20<30 honoree Shelby Smith poses with a copy of the Flyer. (Credit: Lawrence Kuzniewski)
Last week, the Memphis Flyer celebrated our 20<30 Class of 2022 with an event at Central Station Hotel.
The gathering was sponsored by New Memphis and Jim Keras Subaru, and featured remarks from most of this year’s class of talented and motivated young Memphians. Some of this year’s honorees were unable to attend, primarily thanks to their being so successful in their fields. Actor Carrie Bernans was filming a project in L.A., and Memphis Grizzlies point guard and NBA All-Star Game starter Ja Morant was busy leading his team to a 118-110 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. We suppose we can excuse his absence, given the circumstances.
The honorees met, mingled, and made remarks about what in Memphis makes them excited. With the city’s future in the hands of these young people, we can’t help but be excited too.
Author Brennan Steele (center) poses with Flyer editor Jesse Davis and Contemporary Media Inc. CEO Anna Traverse Fogle. (Credit: Lawrence Kuzniewski)The mood was celebratory. (Credit: Lawrence Kuzniewski)20<30 honoree and Director of Operations and Educational Programming, PRIZM Ensemble Marissa Manthongkham (center) with her parents and husband (Credit: Lawrence Kuzniewski)Margaret Haltom, Director of Emergency Rent Assistance and Housing Policy, The Works Inc., delivers remarks to an enthusiastic crowd. (Credit: Lawrence Kuzniewski)Flyer editor Jesse Davis says a few words for absent honoree Carrie Bernans. (Credit: Lawrence Kuzniewski)HomeT3amHoops COO Valencia Jennings accepts her award. (Credit: Lawrence Kuzniewski)Toasts were made. (Credit: Lawrence Kuzniewski)And still more toasts were made. (Credit: Lawrence Kuzniewski)Actor and Program Director for Memphis in May International Festival Jonathan Mosley receives his award. (Credit: Lawrence Kuzniewski)20<30 honoree and Mental Health Outreach and Engagement Specialist at CMI Healthcare Services Irah Gates (center) with supporters. (Credit: Lawrence Kuzniewski)Andrew Mok receives his award. (Credit: Lawrence Kuzniewski)Educator Kevin Carpenter receives his award. (Credit: Lawrence Kuzniewski)20<30 honoree Alex Hensley with boyfriend Paul Garner (Credit: Lawrence Kuzniewski)Lyndsey Pender, Research and Evaluation Specialist for The Works Inc., receives her award. (Credit: Lawrence Kuzniewski)She-E-O of Remember Media Cori McCleskey receives her award. (Credit: Lawrence Kuzniewski)Still more celebrating (Credit: Lawrence Kuzniewski)Stories were shared. (Credit: Lawrence Kuzniewski)L-R: Sarah Garner from Jim Keras Subaru, and Nora Murray, Anny Wohrman, Kayla Smith, and Laura Beth Davis with New Memphis (Credit: Lawrence Kuzniewski) Sarah Garner from Jim Keras Subaru (Credit: Lawrence Kuzniewski)
Desmond Bane lines up a shot against the Sixers.
(Photo via @memgrizz)
The Grizzlies fought hard Monday night in Philadelphia against the Sixers but ultimately were not able to close out in overtime. Memphis’ team lost to the 76ers 119 to 122.
Let’s get into it.
As far as losses go, this one isn’t entirely disappointing. Not entirely, but still a little. There are many upsides to point out from this game, even in defeat. But there are also some lingering issues that continue to plague this Grizzlies team. Issues that need to be addressed sooner rather than later if they are going to make a deep postseason run.
The Sixers were without their star big man Joel Embiid, but Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey picked up the slack and helped secure victory for Philadelphia. Harris and Maxey combined for 64 points, more than half of the points scored by the Sixers.
But win or lose, the best player on the court was inarguably Ja Morant, with Desmond Bane in a supporting role. Morant and Bane are one of the most dynamic, exciting-to-watch backcourts in the league this year.
Ja-countability? Like the leader he is shaping up to be, Morant expressed in the postgame press conference that he feels responsible for the loss, citing key missed free throws and poor three-point shooting.
By the Numbers:
Before I get into individual stats, the elephant in the room needs to be addressed — missed free throws are hurting this team in a bad way. Overall free throw shooting for the Grizzlies was a dismal 68 percent. The team missed a collective 9 free throws in a game they lost by 3 and there is absolutely no excuse for it.
A public service announcement from the Ministry of Making Your Fucking Free Throws
As bad as the free throw shooting was, the three-point shooting was even worse. Shoutout to Desmond Bane for hitting 5 of the 6 made three-pointers. Unfortunately, that is not a typo — the Grizzlies shot an abysmal 6 of 30 from beyond the arc.
But it wasn’t all bad for the Grizzlies — they scored 30 points off 21 turnovers, 29 fast break points, and 72 points in the paint.
Ja Morant led all scorers with 37 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. This makes the seventh consecutive game where Morant has scored 30 or more points, a career record for him and a franchise record for the Grizzlies.
Desmond Bane closed out with a career-high 34 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals, including 5 of 9 from beyond the arc.
The Grizzlies continue their three-game road trip with an appearance Wednesday night at the World’s Most Famous Arena, to face off against the New York Knicks. Tip-off is at 6:30 p.m. CST.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee wants to add $1 billion to Tennessee’s nearly $6 billion education budget. Lee announced the proposed increase Monday night during his annual State of the State address, where he shared his 2022-23 priorities and the highlights of his proposed budget. The proposed budget for fiscal year 2023 is $52.6 billion, with 41 cents out of every dollar spent on education.
Some top lines for K-12 education include:
$32 million for charter school facility funding.
$125 million to increase teacher salaries.
$200 million to relocate public schools in flood plains, including schools in Shelby County.
$550 million in career and technical education grants.
$750 million toward additional education investments.
The money for the proposed raise for teachers received some of the loudest applause of the night.
“Historically, funds put into the salary pool don’t always make it to deserving teachers, and when we say teachers are getting a raise, there should be no bureaucratic workaround to prevent that,” Lee said. “So in our updated funding formula, we will ensure that a teacher raise is a teacher raise.”
The infusion of money for teacher salaries and education is part of Lee’s plan to overhaul Tennessee education funding. The Education Law Center gave the Volunteer State an F for its funding level in its Making the Grade 2020 report.
Last year, Lee ordered a review of the Basic Education Program, a funding formula with 46 components that determine how much money the state sends to districts for textbooks, technology, and other needs. Under the proposed student-centered funding formula, districts and charter schools would get additional education investments to assist students who are managing issues such as learning disabilities and the challenges of living in poverty, and that should translate to more help for teachers in the classroom, said Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn.
“Some of the things we’ve heard the most about are things like counselors and nurses and supports for students who need those supports and ensuring our teachers can focus on the academic instruction,” Schwinn said in an interview before Lee’s speech. Schwinn added that teachers have been asking for additional support for high-needs students.
“It’s time to do right by them, and I think this is a good first step,” she added.
Pointing to a 2020 report by the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations, some education advocates say that Tennessee schools need an additional $1.7 billion of state money, so even with the billion-dollar-boost proposed Monday night, Tennessee education would still be underfunded.
Other organizations praised the governor’s announcement.
“The priorities laid out in the State of the State, including an additional $1 billion investment in education, an increase in teacher pay, and dedication to expanding career and technical opportunities for students, if adhered to, will make the 2022 legislative session a success for Tennessee’s students and their futures,” Adam Lister, president and CEO of Tennesseans for Student Success, a middle Tennessee-based nonprofit organization, said in a statement.
“Governor Lee’s call for the General Assembly to overhaul and improve the way the state funds education is a transformational moment,” Lister added.
Lee also weighed in on the culture wars in the classroom in the wake of anti-critical race theory laws and national debates about when and how to teach children about or protect them from learning the harsh realities of U.S. history.
Lee highlighted recently introduced legislation to ban some books from Tennessee libraries. He announced a state partnership with Hillsdale College, a conservative Christian college in Hillsdale, Michigan, to expand civics education in Tennessee that promotes “informed patriotism.” He also announced that the state would give $6 million to create the Institute of American Civics at the University of Tennessee, a center that would combat what he described as “anti-American thought” in higher education.
A replay of the governor’s speech is on his YouTube channel.
Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.
