![](/assets/images/early-word-logo.jpg)
The Early Word: County Commission confusion and a jersey’s journey home
Good morning, Shelby County. It’s Thursday, July 18, and the Lakeland Board of Commissioners will take an initial vote to loosen restrictions on signs. Specifically, they’ll consider whether to remove portions of the existing ordinance that prohibit signs that “would offend public morals or decency.” (Hmmmm.)
But for a good wholesome time, tune in tonight on ESPN+ for the Memphis Grizzlies’ last Las Vegas Summer League game against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Well, this is embarrassing. The Shelby County Commission learned on Wednesday that an ordinance they thought they’d passed a month ago was never formally approved. The ordinance required major changes to the county’s land bank sales, including a requirement that bidders submit plans for the land they intend to buy. It would have meant hiring four new full-time positions and cost about $390,000 a year. Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris tried to veto the ordinance, also thinking it had passed. But turns out the ordinance never got the majority of votes needed to change county purchasing policies.
In 1980, when Memphian Geoffrey Gaia was 14, he asked his favorite soccer player, Jado Hasanbegovic of the Memphis Rogues, for his jersey. It was the team’s last game at the Liberty Bowl before moving out of town, and Gaia treasured the jersey for years. But a few years back, he posted a pic of the jersey online, and who should happen upon the photo but Hasanbegovic himself. The two connected, and Gaia had hopes of giving the jersey back. But then Hasanbegovic died. But the story didn’t die there. The Daily Memphian’s Geoff Calkins shares the tale of how that jersey made its way back to the next generations of Hasanbegovics.
Plus, TruGreen is getting off our lawn, Cam Spencer is crazy and Aretha Franklin’s home may finally be saved.
Topics
The Early Word Subscriber OnlyThank you for supporting local journalism.
Subscribers to The Daily Memphian help fund our not-for-profit newsroom of nearly 40 local journalists plus more than 20 freelancers, all of whom work around the clock to cover the issues impacting our community. Subscriptions - and donations - also help fund our community access programs which provide free access to K-12 schools, community organizations, and more. Thank you for making our work possible.
Bianca Phillips
Bianca Phillips is a Northeast Arkansas native and longtime Memphian with two decades of experience in local journalism and public relations. She’s a diehard morning person who spends her free time training for marathons and ultras. And she’s the author of “Cookin Crunk: Eatin’ Vegan in the Dirty South.”
Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.