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April 8 - 14, 2021
VOL. 70, No. 14
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Council vote keeps MLGWTVA split on table of options by James Coleman
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
Young Dolph believes... Memphis rapper Young Dolph (left) added his star presence to an Easter weekend celebration for neighborhood children in Castalia Heights at St. James Baptist Church, 1930 Hearst Ave., last Saturday (April 3). He lined up with Pastor Rodney Herron and rapper Yo with PRE. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)
SCS shortens summer break; Aug. 9 start for 2021-22 year
The Memphis City Council approved (12-0) a resolution awarding a contract to energy consultant GDS Associates, Inc. during its Tuesday (April 6) meeting. The vote sets the table for an early 2022 decision by Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) commissioners on whether to continue MLGW’s long-standing relationship with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). With the $520,000 contract, the Georgia-based firm will take over the bidding process for the city’s energy supply and infrastructure projects, including local power generation. It includes provisions to give council members insight into the bidding process. They also will be briefed on bids before recommendations are given. The measure was approved by the MLGW Board of Commissioners during a March 31 special meeting. A similar proposed contract with
GDS failed to gain council support in October. Doubts persisted among the body about whether the firm could be neutral in the RFP (request for proposal) process. A “request for proposal” is a set of recommendations concerning rates, prices and dependability. Voting in favor were Chairman Frank Colvett Jr., Rhonda Logan, Patrice J. Robinson, Jamita Swearengen, Worth Morgan, Edmund Ford Sr., Michalyn Easter-Thomas, JB Smiley Jr., Martavius Jones, Chase Carlisle, J. Ford Canale and Jeff Warren. Councilmember Cheyenne Johnson abstained from the executive session vote. During the MLGW committee meeting she asked that the item be pulled, pointing out that she had requested that it be pulled the previous day. The resolution replaced one Johnson had introduced earlier. Johnson advocates local power generation to leverage against mar-
SEE MLGW ON PAGE 2
COVID-19 UPDATE
Health officials cautious, optimistic as shot numbers continue to rise
by Laura Faith Kebede Chalkbeat
The 2021-22 school year will begin Aug. 9 and end before Memorial Day in a calendar that Shelby County Schools board members approved Tuesday. The start date ensures that the first semester ends before winter break, but also shortens the upcoming summer break. The Memphis district’s current school year is ending two weeks later than normal. Afterward, many students and up to half the district’s teachers will enter a four-week summer learning program to combat learning loss from the COVID-19 pandemic. Shelby County Schools officials expect the summer learning program, which state law requires districts to offer, to serve as many as a third of its students. Some board members worried about student and teacher burnout, but Superintendent Joris Ray said during a previous meeting that ending next school year by Memorial Day was more important to survey respondents than a longer summer break this year. The Aug. 9 start date was the more popular option among parents and teachers in a district survey last month.
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SCS Supt. Dr. Joris M. Ray (left) and Jason Wexler, president of the Memphis Grizzlies, pitch a partnership strengthened by the common belief that the participants are stronger together. (Photo: Terry Davis)
Grizzlies unveil career lab at BTW
by Terry Davis
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
In the time of the current pandemic, it could have been easy for the Memphis Grizzlies and Pepsi to delay doing any community outreach. That is not the case the Memphis Grizzlies in partnership with the Close the Gap Foundation, HBCU Awareness Foundation, and the Memphis Grizzlies Foundation. In a dedication ceremony at Booker. T. Washington High School, the details of the partnership were revealed. Initially there will be six college students that will serve as interns from the University of Memphis, Lemoyne Owen College and Rust college that will meet weekly at BTW. They will mentor 15 students for 15 weeks for the program in the newly renovated career center at
BTW. Through the Pepsi Stronger Together initiative, the University of Memphis and Booker T. Washington High School have recently joined the PepsiCo roster of schools as pouring partners. The interns will assist the students in navigating the choices of what careers that may peek their interests, what colleges may assist them better in pursuit of a successful career. Derek Lewis, President, South Division of PepsiCo Beverages North America said, “It takes a village. When we conceived “Pepsi Stronger Together” we envisioned this as a vehicle to strengthen communities across the country. Working with grassroots efforts and our partners to strengthen them one at a time.” On why this program Lewis said, “After COVID-19 we saw the world unfold and saw more dramatic change
SEE GRIZZ ON PAGE 2
by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
Shelby County is looking good on the COVID-19 front, with lower daily cases and higher vaccination numbers, a health official told The New Tri-State Defender Wednesday. “We set a goal of vaccinating 650,000 residents in Shelby County,” said Dr. Bruce Randolph, medical officer at Shelby County Health Department. “Nearly 249,000 have had at least one shot. Now, more persons have been fully vaccinated with both shots than with only one. Yes, I would say Shelby County is doing very well.” Randolph was part of a team that went before a Shelby County Commission committee Wednesday morning to update commissioners on how the county is doing. Randolph said new cases on Monday totaled 53, Tuesday’s number was 55 and Wednesday’s number was 59. One death on Tuesday brought the total number of COVID-19 deaths to 1,575. “We’re hoping this trend in lower new case numbers will continue,” said Randolph. “We appreciate everyone doing their part to fight new infections and take the vaccine.” It’s important for everyone to continue to wear masks in public, practice social distancing and frequently wash hands, according to Randolph.
“Getting the vaccine guards against serious illness in the event of a COVID-19 infection,” said Randolph. “You want to wear a mask because Dr. Bruce you don’t know Randolph everyone’s status around you. They may not be vaccinated yet, and you could actually contract the virus and not get sick. Anyone not vaccinated doesn’t have that same protection.” All adults are eligible for the vaccine, as well as teenagers 16 and older. Persons under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian in order to be vaccinated. The parent or guardian will be required to show ID and complete a consent form on-site for their child to be vaccinated. If there is one group of individuals officials particularly are concerned about, it is young adults between the ages of 18-34. “We need young people to step up to the plate and be vaccinated,” said Randolph. “The benefits of being vaccinated far outweigh the risks of experiencing any side effects. I’ve
SEE COVID-19 ON PAGE 2