Paul Ryburn’s Journal

The City of Memphis is seeking feedback on its plan for a 2-mile corridor of Poplar from Front to Bellevue. They’ll hold a meeting at St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, 700 Poplar, from 6:00 to 7:30 Tuesday, July 5. Planned improvements will be shown and audience comments will be sought.

Sunday’s Garden Walk of Elmwood Cemetery has been canceled due to the heat.

Memphis 901 FC hosts Detroit City FC tonight at 7:30 at AutoZone Park. Tickets start at $5.

See The Wiz where your dog takes a whiz! The DNA has added a bonus movie, The Wiz, to its Court Square movie series. See it for free on the big screen Thursday, June 30 at 8 PM.

The Brass Door is hiring full-time kitchen staff.

They’ve been ripping out drywall all week from the Bank of America location on the ground floor of the Peabody Place office tower. Whatever that space will become, I guess it won’t be a bank.

If you’re a fan of the wallaby that escaped the Memphis Zoo back in March, you can eat one of his cousins at Flight. They have kangaroo filet on the menu.

River Market at River Garden happens this Sunday, 11 AM to 4 PM. Free admission, free skate rentals. DJ John Best will provide the tunes. Volunteers are needed to assist with the skate rentals.

There won’t be fireworks on Mud Island for the 4th this year, as the city has decided to pick up the party and move it to Liberty Park, recently the site of Music Fest and BBQ Fest. However, the Redbirds will have fireworks following their July 1, 2, and 3 games.

Trolley track maintenance is happening on Main Street south of Peabody Place, with trolley buses replacing the steel-wheel trolleys temporarily.

Today is Bartender and Mixologist Day. Of course, that is a holiday I will happily celebrate today.

That’s it for today. Back tomorrow with more news.

BREAKING: Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade

The Memphis Grizzlies were busy on draft night. They made 4 picks, two first-rounders and two second-rounders, and addressed needs that will be created this summer by players leaving in free agency.

• Memphis traded up to the number 19 pick, sending numbers 22 and 29 and a future second-rounder to Minnesota. They used 19 to score Wake Forest forward Jake LaRavia. He can play small forward or power forward and will provide a skill set similar to what free agent Kyle Anderson brought to the team.
• Memphis then acquired the 23rd pick and Danny Green (who likely will never play for the Grizzlies) in exchange for De’Anthony Melton. The 23 pick turned out to be David Roddy, a Colorado State small forward who was the Mountain West Player of the Year last season. Roddy will also help replace some of Kyle Anderson’s contributions on the wing.
• Tennessee point-guard Kennedy Chandler, generally projected to be picked in the 20s, fell into the latter half of the 30s and Kleiman smelled opportunity. Not only would Chandler replace the skill set of free agent Tyus Jones, but Chandler is from Memphis and Ja Morant and Chandler have been good friends for years. A future second-rounder and cash considerations to San Antonio got Memphis the ability to scoop up Chandler with number 38.
• With the 47th pick, Memphis chose shooting guard/small forward Vince Williams Jr. from VCU, adding depth on the wing.

Bleacher Reports grades for the picks:

• 19 Jake LaRavia: B-
• 23 David Roddy: C-
• 38 Kennedy Chandler: B-
• 47 Vince Williams Jr.: C

As for the Memphis Tigers in the draft:

• Center Jalen Duren was taken with the 13th pick by Charlotte and then was traded to the Detroit Pistons.
• Forward Josh Minott was taken 45th by Minnesota with a pick acquired from Charlotte.
• Shooting guard Lester Quinones went undrafted but Golden State subsequently signed him to a two-way contract. He’ll play for the G-League Santa Cruz Warriors.

Poor Jabari Smith was told he was the consensus 1 pick for weeks, then fell to 3 on draft night. Not only did he miss out on the prestige of forever being known as a number-one draft pick, but it’ll cost him about $1.7 million in rookie-scale salary this coming year.

I’m sending prayers and good vibes to Memphis Sandwich Clique co-founder Ryan Hopgood this morning. Ryan suffered a heat stroke early last week and slipped into a coma. His situation was so dire that his family asked that he be taken off life support and his organs donated – but when they took Ryan off life support, he didn’t die. He woke up. Get well soon, dude. We Memphians are relying on you to tell us where the dank sammies are.

Lansky Bros. has Elvis (the movie) belt buckles and T-shirts on sale. The movie is in theaters as of today. Filmmakers stopped by Lansky Bros. in 2019 to learn about the effect Bernard Lansky had on Elvis’ style.

A new music festival is coming to the grounds of Grind City Brewing Co. in Uptown. Grind City Fest will happen Friday, August 26 and Saturday, August 27.

FedEx will soon offer a new service called Picture Proof of delivery that will show you the exact spot to where your package was delivered.

The CA has a look at Kennedy Chandler’s draft party at the Hyatt Centric.

Today is National Food Truck Day.

The Supreme Court decision saddens me greatly. I expect protests across the nation this weekend, some of which will turn into riots.

Back tomorrow with more news.

Memphis was involved in a most unwanted trade recently. Ja Raffe, the Memphis Zoo animal born in 2020 and named for Grizzlies star Ja Morant, has been traded to Utah. A study indicated he was needed out there to be a breeding male for the Salt Lake City herd. The Morant family got a chance to say a final goodbye to Ja Raffe before he was shipped out on June 14.

Arkansas plays Ole Miss in a College World Series winner-take-all game today at 3 PM. The loser goes home, and the winner goes on to play Oklahoma in a best-of-three championship series. I like the 3 PM start time because it means the game will be over by the time the NBA draft starts at 6:30.

The Miss Tennessee competition kicks off at the Cannon Center today.

Volunteer Odyssey brings its Summer of Service to Grind City Brewing Co. tonight from 6 to 9. $1 from every beer purchased during that time frame will be donated to Volunteer Odyssey.

MPD has released additional info on the shooting and car crash that happened at Danny Thomas and Madison last week.

Matt Stell (with Erin Kenney) plays KIX on Beale at Handy Park tonight. This is an all-ages free show that starts at 7:30.

The DNA’s summer movie series in Court Square wraps up tonight with The Lion King. Free showing, 8 PM.

All right. I’m hot and I’m tired so I’m ending this post. Back tomorrow with more news.

This Friday is the last Friday of the month, which means it’ll be South Main Trolley Night. The shops of South Main will stay open until 9 or later, many of them offering appetizers, booze, discounts, etc. The Gray Canary will run its post-Trolley Night happy hour from 9 to 10 PM Friday.

Amy LaVere will play Songs in the Cemetery in Elmwood Cemetery this Friday starting at 5:30. Eat at Eric’s food truck will be on site, and the Tipsy Tumbler will serve drinks. Lawn chairs are encouraged. This event is outdoors and the weather will be hot, so dress appropriately. $10 cover charge.

Jordan Skoda and the Damwrights play the Blind Bear Saturday from 8 to midnight.

The 2022 NBA draft is Thursday night at 6:30 on ESPN and the WatchESPN app, with the first round also on ABC. I am fascinated to see what front-office wizard Zach Kleiman does with the 22nd, 29th, and 47th picks. After he wheeled and dealed his way into Desmond Bane and Ziaire Williams, he has my complete confidence.

Arkansas plays Ole Miss tonight at 6 on ESPN in a College World Series game. The Hogs must beat Ole Miss twice to advance to the finals.

Today is National Onion Rings Day. The Majestic Grille’s tempura fried onion rings would be my recommendation to celebrate.

Action News 5 has a report on the Memphis River Parks Partnership’s presentation at the joint DNA/SMA meeting last night. Only 68 parking spaces are planned along Riverside Drive in Tom Lee Park, but city COO Doug McGowen said several hundred more parking spaces would be available on the cobblestones adjacent to the park.

Seeing Red will be the featured entertainment at tomorrow night’s Peabody rooftop party from 6-10 PM.

MemphisWeather.net is predicting a high of 101 today (that was yesterday’s high as well) with a heat index near 107. Good news on the horizon, though – ABC 24 meteorologist Chelsea Chandler tweeted that a cold front will move through next week.

Too hot to type anymore. Back tomorrow. Maybe.

The Grizzlies have released their summer league schedule. They will play in both the Salt Lake City and Las Vegas leagues, and the Las Vegas games will be nationally televised. Second-year forward Ziaire Williams is expected to play a big role in these games, and it’ll be our first look at Memphis’ 2022 draft picks.

YOGA! South Point Grocery hosts a free “happy hour” yoga session with Katy this Wednesday at 5:30 PM. Bring a mat, towel, and water.

If you haven’t yet subscribed to The Daily Memphian and you’re a foodie, Chris Herrington and Jennifer Biggs’ food tour of Summer Avenue series, which kicked off today, is worth the subscription price by itself. This week they covered the section of Summer between East Parkway and Highland. OMG… Somali food and Mexican soul food and shrimp fried rice, yes please!

Arkansas plays Auburn in a College World Series game tonight at 6 on ESPN. The losing team gets eliminated. Earlier in the day, another SEC team is in action as Texas A&M plays Notre Dame at 1 on ESPN. That is an elimination game as well.

Two vehicles were reported burglarized at 171 Monroe this morning. That’d be the parking garage across B.B. King from AutoZone Park, just north of the Canopy Hotel. Looks like the teenagers who normally break into cars on Gayoso are branching out.

Don’t forget, tonight is the joint Downtown Neighborhood Association/South Main Association meeting at Beale Street Landing. A representative of Memphis River Parks Partnership will be there to answer questions. The DNA president has promised the meeting won’t get contentious, but that’s gonna be a tall order to fill if the “Save the Parks” people show up in numbers. Drinks and appetizers will be provided to association members. Popcorn would be appropriate.

You can ride the trolley for 25 cents today due to poor air quality. MATA bus rides and MATAplus rides are 25 cents as well.

Today is National Smoothie Day. City Market makes good ones.

COVID Act Now reports that the reinfection rate has fallen to 0.98 in Shelby County. That indicates that the spread of COVID is no longer exponential and that the current wave may have peaked.

Butterific Bakery and Cafe at 488 S. Second has decided to extend its Juneteenth celebration all this week. Through Thursday, the Maja Wings food truck will be outside 11 AM-6 PM. Fridays are Pie Fridays. The Smoke & Ice food truck will be there Saturday from noon to 7.

That’s it for today’s post. Back tomorrow with more news.

We’re going to be treated to a classic rivalry game tonight in the College World Series as Ole Miss faces Arkansas (6 PM, ESPN). Neither team has taken a loss in the CWS, so neither faces elimination. In the same bracket, Auburn faces Stanford (1 PM, ESPN), loser gets eliminated from the series.

Juneteenth happened yesterday on a Sunday, making today a federal holiday. CNN has a look at what’s closed and what’s open today.

Today is Take Your Cat to Work Day. Seems like a bad idea.

The DM reports that the first phase of the Orleans Station apartments at Orleans and Jefferson will be ready in July. There will be two more phases to come, backing up to Manassas and Madison. The apartments are designed to serve the nearby medical student community without having on-campus dorms.

The Flyer’s Michael Donahue has some pics from Loving Local that’ll give you an idea what The Ravine, the new park in The Edge, looks like.

According to the Farmer’s Almanac, summer starts tomorrow at 4:14 AM.

Memphis in May reported a record $1.9 million loss for the year, after Music Fest and BBQ Fest were both temporarily moved to Liberty Park/Tiger Lane for 2022. It’s an even bigger loss than MiM suffered in 2020 when both events got completely canceled due to COVID. Festival-goers voted with their wallets, it seems – they want those events on the river where they belong.

Soulin’ on the River featuring Doll McCoy comes to Fourth Bluff Park Friday from 7 to 10 PM. Admission is free and lawn chairs, picnic baskets, and coolers are all welcome. Food trucks and a full bar will be available.

There was a shooting about 3:30 AM Sunday near Fourth and Beale. A man was left in critical condition.

Another shooting Sunday night left one person dead. This one was at Patterson Flats near G.E. Patterson and Hernando Avenue.

Given the low dew point this morning, my apartment is relatively comfortable right now. But as far as I’m aware, my A/C still has not been serviced, so it may get hard to work in here later this week. Posts will be hit-or-miss until I have cold air.

Go Hogs!

My A/C unit is still out at my place at Number 10 Main. I put in a service request Monday but I have not heard a peep from them other than a “we received your request” auto-confirmation from a bot. I put in a second request this morning.

It’s too hot for me to even think straight and the heat is making me physically ill. Heading to Bardog when it opens.

My A/C still hasn’t been fixed. It’s possible that a lot of residents submitted maintenance tIckets on the same day as the weather got super hot for the first time this year, and that’s why they haven’t got to me yet.

To top it off, Xfinity is still in the neighborhood performing network upgrades, and they have texted me, telling me to expect “intermittent outages.” FML. How am I supposed to get anything done?

The Memphis Grizzlies’ front office made another smart move this week, signing head coach Taylor Jenkins to an extension. He’s the man who’s going to get this city to the NBA Finals in future years.

It was pointed out on Nextdoor that this coming Tuesday’s joint DNA/SMA meeting offers a rare opportunity: A chance to ask a Memphis River Parks Partnership representative questions, to be responded to publicly, in real time. The meeting will be at Beale Street Landing. Pop some popcorn, this could be good.

Daaaang, Bitcoin has dropped below $22,000! It was in the high $60Ks a year ago.

The Redbirds host the Nashville Sounds at AutoZone Park tonight at 7:05. No special promotions tonight, just baseball at its finest.

Today’s National Lobster Day. My suggestion to celebrate would be Memphis’ very first lobster roll, the one offered by Slider Inn. Their lobster is shipped in 3 times a week, and it is served on a buttered, grilled, split-top bun with a dill pickle spear and a lemon wedge.

From WREG: Memphis is averaging about 500 car break-ins a month. Cops as well as break-in victims have told me that the criminals are mainly looking for guns.

Summer Frills, a Memphis Made Brewing Co. beer, is available only at Huey’s this summer.

Queen Ann Hines & The Royal Gents play the Blind Bear 8-12 Saturday night.

Tickets to two October FedExForum shows go on sale today at 10 AM.

• John Mulaney: From Scratch Tour Saturday, October 8
• Mary J. Blige: Good Morning Gorgeous Tour featuring Ella Mai & Queen Naija Sunday, October 16

Tip from Lifehacker: It’s possible to get a free donut from Krispy Kreme every day through Labor Day. Just look for the “Hot Light.”

(pulls up Krispy Kreme’s website)

(searches to see if there’s a Krispy Kreme location near Park City, Utah)

Yep, there is one. Free food? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up.

This might be of interest to some Downtowners: Why you should consider getting a AAA membership even if you don’t have a car. Reasons include

• Car rental, hotel, and entertainment discounts
• Vision care and services
• Identity theft monitoring

Andrew Cabigao plays South Point Grocery’s porch Friday night from 5 to 7.

Lydia Warren plays the Memphis Farmers Market Saturday from 9 to 11 AM.

The Earthquake app on my phone is blowing up this morning. Apparently, there were a number of medium-sized quakes off the coast of Oregon.

Time to hit Publish and start work on my next professional writing project. Later today I’ll frequent a place that is a combination hair salon, phone booth, and lunchroom. Back tomorrow with more news.

Yep. The A/C is out in my place AGAIN. Just my unit, not building-wide.

I am so hot I can’t think. It’s making me physically sick.

I didn’t put in the maintenance ticket until noon yesterday so I’m not mad at them for not getting to it same day. If they don’t make some progress today, though, I’m going to be pissed.

I’m going to the Monroe Avenue Cooling Center when it opens at 8.

Back when I have cool air.