Morning, Memphis. It’s Monday, April 22, Earth Day. And while most of the city’s sustainability fests and clean-ups were held on Saturday, there are a couple kid-centric Earth Day events happening today.

Memphis police officer Joseph “Rusty” McKinney, who was killed in the line of duty on April 12, will be laid to rest today at Memorial Park Cemetery. The Memphis Police Department held a “Sea of Blue” procession in McKinney’s honor on Sunday night.

And the Shelby County Commission plans to call on County Clerk Wanda Halbert to come up with an action plan to remedy ongoing problems in her office. Also happening today: Riverside Drive will close to cars in preparation for Mempho’s May music and barbecue fests in Tom Lee Park. For a look at what else is coming up, check out This Week in Memphis.

THE NEED TO KNOW

Memphis Mayor Paul Young attended a meeting with area officials and law enforcement personnel on Monday, April 1. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

Down the budget hole: Memphis Mayor Paul Young announced last week that he plans to seek a property-tax increase to make up for a $30 million hole in the budget. But how did that hole get there? According to an analysis by The Daily Memphian’s Samuel Hardiman, “the answer is almost as complex as the city’s budget.” One big reason: Memphis got far less COVID-era federal stimulus dollars per person than other major cities. But there are plenty of other reasons for the shortfall, including rising pension costs. And Hardiman says it didn’t help that Young’s predecessor, Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland, never raised taxes.

Tennessee began measuring chronic absenteeism during the 2017-18 school year as part of holding districts and individual schools accountable. (GlobalStock/Getty Images Pro)

Unexcused absences: Chronic absenteeism is up in schools across the U.S., and the Greater Memphis area is not immune to the problem. Over the next couple days, we’re taking a hard look at what’s causing student absences. On Sunday, we looked at the problem with Memphis-Shelby County Schools where teachers and staff speculated the reasons for a rise in absences range from transportation problems to threats of violence within the schools. Today, we look at the issue in DeSoto County Schools, which once boasted absenteeism numbers well below the state average but now exceeds the state numbers.

Orange Mound mass shooting: Two people are dead and six more were injured in a shooting at an Orange Mound block party Saturday night. As of press time, there were no suspects in custody, but police believe there were at least two shooters involved. Memphis Mayor Paul Young released a statement on Sunday calling for an end to the violence.

Christian Brothers University’s senior leadership team will manage the day-to-day operations until a new leader is named, following President Dave Archer’s retirement. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)

CBU president retires: Dave Archer, president of Christian Brothers University, retired unexpectedly last week amid financial struggles with the college. CBU is on probation with its accrediting agency over the university’s money woes. And last fall, Archer oversaw major cuts to faculty and departments as he attempted to right the ship. Those cuts saved $4 million, and just last month, Archer said fundraising was up more than 100% over last year.

QUOTED

“We are assessing our current grants, and we are confident we can continue to operate,” Memphis Area Legal Services board chairman Brian Heim said. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)

“The real story [with Memphis Area Legal Services] is what has happened in 2023 and so far this year. That’s what people don’t know.”

— Brian Heim, MALS board chairman
The congressionally funded Legal Services Corp. is diverting nearly $2 million from MALS to a legal services office in Jackson, Tennessee, based on MALS’ inefficiency and low case count. But Heim said the data LSC used to make that decision did not include gains the office made last year. And he says MALS will carry on without the LSC funding.

THE NICE TO KNOW

Owner James Losapio (front) and his staff on the patio at Lucky Dog Music Hall & Bar in Silo Square. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

Where to paw-ty in Mississippi: The new Lucky Dog Music Hall & Bar opened in Southaven’s Silo Square in early April, and as the name implies, the bar welcomes patrons of both the two- and four-legged variety. There’s even a “dog wall” with framed photos of canine guests. Humans can enjoy a seafood-forward menu and live music that you might not hear anywhere else around these parts. Over in Olive Branch, you can party like it’s 1899 at the new Ash’s Irish Pub in the city’s Old Towne entertainment district. Owner Justin Ash went for a late-1800s feel with the bar’s solid wood stools and industrial lighting. It’s just one piece of the North Mississippi suburb’s refresh of an old cotton gin-turned-entertainment spot, and more shops are coming soon.

Mississippi catfish farmer Earl Lake sold frozen catfish to longtime patron Andrew Landrum at the Memphis Farmers Market Downtown. (Ziggy Mack/Special to The Daily Memphian)

Catfish and eggs ... but not together. The catfish industry is undergoing a shift as local farmers compete with sales of cheaper catfish from Vietnam. Tunica farm Lake’s Catfish, which is featured on Memphis menus, is no stranger to the decline in sales and has downsized over the years. But the farm maintains a loyal client base of Memphians. In egg news, an avian flu outbreak at the largest egg producer in the U.S. is causing a shortage, and that means the price of eggs is rising. But The Daily Memphian’s Christin Yates tells us that, so far, local restaurants and grocery stores aren’t feeling the pinch. Still, some residents are taking matters into their own hands (and backyards) to save money.

Sterilization Services of Tennessee in South Memphis will close on April 30. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)

Bye, cancer-causing chemicals: Sterilization Services of Tennessee, which has been emitting cancer-causing ethylene oxide into the air in Southeast Memphis for years, will close at the end of April as its lease ends. But the community around the facility still has questions. Residents in the area only learned how dangerous the emissions were a few years ago, when the Environmental Protection Agency revealed the chemical was worse than previously thought. Meanwhile, the EPA just released new, stricter regulations for EtO.

Memphis Tigers quarterback Arrington Maiden throws the ball during the spring game at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium on April 20 in Memphis. (Wes Hale/Special to The Daily Memphian)

Sports ball, all kinds: It was more bad luck for Memphis 901 FC on Saturday as the team lost its fifth straight game against Monterey Bay at AutoZone Park. But if you ask Coach Stephen Glass, the officiating was questionable. The Memphis Showboats also fell on Saturday with a 32-17 loss to the St. Louis Battlehawks. By contrast, the Memphis Tigers spring football game was all fun and, well, games, and we got a first look at the team’s new 17-year-old quarterback. Our own Tim Buckley tells us why the future looks bright for the team. And basketball season may be over in Memphis, but we’re still talking about it: Last season’s Tigers basketball star David Jones has declared for the 2024 NBA Draft. And our own Chris Herrington is playing a little game where he imagines which Memphis Grizzlies players would be prioritized if NBA expansion was coming soon.

Ephraim Urevbu talked outside of his planned mixed-use arts hub. “As an artist, I know one of the most difficult things is finding a place that can inspire you,” Urevbu said. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)

Art hub: Local artist Ephraim Urevbu recently purchased a two-story, 7,000-square-foot building on Jackson Avenue with the hope of creating an arts incubator. Once complete, the building will house living space for visiting artists and collaborative studio space. He also plans to open a restaurant next door. And if all of those plans sound like a pipe dream, know that Urevbu has done this before. He was a pioneer who spearheaded the South Main Arts District’s renaissance in the 1990s with his still-thriving Urevbu Contemporary gallery. In other arts news, our own Elle Perry offers a look at the Dixon Gallery & Gardens’ new group exhibition, which features 50 works by Memphis-area artists. 

THIS WEEK’S WEATHER

If you were cursing the fact that we needed long-sleeved shirts and jackets for this past weekend’s fun outdoor fests, you’re in for a treat later this week and into the weekend.

Happy Earth Day! And see you back here tomorrow.

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