Hope you’re ready to take care of some business. It’s Friday, March 7, and a whole lotta hips will be gyrating as the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Weekend kicks off at Graceland. If you see a sideburned, jumpsuited man walking Beale tonight, it does not mean the real Elvis lives. 

Alright, how about a little less conversation, a little more action? As in basketball action! The Memphis Tigers play South Florida tonight, and if they win, they’ll be the American Athletic Conference regular-season champs. The Memphis Grizzlies also play tonight, against the Dallas Mavericks. (Thoughts and prayers.) There’s another Grizz game, versus the New Orleans Pelicans, on Sunday. 

Saturday is the fifth anniversary of Shelby County’s first COVID-19 case. It’s hard to believe it’s been five years since we all learned to bake sourdough.

Daylight Saving Time ends in the wee hours of Sunday morning, so go ahead and bank some extra sleep tonight. Or don’t. There’s plenty going on around town to do instead. 

THE NEED TO KNOW

Shelby County Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr., second from left, walked into the Odell Horton Federal Building with his parents on Thursday, March 6. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)

Junior’s day in court: Edmund Ford Jr., the Shelby County commissioner who was indicted last week on federal charges of bribery and tax evasion, had his first official court hearing on Thursday. The prosecutor told U.S. District Judge Thomas Parker that he’d be delivering a massive pile of documents and phone records soon. Ford Jr.’s father, Memphis City Council member Edmund Ford Sr., addressed the media afterward and gave a warning to Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris. 

“There has been lots of speculation over the decades concerning fraud, waste and abuse of resources within the Memphis-Shelby County School system,” said House Speaker Cameron Sexton. (George Walker IV/AP file)

School takeover also includes audit: State Rep. Mark White’s bill calling for a state takeover of Memphis-Shelby County Schools would also include a state-funded forensic audit of the district. A forensic audit would look into “potential fraud, embezzlement, or other financial misconduct,” according to state Comptroller Jason Mumpower. The Shelby County Commission has already voted to conduct such an audit with state financial support. The takeover plan and calls for a probe into MSCS’ finances come in the wake of the MSCS board’s ouster of Superintendent Marie Feagins after fewer than 10 months on the job.

A Shelby County judge ruled that the City of Memphis violated its contract with the Memphis Police Association when it created a new rank. (George Walker IV/AP file)

Judge sides with police union: A Shelby County judge’s ruling sided with the Memphis Police Association on Thursday over a controversial new Memphis Police Department rank. After Tyre Nichols was killed by MPD officers, the city created a second lieutenant ranking, which fell between lieutenant and sergeant. But the police union argued the position harmed promotion prospects. The judge’s ruling this week means dozens of MPD staffers could be demoted to previous ranks. 

DV crisis center closes: The Family Safety Center of Memphis and Shelby County, which offered resources for domestic violence victims and operated a 24-hour crisis hotline, has abrubtly closed. But it seems crisis services for DV victims should be absorbed elsewhere. In the wake of the Family Safety Center’s closure, the Shelby County Crime Victims and Rape Crisis Center, which is a separate entity, posted on social media that services “will go uninterrupted.”

QUOTED

Memphis’ public safety consultant Fausto Pichardo (left) was brought on by Memphis Mayor Paul Young to bring a new perspective on fighting crime.  (Brad Vest/Special to The Daily Memphian)

“The criminal element knows that in that one-block square radius [around FedExForum], a lot of cops [are] gonna be there. ”

— Fausto Pichardo, Memphis’ public safety consultant
Pichardo, the former chief of patrol for the New York Police Department, was hired by Memphis Mayor Paul Young to bring an outsider’s perspective on how to deal with crime. In an interview with our own Samuel Hardiman, Pichardo said the MPD should expand its new effort to crack down on crime around FedExForum. He also addressed the Department of Justice report, traffic stops and more.

THE NICE TO KNOW

“There are around 17 Mexican places within one mile. The market is saturated,” said Cafe Ole owner Kendall Robertson. “It is time for a whole new concept.” (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

Adios, Cafe Ole! If you want a margarita from Cafe Ole, you’d better go today. The longtime Cooper-Young Tex-Mex staple is closing after dinner service, and it’ll be rebranded as a new concept. No word yet on what that will be, but fans of a certain bacon-wrapped app shouldn’t worry. Speaking of Mexican restaurants, the former Happy Mexican, which closed in 2023 and briefly reopened under another name, will apparently still be a happy place in its next life, according to new owner Anthony Curry. Curry plans to reopen the restaurant as Happy Memphis, which he specifically intends to be a welcoming space for the LGBTQ+ community. 

Members of 1980s-era University of Memphis Pom Squad rehearsed for an anniversary performance. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

Memphis Pom’s golden year: The University of Memphis’ dance team is 50 years old. The team is widely regarded as one of the most talented dance teams in the country, with 16 titles under their belts. (Er, well, tucked into their pompoms?) Over the years, the team has performed at a Chicago Bulls game, a Japanese amusement park and on opening night of Monday Night Football with Hank Williams Jr. But tonight, they’ll be performing at halftime during the Memphis Tigers-South Florida Bulls game. And The Daily Memphian’s Geoff Calkins says this performance will feature some dancers from the team’s early days.

The Buffalo chicken Caesar sandwich at Hard Times Deli. (Joshua Carlucci/Special to The Daily Memphian)

Long lines at Hard Times: If you want to try the new Hard Times Deli, you might have to wait — in a long line, that is. Food writer Joshua Carlucci says lines have been snaked out the door, but he says there’s at least one sandwich that is worth waiting for. That’s the Buffalo chicken Caesar, which is this week’s $10 Deal. If your only experience with chicken Caesar in sandwich form is a sad “wrap that tastes like fridge air,” you might want to get in line, stat. 

A large space is available at the Malco Plaza on Bartlett Boulevard. (Michael Waddell/The Daily Memphian)

Bartlett’s big empties: Some big retail spaces in Bartlett are looking for good tenants. Bargain Hunt in the Bartlett Hills retail center recently closed, and that left 24,000 square feet of vacant space. Brokers and leasing agents are also hoping to fill 12,000 square feet of space in the center that’s anchored by Bluff City Pickleball. But here’s the catch: A new-ish Bartlett ordinance makes it harder for small-box discount and liquidation stores to open. “You’ve now limited landlords, property owners and brokers on who they can lease space to,” said one leasing agent. 

GOT GAME? 

Arlington Community Schools students are learning by hand. Like, literally — with puppets. A grant is funding a new puppetry club at Arlington Elementary School. And you can learn by hand, too, (albeit in a different way) with today’s puppet-themed Jigsaw puzzle.

Arlington Elementary School fifth grader Clara Hanson (left) performed with classmate Mack Phillips (right) during a puppetry club practice on Monday, Feb. 24. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

It’s Friday, so you might feel like wasting the work day away. Let us help you kill some time with today’s waste-themed Word Search. It was inspired by a story this week that proved Memphis actually does recycle, despite what you may have heard.

In other news from the past week, the old Houston’s won’t be vacant for much longer. There’s your clue for this week’s 5 by 5 Crossword.

Have a great weekend! And don’t forget to set those microwave and oven clocks forward on Sunday. 

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