Welcome to what looks to be a wet Wednesday, Memphis. It’s Dec. 7, and the Memphis Light, Gas & Water board is set to (finally) vote on whether to sign a long-term contract with the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Also today, Downtown’s Design Review Board will discuss the $41 million renovation of Uptown’s historic Dixie Greyhound Complex. Tonight, the Memphis Grizzlies play the Oklahoma City Thunder here at home, and Ziaire Williams is listed as questionable (but he’ll surely be back soon).

THE NEED TO KNOW

On Tuesday, Dec. 6, a foreclosure notice announced the pending sale of the 850,000-square-foot Oak Court Mall. (Tom Bailey/The Daily Memphian file)

Mall up for grabs: Want to buy the Oak Court Mall? It’s going up for auction. A foreclosure notice on Tuesday announced the pending sale of the East Memphis shopping center that’s anchored by Dillards, Macy’s and H&M. Oak Court Mall LLC’s parent company, Washington Prime Group, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July 2021.

Owners of the Downtown Sheraton faced concerns from the Memphis City Council regarding the approval of a 5% surcharge on all items bought at the hotel. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)

Council questions Sheraton surcharge: Some Memphis City Council members have concerns about a proposed 5% tourism surcharge on all items purchased at the Downtown Sheraton hotel, but the surcharge still passed the second of three readings in Tuesday’s council meeting. Miami-based Starwood Capital Group is working to get a 30-year payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) deal, which is awaiting state approval, to fund a $226 million renovation and expansion for the hotel. In other news, the council delayed the third and final vote on tax-increment-financing for North Memphis’ Klondike district because council member Michalyn Easter-Thomas, who represents the area, wants to hold a public meeting to make sure residents understand how the TIF will revitalize home ownership and rent. (Don’t know a PILOT from a TIF? Check out this handy explainer.)

Memphis Police say the two main crime drivers are auto thefts and thefts from motor vehicles. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)

Homicides down, car thefts up: November was the lowest month of the year so far for homicides in Memphis, according to the Memphis Police Department’s monthly crime update to the Memphis City Council. There were 15 homicides for the month, bringing the yearly total to 273. However, auto thefts are up 100% year to date. If you drive a Hyundai, Kia or Infiniti, you might want to be extra vigilant.

The Planning Commission unanimously favored a third outline plan for what has been renamed The Standard Germantown, seen here in a rendering. (Submitted)

New Carrefour plan passes first review: Carrefour’s new redevelopment plan passed a formal review on Tuesday from Germantown’s Planning Commission. The new plan comes with a new name — The Standard Germantown — as well as a larger site area, less square footage for office space and new luxury condos (where residents can order room service from the planned on-site hotel). Developers would like to build a six-story building as part of the project, but only five stories are allowed with Germantown’s zoning code, so they have requested a warrant to deviate from the code.

QUOTED

“We’re all behind [Tigers coach Ryan Silverfield]. … We believe in him, and he’s our coach. He brings positive energy inside the locker room. ... He brings the best out of me and the best out of other players.”

— Memphis Tigers defensive lineman Wardalis Ducksworth
Ducksworth took to Twitter to defend Tigers Coach Ryan Silverfield after the team ended the regular season with a 6-6 record. Some on social media have been calling for Silverfield to be fired, and Ducksworth said those fans need to put their support behind the team, coach and all. The Daily Memphian’s John Martin says Silverfield should get some credit for holding the roster together. Since the transfer portal opened on Monday, only one Tigers starter has entered.

THE NICE TO KNOW

Justin Pearson, leader of Memphis Community Against Pollution, gives a speech at an anniversary event on July 2, 2022. (Lucy Garrett/The Daily Memphian file)

Keeping it 100: Digital news magazine The Root recently released its “The Root 100” list of 2022’s most influential Black Americans. Memphian Justin J. Pearson, who founded Memphis Community Against Pollution, made the list for his efforts to halt the Byhalia Connection Pipeline. Pearson is the only Memphian on the list, joining such names as LeBron James, Tyler Perry, Jordan Peele and Megan Thee Stallion.

University of Memphis guard Jayden Hardaway (25) brings the ball upcourt during the Dec. 6, 2022, game against the Little Rock Trojans. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)

Tigers put up a fight: The Memphis Tigers basketball team easily beat the Little Rock Trojans, 87-71, on Tuesday night in a game where the Trojans only led for 25 seconds. But at times, it was downright messy. Several Tigers players let their emotions get the best of them, including point guard Kendric Davis, who got ejected with a flagrant foul after headbutting Little Rock guard D.J. Smith. “In the future, we’ve gotta be more mature,” said Coach Penny Hardaway after the game. Yet Hardaway seemed to appreciate his team’s spunk, and The Daily Memphian’s Tim Buckley says they’ll need it as they tune up for two heavyweight bouts to come.

“We have not changed our practices regarding the treatment of transgender and/or non-binary patients,” said Methodist Le Bonhheur Healthcare in a statement. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)

Methodist pauses gender-affirming care: Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare has paused gender-affirming procedures (aka transgender health care) for review and plans to reschedule patients before the end of the year. The decision was made after some care providers voiced questions about the procedures. The pause prompted the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee to send a letter to Methodist demanding that it continue to provide lifesaving medical care to transgender and nonbinary patients. The pause in care comes amid a nationwide trend of coordinated public intimidation against hospitals’ transgender clinics.

Arlington High School senior Conner Hall works on his Christmas tree ornament design. (Courtesy Arlington Community Schools)

Pyramid goes to the White House: The National Christmas Tree display in Washington, D.C., will feature ornaments created by 2,600 student artists from across the country — including 15 art students from Arlington High. Arlington High was the only school in Tennessee chosen for the display, which includes 58 holiday trees surrounding the National Christmas Tree in front of the White House. The local students’ ornaments include images of Dolly Parton (a national treasure), the state bird (it’s a mockingbird; who knew?), the Hernando DeSoto Bridge and the Pyramid. Shelby County, represent!

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

The Daily Memphian’s Chris Herrington offers up plenty of reasons to fondly gaze at Jaren Jackson Jr., just like Desmond Bane. Really, don’t we all just want someone to look at us like this?

If you’ve got something you’ve been saving for a rainy day, here it is. Enjoy! And I’ll see you tomorrow.

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