Good day, good friends! It’s Thursday, March 2, and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center will host its third annual Opioid Conference at the Shelby Farms FedEx Event Center today.

Later, the Memphis Tigers will play Kendric Davis’ old school, Southern Methodist University, in a road game, and everything is on the line. A loss could blow up the Tigers’ NCAA Tournament hopes.

THE NEED TO KNOW

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant Morant was allegedly involved in an altercation at Wolfchase Galleria. (Brandon Dill/AP file)

Ja Morant versus mall cop? Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant was allegedly involved in an altercation with a Wolfchase Mall security guard this past summer. According to a police report, Morant and up to nine people showed up at the mall after the mother of someone in his group was involved in a verbal altercation with a Finish Line employee. When the security guard asked Morant’s group to leave the parking lot, the alleged incident escalated, and the police report says Morant made a threatening comment. On Wednesday, a spokesperson for Morant addressed other past incidents involving the Grizzlies star.

Four of the 14 forged canvases by Memphis artist Nancy Cheairs sit in the office of attorney Irma Merrill. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)

Memphis man found guilty of forging artwork: Earlier this week, former Memphis real estate agent Mark Thomas was found guilty of forging the artwork of well-known, local artist Nancy Cheairs and offering the work for sale. A jury ordered Thomas to pay $1.2 million in damages to Cheairs. Thomas scanned 14 of Cheairs’ works, forging her signature on some. He told customers he was selling his private collection because he had been diagnosed with a serious disease for which there was no treatment.

The Memphis Police Department’s reactivated Special Traffic Enforcement Unit will assist with crashes and traffic enforcement control. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)

MPD reactivates traffic unit: The Memphis Police Department has reactivated a dormant traffic enforcement unit. The unit of 10 newly appointed sergeants will focus on interstate traffic enforcement, fatal crash investigations and other traffic concerns. 

Moth Moth Moth was one of two protesters detained for speaking out against a proposed public drag performance ban during Gov. Bill Lee’s public appearance on Wednesday. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)

Two detained in drag protest at new YMCA: Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee was in Memphis on Wednesday for the opening of the new Whitehaven YMCA, and opponents of the proposed statewide ban of public drag shows took the opportunity to let Lee know how they feel about the bill. Drag performers Bella DuBalle and Moth Moth Moth were detained by Memphis Police, and another protester was wrestled to the ground by police. DuBalle called the legislation vague and pointed out that “the bill fails to define what drag is” and makes “no exception for cosplayers, professional wrestlers, people dressing up on Halloween or most importantly gender-nonconforming trans and nonbinary people who are living their daily lives.” 

TD Bank Group agreed on Monday, Feb. 27, to make a payment to the Stanford Receivership Estate, which helps victims of Stanford Financial receive compensation. (Charles Krupa/AP)

TD Bank pays $1.2 billion in Ponzi settlement: Earlier this week, TD Bank, the Toronto-based bank buying Memphis-based First Horizon, agreed to pay $1.2 billion to settle claims tied to the Stanford Financial Group Ponzi scheme that cost investors more than $7 billion in 2009. TD Bank was accused of collecting deposits from Stanford Financial, but the bank denies any liability or wrongdoing in the scheme. “TD elected to settle the matter to avoid the distraction and uncertainty of continuing a long legal proceeding,” the bank said in a statement. In unrelated (but related) news, First Horizon’s $13.4 billion merger with TD Bank could miss its May 27 deadline. 

QUOTED

Memphis Tigers football Coach Ryan Silverfield was part of a panel of University of Memphis athletes and coaches that spoke to the Collierville Chamber about NIL rules. (Frank Bonner/The Daily Memphian)

“We’re still kind of not in the best situation at home, so ... NIL is probably the best thing. … It just helped me ... give back to my family immediately.”

— Memphis Tigers basketball guard Alex Lomax
Lomax, Tigers football Coach Ryan Silverfield and others explained the new name/image/likeness rules for college sports at a Collierville Chamber of Commerce meeting this week. Silverfield estimated that the football program alone needs about $1.2 million per year in NIL money.

THE NICE TO KNOW

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant drove around Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green on March 1, in Houston. (Michael Wyke/AP)

Road warriors: The Memphis Grizzlies broke their road game losing streak last night with a 113-99 win over the Houston Rockets. But if you went to bed at halftime (like I did), the game didn’t seem like a shoo-in. The Grizzlies ended a sluggish first half only three points ahead, but as the best third-quarter team in the NBA, they did what they do best in the second half. Shooting guard Desmond Bane led the night with 30 points and six 3-pointers, and Dillon Brooks, who has been in the most significant slump of his career, came through as an unlikely hero. In other Grizz news, Coach Taylor Jenkins has some tough decisions to make about the future of Xavier Tillman. And you may see Ja Morant in a Powerade commercial.

Meter reader didn’t read: Turns out Memphis isn’t the only place in Shelby County experiencing utility bill problems. Some Collierville residents have received unreasonably high utility bills, thanks to a town employee who neglected to read residents’ meters. The employee has since been fired, and Collierville utilities director John Fox said customers are now being correctly billed for their usage over the several-month period.

A large sandbar juts out into the Mississippi River south of Downtown Memphis. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)

Big River money: The Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative, a coalition co-chaired by Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland, unveiled its $280 million policy platform on Wednesday. The group of more than 100 Mississippi River mayors are seeking appropriations for 10 projects that would protect the river’s natural infrastructure, restore its ecosystem and help with disaster resilience.

Now hiring: Want to be Memphis-Shelby County Schools’ new superintendent? Assuming you’re qualified, that is. The job posting is now available online. Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates, the firm conducting the superintendent search, said there’s already been national interest, citing three candidates from three different states. In other MSCS hiring news, seven University of Memphis students signed contracts to become teachers at the district’s inaugural New Teacher Signing Day on Wednesday.

Methodist University Hospital staff took part in the grand opening of Gilda’s Club of Memphis on Wednesday, March 1. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

Gilda’s Club: On Wednesday, Methodist Cancer Institute launched the Memphis chapter of Gilda’s Club, a nationwide support group for people living with cancer and their loved ones. The flagship Gilda’s Club was founded in 1989 in New York City by actress Gilda Radner’s husband, actor Gene Wilder, following her death from ovarian cancer. The Memphis club offers patients and their loved ones social and emotional support and provides a respite room where families can take a break or have private conversations outside of a clinical setting. 

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

Okay, now this is cute! Memphian Kim Gurley has written a children’s book about two best friends — a tiger and a grizzly bear — who love to play sports.

That sounds like a fine reminder that, despite our differences, we can all be friends. Have a great day, y’all. 

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