Welcome to Friday, friends. It’s April 26, Arbor Day, and we’re lucky to live in a city surrounded by a thick tree canopy. But those trees can cause power problems in a storm, and we’ve got a look at the fine line between saving the trees and keeping the lights on. Also today, the Orange Mound Library will celebrate its grand opening in the old Melrose High School.

On Saturday, you can shop for pottery and sample pastries, coffee and wine (hey, gotta get up to get down, right?) at Belltower Coffee’s new Taste & Create fest. Speaking of pastries, they’ll have New Orleans-style beignets at Cafe du Memphis at the Malco Summer Drive-in. And Saturday is the last day to shop at longtime Cooper-Young boutique Loudean’s.

The Memphis Showboats will take on the Michigan Panthers at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium on Sunday. For more weekend fun, check out The To-Do List.

THE NEED TO KNOW

Anna Fahrenholz held signs against a bill that would allow some teachers to be armed in schools during a legislative session in the House chamber on Tuesday, April 23, in Nashville. (George Walker IV/AP file)

General Assembly is a wrap: The 113th Tennessee General Assembly has concluded, and state lawmakers certainly made their mark this session with bills that ax Shelby County judgeships, arm teachers, ban traffic stops bans and make it illegal for people who help minors get an abortion or gender-affirming care. But hey, they made Memphis barbecue an official state food, so maybe that’s something we can all agree on. Here’s a rundown of what happened with the major bills this session. By the way, Shelby County’s suburban leaders have some concerns with that bill that allows teachers to carry concealed guns.

And one more thing ... A blended sentencing bill that affects how juveniles are punished for crimes passed this week, and now it’s headed to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk for a signature. Minor offenders are released at age 19, but the new bill allows the juvenile court to impose an additional sentence that would be served after a minor’s release if they violate certain conditions, like committing new crimes or failing to finish high school. In court-related news, Shelby County Commissioner Mick Wright is calling on General Sessions Court Judge Bill Anderson to resign based on his leadership of the court’s judicial commissioners. Wright blames the city’s crime problem on the judicial commissioners’ bail and release decisions.

RowVaughn Wells and Tyre Nichols’ estate are seeking $550 million in damages in a case that follows Nichols’ death in January 2023. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)

Nichols case discovery may be confidential: Both sides in the Tyre Nichols civil lawsuit against the City of Memphis are trying to have some — maybe even all — of the discovery in the case kept confidential. Discovery can include oral or written depositions and other materials that each side will use to make their case. Tyre Nichols’ family and estate are seeking $550 million in damages from the city over the death of Nichols at the hands of Memphis police officers in January 2023.

U.S. attorney for the Western District of Tennessee Kevin Ritz posed for a portrait inside of his office. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)

Ritz gets grilled: Kevin Ritz, the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, recently underwent tough questioning from U.S. senators as he awaits confirmation to a federal judgeship. Senators asked Ritz about a complaint filed against him and about a prosecutor he promoted who was under investigation for alleged unethical conduct. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., was especially tough on Ritz, even questioning why he removed the Tennessee state flag from his office.

QUOTED

Mature oak trees engulf a row of houses in Midtown Memphis. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)

“Property owners get pretty upset when they see crews … hack the tree back.”

— Wesley Hopper, certified arborist
Today is National Arbor Day, and our own Keely Brewer is looking at the balance between preserving Shelby County’s dense tree canopy and minimizing the risks for power outages. Hopper acknowledged that Memphis Light, Gas and Water has an important job to do with tree-trimming, but some residents shared horror stories of crews butchering their trees.

THE NICE TO KNOW

The Hop-In gas station, located at Poplar Avenue and Highland Avenue, burned down on Monday, January 15. It will be rebuilt as a Mapco. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)

Like a phoenix: The old Hop-In Exxon gas station at South Highland Street and Poplar Avenue, which burned down earlier this year, cleared its first hurdle to a new life. But it’ll be rebuilt as a Mapco (bye-bye, bunny logo). The Memphis Board of Adjustment approved variances this week that will allow the owners to build a new store. The BOA also approved a new, undisclosed restaurant/bar for the only empty space on Brookhaven Circle. In other development news, Michigan-based automotive supplier Avancez announced it’s bringing a new facility — and 500-plus jobs — to BlueOval City.

BluffCakes plans to close its brick-and-mortar location in Germantown. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)

Tough cookie: Giant cookie fans, you’d better get to BluffCakes in Germantown this weekend, because the bakery’s last day is Sunday. Owner Chloe Sexton cited an “oven disaster” and rising costs to operate among the reasons for the closure. But she plans to maintain — and even grow — her online sales business, so you can still get your cookies; you’ll just have to wait for snail mail. In other food news, a Filipino restaurant is closing, and a Collierville pancake shop will shutter temporarily. But in this week’s $10 Deal, food writer Joshua Carlucci tells us of Mi Tierra, a Colombian restaurant that’s definitely open and serving both dinner and dance parties.

Elizabeth Lemmonds

Brain cancer, no insurance: If you’ve lived in Memphis for awhile, you probably know Elizabeth Lemmonds. She’s worked in a series of jobs deeply entwined in the city — at the Orpheum Theatre, International Paper, New Memphis, etc. She even ran one of the city’s first maker spaces on Broad Avenue. But more recently, Lemmonds was working for an arts nonprofit without insurance. So, when something started to feel off with her health, she put off going to the doctor. Now, she’s recovering from emergency surgery to remove a brain tumor. The Daily Memphian’s Geoff Calkins shares Lemmonds’ story of survival — and piling medical bills.

“I would have never imagined what a perfect match our businesses have been for each other,” Paper & Clay owner Brit McDaniel said of her partnership with Belltower. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)

Seize the Clay: Belltower Studio, the sister pottery business to Belltower Coffee, is merging with longtime Memphis pottery brand Paper & Clay. Brit McDaniel launched Paper & Clay online in 2013 and opened a brick-and-mortar in 2020. But she closed the store in 2023, citing pandemic burnout, and reached out to Belltower about selling some of her pottery equipment. That led to a partnership between the brands, and Belltower is now producing Paper & Clay mugs.

Memphis-Shelby County Schools’ new superintendent Marie Feagins talked to students while touring Melrose High School on April 1. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

It takes a village: Memphis-Shelby County Schools Superintendent Marie Feagins isn’t messing around with her transition as the new district leader. On Thursday, she announced a 60-plus-person transition team with knowledge on everything from student achievement and readiness to business operations and communications. See who’s on the team. 

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant has signed with former Grizzly-turned-agent Mike Miller’s LIFT Sports Management. And on Thursday, Miller called Morant “a Top 5 player in the league, if not the best player in the league.” Morant left his previous agent, Jim Tanner of Tandem Sports + Entertainment, earlier this month. Does it get more Memphis than Morant and Miller? 

Have a great weekend, Memphis, and enjoy some pastries! 

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