Good morning, Memphis. It’s Tuesday, April 16, and if you’re looking to add to your spring reading list, you might head to Novel tonight. Local author Sara Koffi’s debut book — a thriller set mostly in Harbor Town — drops today, and she’ll be discussing it with fellow author Kristen R. Lee. 

THE NEED TO KNOW

Officer Joseph McKinney, 26, was shot to death on Friday, April 12, in the line of duty. (Courtesy Memphis Police Association)

Suspect in police killing took plea deal: The 17-year-old suspect in Friday’s killing of Memphis police officer Joseph “Rusty” McKinney took a plea deal on three aggravated robbery charges in 2023. The juvenile suspect, whose name is being withheld due to his age, was critically wounded in the Friday shootout with police. One other suspect, 18-year-old Jaylen Lobley, was killed. Lobley was released on his own recognizance over gun charges last month. McKinney and other officers were responding to a suspicious vehicle call in Whitehaven, when according to the Memphis Police Department, the suspects shot at the officers and officers returned fire.

Nancy Henderson filled out forms during a free legal clinic hosted by Memphis Area Legal Services at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library in 2018. (Jim Weber/The Daily Memphian file) 

Free legal service losing funds: Memphis Area Legal Services, which represents low-income Memphians in civil disputes, is losing its largest source of funding on June 30. That money, roughly $1.7 million, from the congressionally funded Legal Services Corp. is instead being diverted to the West Tennessee Legal Services office in Jackson, Tennessee. In a letter to the Memphis office, the president of Legal Services Corp. blamed the funding cut on MALS’ failure to improve operations and a lack of best practices to effectively provide legal services.

People gathered for a news conference of the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition outside the Tennessee Capitol on Tuesday, March 19, in Nashville. (George Walker IV/AP file)

Coming in hot from Nashville: Local law enforcement agencies will be required to alert federal immigration authorities about undocumented residents who are in custody for alleged crimes. That’s according to a new bill signed into law by Gov. Bill Lee. Immigration advocates worry the new rules are confusing and could embolden rogue officers to target immigrant families. Another bill headed to Lee’s desk would involuntarily commit criminal defendants for inpatient treatment and temporarily remove their gun rights if they are ruled incompetent to stand trial due to intellectual disability or mental illness. And another bill advancing in the state would require public school employees to out transgender students to their parents.

MEET MEMPHIS

Izzy Gould

This “Meet Memphis” is more of a “Meet soon-to-be Memphis.” But this seems like a good spot to introduce The Daily Memphian’s new (and first-ever) chief content officer, Izzy Gould. In the newly created role, Gould will oversee content, audience, subscription revenue and advertising/sponsorship revenue. He’s a veteran journalist who has spent the better part of the past 12 years with Alabama Media Group, where he most recently served as the senior director of content over AL.com’s newsroom. AL.com is a Pulitzer Prize-winning digital news site that covers all of Alabama.

THE NICE TO KNOW

Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke and guard Desmond Bane stood on the court in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, March 27, in Memphis. (Brandon Dill/AP file)

Best worst year ever: The Memphis Grizzlies just wrapped up one of its losingest seasons ever, one marked by injury after injury and one hardship contract after another. But the mood was light on Monday as the team and management gave exit interviews. General manager Zach Kleiman even had jokes. Our own Chris Herrington is looking on the bright side too: He lists the ways this has been the team’s “most productive bad year ever.” And our own Drew Hill has a rundown of what we learned in Monday’s exit interviews, including the news that GG Jackson will play in the NBA Summer League.

Jim Cox and Mike Detroit

Secret brothers: Mike Detroit, the executive producer at Playhouse on the Square, was 42 years old when he learned he had a brother. That was 19 years ago, and the news came in a phone call from Jim Cox (the brother) who started that conversation with, “Hi, Mike. I’m Jim. I guess we’re brothers.” Turns out both men were adopted by different families, but they share the same mother and father. The Daily Memphian’s Geoff Calkins shares the (long!) story, which involves a World War II pilot, a small-town theater, the COVID-19 pandemic and Charlie Brown.

Tennessee is on the verge of adding its second official state food: Memphis barbecue. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)

Kind of a pig deal: Memphis barbecue may soon be Tennessee’s second official state food. (The first, in case you’re wondering, is hot slaw, which is apparently something people eat in East Tennessee.) State Rep. Joe Towns, D-Memphis, and state Sen. Sara Kyle, D-Memphis, introduced legislation to rep the city’s most famous food statewide, and the bill now awaits a signature on Gov. Bill Lee’s desk. Now, you’d think a state food designation bill would be shoo-in, but one state rep from East Tennessee dissented. (To use a Memphis expression, that’s so slaw.)

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

The new-ish playground at Tom Lee Park — best known for its oversized otter slide and climbable salamander — got a shout-out on Mental Floss’ list of 11 “most unique playgrounds in the U.S.” From the article: “Crafted by leading artsy playground creators Monstrum, Memphis, Tennessee’s Life on the River playground is both functional and beautiful.” The takeaway for me here: Who knew that playground had a name? 

It looks like we’re in for a nice playground day, but the evening does bring a slight chance of showers. Have a good one!

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