Hay there, Memphis! No, that’s not a typo. It’s my dumb joke, because today — Tuesday, June 2 — is opening day of the Germantown horse show. This longstanding tradition features equestrian contests, shopping, Germantown Commissary barbecue and Pronto Pups, and it runs through Saturday.

It’s also the first day of summer workouts for the new Memphis Tigers basketball team. And though time will tell which players will make the starting five, we’ve got some ideas. 

THE NEED TO KNOW

Outgoing Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert lost the Democratic primary for Criminal Court Clerk on the May 5 ballot by 126 votes. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)

Raging against the dying light: Outgoing Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert is not going gentle into that good night. Halbert lost her race for county criminal court clerk to state Rep. Joe Towns Jr. in the May 5 Democratic primary by 126 votes. Now, she’s acting as her own attorney in a lawsuit requesting a recount — which is not how recounts are typically handled.

Former Memphis Grizzlies player Tony Allen pleaded guilty last week to a reduced misdemeanor charge in his Arkansas drug case. (Brandon Dill/AP file)

Grindfather’s drug case closed: Former Memphis Grizzly Tony Allen’s cocaine and weed charges were significantly reduced last week. Allen pleaded guilty to a reduced misdemeanor charge last week related to an Arkansas traffic stop arrest last year. Allen had been a passenger in a car that was pulled over in Poinsett County, and he was originally charged with possession of a controlled substance after drugs were found. Allen later said only the pot was his.

Mississippi state Sen. Michael McLendon, R-Hernando, announced legislation aimed at combating child-sex crimes. (Rogelio V. Solis/AP file)

Bill targets child predators: Following the arrest of a Hernando teacher on child-porn charges, one Mississippi state senator is proposing some extreme measures for dealing with child predators. Sen. Michael McLendon, R-Hernando, announced his “School Predator Accountability Act” Monday, which calls for chemical castration of school employees convicted of child-sex crimes. Hernando High substitute teacher Preston Lewis was arrested last week on child-porn charges. 

QUOTED

Memphis Tigers basketball coach Penny Hardaway, shown here at a recent Tigers on Tour event, spoke with the media Monday. (Benjamin Naylor/The Daily Memphian file)

“We have a tradition of winning; we don’t have a tradition of guys getting together and being a family.”

— Memphis Tigers Coach Penny Hardaway
Hardaway’s new Memphis Tigers basketball team starts summer workouts today, but the work to bring the team together started months ago — with personality tests. Speaking at Monday’s AutoZone Liberty Bowl pro-am golf tournament, Hardaway said he’s doing things differently this year with hopes to build better chemistry on this season’s team.

THE NICE TO KNOW

Germantown resident Ben Boscaccy is pushing for a disc-golf course at Germantown Station Park. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)

Disc man: Real-estate agent Ben Boscaccy wants to bring a mini disc-golf course to Germantown Station Park. But not everyone is on board. Boscaccy is proposing a six-hole disc-golf course for the park, and if he gets the support, he plans to raise funds to make it happen. But there were concerns about parking, safety and wayward flying discs at a recent Germantown Parks and Recreation Commission meeting. 

Developer Spence Ray said floodplain and utility approvals are holding up Germantown’s Glasgow development. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)

Caught up in red tape: The recent Department of Homeland Security shutdown didn’t just mess things up with your air travel plans; it also delayed the construction of a new Germantown neighborhood. More than 360 new homes are planned for Glasgow, a new development on the former Germantown Country Club site. But since parts of the site sit on floodway land, the Federal Emergency Management Agency — a division of DHS — has to approve the site plans. And FEMA is a bit behind after the 76-day shutdown that ended in April. 

The lawsuit filed by Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner (right) against the administration of Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris (left) continues. (The Daily Memphian file)

Another delay in sheriff settlement: If you’re tired of reading about a proposed $18 million county settlement for the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, too bad; it’s not over yet. The Shelby County Commission delayed a vote Monday on the proposal to settle a lawsuit that Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner filed against County Mayor Lee Harris over funding cuts to that office. Most of that money would be used to pay deputies overtime, but Bonner and Harris’ staff were still working out a compromise on Monday. 

SAVE THE DATE

You still have 21 more days to worry and wonder what will happen for the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA Draft.

And I’d put money on it that our sports guys will have more to say until then about prospects Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa and the others. Until then, go ahead and mark your calendar for the official Memphis Grizzlies draft party.

And I’m going to gallop on out of here now.

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