How’s it going on this fine Wednesday, Memphis? It’s June 18, and the Center City Development Corp. will hear a plan for a new coffee and cocktail bar in the old Bluff City Coffee space Downtown. Gotta get up to get down, right?

THE NEED TO KNOW

“It’s been a while since we’ve had a healthy sale,” said Tito Langston, the district’s top business and finance executive. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)

MSCS sells buildings: Memphis-Shelby County Schools may soon sell four properties, three of which are home to former schools, in exchange for more than $12 million. The school board is expected to approve the sales later this month as part of the district’s plan to trim unused properties. The plan was also supposed to include some building donations and demolitions, but that part is now paused while Interim Superintendent Roderick Richmond folds those decisions into a larger facilities plan. See which schools are for sale and who’s buying them. 

“We will be able to offer up a new proposal that puts a little bit more money in the pockets of every homeowner in Memphis and Shelby County,” Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris said. (The Daily Memphian file)

No new taxes: Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris, who was adamant last week that his property-tax hike wasn’t a tax hike, is now backing down from the increase. Lee had proposed a $2.73 rate, four cents higher than the state-certified rate of $2.69. Now, Lee says he’s found additional savings in his budget proposal, so that residents won’t see a hike (for real, for real). The state sets a certified property-tax rate for local governments following property reappraisals, which occurred this year.

Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris is limiting solitary confinement, a move that adopts the United Nations Minimum Standards for the Treatment of Prisoners. (Jim Weber/The Daily Memphian file)

Not alone: Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris is limiting how much time local prisoners spend in solitary confinement. The mayor will sign an executive order on Wednesday that restricts the Shelby County Division of Corrections from putting inmates in solitary for more than 15 days. The order also gives inmates in solitary a little break every day.

Germantown Mayor Mike Palazzolo, center, cut the ribbon on a new power substation in Collierville. He is joined by Collierville Mayor Maureen Fraser, center left, MLGW President and CEO Doug McGowen, center right, and former Town of Collierville Administrator James Leweilen, far right. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)

More power to the ’burbs: Memphis Light, Gas and Water unveiled a new substation in southeast Collierville on Tuesday. The station was built in an area that would best accommodate growth if Collierville ever annexes more land, and Mayor Maureen Fraser said it would also provide power to potential future business in the suburb. MLGW President and CEO Doug McGowen also had some good news for Collierville residents about outage times.

QUOTED

“One stone was enough to take Goliath down. So we’re David in this fight, but it’s all right ... because we know how the story ends.”

— State Rep. Justin J. Pearson
Pearson was referring to NAACP’s plan to sue xAI for alleged violations of the federal Clean Air Act, stemming from the company’s natural-gas turbines. (And in case you don’t know how that Bible story ends, little-guy David kills the bad-guy giant.) The Southern Environmental Law Center and NAACP say Elon Musk’s xAI has been illegally operating turbines without a permit for at least a year.

THE NICE TO KNOW

Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane shot the ball against Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic. (Wes Hale/The Daily Memphian file)

Goodbye to a ‘real dude’: As you surely know by now, Desmond Bane is a goner. The Memphis Grizzlies traded the core team member to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four future first-round draft picks and a pick swap. It may be a good business decision, but that doesn’t dry these tears. The Daily Memphian’s Drew Hill gives Bane a proper farewell today and shares a story of the time Bane invited him into his childhood home to eat pizza with his closest friends and family.

Madison Miller (left) and Kayla Wright started a tour of the Metal Museum’s construction back in April. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)

Put it in a museum: Two major art museum projects are moving along. The Metal Museum was supposed to have a milestone ceremony at its new location in the old Memphis College of Art on Friday the 13th. But it was canceled due to bad weather. (Talk about bad luck, huh?) But still, the museum’s construction is moving along. No worries to fans of the Downtown Metal Museum space; it’s sticking around. Here’s a look at what both buildings will house. The Metal Museum’s director goes even deeper on this on our Sidebar podcast. Meanwhile, the Memphis Art Museum (the new name for the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art) is scheduled to open late next year, but the future of its old building in Overton Park is up in the air. 

Memphis players and coaching staff celebrated after winning the championship of the American Athletic Conference tournament against UAB on Sunday, March 16, 2025, in Fort Worth, Texas. (Gareth Patterson/AP file)

Why we didn’t get the AAC tourney: Blame it on the Memphis Grizzlies. The American Athletic Conference Tournament is headed to Birmingham, Alabama, and Tampa, Florida, next year. The University of Memphis made a bid for the men’s tournament, but AAC commissioner Tim Pernetti said Memphis was turned down because FedExForum is a “pro sports building.” And that comes with scheduling problems.

This image released by Sony Pictures shows Aaron Taylor-Johnson, left, and Alfie Williams in a scene from “28 Years Later.” (Miya Mizuno/Sony Pictures via AP)

Zombies and cowboys: If you’re into zombie films, this is your time. The third installment in the “28 Days Later” franchise — appropriately called “28 Years Later” — opens this week. In it, folks are living on a (safe??) island to escape the zombie-infected British mainland. Our own Chris Herrington offers a preview of that, as well as a review of new rom-dram “The Materialists.” And he’s got a rundown of some special screenings, including a 20th anniversary showing of a gay-cowboy classic.

Meet the interns: You might notice some new bylines around here this summer. We’ve brought on Sarai Bennett and Joseph Mangin, both Memphis natives, as summer interns. Bennett is a recent University of Memphis grad, and Mangin is currently attending Northwestern University. Read more about both here.

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

If Memphis Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman has shown us anything lately, it’s that he’s not afraid to make bold moves. He fired Coach Taylor Jenkins right before the playoffs and then traded core star Desmond Bane. Could Ja Morant be next? The national media has been speculating, but Morant took to X to shut those rumors down. 

That national media Tuesday, by the way, was ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, who talked trash about Memphis crime, claiming some NBA players don’t feel safe here. Morant’s tweets were also a response to that, and the Greater Memphis Chamber weighed in, too. And now, our own Geoff Calkins has some things to say.

One last thing before we go: Today is the final day of our “Why I’m a Daily Memphian” fundraiser. If you want to help us provide free access to The Daily Memphian in local schools, libraries and nonprofits, please consider donating. Thanks, and have a fantastic day!

.....