Good morning, Memphis. It’s Tuesday, Nov. 26, and the Memphis City Council will again consider a controversial request to gate off parts of Chickasaw Gardens. 

The Memphis Tigers, fresh off a stunning win over two-time defending NCAA champs UConn at the Maui Invitational, will play Michigan State in the tournament tonight.

THE NEED TO KNOW

“I’m not taking any of this for granted, because I know how hard it is to win, and especially beat a team like that,” said Memphis Tigers Coach Penny Hardaway. (Lindsey Wasson/AP)

‘Biggest win’ of Hardaway’s career: The Memphis Tigers pulled off the improbable yesterday afternoon with a 99-97 overtime win over two-time NCAA defending champions UConn at the Maui Invitational. The so-far undefeated Tigers blew a 13-point lead with four minutes left, and as they headed into overtime, they’d lost two starters to fouls. So, needless to say, this one was a nail biter. But they managed the win, and afterward, Coach Penny Hardaway said it was the biggest of his career. Tigers columnist John Martin said the close game gave him flashbacks to 2008 when the Tigers fell in the NCAA Championship game — but with a very different outcome this time.

Flanked by his attorneys, former Memphis Police officer Emmitt Martin III walked into the Odell Horton Federal Building on Aug. 23. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)

Martin to be tried on his own: Emmitt Martin III, one of the five former Memphis Police officers charged in the January 2023 death of Tyre Nichols, will be tried separately from his other four co-defendants in state court. Lawyers for Tadarrius Bean, Justin Smith and Demetrius Haley argued that Martin should be tried by himself because of his cooperation with prosecutors in the federal case. Martin pleaded guilty in that case in August. Bean’s attorney accused Martin of being a “cooperating witness,” but prosecutor Paul Hagerman with the Shelby County District Attorney’s office pushed back on that. 

Crime time: The state is awarding the City of Memphis a nearly $34 million grant for violence-intervention programs. That’s among the topics the Memphis City Council will discuss in its committee sessions today, and it could be added to the full council agenda for this afternoon. That money is separate from Memphis Mayor Paul Young’s new crime-fighting plan for Downtown, which includes a new police precinct and cameras around FedExForum. Also on the agenda: A feasibility study of a Memphis police crime lab and an update on the Memphis Police Department’s multi-agency gang unit.

MEET MEMPHIS

Newly elected Germantown Judge Rhea Clift, left, who is named for her father Raymond Clift, thanked her parents for giving her a great name. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

As a young girl, Germantown Municipal Court Judge Rhea Clift campaigned for her dad, retired Judge Raymond Clift. And she and her brother would often watch their father on the bench. But Rhea Clift had no interest in following his footsteps. “She threw a plate at me because I was forcing her to go to law school,” said the elder Clift. But Rhea Clift passed the bar, and her father encouraged her to take a job in the district attorney’s office for trial experience. This past August, Rhea Clift was elected for the Germantown Municipal Court position that her father retired from two years ago.

THE NICE TO KNOW

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant scored 22 points and 11 rebounds against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday, Nov. 25, in 23 minutes. (Brandon Dill/AP)

Band is back together: The Memphis Grizzlies have their lead singer back, so to speak. For the first time in awhile, Memphis Grizzlies star trio Ja Morant (in his first game back from a hip injury), Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane were together again on the court Monday night. And they dominated the Portland Trail Blazers, 123-98. That was due in large part to Morant’s 22 points and 11 assists in only 23 minutes of playing time. Morant brought out all of the favorite moves: dunks, an alley-oop, a behind-the-back pass — and all with his signature quickness that’s both impressive to watch and also a little nerve-wracking. As our own Chris Herrington says, “Morant’s a high-wire artist, with all the risk that implies. But all the thrills too.” Between the Memphis Tigers win over UConn and Morant’s magnificent return, it was a fine night of Memphis basketball. 

Uncle Lou’s Fried Chicken Owner Lou Martin is condensing the menu with his move, but he’s keeping the tenders. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

Something to cluck about: Uncle Lou’s Fried Chicken is moving into a former Wendy’s near Memphis International Airport, and that means the locally owned restaurant will have a dedicated parking lot and a drive-thru — though it will be a bit smaller. With the move comes an updated menu, but no worries “Sweet Spicy Love” fried chicken fans; that one is staying, but fried pickles and a few other items are goners. As a bonus, the former Wendy’s has one of those retro sunrooms that were once a staple of all the fast-food chain’s eateries, and Martin plans to put it to good use.

A mixture of old and new graves sit in the St. John’s Episcopal Church Cemetery on Central Avenue.  (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)

Beyond the graves: If you’ve ever driven down Central Avenue near the Pink Palace Museum and wondered what was up with the tiny cemetery next door, you’re not alone. Today, it’s known as the St. John’s Episcopal Church cemetery, but St. John’s is nowhere nearby. That’s because the cemetery used to belong to Central Avenue Baptist Church, but the church stopped maintaining it after it moved away. The graveyard fell into disrepair until St. John’s purchased it in the late 1970s. The Daily Memphian’s Jody Callahan went deep — like a gravedigger — on this story of the cemetery’s rich history and the stories of its residents. (And if you ever see me in a bar, remind me to tell you my own ghost story from this cemetery.)

Out of about 600 provisional ballots, 250 were accepted, Shelby County Elections Administrator Linda Phillips said. (The Daily Memphian file)

It’s official: The Shelby County Election Commission voted on Monday to certify the Nov. 5 election results. Vote totals changed a bit since election night, thanks to the addition of approximately 250 provisional ballots, but not enough to change any election outcomes. Not sure what a provisional ballot is? Our own Bill Dries offers a detailed explanation in his story today. And he also highlights the big surprise of election night: A larger-than-expected number of voters who changed the address on their voter registration records before casting their ballots. “We’ve never really had this problem,” said Shelby County Elections Administrator Linda Phillips.

Ford for families: Ford Motor Co. will build a $7 million childcare facility at BlueOval City. Called the YMCA Early Learning Center at BlueOval City, the facility will be located less than a mile from the campus where Ford will manufacture electric trucks. It will accommodate up to 175 kids up to age five and serve before- and after-school meals for school-aged children. That’s good news for the Stanton area, which has limited access to childcare options. 

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

Here’s some friendly — and maybe slightly unhinged — advice from the Bartlett Police.

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