Happy Monday everyone!

The Daily Memphian neighborhood/suburban reporter Omer Yusuf here and this morning I’m doing my best backup quarterback impersonation, while Mary Cashiola is off for the next couple of days.

This year’s state high school golf championship starts today for schools in Divisions 1 and 2. At 9 a.m., Shelby County Schools is holding a redistricting ad hoc committee meeting on the first floor of the county building.

Now with that out of the way, let’s get started.

THE NEED TO KNOW

Ford Motor Company CEO Jim Farley speaks at Ford Motor Co. West Tennessee manufacturing campus unveiling press conference at Shelby Farms on Sept. 28, 2021. (Ziggy Mack/Special to The Daily Memphian)

How Ford chose Stanton: Now that Ford Motor Co. will soon call the Memphis Regional Megasite home, reporter Tom Bailey gives us an inside look at how the deal came together. There was a 26-week journey between Ford Motor Co. reaching out to the state of Tennessee regarding available sites for its new electric vehicles and batteries plant to the eventual yes. Many also expect Ford’s announcement to benefit the Shelby County suburbs. Reporter Abigail Warren spoke to officials in Collierville and Germantown, who are excited about what this could mean for their municipalities. 

Rhodes community mourns: One Rhodes College student was killed and another injured in a shooting on North McLean Boulevard on Sunday. Counseling support is available for students and all classes scheduled for Monday are canceled. Following up on the Cummings school shooting from last week, we learned more about the alleged motive. The accused shooter and victim met in a back hallway to fight, according to a police report. 

Fumbling away another win: There was a time, not too long ago, when the University of Memphis losing two football games in a row felt normal. As a U of M graduate, I’m glad that’s no longer the case. However, for the second straight week, the Tigers blew a double-digit lead losing 34-31 to Temple on Saturday. Turnovers played a key part in the loss, and columnist Geoff Calkins looks at the bigger picture if the Tigers don’t get past their struggles quickly. Another relevant bit of Tiger football news, Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium will be renamed Simmons Bank Memorial Stadium following a new stadium naming rights deal.

Zoo parking plan (changes again): Some issues never seem to fully go away. The Memphis Zoo parking lot expansion saga fits that criteria. Going back to its original plan, the city wants to expand the existing parking lot by more than 400 spaces, and that means taking up part of the Overton Park greensward space, Bill Dries reports. Construction is set to begin on the project in early 2022 and conclude next spring. Although, the Citizens to Preserve Overton Park is already exploring strategies to fight the city’s new (or old) plan.

MEET MEMPHIS

Artist Jeni Harris arranges vintage fashion pieces on mannequins inside IAM Indie Artists Market in Midtown on Sept. 16, 2021. (Ziggy Mack/Special to The Daily Memphian)

After outgrowing its smaller Bartlett space, IAM Indie Artists Market moved to a new and bigger location in Midtown Memphis on Aug. 7. Some of the market’s offerings – created by six different local artists – include paintings, jewelry and vintage wares, rentals, classes and even private parties. “We were always meant to be in Midtown,” said Jeni Harris and Kenneth Dunn, two of the artists in the collective. There are also classrooms in the new space with each of the artists planning on hosting a variety of classes adding another dimension to their new location.

THE NICE TO KNOW

Memphis Grizzlies rookie Ziaire Williams (middle) dances for his teammates during open practice on Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

Dunking and dancing: The Memphis Grizzlies held an open practice Sunday afternoon at FedExForum, giving fans a glimpse of what they can expect for the 2021-22 NBA season that tips off in a few weeks. While there was time for fans to view franchise cornerstones Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. up close, they also got to watch the annual rookie dance off competition won by forward Ziaire Williams. He performed the well-known “Griddy” dance after beating some initial nerves. “It was good to just get loose a little bit,” he said. “I have practiced (the dance) with my friends at home, for sure, when we were just messing around.”

A festival returns: After a year-long absence due to COVID-19, Mempho Music Festival returned at the Radians Amphitheater, at Memphis Botanic Garden, this weekend. It was the city’s first major musical festival since the pandemic ramped up 18-plus months ago. Chris Herrington writes about the musical acts who performed and Mempho’s new surroundings after the previous three editions at Shelby Farms Park. 

Marie Weber (right) cheers on the bikers during the St.Jude IRONMAN 70.3 Memphis race at Shelby Farms Oct. 2, 2021. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)

IRONMAN benefits St. Jude: Shelby Farms Park hosted the inaugural St. Jude IRONMAN 70.3 triathlon Saturday. More than 1,700 athletes competed with 150 registered as St. Jude Heroes, raising more than $480,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Coinciding with the race, several organizations, launched the “Race For Change” on Sunday, Oct. 3. The initiative’s goal is to increase the participation of Black and other diverse populations in triathlons.

THIS WEEK’S WEATHER

We’ll begin the week with temperatures ranging from the high 70s to low 80s and a 50% chance of scattered showers Tuesday. Our rain chances from there drop pretty significantly, and we’re likely to close the week out with sunny weather. 

Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a great day! 

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