The 901: Jury finds Billy Ray Turner guilty of killing Lorenzen Wright

Good morning, Memphis, where the significant rise in gas prices could put a dent in the number of visitors coming to the Bluff City — hindering the growing optimism for Memphis Tourism as COVID restrictions loosen.

But, first, Billy Ray Turner was found guilty by a Shelby County jury of first-degree murder in the 2010 shooting death of Memphis basketball star, Lorenzen Wright, our Micaela Watts reports.

The jury unanimously voted “guilty” on all three counts: first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and attempted first-degree murder.

Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich attributed the successful outcome of the case to "relentless work" put in over thousands of hours during the last 12 years.

Micaela takes a look back at what happened throughout the trial this past week.

Memphis airport removed artwork featuring an Asian Elvis

After “a lot of negative feedback from Elvis fans,” the Memphis International Airport removed an art piece depicting an Asian Elvis, our Corinne Kennedy reports.

"We are opposed to Tommy Kha's installation being removed from display, especially considering the openly racist comments made online in the development of this situation," the Urban Art Commission said in a social media post. "Airport leadership has chosen to remove an artwork from a Memphis artist, for reasons that we adamantly disagree with."

In a statement, Scott Brockman, president and CEO of the Memphis and Shelby County Airport Authority, said a "small number of comments" mentioned Kha's race and that he found those comments unacceptable. He said those anti-Asian comments were not the basis for removing Kha's piece from the concourse.

Rhodes student charged $29,000 for lupus treatment

Brooklyn Johnson was diagnosed with lupus, an inflammatory disease caused by the immune system attacking its own tissues, in 2019.

She was recommended a two-dose infusion treatment to help with symptoms, our Corinne Kennedy reports in her story for subscribers. After those symptoms improved with the initial therapy, and with her freshman year at Rhodes College approaching, her doctors recommended another round of infusion treatments in 2020.

After initially agreeing to cover the treatment, both of her insurance providers backtracked, Johnson said — resulting in a cost of $29,000 out of pocket.

Now, the Rhodes sophomore has had to battle insurance companies as she navigates college along with the general fatigue and other symptoms.

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Memphis tourism getting back to pre-pandemic levels

As local COVID-19 restrictions begin to loosen, there has been a growing confidence domestic and international travel to Memphis this year will compare more closely to 2019 numbers, our Omer Yusuf reports.

However, with the uptick in gas prices, optimism has lowered.

Memphis Tourism CEO Kevin Kane admits concern about what high gas prices could mean for the city’s tourism numbers this year, but also remains optimistic the city could weather that potential challenge.

Collierville Fire Chief to retire

This summer, Collierville Fire Chief Buddy Billings will step back and retire to his Fayette County farm, our Dima Armo reports.

"I never dreamed 44 years ago I would ever be the chief," Billings, 62, said. "That was the ultimate honor to my career."

Dima chronicles Billings career in Collierville starting with his police dispatcher job in 1978 and tells us what’s next for the fire chief and the city.

Shelby County Sheriff’s Office employees expected to receive another bonus

Eligible full-time employees of the Shelby County Sheriff's Office are expected to receive a one-time $5,000 stipend, our Katherine Burgess reports.

The funding for the stipends will come from a budget surplus created by vacancy savings in the amount of $8.6 million, with the total cost not to exceed that amount.

Charles Everett appointed to MSCS board to represent South Memphis

Shelby County Commissioners appointed Charles Everett to represent South Memphis on the Memphis-Shelby County School Board, filling the District 6 vacancy left by Shante Avant's resignation, our Laura Testino reports.

Everett, a board member of local and state parent-teacher associations, was selected after three rounds of voting by the commissioners.

Everett served on development corporation boards in Whitehaven and Westwood and among the boards of local and state-level parent-teacher associations. He’s also had a long career with FedEx — which influenced his goal to always be 100%.

South Memphis native helped make MLK Day a federal holiday

When Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, it ignited a will for change in South Memphis’ Kathlyn J. Kirkwood, our Astrid Kayembe reports.

"I was just 17. And from that moment on the world, as I said, changed for me. The lightbulb, the rose-colored glasses ... that was no longer," she said. "I became angry. I wanted to change the world. I wanted to contribute. I wanted to be involved to make a difference."

Kirkwood details her journey in her memoir for young readers, "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me 'Round: My Story of Making Martin Luther King Day" — providing a coming-of-age story about the drive, patience and perseverance it takes to turn an idea into law.

Who will — and won’t — be back next season for Memphis basketball?

Penny Hardaway, who just completed his fourth season as coach of his alma mater, made it apparent he was expecting to fill vacancies and said he planned to do so by mining the transfer portal, our Jason Munz reports.

“I think another thing we’re going to try to attack is the transfer portal and grad transfers instead of getting so many young guys all the time,” he said. “Because our league, whether we like it or not is a league of transfers …”

Jason provides us with a list of players who plan to stay in Memphis, who are leaving the bluff city and who may be on the fence for next season.

The 901 is written by Ray Padilla, digital producer for The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at raymond.padilla@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @Ray_Padilla_.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: The 901: Billy Ray Turner found guilty of killing Lorenzen Wright