Good morning, early birds! It’s Monday, Sept. 15, and Hispanic Heritage Month starts today. A mid-month start may seem strange, but today is the independence day for five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. The more you know!

Plan the rest of your week with This Week in Memphis.

THE NEED TO KNOW

“I did not ask for the National Guard, and I don’t think it’s the way to drive down crime. However, that decision has been made,” Mayor Paul Young said Friday. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)

National Guard is coming: There’s probably zero chance you missed this news over the weekend, but just in case, here ya go: President Donald Trump said he’s sending troops to Memphis. Legal restrictions could limit their power here, but that really depends on what what the governor does. Trump told “Fox & Friends” that Memphis Mayor Paul Young was happy about the arrival of the National Guard, but Young said Friday that was an “overstatement” and implied his hands were pretty much tied. He didn’t know many details yet, but he did confirm that Memphis Police Department Chief C.J. Davis will still be in charge. All of this is coming when crime in Memphis is at a 25-year low, and Young outlined a few things that have helped drive those numbers down. The guard has been here before, in 1978, but a former Memphis police director explains why it was needed then and not now. As for why Trump chose Memphis of all places, it seems a rail company CEO, who once served on FedEx’s board, had a lot to do with it. 

MPD demotions likely coming: The Memphis Police Department may soon have to demote its more than 200 second lieutenants. That’s after the Tennessee Supreme Court ruled Friday that it would not review the City of Memphis’ appeal in the long-drawn-out case against the police union. The Memphis Police Association sued the city after it created a new second-lieutenant rank without the union’s consent. In March, a judge ruled the city had, indeed, violated its contract with the union by creating the position. 

More than 200 new teacher hires in Memphis-Shelby County Schools have temporary permits that expire in three years. (Ariel J Cobbert/Courtesy Chalkbeat)

Teacher vacancies declining: Memphis-Shelby County Schools is short more than 130 teachers, but that’s down from the 200-plus vacancies at the beginning of the month. MSCS says the number is “very fluid, because we have people that are resigning.” A teacher-less classroom may sound like a kid’s dream come true, but the vacancies don’t actually mean party time. The gaps are currently being filled by substitutes and virtual teachers. But some new teacher hires are operating without being fully licensed.

With Mike Palazzolo opting not to run for Shelby County mayor, there are five announced Democratic contenders for the position and none in the August Republican primary to date. (Brad Vest/The Daily Memphian file)

Shelby County’s mayor’s race so far: Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris is term-limited, so he can’t run again in next year’s mayor’s race. Five Democratic contenders have already announced plans to run in the May 5 primary, but so far there are no Republican candidates. Germantown’s Republican Mayor Mike Palazzolo was a maybe before, but he’s decided against a county mayoral run. In today’s Political Roundup, The Daily Memphian’s Bill Dries talks about the struggle for Republicans in “the bluest county in a red state.”

QUOTED

Chicago Cubs flags are in front of every home on Dee Cove. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

“Todd connected with anyone. ... No matter how long you had known him, ... it felt like there was nobody he would rather be talking to you than you.”

— Memphian Sallie Sutton
Sutton was talking about Todd Dixon, her 54-year-old neighbor who died of a stroke on Aug. 31. Sutton and her other neighbors on Dee Cove in East Memphis paid tribute to Dixon by putting flags for his favorite baseball team in every yard on the street. 

THE NICE TO KNOW

Maywood Beach in June 1960 (Submitted)

Beach within reach: Memphians didn’t have to travel far to get to a sandy beach between the years of 1931 and 2003. They could just drive to Maywood Beach in Olive Branch. The long-gone “beach within reach” was a swimming hole with high dives, slides and fountains and real Florida sand trucked in from Destin. “It still had the little crabs in it,” said Hugh Armistead, one of the three owners of Maywood. (Sure sounds much nicer than Wolf River Beach.) In today’s Ask the Memphian, our own Clay Bailey shares stories from Maywood’s heyday and explains what led to its demise. (Btw, Maywood may be long gone, but Wiseacre Brewing still pays homage to it with its Beach Within Reach berliner weisse.)

The Baller, Shot Collard sandwich at Smoke & Toast food truck is made with braised collard greens. (Ellen Chamberlain/The Daily Memphian)

Grilled cheese with greens: You could argue that Smoke & Toast’s excellently named Baller, Shot Collard sandwich is practically health food. Sure, the gooey grilled cheese has bacon and Thousand Island dressing, but as the name implies, there are also leafy greens tucked in there. The Daily Memphian’s Ellen Chamberlain breaks down every ingredient in this sandwich. She’s also got a first look at the first area location of a chain that focuses on the first meal of the day. If you’d rather eat in than out, we’ve got some hot kitchen tips, including a bechamel sauce shortcut, from local chefs.

Memphis quarterback Brendon Lewis passed for 213 yards and ran for 41 more to help the Tigers defeat Troy 28-7 Saturday in Troy, Alabama. (Courtesy Memphis Athletics)

Tigers take down Troy: The Memphis Tigers are undefeated three games into the year after a 28-7 victory at Troy on Saturday. Troy’s quarterback, Goose Crowder, got injured after just one drive, and the offense struggled in his absence. The Tigers’ defense has excelled so far this season, and Troy only gained 112 yards against Memphis.

Lace Wooten co-founded the Gloria Smith Foundation with his father, rapper 8Ball. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

8Ball and son give back: Without Gloria Smith, there’d be no 8Ball and MJG. Smith is rapper 8Ball’s mom, and he and son Lace Wooten are honoring the matriarch’s legacy with a foundation in her name. The Gloria Smith Foundation launched earlier this year to “be a consistent light” in areas of Memphis that don’t get much attention. They’re doing that with backpack giveaways in Orange Mound, community cookouts, Monday morning walk-runs that meet outside Cxffeeblack and in other ways.

Collierville Schools leaders hope to improve cell service at and near the town’s high school with a new cell tower. (Jeff Roberson/AP file)

Can you hear me now? Cell service is notoriously bad at and near Collierville High, which may not matter much for students since the district just banned them from using cell phones during class. But teachers, staff, parents and nearby neighbors will be glad to know a new cell tower may be coming soon. The town’s Planning Commission is scheduled this fall to discuss a new tower for the area, which if approved, could mean better service by next school year.

THIS WEEK’S WEATHER

How about that rain this morning, huh? My plants certainly needed it. But we’re still in for a scorcher in this final week of summer. 

Enjoy your Monday!

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