Welcome back to a new week, everybody. Today is Monday, Jan. 31, and we’ll end the month with Tenn. Gov. Bill Lee’s fourth state-of-the-state address. 

The area’s final COVID-19 health directive will also expire today and it won’t be replaced. Rhodes College is expected to return to in-person classes, and the Memphis Grizzlies are taking on the Philadelphia 76ers while also making the case for Jaren Jackson Jr. to go to the NBA All-Star game as a reserve.

THE NEED TO KNOW

Three cruise lines are expected to dock in Memphis this summer. (Rendering courtesy City of Memphis)

Improvements on deck: Another cruise line is set to begin docking in Memphis this summer, and that’s part of the push for a larger Waterfront District — with a $62 million price tag. Viking Cruises will join American Queen and American Cruise Lines with stops in the Bluff City, and a larger plan for activating the riverfront includes an expanded Beale Street Landing boat dock, a landing in Greenbelt Park, an “East Shore” area with a Ferris wheel and a new lake on the northern end of the Wolf River Harbor. (Y’all, we’re literally tying boats to a tree in Greenbelt Park when the river is high or one cruise ship is already in port at Beale Street Landing.) But the overall play is to take advantage of a growing, post-pandemic tourism industry.

Shelby County Assistant District Attorney Lora Fowler works out of the Austin Peay police station; she is one of three prosecutors assigned to a specific police precinct. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

Community-based prosecuting: About two years ago, the Shelby County District Attorney’s office basically embedded prosecutors to work out of three Memphis Police Department precincts. One of the goals is to streamline the criminal justice system and prevent some cases from ever moving forward. (Once again, full disclosure, I am married to a prosecutor in the D.A.’s office.) The program has, in some ways, opened prosecutors’ eyes to the challenges area neighborhoods face — but the attorneys hope it’s changing how the community views the criminal justice system, as well. 

Election prep: In about a week, prospective hopefuls for the area’s August elections — state and federal primaries, judicial races and Memphis-Shelby County Schools board races — can begin pulling and filing their petitions to get on the ballot. And, thus, The Daily Memphian’s Ballot Basics series returns with all the ongoing information you will need to decide your votes. Think important dates, the offices up for grabs and what stands out about this year’s ballot. 

QUOTED

Cedric Henderson

“I stress academics and education. To say I would encourage kids to cut class, why would I encourage that type of behavior?”

— Former Collierville High boys’ basketball coach Cedric Henderson
After resigning last week, Henderson fired back at the accusations leveled against him, saying he was “cornered” into leaving and that he would have allowed the district to fire him had he known he could appeal. The former University of Memphis Tigers forward also said the district only considered one side of the story and he blamed two parents he said sought to entrap him. 

THE NICE TO KNOW

Residents in the White Station neighborhood appealed the approval of a plan that allowed Young Israel of Memphis to build a fence and a playground that jut out beyond the houses on Melody Lane. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)

Front yard fence? An East Memphis synagogue and a neighboring homeowners’ association are currently involved in a lawsuit over land behind the synagogue. The Board of Adjustment also recently took up the neighborhood’s concerns over the fence and a playground, issuing certain conditions to the synagogue. “If I lived next door and I saw that, I’d be upset,” said one board member. “And I would appeal. So I’m asking you as a neighbor, if you lived there, would you be OK with that? I wouldn’t. And I don’t think you would, either.”

Democratic state Rep. Johnny Shaw, shown here, and Republican state Sen. Page Walley want the Tennessee Historical Commission to honor the 154 documented victims of lynchings in Tennessee. (Ian Round/ The Daily Memphian)

Remembering the rest of the story: Two lawmakers are urging the Tennessee Historical Commission to establish a “Community Remembrance Project” for more than 150 known victims of lynching in the state. The project’s focus would be erecting historical markers for victims and including a factual narrative of the events and background info. “Rather than us focusing on removing or trying to relocate history, we need to tell the rest of the story,” said Republican state Sen. Page Walley.

A Blues Hall of Fame employee showed off an interactive R.L. Burnside exhibit in February 2020. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian file)

Blues take a break: Downtown’s Blues Hall of Fame will be closed until late April to prepare for the upcoming year. Judith Black, the new president and CEO of The Blues Foundation, said the organization’s small staff “deserve the chance to press pause (just briefly) to reset and set course for the great things ahead.” The time is expected to give the staff time to do facility maintenance, hire new employees and prepare for “the biggest May” the organization has ever had, as it plans to host the International Blues Challenge and the Blues Music Awards the same week of the year.

THIS WEEK’S WEATHER

Today and tomorrow look like they’ll be really nice. We’re likely to see some rain Wednesday and Thursday, and with falling temperatures, there’s a chance for freezing rain, sleet or even snow Thursday night. Friday will be cold.

Thanks for reading and we hope you have a great day. TTYL! 

.....