
The Early Word: Snow is coming; MSCS audit blames board and Feagins
Bundle up, Memphis. It’s Tuesday, Feb. 18, and we’re in for some snow and ice tonight.
But before the winter weather hits, you might want to head to Tom Lee Park to celebrate what would have been Tom Lee’s 140th birthday. He’ll be honored, beginning today, with a park activation that encourages Memphians to think about what the city would be like if the rest of us were “just 1% more like Tom Lee.” In case you need a refresher, Lee rescued 32 people from a capsizing boat in the Mississippi River 100 years ago.
The Memphis City Council meets today, and the agenda is jam-packed with everything from a first look at a Cleveland Street redevelopment plan to a city hotel-motel tax increase to fund FedExForum renovations.
A recent audit of Memphis-Shelby County Schools found that the district lacks a strategic plan, organizational stability and methods for tracking academic progress, among other flaws. The Council of the Great City Schools report blamed the school board for failing to set a vision for a strategic plan under former Superintendent Marie Feagins. But Feagins, who was fired by the board last month, wasn’t blameless in the audit: CGCS said Feagins’ restructuring of the MSCS central office hampered the district’s alignment. The report also made some suggestions for how MSCS can improve.
When the groundhog predicted more winter weather earlier this month, the early spring temps made it seem like a joke. But guess who’s laughing now? Cold rain and maybe some sleet is expected to start this evening, and that should transition into the white stuff overnight. We likely won’t see anything like the seven inches of snow we got back in January, but expect the snow and ice to affect your Wednesday morning commute. Here’s a detailed look at what’s coming from our friends at MemphisWeather.net.
Plus, Memphis music is going into the Hall of Fame and we’re getting another barbecue fest.
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Bianca Phillips
Bianca Phillips is a Northeast Arkansas native and longtime Memphian who’s worked in local journalism and PR for more than 20 years. In her days as a reporter, she covered everything from local government and crime to LGBTQ issues and the arts. She’s the author of “Cookin Crunk: Eatin’ Vegan in the Dirty South,” a cookbook of vegan Southern recipes.
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