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■■ NEWS
Tri-State Defender to host ‘TSD in the Community Forum’ on health care in Memphis and Shelby County
TSD Newsroom
African Americans suffer from major health care issues at a higher rate than the general population. The Tri-State Defender believes it is important to have a public discussion focusing on diseases, mental health, the importance of fitness and the costs associated with health care.
With that in mind, the second TriState Defender TSD in the Community Forum will bring together a panel of speakers from health care related fields to share information from their vantage points. The forum is scheduled for Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at 6 p.m. at the Memphis Health Center, 360 E. H. Crump Blvd. Refreshments will be served.
The event is free and open to the public. Registration is required through Eventbrite: www.tri-statedefender.com/ community
“Gaining access to sufficient health care has been a challenge for African Americans since we were first put aboard slave ships bound for America, and remains so today,” said Stephanie R. Jones, The Tri-State Defender editor.
“This forum will shed insight on what’s being done to improve health outcomes for Black people in Memphis and Shelby County.”
Jones said the need for dialogue is made more urgent as the country has been plunged into increased uncertainty with new federal leadership in place.
“We’re in a time of extensive restructuring of the health care system in this country,” she stated. “People have no idea how the pieces will align or how they personally will be affected, and that can be frightening.”
Hearing from local professionals who can explain the health care landscape in Memphis will hopefully help residents navigate a path to better health, Jones added.
Panelists will include:
• Commissioner Miska Clay Bibbs, Shelby County Commission/Budget Chair
• Tish Towns, Vice President/Chief Administrative Officer, Regional One Health
• Dr. Robert Decolli, Chief Medical Officer, Memphis Health Center Inc.
• Richard Ransom, Director of Strategic Communications, Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare
• August White, Executive Director, Mental Health Cooperative
The discussion will be led by Lori Spicer Robertson, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital vice president and chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer. She is also founder and CEO of
Wundher, a digital media and membership community designed to reconnect women and mothers to their joy.
TSD in the Community is sponsored by The Tri-State Defender, Memphis Health Center and Felecia Bean Catering.
For more information contact Jennifer Sharp, The Carter Malone Group LLC, at 901.278.0881 or jsharp@cmgpr. com.
Upcoming TSD in the Community Forums
• Education in July
• Public Safety in August
• Government and Politics in October
• Entrepreneurship in November
President Calvin Anderson Editor Stephanie R. Jones
Ex-officer says he regrets his failure to stop the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols
By Adrian Sainz Associated Press
Former Memphis police officer Desmond Mills Jr. testified Tuesday that he regrets his failure to stop the beating of Tyre Nichols after Nichols ran away from a traffic stop in 2023.
Mills’ testimony came in the second day of the trial of Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith, who have pleaded not guilty to state charges including second-degree murder in the death of Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man who was beaten as he cried out for his mother just steps from his home. The three defendants already face the prospect of years behind bars after they were convicted of federal charges last year.
Footage of the beating was captured by a police pole camera and also showed the officers milling about, talking and laughing as Nichols struggled. Nichols’ death led to national protests, raised the volume on calls for police reforms in the U.S. and directed intense scrutiny toward the police force in Memphis, a majority-Black city. Mills pleaded guilty to federal charges last year and has agreed to plead guilty to state charges as well.
Mills says he hit Nichols out of anger after pepper-spraying himself
During his testimony Tuesday, Mills said he and Bean responded to a Jan. 7, 2023, police radio call that a man had run away from a traffic stop after he was pepper-sprayed and hit with a Taser. Nichols saw the two officers and ran away from them, and Bean eventually caught Nichols after a foot chase, Mills testified.
When Mills arrived at Nichols’ location, Nichols was struggling with Bean and Smith, who were holding Nichols
on the ground, Mills said. Mills then tried to pepper-spray Nichols, but he ended up spraying himself, which made him angry, Mills said.
After stepping away to try to recover, Mills then walked up to Nichols and hit him three times in the arm with a police baton as Bean and Smith were holding Nichols, Mills said.
Mills told prosecutor Paul Hagerman that he hit Nichols with the baton because he was angry. Another officer, Emmitt Martin, arrived and punched and kicked Nichols in the head.
Nichols died three days after the beating. Mills acknowledged on the stand that he had a duty to intervene to stop it, but didn’t.
“Do you regret that?” the prosecutor said.
“Yes,” Mills said.
Mills also acknowledged that he did not tell paramedics that Nichols had been repeatedly hit in the head and later failed to give police supervisors details of the beating because he didn’t want to get in trouble.
Mills says Nichols wasn’t complying with officers’ orders
Under cross-examination, Mills said Nichols was not complying with repeated orders to give officers his hands so that he could be handcuffed. Mills acknowledged that suspects present a danger to officers if they don’t obey such commands.
Defense attorney John Keith Perry asked Mills if he would have struck Nichols with the baton if Nichols had just put his hands behind his back. Mills said no.
“I would have stopped,” said Mills, who spoke in a measured, quiet voice during questioning.
The air conditioning was not working properly in the compact, circular, windowless and packed courtroom.
Former Memphis police officer Desmond Mills Jr. testified Tuesday, April 29, 2025, that he regrets not stopping the 2023 beating of Tyre Nichols after a traffic stop. His testimony came during the trial of three other former officers charged in Nichols’ death. (Courtesy of Memphis Police Department)
At times, Perry — wearing a tie and suit jacket — wiped his head and back of the neck with what appeared to be a handkerchief or a small towel, and people periodically fanned themselves with pieces of paper.
“It’s hot in here,” Perry said.
Under the plea agreements, Mills’ state sentence will be the same length as his federal term, which could reach up to life in prison, though federal prosecutors have recommended a 15year sentence. He would serve the state sentence at the same time as his federal term in prison.
Prosecutor says the officers were ‘overcome by the moment’
In opening statements Monday, prosecutor Paul Hagerman said Nichols was being held by his arms by two of the officers as he was punched and kicked and hit with a police baton.
Hagerman said the officers helped
each other beat Nichols to death. An autopsy showed Nichols died three days after the beating of blunt force trauma.
He said the officers had a duty to stop the beating but none of them did so. They were “overcome by the moment,” the prosecutor said.
In his opening statement, Bean’s attorney said the situation became “high risk” when Nichols continued driving for about 2 miles (3.2 km) after one of the officers turned on his vehicle’s blue lights in an attempt to stop Nichols for speeding. Nichols then failed to follow orders to give officers his hands so that he could be handcuffed, Perry said.
“He was actually resisting arrest the whole time,” Perry said, adding that the officers just “wanted to do their job effectively.”
Both Smith and Haley called for medical aid the night of the beating, their lawyers said.
The jury for the state trial was chosen in Hamilton County, which includes Chattanooga, after Judge James Jones Jr. ordered the case be heard from people outside of Shelby County, which includes Memphis. Defense lawyers for the officers had argued that intense publicity made seating a fair jury difficult.
The officers are charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression.
Mills and Martin were also charged but will not stand trial with their former colleagues due to their agreements to testify. Sentencing for all five officers in the federal case is expected after the state trial.
In December, the U.S. Department of Justice said a 17-month investigation showed the Memphis Police Department uses excessive force and discriminates against Black people.
TD Jakes stepping down as head pastor of Dallas megachurch
NNPA Newswire
A major shakeup is coming to one of the biggest churches in Dallas, as Bishop T.D. Jakes announced Sunday he’s handing over leadership of The Potter’s House congregation to his daughter and son-in-law.
The emotional announcement comes months after Jakes had a massive heart attack while delivering a sermon on stage at the church.
“You have been faithful to God, and you have been faithful to me,” Jakes told the congregation during Sunday morning’s service at The Potter’s House. “And I’m so grateful.”
Holding back tears, Jakes thanked his church family and announced he’s stepping down as head pastor of The Potter’s House. His daughter and sonin-law, pastors Sarah Jakes Roberts and Touré Roberts, will take over as soon as July.
“I cannot afford, especially after November, to risk something happening to me and you be sheep without a shepherd.”
— Bishop T.D. Jakes
“I’m grateful, I’m honored, as your daughter,” said Sarah Jakes Roberts. “I’m so happy you’re going to get some rest.”
T.D. Jakes founded The Potter’s House in 1996. The church said this move had been years in the making, but it came just months after a near-tragedy.
During a sermon in November, Jakes was hospitalized after having a massive heart attack on stage. He told NBC’s “Today” show that doctors said if he’d arrived five minutes later, he would have died.
“I cannot afford, especially after November, to risk something happening to me and you be sheep without a shepherd,” Jakes told the congregation.
Members of the congregation said they were left feeling a mix of emotions after the announcement.
“I was sad. it’s hard to replace an icon like Bishop, I mean, it’s just hard to do that,” said Patrick Moore. “It’s actually impossible to do that, so very sad.”
Church members told NBC 5 that although losing a pastor who’s impacted the community for years hurt, they hoped the change would help The Potter’s House continue into the next generation.
“Transition is always tough; in anything we do, it’s a tough thing,” said Moore. “So I have trepidation about it, but it’s still an exciting time, too.”
The Potter’s House says Jakes will remain chairman of the church’s board and spiritual overseer.
Bishop T.D. Jakes
■■ NEWS
Remembering Alexis Herman, the first Black U.S. Secretary of Labor
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Labor leaders, politicians and civil rights activists are mourning the death of Alexis Herman, the first Black U.S. Secretary of Labor and a fierce advocate for workplace equality.
She died on Friday, April 5, at the age of 77.
Herman broke many barriers in her prolific career, and the outpouring of praise since her death suggests how she empowered others to do the same.
“In every effort, she lifted people with her unfailing optimism and energy,” said former President Bill Clinton. “We will miss her very much.”
Within months after joining Clinton’s Cabinet, Herman mediated the negotiations between United Parcel Service leaders and 185,000 striking postal workers that ended the largest U.S. strike in a decade.
The deal was one of many ways in which Herman advanced the interests of “those who had been shut out of opportunity for decades” the AFL-CIO said in a statement following her death on Friday.
Herman also promoted initiatives that brought the U.S. unemployment rate to a three-decade low, oversaw two raises to the minimum wage and helped pass the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, which expanded workforce training for low-income Americans across the country.
“As a leader in business, government and her community, she was a trailblazer who dedicated her life to strengthening America’s workforce and creating
better lives for hardworking families,” current U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer said.
Herman was a pioneer long before her work in the Clinton administration.
She was just 29 when President Jimmy Carter appointed her to lead the Women’s Bureau at the Department of Labor in 1977, making her the youngest person to ever hold the position.
Herman worked on political campaigns for prominent Black politicians throughout the 1980s, including the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s two presidential bids, and became the first Black woman to hold the position of CEO of the Democratic National Convention in 1992.
She also founded her own consulting firm to advance diversity in corporate America, working with Procter & Gamble, AT&T and other corporations.
Born in 1947 in segregated Mobile, Alabama, Herman witnessed firsthand the racial violence that Black people were subjected to across the South. She once watched her mother “collapse” from exhaustion in the front seat of a public bus after a long day of work as a school teacher. When her mother refused to move to the back, the driver physically forced Herman and her mother off.
“She held her head high and said to me, ‘Come on Alexis, we will just keep walking.’ She just kept moving,” Herman wrote in “My Mother’s Daughter,” an anthology of essays published in 2024. “At critical times throughout my life, that life lesson has been my special mantra, ‘keep it moving.’
Herman said her childhood home was often filled with students that her mother tutored. She credited her mother with modeling “a can-do attitude and service, no matter the odds.”
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Alexis Herman
■■ COMMUNITY Fire destroys Clayborn Temple, where sanitation workers gave rise to ‘I AM A MAN’
By Judith Black Moore Special to The Tri-State Defender
In the early morning hours Monday, Memphis lost one of its most sacred landmarks. Historic Clayborn Temple — the church where sanitation workers rallied in 1968 and the world first saw the iconic “I AM A MAN” signs — was engulfed in flames, leaving behind smoldering ruins and a mourning community.
The fire, reported around 1:30 a.m., gutted much of the structure. By dawn, Memphis Fire Department officials confirmed that the historic site was a total loss. No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire is under investigation by the city department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Originally built in 1892 as Second Presbyterian Church and later sold to the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1949, Clayborn Temple has long been a cornerstone of civil rights history. During the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Workers Strike, it served as the central meeting place where workers and supporters gathered daily to organize, march, and stand up for dignity and fair wages.
Anasa Troutman, executive director of Historic Clayborn Temple and founder of The Big We, issued an emotional statement:
“Early this morning, our beloved Historic Clayborn Temple — a sacred landmark in our city and our nation — suffered a devastating loss due to a fire. Our hearts are heavy with grief. For decades, Clayborn and the iconic I AM A MAN signs born in its basement have stood as an international beacon of resilience, faith, and the work to build beloved communities. It is a living testament of our past sacrifices and our future hope.
Renderings and plans for the restoration of Clayborn Temple were displayed inside the historic Memphis church. The fire broke out just as supporters prepared to begin Phase 3 of a $6 million project aimed at revitalizing the civil rights landmark. Earlier phases had stabilized the structure and restored the exterior. (D’Angelo Connell/Tri-State Defender)
“Clayborn’s true spirit was never in the walls alone. It lives in us. Our ancestors endured, grieved, rebuilt, and transcended unimaginable losses. We will do the same….
“…This is not the end, but a call to remember who we are, and to build again with faith, courage, and abundant love.”
Mayor Paul Young issued a statement Monday morning stating Clayborn was more than a historic building. “It was sacred ground. It is the beating heart of the Civil Rights Movement,” he said. “It is a symbol of struggle, hope and triumph that belongs not just to Memphis but to the world.”
The fire comes at a painful time for the Temple’s
History of Clayborn Temple
1892: Clayborn Temple is built as Second Presbyterian Church in downtown Memphis.
1949: The building is sold to the African Methodist Episcopal Church and renamed Clayborn Temple, becoming one of the largest Black churches in the South.
1968: Clayborn Temple becomes headquarters for the Memphis Sanitation Workers Strike.
The “I AM A MAN” slogan is born here. Daily marches for civil rights begin at the church. 2015: Restoration efforts begin to preserve the historic site as a living monument to protest and resilience.
2025: A predawn fire destroys much of the structure. The spirit of Clayborn Temple lives on through renewed commitment to rebuild.
Why Clayborn Temple Matters
■■ COMMUNITY
Built in 1892 and later purchased by the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1949, Clayborn Temple became one of the most important sites in the American Civil Rights Movement.
During the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Workers Strike, the church served as the central organizing hub where workers gathered daily to plan marches and demand better wages and working conditions. The famous “I AM A MAN” signs — now a universal symbol of dignity and protest — were printed in Clayborn’s basement. From its steps, thousands marched toward City Hall, confronting injustice with faith and determination.
Clayborn Temple stood not just as a house of worship, but as a fortress for justice, hope, and collective power. Its loss is not simply the loss of a building — it is the physical absence of a place where ordinary people once changed the course of history.
supporters, who were in the middle of an ambitious $6 million restoration project aimed at reclaiming and revitalizing the hallowed space.
Work had already been completed on Phase 1 of the restoration, which focused on stabilizing the building’s structure, and on Phase 2, which restored the exterior. The fire struck just before the start of Phase 3 — the restoration of the church’s interior.
The loss of Clayborn Temple is reverberating not only through Memphis but throughout the national civil rights community.
Gloria J. Browne-Marshall, civil rights attorney and author of the newly released A Protest History of the United States, reflected on the deeper meaning of the moment:
“Clayborn Temple stood as a living monument to the power of protest and the fight for dignity,” Browne-Marshall said. “Its loss is not just Memphis’ loss — it’s America’s loss. Every movement for justice leaves behind sacred spaces, and when we lose them, we lose part of the roadmap that shows us how far we have come, and how far we have yet to go.”
Attorney Walter Bailey, who served as a critical legal voice during the sanitation workers’ strike and the broader Civil Rights Movement, also reflected on Clayborn’s legacy and the meaning of its loss.
“I was shocked and in a state of sadness to hear that the burning of the church occurred,” Bailey said. “That building was so synonymous and monumental
with the movement that anyone involved with the marches would’ve been touched.”
Clayborn Temple Church is where supporters of the sanitation workers strike fled to when chaos ensued during the first march.
Within the church walls, Bailey, along with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., negotiated with the City of Memphis and ensured protests would remain peaceful for the duration of the strike.
“The lawyers and the union membership that were involved in the ministerial organizations and other groups met at Clayborn Temple, and to me, that place represented a structure of unity,” Bailey stated.
Despite the devastation, leaders plan to move forward in preserving the history of the Civil Rights Movement centered around Clayborn Temple and will continue the work to restore it.
Donations to support rebuilding efforts are being accepted at Clayborn.org
As Memphis grieves, the spirit of Clayborn Temple — the resilience, the hope, the call to justice — endures, just as it always has.
Memphis writer Liaudwin Seaberry contributed to this report.
A stained glass window inside Clayborn Temple paid tribute to the city’s sanitation workers, whose 1968 strike became a defining moment in the civil rights movement. Originally built in 1892 and later acquired by the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the church served as a central organizing hub for daily marches and meetings during the historic labor protest. (D’Angelo Connell/Tri-State Defender)
The Clayborn Temple is among the churches included in the Memphis Heratige Trail. (Brian Ramoly/The TriState Defender)
■■ COMMUNITY
‘Science can’t fight feelings’: Decades of environmental trauma unleashed at xAI public hearing
Fed up with political, business and health leaders, crowd demands answers while jeering xAI representative
By Lee Eric Smith Special to The Tri-State Defender
Earlier this week, the Memphis Chamber of Commerce hosted an online webinar called “xAI: Asked & Answered.” For about 30 minutes, Chamber officials, scientists and business leaders calmly addressed many of the concerns residents have about xAI’s facility in Southwest Memphis. Attempting to deliver that same information was quite a different task at Friday’s public hearing before the Shelby County Health Department at Fairley High School.
With hundreds filling Fairley High School’s auditorium, the atmosphere crackled with emotion. Residents sang civil rights hymns like, “We Shall Overcome” and “Amazing Grace.” They booed, they cheered, they shouted, they cried. Dozens made their concerns heard about air quality and water use, about perceived kickbacks and corporate bullies.
And when xAI representative Steve Davis tried to deliver prepared remarks, the crowd drowned him out with jeers before he could finish introducing himself.
“I’m gonna say it even if you’re not gonna hear it,” Davis said, trying to press forward. Moments later, he made a quick exit through a side door.
The passion was undeniable. So was the pain.
Southwest Memphis, and the 38109 ZIP code especially, has long borne the scars of environmental injustice. Generations of families have lived — and died — in the shadow of heavy industry, inhaling fumes from steel mills, chemical plants, oil refineries and power plants. Many speakers on Friday night shared haunting memories of growing up surrounded by pollution: of loved ones lost to cancer, of children born with breathing issues, of neighborhoods treated like sacrifice zones.
The arrival of xAI, the artificial intelligence company founded by billionaire Elon Musk, has ignited those deep wounds anew.
“It’s not enough to just look forward,” said one professor from Rhodes College, who also serves on the board of the Lynching Sites Project of Memphis. “How do we look back and make sure Memphis is restored for what it has already suffered?”
The science and the skepticism
Ironically, if xAI’s claims — and the Shelby County Health Department’s findings — are accurate, the company’s supercomputer facility would likely be among the cleanest industrial operations the area has ever seen.
Dr. Michelle Taylor, director of the Shelby County Health Department, outlined the regulatory framework during the meeting. She explained that the 15 permanent natural gas turbines
xAI seeks to install would be required to meet some of the strictest air quality standards under the Clean Air Act. The facility plans to use Selective Catalytic Reduction technology to lower nitrogen oxide emissions to 2 parts per million — far below the federal limit of 25 ppm.
The company also has committed to using a closed-loop water cooling system, rather than drawing fresh water from the Memphis Sand Aquifer, and has invested $80 million into building what could become the largest wastewater recycling facility in the world. But none of that seemed to matter Friday night.
Time and again, the crowd dismissed technical assurances. Many residents
made it clear their distrust runs too deep and their skepticism is too justified by history to simply take anyone’s word for it — no matter how many slides or scientists were involved.
“Science can’t fight feelings,” said Bobby White, chief government affairs officer for the Greater Memphis Chamber, in an exclusive interview outside the venue. “And I understand that. I love hearing people passionate about their community. But the truth is, these turbines are some of the cleanest in America. The science is solid.”
He paused, then added, “But when people have been hurt for generations, when you’ve been lied to or neglected over and over — it’s hard to hear that.”
Brent Mayo, a representative for xAI, attempts to speak during a public hearing at Fairley High School, on Friday, April 25, 2025. Mayo was met with loud jeers from a packed auditorium of residents opposed to xAI’s proposed facility and exited through a side door shortly after beginning his remarks. (Lee Eric Smith/Tri-State Defender)
■■ COMMUNITY
“political abandonment” that he said allowed communities like his to be poisoned in the first place.
The emotional weight of history
The turnout for the hearing reflected the broad cross-section of Memphis and Shelby County. Black, white, young, old. From Downtown to Orange Mound to Germantown, county residents came to make their voices heard. Their reasons varied, but the underlying theme was constant: a desire for dignity, respect, and environmental justice.
Speaker after speaker stepped to the mic, connecting xAI’s sudden and speedy arrival in 2024 to a longer, painful legacy of environmental injustice.
“My mother, my brother, two of my sisters died from cancer in 38109,” said one resident. “This is a bad area for breathing. We have been left behind.”
Another woman described waking up in the middle of the night, coughing uncontrollably. “The air stinks so bad, it wakes me out of my sleep,” she said.
A mid-speech chant broke out: “We don’t want it! We don’t want it!”
Some speakers, like State Representative Justin J. Pearson, were fiery and unrelenting. Pearson denounced the
“It’s time we tell the truth about our public institutions serving private interests,” Pearson shouted. “It’s time we tell the truth about how we’ve been dying from poison in our air for generations, at the hands of the very elected folks who were supposed to protect us!”
His brother, Keshaun Pearson, spearheads Memphis Community Against Pollution (MCAP), focused on grassroots organizing and legal challenges.
“We’re not just talking about permits,” Keshaun Pearson said. “We’re talking about whether our children get to breathe. We’re talking about whether our neighborhoods get to live. We’re talking about whether Memphis stands up for its people or sells them out one more time.”
Shelby County Commissioner Erika Sugarmon stood up for elected officials, saying: “WE found out when YOU found out!” she said. She added that she would be calling xAI representatives and Chamber officials to appear before the Shelby County Commission in the coming week. “We deserve answers. We deserve transparency,” she said.
One voice tried to inject a sobering note: A man who reminded the crowd that true justice would have to be won not by protest alone but in federal court. “Justice happens most ideally in court, not through theatrics,” he said.
He was promptly booed, too. “I’m not your enemy,” he said as he left the mic.
White: ‘Science can’t fight feelings’
White’s was among the first faces shown in xAI’s webinar.. He’s a proponent of xAI’s arrival in Memphis. But he also touts his Southwest Memphis roots: His parents were educators at Doubletree Elementary and Westwood High.
“You can’t out-Southwest Memphis me,” White said. “I grew up right here, going to Western Park and ‘candy lady houses.’ Southwest Memphis is home to me. Always has been.”
White explained that the webinar was an attempt to address misinformation and concerns ahead of the hearing. “We wanted to get good, accurate information out there,” he said. “That’s why we brought in chemical engineers, environmental consultants, even professors from the University of Memphis who know the Clean Air Act backwards and forwards.
“We weren’t trying to hide anything.”
As for the science, White was blunt. “The turbines they’re talking about — two parts per million emissions,” he said. “The EPA standard is twenty-five parts per million. These turbines are the cleanest in America. They’re not even close to the kind of pollution people remember from the old steel mills and plants.
“But, again, I get it — science can’t fight feelings.”
Despite the tension, White remained hopeful.
“At the end of the day, we’re talking about the kind of investment Memphis has needed for a long time,” he said. “And sometimes blessings don’t come wrapped in the package you expect. I believe this can be good for the city, even if it doesn’t feel good right now.”
The unanswered questions
Even if the environmental science behind xAI’s project holds up, residents demanded to know: Why should they trust a system that has failed them time and again?
“This is a colonial mindset,” the Rhodes professor said. “They treat Memphis like a dumping ground because they always have.”
Others pointed to the culture of xAI itself. “Move fast and break things,” said Stephen Smith of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. “That’s what they’re doing. And our communities pay the price.”
A collision between two realities
By every technical measure, xAI appears to be playing by the rules. Their emissions are projected to be a fraction of older, dirtier industries. Their water practices are cutting-edge. And their economic impact is already significant: xAI is now the second-largest property taxpayer in Memphis, behind FedEx.
“At the end of the day, xAI has followed the rules,” White said. “They’ve played by the book. They’re doing exactly what the law and the regulations allow. They wouldn’t be able to do what they’re doing if they weren’t compliant.”
In Southwest Memphis, where memories of pollution-related suffering linger like the smog itself, facts and figures alone aren’t enough. Trust has been broken too many times. The community demands more than data; it demands dignity, justice and a seat at the table.
Friday night wasn’t just a public hearing. It was a cry for recognition — an urgent, collective demand that Memphis stop sacrificing Black and poor communities in the name of “progress.”
As the night wore on, as chants filled the auditorium and emotions ran high, the fault lines were clear: Between science and skepticism. Between economic development and environmental justice. Between a city hungry for growth and a community that refuses to be collateral damage.
“I think people have to come to the realization that change — real change — comes from changing policy, not yelling at companies that are playing by the rules,” White said. “xAI has been in compliance with the law from Day One.
“If we want different outcomes, we have to change the laws that govern these outcomes.”
Community members speak out against xAI’s proposed facility, sharing painful memories of pollution and loss in Southwest Memphis, a community long burdened by environmental injustice.
State Rep. Justin J. Pearson delivers a fiery speech denouncing “political abandonment” and accusing public institutions of serving private interests during a public hearing on xAI’s proposed facility.
■■ SPORTS
Dick Barnett, champion with Knicks and Tennessee A&I teams, dies at 88
By Brian Mahoney Associated Press
NEW YORK — Dick Barnett, a basketball Hall of Famer who played on both New York Knicks NBA championship teams after being part of a historic college powerhouse at Tennessee A&I, has died. He was 88.
The Knicks announced the death of the former guard Sunday. There were no details provided about his death.
“Throughout his illustrious career, Dick Barnett embodied everything it meant to be a New York Knick, both on and off the court,” the Knicks said in a statement. “He left a positive impact on everyone he encountered, and this organization is incredibly fortunate to have him be such an integral part of its history. His jersey will forever hang in the rafters of Madison Square Garden, and his play throughout his career will forever be a part of Knicks fans memories.”
Barnett played on the Knicks’ title teams in 1970 and 1973 and reached the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and as a member of his college teams at Tennessee A&I (later Tennessee State University), the first HBCU to win a national championship in basketball.
A native of Gary, Indiana, Barnett went on to star for the Tennessee A&I teams that made up one of college basketball’s first dynasties. The Tigers won three straight NAIA championships starting in 1957, with Barnett being chosen an All-American each season and twice being selected the MVP of the NAIA Tournament.
He was taken by the Syracuse Nationals with the No. 5 pick in the 1959 draft and also played for the Los Angeles Lakers before coming to the Knicks in 1965. He spent nine years with the Knicks, averaging 15.6 points and playing on their championship teams in 1970 and 1973.
Barnett is ninth on the Knicks’ career scoring list and his No. 12 jersey was retired in 1990.
Barnett led a long quest for recognition for his college team. The Tigers were eventually enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2019, represented on stage by Barnett, and in 2024 team members visited the White House to meet with Vice President Kamala Harris. Barnett, who was selected for one NBA All-Star Game, was inducted in the Hall of Fame as a player in 2024.
After first-round sweep, Grizzlies face big decisions for their future
By Clay Bailey Associated Press
Grizzlies General Manager Zach Kleiman assessed Memphis’ late-season collapse Sunday and a change in head coaches along with questions about where the franchise goes now in an extremely frank manner.
“Lot to sort out,” Kleiman said. “Forty-eight wins. Good for an eighth seed. Who cares? It’s not good enough.”
Kleiman set the tone for the Grizzlies’ end-of-season debriefing a day after being swept by top-seed Oklahoma City, making Memphis the first team eliminated from the NBA playoffs. That came after spending much of the season fighting for home-court advantage to start the postseason in the West.
Now, the Grizzlies need to hire a new coach and decide whether interim coach Tuomas Iisalo gets that qualifier removed and how to fix what caused the collapse that dropped Memphis from second in the Western Conference in late February to the play-in tournament and the No. 8 seed.
“It was a tough year to say the least,” guard Desmond Bane said.
The Grizzlies dealt with the past and the future Sunday. The Grizzlies acknowledged the franchise is stagnant having won only one postseason series in three of the past four years. That’s despite being the No. 2 seed twice during that period.
Team officials have to decide if the core three of Bane and a pair of two-time All-Stars in Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. are enough to compete for championships.
“I think there is so much good,” Kleiman said. “I think you can see at the peak times of what this group has done. It’s right there, and there’s so much to hold on to.”
Morant indicated the OKC series was close to changing when Memphis had a 29-point lead near the end of the first half in Game 3. Then Morant suffered a hip contusion in a dramatic fall at the basket. With their leading scorer out, the Grizzlies lost the lead and the game. Morant missed Game 4, and Memphis was eliminated 117-115.
The guard was still on crutches Sunday but made
“Lot to sort out. Forty-eight wins. Good for an eighth seed. Who cares? It’s not good enough.”
— Zach Kleiman
clear he thought the series could have been tied at 2 headed back to Oklahoma City.
“That win right there (in Game 3), could have made it totally different,” he said.
Morant’s health
Injuries to Morant continue to pose problems for the Grizzlies. He missed 32 games with various injuries and ailments this season, forcing Memphis to play a significant number of games with others filling the void.
“Obviously, injuries, that’s frustrating. Not being on the floor is frustrating. Losing games is frustrating,” Morant said, adding: “With us, I feel like we showed signs of what we can be. That’s what I took from this season.”
Personnel and contract decisions
Jackson is eligible for a contract extension. He says Memphis is his home and indicated he wants to stay. Asked about negotiations, the normally talkative Jackson directed such conversations to his agent, at one point even saying “next question,” with a smile.
Then there is who coaches Memphis next season. Iisalo seemed to get a vote of confidence from several Grizzlies, including Morant.
“I feel like Tuomas is a good coach,” Morant said. “For me, going into my film sessions with him and just talking about the game of basketball, seeing and hearing that he sees the same thing I see out there on the floor.
“I wouldn’t say it’s been surprising, but it’s been very exciting.”
Nobody was ready to make final decisions Sunday, not even 24 hours after being eliminated early yet again.
“I’m going to digest everything coming out of the season,” Kleiman said. “As soon as I’ve made a decision on anything of substance, I will share.”
Kleiman later added: “I’ve been 100% focused on trying to make the most of what turned out to be a challenging end of the season.”
Dick Barnett
Zach Kleiman
■■ SPORTS Hardaway hits transfer portal hard as Tigers rebuild after roster exodus
By James Coleman Special to The Tri-State Defender
Faced with a bare cupboard, University of Memphis men’s basketball coach Penny Hardaway once again turned to the NCAA transfer portal to rebuild his roster for the 2025–26 season.
In total, seven new players were added to the Tigers’ roster via the portal before it closed on April 22. The newcomers will be tasked with replacing a squad that won the American Athletic Conference championship before a first-round exit in the NCAA Tournament.
After the 2024–25 season concluded, Memphis lost most of its 15-man roster to transfers, graduation and expired eligibility. The most notable departure was redshirt sophomore guard PJ Haggerty, a second-team All-American who ranked third in Division I with 21.1 points per game.
One incoming transfer with plugand-play potential is former Kansas State point guard Dug McDaniel. The junior averaged 11.4 points, 4.9 assists and 1.7 steals last season. A former four-star recruit, McDaniel spent his first two seasons at Michigan and is a three-year starter.
Hardaway also reloaded his backcourt with a trio of shooting guards. Perhaps the most game-ready is Quante Berry, a 6-foot-4 junior who averaged 10.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.3 steals last season at Temple. In a Feb. 9 loss at Memphis, the Cleveland, Tennessee, native posted 16 points and four steals.
The Tigers also landed former Cordova High School standout Julius Thedford. As a freshman at Western Kentucky, the 6-4 wing averaged 12.4 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting
36.6% from 3-point range. Coming out of high school, 247Sports rated him the No. 5 recruit in Tennessee.
Former McNeese State shooter
Sincere Parker adds more depth to the backcourt. The 6-3 guard averaged 12.2 points and 2.5 rebounds in 19.7 minutes per game last season. Though his 3-point shooting dropped to 30.1% from 42.6% the previous year, Parker still led his team with 15.9 points per game as a sophomore.
In the frontcourt, former five-star recruit and 2023 Naismith High School Player of the Year finalist Aaron Bradshaw headlines the additions. The 7-foot transfer from Ohio State averaged 6.0 points and 2.7 rebounds in 16.9 minutes last season. Memphis will be Bradshaw’s third stop after stints at Kentucky and Ohio State.
Former South Carolina forward Zachary Davis will also compete for minutes. The 6-7 junior averaged 8.2
points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 steals last season.
Hardaway rounded out the frontcourt additions by bringing in his son, Ashton Hardaway. The 6-7 sophomore transfer from Saint Mary’s averaged 2.1 points and 1.2 rebounds while shooting 35.4% from 3.
So far, Memphis’ high school recruiting efforts have not yielded any roster additions. Of the 12 scholarship offers extended, nine players have signed elsewhere or made verbal commitments.
Top remaining targets include fivestar point guard Arterio Morris of Levellton, Texas, and four-star recruits Terrion Burgess and Tyler Jackson.
Other Tigers who joined Haggerty in the transfer portal include redshirt seniors PJ Carter and Tyreek Smith, sophomore guards Baraka Okojie and Demarian Yates, and freshman Jared Harris.
So far, Smith is the only one who has committed to a new school. He will spend his final year of eligibility at Kansas State.
Haggerty, meanwhile, has reportedly complicated his transfer process by seeking a $4 million NIL (name, image and likeness) deal from his next team. Before entering the portal, he informed Hardaway he planned to test the 2026 NBA Draft waters.
Ducks Unlimited to Bring DUX Expo to Memphis in August 2025
By Lee Eric Smith Special to The Tri-State Defender
Ducks Unlimited (DU), the nation’s leading wetland and waterfowl conservation organization, announced the return of its celebrated outdoor expo to Memphis.
The DUX Expo will be held August 1–3, 2025, at the newly renovated Renasant Convention Center, marking the start of a three-year commitment to host the event in the Bluff City. Originally held in Texas, the event is now coming “home” to DU’s headquarters city.
“The Expo has been at it for a number of years in Texas and Ducks Unlimited is bringing it home to Memphis starting in 2025,” said Kevin Kane, president and CEO of Memphis Tourism. “They’ll be here for the next three years. We’re very excited about this.”
The DUX Expo is expected to draw over 15,000 attendees and more than 200 outdoor vendors from 42 states, bringing significant economic impact to the city.
“This has been a year and a half in the making and what a great shot in the arm for the Memphis economy,” Kane added. “It impacts our restaurants, our hotels, obviously our museums. The entire economy of hospitality gains from this.”
DU CEO Adam Putnam emphasized Memphis’ deep ties to the organization and the outdoors industry. “We’re excited to be back. For those of you who may remember in the mid-90s, Ducks Unlimited had the Great Outdoors Festival… After a bit of a hiatus, we’re happy to be home and happy to be here
in a beautiful space that gives us all of the room that we need.”
Highlighting the region’s legacy in waterfowling, Putnam said, “We certainly recognize that the Mid-South is the destination of choice for waterfowlers from around the world… Memphis is part and parcel of that growth and expansion.”
The event will feature a wide array of outdoor lifestyle exhibits, from ATVs and side-by-sides to gear for various hunting seasons. “Now’s the time to get your early Christmas shopping done, or re-up and refresh your kit for the waterfowl season,” Putnam said.
DU Board Chair James Cook, a Memphian and lifelong conservationist, reflected on the significance of bringing DUX home.
“It’s an honor to stand here before you today as we announce an event that celebrates our shared passion for conservation, the great outdoors, and also the spirit of the Memphis community.”
City Council Chair Ford Canale expressed gratitude on behalf of the city. “Relocating this event back home is a strong vote of confidence for our city, and it means so much to have a hometown organization like Ducks Unlimited investing right here in our community,” he said.
The DUX Expo is part of a broader initiative to showcase Memphis as a hub for outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship. With support from major sponsors including Purina, Rolling Thunder, and others, Ducks Unlimited continues to deepen its roots in Memphis, reinforcing its identity as a conservation leader both locally and globally.
PUBLIC NOTICES / CLASSIFIEDS
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, May 16, 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 I000927 DUE ONLINE AT 9:30 a.m. Friday, May 16, 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.
Detailed specifications for the items above may be obtained through the Neighborly Portal beginning Friday, May 2, 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 following 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
Scott Walkup, Administrator
NOTICE TO BIDDERS
Shelby County Government has issued Sealed
TSD CLASSIFIEDS
1509 Madison Ave. Memphis, TN 38104 PH (901) 523-1818
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.
GENERAL INFORMATION:
The Tri-State Defender reserves the right to edit all copy or to reject or cancel any ad at any time. Copy change during ordered schedule constitutes new ad & new changes. Deadlines for cancellation are identical to placement deadlines. Rates subject to change. We can only offer in-house credit and NO REFUNDS are issued.
THE TRI-STATE DEFENDER assumes no financial responsibility for errors nor for copy omission. Direct any classified billing inquires to (901) 523-1818.
Bid number I000926, Emergency Response Fire Pumper (Fire Department). Information regarding this Bid is located on the County’s website at www.shelbycountytn.gov . At the top of the home page, click on the dropdown box under “Business”, Click on “Purchasing” and “Bids” to locate the name of the abovedescribed Sealed Bid.
SEALED BID-I000926 DUE DATE THURSDAY, MAY 29, 2025 AT 2:30 PM CDT (SB-I000926), Emergency Response Fire Pumper (Fire Department)
Shelby County is an equal opportunity affirmative action employer, drug-free with policies of non-discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or military service.
By order of LEE HARRIS, MAYOR SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT
