Hey gals, how’s it going? And before all the guys get upset, know that today — Thursday, Feb. 13 — is Galentine’s Day. But if you identify as male, we’ll let that slide here, so stick around and keep reading. 

As for the gals, you’ll find a few ways to celebrate with your girlfriends tonight in our Valentine’s Day guide. And if you don’t have date-night plans for Friday yet, you’ll also find some suggestions there, too. One idea for tonight: Invite your friends over for girl dinner and basketball. The Memphis Tigers men’s team plays South Florida at 8 p.m. 

And while we’re on gals, our annual Women in Business Seminar is coming up on Thursday, Feb. 27. The panel will feature Tina Sullivan (former Overton Park Conservancy director), Ursula Madden (vice president of corporate communications at Memphis Light, Gas and Water) and Leigh Mansberg (president and CEO of Junior Achievement of Memphis). Tickets are available here. 

Here’s something that’s not gender-based at all. We’ve launched a Daily Memphian reader survey to learn more about you! So, please take a moment this morning to answer a few quick questions.

THE NEED TO KNOW

TacoNGanas’ location at 4255 Summer Ave. Federal officials said the three employees detained in an immigration raid on TacoNGanas’ Cordova food truck were taken as part of an investigation into “potential labor trafficking.” (Holly Whitfield/The Daily Memphian file)

ICE raid part of labor probe: The Department of Homeland Security said on Wednesday that Monday’s highly publicized raid on the Cordova TacoNGanas food truck was part of an investigation into “potential labor trafficking.” The U.S. Department of Labor opened an investigation into recruiting and employment practices at TacoNGanas in 2022, but it’s not clear if this raid was part of that probe. The agents, who wore hoodies, face masks and no ID badges, were with Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s criminal investigation arm. The ICE statement claims the three men who were taken were “unlawfully present in the U.S. as part of a worksite enforcement operation.” But Latino Memphis Executive Director Mauricio Calvo points out that trafficking victims are not typically detained.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which ranks 10th on the list of more than 70 independent hospitals that received National Institutes of Health funding in 2023, stands to lose tens of millions of dollars in funding. (The Daily Memphian file)

Trump cuts would hurt St. Jude: President Donald Trump wants to slash billions of federal funding for medical research, which would carve into the work being done at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and make the price of medical school more expensive. The cuts, announced last week by the National Institutes of Health, were supposed to take effect on Monday, but they’ve been temporarily blocked by a federal judge. If the cuts are allowed to proceed, St. Jude said it could mean fewer new, life-saving treatments will be developed. And one local expert said the cuts could have an impact on academia that extends beyond medical research.

Gov. Bill Lee spoke during a bill-signing ceremony at the state Capitol, Wednesday, Feb. 12, in Nashville. (George Walker IV/AP)

School vouchers aren’t for everyone: Gov. Bill Lee signed his expanded flagship private-school voucher program into law Wednesday. The program gives public-school students taxpayer money to attend private schools, and it was originally intended to apply to all students, regardless of their parents’ income. But the state’s Republican leaders added a new provision, banning undocumented immigrant children from participating.

Service dog ban upheld: Herbie, the seizure-alert dog for a Germantown Municipal School District student, still can’t come to class. A federal judge said on Wednesday that he will deny a request by a students’ parents to lift the district’s ban on the dog. Herbie is supposed to alert others in the classroom when the student is having a seizure, but attorneys for the district claimed Herbie didn’t follow the student’s commands, and testimony found Herbie was “disruptive” in the classroom. But if Herbie is a very good boy, he may get another chance.

QUOTED

Bartlett Alderman Jack Young, who also sits on the Bartlett Planning Commission, remains opposed to building a mosque on Broadway Road. (Ziggy Mack/The Daily Memphian file)

“I personally don’t have a problem with a mosque in Bartlett. ... I just think it’s a bad plan for that location.”

— Jack Young, Bartlett alderman
The Bartlett Board of Mayor and Aldermen rejected a plan from the Bartlett Muslim Society to build a new mosque north of the Ellendale five-way intersection. That decision came despite concerns over racial discrimination from the state’s American Civil Liberties Union. The aldermen who voted against the project blamed traffic concerns, even though a study showed the mosque would have little impact on traffic.

THE NICE TO KNOW

The cha giò from Bao Toan are fried pork spring rolls with a setup of fresh basil, shiso, fish mint, cilantro, sliced pineapple, pickled carrots and daikon. (Joshua Carlucci/Special to The Daily Memphian)

First taste of Bao Toan: If you’re heading to Crosstown Concourse’s new Bao Toan for a Galentine’s dinner tonight, food writer Joshua Carlucci says you should stick to the Bao Bao Shrimp. The colossal fried shrimp is piled high over a bed of crispy shrimp chips, and Carlucci said it was the “best thing we ate all night” on a recent visit to the upscale Vietnamese restaurant from the Mochi & Me team. As for most other dishes and drinks he tried, well, it sounds like Bao Toan may have some kinks to work out. In other Galentine/Valentine news, our own Jennifer Chandler offers her top five locally made sweet treats, including a croissant that comes with instructions. 

Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane, left, shot past L.A. Clippers guard Bogdan Bogdanovic on Wednesday, Feb. 12, in Inglewood, California. (Mark J. Terrill/AP)

Grizz hibernation starts early: The Memphis Grizzlies were apparently ready for the NBA All-Star break a day too early. The Grizz sleepwalked through Wednesday night’s game with the L.A. Clippers, which ended in a 126-111 loss. It took the Grizzlies four minutes to score their first basket, and despite a brief wake-up by Desmond Bane (16 points and four 3-pointers in the first quarter), the team went promptly back to sleep. They even set a new franchise record for giving up the points off turnovers. On the bright side, there are no games until next Thursday. Hibernate well, sweet Grizzly bears.

State Sen. Brent Taylor, R-Eads (left), has been seeking the ouster of Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy (right). (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)

Mulroy ethics complaint dismissed: Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy got in the latest dig — but probably not the last — in the ongoing feud between himself and state Sen. Brent Taylor. Mulroy announced that Taylor’s ethics complaint against him had been dismissed by the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility. Taylor had asked for investigations into Mulroy over two cases that involved sentences being overturned or vacated. But the senator hasn’t given up yet: Mulroy said Taylor’s filed another complaint against him, though it’s unclear what it’s about. Taylor also filed legislation requesting that a committee be formed to investigate his numerous claims against Mulroy.

A+ for Collierville students: Collierville Schools is one of only four school districts in the state that have rebounded its reading and math scores to pre-pandemic levels and one of only about 100 districts in the country to do so. The latest data, from the Education Recovery Scorecard, measures students from third to eighth grade. So, how did they do it? Collierville’s chief academic officer says it’s about putting in the effort before and after school.

Charms has operated in Covington since 1973 and was acquired by Tootsie Roll in 1988. (Courtesy Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development)

Charmed, for sure: In a move that would make Ann Perkins of “Parks and Rec” (and probably your dentist) squirm, a candy company is expanding in Tipton County. But this is no Sweetems. Covington’s Charms LLC, the maker of Blow Pops and Tootsie Rolls, announced they’re investing $98 million to grow their plant and distribution center, which will create 62 more jobs.

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

If you’re in the market for a new house, Johnny Cash’s old place on Walnut Grove Road is up for sale. It’ll run you almost half a mil, but it’s been remodeled and has three (!!!) bathrooms. 

Alright, gals (and guys)! That’s it for now. 

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