Good morning, Memphis. It’s Thursday, Sept. 24, and there’s a lot of fun stuff going on today. 

During its monthly luncheon, AAF Memphis will talk about “The Future of Creative Leadership” and how to ensure more people of color are part of the advertising industry.

Then, The Grove at GPAC is screening “Kings of Beer” this evening alongside offerings from Ernie Mellor’s A Moveable Feast catering company. Tonight is also another Restaurant Phoenix Project Dinner, this time at Sweet Grass.

THE NEED TO KNOW

Activist Chelsea Glass recently filed a misconduct complaint against an MPD officer who allegedly posted inflammatory memes on Facebook. When the officer later sent direct messages to Glass that she interpreted as harassment and intimidation, she asked to file a criminal complaint against the officer. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)

New criminal report: The Memphis Police Department is now telling citizens who complain of police brutality that they also have the “right to have a criminal report taken in addition to (any) complaint of excessive force.” The change comes after a series of stories from The Daily Memphian and The Institute for Public Service Reporting about excessive force; in several cases identified by the series, MPD declined to turn information over to the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office for a review of any possible criminal behavior. But how the change came to light involves social media, several memes, alleged harassment and a 10-year MPD veteran involved in the 2013 shooting death of a Black man asleep in his car. 

Missing school: Tennessee’s education commissioner said yesterday that the pandemic could have a lifelong effect on children, “estimating a loss of one-third of a school year would reduce a student’s earning ability by 3% when they leave school.” This comes as the governor is advocating for a springtime student assessment and the state is saying students have suffered massive learning losses due to school closings early in the pandemic. Some local high school football players are also concerned about the pandemic’s effect, but theirs is over the sunk opportunity cost of a missed season and the college scholarships they won’t be offered. Shelby County Schools athletes tried again yesterday to personally appeal to Superintendent Joris Ray but were rebuffed: “If they had just told us three weeks before the season started, a lot of kids wouldn’t be in SCS right now,” said one student leader. “We feel like we’re being used for their profit.”

Demonstrators take part in a solidarity march in honor of Breonna Taylor on Wednesday, September 23, 2020 in the Downtown area. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

Done talking, more walking: A small group of protesters took to Downtown Memphis last night after a Kentucky grand jury indicted only one of the three officers involved in Breonna Taylor’s death — and it wasn’t for her death but wanton endangerment of her neighbors. As local marchers neared intersections, “some motorists stopped and let the group pass without incident, but other drivers, at least three times, swerved their vehicles close to the group.”

Out of school: St. George’s Upper School became the latest institution to move to remote learning, temporarily, due to new coronavirus cases.

QUOTED

Waffle Mania’s Tarliscia Rainey, also a Pre-K teacher at Egypt Elementary School, makes waffles earlier this year. (Mark Weber/ The Daily Memphian file)

“We have been triple blessed. To be able to keep up with the flow and with the amount of people coming in and getting everything out. Everybody staying safe. Still trying to get out quality food. It’s just been great. We’ve been able to keep up with the momentum.”

— Waffle Mania co-franchisee Tarliscia Rainey. Rainey and her son opened their North Memphis restaurant more than two years ago, and in the past six months, business hasn’t waffled at all.

THE NICE TO KNOW

Kushner Companies has purchased the Villas at Cordova apartments. (Tom Bailey/Daily Memphian)

Presidential investor: The Villas at Cordova apartment complex has been sold to Kushner Companies, the firm once run by Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior advisor, Jared Kushner. The property last sold in 2012. 

Memphis music makes the list: After Rolling Stone magazine released a new “500 greatest albums” list, the Daily Memphian’s Chris Herrington explores the Bluff City-related ones, including those made by Memphis artists, recorded in Memphis, from artists with some notable connection to Memphis or those Memphis records that are missing entirely. 

Houston High School junior Adison Kizer goes up against Collierville High School's Tia Rizvi during a Sept. 17, 2020 home match. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)

Some high school teams are playing: Last year, Houston volleyball fell to Brentwood — and 15-time champions — in the state final. And “thanks to a combination of high volleyball IQs, good team chemistry, an all-star cast of assistant coaches and plenty of talent,” when this year’s tournament begins in about a month, the team is expected to once again be in the final eight. 

Just stick to sports? How does one deal with criticism? More specifically, how does The Daily Memphian’s Geoff Calkins deal with criticism over his columns? Well, he talked recently about just that, even the time he got something akin to a death threat. 

WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

After news broke yesterday that one officer of the three involved in Breonna Taylor’s death (see above) was indicted, people across the nation took to social media to react. Overton High School graduate and actress Elise Neal was one of them.

Thanks for reading, and keep doing all you do. The Early Word will be back tomorrow! 

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