The New Tri-State Defender – May 21-27, 2020

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May 21 - 27, 2020

VOL. 69, No. 21

www.tsdmemphis.com

Phase II: Black businesses reopen in ‘new normal’ reality Three MWBEs share their COVID-19 journeys by Dena Owens Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Memphis and Shelby County allowed more non-essential businesses to reopen on Monday (May 18) after weeks of closure due to coronavirus (COVID-19). Phase 2 Back-to-Business direc-

tives classify business types permitted to reopen. The plan also allows social gatherings of up to 50 people, up from 10 in Phase 1. Black-owned businesses have been hit hardest amid COVID-19 – some may close permanently without supportive clientele. Hair and nail salons, barber shops, tattoo parlors, health clubs, gyms,

tourist attractions, contact sports facilities and other non-essential services requiring closeness must still follow safety guidelines. Restaurants and bars, and non-essential businesses named above may now operate at 50 percent capacity, up from 25 percent in Phase 1. All reopening businesses must comply with industry-specific safety

regulations dictated by the State of Tennessee. Physical distancing at six feet apart, washing hands with soap and water and disinfecting surfaces are standard safety precautions. Health experts strongly advise wearing cloth masks in public places to avoid spreading the highly-contagious (and potentially deadly) virus.

SEE REOPEN ON PAGE 7

Alternate care site... The former home of The Commercial Appeal has been transformed into an overflow hospital for COVID-19 patients. With Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris (left) and Mayor Jim Strickland (center with Memphis Strong mask) among those with him on tour, Gov. Bill Lee on Monday touted the partnership that resulted in turning the old Memphis Publishing Co. building into an alternate care site. (Photo: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises/The New TriState Defender)

‘Twilight Zone:’ Casino closings hurt Mississippi county by Adrian Sainz and Jay Reeves

TUNICA, Miss. — Since midMarch, the wide roads leading to the gambling halls of Tunica County, Mississippi, have been devoid of cars. The bells of the slot machines and chatter from hopeful card players have gone silent. Hundreds of hotel rooms have been empty for two months, and thousands of people have lost their jobs, at least temporarily. As it has in so many other places around the world, the new coronavirus has dealt a crippling blow to an

economy that relies heavily on revenue from more than a half-dozen casinos, all of which were shuttered to help stop the virus’s spread. Even before the pandemic hit, the industry had been experiencing a slow, steady decline. Historically impoverished and located about 30 miles (48.28 kilometers) south of Memphis, Tennessee, Tunica County sits along the Blues Highway, which draws its name from the uniquely American form of music that was born on the old plantation lands. More than a quarter of the county’s roughly 9,600 residents,

SEE CASINOS ON PAGE 3

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Commissioners OK face-covering resolution; Council steps forward by Erica R. Williams Special to The New Tri-State Defender

The Shelby County Board of Commissioners has adopted a resolution “urging health officials to require residents and visitors to wear face coverings through Sept.1.” The measure, a safety precaution as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, was approved Monday (May 18) with an 8-5 vote during a marathon-like, online commission meeting that began at 11 a.m. and ended at 11:36 p.m. On Tuesday, the Memphis City Council passed a similar ordinance on second reading. It takes three readings to approve an ordinance. The city attorney reportedly is researching whether the council has the authority to require masks. Shelby County Commissioner Tami Sawyer proposed a county-side, mask-wearing measure last week that included a $50 fee for businesses that didn’t comTami ply. On Monday Sawyer she presented a revised measure, co-sponsored by Commissioner Van Turner Jr. S a w y e r said she “sifted through the noise and pulled out feedback that was constructive from people who Van supported and Turner Jr. people who did not,” for the revised measure. She changed the proposed ordinance to a resolution that urges health officials to require facial coverings, without the $50 in-compliance fee attached. The change comes on the heels of County Attorney Marlinee C. Iverson’s opinion that commissioners didn’t have the power to require residents to wear masks. However, Iverson pointed out that the Shelby County Health Department could enforce it. While local health officials have consistently suggested that residents wear facial coverings when out in public, they have yet to make it a requirement. “One of the things that I continued to hear about the ordinance was that it was anti-business or anti-small business when in fact behind the ordinance now the resolution was to ensure that once we open we were able to stay open,” Sawyer said during the meeting. After the resolution was adopted, Sawyer explained the intention around her original proposal.

SEE MASKS ON PAGE 3

Melvin Logan, 63, speaks with a reporter about the effects of casino closures in his hometown of Tunica, Miss. Tunica County, in the heart of the historically impoverished Mississippi Delta, has been dealt a serious economic blow by the new coronavirus. Gambling halls and associated businesses have been shuttered for two months. (AP photo/Adrian Sainz)


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