Shelby County announces 2nd dose appointments
Those who received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine can begin making appointments for a second dose starting at 8 a.m. Monday, Jan. 25.
Friday prep report: Madlock, Lawson lead Houston past Bartlett
State’s top-ranked AAA team still in the fine-tuning stage.
Calkins: A graveside concert for the leader of the band
Joe Sills — a legendary high school band director throughout West Tennessee — died of COVID-19. His former students are gathering to play a graveside concert in his honor Saturday. One of them will be playing Sills’ own silver trumpet.
Still the King: Hank Aaron died an American hero, and the champion of the home run
From humble beginnings to home run king, Hank Aaron, who died on Jan. 22, left a legacy. He even found time for a brief stopover in Memphis and hit a home run in a football stadium.
Cummins to close Memphis plant
A Cummins manufacturing plant that rebuilds turbochargers in Memphis will close, eliminating 300 jobs.
About 40 candidates apply for Memphis Police director job
Michael Rallings retires in April. Mayor hopes to present candidate to City Council in mid-March.
‘Please don’t hurt my children,’ Joris Ray begs lawmakers
Superintendent Joris Ray posted a video Friday, Jan. 22 urging state legislators to vote against a bill that could “defund public education” if Shelby County Schools remain closed.
TNReady requirements concern suburban superintendents
The governor and education commissioner have touted districts won’t be penalized based on test results. However, that’s only if 80% of students take the exam. Superintendents are concerned as so much uncertainty surrounds the requirements.
Family of Shelby County jail detainee files wrongful death lawsuit
The family of a man who was a detainee last year at the Shelby County Jail has filed a wrongful death lawsuit alleging health officials at the jail did not do enough to help the victim, which led to his death at the hospital.
Rapidly improving Grizzlies’ defense is catalyst for winning streak
The Grizzlies lead the NBA in steals per game and rank second in defensive efficiency behind the reigning champion Lakers.
Legislators approve handful of education-related measures to end short special session
Intent on returning kids to classrooms, reversing months of “learning loss” and improving literacy, the Tennessee General Assembly approved a handful of bills Thursday and Friday, Jan. 21-22, and $110 million in spending.
DMC takes step to keep Mobility Center on budget, on time
The Downtown Memphis Commission has hired a search committee consultant to help meet its goal of identifying by Feb. 25 the final candidate for the CEO/president position.
Memphis’ indoor movie theaters begin reopening
Major films including “Wonder Woman 1984” and “One Night in Miami” will be showing as theaters reopen following the newest health directive.
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art will reopen
The museum in Overton Park will reopen under the new Health Directive 17.
Collierville High School to continue hybrid learning plan
Collierville Schools released learning plans for students on Friday.
Shelby County is poster child in national eviction study
The county’s large-scale evictions, relatively affordable housing and median unemployment rate make it representative of hundreds of communities in the nation.
Coronavirus: 15 new deaths reported
The 337 cases come from 4,172 tests, giving the day a positivity rate of 8.1%.
Calkins: Electric performance by Memphis was ‘a long time coming’
After months of frustration, the Tigers’ performance against Wichita State was reason to exhale.
Strickland proposes $200 million plan for capital projects
The plan was outlined in a Thursday State of the City speech by Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland. Strickland also outlined two violent crime intervention programs.
Metro
The Early Word: More on the National Guard; Midtown’s Parkview is back
Midtown Chick-fil-A is back, Arlington traffic may improve in a roundabout way and Thursday is for throwback movies.
Public Safety The AM/DM podcast: How a new MPD position rankled the department
City of Memphis Gov. Lee: National Guard should be ‘force multiplier’ for MPD
City of Memphis Memphis-area leaders take to national airwaves to talk National Guard
Business
The latest on Google’s West Memphis data center? It could add water recycling.
Google plans to limit its water usage to “domestic needs” and cover all the energy costs needed to power its West Memphis facility.
Movers and Shakers Movers & Shakers
Premium Business Peabody renovations ‘complete departure’ from old look
Premium Transportation & Logistics What a giant train merger has to do with National Guard in Memphis
Sports
Breaking down the Tigers’ unblemished home record against power conference schools since 2015
The Memphis Tigers will host Arkansas on Saturday. Memphis has won all five of its home games against power conference schools since 2015, including three against SEC opponents.
High School Sports Tuesday prep report: Northpoint scores crucial victory over St. George’s
High School Sports At Bolton High, a revived girls soccer program is playing for pride and joy
Premium Geoff Calkins Calkins: Memphis has a rich history of playing the SEC. Is it coming to an end?
Food
Wiseacre’s OG location isn’t just for beer anymore
Since its inception, Wiseacre’s Broad Avenue taproom has relied on a rotating cast of food trucks. But now the brewery is opening its own in-house sandwich shop.
Suburbs
Collierville Schools to improve cell service at high school, hears site purchase updates
Collierville Schools is hoping cell service is soon improved in the high school area. District leaders also heard an update on two sites they are purchasing.
Arts & Culture
Networking event adding pitch competition, creatives night
“Here we have an event where people are coming together, hundreds of people consistently, for eight years, having a fantastic time,” the founder said.
Opinion
Calkins: Memphis has a rich history of playing the SEC. Is it coming to an end?
For almost exactly 60 years, SEC teams have been traveling to the Liberty Bowl to play Memphis in football. Saturday might be the beginning of the end.
Podcasts
The AM/DM podcast: How a new MPD position rankled the department
In the wake of Tyré Nichols’ death, the Memphis Police Department decided it had an absence of supervision in the field, and set out to fix that problem by creating a new position — the second lieutenant. But that solution caused a string of other problems.