Very good news this morning. Judge Potter of the Environmental Court has ordered Madison Avenue partly re-opened. Madison has been closed between Main and Second since March 26, when a dilapidated building had its roof collapse. The owner has taken his sweet time tearing the building down, leaving one of Downtown’s major east-west thoroughfares, and the Madison trolley line, closed. Per Potter’s court order, the avenue will open to eastbound traffic, and the trolley will resume its route.
I hope city officials learn from this, and take steps to aggressively fine neglectful property owners whose fail to maintain dilapidated buildings. It’s absolutely ridiculous that Madison has been closed for four and a half months. We need to stop providing tax incentives for property owners to leave their buildings in as crummy as state as possible. Not sure if that’s a reform that needs to happen at the city, county or state level, but it needs to happen.
In other news… if you’re a fan of Earnestine & Hazel’s, tomorrow night between 9 and 11 would be a good time to be there. Dynaflow will be playing some good old rock and roll on their vintage amps. I can’t think of a better band to bring out the character of that space.
A reminder that SEE Memphis’ 5-year anniversary party is Thursday from 5:00 until 7:30 PM. A $10 donation gets you BBQ from Memphis in May team Sweet Swine O’Mine and Ghost River beer. Ray-Ban will host a trunk show with new styles and classic favorites. Donations benefit the Alzheimer’s Association.
Tonight is week 12 of the 12-week trivia contest at the Silly Goose. Winner gets $300, and my team the Rapscallions is looking to lock it up. Of course, there are weekly prizes of $50, $25 and $10 as well. A new 12-week game will begin next week. Other stuff going on: Trivia nights at the Saucer (earn points to try and win a trip to the Abita brewery) and Ferraro’s (15 all-you-can-eat pizza and all-you-can-drink PBR); pint night at Bardog from 7 to 3 with all drafts $3; $5 half-yards at Bar None.
Brass Door joined the Saucer and Bardog last night in my collection of Foursquare mayorships. There’s no way I will be able to simultaneously hold all three for long.
Programming note: I’ll be on vacation Thursday, Friday and Monday. Vacation from work, that is, not vacation from blogging. During that time posting will happen on a random, possibly several-times-per-day schedule, than on the lunchtime schedule you’re used to.
Time to hit Taco Bell then get back to work on PHP arrays.