The Early Word: Bronze lions, a tiger and what’s next for the Grizzly bears
Good morning, Memphis! Today — Monday, April 14 — marks the start of TCAP testing for Memphis-Shelby County Schools students. And the stakes are particularly high for third graders. Just keep your eyes on your own paper, folks. That’s good life advice no matter the age.
There’s no better way to fuel up for a big test than with a big breakfast, right? Barksdale’s restaurant in Midtown is finally reopening today after an ownership change and renovation.
Also today, the Shelby County Commission takes a final vote on pay raises for future commissioners, but that didn’t go so well on the last two votes. And former University of Memphis provost Thomas Nenon will be laid to rest at Memorial Park Cemetery, following a funeral mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.
For more on what’s coming up, This Week in Memphis is here for you.
The Memphis Grizzlies ended their regular season with a big win over the Dallas Mavericks, 132-97. It was a game that didn’t matter though, because Friday’s 117-109 loss to the Denver Nuggets already meant the Grizz aren’t guaranteed a spot in the NBA playoffs this year. But they’ll get a chance anyway. The Grizzlies are headed to Tuesday’s play-in game against the Golden State Warriors, and though the Grizzlies are the underdogs, they’ve come out on top in this exact spot before. If the Grizzlies win, they’re in the playoffs. If they lose, there’s one more chance on Friday. A play-in tournament may not be what fans or players wanted, but The Daily Memphian’s Geoff Calkins tells us where to find hope.
If you’ve driven Peabody Street Downtown, you’ve no doubt wondered what’s up with the bronze zoo that lines the street. Along several blocks, bronze statues of a horse, a bear, an elk, a tiger and some lions sit in the yards of residential buildings. One of our readers wanted to know the back story (me, too!), so our own Jody Callahan did some sleuthing for our Ask the Memphian series. Turns out California resident (and Memphis property owner) Todd Frankel added the statues as a way to identify his properties. And more animals are coming soon. (Unfortunately, there are no plans for a brass monkey.)
Plus, Houston High needs a lot of money, the Tigers get a family reunion and a long-vacant hotel is coming down.
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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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