Whitehaven High School Principal Vincent Hunter made news last week in the aftermath of controversy surrounding the school’s recent graduation ceremony. Weather forced the event indoors, meaning there wasn’t capacity for the number of ticket holders, and many of those turned away were incensed. In a widely distributed email, Hunter detailed the timeline of events, defended his administrative team and said the decision to move the event inside was a directive from Memphis-Shelby County Schools leadership.

A Memphis City Councilwoman resigned last week from her full-time job with the Memphis River Parks Partnership over ethics concerns. Michalyn Easter-Thomas held the MRPP job while she was a sitting council member, and also voted on city funding for the partnership one time without disclosing the conflict, both violations of the city charter. Her resignation resolved the potential conflict of interest moving forward.

The wacky story of the Graceland foreclosure took another twist last week when a person who purportedly represents the investment company that tried to sell Memphis’ most famous house claimed — in yet another poorly worded email — to be an identity thief who often runs scams in the United States. The person contacted The Daily Memphian by email around 1 a.m. May 29 and wrote, in a mix of English and Ganda, that they had stolen “many” identities and received money for doing so. 

Also an inmate at 201 Poplar died in what appeared to be a suicide while awaiting trial on first-degree murder charges; a judge set an August trial date for Wanda Halbert during the first court appearance in her ouster suit; and, in a city that saw almost 400 homicides last year, records show that MPD’s homicide investigator count is shrinking.

— Metro editor Jane Donahoe

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For more than a week, Principal Vincent Hunter has heard complaints about Whitehaven’s graduation ceremony being moved inside at the last minute, but he said the decision came from the top of the district.

‘I didn’t win this one’: Email claims responsibility for Graceland scheme By Aarron Fleming

City Councilwoman resigns parks job amid ethics complaint By Bill Dries

Senators and Congressmen react to Trump conviction By Bill Dries

Man charged in Memphis crime ring gets lengthy prison sentence By Aarron Fleming

Broken Bottles suspect facing 10 years in prison on new burglary charges By Aarron Fleming

Taylor wants to hire former NYPD commissioner to study Memphis crime By Samuel Hardiman

Inmate dies amid murder trial By Julia Baker

Memphis mayor talks crime 'suppression' at One Memphis town hall By Bill Dries

Tennessee booting, towing law goes into effect July 1 By Jody Callahan

Steve Mulroy says city subpoena was 'mix-up' By Aarron Fleming

City's annual payment for Grizzlies' shortfalls coming out of rainy day fund By Samuel Hardiman

Homicide investigator headcount at MPD dwindles By Samuel Hardiman

Halbert ouster trial set for August, move to suspend gets June hearing By Bill Dries

FedEx will transport National Zoo arrivals by 'Panda Express' By The Associated Press

GPS monitors 'cheaper than building more jails' for Shelby County By Aarron Fleming

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