Federal Grant to Aid SCS Head Start Program

Shelby County Schools is getting an $11.6 million grant from the federal Department of Health and Human Services for the development of the Shelby County Head Start program, U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen announced.

The Head Start program currently serves 20,000 children and families in Tennessee a year.

Cohen also announced two grants to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital totaling $1.1 million.

A $721,656 grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infections will fund research on the interactions between cell receptors and proteins.

A $392,656 grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke is for research on cell adhesion in neuron migration.

– Bill Dries

Medical District Apts. Getting $9M Makeover

Millennia Housing Development is planning a $9.4 million upgrade of the Madison Tower building in the Memphis Medical District, according to a building permit application filed Friday, June 15.

The Cleveland, Ohio-based company listed “moderate rehab” on the permit application for the senior living community located at 383 Madison Ave. near the corner of Madison and Danny Thomas Boulevard.

In addition to Madison Tower, Millennia Housing owns nine other apartment complexes and senior living communities in the Memphis area.

Built in 1956, the 118,000-square-foot building was last appraised for $3.2 million by the Shelby County Assessor in 2018.

– Patrick Lantrip

South Barksdale To Close for Sewer Work

South Barksdale Street between South Parkway and Quinn Avenue will be closed to thru traffic beginning at 9 a.m. Monday, June 25, through 9 p.m. July 28 as city crews continue sewer work along various city streets.

– Bill Dries

Private Jet Once Owned by Elvis Presley for Sale – Again

A private jet once owned by Elvis Presley that has sat on a runway in New Mexico for nearly four decades is back on the auction block.

The online auction site IronPlanet announced this week that the plane with red velvet seats had returned the market after its current owner bought it last year for $430,000.

A previous auction house says Elvis designed the interior that has gold-tone woodwork, red velvet seats and red shag carpet. But the red 1962 Lockheed Jetstar has no engine and needs a restoration of its cockpit.

The plane was owned by Elvis and his father, Vernon Presley.

It has been privately owned for 36 years and sitting on a tarmac in Roswell, New Mexico.

Lindsay Goldstein, a spokeswoman for IronPlanet, said the jet is still grounded in Roswell and the current owner "has not made any changes to this piece of history."

Photos of the plane also show the exterior in need of restoration and seats of the cockpit torn.

A previous owner disputed an auction house's claim the king of rock 'n' roll designed its red velvet interior.

Roy McKay told KOB-TV in Albuquerque (https://goo.gl/GpE3zV) he designed the interior himself. McKay said that when he purchased the jet, it had a two-toned gray interior and "kind of looked like a casket."

But then-GWS Auctions Inc. spokesman Carl Carter told The Associated Press the auction house is confident Elvis designed the interior, which photos show has red velvet seats and red shag carpet.

IronPlanet also is confident Elvis designed its red velvet interior, Goldstein said.

Federal Aviation Administration records show no interior changes were ever made to the jet, Carter said.

IronPlanet is accepting online bids for the plane until July 27.

– Russell Contreras, Associated Press