Tri-State Defender - March 14, 2024

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NEWS

State Comptroller completes audit of Shelby County Clerk Halbert’s books

By James Coleman Special to The Tri-State Defender

Tennessee State Comptroller Jason Mumpower e ectively rubber-stamped a new set of gures from a recent audit of the Shelby County Clerk’s O ce that re ects $8.7 million in revenue from a $25 wheel tax approved last year, on Tuesday, March 12.

With seven months on the books, the revised numbers from November to February show the tax is on pace to fall short of its $17 million projection.

Drawing between $1.1 million and $1.3 million a month on average with four months le in the scal year, the levy will likely fall around $3 million short.

e state’s chief accountant sent a “boots-on-the-ground” team of auditors to Memphis last week a er Shelby County Trustee Regina Newman pulled inaccurate revenue reports o ered by Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert. Some of the reports had been re-posted.

“I have no con dence in the Clerk’s Ofce to manage its a airs without outside intervention,” Mumford said at the time.

Newman released the updated totals Tuesday.

e corrected numbers come as Mayor Lee Harris prepares to submit his FY2025 budget in May. In addition to muddling current budget projections, the errant math further complicated Shelby County’s debt service obligations. e scal year begins July 1.

Passed in June, the wheel tax is paid by owners when they purchase a new vehicle, or when they renew their car tag. A er it’s paid to the clerk’s o ce, it goes into an administration account. It went into e ect in July.

at month, Halbert’s o ce collected $4,275 from the tax.

e $25 number was a comedown from a $50 levy Harris sought to fund the $700 million rebuild of the Regional One Health campus. Shelby County Commissioners rejected the stronger

option that was projected to bring in $34 million per year. e money will also nance the construction of high schools in Cordova and Frayser.

During a commission Budget & Finance Committee meeting last week, it was revealed the latter two are already over budget. Furthermore, cost estimates for the original plans have doubled.

e situation was described by Memphis-Shelby County Schools chief strategic planning and operation advisor as a “worst-case scenario.”

Halbert was slated to appear at the March 6 meeting - while the audit was progressing - but failed to appear. Instead, she requested a one-month extension.

While the audit has concluded, the

scrutiny into Halbert’s job performance continues. A special prosecutor appointed by Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Chris Cra is currently investigating if Halbert’s ouster is warranted. Hamilton County District Attorney General Coty Wamp was appointed to lead the inquiry a er Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy recused himself. Commission ire with Halbert dates back to the pandemic, a er a monthslong backlog of thousands of vehicle tags and other controversies occurred during her rst term. A er being reelected, she attracted Mumpower’s attention when she took an impromptu vacation to Jamaica while her o ce was digging out of its hole. e jaunt led to a temporary closure.

Students and families deserve better school choices than they have now. However, the means by which one makes “choice” available should be scrutinized carefully.

School voucher proposals deserve scrutiny and serious consideration

By Curtis Weathers TSD Education Columnist

Earlier this year, I listed ve issues related to public education we should watch closely as they unfold in 2024. One of those issues was school vouchers. As expected, this issue is heating up here in Tennessee, and the implications are enormous.

To get you caught up, multiple plans are now on the table.

Remember, school voucher programs, also known as Education Savings Accounts or Opportunity Scholarships, are designed to provide students with public funds to attend private schools. ese programs are o en controversial, with proponents arguing that they increase school choice and improve educational outcomes, while critics claim they divert resources from public schools and may not lead to better academic results.

at being said, one of the key arguments supporting vouchers is that they provide an opportunity for families whose children typically would be assigned to high-poverty, low-performing public schools in their neighborhood to send their children to private schools that would provide them with a better educational experience.

Opponents argue that vouchers drain taxpayer funds from already underfunded schools in urban communities in ways that further undercut the abilities of traditional public schools to provide their students with a high-quality education.

Don’t get me wrong, I agree with

the overall premise of school vouchers. Students and families deserve better school choices than they have now. However, the means by which one makes “choice” available should be scrutinized carefully.

Here in Tennessee, three proposals are on the table.

e Governor’s $141.5 million proposal would o er taxpayer-funded grants to 20,000 students to attend private schools of their choice without any annual TCAP testing or other state-monitored accountability measures for participating students.

e plan would o er $7,075 in public funds to 20,000 students to attend a private, independent school of their choice, or if they are not interested in a private school, they can use the money to pay for homeschooling. Half of the 20,000 vouchers will be set aside for low-income students and those with disabilities.

In 2025, all public school students will be eligible for this support, regardless of income.

e Senate’s plan focuses on both private and public school choices, allowing students to use vouchers to attend public schools outside their district. It sets aside half of the program’s initial 20,000 spots for students eligible for the state’s existing voucher programs and families who make up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level. It also re-

quires testing for voucher recipients in grades 3-11.

e House plan opens voucher eligibility to more a uent families faster. It does not earmark half the initial seats for lower-income families. It also creates a mechanism to increase the number of vouchers funded by the state eventually.

ere is erce opposition to all of these plans; it is important to note that the potential bene ts and drawbacks of voucher programs are still being debated. And the research, quite frankly, is divided.

Studies show that academic outcomes for voucher students are mixed when it comes to students’ test scores. So, just because your child attends a private school supported by vouchers doesn’t automatically mean their academic performance is going to improve dramatically.

People have the misconception that all private schools have high-quality teachers and students who perform at the highest levels. Not so! Not all private schools are quality schools.

In the ideal world, school vouchers make sense for a lot of families in communities with an excess of low-performing schools, i.e., Memphis.

At this point, however, far too many questions still need to be answered to make a fair evaluation. e Governor has a bill, the Senate has a bill, the House has a bill, and none of them address some of the questions that are fundamental to a quality voucher program. For example:

• How will the state monitor the

quality, equity, and access in schools that accept voucher students?

• How will the Department of Education and other policymakers assess the impact of vouchers on public school performance and funding?

• How will the state track and report the performance of students and schools that are accepting voucher applicants?

• Do these plans ensure that all parents have an equal opportunity to consider voucher options, apply, and enroll in these schools?

e most disappointing aspect of this entire process is that these questions (and many more), which are fair and reasonable, should have been both considered and answered months ago.

At this stage, it is di cult to assess what the public knows and understands about school vouchers in Tennessee. How will information about the state’s nal plan be disseminated? What are the enrollment and participation criteria? What transportation arrangements, if any, are being made?

While extensive research on school voucher programs exists, the results are mixed. Some studies suggest modest positive impacts on student achievement, while others show little e ect or even negative outcomes. e evidence regarding their overall e ectiveness is not yet conclusive.

e school voucher program in Tennessee will have casualties; urban school systems will indeed feel the pain that is sure to come. I truly just hope the bene ts ultimately outweigh the losses.

Curtis Weathers

REMEMBERING BRIAN CLAY (1969-2024): In his own words

By Brian Clay

Special To The Tri-State Defender

Editor’s Note: Shortly a er I accepted this responsibility as Interim Editor here at the TSD, I got a message from Brian Clay, inviting me to the latest — and sadly, now, the nal taping of his local community a airs talk show, “ e Brian Clay Chronicles” on Feb. 28. I had a conict, but would have loved to be there for his interviews with Mayor Paul Young and other luminaries. So it was shocking on Tuesday, when I learned he had died a er a long illness. Late last night, my predecessor, Karanja Ajanaku, emailed me this column Brian wrote in 2018 that he felt re ected who Brian Clay was, what was important to him, and why he was an inspiration to so many. A er reading it, I couldn’t agree more. — Lee Eric Smith

In 1992, I graduated from LeMoyne-Owen College, earning a Bachelor of Arts in political science, with a minor in English. I then went to work as a legislative assistant for then-Memphis City Councilman Shep Wilbun.

I felt on top of the world – a new degree, working for a progressive political gure, Dr. Willie W. Herenton had

just become the rst African American elected Memphis mayor (thanks to the Memphis People’s Convention) and the Blu City seemed to be on the upswing.

During all of that goodness, another cool thing was the country’s number one song – “ e Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat) – by the alternative hip-hop group, Digable Planets. It was the rst single from the mild-mannered, jazz-rap trio’s debut album, emerging in the early 90s while the Southern rap era was giving birth to Eight Ball & MJG.

e cool vibe of “ e Rebirth of Slick” resonated with me and many of my friends. It was the sound of freedom and an embrace of various cultures and lifestyles of a new generation, becoming the anthem for many – African Americans, white people and others –during the evolution of Generation X.

It was an era when things hoped for seemed possible. For me, the cool and melodic groove symbolized the generation that would put the philosophy

of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the other civil rights warriors into practice. Late President John F. Kennedy’s desire to see one nation would happen during this era. e United States would be, as the late President Ronald Reagan declared, that “Shining city on the hill.”

Fast Forward to 2008 when many of my college classmates were getting married, nishing graduate school and becoming viable parts of the community. Barack Obama, a junior U.S. senator from Chicago is the rst African American elected president, signaling to many a major step toward long-delayed equality in this country.

It wasn’t long, however, before Obama was engulfed in a backlash that shook many African Americans to the realization that we were fooling ourselves in thinking that racial equality had either arrived or was just around the corner.

President Obama and his ultra-classy wife, Michelle, both Ivy-league educated, withstood vile indignities. Meanwhile, successes racked up – the A ordable Health Care Act, the end of Osama Bin Laden and progressive domestic policies.

However, our progressive thinkers un-

derestimated the contempt that closeted racists had for the progression made under Obama. e thought of Donald J. Trump defeating Hillary Clinton, well, never felt real. Surely his list of racebased moves would derail his bid.

Nope. And his continuation of such tactics as President 45 is numbing. Republicans have empowered this racist, narcissistic President to spew lies and open the gateway for hate to become in vogue – again.

Or, maybe it never went away. Fi y years a er Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination in Memphis, America has the whitest White House and the most racially exclusive cadre of presidential appointees since the presidency of Herbert Hoover.

Do I think most white people hate people of color? Heavens no!!! However, racism can be practiced without hate.

White people – those who perpetrate racism directly and those who stand idly by – have the ability to overlook racism for a variety of reasons.

(Brian Clay was founder/executive director of Greater Memphis Media, Inc. and host of e Brian Clay Chronicles Lecture Series.)

Brian Clay

■■ COMMUNITY

With Microphone: “We were proud to honor the lives of Thomas Moss, Calvin McDowell, and William Stewart, along with all those buried in this sacred ground. Their stories must continue to be told, and the cemetery itself must be restored as a testament to their resilience.” — Elaine Turner, Chairperson of the Zion Community Project (Photo: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises/TriState Defender)

The Zion Community Project is committed to keeping the cemetery in good shape, and its history alive.

Out front: In addition to cemetery cleanup, there was a ceremony commemorating the lives of Moss, McDowell and Stewart, the three men lynched during the People’s Grocery incident.

Zion Community Project Honors Lynching Victims, Continues Calls for Cemetery Restoration

Ceremony honors victims of 1892 Peoples Grocery Lynching that inspired Ida B. Wells

TSD Newsroom

is past Saturday, March 9th, the Zion Community Project Inc. held a poignant commemoration ceremony in honor of omas Moss, Calvin McDowell, and William Stewart, victims of the 1892 People’s Grocery Lynching.

e event, marking the 132nd anniversary of the lynching, included a volunteer clean-up of the historic Zion Christian Cemetery, followed by a ceremony honoring the victims and highlighting the ongoing e orts to restore this landmark of African American history.

“ is year’s commemoration took on special signi cance as it fell on the

anniversary date of the horri c lynching,” said Elaine Turner, Chairperson of the Zion Community Project. “We were proud to honor the lives of omas Moss, Calvin McDowell, and William Stewart, along with all those buried in this sacred ground. eir stories must continue to be told, and the cemetery itself must be restored as a testament to their resilience.”

e Zion Christian Cemetery, established in 1876, is the oldest African American cemetery in Memphis. It holds the remains of countless individuals who made signi cant contributions to the city and beyond. However, the cemetery has faced challenges over the years, and restoration e orts are crucial to preserving this important

historical site.

e volunteer clean-up on Saturday saw community members come together to clear debris, trim vegetation, and honor the memory of those buried in the cemetery. e subsequent ceremony featured speeches, tributes, and a renewed call for support in the ongoing restoration project.

Call for Support and Restoration

e Zion Community Project continues to advocate for the full restoration of the Zion Christian Cemetery. ose interested in supporting the cause can nd details about volunteering or donating on the Zion Community Project Inc. Website.

To view the full document scan the QR Code or visit tri-statedefender.com. But here are some of the specific recommendations the Mayor’s Transition Team is looking to implement:

Recommendation #1:

City Hall on the Go: Bring city services and decision-makers directly to residents through a mobile vehicle and scheduled events in every Memphis neighborhood.

Recommendation #2:

Neighborhood Engagement: Utilize the Office of Community Affairs to maintain a calendar of engagement events, train staff on best practices in customer service and community interaction, leverage existing community organizations, and lead ongoing engagement through advisory boards.

Recommendation #3:

Public-Facing Scorecard: Promote the City’s existing performance dashboards publicly, create a new scorecard for Mayor Young’s top priorities/campaign promises, and use multiple user-friendly avenues to report performance (ex: infographics, social media, audio/ video stories, presentations at community events, press releases).

Recommendation #4:

Memphis Tech Renaissance: Leverage emerging technology tools (ex: AI) and Memphis’ tech talent pipeline to improve the user experience with the City’s website/online platforms and strengthen Memphis’ brand, workforce and economic development outcomes as an innovative tech hub.

Recommendation #5:

Implement Efficient Foreign Language Support Systems: The Mayor’s Transition Team recommends that the city include language support systems such as professionally certified translators and translation for all public-facing materials for the top three growing foreign languages across the city: Spanish, Arabic, and Vietnamese; as well as provide ASL services where needed.

Mayor Young unveils community-centered recommendations for Memphis

TSD Newsroom

Last week, Memphis Mayor Paul Young unveiled a series of recommendations aimed at bolstering Memphis’s future, the result of an extensive e ort by a volunteer transition team. e team’s suggestions, focused on growth strategies, are intended to be “a framework of evidence-based and community-focused guideposts.”

“Our community’s needs are the north star for our administration,” Young said in his weekly e-Newsletter. “ ese teams worked diligently to create something more than a report to be read once and led away. ey helped to create a framework… for our administration to use as we react and respond to our community.”

e transition team, comprised of 129 volunteers, worked on initiatives related to governance, economic development, youth support, neighborhood improvements, transportation, arts and culture, and public safety. eir work included focus groups, outreach to peer cities, and surveying area residents.

“ e overall vibe from these teams was hopeful,” Young said. “ ey spoke about a city whose chief export was culture, they spoke about a city with the talent to do more, and their insights and suggested strategies for Memphis were strong.”

e transition team presented a total of 36 recommendations, backed by over 100 supporting documents. Some recommendations have already taken e ect, including open community forums. Others, like using arti cial intelligence and drones for public safety e orts, represent forward-thinking solutions. Many emphasized capacity-building and community wealth enhancement.

A key theme in the recommendations was putting Memphis residents rst and breaking down operational silos within city government.

“While these are not an exhaustive list of everything we will prioritize as an administration, we are super proud of (the transition team’s) results and can’t wait to get to work bringing many of these recommendations to life,” Young said.

Young said the recommendations “are not an exhaustive list” of his administration’s priorities. “We are super proud of (the transition team’s) results and can’t wait to get to work bringing many of these recommendations to life,”

said.

Young

(Photo: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises/Tri-State Defender)

PUBLIC NOTICES / CLASSIFIEDS

ELECTRICAL APPRENTICE OPPORTUNITIES

The Memphis Electrical JATC is accepting applications for their electrical apprenticeship program on Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at, 6211 Shelby Oaks Drive, Call 901.386.2301 or 1.877.263.5282 outside Shelby County for more information. EOO

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY BY SHELBY

COUNTY

GOVERNMENT

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §675-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property:

Greer Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church Of Douglass, Inc.

Tax Parcel #: 04304000000050

Tax Sale #: 1603

Price Offered: $700

Terms: Cash

Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 11:30 a.m. on 4/16/2024, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 1075 MULLINS STATION, BLDG. E-1 MEMPHIS, TN 38134 (901) 222-1150

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §675-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property:

David Kinkade

Tax Parcel #: 02904100000270

Tax Sale #: 1802

Price Offered: $4,000

Terms: Cash

Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 9 a.m. on 4/17/2024, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 1075 MULLINS STATION, BLDG. E-1

MEMPHIS, TN 38134 (901) 222-1150

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY

TSD CLASSIFIEDS

1509 Madison Ave. Memphis, TN 38104

PH (901) 523-1818

HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

DEADLINES:

Display ads Friday 5 p.m. Classifieds ads Monday 5 p.m.

STANDARD RATES: $6.00 per line for 1 column ad.

Rates are non-commissionable and are quoted at the net rate. No refund for early cancellation. For additional information contact Sales Dept. at (901) 746-5201 or email: advertising@tsdmemphis.com.

GOVERNMENT

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §675-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property:

David Kinkade

Tax Parcel #: 04706300000040

Tax Sale #: 1902

Price Offered: $3,000

Terms: Cash

Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 9:30 a.m. on 4/17/2024, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank

1075 MULLINS STATION, BLDG. E-1 MEMPHIS, TN 38134 (901) 222-1150

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §675-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property:

David Kinkade

Tax Parcel #: 06102000000260

Tax Sale #: 1801

Price Offered: $3,000

Terms: Cash

Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 10 a.m. on 4/17/2024, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective

Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 1075 MULLINS STATION, BLDG. E-1 MEMPHIS, TN 38134 (901) 222-1150

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §675-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property:

Federico Hernandez & Fatima Cruz

Tax Parcel #: 0710140000061C

Tax Sale #: 1804

Price Offered: $4,200

Terms: Cash

Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 10:30 a.m. on 4/17/2024, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 1075 MULLINS STATION, BLDG. E-1

MEMPHIS, TN 38134 (901) 222-1150

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §675-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property:

Joseph Young

Tax Parcel #: 02500800000030

Tax Sale #: 1904

Price Offered: $3,500

Terms: Cash

Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 11 a.m. on 4/17/2024, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 1075 MULLINS STATION, BLDG. E-1

MEMPHIS, TN 38134 (901) 222-1150

Bartlett wins nailbiter over hot-shooting Brentwood in TSSAA First Round Matchup

TSD Newsroom

e Bartlett Panthers gritted out a tough 51-45 win over a sharp-shooting Brentwood squad in a tightly contested rst-round matchup of the TSSAA Boys Basketball Championship. Bartlett overcame Brentwood’s ery three-point barrage with rebound dominance and clutch free-throw shooting to secure the hard-fought victory.

Brentwood, ignited by Daniel Cochran’s 21 points

2024

including three 3-pointers, refused to back down. But Bartlett consistently responded, with Christian Alston leading the charge with 13 points. e Panthers dominated the boards, outrebounding Brentwood 26-13, a key di erence in the low-scoring a air.

Bartlett’s defense clamped down in the second half, limiting Brentwood’s outside shooting while capitalizing on second-chance opportunities. R’Chaun King was a force for the Panthers, scoring 10 points, with 8 of those coming at the free-throw line.

e victory propels Bartlett (32-4) into the next round of the state tournament, where the Panthers will continue their quest for a championship title.

Key Stats

• Rebound Advantage: Bartlett’s decisive 26-13 rebounding margin proved crucial.

• Free rows: e Panthers shot an impressive 78.6% from the charity stripe, converting 22 of 28 attempts.

2024 Class 2A State Boys' Basketball Tournament

March 13 - March 16, 2024 · MTSU - Murphy Center

2024

2024 Class 4A State Boys' Basketball Tournament

TSD Newsroom

Memphis 901 FC ignited their 2024 campaign with a pulse-pounding 2-1 victory over Las Vegas Lights FC before a raucous crowd at AutoZone Park.

e Beale Street Boys fought back from an early de cit, showcasing impressive resilience and securing a historic rst home opener victory.

Las Vegas struck rst, but 901 FC responded swi ly. In the 33rd minute, relentless pressure led to a defensive error by the Las Vegas goalkeeper, allowing Samuel Careaga to tap in the equalizer and jump-start the Memphis o ense.

“You don’t want to show that you’ve been beaten,” said forward Nighte Pickering, of his team’s quick response. “If they score on you and you don’t respond quick, they gain con dence from it. For us to respond quick and not only tie the game but put two past them, that was great.”

“(Our) team looked like it had some real ght in it,” said 901 FC Head Coach Stephen Glass. “ ey looked like they weren’t going to accept falling behind. We pushed and looked like we could’ve scored three or four in the rst half alone. You take your knocks but it always felt like the boys had it in them today.”

Just before hal ime, 19-year-old phenom Nighte Pickering etched his name into the score sheet, launching a stunning 25-yard, le -footed strike that found the back of the net for the go-ahead goal.

“I think (the pass) came from Bruno (Lapa) on the right. It came to me and I took a touch and realized there wasn’t much pressure on me so I just decided to hit,” Pickering said. “It happened to go over the keeper right under the bar and it was a good goal. You do feel it when it comes o your foot.”

Memphis dominated throughout the

■■ SPORTS

901 FC Players celebrate Nighte Pickering’s go ahead goal over the Las Vegas Lights FC. (Photos: William Weeks/Tri-State Defender)

match, tallying 16 shots and maintaining relentless defensive pressure.

“ e rst game is never easy,” Glass said. “I don’t think the club has won one at home so it’s nice to get that monkey o our back and push on.”

New mid elder Zac Duncan proved a key addition, logging an impressive seven interceptions, and goalkeeper Tyler Deric shined with three highlight-reel saves against Las Vegas’ potent attack.

Glass praised the energy they got from the home crowd.

“I thought it was incredible. ere was a hell of a lot of noise, especially in the rst half,” he said. “ e drums

were going forever. ey responded to the ght in the team. e backing is always there. It felt good to come back and play in front of our home crowd. Hopefully, if we can keep winning, we can attract more people with the people that came and enjoyed it today. I certainly think the boys entertained them today.”

Looking Ahead

901 FC continues their homestand on Saturday, March 16th against Indy Eleven at 3 p.m. CT. With the energy and momentum from their season opener win, the Beale Street Boys are poised for another thrilling performance.

PUZZLES