Rise and grind, Memphis — as in, grind those coffee beans. Today — Tuesday, Oct. 1 — is International Coffee Day. You can make your own cup at home, or you could check out our neighborhood coffee guides to locate the best brew near you.

It’s also National Homemade Cookie Day, which seems like a nice complement to coffee day. So, here’s something fun to try at home: The old Memphis City Schools cafeteria recipe for the butter cookies. Just a warning though: One online recipe reviewer said they’re not great, so there’s an alternate butter cookie recipe from Chicago Public Schools for you in that link, too. Choose your own adventure. 

In more newsy news, the Memphis City Council could take a first vote on the city’s plan to buy Downtown’s Sheraton hotel today. And tonight, Big Star’s Jody Stephens will be joined by members of R.E.M., the Posies and Wilco to perform Big Star’s “Radio City” album at Crosstown Theater.

THE NEED TO KNOW

The house at 3371 S. Forest Hill-Irene Road was placed for sale after the City of Germantown sought an injunction against the homeowner. It remains listed for more than $1.6 million. (Abigail Warren/The Daily Memphian file)

Party line: If you’re hosting a house party in Germantown, you’d better not charge a cover. Or at least, you won’t be able to soon if a new ordinance passes. Tonight, the city’s Planning Commission will review new rules banning “pay parties” after two different parties at a house on South Forest Hill-Irene Road caused a stir earlier this year. The house was advertised as an event venue called The Yard @ Germantown, and guests paid for tickets to see live music there. The owner, Tyisha Jones, put the house up for sale after the city took legal action. Though Germantown is looking to ban homeowners from charging admission, there would be a few exceptions to the rule.

Former Memphis police officer Tadarrius Bean (left) and his lawyer John Keith Perry walked towards the entrance of the federal courthouse on Monday, Sept. 9. (Adrian Sainz/AP)

Defense rests in Nichols trial: A use-of-force witness defended former Memphis police officer Tadarrius Bean’s actions in the Tyre Nichols beating during Friday’s hearing in the federal trial against Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith over Nichols’ death. And then on Monday, after Bean’s and Haley’s attorneys rested their cases, Smith’s attorney called a witness who also testified that the officers’ actions that night were in line with Memphis Police Department policy. Before Smith’s attorney rested his case on Monday, another witness, one of Smith’s old supervisors, praised the former cop, saying, “If it was one of my kids that had done something to be arrested, I’d want Justin arresting them.” Closing arguments are expected this morning.

DeSoto school officer charged with rape: Hosie Porter, a school resource officer from DeSoto County Schools, is facing two counts of rape and one charge of sexual battery related to an alleged incident last week that evidently happened while he was on duty. But DeSoto County District Attorney Matthew Barton confirmed that no children “were harmed or victimized.”

QUOTED

“My beautiful, intelligent, genuine, caring, loving, compassionate mother is dead because someone wanted her Infiniti Q50 hybrid ...”

— Ayanna Hampton, daughter of Rev. Autura Eason-Williams
On Monday, Eason-Williams’ family and friends shared victim impact statements, like this one from her daughter, during a court hearing for Eduard Rodriguez Tabora. He pleaded guilty last week to second-degree murder for killing Eason-Williams during a 2022 carjacking in Whitehaven.

THE NICE TO KNOW

“I honestly feel like this is one of the best rosters that we have had on paper, depth-wise,” said Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant on NBA media day. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

If you’re not winning … you’re losing, as the saying goes. And the injury-ridden Memphis Grizzlies were losing big-time last season (55 games to be precise). On NBA media day Monday, Brandon Clarke said as much: “Last year, we felt like losers.” But a new season is dawning, and the optimism was infectious Monday as general manager Zach Kleiman pointed out that we’ve yet to see last season’s unlikely bench stars — Vince Williams Jr., GG Jackson, etc. — play many minutes with the team’s core starting lineup. The prospect of that is bringing “renewed energy and renewed hope,” says The Daily Memphian’s Drew Hill. And as our own Chris Herrington points out, from Ja Morant’s perspective, this media day was wildly different from last year’s. Here’s a rundown of all the highlights.

Mess with Texas — again: If you’ve been missing nonstop flights from Memphis to Austin, Texas, after American Airlines dropped the route in January, you’re in luck. Starting in May, Delta Air Lines will offer daily nonstop service from the Bluff City to Bat City. Here are all the flight details.

Wanda Halbert attended a May 31 hearing in Judge Felicia Corbin-Johnson’s courtroom. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)

Needs more info: Circuit Court Judge Felicia Corbin-Johnson, the judge in Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert’s ouster case, wants to hear more from attorneys on both sides of the lawsuit before making her ruling. Due to a conflict of interest, County Attorney Marlinee Iverson appointed private attorney Robert Meyers to pursue a complaint against Halbert for willful neglect of her office. But Halbert’s attorney said the law doesn’t allow Iverson to disqualify herself and appoint an attorney to act for her. 

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

If you’re still looking for Halloween costume ideas, here’s one: Scary Ja. 

Enjoy your coffee and cookies today!

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