Good morning, Memphis. It’s Tuesday, May 6, and the Memphis City Council will be talking trash today. No, really. Members will take the first of three votes on a new fine for Downtown parking garage operators who don’t keep their garages free of litter or maintain adequate lighting. 

THE NEED TO KNOW

5C Group will open an artificial intelligence data center at 4300 Getwell Road. (Submitted)

More AI: Because the world needs more bad art and poorly summarized responses to Google searches, another AI data center is opening in Memphis. (Kidding, AI probably does lots of good things, too.) Canadian tech company 5C Group plans to open a 1.1 million-square-foot data center in the former Fred’s headquarters on Getwell Road this summer. Ted Townsend, president and CEO of the Greater Memphis Chamber, said the project is “another milestone” in the city’s identity as “America’s Digital Delta.”

“I will say this — watch out for the people running for mayor in 2026,” said County Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr. on Monday. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)

About that can of Raid: The Shelby County Commission approved a 2026 ballot question Monday that would allow voters to decide if the county’s conflict of interest provisions should be more specific. But a second proposal to restructure the county’s ethics commission was sent back to committee. Both ordinances were a response to the federal indictment of County Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr. over an alleged kickback scheme. Ford threatened to bring a “a can of Raid and house shoes” to the meeting. And he apparently meant that literally.

In sync: In other Shelby County Commission news, chair Michael Whaley said at Monday’s meeting that he will move to sync Memphis-Shelby County Schools board elections so that all nine seats are on the 2026 ballot. The elections are currently staggered, but if approved, the change would cut short the terms of five current MSCS board members.

Shaona Garner-White, the mother of Alegend Jones, right, was comforted during a Dec. 27, 2023, press conference outside of the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)

Agreement reached over Youth Villages death: Youth Villages, the family of Alegend Jones and attorney Ben Crump’s law firm have reached an agreement to resolve disputes regarding Jones’ death. Jones, 17, died in November 2023 after two physical altercations with Youth Villages staff members, and her autopsy revealed she likely died from complications of a restraint that staff used against her.

QUOTED

“This is simply textbook police work where you’re trying to get someone into custody and you can’t do it.”

— John Keith Perry, Tadarrius Bean’s attorney
Perry described the beating of Tyre Nichols as “textbook police work” during closing arguments Monday in the state trial against three of the former cops accused in the beating. Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith are charged with multiple crimes related to Nichols’ death, including second-degree murder.

THE NICE TO KNOW

The statue of Tom Lee in Tom Lee Park park memorializes Lee’s heroic rescue of 32 people from the Mississippi River. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)

Tom Lee time machine: The Daily Memphian’s Bill Dries has been sharing his exhaustive research on Tom Lee, the Downtown park’s namesake who rescued 32 passengers on the capsized M.E. Norman riverboat 100 years ago. Go here to catch up on previous stories about the boat wreck and take a look at Lee’s life before and after the rescue. Once you’re all caught up, check out today’s edition on Lee’s legacy, which resurfaced many years after the rescue when a time capsule from May 1936 was discovered inside a concrete column. Dries also has an in-depth look at the dangerous river bend that took down the M.E. Norman. 

From left to right, Brie Stevens; Francis, the Truman and Cierra Stevens attend the 2025 Riverbeat Music Festival on Saturday, May 3. (Elle Perry/The Daily Memphian)

Festie fits: When I go to music festivals, I dress for comfort and practicality. At Riverbeat Music Festival, that meant rain boots for Friday’s mud and hoodies for the chilly temps on Saturday and Sunday. But some folks actually considered fashion when they chose their festival fits last weekend, and our own Elle Perry was there to seek them out. See what people wore to Riverbeat. If you want to see more fashion, check out what people wore to the Met Gala watch party last night at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. You can also re-live all three days of the fest in our photo gallery from the weekend.

“Golly. I think my favorite is Italian food, and chicken piccata is my favorite dish,” said Southaven Mayor Darren Musselwhite. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)

Get to know Darren Musselwhite: Southaven Mayor Darren Musselwhite loves Journey and chicken piccata, but he doesn’t believe in aliens. Those are just a few of things you can learn from Southaven reporter Brandon LaGrone II’s lighthearted interview with the suburb’s leader, where we get to know the man outside of City Hall. And if you thought the name “Musselwhite” sounded familiar, you’d be right.

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

Is anyone else feeling a little rough after a Cinco de Mayo that fell right after Riverbeat Music Festival? 

Take it easy today, and maybe we’ll feel better tomorrow.

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