Tigers Men’s Basketball Season Tickets on Sale

Now that the University of Memphis has hired former Tiger great Penny Hardaway as head coach, the university is wasting no time promoting season tickets for the 2018-19 men’s basketball season.

After Hardaway’s introductory press conference on Tuesday, March 20, at the Laurie-Walton Family Basketball Center, university president M. David Rudd made clear how important the fans are to the school’s success. He said season ticket sales had dropped to 4,115 this season and that the school is estimating a loss in revenue of about $4.7 million because of the decline in season ticket sales and donations.

“For this program to be successful it takes many things,” Rudd said. “One of those things is the participation of our city and our fans. From a financial perspective, we need our fans back and we need them now.”

In honor of Penny, 2018-19 season tickets will be increased by $0.01 this season. Because an enhanced level of interest in season tickets is anticipated, all seats will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Season tickets start at $100.01.

Detailed ticket and pricing information is available at gotigersgo.com. Fans can buy season tickets by calling 901-678-2331 or visiting the athletic ticket office inside the Penny Hardaway Hall of Fame Building, 570 Normal St., Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

– Don Wade

Overton Park Conservancy Science Fair Sunday

A science fair at the East Parkway Pavilion of Overton Park Sunday, March 25, will feature lessons about the Old Forest area of the park from researchers at the University of Memphis, Rhodes College and Christian Brothers University.

Hosted by the Overton Park Conservancy, the Park Fun Day and Science Fair runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

It includes an 11:30 a.m. “Bio Blitz,” a tour of the Old Forest with conservancy staff to record as many species as possible in the forest. The event will also feature the finals of the International Society of Arboriculture Southern Chapter tree-climbing contest.

The free, family-friendly event will also have games and food.

– Bill Dries

FedEx Express Hosting Job Fair Saturday

FedEx Express will host a job fair at the Memphis World Hub located at 2874 Business Park Drive, building D, on Saturday, March 24, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

FedEx is offering permanent part-time positions with hourly rates starting at $13 per hour, a minimum of 17.5 work hours guaranteed per week, and medical coverage with premiums starting at $6 per month, and tuition assistance.

Applicants must be at least 18 years old, be able to lift 75 pounds, and bring two forms of valid identification to the job fair.

There are no minimum education requirements, but applicants are subject to a criminal background check and drug screening.

– Patrick Lantrip

AutoZone Board OKs $1B Share Buyback

The board of directors for Memphis-based auto parts retailer AutoZone has approved the company buying back $1 billion of its shares.

It’s a continuation of the company’s ongoing buyback of AutoZone common stock. Since the buyback program started in 1998, and including the new authorization, AutoZone’s board has authorized the repurchase of $19.7 billion of its stock.

Buying back shares is one way to improve a company’s earnings-per-share figure. As of Feb. 10, AutoZone had 5,514 stores in the U.S., 532 stores in Mexico, 16 in Brazil and 26 IMC branches, for a total count of 6,088.

– Andy Meek

Neurologist Joins Regional One Health

Dr. Jesus Martinez, a neurologist, has joined Regional One Health. He’s also an instructor in the Department of Neurology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

Martinez treats patients with all kinds of neurological conditions, but he has a focus on helping patients with epilepsy and seizure disorders. Martinez has also taken a special interest in helping patients who suffer from headaches.

Patients often self-medicate to treat headaches, but Martinez says a person who is taking pain medications more than twice a week for headaches needs to see a doctor. Rather than just treating the pain, Martinez searches for the cause of the headaches to prevent them.

He sees patients at the Multispecialty Care Clinic at Regional One Health’s East Campus, at 6555 Quince Road.

– Andy Meek

Memphians Taking Part In March Against Gun Violence

Memphis will join? ?cities in all 50 states Saturday, March 24, in responding to the national call to action against gun violence by March For Our Lives.

Organized by a grassroots coalition of high school youth from across greater Memphis, the local march is an officially recognized partner of the national March For Our Lives movement? and will mirror the youth-led march on Washington, D.C.

Students are also planning ?walkouts at multiple local high schools on April 20, marking the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting in Colorado. (Memphis-area high schoolers did not participate in the national walkouts March 14, the one-month anniversary of the Parkland, Florida, school shooting, due to it coinciding with spring break.)

“This march will show the importance of gun violence – an issue that needs to be addressed immediately – as a nonpartisan issue, and it will reiterate the importance of the upcoming walkouts as an essential part of this movement,” said Savanah Thompson, a march organizer and White Station High School freshman. “We’ll be encouraging youth and adult allies to directly contact their representatives and learn the need for comprehensive gun legislation.”

The Memphis march, which is expected to draw thousands of local youth as well as adult allies, will begin at 10 a.m. at Clayborn Temple, 294 Hernando St., and end at the National Civil Rights Museum, where youth leaders will address the crowd, voter registration booths will be stationed, and there will be opportunities to contact elected representatives.

In addition, ride-sharing company Lyft is offering free rides to marches around the country, including the Memphis rally. Those who RSVP to the event at marchforourlives.com/events will receive a promo code on Friday, March 23. Attendees who aren’t able to RSVP can get a code at life.com/mfol Saturday morning.

– Daily News staff

Teach901 Job Fair Set for March 28

Teach901 is set to hold its next Educator Job Fair of the season Wednesday, March 28, at Crosstown Concourse.

The job fairs connect education job seekers with recruiters from public, charter and parochial schools in Memphis. New and experienced teachers, as well as recent college graduates and seniors graduating in May, are invited to attend and network.

Wednesday’s event runs from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the fourth floor of Crosstown Concourse’s central atrium, 1350 Concourse Ave. Job seekers can register for the fair at teach901.com/hiring-events, or search and apply to local education job openings anytime at jobs.teach901.com.

– Daily News staff

University of Memphis Deputy AD Alnutt Takes Buffalo Job

Mark Alnutt, the University of Memphis’ deputy director of athletics, has taken a job as the University of Buffalo’s athletic director.

Alnutt spent the previous three years at Memphis. He replaces Allen Greene, who was hired in January to take over as Auburn’s athletic director.

Alnutt previously spent three years as Southeast Missouri State’s AD after a 15-year tenure in various athletic department roles at his alma mater, Missouri. Alnutt played linebacker and earned a sociology degree at Missouri in the mid-1990s.

He takes over a Mid-American Conference program on the rise. The Bulls women’s basketball team won the program’s first two NCAA Tournament games and will face defending champion South Carolina on Saturday. The men’s team also won its first NCAA Tournament game by upsetting third seed Arizona before losing to Kentucky in the second round Saturday.

The Bulls football team is coming off a 6-6 season in coach Lance Leipold’s third year. It marked just the third time Buffalo has finished a season without a losing record since joining the MAC in 1999.

– The Associated Press