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The Daily Memphian | The Early Word
 
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The Early Word: It’s par-tee time at FedEx St. Jude; plus, Sunrise is on the horizon in East Memphis

How’s your Thursday going? It’s Aug. 11, and the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind is the biggest thing happening today, by par. I bet you all will be glad when this thing is over so you won’t have to deal with my golf puns.

In non-golf news, the Memphis and Shelby County Land Use Control Board will discuss a proposal for new townhomes in Midtown’s Central Gardens Historic District, among other items, at today’s meeting.

THE NEED TO KNOW

Tony Finau plays out of a bunker on the 12th hole during the third round of the British Open Golf Championship at Royal St. George’s golf course in Sandwich, England, on Saturday, July 17, 2021. (Ian Walton/AP file photo)

Catch them riding birdie: Although there were FedEx St. Jude Championship opening events yesterday, the tournament tees off today, and we’ve got a detailed list of first and second round pairings. At the top of the field are the world’s No. 1 ranked player Scottie Scheffler and Salt Lake City’s Tony Finau, who is the defending champion this week (but on a course he’s never won). However, three LIV Golf players won’t be there, after a California court refused to grant a temporary restraining order that would have allowed them to compete in Memphis. It’s a decision tournament favorite Rory McIlroy supports: “I think from my vantage point, common sense prevailed and it was the right decision.” Not into golf? Neither is Chris Herrington, but he found plenty to entertain himself (namely, a fried chicken sandwich from Birdies & Bubbles) at the event on Wednesday, even if he still doesn’t quite understand golf etiquette.

Bartlett city officials asked Nick Toombs to remove an inflatable rainbow from his front yard last year because it was in violation of the the city’s sign ordinance. (Omer Yusuf/The Daily Memphian file)

They saw the sign: Bartlett residents may soon be able to display signs and decorations in their yards, regardless of message, so long as the signs meet certain size and time limitations. On Tuesday, the Bartlett Board of Mayor and Aldermen unanimously approved the first reading on amendments to the city’s sign ordinance, related to political signs, holiday decorations and inflatables. The current sign guidelines made local headlines last year after the city threatened to take Bartlett resident Nick Toombs to court if he failed to remove a giant inflatable rainbow displayed in his yard for Pride Month. The city ultimately backed off and decided to rework the ordinance.

Trenary slaying suspect charged in separate shooting: Ricanisha Wright, who had charges against her dropped in the slaying of Greater Memphis Chamber CEO Phil Trenary, has been charged with attempted first degree murder in another incident that occurred in May. Wright was a juvenile at the time of Trenary’s death, a crime that her cousin McKinney Wright and Quandarius Richardson will go to trial for in December. Now 20, Wright is facing charges for her alleged role in the shooting of a man driving his car on South Cooper Street in Castalia Heights. 

If all nominees standing for election are elected in September, FedEx’s board of directors will consist of (from left to right) Amy B. Lane, David P. Steiner, Frederick P. Perpall, Frederick W. Smith, Joshua Cooper Ramo, Kimberly A. Jabal, Marvin R. Ellison, Nancy A. Norton, Paul S. Walsh, R. Brad Martin, Rajesh Subramaniam, Stephen E. Gorman, Susan C. Schwab, Susan Patricia Griffith and V. James Vena. (Pictures courtesy FedEx)

Meet FedEx’s proposed board: FedEx Corp. founder and longtime CEO Frederick W. Smith relinquished his title and took on a new role with the company’s board of directors in March, and the logistics giant has since named several new board members and nominees. The Daily Memphian’s Rob Moore introduces us to those nominees and the current board members, who are up for election or reelection when the company’s shareholders have their annual meeting on Sept. 19.

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QUOTED

Everybody thinks Nashville is home to headquarters. They haven’t thought about Memphis the way we know it.

— Ted Townsend, chief economic development officer at Greater Memphis Chamber (and president/CEO-elect)
Townsend spoke at the Collierville Chamber of Commerce’s monthly meeting on Wednesday. Of the 53 largest metro regions in the nation, Townsend said Memphis is first for the number of Black people and women in tech and manufacturing jobs.

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THE NICE TO KNOW

Riley, a young St. Jude patient, shows off a FedEx Cessna Caravan that was named in his honor at the FedEx St. Jude Championship on Aug. 10, 2022. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)

Just plane awesome: At the FedEx St. Jude Championship on Wednesday, FedEx Express announced it was naming one of its Cessna Caravan aircraft after Riley, a patient at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. FedEx’s Purple Eagle program, now in its 10th year, annually honors a St. Jude patient who is also the child or grandchild of a FedEx team member. Besides Riley, Wednesday’s celebration featured other former St. Jude patients with planes named for them. Geoff Calkins introduces us to the eldest of those patients, Allie Allen, who is getting married in four months.

Tigers hire new basketball coach: The Memphis Tigers have hired Andy Borman as an assistant coach. Borman previously worked as the executive director of the New York Renaissance and played for the Duke Blue Devils as a walk-on from 1999 to 2004.

Sunrise Memphis co-owner Ryan Trimm said the new East Memphis location should be open next month and recently decided the restaurant’s Jefferson Avenue location should be open Mondays again. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)

The sun rises in East Memphis: Looking for a breakfast place that’s open seven days a week? Sunrise Memphis on Jefferson Avenue just expanded its hours this week to include Mondays (after only being open Tuesdays through Sundays since it reopened post-pandemic), and the new East Memphis location should be open next month. The Daily Memphian’s Jennifer Biggs has more on that in Table Talk, plus some sad news about Crazy Italians in Cordova.

“You Can’t Say That: Memphis Mane Edition”

Say what, mane? Local arts and entertainment company Diamond in the Bluff has launched a Kickstarter campaign for a new Taboo-like card guessing game called “You Can’t Say That: Memphis Mane Edition.” Without saying certain keywords, players will try to get their teammates to guess notable Memphis people, places, restaurants and high schools. For example, a player might have to describe “Willie Herenton” without saying “mayor,” “Golden Gloves,” “superintendent” or “elected.”

Thousands of lights will decorate Olive Branch City Park during the “Light Garden: A Holiday Experience” this holiday season. (Courtesy The Events Benefits)

Let there be lights: Olive Branch City Park is getting a $75,000 electrical grid upgrade, beginning next week, in preparation for “Light Garden: A Holiday Experience,” a 40-day, walk-through light show that is said to rival the Memphis Zoo’s annual “Zoo Lights” show. “To put on a light show, you have to be able to plug stuff in,” said Russell Lehman, executive director of The Events Benefits LLC. The upgrades will also allow the city to host concerts and festivals in the park.

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WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

Since we’re talking about golf and Nashville vs. Memphis (see Ted Townsend’s quote) today, this tweet seems to tie things together nicely. Of course, Nashville has nothing to do with the local PGA tour stop, but if there’s ever a chance to riff on Nashville, Memphis will take it. We may be weird here, but we’re fun. 

Stay weird, Memphis! See you back here tomorrow!

 
 
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