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New York Post
2 days ago
- New York Post
Memphis' Sincere Parker arrested after allegedly attacking girlfriend
Memphis guard Sincere Parker was arrested this week for allegedly attacking his girlfriend in May, according to records viewed by The Post. Parker, 22, was booked into Shelby County (Tennessee) Jail on Saturday and was charged with aggravated assault and vandalism for the alleged attack, per multiple reports. The alleged May 27 incident occurred in Parker's apartment in downtown Memphis, The Commercial Appeal reported. 3 According to the affidavit, the incident occurred at Parker's apartment. Emilee Chinn The altercation became physical after an argument, and the woman has alleged that Parker 'pushed her, struck her in the face, then grabbed her neck and applied pressure which impeded her ability to breathe normally.' The outlet reported that the woman 'sustained bruising and bleeding to her mouth' and that she met with Memphis police investigators on Tuesday, where she said she was 'fearful for her safety.' The basketball player also reportedly broke the woman's iPhone, ABC 24 reported. Parker transferred to Memphis from McNeese State in April after the guard averaged 12.2 points across 34 games for the Cowboys last season. 3 The alleged incident happened on May 27 but was not reported until June 12. Maddie Meyer 'The University of Memphis is aware of the situation and cannot comment on an active investigation,' the school told The Commercial Appeal in a statement. Parker's arrest comes just days after the NCAA placed Memphis athletics on probation for the next two years after an investigation found that an academic advisor paid two softball players to help a men's basketball player with coursework. The NCAA ultimately fined the school $30,000 for adviser Leslie Brooks paying two softball players a total of $550 to help the hooper with his assignments during the winter of 2024. 3 Parker averaged 12.2 points with McNesse State last season. Emilee Chinn The probationary period begins immediately and does not conclude until July 15, 2027. 'We are pleased to have reached a mutually agreed upon resolution by the NCAA Committee on Infractions and the University of Memphis,' university president Bill Hardgrave said in a statement. 'I would like to thank our staff who worked swiftly and collaboratively with the NCAA to take appropriate action and implement corrective measures. 'The University of Memphis is committed to a culture of compliance with all NCAA rules and will move our program forward accordingly.'
USA Today
22-06-2025
- Business
- USA Today
FedEx's Fred Smith had unparalleled impact on Memphis sports including a PGA Tour stop
FedEx founder Fred Smith made his fortune and found his fame as a businessman. But, for all the renown he received by revolutionizing the global shipping industry, Smith's impact on sports in Memphis is equally immeasurable. It's a big reason former Memphis mayor Jim Strickland has described Smith as 'the most significant Memphian in history' on multiple occasions. Smith, who died June 21 at 80, leaves behind an unmatched legacy of involvement, investment and influence on much of what has made Memphis a proud and passionate sports city. 'Every big opportunity that we've had, either Fred Smith or Fred Smith and FedEx, they were always the game changer,' Memphis Tourism president and CEO Kevin Kane told The Commercial Appeal in 2023 when the publication named Smith its Sports Person of the Year. 'They were the reason why things happened.' Memphis is an NBA city thanks to Smith. Memphis is in position to remain an NBA city for the foreseeable future thanks to Smith. "Fred Smith has been a driving force in the Memphis community since day one, and his endless contributions as a civic leader and corporate citizen are a part of an incredible legacy that will be remembered in our community and country forever," Grizzlies owner Robert Pera said in a statement. Memphis (that is, the University of Memphis) is pushing for a Power 4 conference invitation by showing it can invest at the same level as Power 4 schools – thanks to Smith. Ed Scott, who was named Tigers athletic director in June 2024, said in a prepared statement on June 22 that the school and the athletic department are "deeply grateful to Fred Smith and his family for their unwavering support." "Fred was more than a visionary businessman – he was an icon and a servant leader whose impact on the Memphis community is immeasurable," Scott's statement continues. "Without his foresight and extraordinary generosity, neither Memphis Athletics nor the City of Memphis would be what they are today. On a personal note, over the past 11 months, Fred has been both a mentor and a friend to me." Scott also indicated the university looks forward to "honoring (Smith's) remarkable contributions in the days ahead." In 2023, when it seemed like the Tigers' vision of a $220 million renovation project at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium might never come to fruition, Smith came to the rescue. Former Memphis athletic director Laird Veatch, who is now the AD at Missouri, worked closely with Smith during his tenure with the Tigers. 'I am so grateful to have the opportunity to spend time with Mr. Fred Smith," he said in a statement to The Commercial Appeal. "He was the definition of a visionary − he saw things that others didn't see, and he saw them clearly. I am thankful for his impact on Memphis and America. Prayers and blessings to the Smith and FedEx families.' Memphis has established a rich football tradition in the form of the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, the Southern Heritage Classic and, currently, as home to the UFL's Memphis Showboats thanks to Smith. Fred Smith made Memphis a key stop on the PGA Tour Memphis is home to one of the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup Playoff events (the FedEx St. Jude Championship), which since 2019 has brought dozens of the world's best golfers to TPC Southwind, shining one of the sport's brighter spotlights on Memphis – thanks to Smith. And the list goes on. Jack Sammons, general chairman of the FedEx St. Jude Championship and dear friend of Smith's for more than 30 years, said Smith deserves more credit than he could ever get. 'You take him out of the equation and the sports scene in Memphis – the highlight would be Babe Howard's Olympic (USA Stadium) or something. AutoZone Park would never have been built. Hell, The Peabody might never have been remodeled," Sammons told The Commercial Appeal June 22. "You start by the (Mississippi) river and go all the way to Collierville, you wouldn't get very far without saying, 'Yep, without Fred, that wouldn't be there,' just over and over." FedEx has been a title sponsor of Memphis' PGA Tour event since 1986, just 13 years after Smith oversaw the company's first flights take off from the Bluff City. Since then, it has become the title sponsor of the FedExCup (since 2007). In a prepared statement issued on June 22, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan called Smith 'the visionary of FedEx who led every day with tremendous character and values.' 'Fred and his company made significant contributions to the growth and popularity of PGA TOUR golf, and the TOUR continues to benefit from his and FedEx's influence, which will be felt for generations to come,' Monahan said. Smith's fingerprints are forever tattooed on Memphis' sports scene. Perhaps, however, none more prominently so than the Grizzlies. When the franchise's owner, Michael Heisley, decided to move it out of Vancouver in 2001, several cities were in the running for its ultimate destination. New Orleans (pre-Pelicans) and Anaheim were contenders. So, too, was Louisville. Memphis – which had long desired to be home to a major league sports organization only to come up short – emerged. Despite being the smallest market among the final four contenders, Smith's role in the negotiations was the difference. 'Heisley said the turning point in choosing Memphis over Louisville was the involvement of Memphis-based FedEx Corp., which will pay him for naming rights to the new arena,' The Commercial Appeal reported in 2001, when the deal came to fruition. FedEx paid a reported $92 million in the naming rights deal. In 2023, when the Grizzlies' immediate future in Memphis appeared, at least, a bit shaky, Smith stepped up again. The franchise's FedExForum lease agreement was soon due to expire, and officials were reluctant to renew without a major renovation project to update the downtown facility. Smith brokered a deal with local and state lawmakers that resulted in $230 million worth of state money being earmarked for FedExForum renovations. Smith's son, Richard Smith (president and CEO of airline and international at FedEx), said his father always believed deeply in the power of sports on community. "Look at your great cities in the U.S., look at your thriving cities, and they all have vibrant sports and entertainment," Richard Smith told The Commercial Appeal in 2023. "That's one of the great factors, the quality of life factors, that contributes to a great city. We think that's very important as far as being able to attract people to Memphis and to get them to want to stay in our headquarter city." Reach sports writer Jason Munz at follow him @munzly on X, and sign up for the Memphis Basketball Insider text group.
USA Today
19-06-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
25-year-old man accused of stalking Memphis mayor, approaching home with stun gun
25-year-old man accused of stalking Memphis mayor, approaching home with stun gun Show Caption Hide Caption Killed, wounded Minnesota state lawmakers honored at vigil Neighbors gathered to honor state Rep. Melissa Hortman and state Sen. John Hoffman. Hortman was killed and Hoffman was wounded in separate shootings. Police say they found a stun gun, gloves, rope, and duct tape in the suspect's vehicle. The suspect scaled a wall and went directly to the mayor's residence, according to security footage. This incident follows a recent attack on Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses. Memphis, Tennessee, police arrested a man who allegedly trespassed into Mayor Paul Young's gated neighborhood late on June 15, finding a stun gun, gloves, rope and duct tape in his car. Trenton Abston, 25, was arrested June 18. He is charged with aggravated criminal trespassing and stalking, two misdemeanors. Shortly after first appearing in the criminal court system, Abston had felony attempted kidnapping added to his list of charges. "At the time of his arrest, officers recovered a Taser, gloves, rope, and duct tape from his vehicle. The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges may be forthcoming," the Memphis Police Department said in a statement posted to Facebook. "Upon further review of both public and private security camera footage, we have determined that the suspect did not approach multiple homes, as initially reported. Instead, after scaling a wall, the individual went directly to the Mayor's residence." According to a police email obtained by The Commercial Appeal, part of the USA TODAY Network, a man jumped over a fence to Young's East Memphis neighborhood and knocked on his door around 9:30 p.m. on June 15. The man left the house before police could speak with him, but his face was recorded on a doorbell camera. According to a police affidavit, Abston's car was "captured by video systems in the immediate area of Paul Young's residence on multiple occasions between May and June 2025." When Abston was apprehended, police say he "admitted to researching" Young's house and driving by it to confirm he lived there. "He admitted to waiting until Sunday evening to go to the residence to confront Paul Young about crime in the city of Memphis and stated he was angry at Paul Young and was armed with a Taser when he went to the residence," the affidavit said. "Given the expressed motivation and anger toward the victim, multiple visits to the victim's neighborhood or home, the admitted recent purchase and possession of rope and duct tape, the climbing of a wall surrounding the victim's private gated neighborhood at night, approaching the residence armed with a Taser and knocking on the victim's door, Abston took substantial steps toward the commission of a kidnapping," the affidavit added. Police credited "the rapid response of our officers and the use of camera technology throughout the neighborhood" with how they were able to identify the man. According to the criminal court system, this was the first time Abston had appeared in court aside from two traffic tickets. Incident comes after Minnesota shootings The alleged trespassing came amid heightened tensions for politicians after a Minnesota man allegedly broke into multiple homes and shot two state lawmakers and their spouses in the early hours of June 14. Two people, Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman, were killed. Two more people, Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette Hoffman, were injured in a separate incident. It was also the second run-in with potential danger Young has faced since being sworn in as mayor. In March 2024, Young was grabbed by a man attempting to get into his vehicle. Young was uninjured in that incident, and his security detail was able to prevent the man from entering the car. A 'small amount of pepper spray' was sprayed at the man in that instance, City Communications Director Penelope Huston said at the time. Young, in a statement posted to Facebook after the arrest alongside a picture of his wife and children, said online rhetoric has been leading to violence in recent months. "In today's climate, especially after the tragic events in Minnesota and the threats my wife and I often receive online, none of us can be too careful. The link between angry online rhetoric and real-life violence is becoming undeniable," Young wrote. Lucas Finton covers crime, policing, jails, the courts and criminal justice policy for The Commercial Appeal.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Jimmy Stokes wins race for Horn Lake mayor. See full election results here
Voters have decided the next mayor of Horn Lake. Democrat Jimmy Stokes defeated his Republican opponent Danny Klein in the June 3 general election, according to unofficial voting results provided by Horn Lake City Clerk's office. Along with mayor, all seven aldermen positions in Horn Lake were contested in the election. Prior to this election just one seat was held by a Democrat, LaShonda Johnson in Position 5. Now the tables have flipped — Republicans have been left with just two alderman seats after this election. Stokes thanked his staff and Horn Lake voters in a statement on Facebook after the winners were announced. "I'm deeply honored and humbled to be elected as your next Mayor," the statement read. "To my family, friends, campaign team, and every supporter who believed in this vision from day one—thank you from the bottom of my heart." Stokes continued, "To the people of Horn Lake: I'm ready to get to work and begin implementing the goals we set throughout this campaign—promoting transparency, uplifting our youth, embracing diversity, and building A Better Horn Lake for all." Stokes told The Commercial Appeal in late May that his message and goals would benefit all Horn Lake residents regardless of party. "When I become mayor, I'm not the mayor of the Democrats. I'm the mayor of the people of Horn Lake," he said. "My job is to make sure everybody has fair wages, jobs that you can get right here in our city. My business is for everybody to be able to go to a movie theater, enjoy a safe meal, not to worry about looking over your shoulders." Stokes, a Whitehaven native, said repairing the city's aging infrastructure is a top priority, as well as improving the livability of Horn Lake by providing both kids and older adults with more activities to do in the city, with the goal of "keeping kids off the streets." Stokes is also looking to draw in more major corporate businesses that pay higher than minimum wage, while still supporting existing local small businesses. 2,875 people cast a vote for mayor this election out of 15,777 active voters, marking an 18% turnout. All officials will be sworn in and officially begin their four-year terms on July 1. Here is a closer look at June 3's unofficial results: Mayor: Democrat Jimmy Stokes (1,479 votes) defeated Republican Danny Klein (1,396 votes). Alderman At-Large: Democrat Larry McKinney (1,403 votes) defeated Republican Heather Dupree (1,381 votes). Position 1: Democrat Joshua Langston (285 votes) defeated Republican Joe Zachary (242 votes). Position 2: Republican incumbent Tommy Bledsoe (406 votes) defeated Democrat Yolanda Kay Hassell-Rook (262 votes). Position 3: Republican incumbent Jackie Bostick (176 votes) defeated Democrat Marrell Brand (110 votes). Position 4: Democrat Kelly Lee Smith (210 votes) defeated Republican Dylan Smith (192 votes). Position 5: Democrat incumbent LaShonda Johnson (271 votes) defeated Republican Jacob Hisaw (89 votes). Position 6: Democrat Charlotte Armstrong (313 votes) defeated Republican incumbent Robby Dupree (295 votes). Jacob Wilt is a reporter for The Commercial Appeal covering DeSoto County, as well as Dining in the Memphis area. You can reach him at This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Horn Lake election results: Jimmy Stokes wins race for mayor
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Houston shortstop Ryan Mitchell named Gatorade's Tennessee Baseball Player of the Year
Houston senior shortstop Ryan Mitchell has been named Gatorade's Tennessee Baseball Player of the Year, Gatorade announced via release on June 3. Mitchell, recently named The Commercial Appeal's Baseball Player of the Year, shared the announcement on social media. This is Gatorade's 40th year of selecting a player in each of the 50 states and Washington, D.C. Past winners nationwide include former MLB star Gary Sheffield and Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw. Advertisement "WOW!" Mitchell said on X. "Thank you to everyone that helped me in achieving this coveted award!" Mitchell, a Georgia Tech commit, ranks as No. 53 draft prospect and is projected to be an early-round selection in July's amateur draft. This season, Mitchell led Houston (29-15) to the Class 4A sectionals with the consistent displays of power and speed at the leadoff spot. He led Houston in almost every offensive category, including batting average (.462), on-base percentage (.615), OPS (1.547), runs (64), walks (49) and stolen bases (39). He also hit 12 homers and 13 doubles and drove in 55 runs, finishing the season as a finalist for the Mr. Baseball award. Advertisement "Ryan Mitchell is an explosive high school athlete with the ability to take over a game at any moment," Houston coach Lane McCarter said in the release. "Every time he steps into the batter's box, it feels like a can't-miss moment. He has the maturity of a veteran major league player and the plate discipline of a future Hall of Famer. He has such a bright future in professional baseball." Wendell Shepherd Jr. is The Commercial Appeal's high school sports beat writer. Reach Wendell at or on X @wendellsjr_. This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Houston's Ryan Mitchell is Gatorade Tennessee Baseball Player of Year
