Families Find Solace at Homicide Victim Memorial Service
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Public Records & Notices View a complete day’s public records and notices at memphisdailynews.com. www.chandlerreports.com Thursday, April 25, 2019 MemphisDailyNews.com Vol. 134 | No. 67 Rack–50¢/Delivery–39¢ Volunteers ready Whitehaven park for summer opening MICHELLE CORBET park into a true community asset. the playground we know it will be The foundation’s investment Hawbaker, public affairs manager Courtesy of The Daily Memphian “Is everybody ready to build for many years to come.” includes $4.5 million in new con- for BCBST. “We picked this loca- With a break in the rain, vol- some play equipment?” Scott Cun- The $5.4 million renovation struction and a $900,000 endow- tion because the community was unteers gathered at David Carnes ningham, president of Cunning- of David Carnes Park is the first ment for maintenance. already engaged and asking for Park Tuesday to assemble picnic ham Recreation, asked the assem- project under the BlueCross “An emphasis of the program resources for the park.” tables, benches and fitness equip- bled volunteers. “We’ve had a lot of BlueShield of Tennessee (BCBST) is not only physical health, but Beginning in April 2018, ment that are part of a $5.4 million rain, but you’ll be surprised how Health Foundation’s BlueCross creating opportunities for inter- overhaul to turn the Whitehaven little needs to be done to make this Healthy Place program. personal relationships,” said John PARK CONTINUED ON P2 Ellis was one of several people from across Mem- phis and Shelby County who gathered Tuesday at the 14th annual Garden of Lights Celebration, a memori- Families fi nd solace at homicide al service that brought families and friends together to honor those they lost to homicide. The event was hosted by the Shelby County victim memorial service Crime Victims & Rape Crisis Center and Stevie Moore, who started the Stop the Killing initiative after his son, Prentice Moore, was gunned down in 2003. Moore, founder of the nonprofit Freedom from Unnecessary Negatives, or F.F.U.N., has attended hundreds of funerals since then, consoled countless grieving parents and preached nonstop about end- ing violence in the city. “This does not get easier, especially with the deaths that continue to happen,” Moore said. “I am calling for a communitywide conversation about homicides because I am sick of burying our babies.” Memphis police said there have been 53 homi- cides to date this year, a 47% increase from the same period in 2018, when 36 people were killed. Memphis recorded a total of 184 homicides last year, a 5% increase over the 176 slayings in 2017, but still lower than 228 homicides in 2016, the deadli- est year recorded in the city in the last two decades. Memphis Police Director Michael Rallings and his entire command staff, including the homicide squad, attended Tuesday’s memorial event, and he promised to help victims’ families in any way possible. “If you have questions, we will stay until they close the park and get you some answers,” Rallings said. “We want to hear your concerns and we want you to know that we will never stop trying to bring someone to justice that took your loved one’s life.” As Felicia Rounds searched for a picture of her son, Darius Small, on the patchwork quilt that P.J. Hughes, 5, reacts to his friend’s new toy as he sits with his family at the 14th annual Garden of Lights Celebration on Tuesday, commemorated the hundreds of lives lost to homi- April 23, 2019, at Memphis Botanic Garden. (Houston Cofi eld/Courtesy of The Daily Memphian) cides with their pictures and birth and death dates stitched on each panel, she said she is still awaiting YOLANDA JONES Botanic Garden Tuesday and remem- studying to be a nurse at LeMoyne-Owen justice because the man charged in her son’s death Courtesy of The Daily Memphian bered the 18-year-old, who was gunned College when she was killed. “I came out still has not gone on trial. Kiara Tatum was the city’s first ho- down in a drive-by shooting. to this event because it helps me keep “I want some closure,” Rounds said about her micide of the new year in 2017. “I miss my Nu Nu every single day,” going, and I want to help others because 25-year-old son’s murder in 2016. “He deserves that Her grandmother, Thelma Ellis, Ellis said about Tatum, who was known nobody knows this kind of hurt until it and so do we. All of us here want justice and just stood under a grove of trees at Memphis by her nickname “Nu Nu” and was happens to you.” some peace.” INSIDE Columns ............................ 3 memphisdailynews.com chandlerreports.com Public Records ................ 4 ©2019 The Daily News Publishing Company A division of The Daily News Publishing Company Memphis, Tennessee The standard for premium real estate Established 1886 • 134th year information since 1968 Public Notices ............... 11 Call 901.523.1561 to subscribe Call 901.458.6419 for more information Page 2 MemphisDailyNews.com Thursday, April 25, 2019 City signs letter of intent with Loews for new convention center hotel WAYNE RISHER, BILL DRIES Loews Hotels and Co.’s DNA for more than Courtesy of The Daily Memphian 60 years.” The city of Memphis and Loews Hotels The letter of intent calls for Loews to Holding Corp. have a new letter of intent build a hotel with a minimum of 500 rooms for the development of a second convention on Civic Center Plaza. The project would be center hotel Downtown. financed with Tourism Development Zone The letter, dated April 18 and signed sales tax revenue and a tourism surcharge. Tuesday by Memphis Mayor Jim Strick- It reflects the split between Loews and land, Downtown Memphis Commission Townhouse Management Co. (THM) of New president Jennifer Oswalt and Loews chief York, who were once partners in a consoli- business officer Constantine Dimas, is a dated plan to build not only the hotel but step toward a more definitive and binding also renovate the 100 North Main Building development agreement. and build two, 30-story office towers and “This has been a long time coming, a parking garage next to the circa-1965 and having a world-renowned brand like skyscraper. Loews in Memphis is a huge win for our Loews and THM had been pursuing a city,” Strickland said in a written statement letter of intent with the city and DMC on Tuesday. “I look forward to seeing the fin- the joint project until earlier this month, ished project, and ready to get to work with when city leaders confirmed that the two our new partner.” partners had gone their separate ways. “We continue working to finalize plans THM has expressed a desire to restore The city of Memphis and Loews Hotels Holding Corp. have signed a letter of intent to develop that will bring a first class Convention Cen- 100 North Main as the second convention a hotel with 500-plus rooms on Civic Center Plaza. (File/Courtesy of The Daily Memphian) ter Loews Hotel to downtown,” said Alex center hotel with the TDZ funding. Tisch, chief commercial and development The funding can only go for one new The letter of intent also appears to es- Main Building. officer of Loews, in a written statement. convention center hotel, according to the tablish Loews as the developer of “meet- “The terms of this letter will serve only “As an owner and operator, creating qual- city. And the letter of intent is an important ing spaces, restaurants, retail and related to establish the framework for further ity jobs and enhancing tourism in great step toward designating the Loews hotel spaces including ballrooms.” But it makes cities like Memphis has been a part of as that hotel. no specific mention of the 100 North LOEWS HOTEL CONTINUED ON P3 PARK CONTINUED FROM P1 “They can see what it takes for some- thing like this to come about,” she said. community and take it to that next level “Normally, they would just get on the equip- — to write the next chapter of their story,” ment, but now they know what it takes, and said Kent Callison, director of marketing they put in the work, to put it together.” communications for commercial play- Sharon Milam, a visual art teacher at ground manufacturer GameTime, a Play- Whitehaven High, remembers having her Core company. own senior class picnic at David Carnes The renovated park will also have a Park about 20 years ago. challenge course modeled after the popular “We didn’t have all this going on,” she television show “American Ninja Warrior”; said, looking across at the new playground a 40-yard dash with a timer, so friends can and fitness equipment. “This is a huge race each other; and playground equipment transformation.” that is accessible for kids with all abilities. Construction crews are busy trying to “The products are just tools,” Callison complete renovations in time for a grand said. “They’re just things to do. It’s the com- opening in mid-June, tentative on weather. munity that makes them special and this BCBST marketing employee Joseph community in Whitehaven has a great story Jones had an opportunity to give back to his and they are really close-knit; they love one own community Tuesday. The Whitehaven another and they love Memphis.” native and current resident visits the park Other amenities include a pavilion gath- regularly with his daughters and wife. ering space and an art installation to honor “Me and the kids, we park and play, Volunteers Janice Hubbard (right) and Damita Townsend share a laugh while building a new the park’s namesake, who was one of the while she walks,” he said.