I-240, Poplar Avenue To Close This Weekend

Two major Memphis thoroughfares will close this weekend as the Tennessee Department of Transportation continues working to replace a set of aging bridges in East Memphis.

Starting Friday, July 20, at 9 p.m., I-240 eastbound and westbound will be shut down from Tenn. 385 to the Interstate 40 split, while Poplar Avenue will close in both directions over the interstate. Both roads will reopen Monday, July 23, at 6 a.m.

The rare full closure is the latest phase of TDOT’s $54 million MemFix 4 project, to replace four bridges over Interstate 240: Poplar in both directions, plus the Park Avenue bridge and the Norfolk Southern rail bridge. All four were built in the 1950s and 1960s.

The full closures of I-240 and Poplar will be repeated the weekend that begins July 27.

MemFix 4 construction is expected to continue through July 2019, with additional closures to be announced later.

– Bill Dries

U of M to Host International Educational Tech Conference

A conference that brings educators together with the latest innovations in educational technology has not come to the U.S. in more than a decade, but next year, members will be meeting up at the University of Memphis.

The U of M’s FedEx Institute of Technology has been selected as the 2019 host of The International Council for Educational Media’s annual conference Sept. 18-21, 2019.

“The ICEM is excited to bring our conference back to the United States for the first time in over 10 years,” said ICEM president Hannah Gerber. “This innovative conference brings leading educators from around the world together to see what is possible in educational media and technology. We look forward to holding this conference in Memphis and showcasing this dynamic city to the rest of the world.”

The conference is an opportunity for educators to discuss how the cutting edge, such as virtual reality and big data analytics, is changing the discipline of education technology.

“It is important for our university to take a leading role in building a brighter future for students at all levels of education,” said Jasbir Dhaliwal, U of M’s executive vice president for research and innovation. “We are excited to host dynamic conferences such as ICEM to create opportunities for educators and innovators at all levels to exchange ideas and make improvements that benefit the next generation of leaders.”

The theme of the 2019 ICEM conference is “Emerging Innovations in Educational Media,” with a focus on the new possibilities in hardware integrations, sensor-based interactive classrooms and internationally scaled interactive training.

The city of Tallinn, Estonia, is the location of this year’s ICEM conference Sept. 5-7, hosted by Tallinn University.

The 2019 conference will be chaired by Trey Martindale, chair of Mississippi State University’s Department of Education, and Apple Distinguished Educators program member Otto Benavides.

– Daily News staff

Local Groups Team Up To Celebrate Women in Politics

Three local women’s organizations are teaming up to celebrate women who ran and are running for elected office.

The event, dubbed “Sizzlin’ Women 2018,” will be held July 31 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Hattiloo Theater, 37 S. Cooper St.

The National Coalition of 100 Black Women – Memphis Chapter, the Memphis Area Women’s Council and the League of Women Voters of Memphis & Shelby County are joining forces to host the event, which is open to everyone and will not only celebrate the candidates, but also the women who are working as campaign staffers, managers, treasurers or volunteers during this campaign season.

“It’s been a long and hot campaign season once again in Memphis – a sizzling time – and we appreciate the hard work and passion that local women have brought to a tough game,” Deborah Clubb, executive director of the Women’s Council, said in a statement. “We wanted to take a bit of time to congratulate, encourage and thank all who heard our challenge in the fall to ‘Run Women Run,’ and to urge everyone to vote on Aug. 2 and in November.”

– Patrick Lantrip

River City Partnership Launches New Initiatives

The River City Partnership, a collaboration between the University of Memphis College of Education and Shelby County Schools, has launched two new initiatives this summer: a Master of Education degree program in Instruction and Curriculum Leadership and a Teacher Cadet Summer Bridge Program for SCS high school students.

The new initiatives are designed to bolster the mission of the River City Partnership, which is designed to improve teacher education, increase diversity in the teaching workforce and improve SCS student achievement. Both programs include a strong focus on social justice and equity in education while supporting the development of curriculum content and cultural competence.

Twenty elementary mathematics teachers from SCS will participate in the new Master of Education in Instruction and Curriculum Leadership. This intensive program will help teachers master the Eureka Math curriculum, improve their teaching skills and increase student achievement in math classes.

The Teacher Cadet Summer Bridge Program is a weeklong experience to help rising high school seniors from SCS learn about teaching careers in urban settings and explore programming at the U of M College of Education. The new initiatives were collaboratively developed and designed by College of Education faculty and staff along with SCS administrators and practitioners. Support and insight were also provided by faculty in the College of Arts & Sciences and College of Communication and Fine Arts.

– Don Wade

Orpheum to Offer Tours On 3 Mondays in August

The Orpheum Theatre Group is offering six opportunities for the public to tour the Orpheum Theatre as well as the Halloran Centre for Performing Arts & Education – on Aug. 13, 20 and 27 at 10 a.m. and noon.

Admission is $10 per person, cash only at the door. Children younger than 5 are admitted free.

It is requested that guests arrive at least 15 minutes before their preferred tour time to ensure time to pay and secure their spot. All proceeds benefit the Orpheum Theatre Group’s nonprofit mission. Tours will last for approximately 60 minutes. Visit www.orpheum-memphis.com/tours for more information.

– Don Wade

Mid-South Fair Seeks Vendors and Exhibitors

The 2018 Mid-South Fair takes place Sept. 20-30 at the Landers Center, and fair organizers are seeking vendors and exhibitors of unique, quality products.

The more unique the products, the better.

“We’re gearing up for another great year at the 162nd Mid-South Fair and we are looking for unique, exceptional exhibitors to join one of the Mid-South’s iconic community events,” said Todd Mastry, executive director of Landers Center.

Interested applicants can download the a vendor/exhibitor application at midsouthfair.com. Cost ranges from $1,000 for a 10-by-10-foot space to $2,200 for a 20-by-20-foot space.

Applications, full payment and insurance are due Aug. 31.

– Daily News staff