Happy Friday, Memphis! Today is March 4, and it’s Tennessee Arbor Day. Memphis’ dense tree cover has gotten a bad rap as of late, thanks to all of those fallen limbs from the Feb. 3 ice storm (and the power outage they caused). So let’s take this opportunity to celebrate our beautiful trees with an event this afternoon at the Memphis Botanic Garden.

If you need to get a criminal record expunged, you might plan on attending Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk Heidi Kuhn’s 15th annual expungement clinic this Saturday at First Baptist Church Broad in Binghampton.

There’s plenty of basketball this weekend: The Memphis Grizzlies play the Orlando Magic on Saturday. On Sunday, Memphis takes on the city of Houston as the Grizzlies play the Rockets and the Memphis Tigers battle the Cougars in their last regular season game.

THE NEED TO KNOW

Jaylon Howell and Jaime Copeland visit a makeshift memorial for Young Dolph on Nov. 18, 2021. The local rapper was shot outside of Makeda’s Homemade Cookies the day before. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian file)

Another victim of Young Dolph’s shooting: Makeda’s Cookies announced they’ll be permanently closing their Airways Boulevard location, following the murder of local rapper Young Dolph there four months ago. Operations manager Raven Winton said her family, which owns the business, has been dealing with threats of violence ever since they began talk of reopening the store. Makeda’s will retain its Downtown location at 301 Jefferson Ave. “There were death threats if we opened the doors [on Airways], talk about burning it down,” Winton said.

Gov. Bill Lee talks to media about his plan to add Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers to help monitor interstate driving in Shelby County. (Houston Cofield/Special To The Daily Memphian)

Funding the police: Gov. Bill Lee was in Memphis on Thursday, and he rode along with Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis through areas of the city he said face “challenges.” On Wednesday, Lee announced proposed funding for 20 additional state troopers for the county. Lee’s proposal also includes $150 million for a violent crime intervention fund statewide and $30 million to support relocation bonuses for out-of-state police. The Memphis Police Department is currently offering sign-on bonuses to recruit new cops, and Davis said Lee’s proposed relocation bonus funds will “augment the $15,000 bonuses we offer.” Before Lee left town, he stopped by the Collierville Chamber of Commerce to talk about his accomplishments (Lee is up for reelection this year).

Truth in sentencing: Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland announced his support on Thursday for a state truth in sentencing bill, introduced last month, that would eliminate parole for those convicted of 14 types of felony offenses, including vehicular homicide, attempted murder and aggravated assault. If passed, Tennessee would be the first state to require convicted felons to serve 100% of their sentences. 

The “Memphis 13” were 13 first-grade students who helped pioneer integration of Memphis City Schools in 1961. (Courtesy chalkbeat.org)

Memphis 13: The 13 first-graders who integrated four Memphis elementary schools in 1961 were honored in the state House of Representatives on Thursday. Five of the “Memphis 13” attended the ceremony in Nashville. But a report from The Daily Memphian’s Ian Round points out that “nearly 70 years after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that separate schools are inherently unequal, Memphis-Shelby County Schools remain very segregated.” Additionally, the General Assembly is advancing legislation targeting school library collections and empowering parents who object to lessons on racial history, gender and sexuality.

State Rep. London Lamar was appointed to fill the Senate District 33 seat left vacant by Katrina Robinson. In this 2015 file photo, Lamar is shown in front of the National Civil Rights Museum. (Daily Memphian file)

Butts in seats: The Shelby County Commission has appointed state Rep. London Lamar to fill the Senate District 33 seat left vacant after Katrina Robinson was expelled by a Senate vote last month. The appointment means Lamar’s District 91 House seat is now vacant, so the commission must decide if they want to appoint someone or leave the seat vacant. But first, they’ll work on filling the District 5 school board seat left vacant when Shante Avant resigned in February. 

Rep. Mark White and Sen. Brian Kelsey refiled legislation affecting the ownership and operation of the Germantown namesake schools as an amendment. (The Daily Memphian file)

The three Gs: A bill that would bring Germantown’s elementary, middle and high schools under suburban control is moving through Nashville once again. Those schools currently operate under Memphis-Shelby County Schools, despite their locations within the boundaries of Germantown. The suburb tried unsuccessfully to buy their namesake schools from then-SCS in 2017. The amendment headed to legislators next week asks the school boards to work together, but if they don’t, Germantown’s municipal school board would take control of the above-mentioned schools. 

MEET MEMPHIS

A former teacher, Jeremee DeMoir opened DeMoir Books & Things at 739 White Station Road with a mission to provide a safe haven for kids to read and also to increase literacy in children and adults. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)

In his years spent as an English and creative writing teacher at White Station Middle School, Jeremee DeMoir taught many students who didn’t have access to reading materials at home or safe spaces to read. So last year, when DeMoir opened DeMoir Books and Things on White Station Road, he launched a literacy program to provide free books for any child ages one to 18. DeMoir also focuses on adult literacy and stocks books for all ages — a mix of fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, comics, faith-based books and literature by Memphis authors. His is one of a handful of Black-owned bookstores in Memphis.

THE NICE TO KNOW

Cat Peña’s Edge District art installation hangs low to the ground during the Feb. 3 ice storm. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian) 

It was something to be proud of: I often plan my running routes to pass through the Edge District just so I can spend a few seconds passing under Cat Peña’s “There’s More to be Proud Of” art installation. The shiny blue-green metallic fringe installation hovering above the Marshall Ave. and Monroe Ave. intersection was installed in 2017 and was never intended as a permanent piece, according to Penelope Huston of the Downtown Memphis Commission. After surviving two ice storms and a recent brush with an 18-wheeler, the DMC announced Peña’s work will be taken down and replaced with a new public art piece. 

The Levitt Shell announced on Thursday that it will be reverting back to its original name, Overton Park Shell. In this file photo, the then-Levitt Shell hosted a concert during Elvis Week to celebrate Elvis Presley’s debut at the Overton Park Shell on July 30, 1954. (Daily Memphian file)

What’s old is new again: For those of you who never stopped calling it the Overton Park Shell, you’re in luck. Officials announced on Thursday morning that the Shell is reverting back to its old name after a split with the Levitt Foundation. The announcement came during a free public event called “Meant for Memphis: The Shell’s Next Stage” with live music by the Lucky 7 Brass Band.

University of Memphis forward DeAndre Williams (12) celebrates with teammate Emoni Bates on Feb. 9. Williams scored 11 points against South Florida. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian file)

The good news: In their last road game of the season, the Memphis Tigers beat the South Florida Bulls, 73-64. Things got pretty interesting just before halftime when the Bulls cut it to 25-24, but that energized the Tigers, who closed the half on a 7-0 run to retake control of the game. Next up, the Tigers take on the Houston Cougars on Sunday in a game The Daily Memphian’s Geoff Calkins calls “massive” and coach Penny Hardaway calls “humongous.” If the Tigers beat Houston, they will effectively clinch a spot in the NCAA tournament. Go Tigers!

The bad news: The Memphis Grizzlies lost to the Boston Celtics last night, 120-107. Poor shooting in the first three quarters and a faulty fourth-quarter defense did the Grizzlies in. The Daily Memphian’s Drew Hill writes “It was a nightmare beginning for the Grizzlies, who came out with repeated misfires on open shots and allowed Boston to crash the glass for four offensive rebounds and putback scores in the early minutes.” But in characteristic Ja Morant fashion, he did manage to throw in an impressive alley-oop finish. 

The Chilean sea bass at Tsunami is one of five local fish dishes recommended by The Daily Memphian’s Jennifer Biggs. (The Daily Memphian file)

Dishing on fish: Lent has begun, and many Memphis churches and parishes are hosting “fish fry Fridays.” The Daily Memphian’s Jasmine McCraven has a list of local fish fries. If dining out is more your speed, The Daily Memphian’s Jennifer Biggs offers up her five favorite fish (say that five times fast) dishes from local restaurants. 

Calvary Waffle Shop volunteers wait to serve patrons lunch on Thursday, March 3, 2022 at Calvary Episcopal Church. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

Waffle-y retro: The Calvary Waffle Shop at Calvary Episcopal Church is back, after closing in 2020 and only offering takeout in 2021, and Biggs stopped by on opening day for this very Memphis Lenten tradition. She ran into old friends (as tends to happen at the Calvary Waffle Shop), and she finally faced her fear of tomato aspic, which Biggs describes as “my creepy-crawly food, my Pennywise the clown on a rainy street.” The Waffle Shop started in 1928, which is reflected in the retro recipes (hence the aforementioned aspic, a canned pear and cottage cheese salad, and a dish called fish pudding). It’s part of the church’s Lenten Preaching series and is run by volunteers through Friday, April 14. 

Pastor Charlie Caswell is the founder of the Legacy Impact Community Resource Center, and his daughter Tiara Caswell is project manager for the renovations. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

Creating a legacy: Later this year, Frayser will get a new community resource center with performing arts and event space, athletics, a small business incubator, after school programs and more. The Legacy Impact Community Center will be located in the old Union Grove Baptist Church at 2885 Frayser Boulevard.

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

It looks like Graceland is happy to hear the Overton Park Shell’s old name is back. Now if only we can get the Cash Saver to revert back to The Piggly Wiggly and MoSH to call themselves Pink Palace again!

 Have a great weekend! Go hug a tree for Arbor Day!

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