Thur update: Russell George Memorial Benefit, Tacos and Tunes, Sounds of Beale, Lansky’s, Beale cover charge, updated CY Beerfest link, Redbirds/playoffs, Memphis is underrated, STOP TALKING cards

A few minutes before 8 last night, I began hearing from people who had been out walking around that Union Avenue was closed between Second and Third, and the street was swarming with police cars. A few minutes later there were reports that a woman jumped off the Peabody Hotel on the side facing Union. She landed on a horse carriage parked on the street, on planks connecting the horse to the carriage. She was still breathing when ambulances arrived but she later died at the hospital. The horse was not injured.

This morning City Hall and the Federal Building were evacuated for a reported bomb threat in the Federal Building. Wow. Not a good past 24 hours for Downtown Memphis news.

There will be a Russell George Memorial Benefit at Earnestine & Hazel’s on Saturday, September 13 from 7 to 11 PM. It’s a night to honor the owner of E&H who was a great friend to many, and who passed away last year. A minimum $10 donation is requested and proceeds will benefit the Church Health Center. There will be live music by the Earnestine & Hazel’s Band.

Felicia Suzanne’s will have Tacos and Tunes tonight. There will be $2 tacos from 6 to 8, $5 margaritas, and Joe Guyton will perform.

There will be a free “Sounds of Beale” concert tonight at Handy Park at Third and Beale. Almost Famous will perform.

In case you didn’t pick up a Memphis Flyer yesterday, there is an awesome cover story about Lansky’s return to Beale. The Lansky family is so richly intertwined with the city of Memphis the past 60 years. The shop is most famously known as Elvis’ clothier but there is so much more to the story. If you enjoy Memphis history this is a good read.

The Beale Street cover charge has been dropped. Why does every issue in this city have to be a racial issue?

If you clicked on the Cooper-Young Beerfest buy ticket link in my post yesterday and were told that sales have closed, it was a bad link pointing to last year’s ticket sales. Here’s the correct link.

The Redbirds dropped the playoff opener to Omaha last night in the best-of-5 series for the PCL’s American Conference championship. Game 2 is tonight in Omaha, then the series returns to AutoZone Park for Game 3 on Friday, and if needed Games 4 and 5 this weekend.

In case you missed it: A USA Today blog named Memphis the #1 most underrated sports city in America.

A friend of mine posted a really cool invention, and one that could come in handy for Downtown bar patrons: STOP TALKING cards. When someone is boring you to death with endless, unwanted conversation, you reach in your wallet, take out one of these cards, and hand it to them. I have two comments about this. 1) Do they do next-day shipping so I can have the cards at Bardog for Saturday brunch? 2) Well, you know…

More news is coming in, so I’ll most likely be back with another post after work.