The New Tri-State Defender (October 22-28, 2020)

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October 22 - 28, 2020

VOL. 69, No. 43

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‘Tower Project’ rises as a Pinch District possibility

by James Coleman

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Outside the Ridgeway Precinct in Hickory Hill, U.S. Atty. Gen. William Barr’s heavily guarded motorcade was met with shouting through bullhorns, chanting of slogans and signs spouting messages of defiance. (Photo: Gary S. Whitlow/ GSW Enterprises)

U.S. Atty. Gen. Barr’s Operation Legend visit prompts protests

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

United States Atty. Gen. William Barr – the face of the Operation Legend crackdown on violent crime – heaped praise on the initiative during an appearance at the Memphis Police Department’s Hickory Hill Ridgeway Precinct on Wednesday.

Once inside, Barr made brief remarks, commending MPD officers for working along with the federal, multi-state Operation Legend initiative against the surge of violent crime.

“I salute all of you for standing tall during this time and continuing to perform your mis-

sion,” said Barr.

In Memphis, 64 people have been arrested and are facing federal charges in conjunction with Operation Legend.

Outside the precinct, a different show of force greeted Barr, whose heavily guarded motorcade was met with shouting through bullhorns, chanting of slogans and signs spouting messages of defiance. Two protesters were taken into custody, including wellknown activist Hunter Demster, who also helped organize the demonstration.

“We were chanting, ‘There are no good cops in a racist system,’ and ‘There are no bad protesters in a revolution,’” said Amber

SEE BARR ON PAGE 3

Directing a message to MPD officers, Atty. Gen. William Barr said, “I salute all of you for standing tall during this time and continuing to perform your mission.” (Screen capture image)

SEE TOWER ON PAGE 2

COVID-19 UPDATE

Tennessee’s new report card on schools omits more than it tells

UTHSC researchers identify three drugs as possible therapeutics for COVID-19 TSD Newsroom

by Marta W. Aldrich Chalkbeat Tennessee

Tennessee’s new online report card on schools and districts contains more blank spaces than information, sparking criticism that the pages deliver little useful information for parents and policymakers alike.

Since its Sept. 21 release, the redesigned report card has been devoid of data related to academics, attendance, finances, and staffing.

Most notably missing is student achievement and growth information, even from years when standardized testing occurred.

Officials at the Tennessee Department of Education say the report card is a work in progress and that many of the blanks will be filled by the end of the calendar year. Spokeswoman Victoria Robinson said Hoonuit, the

Developers of a proposed 30-45 story glass highrise in the Pinch District made their pitch to the Memphis City Council in an effort to gain backing for the acquisition of the parcels of land earmarked for the project.

The $180 million “Tower Project” includes a hotel called “The Beckford,” 85 independently owned condominiums, 20,000 square feet of ground-level commercial space, as well as a rooftop lounge.

The design calls for the tower to sit atop a subterranean parking garage. It has already been submitted to the city and the mayor’s office.

“We are proposing the first major modern highrise, mixed use project for the city of Memphis.

Not only will Kennieth L. it be the tallRichardson est highrise in the city of Memphis, but the tallest highrise in the state of Tennessee.

“The design will be very contemporary with luxury accommodations and with class A offices.

The hotel is our thing. Hopefully it all evolves into one fantastic project. We think it is a great mixture,” said senior project architect Kennieth Richardson for the HOK architectural firm, which will engineer and design the project. Richardson, who is originally from Memphis, now lives in Miami.

The building would be similar

Sarah Carpenter, executive director of the parents advocacy group Memphis Lift: “If they weren’t going to include the information we need to know right away, our state shouldn’t have pushed this out.” (Photo: Laura Faith Kebede/Chalkbeat) Minneapolis-based vendor hired to manage the online site, is publishing information as quickly as it’s available and packaged to fit the new design.

“Our desire is to be transparent,” Robinson said.

In the meantime, Tennessee’s main platform for sharing information about its public schools is fall-

ing short of its purpose, which is to provide parents and communities with critical facts about how schools are meeting the needs of all students.

The monthlong void in data has been noticed by local, state, and national education groups that advocate for government transparency

SEE SCHOOLS ON PAGE 2

Researchers at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center working with colleagues at the University of New Mexico have identified three drugs, already approved for other uses in humans, as possible therapeutics for COVID-19, the illness caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Based on virtual and in vitro antiviral screening that began in the earlier months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the researchers led at UTHSC by Colleen Jonsson, PhD, identified zuclopenthixol, nebivolol, and amodiaquine as promising therapeutics for the virus in its early stages.

Dr. Jonsson is a professor and the Endowed Van Vleet Chair of Excellence in Virology in the College of Medicine at UTHSC. She also directs the UTHSC Regional Biocontainment Laboratory (RBL), where this research was conducted. The univer-

sity’s RBL is one of roughly a dozen federally funded labs in the country authorized to safely study contagious pathogens.

In a paper published in ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science, the researchers propose the drugs as possible candidates for testing in future clinical trials to improve immune response to the virus. Amodiaquine is an older antimalarial, zuclopenthixol is an antipsychotic, and nebivolol is a blood pressure medication.

“Particularly in the context of this pandemic, there is a stringent need for high-quality studies that can provide critical knowledge concerning

SEE COVID-19 ON PAGE 3

The New Tri-State Defender

October 22 - 28, 2020

Page 2

NEWS SCHOOLS

CONTINUED FROM FRONT about the quality of schools.

“This report card is a skeleton,” said Sonya Thomas, who heads a parents group called Nashville Propel. “It’s missing vital information that parents need to make education decisions for their children.”

“If they weren’t going to include the information we need to know right away, our state shouldn’t have pushed this out,” added Sarah Carpenter, leader of the Memphis Lift parents group and grandmother to 13 students in local public schools.

Tennessee’s report card is among the first released by states for the 2019-20 school year — and the skinniest so far, said Brennan McMahon Parton, director of policy and advocacy for the Data Quality Campaign, a national nonprofit group that advocates for data policy and use in education.

Her organization has been watching this year’s new crop of report cards especially closely because of disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, including the can-

celation of standardized tests that generate important academic data each spring.

“We expect some gaps this year because of waivers for testing and accountability, but there’s still a lot of useful information that states can share,” Parton said. “We hope Tennessee is an outlier.”

When the new design was unveiled, Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn said disruptions caused by the pandemic had “limited the data available to highlight on this year’s report.” But she hailed new features — including visuals, a map finder, and pages designed for easier navigation — as improvements that “will enhance the user experience and make this tool more accessible for years to come.”

As with previous years, the latest report card features demographics for nearly 2,000 schools and 147 districts. It debuted with information about graduation rates and graduates’ readiness for college and career based on the Class of 2019. (The department separately released graduation rates for the Class of 2020 last month.)

But most pages currently

“It’s too much to expect families to download complex spreadsheets and sort through 95,000 lines of data to find out how their schools are doing.”

— Teresa Wasson contain messages that say either “not available” or “coming soon.”

For information about school- and district-level performance on state standardized tests, the report card directs visitors to a separate website where they can download spreadsheets packed with information about proficiency and growth scores.

Tennessee education advocates say that detour is not in keeping with the spirit of federal and state laws aimed at testing transparency.

“It’s too much to expect families to download complex spreadsheets and sort through 95,000 lines of data to find out how their schools are doing,” said Teresa Wasson, spokeswoman for the State Collaborative on Reforming Education, a research and advocacy organization founded by former U.S. Sen. Bill Frist.

That’s the case for Carpen-

data is not there. We hope it’s back up soon — not just for us but for parents who might be shopping for schools or school boards that are looking to make decisions about budgets and staffing.”

Statewide report cards began to appear after Congress passed a 2001 law requiring states to test their students annually in grades 3-8 and once in high school and report the results publicly. A 2015 federal law expanded the amount of information that must be reported to the public.

The Data Quality Campaign, which is based in Washington, D.C., believes the pandemic underscores the need for clear information and has urged states to still set a high bar for their report cards.

The group issues an annual report highlighting progress that states make to provide meaningful, easy-to-understand information to families through their report cards. The most recent report, which is based on report cards for the 2018-19 school year, was released on Wednesday and can be found at https://bit.ly/3jgrBJT.

“This is something that can be the catalyst for other developments to come along as we are building ours. Eventually this district can lead to more growth.”

— Richardson.

TOWER

CONTINUED FROM FRONT to the Brickell World Plaza building in Miami’s financial district, which Richardson designed.

Construction is estimated to bring 300 jobs to the city.

In addition to the 55 full-time hotel employees, the proposal calls for the creation of 65-125 living wage jobs, ranging from $35,000-$180,000.

Work would begin by October 2021. It is estimated to take 30 months to complete.

“This is something that can be the catalyst for other developments to come along as we are building ours. Eventually this district can lead to more growth,” said Richardson.

Efforts have been made to revitalize the Pinch District on Downtown’s north end in recent years. Organizations like the Memphis Medical District Collaborative and the Downtown Memphis Commission have worked to buoy its economic fortunes.

Located along North Main Street, the two parcels proposed for the project are owned by the city. Combined, they have been appraised at $249,000.

“Our first objective is to get the land, which is always the first thing. Once we get the land, we have a very layman goal. Our goal is we are ready to move dirt,” said coordinator

ter, with the Memphis Lift group, when she looked up the high school attended by her granddaughter in Shelby County Schools. She found “not available” messages on pages that are supposed to present school-wide information about academic achievement, student growth, and attendance.

“What good is this? It’s not telling me anything,” Carpenter said. “I’d rather have the old report card back with the old data. At least that one told me something.”

Robinson said the education department opted to release Tennessee’s report card earlier than in previous years and incorporate information when it’s ready. Historical data on student achievement and growth could be added within days, she said, while information is “coming soon” about per-pupil spending and staffing details like teacher

experience, credentials, and demographics.

Some pages will eventually show data from previous years.

“The department will not release chronic absenteeism or English language progress for the 2019-2020 school year due to incomplete data sets (comparable to previous years), which resulted from both a shortened school year and the inability for many students to take TNReady tests in the spring,” Robinson said.

“However, the historical data will be populated in November, after the achievement and growth historical data is packaged for the updated format.”

The lag in information has affected work by groups like the Education Trust in Tennessee, which advocates for raising the quality of schools for students of color and from low-income families.

“We are actively working on an analysis of per-pupil spending and what we can learn across districts to really begin thinking about education funding in Tennessee,” said Gini Pupo-Walker, who leads the nonprofit organization.

“But it’s hard to analyze if the

Artist rendering (Photo: The Tower Group, LLC) and lead developer Bill McCrary, DDHEC LLC Development.

Acquisition of the lots would boost investor confidence too, he argued. Pilot funding and further investment in the project would follow.

There also is demand for a new highrise with luxury spaces Downtown.

The plan was met with doubts.

“I always appreciate the aspirational dreams of developments and people who want to invest in Memphis. I’ve got some experience in trying to develop a high rise Downtown ... with very little success. So, I’ve got a significant amount of apprehension about the viability and feasibility of this project. Although, I’ve been proven wrong,” said councilman Chase Carlisle.

McCrary said that feasibility studies had been conducted on the hotel and condominium, which met their price points. He did concede that no third-party review had been conducted, which can cost hundreds of thousands of dol-

lars.

“Obviously, with something like this, it makes a key part of a project of this magnitude to have control of land. Those who are investing, when we apply for a pilot, when we apply for these different things, we want to show we can move forward or say we are going to do these things. And then we don’t have the land to do it on...,” said McCrary.

Demand for the project ⸺ and its spaces within ⸺ isn’t the issue, argued Carlisle. It’s the potential for underestimating costs. A three-level underground parking garage located in a seismic three zone could run $60-70 million. The costs would be passed on.

“It’s not that people won’t want to live in them, I think the sticker shock in what you would have to pay for it in order to make the numbers work, I think we may disagree a little bit,” said Carlisle.

He also said that the parcels would be too small to support an above ground garage and the tower.

That issue could be resolved

through design changes, countered Richardson, who said the Brickell building also had an above ground garage on a similar sized footprint.

Not everyone on the council expressed skepticism. The Memphis Theater, which is on

land donated by the city, was cited as a gamble that paid off.

Of course, if nothing comes of the plans, the land would be required to revert back to city ownership.

“For me, it’s about the development group coming up

with the financing to do it. If we’re talking $250 thousand (sic) and, hey, if you can’t do it, we get it back no expense.

We haven’t lost anything,” said councilman Martavius Jones. “I almost see this as a kind of riskless transaction.”

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The New Tri-State Defender

October 22 - 28, 2020

Page 3

NEWS BARR

COVID-19

Sherman, a member of De-carcerate Memphis and one of the four organizers.

Raised at the entrance of the precinct was a giant banner – “#FedUpFedsOut” – held by organizers Sherman and Joia Thornton.

“The banner was painted last week, before we even knew Barr was coming,” said Sherman. “When there is a federal occupation, we should always be ready. As long as the feds are here in the city, they should expect continuous civil disobedience.”

Sherman said some in the African-American community resented Barr’s visit to Memphis “in the heart of our community.”

“This visit was a clear flexing of power, an intimidation tactic and show of force,” said Sherman.

As a fleet of black SUVS arrived, about two dozen protesters shouted “We don’t want this man here and we don’t need this federal occupation in Memphis.”

Joia Thornton, another organizer, said the demonstration was actually a collective of organizations and individuals who oppose Operation Legend in Memphis.

“We feel that people are attracted to this movement because of the clear over-policing of black and poor communities,” said Thornton. “We are sympathetic and empathetic to the victims of violent crime. Really, we are. But this federal occupation is operating at the expense, the sanity and the freedom of our community.”

Barr pointed to Operation Legend statistics as proof of its success, not only in Memphis, but across the nation. He said there have been 5,500 arrests nationwide. Some 1,100 have been charged with federal crimes, including the 64 in Memphis.

“I know in Memphis, some of the crime has proven to be particularly stubborn,” Barr said. “The homicide

the COVID-19 disease and reliable treatment proposals,” the paper states.

“With these caveats in mind, we conceived a computational workflow that included independent in vitro validation, followed by assessing emerging candidates in the context of available clinical pharmacology data, with the aim of proposing suitable candidates for clinical studies for early stage (incubation and symptomatic phases) patients infected by SARS-CoV-2.”

“Given the need for improved efficacy and safety, we propose zuclopenthixol, nebivolol, and amodiaquine as potential candidates for clinical trials against the early phase of the SARS-CoV-2 infection,” the researchers wrote.

Comparing the drugs to hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malarial drug most-frequently studied in clinical trials for use as a COVID-19 therapeutic, the researchers examined 4,000 approved drugs and found these three to act similarly to the hydroxychloroquine, and in some cases, more safely. The research indicates they may also improve efficacy when combined in lower doses with remdesivir, an anti-viral given an emergency use authorization by the United States Food and Drug Administration as a therapeutic for COVID-19.

“Think of it as a whack-a-mole game,” said Tudor Oprea, MD, PhD, professor of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, chief of the UNM Division of Translational Informatics, and corresponding author on the paper. “Instead of having one hammer, you have two hammers, which is more effective. We’re trying to give the scientific community two hammers, instead of one.”

Dr. Jonsson added, “This is a very exciting discovery and we are following up on the potential use of zuclopenthixol, nebivolol, and amodiaquine in additional research studies.”

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

Protesters and police officers were eye to eye on Wednesday during the visit of U.S. Atty. Gen. William Barr. (Photo: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises) rate is still very high.”

During his short talk, Barr acknowledge that other types of violent crime, such as robberies and major property theft, were on the decrease.

He did not take questions from reporters.

“I’m looking forward to continuing this joint operation against violent crime to keep the citizens of Memphis safe,” he said.

On Tuesday prior to Barr’s visit, MPD Director Michael Rallings appeared before a Memphis City Council committee to detail the disturbing local rise of homicides. Memphis this year already has surpassed its record of 228 homicides, with the tally at 247 on Wednesday.

“To date, 28 children have died violently and again, we are saddened at

this,” Rallings said, “but again, this is a community problem, especially while we, the police department, don’t have access to the children like we used to before COVID.” Homicides are not just up in the Memphis area, Rallings said. Among the cities he cited as experiencing alarming increases were Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte (NC), Miami, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York and Philadelphia.

“Gangs, guns, drugs and domestic violence are huge problems,” Rallings told the committee. “And again, it’s very difficult for us to protect people from people that they know, that they hang out with, especially when they’re hanging around violent people and violent places.”

Gang violence contributes to 58

percent of homicides in Memphis.

Almost 80 percent of the victims knew the suspects. Twenty-one percent of the suspects are repeat offenders.

Rallings noted that there were no fatal officer-involved shootings. He ended with a ringing endorsement of re-imagining law enforcement with more community policing.

“We have spent a lot of time focusing on law enforcement, but it’s time to refocus on our efforts in the community,” Rallings said.

“That means people are willing to come forward and tell us what happened and who the suspects are. They are calling Crime Stoppers, but also attempting to prevent murders and homicides by intervening early on when they realize there is a conflict.”

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PERSPECTIVE The New Tri-State Defender, October 22 - 28, 2020, Page 4

With healthcare at stake, Stacey Abrams explains ‘what the South must do’

by Stacey Abrams The Root

When we vote, it may seem like we are voting for a candidate, but that is not entirely accurate.

We are voting for the positions that the candidate supports and the types of policies they will enact based on those positions. This is true no matter where we live, and looking at this year’s election through this lens will help us all get clear on our voting priorities.

In the South, one needs to look no further than healthcare to see the importance of advancing policies that support people – and what happens when we do not.

Of the 12 states yet to extend Medicaid to Stacey Abrams: “We have the chance include more people with low incomes, eight to enact policies that will help us build are in the South. If these states expanded the multiracial democracy a majority of us desire, yet so many of us have died Medicaid right now, roughly seven-and-a-half while waiting to see realized.” (Photo: million people would gain access to critical, Facebook) life-saving healthcare. Many of these uninfinancial help through the online Healthcare sured Southerners are Black and Latinx peoMarketplace. While the 2012 Supreme Court ple who are more likely to be workers on the ruling upheld the Affordable Care Act as conpandemic’s frontlines and are also, tragically, stitutional, the ruling essentially made Medoverrepresented in COVID-19 infections and icaid expansion optional for states. Although deaths. the federal government almost entirely funds Think about that number for a minute. Sevthe program, some state lawmakers have reen-and-a-half million is a lot of people – alfused to do anything, leaving millions of peomost the entire population of New York City. ple in a coverage gap.

Expanding Medicaid would be the single So far, 38 states and the District of Columbia quickest way to address the South’s devashave passed some form of Medicaid expansion. tating, longstanding racial health disparities For states with a legislative path to expansion, exacerbated by COVID-19. which is most Southern states, current lawmakAnd so, we organize. ers have made it clear they Recently, I moderated an never intend to pass MedThough everyone’s online vigil organized by icaid expansion legislation, Southerners for Medicaid circumstances are regardless of their constituExpansion that honored the ents’ wants or needs. Almost unique, millions of lives of people who have all states yet to expand could Southerners find suffered, mostly because see it happen during the Medicaid has not been ex- themselves in a similar, 2021 legislative session with panded in the region. If the impossible situation: decision-makers in place term “Medicaid expansion” who will prioritize healthseems abstract, imagine this they make too much care. And while the Supreme scenario: you are a single to qualify for Medicaid Court is scheduled to hear a mom working full-time at a round of arguments on but not enough to be new minimum wage job in North the Affordable Care Act just Carolina for an employer eligible for financial a week after Election Day, that does not provide health support for the law remains insurance. To be covered, assistance through the high, and healthcare is most you’d have to pay about a Healthcare Marketplace. definitely on peoples’ minds. quarter of your $15,000 a And so, we vote. year income for the least expensive, high deWhen we understand that poverty in Ameriductible plan. Several of your coworkers who ca is an outcome based on overlapping, harmalso earn low wages and have no kids are in ful policy choices, we also see that better polthe same boat because there’s no healthcare icy decisions can lead to better results. If we assistance for them either. look at policy positions as we cast our ballot, Though everyone’s circumstances are it becomes clear what we must do. unique, millions of Southerners find themAs difficult as this year has been, we have selves in a similar, impossible situation: they the chance to enact policies that will help us make too much to qualify for Medicaid but build the multiracial democracy a majority of not enough to be eligible for financial assisus desire, yet so many of us have died while tance through the Healthcare Marketplace. To waiting to see realized. be covered, they would have to pay full price Expanding Medicaid is one tangible way to for private health insurance. There are four show we are serious about supporting policies other states outside the South yet to pass exthat would address the history of racial health pansion: Wisconsin, Kansas, Wyoming, and disparities in the South. It is one small but South Dakota. For people in these states with powerful choice, with real and material conlow incomes, the situation is also familiar. sequences.

How did we get here?

Please join me in the fight for healthcare acMedicaid, the essential program for people cess by signing the petition to expand Medicwith low incomes to access healthcare, was aid in the South. (https://bit.ly/37rFJxA) started in 1965 alongside Medicare as part of the Social Security Act. It is administered at (Stacey Abrams is the founder of the Souththe state level, according to federal requireern Economic Advancement Project. She ments, and is funded jointly by states and our served for eleven years in the Georgia House federal government. When the Affordable of Representatives, seven as Democratic Care Act became law in 2010, it originally Leader. In 2018, she became the first black stipulated that states would expand their Medwoman to become the gubernatorial nominee icaid programs to cover people who earn up for a major party in the United States.) to the threshold of what would qualify for

This is the cover image of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s latest book, “American Crisis: Leadership Lessons From the Covid-19 Pandemic,” which was released Oct. 13, 2020 by Crown. (Photo: Crown via AP)

Leadership, where is it when you really need it?

by Curtis Weathers

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Leadership is defined as the ability to guide others towards a common goal or achievement.

Whether you’re an individual, a team or an entire organization, leadership is critical to the overall growth and success of your endeavors.

I bought a book recently written by New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo entitled “American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic.” The book is a reflection on his administration’s handling of the novel coronavirus pandemic. New York was one of the nation’s hardest-hit states during the early days of the virus.

As employees and frontline workers attempted to contain the virus, Cuomo’s leadership was on national display. The major television networks faithfully broadcasted his daily briefings, which became must-see TV for the entire nation. Each one was a clinic in personal and organizational leadership.

The American people had a chance to contrast his leadership with that of our federal officials. I’ll let you make your own judgment as to whose leadership has been more exemplary.

Under Gov. Cuomo, New York was ultimately successful in slowing the spread of the virus and bringing it under control.

Was he perfect? No. He understandably made mistakes. But what impressed me the most was the strategic clarity by which he approached this enormous challenge; his commitment to follow and explain the science, and his ability to communicate, not only to his New York constituents, but with the entire nation as well.

Leadership is so crucial in times of crisis, especially when the decisions being made can have real life or death implications.

Here in Memphis, I have watched with great interest the leadership by state and local officials, particularly our mayor and school superintendent. I think both have done a good job keeping Memphians sufficiently informed about the COVID-19 virus and its impact on our city and school system.

I appreciate the superintendent’s weekly updates and communications to help the public understand his decision-making process. I appreciate even more that his decisions seem driven by science and data, not by political influences. Safety appears to be his highest priority, and rightfully so.

The leader who we have not heard from, ironically, is U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy Devos. Other than echoing President Trump’s desire to fully reopen schools with in-person learning, I have heard nothing from her by way of guidance and leadership.

If you want to find information about the challenges our K-12 schools, colleges, and universities are facing, do not bother going to the U.S. Department of Education website – there is little data there. You can find a list of coronavirus resources but no dashboard Curtis for tracking cases. No Weathers weekly updates or summaries. It is like pre-pandemic business as usual. That’s disappointing, to say the least.

During times like these, federal leadership is crucial. We know that state and local leaders are making tough decisions every day regarding the direction in which to guide schools and communities. But I would love to know how our educational systems across the nation are faring as they struggle to mitigate the pandemic’s impact and what lessons we might learn from them.

For example, I would like to see a summary of COVID-19 cases in school systems across the country and a breakdown of the demographics. I’d like to know the percentage of K-12 schools using in-person, hybrid, or virtual re-opening models. How about a report on how our colleges and universities are holding up, and their challenges and concerns?

There is so much useful information that can be shared with the American people, but the anemic efforts by Secretary Devos to keep the public informed have been disappointing.

It seems clear that for all intents and purposes, our federal government has abandoned its leadership responsibilities in helping manage this pandemic. Our institutions of learning (at all levels) are unnecessary casualties of the federal government’s decision not to fully engage.

But I am thankful our state and local leaders are stepping up to fill the void. I think we are fortunate to have leaders in Memphis who understand the importance of keeping our community informed and making safety their highest priority when making decisions to re-open schools and our economy.

Let’s all continue to give them our full support. Wear your mask, socially distance, wash your hands, and be responsible. We’ll get through this together!

(COVID-19 Information for City of Memphis: https://covid19.memphistn.gov/; Shelby County Schools Weekly Updates: https://www. scsk12.org/coronavirusfacts/.)

(Follow me on Twitter (@curtisweathers), or email me at curtislweathers@gmail.com

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The New Tri-State Defender

October 22 - 28, 2020

Page 5

RELIGION

Legacy: Rev. John G. Wilkins...

Services were held last Saturday at Greater Mt. Moriah Baptist Church for the Rev. John G. Wilkins, known by many as a motorcycle-riding, gospel-singing pastor.

The officiating minister was the Rev. Roney Strong of New Independence M.B.C. in Coldwater, MS. (Photos: Tyrone P. Easley)

Members created a parade of cars that circled the church as pastor, Dr. Michael Moore Sr., and his wife, Dr. Christy Moore, were showered with gifts and words of thanks. (Photo: Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell)

Metropolitan showers ‘new’ pastor with drive-by

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

It was a cheerful scene Saturday (Oct. 17) of honking horns, a DJ playing contemporary gospel music, maroon and gold balloons and cars rounding historic Metropolitan Baptist Church with signs and streamers for a special Pastor’s Appreciation Celebration.

People were shouting declarations of love and encouragement to Dr. Michael Moore Sr. and his wife, Dr. Christy Moore. And they didn’t forget Michael Jr., affectionately known as “Mike-Mike.”

The cheerful setting was on the grounds of the historic church on Walker Avenue, organized in 1896, where “Extra Effort Wins.”

“That is our church motto: Extra Effort Wins,” said Pastor Moore.

“When I was in the running to be the next pastor, I came to preach, and that was my sermon title: Extra Effort Wins. Today’s appreciation means everything. My members are loving and kind to my family. Clearly, an extra effort was made today.”

Members and community friends lined up to create an appreciation parade. Pastor Moore and “Dr. Christy” stood in front of the church, where church family and friends expressed appreciation for the first family and brought colorfully packaged gifts for the occasion.

“We’ve been having virtual church because of the pandemic, and we just weren’t sure about having the drive-thru event today,” said Pastor Moore. “But this is wonderful. This is miraculous.”

The event was held in conjunction with Clergy Appreciation Day, as

“We didn’t get a chance to have an installation before the virus hit. So, we are having a virtual installation. It actually coincides with our sixth wedding anniversary.”

— Dr. Michael Moore Sr.

designated by the Hallmark Corporation as the second Sunday in October, and October is Clergy Appreciation Month. The celebration was started in 1992 to honor and appreciate pastors, missionaries and other church leaders for their work.

Moore was a pastor at Mt. Vernon Baptist Church in Richmond, Va. He sent a package to Metropolitan expressing interest in the pastor after the retirement of Dr. Reginald Porter.

The church launched a nationwide search for a new pastor.

“I saw it on Facebook, but I didn’t act on it at first,” said Pastor Moore.

“But when I saw it again, I told the Lord, ‘If it is for me, don’t let me be too late.’ And so, here we are.”

For the Moore family, the move to Memphis and transition to a new church has been a whirlwind of the unexpected.

Pastor Moore came here the first Sunday in January of this year. Barely three months in, the pandemic hit Shelby County and the congregation, like so many others across the nation, move to a virtual format of worship.

Dr. Christy Moore is an assistant professor at Memphis Theological Seminary. She has kept busy, juggling her virtual teaching schedule with overseeing little Mike’s virtual

schooling at home.

“It is quite challenging,” said Dr. Christy. “In the middle of the day, I pass off Mike-Mike’s supervision to my husband. It gets exhausting at times, I must admit. But we get it done together.”

For generations, Metropolitan has been a mainstay in the life of nextdoor neighbor LeMoyne-Owen College’s students. Pastor Moore said he wants to “build deeper relationships” as pastor of Metropolitan.

“I want to build deeper relationships with the community, LeMoyne-Owen College, College Park (housing community across Walker from the church) and with other organizations and entities around us,” said Pastor Moore. “And, I have just been named the new chaplain of LeMoyne-Owen College. That is exciting.”

This month, Metropolitan will host a virtual installation service for Pastor Moore.

“Yeah, we didn’t get a chance to have an installation before the virus hit,” he said. “So, we are having a virtual installation. It actually coincides with our sixth wedding anniversary.”

Metropolitan was established 124 years ago. In more recent history, Dr. Fred C. Lofton became pastor in June of 1972. He was an author and a skilled Christian teacher, as well as a community activist, until his retirement in 2001.

Dr. Lofton was then succeeded by Dr. Porter.

(For a list of additional activities in Metropolitan’s month-long celebration, go to the church’s Facebook page, or go to the church website at: www.extraeffortwins.com.)

Miles College President Bobbie Knight, center, was in welcoming company, including the Rev. Peris J. Lester (left) and First Episcopal District Bishop Henry M. Williamson Sr. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

Annual Lay Day at Mt. Olive Cathedral CME Church TSD Newsroom President Corlista Washington is the president of the Miles College Alumni Memphis chapter. We were honoring one of our CME HBCU. President Bobbie Knight is the first Female President of Miles College.

Nearly $5000 was raised for the college.

Additionally, President Knight awarded a scholarship to Miss Ava Walker who is a senior in high-school, with plans to attend Miles College in August 2021.

The Rev. Peris J. Lester, pastor of Mt. Olive Cathedral and Presiding Elder of the Northeast District, is offering himself as a candidate for Bishop in the CME Church.

The New Tri-State Defender, October 22 - 28, 2020, Page 6

The gala included a commemoration of the life and legacy of (“Black Panther”) actor Chadwick Boseman and the ideology of “Wakanda forever.” (Photos: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises)

The multi-talented Chuck O’Bannon.

Stone Awards celebrate 25 years with outdoor gala Special to The New Tri-State Defender

The Annual Stone “EBEN” Awards ceremony celebrated its 25-year milestone Sunday (Oct.18) while honoring outstanding community leaders, businesspeople and entertainers in the Memphis metropolitan area.

The 2020 Stone Awards honored the iconic Ma’&9 MustardSeeds Mother, The Queen Ma’Thelma Brownlee-Campbell, deemed as “The Mother Matriarch of Memphis,” who died Oct. 9.

The event was held at the Historic House of Mtenzi Museum at 1289 Madison Ave. This year’s ceremony was a Black festive outdoor gala, where COVID-19 guidelines were enforced.

The Stone Awards paid tribute to the iconic Ma’&9 MustardSeeds Mother, The Queen Ma’Thelma Brownlee-Campbell, deemed as “The Mother Matriarch of Memphis,” who died Oct. 9. She was 86.

The gala also commemorated the life and legacy of actor Chadwick Boseman, who died Aug. 28, 400 years Marker, New Jerusalem & the ideology of “Wakanda forever.”

The “EBEN” honorees were Chuck O’Bannon; Wiley Henry; the late Club Paradise owner Andrew “Sunbeam” Mitchell; City Court Clerk Myron Lowery; John B. Smith, The Invaders; Patricia Lee, Umoji Foundation; Irma

Johnson, playwright; Al Paris, former lead singer for Kool and the Gang; Jean Campbell, vice president of Stone Awards.

Also, Leo Preston, Jubilee Humming birds 80th Anniversary; the Temprees 50th Anniversary; Pastor Michael Lockhart and Minister Penny Lockhart; Georgia “Mother” King; Dr. Varrie Hamilton; Cassandra Wade; Kenith Owens and Kenneth Coleman.

Special celebrity guests included award-winning WDIA radio host Bev Johnson, legendary soul singer Carla Thomas, Harold “Scotty” Scott, State Rep. Joe Towns and activist Minister Suhkara Yahweh.

Founder Stanley “Cam Mtenzi” Campbell said, “It takes all leaders carrying their Tried Stone, to rebuild a better society of equality on a stronger moral foundation. By faith, we must work together on concrete solutions.”

Community activist Georgia “Mother” King, aka Queen Akua, accepts her award.

An award saluting the talent and longevity of the Temprees.

Memphis City Court Clerk Myron Lowery accepted his award with his wife, Mary.

The New Tri-State Defender

October 22 - 28, 2020

ENTERTAINMENT

Page 7

NEWS

Head injury from fall is fatal for COGIC Bishop Lee Ward

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Expressions of sympathy filled social media sites as news of Bishop Lee Ward’s death spread Tuesday evening.

The beloved pastor – a Congressional Gold Medal honoree – is credited with bringing the historic Greater Harvest Church of God in Christ into modern-day ministry in more than four decades of leadership.

According to public relations professional Patricia Rogers, the 97-year-old emeritus sustained a serious head injury in a fall at home.

He later died from that injury.

“He was a great man of God, another fallen soldier,” said Bishop David Hall, pastor of Temple COGIC. “He was a tremendous pastor whose service was valuable to the Kingdom of God.” In 1896, South Fort Pickering COGIC was established as the first church of the new denomination. It was started by the founder, Elder Charles Harrison Mason.

Bishop Ward became pastor of the iconic congregation in 1972.

According the church’s website, Bishop Ward reportedly changed the name to Greater Harvest “after so many souls came to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.”

Among the first 200 African-American Marines to serve at Montfort Point, an early camp for Marines in North Carolina, Bishop Ward received the prestigious

Bishop Lee Ward, who received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2012, became pastor of Christ South Fort Pickering COGIC in 1972, later changing the name to Greater Harvest Church of God in Christ.

(Photo courtesy of Patricia Rogers) Congressional Gold Medal in 2012.

Bishop Ward was the sixth pastor in Greater Harvest’s 120-year existence. His son, Elder Renardo Ward, succeeded him as pastor.

Facebook posts were registered from myriad parts of the country. Some examples: “…Heaven has gained another general. Rest in peace, sir.”

– Antonio Lawson

Marcus

“Earth has no sorrow that heaven can’t heal.”

– Jeromie Holmes “Praying for the family.”

– T.J. Hayes Jr. Final arrangements pending.

LEGACY: Nathan Person Services will be Oct. 30 for Nathan Person, a veteran who died on Oct. 14. He was 85.

Mr. Person was born on April 13, 1935.

The visitation service for Mr. Person will be held from 10 a.m. to noon at M.J. Ed-

wards Funeral Home Stage Road Chapel at 4445 Stage Rd. The funeral service will follow at the chapel.

Mr. Person’s burial will be at 2 p.m. at West Tennessee Veterans Cemetery at 4000 Forest Hill Irene Rd.

Nathan Person (Courtesy photo)

are

COMMUNITY The New Tri-State Defender, October 22 - 28, 2020, Page 8

25th anniversary of Million Man March puts focus on Pervis Payne death penalty case

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

On October 16, the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Million Man March on Washington D.C. brought a dedicated few to downtown’s I Am A Man Plaza to advocate for justice in the Pervis Payne death penalty case.

Payne, who has maintained his innocence for more than three decades, is scheduled for execution on Dec. 3.

More than 100 supporters gathered as part of a growing legal and social move to halt the execution.

According to the Innocence Project, Payne was waiting for his girlfriend to return to her apartment in Millington in June 1987 when he discovered that her neighbor, Charisse Christopher, and her children had been brutally attacked.

Payne, who lives with an intellectual disability, was shocked by the bloody scene and tried to help, his supporters maintain. When the police arrived, he feared being mistaken for the attacker. And, in fact, he was

arrested later that day. The following February he was convicted of murder and sentenced to death.

The Rev. Kevin Brooks, who organized the rally, said he hoped that the event would bring attention to the disproportionate number of African Americans imprisoned.

“Our justice system is broken,” Brooks said. “Pervis Payne and others have been unjustly treated because of the systemic racism in the criminal justice system.”

Bishop David Hall, pastor of Temple Church of God in Christ, said the justice system has failed Payne.

“There has never been a lynching in this country that the police and the judicial system did not approve of,” said Hall. “In Emmett Till’s case, the police let them go and kidnap that boy. …Giving this man a lethal injection in a case that has fallen apart is tantamount to a lynching.”

Brooks issued an urgent call to action, asking people to write letters to Gov. Bill Lee and Shelby County Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.

“We assembled at the plaza to

raise awareness in the case of Pervis Payne,” said Brooks. “He has been on death row for 33 years. There are holes in the case, and there is racial terror involved.”

COGIC Bishop Carl Payne, father of Payne, and Payne’s sister, Rolanda Holman of Murfreesboro, were at the rally.

In addition to the letter blitz, Hall said a team of legal advocates and supporters will be driving to Nashville on Oct. 27 to meet with a representative from Gov. Lee’s office.

In September, Payne’s lawyers filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee to prevent Tennessee from carrying out his execution until the state creates a procedure to adjudicate his claim that, as a person with intellectual disability, his execution would be unconstitutional.

“We will go up as a group to make our case,” said Hall. “I have been working on my statement. But we want the governor to know that to put Pervis Payne to death would be unfair and immoral.”

COGIC Bishop Carl Payne (right) with organizers and supporters of the rally that brought more focus to the effort to halt the Dec. 3 execution of his son, Pervis Payne. (Courtesy photo) Shelby County Criminal Court recently ordered DNA testing of crime scene evidence that has never been tested in Pervis Payne’s case.

“It is not right to withhold evidence,” said Hall. “There was supposed to be DNA evidence against Pervis Payne. It turns out there is none. We contend that you cannot take a man’s life because of a blown case. And it is blown. There is no

Residents not yet sold on proposed Byhalia Pipeline

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Southwest Memphis residents showed on Saturday (Oct. 17) that they still are apprehensive – for different reasons – about a proposed crude oil pipeline that would run through parts of Southwest Memphis.

The major concerns focused on residents receiving a fair price for their property and potential environment dangers.

During the fourth informational meeting about the Byhalia Pipeline Connection at T.O. Fuller State Park, residents and members of the Boxtown Neighborhood Association once again made their feelings clear about the project.

“I felt like they chose the community of Boxtown, to choose the route of least resistance,” said Lonnie Britton. “They are trying to rent the land from residents. I told them, ‘No, you have deep pockets.

Buy the land from residents.’”

If the 45-mile pipeline is approved as proposed, it would run through Boxtown and approximately 300 feet from Double Tree Elementary School in Westwood.

The project is a joint venture of Plains All American Pipeline L.P. and Valero Energy.

Plains All American Pipeline Communications Manager Katie D. Martin issued a statement Wednesday (Oct. 21), regarding Saturday’s meeting: “Our Byhalia Connection team appreciated the opportunity provided by the Boxtown Neighborhood Association to share information about our project, answer questions, listen to the community’s experiences, and continue our ongoing dialog with the residents of south Memphis,” the statement read.

“We want our neighbors to understand that we’re dedicated to protect-

ing the health and safety of those who live and work near our pipelines, and that we will remain committed to building respectful, long-term relationships with landowners.”

The pipeline connection would impact Southwest Memphis, which includes Boxtown and Westwood, and Whitehaven on its way to Mississippi.

The pipeline would run from the Valero Memphis Refinery off Interstate 55 next door to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.-Riverside Park through DeSoto and Marshall counties in Mississippi.

It would connect the Diamond pipeline with the Capline pipeline to transport light crude oil from storage in Oklahoma to the Gulf Coast.

“I asked how much it is going to cost to construct this pipeline,” said Britton. “They said it will cost $2.5 million per mile. I then asked how much is that oil going to make them. I never did get an answer to that question.”

Other residents have raised concerns about health risks, getting too little for their property and being unable to live somewhere else if they are low-balled on the sale of their land.

“I was born right there on Boxtown Road,” said Britton, who owns five and a half acres. “The mid-wife lived right across the street. A lot of these families have been in the same place for generations. We are willing to sell, but it must be at a good price.”

Britton said he and other longtime residents are not opposed to the pipeline.

“We don’t want to stand in the way of progress,” said Britton.

“We have questions because if the pipeline comes through, and we are still here, there are concerns about spills and contamination.

But if we can get a good price for

DNA evidence proving guilt.”

There is a “two-tiered” justice system – one for African Americans and other people of color, and the second for Caucasians, Hall said.

In the best-case scenario, he hopes that Gov. Lee will grant clemency to Payne.

Letters should be sent to Gov. Lee at: bill@fnal.gov. Amy Weirich’s letter should go to: contact@tndagc.org.

MICAH’s looking to get into some ‘Good Trouble’ TSD Newroom

The fourth informational meeting about the Byhalia Pipeline Connection was held at T.O. Fuller State Park last Saturday.

(Courtesy photo) our property, then I’m all for the pipeline. We won’t have to worry about those things.”

State Rep. Barbara Cooper attended Saturday’s meeting and expressed her sentiments about the pipeline. The Boxtown community is included in her district.

“I have said to company representatives before to just listen to the people,” Cooper said. “Answer the questions residents have, and if you need to use their land, be fair with the price. But the community belongs to the people. Grants have been given to some organizations, and that is good. Also, spend some of that money here in Boxtown.”

Martin touted the benefits of a pipeline in communities.

“There will be a $2.4 million estimated impact in Shelby County during construction,” said Martin.

“Also $500,000 annually in property taxes will support schools and first responders.”

Martin said Plains All American has already given away $450,000 to organizations that support those who live in close proximity to the pipeline’s proposed route.

Among those recipients are: Memphis Branch NAACP, Mid-South Food Bank, Uplift Westwood CDC, SchoolSeed and Regional One. But, residents in effected communities had questions that Martin and other company representatives could not answer.

“There was a big oil spill in Santa Anna, California” said Linda Street, president of the Walker Homes-

West Junction Neighborhood Association. “The oil company paid the city $60 million because it hurt the environment so badly.

“The pipe had corroded and burst. It was a long time before the leak was discovered. What about oil spills here? How will the pipe be checked for spills? Has any research in the area been done? No research has been done.”

Street was present to support adjacent Boxtown residents. She said 32 percent of Boxtown residents are elderly. About 95 percent are African-American. Seniors may not understand everything that is going on, Street said.

“If you don’t have $100, and you are offered $25,000 to run the pipeline through your backyard, that sounds like a whole lot of money,” Street said. “Where are they supposed to go and live for $25,000?”

“Something could go wrong down the road – a spill or something. Families need enough money for their property to move away,” said Britton.

“Buy the land outright, and build the pipeline. We’re all for progress.”

Plains All American said it looked at many possible routes and tried to choose the “option with the fewest collective impacts.” It was routed through Southwest Memphis because of Valero’s location.

More than half of the pipeline passes through commercial property to lessen the impact on residential properties, the company’s handout states.

The Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope (MICAH) will demand accountability from elected officials for creating a more just and equitable Memphis at a virtual meeting at 4 p.m. Sunday (Oct. 25).

This is the third annual meeting for the coalition of more than 55 partner churches, synagogues, mosques and community organizations. Attendees will interact with and hear from local officials and candidates for public offices.

The elected officials and candidates will be asked to respond to a number of demands and recommendations that have grown out of MICAH’s task force research and deliberations.

Each topic is designed to elevate and aid Memphis’ underserved communities: renters’ rights, student supports and racial profiling in law enforcement and the courts.

For the first time, members of the MICAH Youth Council will present their requests of the Memphis Police Department.

“COVID-19 has revealed deep inequities surrounding these issues, thus intensifying our mission,” said Dr. Stacy Spencer, MICAH president. “We hope that the public meeting will create a sense of urgency with attendees and give them the opportunity to hold elected officials accountable for their action or inaction during the pandemic.”

MICAH said, for instance, that it will ask officials of First Horizon Bank whether the company has fulfilled its promise of making loans in five underserved areas of the metropolitan area.

Additionally, it intends to ask for the city council’s financial support for the Youth Education Success Fund, which promotes early literacy, high school success and mental health and wellness.

Issues of discrimination regarding youth summons and transfers to court are among the other important topics set for discussion.

Organizers will be invited to join a “get out the vote” effort in conjunction with the 2020 Voter Alliance, a statewide non-partisan effort.

(Guests can register at https://www.micahmemphis.org/goodtrouble.)

The New Tri-State Defender

October 22 - 28, 2020

Page 9

The New Tri-State Defender

October 22 - 28, 2020

Page 10

CLASSIFIEDS LEGAL NOTICE Request for Bids MSCAA Project Number 14-1379-47-01 East Cargo Building Restrooms - Construction - Rebid Sealed bids for East Cargo Building Restrooms - Construction - Rebid will be received by the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority (Authority), Procurement Department, 4121 Runway Road, Suite B, Memphis, TN 38118, until 2:30 PM Local Time on 11/12/2020. Bids will not be received at any other location. Within 30 minutes thereafter, the bids will be opened and publicly read via phone/video conferencing (Link: https://zoom.us/j/95554287569?pwd=ZHJKT0I5NjNTajFiVUVDVTJHakRhZz09; Phone: (301)715-8592; Meeting ID: 955 5428 7569; Passcode: 434706) The Bid Documents, including a description of the scope of work, the required response format, and additional instructions may be obtained on or after Thursday, October 15, 2020 online at www.flymemphis.com.

A Pre-Bid Meeting will be held Thursday, October 22, 2020, at 2:00 p.m. central time via phone/ video conferencing (Link: https:// zoom.us/j/99297839830?pwd=OWZSaU5uSGZSYUZuSGxjTVZubFR2QT09; Phone: (301)715-8592; Meeting ID: 992 9783 9830; Passcode: 849204) Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the project site will be available for inspection on Friday, October 23, 2020 between 9:00a.m.

-12:00 p.m. and Monday, October 26, 2020, respectively between 9:00a.m. - 3:00p.m. by appointment only; a site visit can be requested at ecrestrooms@ flymemphis.com; (limit two representatives per bidder). Instructions on Pre-Bid Meeting and Site Visit request can be found at Https:// www.flymemphis.com/rfps-rfqs.

Attendance at the Pre-Bid Meeting is strongly recommended.

All Bidders are responsible for checking the Authority’s website up to the submission deadline for any updates, addenda or additional information. The successful Bidder 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 incorporated herein by reference.

Each bid must be made by a contractor licensed in Tennessee and be accompanied by a 5% Bid Guarantee. The successful bidder must execute a Performance Bond and a Payment Bond in the amount of 100% each of the Contract Price and meet the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation goal for this project, which is 26%.

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

described Sealed Bid. SEALED BID I000606A DUE DATE THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19TH, 2020 @2:00 PM (CST) (SB-I000606A) Charles Bartlett Road Culvert Replacement Project Voluntary Pre-Bid Meeting – All interested respondents are invited to participate in this meeting via teleconference on Thursday, October 29, 2020 at 11:00 am (CST). Please use the following information to join the pre-bid meeting: To join by phone, call the necessary numbers below: External: +19012222777 Internal: 22777 Meeting ID: 9012222260# Meeting PIN: 06222# 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 NOTICE TO BIDDERS In order to participate in the bid listed below for Shelby County Government, you must be registered with our electronic bidding system with Mercury Commerce. County bids are not available by mail or downloaded directly from the County website, unless otherwise indicated in the solicitation invitation. All vendors who wish to bid are required to register with Mercury Commerce Solutions in order to be notified of on-line bids. There is no charge for registration, and it is easy to use. To register: • Go to www.esmsolutions.com • Go to Log-In at top of page • Click “Supplier Login” • Under “Mercury Version”, click ‘Not Registered’ • Complete Vendor Registration process • Submit If you have any questions about the registration process, contact ESM Solutions at (877) 9697246. If you have any questions about information contained in the bid documents, contact the Purchasing Department at (901) 222-2250 and ask to speak to the Buyer listed for the bid.

SEALED BID DUE WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH, 2020 AT 2:30 PM (CST) (SB-I000609A) (MC #620) *PURCHASE OF NEW RECRUITS UNIFORM APPAREL FOR THE DIVISION OF CORRECTIONS* By order of LEE HARRIS, MAYOR SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT

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.

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT

By order of: Scott A. Brockman, A.A.E. President and CEO Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority

Ibuyland, LLC Tax Parcel #: 05909900000080 Tax Sale #: 1603 Price Offered: $800.00 Terms: Cash

NOTICE TO BIDDERS Shelby County Government has issued Sealed Bid number I000606A, Charles Bartlett Road Culvert Replacement Project.

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

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property:

Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 1:00 p.m. on December 10, 2020, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest

and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Marcus A. Jordan Tax Parcel #: 04702400000060 Tax Sale #: 1603 Price Offered: $400.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 9:00 a.m. on December 4, 2020, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Rodreques T. Wright Tax Parcel #: 07508700001920 Tax Sale #: 1603 Price Offered: $800.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 1:00 p.m. on December 3, 2020, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Larry Dorsell Knowlton Tax Parcel #: 07310200000950 Tax Sale #: 1301 Price Offered: $800.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 2:00 p.m. on November 25, 2020, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue

Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property:

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Larry Dorsell Knowlton Tax Parcel #: 06021500000120 Tax Sale #: 1404 Price Offered: $3000.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 2:30 p.m. on November 25, 2020, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Larry Dorsell Knowlton Tax Parcel #: 07310200000910 Tax Sale #: 1603 Price Offered: $800.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 2:00 p.m. on November 25, 2020, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Mazo Company, LLC Tax Parcel #: 02106500000100 Tax Sale #: 1503 Price Offered: $300.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 1:30 p.m. on November 20, 2020, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

Mazo Company, LLC Tax Parcel #: 03403400000010 Tax Sale #: 1304 Price Offered: $600.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 10:00 a.m. on November 26, 2020, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Earleane J. Aldridge Tax Parcel #: 07100500000030 Tax Sale #: 1301 Price Offered: $500.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 9:30 a.m. on November 30, 2020, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Elbert Mangum Tax Parcel #: 04907000000160 Tax Sale #: 1303 Price Offered: $600.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 10:30 a.m. on December 7, 2020, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT

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Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Elbert Mangum Tax Parcel #: 03402100000280 Tax Sale #: 505 Price Offered: $175.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 9:30 a.m. on December 7, 2020, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Elbert Mangum Tax Parcel #: 0340210000029C Tax Sale #: 703 Price Offered: $50.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 9:00 a.m. on December 7, 2020, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Elbert Mangum Tax Parcel #: 06004800000180 Tax Sale #: 602 Price Offered: $250.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 10:00 a.m. on December 7, 2020, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property:

The New Tri-State Defender

October 22 - 28, 2020

CLASSIFIEDS Lakisha Evans Tax Parcel #: 04302300000460 Tax Sale #: 1603 Price Offered: $4000.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 2:00 p.m. on December 7, 2020, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Mazo Company LLC Tax Parcel #: 03403300000310 Tax Sale #: 1502 Price Offered: $225.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 1:00 p.m. on December 14, 2020, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Mazo Company, LLC Tax Parcel #: 03403600000260 Tax Sale #: 1502 Price Offered: $340.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 1:30 p.m. on December 14, 2020, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Juana Maria Gonzalez Luna Tax Parcel #: 07500200000200 Tax Sale #: 1002 Price Offered: $2700.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 9:00 a.m. on December 9, 2020, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: M.O.G. Investments LLC Tax Parcel #: 05002800000210 Tax Sale #: 1002 Price Offered: $125.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If ad-

ditional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 9:30 a.m. on December 4, 2020, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: REVISED: M.O.G. Investments LLC Tax Parcel #: 05002800000190 Tax Sale #: 0703 Price Offered: $175.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 9:00 a.m. on December 16, 2020, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: M.O.G. Investments LLC Tax Parcel #: 05002800000190 Tax Sale #: 0703 Price Offered: $175.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 10:00 a.m. on December 4, 2020, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: M.O.G. Investments LLC Tax Parcel #: 05002800000220 Tax Sale #: 1203 Price Offered: $350.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 10:00 a.m. on December 4, 2020, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: M.O.G. Investments LLC Tax Parcel #: 05007300000270 Tax Sale #: 1003 Price Offered: $200.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 2:30 p.m. on December 4, 2020, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest

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SPORTS

and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: M.O.G. Investments LLC Tax Parcel #: 05007200000160 Tax Sale #: 804 Price Offered: $75.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 10:30 a.m. on December 4, 2020, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway shouts out instructions during the Tigers’ game against Wichita in early March. (Photo: Warren Roseborough)

Bouncing basketballs signal the Tigers at practice

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT

by Terry Davis

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property:

The University of Memphis basketball team has been dealing with the pandemic longer than any other sport.

The Tigers’ season was cut short in midMarch as they were about to play their first game in the American Athletic Conference basketball tournament.

Seven months later, the COVID-19 pandemic still is raging (killing some 220,000 people nationwide and averaging some 55,000 new inflections daily) and the conference has developed protocols to keep everyone as safe as possible.

There has been a different approach as the new season begins. Normally, the basketball schedule would have been released, allowing fans to plan on which games they would want to attend.

Memphis, for example, was scheduled to play in the Battle for the Atlantis tournament scheduled during the Thanksgiving holiday.

That tournament was moved to South Dakota and is now called The Crossover tournament.

Duke was scheduled to be a part of that tournament, but the Blue Devils decided not to participate. The Dayton Flyers replaced Duke.

Memphi’s first game of the season will occur in this tournament, opening play with Ohio State on Nov. 25.

Asked about the game as a start to the season, head coach Penny Hardaway said, “The players are really excited to have Ohio State out of the gate.

“I do not remember a time when we played an opponent of that level to start the season, ever. I remember playing DePaul to open the Pyramid. I can’t remember Cal’s (John Calipari) or Josh’s (Pastner) teams playing a big game for the very first game of the season.”

M.O.G. Investments LLC Tax Parcel #: 0500720000020C Tax Sale #: 1002 Price Offered: $350.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 2:00 p.m. on December 4, 2020, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: M.O.G. Investments LLC Tax Parcel #: 05007200000170 Tax Sale #: 703 Price Offered: $75.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 1:00 p.m. on December 4, 2020, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Schedule There has not been an update on when the Tigers’ schedule will be released. Most likely, the game against the Tennessee Volunteers that was set to be played in Nashville this year may be pushed to next season.

The game against Alabama that was to be played in Atlanta may be cancelled.

Memphis also is waiting for the Memphis

Grizzlies to select the dates they want to play at the FedExForum. Once those have been selected, the Tigers can complete the dates and times for all games.

The AAC increased the number of league games from 18 to 20. Memphis is only allowed 27 games this season. As a result, the number of out-of-conference games is limited this season.

The games in the Crossover Classic only count as one game per the NCAA. There will be no exhibitions or scrimmages this season.

Memphis will play three games in The Crossover tournament, which gives the Tigers a chance to build the team’s post-season resume.

‘The Big Dance’ Memphis is looking to make it to the NCAA tournament, aka “The Big Dance.” Memphis still is awaiting word on if there will be any punishment for playing James Wiseman last season.

Memphis also is waiting word on the eligibility of DeAndre Williams. Williams is the transfer from Evansville and has requested to play this season. There is no timeline for either decision from the NCAA. Expectation “I want Memphis to compete for a championship,” Hardaway said.

The last couple of years the Tigers have finished fifth in the AAC standings.

Last season, Memphis finished as one of the best defensive teams in the country. Hardaway hopes to improve on those defensive stats.

Memphis still has an open coaching position with the departure of Mike Miller. Hardaway has not filled that position for a couple of reasons.

The first is because of the current financial position of the university, which has taken a fiscal hit because of the virus. There have been pay cuts and layoffs as a result.

Second, he wants to get the right person.

Memphis had the youngest team in the nation last season. With the addition of Landers Nolley, Williams and the experience that the freshmen received, the expectation is for fewer mistakes. If so, should equate to more wins and a deep run in the NCAA tournament.

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: M.O.G. Investments LLC Tax Parcel #: 05007200000190 Tax Sale #: 703 Price Offered: $75.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 1:30 p.m. on December 4, 2020, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

Comeback bound...

After an early miscue, the UofM’s Rodrigues Clark powered back, rushing for a season high 116 yards on 21 attempts as the Tigers overcame Central Florida at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium last Saturday. Next: Memphis hosts Temple at 11 a.m. this Saturday. (Photo: Terry Davis)

The New Tri-State Defender

October 22 - 28, 2020

THEY’VE SERVED US, NOW LET’S SERVE THEM. Learn more at: ilovememphisblog.com/eatlocal

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