The New Tri-State Defender - February 2-8, 2023

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February 2 - 8, 2023

VOL. 72, No. 5

‘What we’ve been working on for 50 years, they destroyed in three minutes’

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Homegoing day for ‘Tyre’

Afro American Police Association members angry, outraged and disgusted at ‘monstrous males’

by Lee Eric Smith lesmith@tsdmemphis.com

In 1973, the Afro American Police Association was founded to help recruit more Black police officers to the Memphis Police Department.

The thinking was that Black police officers would be more understanding and compassionate to Black Memphians than their white counterparts, while still upholding the law.

It was created to demonstrate that effective policing could happen without brutality and misconduct.

That’s why, in the wake of Tyre Nichols’ death at the hands of five Black police officers, the organization issued a blistering statement labeling the since-fired officers as “monstrous males” who “have disgraced God, the AAPA, the Memphis Community, the police badge and every good/decent law enforcement officer in this nation.”

The statement also includes condolences and apologies to Nichols’ family and all Memphians, followed by praise for Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy for swiftly bringing criminal charges in the case.

The AAPA also pledges to “do ev-

erything in our power to assist in ridding the nation of rogue and corrupt cops.”

As damning as the AAPA statement was, Executive Director Tyrone Currie had more choice words about the since-fired officers and the carnage left in their wake.

“We’ve always believed that the police and the community working together can come up with solutions to reduce crime in our community and be a beacon of light for the entire community,” said Currie, a retired lieutenant, who serviced for 28 years before leaving the MPD in 2019.

“This association sued the City of Memphis in federal court to get more Black police officers on the job. And to see black officers do what they did to Tyre Nichols? That was a slap in the face of 50 years of work that we did.”

Currie continued, “And they destroyed that in three minutes. …

Can you imagine how that makes us feel?”

None of the officers involved in Nichols’ death — Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills, Jr., Justin Smith, Emmitt Martin III and Tadarrius

An icy mix greeted Vice President Kamala Harris as she descended the stairs of the plane that brought her to Memphis for the funeral of Tyre D. Nichols. She talked with Mayor Jim Strickland for several minutes before taking the ride to Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church. Also there when she landed was Shelby County Commission Board Chairman Mickell Lowery (not pictured). (Photo: Karanja A. Ajanaku/The New Tri-State Defender) Vice President Kamala Harris, who sat next to RowVaughn Wells and Rodney Wells, the parents of Tyre D. Nichols at Wednesday’s funeral, spoke briefly before the eulogy by the Rev. Al Sharpton.

She joined him and a chorus of others pushing for Congressional passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. (Screen capture)

SEE POLICE ON PAGE 2

‘Horrific does not even begin to explain the video’

by Karanja A. Ajanaku kajanaku@tsdmemphis.com

RowVaughn Wells, Tyre D. Nichols’ mother, with family attorney Ben Crump alongside, said, “I just want to ask a prayer for my family, this whole community. And I wanna say to the five police officers that murdered my son, you also disgraced your own families when you did this. But you know what, I’m gonna pray for you and your families because at the end of the day, this shouldn’t have happened.” (Photo: Karanja A. Ajanaku/The New Tri-State Defender)

Sandwiched between a morning call to disband the police SCORPION unit and protesters who shut down the “old bridge” on I-55 in the evening, the release of video footage last Friday (Jan. 27) showing the inhumane police beating of Tyre D. Nichols was as hard to stomach as forewarned.

For many, the repeated warnings – from multiple quarters – that the footage was horrific proved to be an understatement.

The 29-year-old Nichols, who suffered from the weight-loss causing Crohn’s disease and described at a press conference as weighing less than 150 pounds “soaking wet,” was shown beaten mercilessly by five brutish and now former, fired, and charged Memphis Police Department officers.

Nichols, the endeared focal point

of a movement to secure “Justice for Tyre,” was charged by officers, who acted like madmen from the jump, dragging him out of his car within two minutes of his home, reporting that it was a traffic stop. His initial calm relative to the officers’ hyped aggression from the beginning was a jarring juxtaposition.

Nichols ran freeing himself from the initial encounter, trying to make it home, say his family and their attorneys. He didn’t make it. Caught by the foul-mouthed members of the SCORPION unit, they beat him like a gang of wrestlers, except it wasn’t fake.

MPD released the video footage to the general public as advertised shortly after 6 p.m. With people watching in cities throughout the country, it was aired on networks in segments in its entirety. Police bodycam footage amounted to a buildup. Video

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The New Tri-State Defender

February 2 - 8, 2023

NEWS

POLICE

VIDEO

Bean — were AAPA members, Currie said.

And he said that he knew something horrible had happened once he heard that Nichols had died from the injuries he suffered during what should have been a simple traffic stop.

“How did this happen? How did a so-called traffic stop violation end up in a man’s death?” asked Currie, who spent five years as a patrol officer early in his career.

“A traffic stop is a low risk stop. Nobody should have died on a low-risk stop, especially when there’s not a weapon involved. Based on my experience, it just didn’t make sense,” he said.

As more details surfaced, the MPD fired the officers, and within days charges were filed, including second-degree murder against all five.

But even as the city braced for expected rioting once video footage of the incident was released, Currie said he Ret. Lt. Tyrone wasn’t concerned about Currie, executive Memphis going up in director of the Afro flames.

“I wasn’t afraid that American Police Association Memphis was going to burn,” he said. “I was concerned about our members. I felt for the officers on the street because I knew that they were gonna have to endure long hours. They’re gonna have to endure ridicule.

“I was more concerned about the division that was going to come between the police and the community,” he added. “Man, we’re hurt. You know, all of us are hurt. I knew we were gonna have some protests, but I never thought Memphis citizens would burn down the city.”

And when the video was released, Currie said he felt obligated to watch it.

“I knew I needed to watch it — to make an informed decision and an informed statement even talking to (media),” Currie said. “And I wanted to (watch) because — keep in mind, these were African American men, officers that our organization had fought so hard to get on the job. So, I had to watch it.”

His gut reaction?

“When we saw that, I mean . . .” he said, his voice trailing off. “Man, tears came from my eyes. How could you abuse one of our citizens that we swore an oath to protect? How can you violate your oath like that? How could you violate humanity like that?

“You destroyed the trust that the community had in us. You destroyed the trust that the nation had in us. And you destroyed this woman’s child.

“You know, that could have been my child.

Or my nephew or a friend of mine. You didn’t ask the boy’s name or nothing, you just pulled him out of the car and went from zero to 100, unprovoked. That’s not professional at all. And the man was unarmed? Naw, we can’t stand by that…

“You embarrassed the entire nation to Black people, man. You embarrassed the badge. You embarrassed the Afro American Police Association and it was a disgrace. It was a total disgrace.”

Currie also lamented how far Memphis policing has fallen since 2002, when MPD received national acclaim for its community policing program. “(MPD) found a strategy to incorporate the community, the schools and the businesses in their churches in their crime fighting strategy.

And we won (national acclaim) because of how we used the resources in the community.

“The community helped us fight crime. They reported crime, they told us who the criminals were. We didn’t have to guess.

“And we met with our criminals. We knew who the criminals were. It wasn’t a stranger in the community.

“In community policing, we would have known that a guy like Tyre Nichols (wasn’t a criminal), because we would have invited him to our community meetings.”

Over the years, Currie said, the political landscape shifted away from community policing, taking precious resources and diverting them to special units like SCORPION, the now-disbanded unit that the arrested former officers belonged to.

“We used to have community substations in every part of the city, with a mission to build a rapport and a relationship with the community that you worked in,” he said.

“They got away from it over the years now you only got one substation left. And you reduced the resources for it. What sense does that make?

“Then you take those resources and put them into units like SCORPION,” he continued. “Just think: What if they would’ve had those resources in the community policing unit?”

captured on a pole bearing a SkyCop camera brought the horror down-to-earth.

From the pulpit Friday morning during a press conference at Mt. Olive Cathedral C.M.E. Church, Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, said she just hadn’t been able to watch what happened to her son and asked those with children not to let their children see it.

The officers all face the same charges: second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping causing bodily injury, aggravated kidnapping while possessing a weapon, official misconduct through unauthorized exercise of official power, official misconduct through failure to perform a duty imposed by law, and official oppression.

There is no statute specifically for violating humanity. There is stalled federal legislation – the George Floyd Act – that essentially warrants humane policing. Memphis Branch NAACP Branch Executive Director Vickie Terry promised Wells – one mother to another – that she would put all she had into getting some sort of Tyre Nichols legislation to assure that no other mother would have to go through what Wells is enduring.

Nichols, who worked at the FedEx hub with his stepfather, Rodney Wells, was enjoying a day off before the quintet of officers went ballistic on him.

“He was coming from Shelby Farms about the time of the incident because he liked to go and watch the sunset and take pictures,” his mother said. “That was his thing. My son loved the sunset. That was his passion. He loved photography. He loved skateboarding. He was just his own person.’”

There is audio of Nichols calling out for his mother as he was being brutalized.

“For a mother to know that their child was calling them in their need, and I wasn’t there for him.

Do you, do you know how I feel right now?”

At what she later learned was the time her son was being ganged up, Wells said she had “this really bad pain in my stomach … that was my son’s pain that I was feeling. And I didn’t even know. But for me to find out that my son was calling my name … you have no clue how I feel right now.”

The press conference, where Wells spoke, was called to address the charges filed by Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy and returned by a grand jury. Benjamin Crump, the family’s lead attorney, applauded the charges, their swiftness (less than 20 days), and added context.

“This is not the first time that we saw police officers committing a crime and engaging in excessive, brutal force against Black people in America who were unarmed. But yet we have never seen swift justice like this,” he said.

“When we look at how these five Black officers, who were caught on camera committing a crime, and when we look at how fast the police chief and the police department terminated them, and we look at how swiftly the district attorney bought charges against them in less than 20 days, then we wanna proclaim that this is the blueprint going forward (in America) for any officers. …

“We won’t accept less going forward in the future. We won’t have Black officers treated differently than white officers. We want equal justice under the law.”

Later it was learned two other officers had been relieved of duty, including Preston Hemphill, who is white. He joined the force in 2018 and subsequently became part of the SCORPION Unit. The seventh has not been identified.

Crump said he and fellow attorney Antonio Romanucci had been made aware that the special unit Nichols encountered had engaged in excessive force against Black citizens before. He said several people had contacted his office, including a man who reported that a gun was put to his head. That man, said Crump, called police internal affairs twice and did not get an answer.

If they would’ve responded to him, we might not be here today.”

Romanucci called for the SCORPION unit to be disbanded immediately. He said it was a saturation unit, likening it to other such units in the U.S. “What they really turn out to be are oppression units. And what they do is they wind up oppressing the people that we care about the most: our children, our young sons and daughters, who are Black and brown, because they are the most vulnerable.

“Make no mistake, Tyre Nichols at all times was an innocent victim on that night. He did nothing wrong. He was caught up in a sting.”

Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis later told The New Tri-State Defender that disbanding the SCORPION unit would be “like throwing the baby out with the bath water.” The next day, after substantive community and internal feedback, she reversed course and shut SCORPION down.

The beating was just part of the nightmare that befell Nichols. The officers unceremoniously orbited around him, alternately spewing accounts of how hard they hit him in the face and a yarn about Nichols having gotten a hand

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

Page 2

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

Police officers use pepper spray on Tyre Nichols. (screen capture from MPD bodycam video)

A hand-lettered message on part of a cardboard box signaled a message from the protest that shut down the I-55 bridge over the Mississippi River: This was about Tyre. (Photo: Karanja A. Ajanaku/The New Tri-State Defender) on one officer’s gun.

They rendered no aid. They drug him over to a vehicle and propped him up against a vehicle.

When he would plop over, they reset him like a bag of potatoes.

It was 20-plus minutes before Memphis Fire Department personnel rendered any aid, and that came after the medics, who made the scene, did nothing, inexplicably, for a period that was excruciating to count down. Three later were fired After seeing the video, Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. learned two deputies were on the scene. They have been suspended pending completion of an investigation.

Other MPD police officers are seen on video.

None rendered aid to Nichols. The city’s internal investigation is said to be ongoing. So is one out of DA Mulroy’s office.

A federal criminal civil rights inquiry also is underway.

All will be aided by the video footage, particularly from the elevated pole camera. The Shelby County Board of Commissioners funded the camera to combat crime. Attorney Van Turner Jr., who is part of the legal team representing the Nichols family and Memphis Branch NAACP president, was on that version of the commission.

“Little did we know we would be combatting this type of criminal behavior as well,” Turner said at the morning press conference. “They (the police officers) come and commit the very same crimes that we’re trying to fight against.

Yeah, but glory be to God that a SkyCop camera was there to catch what happened. …

That evening on the shut-down bridge, activ-

ist Theryn C. Bond said, “I don’t like getting phone calls saying that there was somebody in the Real Time Crime Center watching this (the beating of Nichols) in real time and did absolutely nothing to stop it.”

And, said Bond, “I don’t like hearing that this is about five Black cops and at least 10 to 15 more cops are involved.”

Convinced that Mayor Jim Strickland and MPD Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis have “downplayed this as if it is just an unfortunate incident and that this is not a direct reflection on the rest of the cops in that (SCORPION) unit, on MPD, Bond said, “this is a problem that goes deeper than anything we could have ever imagined. Horrific does not even begin to explain the video, the expletives I heard all of those officers saying. …

“The fact that I saw an officer walk up to another officer as if to tell him to stop and then kicked him in the head. Second-degree murder is not enough. … This is ridiculous. Where is Chief Davis?”

Amber Sherman of The official Black Lives Matter Memphis Chapter, bookended her day with the morning press conference and protest on the bridge.

“I think that we will be wherever we need to go to enact change and get the demands that the family wants. So, whatever that includes, that’s what we’ve got to do,” she said.

“We’ve never had anything that wasn’t peaceful,” she added. “We’re not going to be fear mongered into not hitting the streets. We’re going to do what we can to make sure that Tyre’s name continues to be uplifted and that we get justice for Tyre.”

The New Tri-State Defender

February 2 - 8, 2023

Page 3

NEWS

The Rev. Al Sharpton made it clear that supporting Tyre D. Nichols’ parents --RowVaughn Wells and Rodney Wells -- and his siblings was job No. 1 in the pursuit of “justice for Tyre.” (Photo: Karanja A. Ajanaku/The New Tri-State Defender)

Tyre D. Nichols (Photo: Facebook)

Standing with Tyre’s family on the eve of his funeral

by Karanja A. Ajanaku

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

It would have been perfectly understandable if the family of Tyre D. Nichols had chosen not to come to Mason Temple on the cold, icy night that was the eve of his funeral. However, they were there because it was another important step in what has evolved into a national campaign in pursuit of “justice for Tyre.”

Nichols’ parents, RowVaughn Wells and Rodney Wells, walked onto the stage where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his prophetic last address – the “Mountain Top Speech” – and stood with dignity for a little more than half an hour.

They shared the stage of the historic venue with Nichols’ four siblings, Church of God in Christ clergy, the Memphis Branch NAACP president (and a family attorney), local activists, other area ministers and the Rev. Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network.

The funeral, with the eulogy delivered

by Sharpton, was held at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church.

It came 22 days after Nichols, 29, was jerked out of his car by rogue Memphis Police Department officers, peppered spray, chased down after he ran, beaten mercilessly and left to suffer for what now is calculated as 27 minutes before getting medical attention.

He died Jan 10.

Mason Temple evokes a sense of fate.

Dr. King was gunned down the day after his speech there. People left the church on that rainy April 3, 1968 night resolved to march on toward justice with King’s assurance they would get there “as a people.”

Tuesday night, a string of speakers made it clear that the beating and death of Nichols had them galvanized in pursuit of justice 55 years later.

Five officers have been fired and indicted, two others relieved of duty, three Memphis Fire Department members fired, and two Sheriff’s Department officers are suspended pending completion of an investigation.

And so many people have so many questions!

The Tuesday night gathering and the funeral were hailed as the “beginning of the faith community rallying … to stand with this family.”

Bishop Brandon Porter, COGIC board of directors member and COGIC secretary.

“Mason Temple is significant to this gathering and because approximately 55 years ago, my father, Bishop W.L. Porter, opened the doors of this facility to Dr. Martin Luther King for the Poor People’s Campaign…. The need for justice has brought us here again.”

COGIC Bishop Talbot W. Swan conveyed remarks sent by Presiding Bishop J. Drew Sheard.

“Nationwide police have killed roughly three people per day consistently since 2020. The encounter with Tyre Nichols in Memphis recorded on video is a glaring reminder that efforts to reform policing have failed to prevent more flashpoint incidents and the intractable epidemic of police brutality in this country. Nearly 32 years ago, Rodney King’s beating by police in Los Angeles prompted heartfelt calls for change. And yet here we are three decades later, still calling for that change.”

Jamal Dupree, Tyrone D. Nichols’ brother. “ … When I first got here the first time, it was like a dark cloud over this city. …

And I couldn’t wait to get back home. But, … seeing the support every day on social media, seeing it on the news … it’s just, it’s amazing. So, from my brothers and sisters, since I’m speaking for us all tonight, we truly appreciate it.”

The Rev. Al Sharpton Fifty-five years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King came to Memphis to fight for garbage workers. … And he … stood in this pulpit … and made a historic speech about “I’ve been to the Mountain Top” … and … seen the Promised Land. … This is holy ground. … And this family now is ours…”

Rodney Wells, Tyrone D. Nichols’ stepfather.

Saying he would keep his remarks sweet and short because of the long journey ahead, Rodney Wells asked for protection for his wife because she was vulnerable, and then asked the same for himself.

Memphis Branch NAACP President Van Turner Jr. is an attorney working with the family’s legal team.

“Mrs. RowVaughnWells has asked for the Tyree Nichols Police Reform Act to be passed in the Tennessee General Assembly.

We need to fight for that. … After we’ve laid Mr. Nichols to rest … we need to go to Nashville and we need to call on Governor Bill Lee. We need to call on our Tennessee General Assembly….”

Amber Sherman of the Official Black Lives Matter Memphis Chapter.

“So, I’m here to center us in the demands Tyree’s family and our community have to ensure that we get justice … We ask that you support this family’s demands and our community’s demands by uplifting them and showing up to make public comment and support at the upcoming County Commission and City Council meetings on February 6th and February 7th. … Thank you for continuing to show up for Tyree and his family and supporting them in our calls for justice.”

(Photos: Karanja A. Ajanaku/The New Tri-State Defender)

PERSPECTIVE The New Tri-State Defender, February 2 - 8, 2023, Page 4

Struggling to find any ‘rays of sunshine in all of this’

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

With Tyre D. Nichols in mind as the wheels of justice grind, many are struggling to find any “rays of sunshine in all of this.”

Here are some of the public thoughts and reflections before and after the dramatic live release of video footage last Friday.

The Rev. Dr. Earle J. Fisher, pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church, founder of #UPTheVote901: “Elections have consequences, and I am glad we have Steve Mulroy in the District Attorney’s office, and not Amy Weirich. We have someone responsive and sincere who wants to hear community leaders and feel the pulse of the city.

“But I would love to know who set bail for those officers who have been indicted on murder charges. They bonded right out and were released in a few hours.

“However, indictment is a small step in the right direction, a point of genesis.… Officials moved quickly as they should have … but we don’t see that same expediency when white officers are involved in these situations….

“But how did we get to this place?

This is obviously not their first time acting in that manner. They have had some practice.…

“How did five African-American

officers beat Tyre Nichols to death?

“It’s because race is irrelevant. Blue lives matter. The color is blue….

Policing is a system rooted in white supremacy. So race and ethnicity become non-factors.

“I struggle, trying to find rays of sunshine in all of this.…”

Shelby County Commissioner Britney Thornton: “No one should lose their life to change a broken system. We need to acknowledge that our criminal justice system is safe for neither the Black or the white man.

“As we all prepare for the release of this video tomorrow, all I can think about is, ‘When will the next time be?’”

Activist Karen Spencer McGee, aka, “Momma Peaches”: “I want to say that I am so proud of Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis. She expressed sympathy for the loss of Tyre to his mother, not as a police chief, but as a mother of Black children…

“They are doing the right thing by re-evaluating special units, especially the SCORPION Unit….

“Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland hasn’t said enough. He never does.

They are calling for peaceful protests. How about calling for the police to stop killing us?”

State Sen. Raumesh Akbari: “Justice would be Tyre living to see

his next birthday. … Justice is people in this community having trust that our police officers will first police themselves. No one should fear for their life during a simple traffic stop or be afraid to even engage with our officers. …

“We cannot move forward together unless we are willing to do the work to hold our police department to the highest ethical standards and uproot any existence or acceptance of police brutality.

“This is our call to action and we must be vigilant.”

Attorney and former Shelby County Commissioner Walter L. Bailey Jr. in a letter to MPD Chief Davis: “As a member of the legal and political community for over half a century, I would be remiss if I did not openly extend my deepest thanks and appreciation for your exceptional professional administrative skill, wisdom, and courage. You demonstrated this in addressing the community’s outrage over the most concerning tragic death of Tyre Nichols in the custody of the five fired Memphis police officers….

“Sadly, too often I have seen situations where decent police officers succumb to ‘group dynamics’ that cause them to become cowardly susceptible to the most heinous conduct.

Here I am experiencing what appears to be a tragic occurrence like the one

Ian Randolph, head of the Memphis Branch NAACP political action committee holds the “future” in his hands during the press conference that also served as rally in pursuit of justice for Tyre D. Nichols at Mt. Olive Cathedral C.M.E. on Monday (Jan. 23). (Photo: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises/The New Tri-State Defender) that occurred 52 years ago when Elton Hayes, a black teenager, who was apprehended in connection with traffic violations, met a similar fate as Tyre Nichols.”

Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris: “I grieve with the family of Mr. Tyre Nichols, who lost a beloved family member too soon. Together, we can work to build a more just and humane system.”

Congressman Steve Cohen, from the floor of the House: “We have a new D.A. We have a new U.S. Attorney. And we have a new Police Director. They are the right people at the right time to bring about reform and to deal with this case to see that justice is rendered.

“I grieve for the life of Tyre Nichols, whose life should not have been extinguished. He was an outstanding young man and it’s extremely sad

that he was killed.

“I pray for my city.”

State Sen. London Lamar after Monday’s press conference/rally at Mt. Olive Cathedral C.M.E.: “It definitely brought me to tears to see that family having to stand in front of the public and share their grief with the world … considering what happened to their son. I don’t think no mother should have to experience a loss of their baby. …

“So, I’m doing what I can in my role to offer support in any way that I can, but I’m hopeful and optimistic that justice will be served. …

“There is still work we have to do when it comes to police accountability and … we have to make sure we stay vigilant and make sure that we communicate and come together around keeping each other safe.”

(This story includes reports from the TSD newsroom.”

JUSTICE FOR TYRE: NAACP seeks subpoena-powered community oversight board; sixth officer relieved of duty With the pursuit of “justice for Tyre” warranting a multi-pronged approach, a call for a “community oversight board that has subpoena power” has by Gloria Sweetlove, president of the Tennessee State Conference of the NAACP. In Memphis last Sunday (Jan. 29), she teamed with the Memphis Branch NAACP to outline their collective next steps in the wake of the Jan. 10th death of Tyre D. Nichols and last Friday’s public release of graphic video footage of his savage beating (Jan. 7th) by now-former Memphis Police Department officers.

The five officers – Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith – last week were charged with second-degree murder, along with aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping causing bodily injury, aggravated kidnapping while possessing a weapon, official misconduct through unauthorized exercise of official power, official misconduct through failure to perform a duty imposed by law and official oppression.

All the officers are African-American. The released video showed other officers on the scene, including at least one who was white, prompting community calls for accountability equity.

On Monday (Jan. 30), the Memphis Police Department announced that Preston Hemphill, who is white, had been relieved of duty, with a commitment to updates in the ongoing investigation. The next day it was revealed he was part of the SCORPI-

While applauding the actions of Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis and Shelby County District Atty. Gen. Steve Mulroy, Gloria Sweetlove, president of the Tennessee State Conference of the NAACP, said, “We got to do more.” (Photo: Karanja A. Ajanaku/ The New Tri-State Defender) ON Unit and had wielded a taser.

Sweetlove spoke at the Memphis Branch NAACP office, 588 Vance Ave. “We must stop pushing things under the (rug),” she said while calling for a subpoena-empowered community oversight board.

Memphis has had the Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board (CLERB) since 1994. While it has the authority to probe allegations of police misconduct, CLERB Chairman James Kirkwood has cited the need for more authority.

And, the CLERB board needs the power to directly gather information, including engaging officers accused of misconduct, Memphis City Coun-

cilman JB Smiley Jr. has said.

Also representing the NAACP national board of directors, Sweetlove acknowledged President Biden’s “delivery on our calls for an executive order on police reform” and then declared that it was not a substitute for meaningful legislation.

“We must have legislation that is effective throughout this country that makes sure that we stop the killing of Black men,” she said. “The NAACP continues to advocate for an end to qualified immunity, increased data collection on police encounters, the elimination of no-knock warrants, (and) standardization of comprehensive training requirements.”

Asserting that justice movements begin within communities, Sweetlove said, “We must know there’s an opportunity to take these policy issues on the state and local level.”

Memphis Branch President Van Turner Jr., also an attorney working with the Nichols family law team (led by Benjamin Crump, along with Antonio Romanucci), pressed for the Tennessee General Assembly to pass a Tyre Nichols criminal justice reform bill.

“We do not need to let Tyre Nichols’ death be in vain. We need the bill passed and we call on Governor Bill Lee…. That bill will feature teeth and it will feature true consequences if you (an officer) don’t intervene. We already have Eight Can’t Wait, duty to intervene, duty to render aid, duty to not have excessive chokeholds and other maneuvers that are used to kill people.

“We already have a ban against those, yet they didn’t work. In this case, we need a law that will make those duties and those provisions work. And we can put that in that bill, along with the George Floyd Criminal Justice Reform Act at the congressional and federal level.”

“Eight Can’t Wait” was a national campaign to bring immediate change to police departments. City officials have said they are practicing the eight policies: 1. Ban Chokeholds and Strangleholds 2. Require De-escalation 3. Require warning before shooting 4. Exhaust all alternatives before

shooting 5. Duty to intervene 6. Ban shooting at moving vehicles 7. Require use of force continuum (1. Physical Presence. 2. Verbal Warnings. 3. Verbal Commands. 4.

Chemical Agents. 5. Empty Hands Control (Soft and Hard). 6. Impact Weapons/Less Lethal Weapons/MPD Canine. 7. Deadly Force.)

8. Require comprehensive reporting The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act is stalled in Congress since last introduced in 2021 and first introduced the year before. Elements included a national registry of police misconduct, a federal, state and local-level ban on racial and religious profiling, and reworking qualified immunity that some argue limits the ability to hold law enforcement accountable.

Sweetlove, a mother of four sons and three grandsons, said, the NAACP has “compassionate condolences” for Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, and his family.

She directed a call to action at Congress.

“By failing to craft and pass bills to stop police brutality, you are writing another Black man’s obituary. The blood of Black America is on your hand,” she said.

“So stand up and do something.

Stop letting it be partisan politics as usual and do something.”

And, said Sweetlove, “Anybody that was involved with it (the beating of Nichols), we want them persecuted; Anybody!”

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The New Tri-State Defender

February 2 - 8, 2023

Page 5

RELIGION

Farewell to Dr. Champion…

The homegoing celebration for Dr. Charles A. Champion, the first African-American pharmacist to work in a Memphis hospital, evoked a range of emotions at Mt. Olive Cathedral C.M.E. Church on Monday. Dr. Champion made developing products that promote healing with natural ingredients his life’s work. He anchored a community orbit from Champion’s Pharmacy and Herb Store, 2369 Elvis Presley Blvd.

Born in Memphis in 1930, he died Jan. 21. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley/The New Tri-State Defender)

Humanity is universal …

Ubantu Sunday was celebrated at St. Mark Baptist Church, where the Rev. Marvin Mims is pastor. Ubantu is a South African word translated as compassion, humanity towards others. The Rev. Rickey, pastor of Norris Avenue Baptist Church, was the guest speaker. Pictured (l-r): The Rev. Rickey Dugger, and his wife, Patsy Dugger; Anita Mims and her husband, Rev. Mims. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley/The New Tri-State Defender)

The New Tri-State Defender

February 2 - 8, 2023

ENTERTAINMENT

Page 6

‘The Fresh Prince Project’ may suit those able to separate style from substance

by Terri Schlichenmeyer

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

You turned the TV on and look....

Nine hundred forty-eight channels and there’s still nothing you want to watch. Seen that, seen that, watched that twice, but it wasn’t always the case.

Once, your Monday nights were spent with a show you never missed, featuring a young guy who made you laugh. And in the new book “The Fresh Prince Project” by Chris Palmer, he made America laugh, too.

Born to solidly middle-class parents in West Philadelphia, young Will Smith gained a reputation early for being something of a class clown. Though he tried, he was not athletic; instead, his talents lay in helping people have fun. When he met Jeff Townes it was a perfect match: DJ Jazzy Jeff spun the tunes, “Fresh Prince” Smith made the raps.

Everybody wanted to be at their party. They made records and went on tour. Weeks before high school graduation, months before he turned 18, Smith was a rich kid with a nice car and lots of friends. But “bubblegum” hip hop was on its way out, “hard-driving” rap was in, and Smith’s money dried up as fast as it had arrived. Seeking Fame and Fortune Part II, Smith headed for California.

Writer Andy Borowitz was already there, cutting his teeth on Normal Lear projects and other television productions in Hollywood.

When Brandon Tartikoff, who seemed to have a golden touch when it came to TV, asked Borowitz to work for him, the answer was yes and Borowitz’s wife even joined the team.

Tartikoff knew a lot of industry people, including Quincy Jones and music mogul Benny Medina, who was considering a step into the TV industry. At this same time, Will Smith was hanging around “The Arsenio Hall Show” backstage, hoping that fame might rub off on him.

On the afternoon that Smith met Medina, the young rapper had no idea who the elder man was. Medina, conversely, was well aware of

“The Fresh Prince Project: How the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Remixed America” by Chris Palmer c.2022, Atria $28.99 320 pages Smith’s early career. And when he asked Smith if he could act, Smith bluffed his answer, as he had so many times before...

From the outset, “The Fresh Prince Project” tries too hard. Its earliest chapters are filled with thirty-year-old language Chris that feels forced, and alluPalmer sions to some issues with Smith’s father that are never completely, satisfyingly explained. This unevenness doesn’t ever get much better as the book progresses: there’s a lot of backtracking, and the words “fish out of water” show up a ridiculous number of times.

And yet, if you can separate style from substance, author Chris Palmer does the job: his book shows how one TV comedy and the people who made it, shaped Monday nights and everyday viewpoints. It’s also a great profile of a star with one foot in a job he loved, and the other foot firmly on film.

Overall, fans who can withstand the upand-downs of this book and don’t mind a little whiplash sometimes will want to hop on “The Fresh Prince Project.” If you like things freshly-polished, though, this book might turn you off.

Black History Month book choices for kids ages 5 to 8

by Terri Schlichenmeyer

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Your parents and your teachers try to tell you about the past.

You like the stories they share, the things your grandparents did and the important celebrities that lived long ago. It’s history and it’s fun to know, so why not reach for these Black History Month books for kids ages 5 to 8...?

Who doesn’t love ice cream? If you do, then you’ll love reading “Ice Cream Man” by Glenda Armand and Kim Freeman, illustrated by Keith Mallet (Random House Kids, $18.99).

It’s the story of Augustus Jackson, who was born a slave in Philadelphia and worked for a time at the White House, but he never forgot his dreams. Jackson wanted to give everyone a chance to have ice cream, which was then only available to rich people.

How could he make the treat and get it to new neighborhoods without it melting into a sticky puddle? Kids will find the answer here.

The child who wants to be like his favorite hero will enjoy “Me and Muhammad Ali” by Jabari Asim, illustrated by AG Ford (Nancy Paulsen Books, $17.99).

Here, young Langston is a big fan of boxer Muhammad Ali, in part because Ali’s swagger gives Langston confidence. Like Ali, Langston wants to “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee” but a chance to see his idol might fly away like a bird. Then a hero steps in and saves

the day. Be sure to read the author’s note at the end, for the full effect of this charming tale.

For the kid who wants a wider story with thrilling patriotism, there are two books to look for: First, “My Red, White, and Blue” by Alana Tyson, illustrated by London Ladd (Philomel, $18.99) is the story of our flag and the time when it didn’t seem to represent everyone in America.

Once, the flag had a history of scars with the stars and strife with the stripes but all that changed when people began to use their voices. Today, the flag means diversity for all, especially for a brown child who loves the red, white, and blue – and especially for your child, who will love the thoughtful rhyme that makes this book.

Then, “An American Story” by Kwame Alexander, art by Dare Coulter (Little, Brown, $18.99) is a tale of freedom, equality, “yesterday’s nightmare” and the courage to make today better. It’s a story about a story, and how there are times when things aren’t fair but people can work to make it better.

This is a beautiful book but beware of one important thing: some of the words might be scary for very young children and the artwork, though gorgeous, can be harsh. Read it through once before reading it aloud.

And if these books aren’t enough for your storytime, be sure to check with your librarian or bookseller. There are lots more Black History books to bring home and to enjoy with your 5-to-8-year-old or for kids of any age, because Black History is American history, too.

COMMUNITY The New Tri-State Defender, February 2 - 8, 2023, Page 7

A slave legacy connected to Audubon Park and its lake has the City Council set to weigh renaming

by James Coleman

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

A push to rename Audubon Park and its lake is expected to be stalled until Feb. 7 when the Memphis City Council is set to discuss two proposed re-naming ordinances.

Memphis City Council member Patrice Robinson has proposed renaming the park Memphis Botanical Park after the nearby Memphis Botanical Gardens.

The park’s lake would be named in honor of civil rights activist and historian Miriam DeCosta-Willis.

Discussion on the ordinances was delayed for two weeks at the council’s session on Jan. 24.

The name changes hit a fast track following

an editorial in The Daily Memphian by local attorney Thelma Crivens.

The opinion piece argued for abandoning the current name due to the legacy of its namesake, John James Audubon. An owner of nine slaves, Audubon was a self-trained artist, naturalist, and ornithologist.

In addition to cataloging and drawing the various types of birds in 19th century America, Audubon also argued in writings that Blacks and Native Americans were inferior to whites.

Numerous locations, landmarks and organizations bear his name across the country.

An educator, DeCosta-Willis was the first African-American faculty member at Memphis State University. Born in Alabama in 1934, the professor of romance languages and African-American Studies eventually taught at sev-

AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH CALENDAR Feb. 3 The Soulsville Foundation will debut its third annual free virtual Black History Month presentation created by the Stax Music Academy, in conjunction with the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. This year’s film is a special celebration of the Stax Museum’s 20th Anniversary. Register at: staxmusicacademy.org.

Memphis/Shelby County Public Library Feb. 4: Musical Tribute to 1968 Sanitation Workers 12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m.

North Library – Main floor Feb. 6-7 Martin Luther King Jr. Exhibition 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

North Library – Meeting room Feb. 15 Black History Month Spotlight: Technology & Inventions 4 p.m.- 5 p.m.

South Library – Main floor Feb. 16 Stop, Drop & Read Black American History 3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.

Frayser Library – Children’s Area Feb. 18 Black History Month Family Storytime 11 a.m.- 11:45 a.m.

Feb. 22 Black History Month Spotlight: Outer Space 4 p.m.-5 p.m.

South Library – Main floor Feb. 24 Black History HBCU College Fair Noon – ??

Raleigh Library – Meeting Room Feb. 10-11 Cross That River Halloran Centre for Performing Arts & Education 225 S Main St. Feb. 11 *African American History & Elmwood Cemetery: An In-Door Presentation Back in the day ...Grammy-Award winning Isaac Hayes was honored with an award that saluted the arts by Delta Sigma Theta at the University of Memphis.

(Photo: Tyrone P. Easley/The New Tri-State Defender Archives)

4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

Dudley St. *Celebrate Black Artists – Faith Ringgold 10 a.m. – noon Arrow Creative, 653 Philadelphia St. Feb. 16 Candid Conversations w/Entrepreneurs – Black History Month Edition 11 p.m. – 1 a.m.

1139 Brownlee Rd. Feb. 18 Our Stories Matter 6th Annual African American Read-In 3 p.m.-5 p.m.

Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library,3030 Poplar Ave. *Celebrate Black Artists – Romare Bearden 10 a.m.-noon Arrow Creative, 653 Philadelphia St. Feb. 24 Afro-Latino Night Fiesta!

7 p.m.-11 p.m.

Memphis Music Room, 5770 Shelby Oaks Dr. Feb. 25 *BLACKITY BLACK BLACK BLACK SHOWDOWN Noon – 4 p.m.

L R Jackson Activity Center, 405 S. 25th St. West Memphis *Celebrate Black Artists – Kehinde Wiley 10 a.m. – noon Arrow Creative, 653 Philadelphia St. Places to explore 1.The National Civil Rights Museum 2. Beale Street 3. Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum inside the historic Burkle Estate 4. The Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange 5. Ernest Withers Collection Museum 6. Historic First Baptist Beale Street 7. MLK Reflection Park 8. I AM A MAN Plaza 9. The Blues Hall of Fame 10. Stax Museum of American Soul Music 11. W.C. Handy Home and Museum

eral schools in Memphis and Washington D.C., including Historically Black Colleges and Universities such as LeMoyne-Owen College and Howard University.

She also published more than a dozen books, ranging from Afro-Latino literature, biographies, and the history of Black Memphis. She died in January 2021.

Other efforts have been made to drift away from the Audubon name and its connotations.

Last year, a Maryland organization changed its name from the Audubon Naturalist Society to Nature Forward.

According to the Nature Forward website, the new name is “the most recent step in living up to our ideals of inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility and reflects our belief in Nature for All in the DC region.”

Miriam DeCosta-Willis (Photo: Karanja A. Ajanaku/The New Tri-State Defender Archives) The website post notes that while Audubon’s art was a catalyst for bird conservation in the nation, “he was a documented white supremacist and an enslaver. Based on what we heard from many members of our community, retaining his name without regard to the pain that he inflicted on Black people and other people of color would be a disservice.”

The nation’s largest nonprofit dedicated to the conservation of birds and their habitats, however, remains The Audubon Society.

Tennessee lawmakers propose scholarship program to address child care ‘crisis’

by Marta W. Aldrich Chalkbeat

With the cost of quality child care often exceeding in-state tuition bills at Tennessee colleges, two lawmakers filed legislation Monday to create a state government program to offer child care scholarships to low- and middle-income families.

Dubbed Promising Futures, the program would use tax revenue from the state’s growing sports betting industry, most of which currently goes into a lottery education fund that supports the popular HOPE and Tennessee Promise college scholarships.

The bill comes after a 2022 study found that Tennessee businesses and taxpayers are losing $2.6 billion annually in earnings and revenue because parents have problems accessing child care.

Those numbers amount to a crisis, say state Sen. Becky Massey and Rep. Mark White, who are sponsoring the legislation.

“Working parents of young children struggle with child care affordability, quality, and access, which affect their ability to work,” said Massey, a Knoxville Republican. “In turn, many businesses are struggling to find employees.”

White believes that Promising Futures can do for early child care access what Tennessee Promise has done for higher education access.

Under that groundbreaking initiative created in 2014 under former Gov. Bill Haslam’s administration, Tennessee became the first state to offer its high school graduates a chance at two years of tuition-free community or technical college.

“Promising Futures is just as important,” said White, a Memphis Republican who chairs a House education committee. “We can help our young families, support early childhood growth, and position our state on the front end to improve our literacy rate.”

Their bill would launch the program in mid-2024, for children through age 5 whose parents’ household income does not exceed the state’s median income (currently $67,708 for a two-person household, $79,719 for a family of three, and $88,095 for a family of four).

Also eligible would be children who reside with a foster parent or legal guardian. The state education department would oversee the scholarships and pay funds directly to the program in which a child is enrolled.

The program would capitalize on rapid growth in tax revenue from the sports betting industry.

Tennessee legalized sports wagering in 2019

“Working parents of young children struggle with child care affordability, quality, and access, which affect their ability to work.”

— Becky Massey and collects 20 percent of the gaming industry’s adjusted gross revenues as a privilege tax. Of that, 80 percent currently goes to the lottery fund deployed primarily for higher education scholarships, 15 percent to the state to distribute to local governments, and 5 percent toward mental health programs.

The Promising Futures bill proposes starting the scholarship program in mid-2024 with 60 percent of the privilege tax revenue from sports wagering, increasing to 80 percent by mid-2025. Such a change might also require changes to how the remaining 20 percent gets allocated.

Other lawmakers have been eyeing that growing pot of money, too. Last year, Rep. David Hawk, of Greeneville, sponsored a bill that would have directed some sports betting tax revenues to local governments to help them deal with the skyrocking cost of school construction. But his measure stalled in committee.

Massey thinks now is a good time to redirect sports betting money toward child care and early education needs.

“The lottery fund has a good reserve, so it’s not going to jeopardize the money needed to (keep) Tennessee Promise a viable program,” she said.

At a legislative hearing earlier this month, Mary Beth Thomas, the executive director of Tennessee’s Sports Wagering Advisory Council, reported the state collected more than $68 million in sports betting privilege taxes in 2022, compared with $40.6 million a year earlier.

Promising Futures is backed by Tennesseans for Quality Early Education, or TQEE, which formed in 2016 to advocate for a strong education foundation from birth to third grade.

The group, which has more than 30,000 members across Tennessee, launched a website and petition Monday seeking public support for the bill.

“Child care is crucial to early health and brain development. It’s really in all of our best interests to ensure those child care settings are high quality,” president and CEO Blair Taylor told Chalkbeat.

The New Tri-State Defender

February 2 - 8, 2023

Page 8

NEWS

Tennessee children services agency seeks $26M to curb issues

by Jonathan Mattise The Associated Press

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee agency that has faced heightened scrutiny for failures in oversight of the state’s most vulnerable children is requesting a quick influx of $26.6 million, aimed at keeping youth from having to sleep in administrative state offices or in transitional housing, among other pressing problems.

Tennessee Department of Children’s Services Commissioner Margie Quin unveiled the request to a state House panel Monday.

It includes $20.4 million allocated to increase the rates for care providers, which is expected to add 118 beds for kids. There’s also a request for $4.1 million to add 48 clinical assessment beds that help identify the next placement for a child, while providing medical and mental health treatment; and $2.1 million to incentivize more foster care placements for teenagers and groups of siblings.

The request for funding follows a sweeping audit that identified a host of

problems at the agency. It underscored reports of high employee turnover over the past two years and challenges to find proper temporary housing.

It also stressed that the state’s failure to investigate abuse and neglect allegations contributed to putting children’s health, safety and wellbeing at risk. Democratic lawmakers have long deemed the agency’s woes as a crisis that demands immediate changes to protect vulnerable youth.

“We know that this will move the needle. This is going to be progress,” Quinn told lawmakers. “I’m not going to sit here and tell you that this is going to fix it. I’ll know more in six to nine months about where this is going to get us.”

In addition to the new funding request, Republican officials in Tennessee have proposed several ideas aimed at addressing vulnerable young people.

A joint legislative committee last week recommended several juvenile justice changes. Some seek to expand funding or services, including for chaplains, mental health treatment, training and pay; and programs that

allow juveniles in hardened facilities transition to homelike settings for good behavior.

Others double-down on hardened facilities for youth offenders, including a call for 180 to 190 additional male beds and 25 more female beds on the Wilder Youth Development Center campus in Somerville. They also would reduce the age from 18 to 17 years old at which officials can transfer “extremely uncooperative and violent” teens from youth development centers to adult facilities in the Department of Correction’s prison system.

Zoë Jamail, policy coordinator of Disability Rights TN, said lawmakers are “confusing a symptom of the problem for the cause.” The watchdog group last year released a report about the Wilder facility, concluding that it runs like a “dangerous jail.” The facility houses youth up to 19 years old who have committed serious offenses as juveniles, but were not adjudicated to adult status in court.

“The lack of space in group homes, residential treatment, and youth prison facilities is not due to increases in

the number of youth in state custody, nor is it reflective of a shift in what our youth need to grow and thrive,” Jamail said. “Rather, the state is warehousing youth in highly restrictive settings because our system is fundamentally failing to do what the law requires: building and supporting families.”

Additionally, House Speaker Cameron Sexton has said he supports a requirement to try teens as adults for certain violent crimes.

Republican Gov. Bill Lee has already said he hopes to funnel more resources into the Department of Children’s Services for the budget year beginning in July. He’ll release his proposed budget next week. If approved, Quin’s request Monday would kick in before the new fiscal year.

The supplemental spending proposal would not increase wages for case managers. That pay hike is among the $156 million in 20232024 cost increases that she is seeking, which go beyond the emergency funding request.

Quinn is asking for an additional $15.8 million to boost case manager

pay next budget year and a separate $30 million to increase the amount of funding available to help place children in temporary housing.

On average, DCS is in custody of more than 8,000 children, many of whom are the victims of neglect and abuse.

Quin said three to 30 children per night are staying in state offices and transitional settings. Some have remained in the hospital for extra long periods, as well.

And while it takes less than a day on average for a younger child to get placed into foster care, Quin said it takes about 22 days for older youth, who wait in offices or transitional homes. Larger sibling groups also have more difficulty securing foster care, she said. Some 400 children are expected to benefit from the foster care incentive boost, the department said.

Additionally, 170 children have been placed into care outside Tennessee. Quin said the department currently sends youth out of state for clinical assessment. The $4.1 million for 48 assessment beds aims to address that.

CLASSIFIEDS PUBLIC NOTICE THE MEMPHIS URBAN AREA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION In compliance with federal regulations 23 CFR 450, the Memphis MPO is proposing ten (10) amendments to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-26 Transportation Improvement Program Improvement (TIP) and three (3) amendments to the MPO’s Livability 2050 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). Four (4) TIP amendments and one (1) RTP amendment are associated with an Air Quality Conformity Demonstration Report for Shelby County, TN; two (2) TIP amendments and two (2) RTP amendments are associated with an Air Quality Conformity Demonstration Report for DeSoto County, MS, and four (4) TIP amendments are associated with an Air Quality Exempt Packet.

Additionally, the Memphis MPO will present for adoption the 20192023 Safety (PM1), Infrastructure Condition (PM2), and System Performance (PM3) Performance Measure Targets. The MPO will also present for adoption the Mid-South Freight Flows & Industry Analysis Report, which was made available for public review and comment though January 28, 2023. Finally, the MPO will present the FY 2022-2023 Transportation Alternatives (TA) and Carbon Reduction Program (CRP) projects, the FY 2024-2025 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) Major Planning Activities, elect a TPB Chair and Vice-Chair, and elect a TPB Representative for the Freight Advisory Committee (FAC).

The public is hereby given notice that the documents above are available for review and download from the Internet at: www. memphismpo.org. Additionally, the English language copies and the Spanish language summaries are also available for public review in the library systems of Shelby, Fayette, DeSoto, and Marshall counties. Written public comments will be accepted through Wednesday, February 15, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. Comments may be submitted to Pragati Srivastava, Memphis MPO, 125 N. Main Street, Room 450, Memphis, TN 38103 or via email at Pragati.

Srivastava@memphistn.gov. The Memphis MPO Transportation Policy Board (TPB) will hold a public hearing on Thursday,

February 16, 2023, 1:30 p.m. The full meeting agenda including details on how to participate in the meeting will be made available 10 days prior to the meeting on the Memphis MPO’s website: (memphismpo.org).

It is the policy of the Memphis MPO not to exclude, deny, or discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, immigration status, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, religion, veteran status, familial or marital status, disability, medical or genetic condition, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal or state law in its hiring or employment practices, or in its admission to, access to, or operations of its programs, services, or activities. For any and all inquiries regarding the application of this accessibility statement and related policies, or for persons that require aids or services to participate either in the review of these documents or during the hearing, please contact Nick Warren, at 901-6367146 or Nick.Warren@memphistn. gov.

This notice is funded (in part) under an agreement with the State of TN and MS, Departments of Transportation.

NOTICE TO BIDDER(S) Sealed bids will be received by the Shelby County Government in the Department of Housing, 6465 Mullins Station Road, Memphis, Tennessee 38134 until 9:30 a.m. on Friday February 24, 2023, as shown below: MULTIPLE AND ENTIRELY DIFFERENT LEAD HAZARD REDUCTION 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 I000794 DUE AT 9:30 a.m.: Friday, February 24, 2023 1. Rehabilitation of Owner-Occupied Housing Units throughout Shelby County some of which may require the use of lead-safe work practices and techniques; and

2. Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Jobs.

The Department of Housing is also holding a Contractor Meeting on Friday, February 10, 2023 at 11:00am in Training Room A at 6465 Mullins Station Road – ALL current and new contractors are highly encouraged to attend.

Detailed specifications for items above may be obtained in the Shelby County Department of Housing at the aforementioned address beginning Friday, February 10, 2023. 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 901-2227601. 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. Your EOC number must be displayed on the outside of your envelope for each bid submission.

Reminder: Effective January 2020, in order for your bids to be accepted on projects, contractors must have met with the Housing Site Inspector and received a receipt for the current Shelby County Housing Construction and Rehabilitation Specifications Manual. 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. If you are on the contractor list but have not received a receipt for the current Construction and Rehabilitation Specifications Manual, please schedule an appointment.

The label which is attached to the specifications shall be completely filled out and attached to the bid submission envelope. You must display your current SAM Unique Entity ID Number, E.O.C. Eligibility Number or your Locally Owned Small Business (LOSB) Number on the outside of your envelope and a copy of all licens-

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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

LEGAL NOTICE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS RFP NUMBER 23-0005 “REBID” TRASH REMOVAL SERVICES Sealed proposals for Trash Removal Services will be received by the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority (Authority), Procurement Department, Memphis International Airport, 4150 Louis Carruthers Dr, Memphis, TN 38118

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until 2:00 PM local time, March 15, 2023. A listing of all proposers responding will be posted to the Authority’s website one (1) hour after the response deadline. Responses to Requests for Proposals will not be opened. A complete Request for Proposals Packet with submittal instructions, additional data, and response format may be found on the Authority’s website (www.flymemphis.com) on or after February 1, 2023.

A pre-proposal conference will be held Wednesday, February 15, 2023, at 11:00 am in the Authority’s Board Room on the Mezzanine Level, Terminal B of the Memphis International Airport, 2491 Winchester Road, Memphis, TN 38116.

All Proposers are responsible for checking the Authority’s website up to the submission deadline for any updates, addenda, or additional information. In accordance with the Authority’s purchasing policies, the Authority will give preference to businesses located in Shelby County, Tennessee when awarding contracts and making purchases, unless prohibited by law. The successful Proposer must sign a contract with the Authority that includes Federal Aviation Administration provisions, if applicable, regarding the Buy American Preference, Foreign Trade Restriction, Davis-Bacon, Affirmative Action, Debarment and Suspension, and Drug-Free Workplace, all of which are incorporat-

ed herein by reference.

The Authority reserves the right to reject any or all responses to this Request for Proposals in whole or in part; to waive any informalities, technicalities, or omissions related to this Request for Proposals; and to reject responses on any other basis authorized by the Authority’s purchasing policies.

The Authority is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination based on the grounds of age, race, sex, color, national origin, disability, marital status, military service, or sexual orientation in its hiring and employment practices and in the admission to, access to, or operation of its programs, services, and activities.

By order of: Scott A. Brockman, A.A.E. President and CEO Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority NOTICE TO BIDDERS Shelby County Government has issued Sealed Bid number I000793, Construction Services for Sherry Hopper Goodman Park Redevelopment (Support Services). 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 above-described Sealed Bid. SEALED BID I000793 DUE DATE THURSDAY, MARCH 02, 2022 AT 2:30 PM CDT (SB-I000793), Construction Services for Sherry Hopper Goodman Park Redevelopment (Support Services) 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

SPORTS The New Tri-State Defender, February 2 - 8, 2023, Page 9

After leading the Grizzlies to a much-needed win over the Indiana Pacers, Ja Morant shared thoughts about the tragic death of Tyre D. Nichols. (Photo: Terry Davis)

As Memphis grapples with a tragedy, Grizzlies grind along with them TSD Newsroom All of the Grizzlies players and coaches know that basketball is not everything. They knew that long before they took the court intending to put the brakes on a five-game skid on the road. And they were freshly reminded of it by the jarring death of Tyre D. Nichols and the video footage that has gripped Memphis – the city they “rep.”

Back in the embracing environment of FedExForum and adoring Memphis fans, the Grizzlies halted their losing streak with a 112100 win over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday (Jan. 29). They handled their business amid the backdrop of the ongoing dynamics in pursuit of “justice for Tyre” and the national spotlight on the city of Memphis.

Afterward, thoughts were shared about those dynamics. Here are some of those reflections.

Ja Morant – Did he watch the video? How does he feel about it?

“Starting with me watching ... honestly man, I couldn’t even make it through. I feel like everybody knows how I feel about situations like that. Hate to see it happen again, somewhere close to us. Same message. At some point, this has just got to stop. … Prayers to his family.

“It’s just mind-blowing and scary, frustrating. I’m a father. I have to go home. If I get pulled over now... having to be scared to get pulled over, it’s just not supposed to happen. … I just feel like, for the most part, the most important thing is for the city of Memphis just to continue to come together for him and his family and hold them tight and let them know that we are here with them. It was a good thing to see how the city came together right after it was released. It’s just tough man.”

Jaren Jackson Jr. – How has everything going on in Memphis affected the team?

“You’re just feeling for your own community. … That’s like the best time to come together as a team, and that’s the best time to come together as a community, and I think this community is really great at coming together when things like that happen.

“Obviously, it doesn’t really change much in that regard, so you just give your prayers and thoughts to the people involved. You don’t really overanalyze; you don’t over overdo it because you know there’s people actually involved in it. If you’re not actually involved in it, you’re not feeling it, so you just support those people. You come together for them.”

Head coach Taylor Jenkins: Has he seen the video? What about discussions within the team: “Yeah, we’re still having ongoing dialogues. … I’m not going to share what each individual’s choices were when it comes to watching the film.

When there’s a time for us to make statements or do something, individually or as a team, that time will come.

“I have watched it. Beyond disturbing. … It’s an embarrassment of humanity. You got to call it straight up what it is. … we lost one of our own in one of the most brutal fashions. … Hopefully, the Grizzlies can be a huge part of that healing process. There’s a lot of healing to be done myself. … I was emotional.

I cried. …

“There’s still a lot to unfold, but there’s a lot to learn from it and to see the support throughout the NBA, support throughout the country, talking about how much they love our city and (that) they’re thinking about our city and praying for our city, but also praying for the Nichols family, the Wells family.

It’s powerful, but it doesn’t stop now. … It’s got to be action, and it’s got to be change of behaviors.

Our behaviors, what we can do every single day to bring hope and love to each one of the members of our community but especially the Nichols and Wells family and carry on Tyre’s legacy. He’s going to be in my heart forever, and I have never met him. This is going to sit with me forever and hopefully, make me a better person, better leader, and hopefully, that does for everyone in our community.”

Jenkins – Managing the struggle the city of Memphis is going through: “As a team, we’re talking as necessary throughout it. Obviously, these guys are grappling with it.

We’re speaking on it in team settings, as often as we can, but also giving them due space. We don’t want to put any pressure on anyone to speak up or act out. Do it on your own terms. …

“I’ve spent a lot of my downtime thinking about my relationship with the city: what we can do as a team? What I can do as an individual? … (S)adly, this is reminiscent of George Floyd back in 2020. …

George Floyd can’t be an afterthought; so many others can’t be an afterthought. So, there’s a lot going through my head, but you know, when it’s time to coach basketball and play basketball, luckily, we’re focused on that. But then after the fact, we’re still grappling with how to manage it.”

Coaching the Tigers against SMU, UofM head coach Penny Hardaway later reflected on the city of Memphis: “We are well aware of how our city needs to heal and grow. … I know where we want to go and I want to be a part of it. I love this city and I came back to make a difference.” (Photos: Warren Roseborough/The New Tri-State Defender)

Penny Hardaway is ‘100’ when it comes to Memphis As Tigers streak forward, native son notes city’s need to heal

by Terry Davis

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

The winners of five straight, the Memphis Tigers now have plenty of time to rest, with their next American Athletic Conference game not coming until the weekend when they host the Tulane Green Wave at FedExForum on Saturday (Feb. 3).

Their fifth victory on Sunday amounted to overcoming Tulsa’s Golden Hurricane 80-68 on the road. After a subpar first half, starting point guard Kendric Davis, whose Terry Davis recent play has thrust him into some analysts’ conversation about national player of the year, led Memphis with 26 points.

DeAndre Williams continued a string of strong-play games with a double-double – 17 points, 11 rebounds – along with five assists.

Davis added five assists for the Tigers (17-5, 7-2 American Athletic Conference). He scored 19 points in the second half to help Memphis pull away from a 37-35 halftime lead.

A couple of weeks ago, the Tigers were clearly on the NCAA bubble after a loss at the University of Central Florida. They notched their fourth straight win last Thursday (Jan. 26) against SMU, rolling past the Mustangs 99-84 at FedExForum for their 16th straight home win.

“I am grateful to be the coach at Memphis. We have had some ups and downs,” said head coach Penny Hardaway, who now has 100 wins.

“The guys played great. It was a team game. Everyone was connected.”

Against SMU, Davis faced his former team. He had a double-double with 25 points, 11 assists and 7 rebounds. He went into the game knowing it was going to be emotional.

“I went to war with a couple of those dudes,” he said. “Coach called me into the office just before tipoff and told me to settle down. That helped me a lot. I am glad we got the win.

Four other Tigers finished with double-figure points: Keonte Kenne-

Kendric Davis, who plays and passes with style, finds teammate Chandler Lawson an assisted dunk.

Kaodirchi Akobundu-Ehiogu does one of the things he does best on a basketball court – slam. dy, 16; Williams, 13 (6 rebounds, five assists); Jayden Hardaway, 12; and Chandler Lawson, 12 (9 rebounds).

Hardaway said Lawson “came out with a purpose to rebound the ball….

I have been challenging him to do that.”

Lawson is adjusting as a spark plug coming off the bench.

“It has been challenging to me, from starting to coming off the bench,” he said. “It has been a learning experience. I see the game from the sideline point of view. I just take what the defense gives me.”

Unofficially, it was victory 101 for Hardaway. A finding from the NCAA

investigation into the recruitment of James Wiseman and other players resulted in a win taken away.

The University released a congratulatory Instagram post that featured his son, Jayden Hardaway, along with Alex Lomax, former players Lester Quinones and Precious Achiuwa, and some future Tigers.

“We are winning,” said Hardaway, who wore a blue Tigers cap with “100” on it to the postgame press conference. “We are trying to go 1-0 regardless of how it looks.”

Davis said the Tigers are “getting better each and every game. That is the best thing. He coaches us hard.

We have been playing hard. We still have to get Malcolm (Dandridge) and Alo (Lomax) back healthy. That will add to us. Coach should be in the Coach of the Year conversation.”

A Memphis native son, Hardaway noted the rip in the city’s energy with the death of 29-year-old Tyre D. Nichols and a flow of revelations about the police beating that is sending waves of pain through the city and throughout the nation.

“I am always about love and trying to do my part, to ensure we are better than we were,” said Hardaway.

“We are well aware of how our city needs to heal and grow. I don’t want to speak out of turn, but my heart has always been with this city. I know where we want to go and I want to be a part of it. I want to be the blessing to where it goes. I love this city and I came back to make a difference.”

The New Tri-State Defender

February 2 - 8, 2023

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