26 minute read
ONSEE SPORTS
Noting kinks and student no-shows, SCS rates virtual opening as ‘encouraging’
by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
With some 3,000 Shelby County Schools students unaccounted for during the first two weeks of the school year, school officials are making an all-out push to find them.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, SCS started the school year holding virtual classes on Aug. 31.
More than 3,000 students from last year’s 95,000 are still unaccounted for, said Jerica Phillips, SCS media relations officer.
For the most part, though, Phillips said the virtual launch, based on the data, was encouraging.
“Our numbers are based on rollover attendance from last year,” Phillips explained during a virtual news conference Tuesday (Sept. 15). “Data for the first week of school shows 92 percent have logged on to the district’s instructional platform, Microsoft Teams.”
That translates to more than 3,000
SPORTS
CONTINUED FROM FRONT test.
“I have been playing football since the age of 7,” said Jordan. “We found out yesterday that all sports were cancelled. It was important to be here to just let the superintendent know that football is more than just a game for us. It is a part of our lives. This decision was shocking and devastating.”
Jordan’s father, Derrick Jordan, said it was important to come out and support his son as well as the other teams.
“Football is a great outlet for these kids,” said the elder Jordan. “These kids need football and other sports in their lives. The superintendent gave parents no platform to speak or have any kind of input in this decision.”
Almo, and Marcus Taylor II took to Twitter Tuesday afternoon about protesting in front of the SCS administration building, and the event sprang out of posts from players voicing their frustration and disappointment.
“Collierville and Houston High get to play,” said the elder Jordan. “Our kids are at home watching them play, and it’s just not fair to them. Why didn’t Dr. Ray get with the districts out in the suburbs? They are doing something that works because they are playing sports this school year.”
Farren Alexander, mother of Aaren Alexander, said she was afraid for how “the players’ hearts and minds feel. I told my son to pray,” Alexander said. “There will be no sports, no cheerleading, or anything connected to school sports. It’s just very sad.”
Marcus Taylor, father of Taylor II, a co-organizer of the protest, told the protesting players that it would be a peaceful protest.
“We will not let anyone control this narrative,” said the elder Taylor. “They ain’t going to cuss and clown, because we are going to do everything decent and in order. Repeat after me – ‘decent and in order.’” students being marked as “no shows.”
SCS staff is tracking students down, Phillips said. Some may have moved or transferred to another district. She said the district’s delayed opening of schools to Aug. 31 was a major factor in the overall success of the first two weeks.
Some 90,000 students, 97 percent, have picked up their district-issued device. The remaining three percent, or more than 5,000, have not.
Of the students, who have not picked up their device, more than 2,000 are still logging onto the learning platforms using other devices.
There are troubling issues, highlighted among students and teachers, associated with virtual learning.
Problems include how to better instruct students with special needs that regard personal interaction with a teacher, setting up work stations conducive to learning when there are multiple school-age children in a home and school-age children observed playing outside during instruction periods.
Phillips said the district is working to determine whether students will be returning or if they have been hindered in picking up their devices. The following allowances have been put in place: * If Internet access is determined to be an issue, parents are being approved to receive a hot spot. * The District will hand off the distribution of devices to the individual schools over the next few weeks. * If families do not have transportation to a distribution site, the Division of Alternative Education and Family and Community Engagement (FACE) are providing MATA bus
Other support initiatives also have begun. School Board member Joyce Dorse-Coleman is leading a fund-raising effort to pay utilities for families with school-age children who face electricity cut-offs.
Also, Shelby County Commissioners Monday (Sept. 14) approved a $750,000 outlay for headsets. Headsets are essential, especially when multiple children are in virtual learning simultaneously, said SCS principals.
Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr. urged fellow commissioners to “pay attention to the numbers” being given to Shelby County Schools.”
“I always want our students to have what they need,” said Ford. “But I encourage county commissioners to pay attention to the numbers being given to us. They are not the same numbers being given to the (Memphis) City Council. …We have approved $48 million, and the city council just approved $5 million. That’s $53 million altogether.”
Ford said that everyone must take an interest in SCS money being spent “the right way.”
“That $5 million is CARES Act money from the federal government,” said Ford. “If it is not spent responsibly and there are some mistakes, guess who’s going to be asked to pay that money back – the taxpayers.
“I spent 14 years in the school system. I loved being with our children in the classroom. They should have all they need. I just want our fiscal responsibility to be right.”
Parents, who have not been contacted by the district or have questions are asked to call 901-416-5300.
Additional information about picking up devices also is available at that number during regular business hours.
cards and gas cards.
The crowd of players gathered around Taylor responded in unison, “Decent and in order.”
Taylor is a cultural coach and mentor for boys and girls all across the district.
“We have already lost one player, and we can’t afford to lose another,” Taylor said.
There will be fall football for SCS student-athletes and the disappointment was self evident among this group of protesters. (Photos: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises)
“These coaches offer a sense of stability. They offer a sense of strength for these kids,” said the elder Jordan. “Playing sports builds their character, and for many, this is their one shot to make it out of poverty. Now that’s been taken away.” SCS School Board Chair Miska Clay Bibbs addressed the situation in Tuesday’s (Sept. 15) news release: “With so much at stake, major decisions like this are not easy but are made in the best interests of our students, families, and staff. “Their safety is our top priority and I commend Superintendent Ray for weathering the storm in order to protect our student-athMarcus Taylor II took to Twitter Tuesday afletes, coaches and the communiBilly Walker with the SCS student affairs office said safety was paramount in the decision to cancel fall sports. ternoon about protesting in front of the SCS administration building and found there was ample support. ty.” Almo said school leaders failed them by not including them in the
“Demetrius Robinson at Whiteer this month. said. “Ridgeway is right down the decision-making. haven was only 90 minutes from Almo said football for many street from MUS. MUS can play, “Not one time did he ask a foota scholarship offer – 90 minutes seniors was their last chance at but Ridgeway cannot. Come on, ball player or a cheerleader or any from a scholarship offer. We just getting to college. now.” student who plays sports what can’t afford to lose any more of “We want to know how much Jordan is raising his son, but they thought,” Almo said. “These our babies.” of a thought process went into many of the kids who play sports privileged schools get to play
Robinson, a Whitehaven footmaking a decision about black do not have a father figure in the sports, and we do not. Nothing is ball player, was fatally shot earlikids playing football,” Almo home, he said. fair about that.”
Uncut, unfi ltered shows to get weeklong focus on KUDZUKIAN network
TSD Newsroom
The KUDZUKIAN network will host a week of live podcasts covering a range of interests beginning Sept. 21 through Sept. 26 and airing nightly at 7 p.m.
Politics, business, Black women and blerds (Black nerds) are among the topics. Each night a diff erent one-hour show will air. You can access the show @Kudzukian via Facebook, Instagram and YouTube as well as through the social media channels for each podcasts.
Scheduled guests and topics include: * Dr. Stacy Spencer on the “Sell or Fail” podcast to discuss “Selling Jesus”; * Whitney Hardy, creative entrepreneurship; * Lodric D. Collins from “The Oval”; * Hometown favorite Bertram Williams from“P Valley” and * Shelby County Commissioner Tami Sawyer, the conspicuous absence of other voices in the Black struggle.
KUDZUKIAN launched its show in 2014 and now has 25 shows under the company umbrella, as well as multiple virtual-event production credits. The Memphis-based network is billed as providing “smart, funny, engaging content that has distinctly Southern ‘fl ava’ that” is universally appealing.”
“It’s hard to believe how much growth we’ve experienced,” said CEO Larry Robinson. “We’re the little network that could! Our team is so grateful to be able to amplify our distinctly Southern voices.
“The roll out of KUDZUKIAN Week is especially exciting,” said Robinson. “These are voices that are fresh perspectives. They’re uncut, unfi ltered and most importantly unmarginalized. Tune in!”
Schedule:
* Monday, Sept. 21 – “Funky Politics” with host D.C. * Tuesday, Sept. 22 – “The Grindset” with hosts Cynthia Daniels and Williams Brack. * Wednesday, Sept. 23 – “R&R on Sports” with hosts Larry Robinson and Howard Robertson. * Thursday, Sept. 24 – “Sell or Fail” with Williams Brack and Sam Nelson. * Friday, Sept. 25 – “3BC/3 Black Chicks”. Followed by a virtual DJ set featuring Crystal Mercedes, aka the Runway DJ.
Saturday, Sept. 25 (Note: 12 noon) “Black Nerd Power: Power to the blerds!” with Markus Seaberry, Richard Douglas Jones and Kimber Stewart.
The Blues Foundation turns to Patricia Wilson Aden
TSD Newsroom
Patricia Wilson Aden, whose background includes having guided the African American Museum in Philadelphia as president/CEO, is headed to Memphis as president/CEO of The Blues Foundation.
“I am genuinely excited to join The Blues Foundation and the Blues community in celebrating the Blues and the artists who have made it America’s original musical genre,” said Aden, who will join the Foundation’s staff on Oct. 1.
Aden brings with her more than three decades of non-profi t management experience, with a specialization in the preservation and celebration of African American cultural resources. She also has served as executive director of the Rhythm & Blues Foundation in Philadelphia.
Aden succeeds Barbara Newman, who will begin her retirement Sept. 30th.
“On behalf of the global Blues community we wish Barbara Newman the very best for a wonderful retirement and with the greatest appreciation for her tireless dedication to The Blues Foundation as its President & CEO,” said Michael Freeman, chairman of The Blues Foundation’s Board of Directors.
“Thanks to her vision and leadership we are well positioned to welcome Patty Aden as our new President & CEO to continue the forward movement of the organization. We are thrilled to have found such an experienced and well-respected leader and look forward to welcoming her on October 1st.”
Newman is credited with embracing technology to off er greater access to and programming of major Blues Foundation events, including The International Blues Challenge and Blues Music Awards.
The Blues Foundation’s mission is to preserve,
Patricia Wilson Aden has more than three decades of non-profi t management experience, with a specialization in the preservation and celebration of African American cultural resources. (Courtesy photo)
celebrate and expand awareness of the Blues genre. Newman is said to have led the charge to develop a relief fund to provide fi nancial support for basic living necessities to Blues musicians whose income streams evaporated in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the Blues Foundation, the fund has raised over $250,000 and assisted close to 250 musicians since the fi rst of April.
by Louis Goggans
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. is among a diverse group of officials in full support of Gov. Bill Lee’s move setting up a task force to address the need for a plan to enhance law enforcement policies and improve the overall decision-making of officers.
Recently, the first African-American to serve as the county’s sheriff spoke with The New Tri-State Defender about the broken bridge between law enforcement and the community and how the governor’s new police reform plan will help rebuild it.
Bonner also addressed the impact of COVID-19 on the county’s jails and revealed plans for a new civilian hiring committee.
TSD: There have been multiple police-involved deaths and incidents of excessive force. To a certain extent, these occurrences have divided law enforcement and the communities they serve. Additionally, we’re all dealing with the societal effects of COVID-19. Considering these issues, how challenging has it been for you and your deputies? don’t have any inmates in the hospital. Also, today our population at 201 Poplar is 1,989; out at Jail East we have 204, and down at Juvenile Court we have 30. All of those numbers are substantially down from when I became Sheriff in 2018. We work with our law enforcement partners and do all we can to reduce our inmate population as safely as possible.
Sheriff Bonner: It’s been very challenging, and it breaks my heart to see people want to categorize us all because of a few bad actors in this profession. At the Sheriff’s Office, we’re a CALEA-certified organization. That’s not a rubber stamp; it means something. We go above and beyond what is expected of us from the state. For instance, to be a highway patrolman, you only have to do 488 hours in school, but we do 1,016 hours with our officers. The state only requires 40 hours for you to be a correctional officer, but we do 400 with our officers. We have a very high standard. Not to say we always get it right, but it’s not from the lack of trying. Last year, we had over 16,000 contacts, and we had only eight reports of excessive force. We take citizens’ complaints very seriously, and we try to make the best decision possible.
During these times of COVID-19, we’ve had as many as 239 inmates test positive for COVID – 231 have recovered. We have eight active cases right now, and we
TSD: You’re among the officials in Tennessee who support Gov. Lee’s new police reform plan. What motivated you to get on board, and what do you hope is accomplished from this effort in the future?
Bonner: Well, I was invited by Gov. Lee out of the 95 sheriffs in Tennessee to join the Task Force and speak on police reform. I went to Nashville recently for a press conference with him. I think the first thing we all realized that we needed to do across the state was make sure every police agency and sheriff’s office had a duty-to-intervene policy as well as an up to date use-of-force policy. We also talked about both de-escalation and racially bias training. The state has even added a component now to where every police officer in the state will be required to do four hours of community service, which I think is a good thing because of the public perception of police officers right now. It behooves all officers to be the best that we can be. I think that Gov.
Floyd Bonner Jr.
Lee took the right step at the right time to engage this task force. I’m hoping that we will have continuous meetings, but we’ve laid a really good foundation.
TSD: Does the Sheriff’s Office in particular have plans to implement any initiatives to help ease the community’s civil unrest?
Bonner: Yes, I’m getting a Civilian Hiring Committee together. I’ve picked out five people in the community who are going to be a part of the hiring process at the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. They will interview sheriff deputy candidates, and have an opportunity to help select the next class of deputy sheriffs. I think that’s really important. This is the first time that we’ve ever tried this type of committee. We really want to be transparent with the community, and we want the community to support us.
TSD: You’re approaching four decades with the Sheriff’s Office. Over your career, what has been one of the valuable lessons you’ve learned that continues to help you today?
Bonner: Back when I was a young patrolman at the very beginning of my career, I had a sergeant who worked in the same jail as me. His name was Sam Allen. I worked midnights on the jail floor with Sgt. Allen – it would actually be four of us. Each night, he would make it his business to talk to us about how to police and treat people. I never will forget, he told us one night that it’s a lot easier to talk a man into the back of a squad car than to fight with him to get him in the car. That advice has stayed with me throughout my career, and I try to impart that wisdom into our younger officers, and also ensure they’re aware of the consequences that come with any bad decisions they make.
TSD:
You made history in 2018 by
SEE BONNER ON PAGE 9
UTHSC researcher gets grant to study aggressive prostate cancer in African-American men
Special to The New TriState Defender
Dr. Ramesh Narayanan, a professor in the Department of Medicine and the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, has received a $455,000 grant from the National Cancer Institute for a two-year study of the underlying cause of the development of aggressive prostate cancer in African-American men.
Approximately 174,000 men in the United States were diagnosed with prostate cancer and 31,000 died of the disease in 2019.
The number of men with prostate cancer is expected to increase from 3.3 million men currently to 4.5 million by 2026.
Current therapeutic strategies target androgen (hormone) activity for aggressive, or advanced castration-resistant prostate cancer.
Although these drugs on average extend progression-free survival, approximately 30 percent of tumors do not respond to these therapies and patients who initially respond to these therapies develop resistance shortly after treatment initiation.
One of the primary reasons for treatment failure and relapse is the expression of a shortened form of the receptor protein for androgens (AR). These different versions are called AR splice variants (AR-SVs). Prostate cancers that express this shortened form are aggressive and fail to respond to current treatments.
Compared to Caucasian men, African-American men have a 63 percent higher overall prostate cancer incidence. These individuals are more likely to be diagnosed with aggressive and potentially lethal cancers, are more than twice as likely to die from prostate cancer, and have shorter disease-free survival.
Inadequate health care that limits early cancer detection or results in incomplete treatment could factor into the diagnosis of advanced cancer and a worse prognosis in AfricanAmerican men compared to Caucasian men.
However, a prior analysis of men undergoing prostate biopsy that adjusted for clinical and demographic differences found that African-American men were 50 percent more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer and 84 percent more likely to have high-grade cancer than Caucasian men.
Considering that approximately 65 percent of the population in the Memphis area is African American, it is appropriate and locally relevant to evaluate the underlying mechanisms for the aggressive prostate cancer development in African American men.
The grant will ask the question whether prostate cancers in African-American men have higher expression of the shortened form of the AR (AR-SVs) and whether these ARSVs are the primary mediator of the aggressive cancer.
If the data proves the hypothesis that the higher expression of AR-SVs in prostate cancer of African American results in aggressive disease, Dr. Narayanan’s laboratory has developed novel drugs that have the potential to target the AR-SVs and inhibit the aggressive prostate cancer.
The multi-disciplinary UTHSC team that will work on the project includes Jay Fowke, PhD, MPH, MS, chief of Division of Epidemiology and professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine; Mahul Amin, MD, chair of the Department of Pathology; Robert Wake, MD,professor and chair of the Department of Urology; and Maurizio Buscarini, MD, PhD, MBA, professor of the Department of Urology. “I have been working for the last seven years at UTHSC to discover next-generation drugs to treat advanced aggressive prostate cancer,” Dr Narayanan said Dr. Ramesh in a Sept. 16 Narayanan news release. “This work in collaboration with Dr. Duane Miller (Professor Emeritus in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at UTHSC) has resulted in novel molecules that are advancing toward clinical trials.
“If our results show that African American men express the shortened AR protein AR-SV at higher levels, our drugs will provide hope to these patients, who currently do not have alternate treatment options.
“It will be gratifying to see our research benefit the Memphis community and the prostate cancer patient population across the world.”
Council to seek MLGW meeting about utility shut-offs amid pandemic
by Jim Coleman
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
Memphis City Councilmembers want to meet jointly with Memphis Light Gas and Water offi cials to see what can be done about utility cutoff s during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The potential meeting was discussed the council meeting Tuesday (Sept. 15).
In other business Tuesday, the council took aim at banning payday lenders in the city.
The city-owned utility resumed cutoff s Monday (Sept. 14).
A cutoff moratorium was begun at the beginning of the pandemic because of the resulting business closures and layoff s.
The moratorium ended in August. Two weeks later, it was reinstated again after a slew of complaints.
“If we could possibly fi gure out how to have a joint board meeting of the MLGW board and our board where we can discuss this along with other issues that are pending,” said Councilman Dr. Jeff Warren, a physician.
The council’s reaction came following public comments. Several emails were read aloud criticizing the move.
A further concern was the plight of school children. Because of the pandemic, Shelby County Schools students are being taught virtually, which requires internet service to attend school.
“It is my understanding that schools will be paying for utility bills for their children who are in homes without electrical services up to $200,” said council Chairwoman Patrice Robinson. becoming Shelby County’s fi rst African-American Sheriff . During the early stages of your career, did you dream of achieving this accomplishment, and how has the journey been thus far?
The emails were forwarded to the utility by Robinson earlier in the day. MLGW responded citing a legal issue as the reason why bills haven’t been forgiven.
“According to the information that I have from Memphis Light Gas and Water that is a legal issue and by federal law you cannot forgive or give away any electric, gas or water,” said Robinson.
She also noted that the council has placed money with several organizations to help people keep their lights on.
“Some of those organizations that we listened to today ⸺ grant recipients ⸺ are going to be providing (assistance) and we will have a list for all citizens at a portal, where they can see where dollars are available,” said Robinson.
With council’s approval, Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland redirected $3.5 million from the city’s CARES Act funding on Aug. 26 to help Memphian’s cover utility costs. Those funds are being allotted to nonprofi ts through the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association.
“It reminds me of being on the school board and trying to get money from the City Council and the County Commission when we didn’t have taxing authority.
“We as a council are in a position where we may or may not have authority how we can provide moratoriums that allows people to keep their power on or keep them from being evicted, but I think all of us want to make sure that occurs and we need to do something to make it happen, if we can,” said Warren.
The council also unaniwant to retire as a patrolman. As I moved up in rank, I started dreaming about becoming sheriff one day. I always knew that I would have to achieve a certain rank for the community to take me serious and to understand that I had the experience to run the agency. You hit little bumps and bruises, and you think that maybe you don’t have a shot, but God has blessed me. When I thought it wasn’t a way, He made a way. I’m so humbled and appremously adopted a nonbinding resolution to send to the state legislature, banning payday lenders in the state and revoking their business licenses.
“Payday lenders, under the guise that they are cheaper to borrow from than a conventional lender, as an email I received said, is a farce. It’s insulting that someone would make that case,” said the resolution’s sponsor Councilman Chase Carlisle.
The resolution notes that the lenders are licensed by the state government to provide loans of up to $500. A fee amount of the loan is capped at 15 percent of a check’s amount along with an annual interest rate of 460 percent.
It also criticizes the businesses for trapping cashstrapped people into a cycle of repeat loans, aggressive collection practices and jeopardizing bank accounts of “families that live on the fi nancial edge.” Carlisle said, “We are not asking that liquidity be removed from underserved communities. This body, just for the public’s edifi cation, is advocating for other entities to come in and partner with us and our community leaders in serving those communities and helping them fi nd access to capital.”
Memphis’ poverty rate is 27.8 percent, which includes many working poor who are often the most vulnerable to what are generally considered predatory businesses.
The vote comes nearly a year after the Shelby County Commission approved a resolution requiring the lenders to adopt signage disclosing terms
Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. (l) with Gov. Bill Lee and Memphis Police Department Director Michael Rallings. (Courtesy photo)
BONNER
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
of loans. ciative for this opportunity to serve the citizens of Shelby County. Being someone who came out of Orange Mound and Westwood and was elected sheriff , I understand that I am a role model. I know I’m not going to be s heriff forever, so I’m hoping I can do or say something that encourages young people and helps them understand that no matter what their circumstances are, they can do it, too.
Ja Morant proved that his selection as the No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft was well worth the Grizzlies’ decision.
Morant unanimous pick for NBA’s AllRookie team
Brandon Clarke makes it too
The Associated Press
Rookie of the Year Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies was the lone unanimous selection to the NBA’s All-Rookie Team that was announced Tuesday.
Morant was a fi rst-team pick on all 100 ballots.
Joining him on the fi rst team were Miami guard Kendrick Nunn, Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke, New Orleans forward Zion Williamson and Golden State forward Eric Paschall.
The second-team picks were Heat guard Tyler Herro, Toronto guard Terence Davis II, Chicago guard Coby
Brandon Clarke puts some “D” on LeBron James en route to his selection to the NBA All-Rookie Team. (Photos: Warren Roseborough/TSD Archives)
White, Charlotte forward P.J. Washington and Washington forward Rui Hachimura.
Paschall edged Herro by one point for the last fi rst-team spot.
Although it has been more than 25 years since he last caught a pass in a Tigers uniform, Russell Copeland remains prominently placed in the UofM record book in multiple categories. (Courtesy photo)
Former Tiger receiver catches on with UofM football radio broadcast team
TSD Newsroom
Russell Copeland, a former UofM football star and NFL veteran, will serve as analyst on all Tigers football road games in the 2020 season.
Former Tiger Jarvis Greer, who is in his eighth season with Memphis, will continue to be the analyst for all home games because of COVID-19 concerns and required quarantines after travel.
“We are in complete support of Jarvis and the tough decision he needed to make,” said Steve Macy, UofM senior associate athletic director. “We are also elated that former Tiger great Russell Copeland has agreed to join the broadcast team.
“Russell will provide excellent in-depth analysis both from a collegiate and NFL point of view. Our broadcast will continue to be fi rst class both at home and on the road.”
The Tigers, however, have paused their football season because of a COVID-19 outbreak.
Copeland played wide receiver for the Tigers before spending six seasons in the NFL with Buff alo, Philadelphia and Green Bay, and a season in the Canadian Football League with Toronto.
Although it has been more than 25 years since he last caught a pass in a Tigers uniform after lettering in 1989, 1990 and 1992, Copeland remains prominently placed in the U of M record book in multiple categories.
He was inducted into the M Club Hall of Fame in 2006.
“My years at Memphis as a player were the best times of my life,” said Copeland.
“I am excited and thrilled to work with my alma mater, alongside Dave Woloshin.”
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Call your local Urban League affiliate for more information on available training opportunities. Chattanooga: (423) 756-1762 | Knoxville: (865) 524-5511 | Memphis: (901) 272-2491 | Nashville: (615) 254-0525
