more. Memphis legends The Bar-Kays will host their 60th anniversary performance at the Shell, and 1990s power-pop fans (raising my hand) will be excited to hear that the fall line-up includes “Girlfriend” singer/songwriter Matthew Sweet. See the full line-up here.

Nighte Pickering, seen here with assistant sporting director Caleb Patterson-Sewell (right) in 2022, scored both goals in 901 FC’s 2-0 win over Miami FC. (Courtesy Ryan Beatty/901FC)

Goalzzzz: Memphis 901 FC advanced to the round of 32 in the U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday with a 2-0 victory over visiting Miami United. Both goals were scored by 901 FC’s Nighte Pickering who said his team “really needed a win” after losing four in a row in the USL. 901 FC will learn their next Open Cup assignment by noon today. By the way, the Miami team was “truly a group of mystery men,” according to our own John Varlas, who noted that the team’s website hadn’t been updated since 2018.

Golf-cart drivers in Hernando will have to pay a $100 registration fee with the city clerk’s office. (Gregory Bull/AP file)

Putter late than never: Soon, drivers in Hernando will have a new excuse to use when they’re late for work: Just tell your boss you got stuck behind a golf cart. Residents in the North Mississippi suburb will soon be allowed to drive golf carts on public roads, thanks to an ordinance passed by the city’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen this week. “A lot of the people I’ve talked to want to … drive to town and go to Fratello’s or Windy City to have dinner and go back home,” said Hernando Mayor Chip Johnson of golf-cart drivers.

A crane performed the demolition of the Relax Inn at 3645 Canada Road in Lakeland on Wednesday, April 17. (Michael Waddell/Special to The Daily Memphian)

Tearing down, building up: Demolition crews in Lakeland struck the first blows to the old Relax Inn on Wednesday in the second hotel tear-down in the past six months. The demo will make way for the city’s ongoing redevelopment of the Lakeland Gateway tax-increment-financing district. Meanwhile in Collierville, Thompson Machinery, the area’s exclusive Caterpillar dealer, is one step closer to a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes deal for a planned move from Memphis to the suburb. 

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

I’m no gamer, so I’m not going to even pretend like I understand the hype around the impending release of video game Fallout 5. But there’s a lot of speculation about it, with some saying it could be set in swampy New Orleans. This idea, with a Memphis setting, sounds much better. 

Game on! And I’ll see you again tomorrow. 

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