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■■ NEWS
Memphis Councilwoman, District Attorney’s Office to host gang violence forum
TSD Newsroom
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Feb. 4, 2025) — Councilwoman Michalyn Easter-Thomas and the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office will host a Multi-Agency Gang Unit (MGU) Community Forum Tuesday, Feb. 11, from 6–7:30 p.m. at the Ed Rice Community Center, 2935 N. Watkins St.
The MGU is a task force made up of the Memphis Police Department, the FBI, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The group meets quarterly to develop strategies to combat gang-related violence in Memphis and Shelby County.
Michalyn Easter-Thomas
The forum will offer residents a chance to learn about the MGU’s operations, discuss approaches to tackling gang violence and engage with law enforcement officials. The event aims to foster transparency, collaboration and open dialogue between the community and law enforcement.
Community members, leaders and stakeholders are invited to attend, ask questions and contribute to the conversation on improving public safety. For more information, contact Charity Cole at 901-636-6784 or charity. cole@memphistn.gov.
President Calvin Anderson Interim Editor Lee Eric Smith
Steve Mulroy
BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2025: We proclaim it
In the history of this country, in the ongoing fight against racial oppression, against a white supremacist narrative, and against the racial apartheid laws that were passed and upheld, there have always been gear-shifting moments when individual people have taken a stand.
By Dr. Karsonya Wise Whitehead BlackPress of America
Former Georgia Representative Julian Bond and Black Panther leader Eldridge Cleaver once said that when Rosa Parks chose to stay seated on that bus in Montgomery, Alabama, somewhere in the universe, a gear in the machinery shifted, and everything changed. A gear-shifting moment.
In the history of this country, in the ongoing fight against racial oppression, against a white supremacist narrative, and against the racial apartheid laws that were passed and upheld, there have always been gear-shifting moments when individual people have taken a stand. It happened in 1850, when Harriet Araminta Tubman, a year after her self-emancipation, chose to go back to Baltimore, Maryland, to help lead her niece and her niece’s two children to freedom. A gear shifted. It happened in 1770, when Crispus Attucks, a Black and Indigenous sailor and whaler, chose to get involved with the growing kerfuffle in Boston. In 1864, when the 22nd Infantry Regiment of the U.S. Colored Troops marched from Camp William Penn through the streets of Philadelphia on their way to fight, gear shifted.
When Mamie Till told them in 1955 to leave her son’s casket open so that the world could see what those white men had done to her son, a gear in the machinery of the universe shifted, it happened again in 1966 with Kwame Ture and Mukasa Dada’s declaration of Black Power after the “March Against Fear.” In
2014, after police officers killed unarmed Eric Garner in New York and unarmed teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Black people came together under the banner and hashtag of Black Lives Matter to march, protest, and demand change. Gears shift when we choose to fight, when we choose to stand up, and when we refuse to back down. The moral arc of the universe does not bend on its own toward justice, it bends because we push it and because we are willing to continue to do it until change does happen.
In 1926, when Dr. Carter G. Woodson—the founder of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), the son of formerly enslaved parents, a former sharecropper and miner, and the second Black person to receive a Ph.D. in History from Harvard University—sent out a press release announcing the first Negro History Week, a gear shifted. He chose February because the Black community was already celebrating the historic achievements on the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln (2/12) and Frederick Douglass (2/14). Dr. Woodson did not wait for the celebration of our history to be proclaimed, he proclaimed it. He did not wait for someone to permit him to celebrate what we had contributed to this country, he celebrated it. Dr. Woodson understood that Black par-
ents had been teaching their children our history since we arrived in this country. Our stories and achievements had been carried by the wind and buried in the soil. It had been whispered as bedtime stories, spoken from the pulpits on Sunday mornings, and woven throughout our songs and poems of resistance and survival. America did not have to tell us who we were to this country; we told them. America did not have to tell us that we built this country, our fingerprints are etched into the stone. America does not have to proclaim Black History Month, we proclaim it. We live in the legacy of Dr. Woodson, and as we have done for 98 years, we will celebrate who we are and all that we have accomplished. We stand at the intersection of the past and the future; what we do at this moment will determine how the next gear shifts. The 2025 Black History Month theme is African Americans and Labor, which focuses on the various and profound ways that work and working of all kinds – free and unfree, skilled and unskilled, vocational and voluntary – intersect with the collective experiences of Black people and the transformational work that we have done throughout the U.S., Africa, and the Diaspora. We are celebrating our visible labor—from the work we did back then to build the White House to the work we do right now to hold the White House accountable, from repairing the roads to teaching in our schools, from stocking shelves to packing and unloading trucks; from working in the federal government to our ongoing labor in the state and local offices—and, our invisible labor—from raising and teaching our children to caring for our aging family members, from finding ways to practice revolutionary self-care to finding ways to hope beyond hope in a country that
frequently targets and terrorizes Black people. We bear witness to what it means to work hard every day and to get sick and tired of working so hard. As the president of ASALH, one of the many legacy keepers of Dr. Carter G. Woodson, I am excited to proclaim and uplift the start of Black History Month 2025. I believe that ASALH is a lighthouse that you do not notice until you need it. When boats are caught in a storm or fog, they look for the lighthouse to help guide them safely back to the shore. We have been standing as a lighthouse proudly proclaiming the importance of Black History and helping people to understand that it is only through studying the quilted narrative of our historical journey that one can see the silences, blind spots, hypocrisies, and distortions of American history. We do not celebrate because we are given permission, we celebrate because we are the permission givers. We do not wait for Black History Month to be proclaimed, we proclaim it. We do not wait to be seen, we see ourselves. We do not have to be told the story of America because we are writing it, we are telling it, we are owning it, and we are pointing the way to it. We invite you to join us as we once again celebrate and center the incredible contributions that Black people have made to this beautiful and imperfect nation.
(Dr. Karsonya (Kaye) Wise Whitehead is the 30th person and the eighth woman to serve as the national president of ASALH. She is a professor of Communication and African and African American Studies at Loyola University Maryland and the host of the award-winning radio show “Today with Dr. Kaye” on WEAA, 88.9 FM. And she is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.)
Dr. Karsonya Wise Whitehead
Is white supremacy written in stone? ■■ ENTERTAINMENT
Book Review
By Terri Schlichenmeyer Special to The Tri-State Defender
The issue appears to be permanent. It’s been happening for a long time. It doesn’t look like it’ll stop any time soon, either. Though you’ve been able to work around it, you shouldn’t have to. Some say it might be better someday, but you’re not holding your breath. As in the new book, “In Open Contempt” by Irvin Weathersby Jr., some things are too set in stone.
Cemeteries are filled with them. So are parks, campuses, galleries, museums and courtyards where, for centuries, humans have left their carved and constructed monuments and artwork celebrating and commemorating our heroes. Those works may be so familiar that you might barely notice them, although many of the monuments have lauded white supremacists.
Weathersby says, while some works have been removed in the recent past,
many still stand, quietly, unobtrusively.
In his hometown of New Orleans, for instance, there was great controversy over the removal of statues honoring Civil War figures. The Ninth Ward street that Weathersby lived on as a child honored a slaveholder. Schools he attended nearby were named after men who established racist laws and ways of life.
He didn’t know to question those things when he was a child or even as a young man. When he enrolled at Morehouse College, an HBCU, though, he “began… unlearning...white supremacist culture.” Stories from his great-grandmother helped him see white supremacy clearer.
He found it in South Dakota, at Mt. Rushmore and at Wounded Knee, and he saw its effects at an Indigenous Writers Festival where he learned of the Dakota 38.
He sees it in art everywhere. He saw it once, when he was jailed overnight for a bike ticket he’d already dealt with. White supremacy is there when he thinks about the innocent people killed
by police, and he thinks about how close he came to being a policeman himself.
“Look,” he says, “white supremacy everywhere.”
And, he says, if we have the courage to actually see it, to look hard and clear at it, “there exists a chance to heal and become empowered.”
You know how you can stare and stare at something, only to suddenly realize that there’s something about it that’s surprising, even shocking, right in front of you? That’s the sense you’ll get as you read “In Open Contempt.” It’s that smack-your-forehead duh feeling you get when your eyes are opened wide.
And yet, like many of the things he discovered and points out, Weathersby keeps a quiet presence in his book. His words are soft, but urgent. Gentle, but insistent. Firm, but prodding and leading. It’s like having a presence sitting on your shoulder, whispering in your ear and urging you to see, to notice, demanding that you tell others, too.
Readers who drive or walk past a
“In Open Contempt: Confronting White Supremacy in Art and Public Space” by Irvin Weathersby Jr. c.2025, Viking $30.00 256 pages
monument to a historical figure every day will surely be spurred to regard it with fresh new eyes, after reading this book. You may never view artwork quite the same, either, because what you’ll learn inside “In Open Contempt” is monumental.
■■ COMMUNITY
Ousted MSCS superintendent files lawsuit
By James Coleman Special to The Tri-State Defender
Ousted Memphis-Shelby County Schools Superintendent Marie Feagins filed a lawsuit at the Shelby County Circuit Court Monday, Feb. 3, alleging the Memphis-Shelby County Schools Board of Education violated an open meetings law in the run-up to her dismissal.
The suit accuses various board members of months of behind-thescenes scheming to end her tenure. All nine members of the elected body are included in the lawsuit.
On Jan. 21, MSCS board members voted 6-3 to remove Feagins after fewer than 10 months on the job. A special-called meeting to begin the process was held Dec. 17.
She was dismissed without pay due to cause.
Directly after the vote, Feagins stated she would pursue a lawsuit against the board.
She is represented by employment and entertainment attorney William Wooten. The lawsuit is requesting the court nullify the board’s vote, citing the Tennessee Open Meetings Act, which states public business must be conducted transparently.
Feagins was previously represented by employment attorney Alan Crone. She found new representation after her dismissal.
According to the suit, members actually began their push to fire Feagins in August. At the time, old members’ terms were set to expire as a new board was scheduled to be sworn in.
Feagins claims former MSCS Board Chair Althea Greene held a late summer meeting with current Chair Joyce Dorse Coleman and Vice Chair Stephanie Love at a restaurant to discuss a potential dismissal.
Moreover, the civil action claims Dorse Coleman had already whipped
up enough votes “to get rid of” the former administrator. A draft resolution detailing grounds for removal was allegedly circulated a few months later.
The lawsuit also asserts that some board members discussed the plan at a birthday party for the former Interim Superintendent Joris Ray, prior to public notice about the special-called meeting.
Ray served in the position for two years before Feagins was hired. Her first day on the job was April 1, 2024. She had previously served the Detroit Public Schools Community District as Chief of Leadership and High Schools. Her tenure there was also shrouded in controversy.
A third-party investigation into the termination resolution conducted by attorney Robert Spence found that
Feagins violated board policies and the terms of her contract.
Among the violations the board found was Feagins’ decision to present a MSCS budget to the Memphis City Council and the Shelby County Commission “in violation of board policy and state law.”
There were also allegations from MSCS staff members that Feagins created a “hostile workplace.”
Former MSCS Superintendent Dr. Marie N. Feagins addresses media after the school board votes 6-3 to terminate her contract. (Lee Eric Smith/Tri-State Defender)
■■ COMMUNITY
‘YES’ MAN: Mayor Young declares ‘Era of Yes’ in optimistic State of the City Address
By Lee Eric Smith Interim Editor
Memphis Mayor Paul Young is a “YES” man. He basically said so himself.
For his 2025 State of the City Address, not only did he have the words “YES” lit up in front and behind him, he was bold enough to get up on the altar at Temple of Deliverance COGIC in front of God and everybody and say so over and over again.
“Yes to safer neighborhoods, yes to stronger communities, yes to economic growth, yes to investing in our youth, yes to more jobs, yes to more regional economic development, yes to more industry growth,” Young, a self-described “preacher’s kid” preached to a packed sanctuary. And he wasn’t done.
“Yes to every small business owner and small business that opens on Jackson Avenue, Park Avenue, on Elvis Presley Boulevard,” he continued, shouting out companies like Aon, St. Jude xAI and Blue Oval City. “And we’re saying yes to fostering small business growth in more ways this year.”
Such was the blatantly optimistic, hopeful and inspiring picture that Young painted as he enters his second year in office. He highlighted the city’s progress, acknowledged its shortcomings, and challenged its people to show up and show out for the M.
Opening on a solemn note, Young reflected on a recent tragic shooting in South Memphis, where five individuals were shot, two fatally. He used the moment to call for collective action against
investment. He pointed to major projects, including the revitalization of 100 North Main and the Sterick Building, the St. Jude expansion and Memphis’ growing role in the tech sector, as evidenced by landing the world’s largest supercomputer, XAI.
gun violence.
“We have to put the guns down,” he urged. “We must find new ways to resolve conflict.”
Crime reduction remained a major focus, with Young touting initiatives such as expanded SkyCop camera installations, increased police resources, and a $1 million grant program dedicated to supporting local nonprofits tackling the root causes of violence. He also introduced Judge Bernice Donald as an independent monitor overseeing Memphis Police Department reforms.
Beyond public safety, Young laid out a sweeping economic vision for Memphis, highlighting efforts to attract businesses, improve infrastructure and streamline city policies to encourage
Cultural growth also played a role in Young’s address. He announced plans for a new outdoor music venue at Grind City Brewery and celebrated Memphis’ selection as the host city for FUBU’s inaugural hip-hop awards. “Memphis is not just another city,” he said. “We are a city with soul, and the world is taking notice.”
Young placed significant emphasis on youth engagement, citing expansions in summer job programs and the success of city-led community cleanup initiatives like “On Your Block.” He urged Memphians to mentor young people and actively take part in their development, declaring, “Our youth need to see us. They need our support.”
Looking forward, Young vowed that
his administration would continue to embrace progress and push for Memphis’ rise. “For too long, we’ve talked about potential,” he said. “Now, it’s time to act like we’ve arrived.”
Memphis Mayor Paul Young had a certain word on his mind during his 2025 State of the City Address. Hint: It’s lit up in front of him. (Photos: Lee Eric Smith/Tri-State Defender)
City Council Vice Chair Jana Swearengen-Washington led the crowd in waving “growl towels” with “Our Era of YES” emblazoned on them.
The Whitehaven High School Band helped set the mood before the Mayor’s Address started.
Lacking financials, Council delays vote on MATA funding
By James Coleman Special to The Tri-State Defender
Memphis City Council members postponed a vote on a resolution to temporarily fund MATA operations, after the debt-ridden transit authority’s leadership failed to provide financial data during a Transportation Committee update Tuesday, Feb. 4.
The agency’s $30 million FY2025 budget is set to run dry at the end of the month. The current fiscal year does not end until June 30. The $5 million funding resolution was sent back to committee without a favorable recommendation.
A resolution was approved in the fall that requires MATA to provide the results of a financial audit to the City Council. Council members requested the investigation after the agency ran a $60 million deficit in FY2024. Instead, MATA officials provided a 100-day action plan to right operations.
“Our resolution says that MATA is to submit financials and budget information, not a PowerPoint with nice bullet points,” said council member Jerri Green.
The lack of insight prevents informed decision making. Without financials, council members are caught between a rock and a hard place. MATA brass and city officials are asking council members to “trust the process.” Meanwhile, the other option is to let the transit system go bust.
“I can’t see into the financials to know if we should fund that, or if we should just start over. I agree, public transportation needs to be funded,” said Green.
Members agreed to her request to separate MATA funding from a larger spending bill during a later Budget Committee meeting. They are expected to bring the stand-alone resolution up again during the next scheduled meeting Feb. 18.
Council members are trying to prevent emergency funding resolutions, which occurred on several occasions in
The Memphis City Council delayed a vote on a $10.5 million budget amendment, including $5 million for transit operations, due to concerns over spending accountability.
“I can’t see into the financials to know if we should fund that, or if we should just start over. I agree, public transportation needs to be funded.”
— Jerri Green
FY2024, as former Mayor Jim Strickland’s administration was set to expire.
“We have been trying to get this information since last year in budget,” said Green. “It feels very similar to when we were told, well we’re not going to be able to pay the firefighters if you don’t agree to this $10 million. We’re not going to be able to pay the police officers unless you agree to this $15 million.”
Current administration officials also said they haven’t seen the numbers. Neither have MATA board members or MATA’s interim leadership team, for
“We’ll show you the books when we get the books, and we get that opportunity to look at it and understand it. I cannot tell you if we will come back every month, or, if we come back, how much we’ll ask for.”
— Antonio Adams
that matter.
In a shake up, Memphis Mayor Paul Young appointed nine new members to the MATA Board of Commissioners in October 2024. He also hired consultants from Tampa-based TransPro Consulting as the agency’s leadership on an interim basis.
“We’ll show you the books when we get the books, and we get that opportunity to look at it and understand it,” said City of Memphis CFO Antonio
Adams. “I cannot tell you if we will come back every month, or, if we come back, how much we’ll ask for.”
An outdated MATA information technology system was blamed for the lack of data. A forensic analysis is currently trying to “reconstruct” the agency’s financial information. The lack of a chief financial officer was also blamed. The position has remained vacant for more than two years.
As the discussion was winding down, council member Edmund Ford Sr. cautioned members to keep MATA’s problems within the city government. He expressed concerns about seeking outside funding from a hostile Tennessee legislature, along with the federal government.
President Donald Trump’s administration is currently engaged in wholesale slashing of federal agency budgets. Thousands of government workers have also been laid off since Inauguration Day, Jan. 20.
“You all, please leave the federal government and the state alone. Don’t nobody like West Tennessee. Never have, never will,” said Ford. “These are not the times for messing up, especially with this new administration. We need as much money as we can get. So please, don’t you all go up there and start talking crazy to the governor’s office or federal government right now.”
During the Transportation Committee update, council members learned that MATA shortcomings also extend to its aging, broken down fleet. On an average day, 56 buses are needed to fulfill the agency’s fixed route schedule. During Tuesday’s discussion, only 46 buses were available. The 20% fleet deficit was a stroke of luck. Over the past few months, the average has been 30%.
“That schedule that we put out for our customers is a contract that we make with the public,” said interim MATA CEO John Lewis. “If our vehicles aren’t available for service, we are breaking that contract each and every day.”
By Terry Davis Special to The Tri-State Defender
Memphis has maintained a hold on one of the top three spots in the Western Conference this season. This season’s mid-season report card features vastly improved marks compared to this point during the Grizzlies’ injury-marred 2023-24 campaign. The biggest improved is the team’s record.
At 31-16, Memphis is firmly ensconced in third place in the Western Conference, one and half games behind the Houston Rockets. The Grizzlies have a 2.5 game lead over fourth place Denver. Oklahoma City remains atop the conference with a 37-8 record, with a commanding 5.5 game lead over the Rockets.
The Grizzlies are no longer a play-in team. This season, they are fighting for home court advantage with a bonus of playoff cash. Instead of G-League callups and 10-day contracts, injured players are returning to form in time for a playoff run. They have joined a team of veteran stars and emerging young players to form a deep squad that can weather injury bugs, seasonal illnesses or back-to-backs. Lets take a look…
The Big Three - B
Jaren Jackson has built upon last season’s career-year the seventh-year power forward had on the offense end of the floor. He is currently averaging 22.8 points 6.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists. He has also knocked down 35% of his shot from deep. All are an improvement over last season. A former Defensive Player of the Year, Jackson is flirting with return to the All-Star game.
Desmond Bane’s numbers have dipped. His current 17.7 points per game have dropped from 23.7 in 202324. Part of the drop has coincided with a decline in minutes. Bane is averaging 5 minutes less a game as Memphis’ depth has improved. Although his points and minutes have diminished
■■ SPORTS
Grizzlies mid-season grades show improvement
slightly, some of this other numbers have improved. He is currently averaging 5.4 rebounds, over last season’s 4.4 per game. Bane continues to be a strong playmaker. His 5.5 assists per game matches last year’s standard.
Ja Morant is averaging 20.3 points and 7.5 assists in 28 games this season, after playing in only nine games in 2023-24. After missing the first 25 games while serving a team suspension, Morant injured his right shoulder during a Jan. 8, 2024 practice. He missed the rest of the season. Morant is currently averaging 28.4 minutes per game. The explosive point guard has also become more of a below the rim player in an effort to prevent injuries.
The Rookies - A+
The silver lining of last season’s disappointment is this year’s rookie class. Lottery pick Zach Edey has provided an imposing 7’4” presence in the paint. He has also avoided pre-draft critics concerns about getting lost on screen and rolls. The ninth overall selection is currently averaging 9.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 20.8 minutes per game as a starter.
Jaylen Wells, meanwhile, has exceeded all pre-draft expectations. The 6’8” wing out of Washington St. is averaging 11.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists. The Grizzlies selected Wells in the second round with the 39th pick. A member of the starting five, Wells has played in 43 games.
New Offense - C+
The Grizzlies new offense, meanwhile, has earned the lowest grade. When flowing, the team can be unstoppable. The the team’s league-leading 123.3 points per game is the prime example. The number is up from 105.8
points per game the previous year. Memphis’ three-point shooting has also improved drastically. This season, the Grizzlies are canning 37.4% of their shots from beyond the arc, up from .346 the year before. Historically, the Grizzlies have been bottom feeder in both categories.
However, when the offense isn’t flowing things quickly go from bad to worse. Players look out of sync. Errant passes and other mental lapses occur. For example, during the Jan. 27 game against the Knicks the Grizzlies committed 26 turnovers. The Knicks won by 143-106 at Madison Square Garden. At their best, the Grizzlies are capable of the same. On Dec. 26, the Grizzlies topped the Raptors 155-126 at the FedEx Forum.
To trade or not to trade?
With playoffs an increasing likelihood and a deep roster, Grizzlies management are currently pondering whether package players and picks for a star player, or hold firm with the current group. One player the team has been linked to in trade rumors is dis-
gruntled Miami Heat guard Jimmy Butler, who was recently suspended from the team. He is averaging 17 points in 25 games played this season. He is also 35-years old. His current contract includes a $52 million option for next season. According to reports, Butler has said he has no interest in playing for Memphis.
Other players who could fill a role for Memphis are Raptors Center Jacob Poetle, who has 2 years left on a $39 million contract. Chicago Bulls Center Nikolai Vucevik is another possibility. He is currently averaging 20.1 points and 10.5 rebounds. Rumor has it the Bulls’ asking price for the 34-year-old has been high.
Players who could be used in trades for Memphis include backup point guard Marcus Smart, who is currently injured. The former Celtic has averaged 9.2 points and 3.8 rebounds this season in a small sample size. Luke Kennard has been another name kicked around. The team’s bench sharpshooter recently had two games with seven three-pointers made.
Terry Davis
Ja Morant looks for a lane to drive while being guarded by Utah’s Isaiah Collier during the Grizzlies’ 125-103 win on Saturday, Jan. 25. (Terry Davis/The Tri-State Defender)
■■ SPORTS
Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson earns All-Star nod
By Terry Davis
Special to The Tri-State Defender
Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. is one of a handful of elite NBA players that will test run a new format for the All-Star Game after his selection was announced by the league on Thursday, Jan. 30.
Jackson will be a reserve for the Western Conference team. It is his second selection. He was also named an All-Star reserve in 2023.
“It is everything. It is what you dream about. I want to be sitting there with someone I am playing with,” said Jackson.
The seven-year veteran currently leads the team with a 22.8 points per game, along with 6.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks. He is also knocking down 35.5% of his three-point shots, up from last season’s 32% rate.
“I’m thrilled. Teammates, staff, the entire organization, and I know the fan base is thrilled for Trip. What an unbelievable recognition,” said Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins.
The announcement didn’t come as a surprise to some.
“It was kinda expected. He has been busting his butt all year. He has put all of us on his back. We feed off his energy,” said teammate GG Jackson.
Unlike starters, who are chosen by fans, reserves are selected by their peers in the league and coaches.
Zach Edey of the Grizzlies scores with a strong finish in the paint.
(Photo: Warren Roseborough/Tri-State Defender)
Jackson isn’t the only player garnering mid-season recognition. Rookies Jalen Wells and Zach Edey were both selected to play in the NBA Rising Stars events.
Edey was chosen with the ninth pick in the first-round out of Purdue. At 7’4”, he is currently the tallest player in the league. The 22-year-old center
Jaren Jackson’s 22.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game has earned the 6’10” power forward All-Star Game consideration. (Terry Davis/The Tri-Stater Defender)
currently averages 9.5 points and 7.3 rebounds as a starter.
Wells, meanwhile, is also a favorite to win the Rookie of the Year award. The 6’8” guard is averaging 11.7 rebounds and shooting 38.8% from deep. The second-round pick out of Washington State is also a member of the Grizzlies starting five. He was taken with the 39th pick.
Finally, Memphis Hustle teammates Armando Bacot, Maozinha Pereira, Yuki Kawamura and D J Stevens have been named to the NBA G League Up Next Game team.
Kawamura, a fan favorite, is averaging 15.2 points per game and 9.2 assists. The diminutive point guard has a strong following from his home country of Japan. Bacot, a rookie out of North Carolina, averaging 13.9 points and 7.3 rebounds. Stevens is netting a solid 19.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, while Pereira is scoring 7.8 points and hauling in 6.7 rebounds per contest. He signed two 10-day contracts with the Grizzlies last season.
The G-League players will play for squads vying for inclusion into the NBA All-Star Game. This year, four teams will play in a three game mini-tournament on Sunday, Feb. 15.
NOTICE OF INTENT TO TAXING AUTHORITIES
You are hereby notified that the City Council of the City of Memphis and the Shelby County Board of Commissioners are each planning a public hearing to hear and take action on the adoption of a Community Redevelopment Plan and the creation of a Redevelopment Trust Fund for the Cleveland Street Corridor (Please see the included map). The Memphis City Council will likely hear the same on what was previously scheduled for February 18, 2025 now on March 11, 2025 and The Shelby County Board of Commissioners will likely take action on a certain ordinance on February 24, 2025. Subsequent or alternate meetings will be published in the Daily News and The Tri-State Defender newspapers.
A Finding of Conditions Necessary for Community Redevelopment in a Cleveland Street Corridor and Adoption of a Community Redevelopment Plan for the Cleveland Street Corridor by joint resolution of The Board of County Commissioners of Shelby County, Tennessee and Council of the City of Memphis are prerequisite to creating the Cleveland Street Redevelopment Trust Fund for the Area. The Cleveland Street Community Redevelopment Plan for the Area, specifies how community redevelopment activities can facilitate the rehabilitation, conservation, or redevelopment, or a combination thereof, of this area, including economic development funded by tax increment revenue calculated at a property tax baseline established by a certain date in order to implement tax increment financing; and fund the redevelopment trust fund to finance improvements in the Area.
For additional information contact Andrew Z. Murray, President, City of Memphis and Shelby County Community Redevelopment Agency, 850 N. Manassas St., Memphis, TN 38107; Mailing Address: P.O. Box 70386, Memphis, TN 38107, Telephone: (901) 304-7921.
PUBLIC NOTICES / CLASSIFIEDS
LEGAL NOTICE
Request for Proposals
MSCAA Project Number 24-1477-00
Parking Guidance System
Sealed proposals for Parking Guidance System will be received by the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority (Authority), Procurement Department, 4150 Louis Carruthers Drive, Memphis, TN 38118, until 2:00 PM Local Time on 3/4/2025. A listing of all proposers responding will be posted to the Authority’s website one (1) hour after the response deadline. Responses to Requests for Proposals will not be publicly opened and read. A complete Request for Proposals Packet with submittal instructions, additional data, and response format may be found on the Authority’s website (www.flymemphis. com) on or after January 29, 2025.
A pre-proposal conference will be held Tuesday, February 11, 2025, at 1:00 pm (local time) in the Authority’s Board Room on the Mezzanine Level, Terminal B of the Memphis International Airport, 2491 Winchester Road, Memphis, TN 38116 as well as virtual via video conference (Microsoft Teams Meeting Information: Meeting ID: 272 925 626 671; Passcode: T4QS3MV9). The link to the video conference can be found at www. flymemphis.com. It is MANDATORY to attend the pre-proposal conference either virtually or in-person for those wishing to submit a proposal.
Immediately following the pre-proposal conference the Authority will conduct a site visit. For those wishing to submita a proposal, a site visit is MANDATORY for those that did not attend the first pre-proposal conference/site visit held on October 9, 2024. All attendees should register for the site visit by sending an email to bidquestions@flymemphis.com
All Bidders are responsible for checking the Authority’s website up to the submission deadline for any updates, addenda, or additional information. In accordance with the Authority’s purchasing policies, the Authority will give preference to businesses located in Shelby County, Tennessee when awarding contracts and making purchases, unless prohibited by law. The successful Bidder must sign a contract with the Authority that includes Federal Aviation Administration provisions, if applicable, regarding the Buy American Preference, Foreign Trade Restriction, Davis-Bacon, Affirmative Action, Debarment and Suspension, Prohibition on Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment, Domestic Preferences for Procurements, and Drug-Free Workplace, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Each bid must be made by a contractor licensed in Tennessee and be accompanied by a $5,000 Proposal Bond. The successful bidder must execute a Performance Bond and a Payment Bond in the amount of 100% each of the Contract Price and meet the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation goal for this project, which is 6%
The Authority reserves the right to reject any or all responses to this Request for Bids in whole or in part; to waive any informalities, technicalities, or omissions related to this Request for Bids; and to reject responses on any other basis authorized by the Authority’s purchasing policies.
The Authority is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination based on the grounds of age, race, sex, color, national origin, disability, marital status, military service, or sexual orientation in its hiring and employment practices and in the admission to, access to, or operation of its programs, services, and activities.
By order of: Terry Blue, A.A.E. President and CEO Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority
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LEGAL NOTICE
Request for Bids
RFB Number 19-1423-37-01
CARGO 2 BUILDING ROOF REPLACEMENT
Sealed bids for Cargo 2 Building Roof Replacement will be received by the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority (Authority), Memphis International Airport – Receiving Dock, 4150 Louis Carruthers Drive, Memphis, TN 38118, until 2:00 PM local time, on March 5, 2025. Responses will be opened and publicly read thirty (30) minutes after the response deadline via Microsoft Teams:
Microsoft Teams Meeting
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Meeting ID: 219 056 308 893
Passcode: it3x92sz
Download Teams | Join on the web Or call in (audio only) +1 872-242-8851, United States, Chicago Phone Conference ID: 130 428 423#
Request for Bids Packet with submittal instructions, additional data, and response format may be found on the Authority’s website on or after January 21, 2025.
A pre-bid meeting will be held Thursday, February 6, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. in the Authority’s Board Room on the Mezzanine level, Terminal B of the Memphis International Airport, 2491 Winchester Road, Memphis, TN 38116. Attendees, please register at www.eventbrite.com.
All Bidders are responsible for checking the Authority’s website up to the submission deadline for any updates, addenda, or additional information. In accordance with the Authority’s purchasing policies, the Authority will give preference to businesses located in Shelby County, Tennessee when awarding contracts and making purchases, unless prohibited by law. The successful Bidder must sign a contract with the Authority that includes Federal Aviation Administration provisions, if applicable, regarding the Buy American Preference, Foreign Trade Restriction, Davis-Bacon, Affirmative Action, Debarment and Suspension, Prohibition on Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment, Domestic Preferences for Procurements, and Drug-Free Workplace, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The Authority reserves the right to reject any or all responses to this Request for Bids in whole or in part; to waive any informalities, technicalities, or omissions related to this Request for Bids; and to reject responses on any other basis authorized by the Authority’s purchasing policies.
The Authority is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination based on the grounds of age, race, sex, color, national or-
igin, disability, marital status, military service, or sexual orientation in its hiring and employment practices and in the admission to, access to, or operation of its programs, services, and activities.
By order of: Terry Blue, A.A.E. President and CEO
Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority
NOTICE TO
BIDDER(S)
Sealed bids will be received by the Shelby County Government in the Department of Housing online until 9:30 a.m. on Friday, February 21, 2025, as shown below:
MULTIPLE AND ENTIRELY DIFFERENT LEAD HAZARD REDUCTION AND REHABILITATION JOBS ARE CONTAINED IN THIS BID NOTICE. BIDDER(S) MAY ELECT TO BID ON ANY OR ALL OF THE JOBS IN THE NOTICE.
SEALED BID I000913 DUE ONLINE AT 9:30 a.m. Friday, February 21, 2025
1. Rehabilitation of Owner-Occupied Housing Units throughout Shelby County some of which may require the use of lead-safe work practices and techniques; and 2. Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Jobs.
Detailed specifications for the items above may be obtained through the Neighborly Portal beginning Friday, February 7, 2025 All bids will be opened and publicly read by the Shelby County Government at the time mentioned above at the Department of Housing, 6465 Mullins Station Road Memphis, TN 38134, (901) 222-7600; TTY Number (901) 222-2301; or for information in Spanish 901-222-7601. Award recommendations will be posted at the follow-
ing website https://www.develop901.com/ housing upon review of the bid opening results.
As a condition precedent to bidding, each bidder must apply and qualify for a Vendor Number and Equal Opportunity Compliance (EOC) Eligibility Number prior to submitting your response.
We have now transitioned to conducting bids online through Neighborly. If you have not already signed up, you can do so at https:// portal.neighborlysoftware.com/SHELBYCOUNTYTN/contractor. All documents submitted must be current and uploaded into your Neighborly account. Bids submitted without all required documentation will be unacceptable. Paisley Pogue (Paisley.Pogue@shelbycountytn. gov or 901-222-7611) will be assisting with any questions you may have regarding uploading the documents.
All new contractors will need to register with the Neighborly portal in order for their bids to be accepted on projects. Interested contractors not currently on the contractor list should contact the Department of Housing in order to schedule a meeting with the Housing Site Inspector.
Paper copies of bids are no longer available. The Department of Housing encourages participation from WBE, MBE, LOSB, and Section 3 Contractors under these rehabilitation programs.
The Shelby County Government reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive any informalities therein.
By order of LEE HARRIS, MAYOR SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT
