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Good morning, and welcome to what may feel like your millionth day at home. It’s Thursday, Jan. 29, and the temps will be a little warmer today. But who really knows what that means for all this ice? Schools are out for the rest of the week, and lots of other things are canceled, too. I really feel like a broken record saying all that, but here we are.
One thing that isn’t canceled: The Memphis Tigers home game against Florida Atlantic. If you’re going to FedExForum, just be careful out there.
THE NEED TO KNOW
 A plow clears snow on Wolf River Boulevard on Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021 in Germantown. Memphis has 15 plows operating on city streets. That’s for 6,800 lane miles, 330 of which are on priority snow routes. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)
Plow-ing ahead? When the city shuts down during winter weather, you often hear people say, “Well, the city just isn’t set up for snow and ice.” And that’s true: Memphis only has 15 snow plows, which it uses to cover 330 miles of “priority streets.” Meanwhile, Bartlett, which is only 32 square miles, has five plows of their own. Here’s a look at how Memphis stacks up to more comparably sized peer cities. All of that said, Memphis is considering buying more plows. Down in DeSoto County, the road situation isn’t any better. The county is urging people to stay off the roads unless there’s an emergency. Workers are trying to clear the roads of ice there, but they’re a little short-staffed.
 At least 15 Memphis drivers in 2024 were charged with DUI by the Tennessee Highway Patrol, even though they were sober. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)
Sober DUIs: If you thought you were safe from a DUI charge when you haven’t been drinking, think again. In 2024, the Tennessee Highway Patrol charged at least 15 people in Memphis with driving under the influence before their bloodwork proved otherwise. These arrests are called “sober DUIs,” and the THP is now required, by state law, to provide a report detailing those arrests. The bill was inspired by the arrest of a NASA engineer who was wrongly accused of a DUI.
 Gloria Wade-Gayles
Civil-rights activist dies: Gloria Wade-Gayles, who wrote about mid-century race relations in Memphis, died Tuesday in Atlanta at age 88. Wade-Gayles, a LeMoyne-Owen College grad who went on to teach at historically Black colleges, wrote several books and papers on race and gender studies, including 1993’s “Pushed Back to Strength: A Black Woman’s Journey Home,” which chronicled her life in Memphis’ former Foote Homes housing project.
QUOTED
 Peggy Jemison Bodine (middle) with family at her 100th birthday party. (Courtesy Elizabeth Jemison)
“She was the consummate Memphian. ... I don’t know anybody who loved Memphis more. ”
— King Jemison, grandson of the late Peggy Jemison Bodine
Bodine, a former president of the Junior League of Memphis and the Memphis Symphony League, died on Jan. 22 at age 100. Bodine was dedicated to community preservation and led a project to record the histories of Memphis neighborhoods. Her family and friends offer their remembrances.
THE NICE TO KNOW
 Central High jazz band director Ollie Liddell conducted the band during a celebratory concert at the New Daisy Theater on Beale Street on May 29, 2025. (Greg Campbell/The Daily Memphian file)
The difference a year makes: A year ago, the Central High School jazz band was invited to the prestigious Essentially Ellington contest in New York City — and later in the spring, they won the whole darn thing. But a lot has changed. For one, the band didn’t make this year’s contest cut. But the students have been dealing with a much bigger loss: the death of band member Olga Besson in a pedestrian crash. Our own Geoff Calkins checks in on the band — and its director Ollie Liddell.
 Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. charged against Charlotte Hornets forward Grant Williams on Wednesday, Jan. 28, at FedExForum. (Brandon Dill/AP)
Grizzlies get stung: The Memphis Grizzlies dropped their fourth straight game Wednesday — this time to the Charlotte Hornets. The home crowd was sparse, due to the icy streets, and so were the Grizzlies’ baskets. Memphis never led by more than three points and ended the game with a 112-97 loss. The last few losses have been due to the Grizz dropping double-digit leads, but this game never seemed to have a chance. “I think we’ve been playing well lately. … Today felt different,” said Coach Tuomas Iisalo.
 John Littlefield and Bert Smythe, who own McEwen’s, opened to customers on Tuesday. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)
Because we gotta eat: Many of us are lucky enough to have flexible jobs that we can do from the comfort of our heated homes. But restaurant workers have been essential during the winter storm shutdown, especially in walkable neighborhoods where people are dying to get out of their houses. In this week’s Table Talk, food writer Ellen Chamberlain pays homage to those who have braved the ice to get to work and feed us. (I’d just like to shout out Young Avenue Deli and Margaritas in Cooper-Young for being open and within walking distance of my snow quarantine spot.)
WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
You might not be able to make a snowman in this packed ice, but you can make an igloo!
Go make the best of it today. It’s maybe close to almost over?
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