Tuesday update

Howdy folks! I have lots of good local news for you today, but first of all, let’s get to the news you didn’t realize you’ve been waiting your entire life to read.

Ghost River has announced the December meeting of its book club at its brewery taproom on Thursday, December 20 from 7:00 to 8:30 PM. The book that will be discussed at the meeting will be The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. You can go to Novel Memphis, Ghost River’s partner in the book club, and tell them you’re purchasing the book for the club and they will give you 10% off. Also at the December meeting, there will be a holiday book swap: Bring any book, any genre, gift-wrapped that you would like to trade. So nice to see a local brewery running a successful book club!

The Memphis Express, Memphis’ new pro football team, will have open tryouts for locals at the University of Memphis, 1115 E. Getwell Loop Road, on Saturday, December 8.

In other news about open tryouts: Clayborn Temple will hold a casting call for a new musical this Friday and Saturday.

The day before the auditions start, Clayborn Temple will have a Deck-O-Rate the Sanctuary event 5-8 PM Thursday, November 29. There will be a hot chocolate bar, a cookie exchange (bring your favorite cookies to exchange), family fun and fellowship.

Loflin Yard will have a month-long holiday celebration. Events include

  • December 8 – toy drive. Free drink to those who dress in holiday attire and bring a toy.
  • December 15 – dog holiday costume party. Prizes from Hollywood Feed for best dressed and your dog can get a pic with Santa.
  • December 22 – ugly sweater contest. Drink and s’mores specials.

Caution for my readers who ride Bird scooters on the Main Street Mall: We are in the peak of the fall season, and the pedestrian mall is covered in leaves and pollen. The debris on the ground can conceal ground-based planters. I saw a man riding a Bird go flying off his scooter after he hit one yesterday. Luckily, he had on a helmet (must’ve been a Bird employee) and was able to hit the ground running as he fell off, so he wasn’t injured. Could’ve been a bad spill though.

Aldo’s Pizza Pies Downtown will host a Grizzlies watch party for the away game vs. the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, December 2 at 5:00. There will be $2.50 beer specials on Ghost River Grindhouse, Budweiser, Bud Light, and Michelob Ultra, and branded giveaways by Eagle Distributing and the Grizzlies.

Tonight the Grizzlies host Kawhi Leonard and the Toronto Raptors at FedExForum at 7.

I haven’t confirmed this but I am seeing reports on Twitter that iconic Midtown dive bar Old Zinnie’s is closing.

Some well-known car models will be disappearing thanks to the closure of five factories by General Motors. Say goodbye to the Chevy Impala, Chevy Volt, Chevy Cruze, Buick Lacrosse, and Cadillac CT6.

Okay, those of you who don’t want to read about politics here can go now. Back tomorrow with more news.

Special Counsel Mueller has filed paperwork to request that Paul Manafort’s plea deal be revoked. Mueller said Manafort continued to lie to his team after signing the plea agreement. If a judge revokes the deal, Trump’s former campaign manager most likely gets tried on a bunch of charges Mueller was willing to let slide, which could lead to Paulie spending the rest of his life in prison. Analysts pointed out three things about this breaking development:

  1. It may be significant that Mueller waited until after Trump filed his written answers to Mueller’s questions to bring this action against Manafort. If Mueller has proof that Manafort lied, and Trump’s written answers match what Manafort told Mueller’s team, then Mueller has proof Trump lied too.
  2. Mueller will have to provide proof that Manafort lied. If made public, that proof could offer the public an unprecedented look at the evidence Mueller’s team has uncovered. Also notable: Because this is an ongoing matter and not a new finding, Mueller does not have to get permission from Acting Attorney General Whitaker to make the matter public.
  3. Manafort likely knew he’d be caught lying and that the plea deal would be revoked, but spending the rest of his life in prison was preferable to truthfully telling everything he knew. This could be because the Russian mob notified Paulie Walnuts that he’d be whacked if he sang like a canary about their activities.

These are interesting times we live in…

It was good getting out and seeing everybody yesterday, but you know what? …With the high barely expected to crack 40 degrees, today seems like a good day to stay at home. I have a book I’d like to finish before the weekend and I think that will be today’s project. See you tomorrow.