Happy Monday, Memphis. It’s March 30, and there’s a new face on the Shelby County Commission today. It’s the first full commission meeting for Matthew Szalaj, who replaced Edmund Ford Jr. after his resignation. On the agenda: a call for the Tennessee legislature to help the county deal with a nationwide penny shortage.

Also today, the Shelby County Election Commission will make state and school-board primary candidates official. And the Memphis Grizzlies play the Phoenix Suns. See what’s coming up in This Week in Memphis.

THE NEED TO KNOW

From left to right: Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith are the Memphis police officers charged in the death of Tyré Nichols. (Courtesy MPD)

Ex-cops may be off the hook ... for now. The five former Memphis police officers charged with killing Tyré Nichols may soon be excused from the civil suit against them. Lawyers for Nichols’ mom filed a motion to dismiss Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr., Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith from the civil-rights lawsuit against them and the City of Memphis. A new federal trial for three of five officers is holding up the civil suit, and attorneys are hoping dismissal will move it along. If excused, the officers could still be tried in a separate suit later.

Blue Alert: The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has issued a Blue Alert for Danell Maxwell, the man who allegedly shot Memphis police officer Oscar Torres-Molina on Feb. 26. Blue Alerts are used to alert the public about criminal offenders on the run. Torres-Molina survived the shooting, which happened during a traffic stop in Oakhaven. There’s a big reward for info leading to Maxwell’s capture.

Last October, control of the Youth Justice and Education Center transferred from the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office to the County’s Division of Corrections. (Brad Vest/The Daily Memphian file)

Changes in juvie: At the county’s juvenile detention center, it’s the little things — like toothbrushes and pajamas — that make a difference. Last fall, control of the Youth Justice and Education Center (aka juvie) transferred from the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office to the County’s Division of Corrections. And with that came some small changes that leaders hope can boost morale. Among them: pajamas and full-sized toothbrushes.

QUOTED

Protesters were pepper-sprayed by police near the end of the No Kings march Downtown on Saturday, March 28. (Brad Vest/Special to The Daily Memphian)

“You are here to protect people, not to threaten them. This constant escalation makes everybody unsafe.”

— KeShaun Pearson, activist at Saturday’s No Kings march
Protesters gathered Downtown Saturday, March 28, to protest President Donald Trump’s administration and the Memphis Safe Task Force, as well as call for a reckoning against Democrats who “sell our communities out.” What started as a peaceful protest ended with pepper spray and arrests, though it’s unclear why police resorted to those tactics. 

THE NICE TO KNOW

Minglewood Plaza includes Minglewood Hall, 1884 Lounge, B-Side and more. (Andy Ashby/The Daily Memphian)

Music hall for sale: If you’re looking to get into the live-music business, Cushman & Wakefield Commercial Advisors has a music venue they can sell you. Midtown’s Minglewood Hall, which is very much still in business, is listed for sale for $4.2 million. The sale also includes 1884 Lounge and B-Side Memphis, the smaller music venues inside Minglewood. Minglewood’s website shows events booked through September.

Alabama State head coach Tony Madlock gestured during a game against Saint Francis in the NCAA Tournament, Tuesday, March 18, 2025, in Dayton, Ohio. (Jeff Dean/AP file)

On lock: Memphis Tigers Coach Penny Hardaway is bringing an old teammate back to his coaching staff. Memphian Tony Madlock, who played with Hardaway at Memphis State during the 1991-92 season, is the new associate head coach. It’s his second time working on Hardaway’s staff.

Lance Sheppard, center, watched as Joel Messa, left, and Chaz Briscoe, right, sorted crawfish at the Memphis Crawfish Co. #2 food truck at 5133 Park Ave. (Brad Vest/Special to The Daily Memphian)

Time to get cray cray: Er, craw craw? However you say it, it’s about to be peak crawfish season around here. The Daily Memphian’s Ellen Chamberlain talks to local crawfish purveyors about how the mudbugs get here and why April is the best time to buy crawfish. And she includes a guide on where to buy them for your own crawfish boils. In other springy Southern food news, we’ve got the recipe for Felicia Suzanne’s house-smoked salmon deviled eggs.

How Black Memphians saved Memphis: The Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1878 brought massive death and economic destruction to Memphis. But the local Black community played a big part in saving the city. The fever killed many and pushed many others out of the city, and it seems the majority of those who died or left were white. Many Black Memphians stayed in the city and even though they got sick, fewer died from the disease. In today’s Ask the Memphian, we look at how those who stayed behind saved lives and revitalized the city. 

Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman spoke to the media on Sept. 29, 2025. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)

Zach Kleiman’s report card: Since the Memphis Grizzlies traded away top talent and started tanking, plenty of fans have speculated that general manager Zack Kleiman has no idea what he’s doing. I’ve been suspicious since Coach Taylor Jenkins was fired during last season’s playoffs, tbh. But what do I know about basketball? Certainly not as much as Chris Herrington, who is devoting a series of columns to Kleiman’s track record thus far. In the first edition, he looks into Kleiman’s draft record, and in the second, he dives into trade history. And in other Grizzlies news, the guys actually won their game against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday.

THIS WEEK’S WEATHER

Warm temps and April showers on the way.

Here’s hoping you have a great week!

.....