Month: August 2020

Advance warning: This is going to be a looooong post. Lots to talk about, and some of it in substantial depth. Better go get a fresh cup of coffee, open a fresh pack of cigarettes, pour yourself some cereal, pack you a bowl or whatever you need to accompany you through this.

Advance warning #2: Some of the news items I have for today’s post are going to make the use of spicy language unavoidable.

Yesterday the Shelby County Health Department issued Health Directive No. 10, implementing the “tripwires” that can either tighten or loosen restrictions on area businesses, based on COVID-19 data. Let’s have a look, starting off with the goals we as a community want to attain.

GOOD: If the following criteria are met

• Average of 180 or fewer new cases per day over a 1-week period, based on the date of testing
• Downward trend line (I’m assuming for new cases) over a 2-week period
• Rate of new cases decreasing by 30% per week or more over a 2-week period
• Reproductive rate less than or equal to 1
• Positivity rate less than or equal to 10%

THEN the following restrictions are relaxed:

• Limited-service restaurants are allowed to reopen, as well as other food/drink establishments currently closed

BETTER: If the following criteria are met:

• Average of 75 or fewer cases per day over a 1-week period, based on the date of testing
• Downward trend line (I’m assuming for new cases) over a 2-week period
• “Rate of cases decreasing by ≤ 30 per week over 4 consecutive weeks” I wonder if this is typo and means rate of new cases decreasing by 30% or more per week over a 4-week period.
• Reproductive rate less than or equal to 1
• Positivity rate less than or equal to 5%

THEN the following restrictions are relaxed:

• Allow increased gathering sizes
• Allow increased capacity within businesses
• Allow special events, subject to submission of a plan

Got a few questions about the above:

1.  Does “positivity rate” refer to the cumulative positivity rate since over the entire run of the virus, or over the past week?
2. Would it be possible to get the reproductive rate added to the health department’s COVID-19 dashboard?
3. What about restrictions on full-service restaurants? (two-hour windows to order food, no bar seating, must order food to be served alcohol, 10 PM closing time) What’s the trip wire for those being relaxed?

Of course, not all the tripwires can be positive, because as the song goes, you take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and then you have, The Facts of Life. The Facts of Life. When a girl never seems… to be living… up to her dreams…

Oops, sorry, but I bet wherever they are these days, Natalie and Tootie are wearing their face masks. Anyway, let’s take a look at things we DON’T want to happen.

BAD: If the following criteria are met:

• Average of 450 or more new cases per day over a 1-week period based on date of testing
• Rate of new cases increasing by 40% or more over 1 week
• Reproductive rate 1.4% or higher
• Positivity rate 18% or higher

THEN the following restrictions are added:

• Limited-service restaurants close
• Restrictions imposed on full-service restaurants
• Curfew
• Restrictions on sports-related events
• Increased enforcement
• Increased education

WORSE: If the following conditions are met:

• Average of 650 or more new cases per day over a 1-week period based on date of testing
• Rate of new cases increasing by 40% or more over 2 weeks
• Reproductive rate 1.4% or higher
• Positivity rate 20% or higher

THEN the following restrictions are imposed:

• Decrease gathering sizes to no more than 10
• Increased, targeted enforcement
• Increased education

WORST: If the following conditions are met:

• Average of 750 or more new cases per day over a 1-week period based on date of testing
• Rate of new cases increasing by 40% or more over 2 weeks
• Reproductive rate 1.6% or higher
• Positivity rate 25% or higher

THEN we go back to life in hell, meaning

• Safer At Home house arrest order
• Closure of schools

Overall I think the goals are very reasonable. They give us reasons to wear our masks, social distance, and wash our hands whether our primary concern is getting kids back to face-to-face instruction or being able to sit at a bar and drink a cocktail. It’s up to us now. We can decide how much freedom we want to have, and what kind of freedom, until COVID-19 dies down.

Of course, the social media “medical experts” are already calling the tripwires “bullshit.” I am so sick of hearing from them. It’s almost like, they want to measure success by how many businesses are forced to close by the time the pandemic is over. And yes, five weeks was a long time to produce this document, but to me the thresholds seem well thought out, taking into account both what’s happening in other large cities and conditions locally here in Shelby County. Kudos to the task force. It’s a shame you guys receive so much criticism and so little praise. I’m not saying you’re perfect – and I’m not even promising I won’t make fun of you next time I recap a press conference – but the hard work you’ve done the past 5 months is noticed and appreciated.

After reading all the complaints about drag racing and large groups congregating Downtown, and MPD saying they don’t have the manpower to do anything about it, I decided to try an experiment last night to determine: Is MPD doing ANYTHING about cruising and drag racing Downtown? Or are they just completely letting the problem run haywire? So about 9:45 I turned the police scanner on and listened until about midnight. All of the locations listed below are traffic stops unless otherwise noted. Times are approximate give or take a few minutes.

• 9:46: Second at Pontotoc.
• 9:48: Officer put out a bulletin about someone “driving like a fool” at corner of Second at Lt. George W. Lee Ave.
• 9:53: Front at Gayoso
• 10:08: Second at MLK
• 10:26: Peabody Place at Rufus Thomas
• 10:27: Main at Beale
• 10:45: Second at MLK
• 10:46: Peabody Place at Main
• 10:53: Adams at Riverside, noted as “special,” whatever that means
• 10:53: Peabody Place at B.B. King
• 11:00: Peabody Place at B.B. King, possibly same call as above
• 11:17: Jefferson at Main
• 11:17: Peabody Place at Front
• 11:18: Front at Court (dispersed group that had been gathering)
• 11:24 Beale at Front (2 wreckers ordered and a third requested)
• 11:37: MLK at Danny Thomas
• 11:53: Peabody Place and Second
• 11:56: 150 Peabody Place (possibly a continuation of the call above)

Based on what I heard, I think it is safe to say that MPD is making an effort to control the problem with the resources they have available.

Also, this was tweeted by Memphis Bike Ped last night:

📢 EFFECTIVE TODAY: Due to a concerning increase in reckless riding, a temporary scooter “curfew” will be in effect until further notice from 10 pm – 5 am on Friday – Sunday nights along the riverfront and in most of Downtown. Scooters will be inoperable in the restricted zone.

— Bike Ped Memphis (@BikePedMemphis) August 7, 2020

I looked out my window near the intersection of Second and Monroe about 10:15 last night. I did see a couple of teenagers on scooters, but they were moving slowly enough that they could have been operating under human power. Their lights were still on, but even if the electric motor was disabled, for safety reasons you probably wouldn’t want to disable the lights.

From Memphis River Parks Partnership:

Surprise! Skating is back on the riverfront. ⠀
⠀
(It is just a liiiiiittle different).⠀
⠀
With the closure of Riverside Drive to vehicles this weekend, skates are available to rent at the bottom of Vance Avenue Bluff Stairs, next to Beale Street Landing. Grab some skates, and hit the road. Read on for some important notes: ⠀
⠀
Masks required to rent a skate: no mask, no zooming!⠀
Bring a bag to keep your shoes in while you skate.⠀
Plenty of space to keep six feet apart (Riverside Drive is closed to vehicles from Georgia to Jefferson), so please explore and keep socially distant. ⠀
Skates are free, but first come, first serve. If you aren’t able to get a pair tonight, take a sunset stroll, stop by one of @downtownmemphis’ businesses for dinner, or sit and watch folks zoom by! ⠀
⠀
Free skate rentals during the times below:⠀
Friday 6 – 8:30 PM⠀
Saturday 6 – 8:30 PM ⠀
Sunday 4:30 – 8:30 PM⠀
⠀
Not into skating? There are yard games popping up in the park this weekend, too. #cometotheriver to see!

The Memphis Grizzlies earned their first win in the Orlando bubble yesterday, handing the Oklahoma City Thunder a 121-92 loss. With 3 games left, the Grizzlies still sit in playoff position in 8th place in the West, with Portland back 1 game, San Antonio 1.5 games back, New Orleans and Phoenix 2.5 games back, and Sacramento 3.5 games back. Despite a rough start, the Grizzlies still control their destiny. Also, it looks more likely than not that the NBA won’t get Zion Williamson in the playoffs and the resulting ratings bonanza that would come with it.

The Grizzlies don’t play today. Games of note:

• L.A. Clippers at Portland, noon, TNT (Coooooome ooooooon, Clips!)
• Phoenix at Miami, 6:30, no national TV (Go Heat!)

Memphis 901 FC has its last home match for several weeks this afternoon. They take on North Carolina FC today at 4 PM at AutoZone Park. If you can’t be there in person for the match, you can watch locally on CW30.

You think Memphis has problems controlling COVID-19? You ain’t seen nothin’ compared to our state’s capital. Last Saturday a party happened at a venue called The Fashion House in East Nashville. Many, many photos of the party went viral, showing no social distancing, very little masking, and most notably, a video that went viral in multiple senses of the word, showing a man performing analingus on a woman in a window of the house, in full view of everyone. Public health officials discourage eating ass during the pandemic, citing fecal matter as a possible point of spread of the virus.

The cops showed up around 1 AM and shut down the party. They did not cite individuals for failure to wear masks, nor did they cite the house’s owners for having more than the maximum number of individuals allowed by the health directive in the house. However, on Tuesday the city of Nashville’s law director indicated a possible intent to prosecute the violations as Class C misdemeanors. In addition, the Fashion House has been found to be a commercial business in an area zoned for residential only, so it is unlikely that more parties will be held there in the future.

The folks at Bluff City Soap are brainstorming ideas for the company’s Downtown location since curbside pickup is not possible at a storefront on the Main Street Mall. The company overall has seen an uptick in business since the pandemic started, since anything that cleans is flying off the shelves these days. If you’re a fan of their products, keep an eye out for flash sales liquidating the Downtown location’s inventory.

Midtown Crossing Grill is the latest restaurant to become a victim to the pandemic. A post yesterday indicated the business would be permanently closed.

Kennard Farmer performs on the patio of the Central Station Hotel tonight from 7 to 9. You can come listen in person or catch the show online.

There will be a spin class by Spin n’ Out at Fourth Bluff tomorrow, Sunday, August 9, at 9:15 AM. $15 fee.

Virtual Elvis Week begins today. Here’s the schedule.

That’s it for this post, and I’m off to Bardog for brunch. Everyone please remember your masks and face coverings, maintain your 6 feet of social distance, and practice proper hand hygiene. Let’s get those COVID-19 numbers down so our friends who own or work at limited service restaurants can make some money. Back tomorrow with more news.

Memphis Police Director Michael Rallings says the force doesn’t have the manpower to crack down on drag racing that has happened Downtown and many other parts of Memphis this summer. City COO Doug McGowen said the kids behind this activity are very well organized. They travel around town in packs, have lookouts and are prepared to pick up and move their operation to another part of the city anytime. Sounds like donuts and gunshots are on this weekend’s menu Downtown once again.

The Memphis Business Journal reports that apartment developers who have received financial incentives from the Downtown Memphis Commission often have not lived up to their end of the bargain to make a certain percentage of the units affordable for low-income tenants.

As your number-one source of news and information about The Edge District, it is my pleasure to link you to a Memphis magazine article entitled Rewriting the Recipe. It discusses how restaurant owners are changing their business models to keep pace with COVID-19, and it features Tamra Patterson of The Edge’s own Chef Tam’s Underground. Changes included safer ways for people to enter and exit, a move to to-go only, and adjusting the menu so there wouldn’t be a large amount of unused ingredients. The story also takes a look at another Downtown restaurant, South of Beale, which successfully opened a second location out East during the pandemic.

As I was sorting through Downtown Memphis news, this job came across my feed… a Downtown company needs a human resources assistant. It’s a contract-to-hire gig and pays $16 to $20 an hour. The job was just posted yesterday, so you can be one of the first to get a foot in the door.

The Memphis Grizzlies play the Oklahoma City Thunder today at 3. You can catch the game on Fox Sports Southeast, the Fox Sports GO app, or Antenna TV. This is a must-win, as they all are with the Grizz only holding on to the 8th seed by half a game. Other games of interest today:

• Utah at San Antonio, noon, no national TV (we want Utah to win)
• Sacramento at Brooklyn, 4 PM, no national TV (we want Brooklyn to win)
• Washington at New Orleans, 7 PM, no national TV (we want Washington to win)

Neo-soul artist Jordan Occasionally performs a virtual concert from Health Sciences Park today from noon to 1.

The Little Tea Shop has always been famous, but even more so these days. The firm about the Monroe Avenue lunch spot has been accepted by the Nashville Film Fest, the Portland Short Fest, and the Muslim Film Festival.

Celebrate Primas Bakery + Boutique’s 2nd birthday tomorrow, 9 AM to 6 PM.

A man who recently robbed Independent Bank in One Commerce Square was arrested in Southaven.

Free MemPops! The Downtown Neighborhood Association will give away 100 of them tomorrow beginning at 11 AM as part of their Saturday Shenanigans in Court Square. Come on out and meet some of the organization’s members and board members.

Don’t forget, you can dine at Memphis restaurants tax-free this weekend!

Tax free weekend starts now! August 7-9th, you’ll be able to enjoy the tax free savings at 117 Prime! pic.twitter.com/49sVbTeBzg

— 117 Prime (@117PrimeMem) August 7, 2020

Keep scrolling for a recap of yesterday’s COVID-19 task force press conference. Health Officer Dr. Randolph was asked the question the health department has been dodging, what kind of trend would the department need to see to consider allowing limited service restaurants to reopen? Dr. Randolph said they would need to see 28 days of a downward trend, and that the steepness of the trend would matter. Their data dashboard page indicates that number of current cases began trending downward July 20 (18 days ago), number of new cases by specimen collection date began trending downward July 16 (22 days ago), and the 7-day rolling positivity rate began trending downward July 19 (19 days ago, although the curve isn’t exactly steep).

Back tomorrow with more news. Go Grizz!

Dr. Bruce Randolph, Shelby County Health Officer, was the lone presenter today. He said that there were only 235 new cases today and that continues to represent something of a downward trend. The health department attributes the trend to better public observance of masking and social distancing regulations, and to limited service restaurants being closed. Some very observant reporters challenged Dr. Randolph on this point later on,

Dr. Randolph brought up contact sports, and Tennessee Executive Order 55 allowing sports including contact sports. He brought up the subject of how many people would be able to attend Memphis Tigers football home games this fall. The health department was consulted, and advised that groups of spectators need to be kept 12 feet apart. Therefore, attendance will be limited to 4500 per game. Why 12 feet at sporting events, when 6 feet of distance is the usual standard? Studies show that when people yell, droplets possibly containing the virus can travel more than 6 feet. Adherence to wearing masks will be required in addition to the 12 feet of spacing. These are the same requirements in place for Memphis 901 FC home soccer matches at AutoZone Park.

There had also been a question about whether contact sports would be allowed in non-school settings, such as pee-wee football. The health department interprets the governor’s executive order to mean that the Tennessee Economic Recovery Group guidelines must be followed. However, the health department has the power to ensure that the guidelines set down in its directives are followed at the sports venues.

Randolph made one more comment on sports: Just because something is legally permitted does not mean that it is medically advisable or recommended. As things become more open, it’s going to be up to individuals to decided whether to participate in certain activities, based on the situation and the vulnerabilities present. Parents are going to have to exercise judgment, make decisions.

Randolph was asked where we are in terms of labs being able to process test results. He replied, tremendous improvement has been seen, down to an average of about 4 days where we were seeing as long as 14 previously. 2-3 days is the goal.

Dr. Randolph was next asked about the tripwires document. He said it is still being prepared, and they are looking at incorporating the document into future health directives.

Next question: Thoughts on whether it’s safe to vote in person. Randolph replied that any time we venture out, we are at risk of some level. At polls you must exercise the same safety measures as you would at Kroger or Walmart. Wear your mask or facial covering, maintain six feet of distance, use hand sanitizer. The take-home message was that the basic safety measures apply to all situations.

Next a reporter asked about the positivity rate being above 10%, and if that’s an indication that testing is missing cases, making the numbers misleading. Dr. Randolph said, hopefully we’re not missing cases, but on the other hand it would be naive to think everyone who has contracted COVID has been tested. Well, that was a political answer that could have been followed with, “I have nothing more to add, other than I would add that I have nothing to add.” As for hospitalization numbers, Randolph said that fluctuation was to be expected, and that not everyone in the hospital is there for COVID.

Next a Commecical Appeal reporter commented that the past three days, we’ve seen 1300 or fewer test results per day. Should we expect that to go back up to around 2900 which has been the daily average the past couple of months? Dr. Randolph said it was hard to say if this was due to fewer tests being conducted, or if labs were catching up reporting results. He speculated it was both somewhat.

In a followup, Dr. Randolph was asked what the testing capacity is this week and how much of it is being utilized. He said the goal is 2400 or so per day, but as to how nearly we are approaching that goal this week he could not say.

Jeni DiPrizio of Local Memphis asked how Dr. Randolph knew that the recently lower daily case count was due to improved masking and the closure of limited service restaurants. She pointed out that less testing had been conducted, so that could be the reason for the reduced number of cases as well. That is a GREAT QUESTION, especially since for the past week, testing was limited to the symptomatic and the exposed. Dr. Randolph replied that you have to look at the rolling 7-day average for positivity rate, which has undergone a tremendous 0.7% drop to 15.8% percent, having taken a free fall from the 16.5% pinnacle it reached in July.

In a followup question, she asked about the White House sounding the alarm that 75 of 95 Tennessee counties are at high risk for COVID and that family gatherings should be postponed. Randolph said he would not object to family gatherings happening, but asks people to remember masking, 6 feet of distance, and hand hygiene. We do know transmission has occurred as a result of family gatherings in the past.

Shay Arthur of WREG then asked a GOOD QUESTION, one that should have been asked long before now, considering that people’s livelihoods are at stake: How long would the downward trend have to last for the health department to allow limited service restaurants to reopen? Dr. Randolph said he hopes the trend lasts for weeks, but we would need to see at least a 28 day downward trend for that to be considered, and how steep of a downward trend would be a factor.

Closing statement: The virus is here, gonna be here a while, let’s figure out how to function as best we can, masking, six feet, other practices.

As your number-one source of news and information about The Edge District, I want to kick off this Thursday’s post with exciting information about that neighborhood.

First of all, WMC Action News 5 reports that plans are finally underway for The Ravine, a retired rail spur that cuts through The Edge from Union to Madison. This area will be converted to greenspace that will include a performance area, a playground, and room for events like yoga classes. Memphis Made’s second taproom will border The Ravine, and the space will be a short walk away from The Rise, the new apartments in the former Wonder Bread bakery on Monroe. The first phase of the park should take about six months.

In Edge District business news, Evelyn & Olive, the Jamaican restaurant at 630 Madison, celebrates 58 years of Jamaican independence this weekend. Jamaica attained full independence from the United Kingdom on August 6, 1962. To celebrate, E & O will roll out a special, not currently on the menu, each day today through Sunday. Take a culinary journey to the island without leaving Downtown, mon.

Local 24 has a look at the Downtown Neighborhood Association’s push to bring back the Mud Island Amphitheater. Although there would be some logistical challenges including accessibility, leaders believe the concert venue could be renovated for a fraction of the cost of the work happening downriver at Tom Lee Par.

Despite going 0-4 in the seeding game  with a loss to the Utah Jazz yesterday, the Memphis Grizzlies remain in 8th place in the Western Conference. Trailing them for the final playoff spot are

• Portland Trail Blazers, 1 game back
• San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans, 2 GB
• Phoenix Suns, 2.5 GN
• Sacramento Kings, 3 GB

The Grizzlies don’t play today but here are some games worth keeping an eye on:

• New Orleans Pelicans at Sacramento Kings, 12:30 PM, NBATV (slight preference for Sacramento to win)
• Indiana at Phoenix, 3 PM, no national TV (we want Indiana to win)
• Portland at Denver, 7 PM, no national TV (we want complete and total annihilation of Portland, including an alien kidnapping of Damian Lillard)

Next up for the Grizz: The OKC Thunder tomorrow at 3. Bad news is, the Thunder are fighting for their place in the West too. They’ve already clinched a playoff berth but could conceivably end the season with anywhere from a 2 seed to a 7 seed. So, don’t expect them to trot out their second team tomorrow.

The YMCA has a lot of education and physical education jobs available in the Memphis area right now. The YMCA locations will support virtual learning for the Shelby County Schools this fall and there are some Virtual Learning Coordinator positions open.

From Downtown steakhouse 117 Prime:

Starting this week, we’ll be incorporating exciting and comforting small plates into our repertoire – dishes that are perfect for a happy hour snack or to share with someone special!

Memphis Animal Services is close to running out of puppy food for its COVID-19 Pet Food Relief project. This program helps ensure that those who have lost income due to the pandemic are able to keep their pets fed. If you want to help, visit this Amazon Wish List, or buy locally through Hollywood Feed and request it be delivered to the shelter. Contactless drop-off address is

Memphis Animal Services (intake door)
2350 Appling City Cove
Memphis, TN 38133

The American Athletic Conference announced its scheduling model for the 2020 college football season yesterday. Member schools will play 8 conference games and can play up to 4 more non-conference games. That means Memphis can find an opponent to replace its canceled game at Purdue.

Meanwhile, UConn, who thought it was too much of a blue-blood to associate with the lowly American Conference schools, had to cancel its football season for 2020. Connecticut left the conference this year, and planned to be an independent for the 2020 football season… but now no one is inviting the Huskies over to play. Sucks to be U, Conn.

It’s Election Day and Bill Dries of the DM is back with his helpful Ballot Basics column.

The Flyer’s Michael Donahue had a taste of Rizzo’s cheeseburger soup in his Best Bets column.

Virginia recently became the first state to introduce a COVID-19 contact tracing app using iOS and Google APIs. This is significant because not anyone can build an app using these tools. Apple only allows public health agencies to access its Exposure Notification API. Smartphone contact tracing apps are one of the ways South Korea flattened its curve so quickly. I would gladly install a contact tracing app on my phone, and quarantine/get tested if the app indicated I needed to, in exchange for the reopening of limited service restaurants.

There’s another Mask Up, Memphis! event at Fourth Bluff tonight at 6:30. Free masks, hand sanitizer, school supplies, and snow cones.

Online game show Matching in Memphis, by Riverset Rye and Cerrito Trivia, is back tonight at 8:30.

Oh this sounds very cool… Elmwood Cemetery is hosting A History of Memphis Street Names online seminar tonight at 6:30. Cost is $10. I may consider signing up for that one!

That’s the news for right now. I may be back this afternoon with a recap of the COVID-19 task force press conference.

Murphy’s Law – “if anything can go wrong, it will” – hit the Memphis Grizzlies yesterday. Jaren Jackson Jr. came down awkwardly in Monday’s game vs. the New Orleans Pelicans after contesting a shot, and a medical exam revealed that JJJ tore his meniscus. He will be out the rest of the season as he recovers.

Sucks for the Grizzlies. As one analyst noted after yesterday’s game, while Ja Morant has been garnering most of the media attention this year, Jaren has been quietly honing his craft, turning into one of those guys who’s consistently good for 25 points a night. The seeding games go on, but Jaren will be missed. We wish you a speedy recovery, JJJ. Also, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, in case we don’t see you again before that.

The Grizzlies play their former teammate Mike Conley and the Utah Jazz today at 1:30 in their fourth seeding game. Ja vs. Mike should be fun to watch. By the way, I installed the Fox Sports GO app on my iPhone and was able to stream Fox Sports Southeast, no problem at all, and then I did the same on my laptop, so theoretically I’ll be able to stream this afternoon’s game. It remains to be seen if I’ll get one of those “this game is blacked out in your area” messages though.

Looks like Central Station may provide an online stream of the game as well…

As of this morning, Portland trails the Grizzlies by only 1.5 games. Too close for comfort! San Antonio is 2 games back, New Orleans 2.5, Phoenix 3.0, Sacramento 3.5.

Other game of interest today: Denver at San Antonio, 3 PM, no national TV. We want the Nuggets to win.

Studies find that most restaurants fail within the first year of it becoming illegal to go to them. This is a story from The Onion, but a  few month from now it could be mainstream news. I would add the words “limited service” in front of “restaurants” in the article title.

Former Redbirds manager Stubby Clapp, now the St. Louis Cardinals’ first-base coach, is among those in the Cardinals organization trapped in Milwaukee, forced to quarantine in case he has been exposed to COVID-19. So far all of his tests have come back negative.

Among the Cards who have tested positive is Yadi.

From Makeda’s Cookies at 488 S. Second:

Every Friday is #PieFriday at #MakedasCookies

5″5′ Mini Homemade Pies made with the #buttercookie Crust

Only 7.99 ea

(Serves 1-2)

*No can! Fresh peaches picked at Jones Orchard

Pecan Pies and Peach Cobbler this Friday while they last

2p until 7p

**Sold in an oven safe aluminum pan so you can reheat all pies and Cobblers in your oven at home.

REHEAT at 350° for 8-12 minutes

*All Whole Pies are Only 24.99 during August (Black Owned Business Month)

Reg. 29.99

Keep scrolling for my coverage of yesterday’s COVID-19 task force press conference. Back this afternoon or tomorrow with more news.

Dr. Bruce Randolph, Shelby County Health Officer, led off the conference. He said there were some encouraging indicators, with average number of cases per day and rolling positivity rate down from a week ago. He attributed those results to improved masking and limited service restaurants being closed (although, that’s just conjecture; he offered no concrete data that closing limited service restaurants made a difference).

Hospitalization remains sufficient for both acute care beds and ICU beds for both COVID-19 patients and other patients.

Dr. Randolph said that while an executive order by Tennessee governor Bill Lee permits sports, including contact sports, in public schools, schools in Shelby County are not required to have them; it is a school-by-school decision. Randolph said that it is not the Health Department’s place to approve or reject individual schools’ plans to implement sports, but they will advise on plans if requested.

University of Memphis president Dr. M. David Rudd came up to speak. Last week the university announced a phased plan, with most instruction virtual to begin the fall semester. A major factor in this decision was the trouble conducting large number of COVID-19 tests and getting the results back in a timely manner – he said 7-11 days was the average.

Rudd pointed out that students are still housed on the university campus, and have been for the last six months. In addition, some small classes have been allowed to meet. A big reason for the continued activity on campus is that some students come from a background where access to computers, software, Wi-Fi and nutritious meals would not be possible otherwise.

Rudd said they expect instruction to be mostly virtual for 30 days, but they will monitor the situation and update on a weekly basis. They need to see 2-3 weeks of data pointing in the right direction before moving to the next phase of back-to-campus. They expect it to be a hybrid model.

Dr. Randolph was asked for an update on the “tripwires” document. He said it is still being prepared. He hoped to have it ready for the release, but could not promise it. When pushed further, he said the task force does not want it to be a black-and-white document that says, for example, if the positivity rate goes above X, then Y will happen. He says the document is intended to be fluid. (Like the Back to Business plan was?)

Dr. Randolph was asked if data on cases and tracing will be kept in schools, and he said yes, similar for how it would be tracked for any other venue. A decision has not yet been reached on whether to release that data to the public.

Another question: What about football games? What will be the plan to ensure social distancing and masking guidelines are adhered to? Dr. Randolph replied that because of the governor’s executive order, the Health Department does not have a lot of control over games and practices. However, the Department does have say over the venues and arenas, and will expect measures put forth in the health directives to be observed. Also the department will be involved in quarantining and isolating of athletes.

Brad Broders of Local 24 pointed out that Corinth, MS schools opened last week, and there are already 5 confirmed COVID cases there. Can Shelby County expect something similar? Randolph noted that the coronavirus is here and we cannot get around it. We can implement standards, as has been done in the health directives, to reduce the risk of catching it, but we cannot reduce that risk to zero.

Broders followed up, asking what it’s important for parents to look for in returns to live instruction. Randolph replied to look for the safety measures spelled out in the health directive, including masking, six feet of distance, hand washing, sanitizing, cleaning, avoidance of crowding. He also said to look for how the safety protocols keep teachers safe.

Randolph said the backlog has gotten more manageable, down to an average of about 3 days for return of results, rather than the 7-11 days not long ago that Rudd talked about. 3 days allows for much more effective contact tracing. If results times continue to decrease, they will start allowing for the testing of asymptomatic people who have not been exposed to the virus.

U of M president Rudd was asked about keeping Tigers football players safe. He said protocols for voluntary and individual workouts were issued a few weeks ago and those are going well. Rudd said American Athletic Conference presidents meet tomorrow and we should see a fall football schedule not long after that.

That’s it for the recap. Back tomorrow with more news.

Bardog Tavern had reduced its business to take-out and delivery only the past month due to a rise in COVID-19 cases. However, Bardog is a full-service restaurant and the decision to reduce service was a choice, not an order from an outside agency. With enhanced employment benefits running out, and with COVID-19 new cases and positivity numbers finally trending in the right direction if only for a couple of days, the decision has been made to re-open for dine-in. They’re open for breakfast at 8 on weekdays and for brunch at 11 on weekends.

Keep in mind, though, Bardog still has to play by the (adjective deleted) rules that other full-service restaurants do under Health Directive No. 9. They still have to close at 10 PM. They can’t allow seating at the bar. You have to order food to be allowed to drink alcohol on site. Food service is limited to two hours. If you go there, please understand these new rules were not the choice of Bardog’s management, so don’t make a fuss and please tip well. And, of course, don’t forget to wear a mask anytime you are not seated.

Are we going to have to call the place Fullservicedog Tavern until this all blows over? Oh by the way… you remember how I left it as an exercise to the reader to figure out why I might not lead off at Slider Inn Downtown this coming Saturday? Well, there’s your answer. By the way, a couple of pieces of inside info I gleaned from the kitchen… the fried chicken sliders will make their way onto the full menu, and a pork chop may be added as well.

I will try to watch the COVID-19 joint task force press conference at noon and do a recap this afternoon, or tomorrow morning at the latest. Wonder if we’re going to hear about those “tripwires” today? Also, if there will be automatic triggers introducing more restrictions when the numbers get bad, will there be automatic triggers rolling back restrictions when numbers get better, triggers that could save local small businesses?

I learned something about shopping at Walgreens recently. If you have a Walgreens card, and find lots of stuff on sale in the weekly ad that you want to buy, don’t rush right in and buy it all. Instead make a small purchase, and see if the register prints out a “$6 in future rewards when you make a $25 or larger purchase” coupon along with your receipt. Then come back, buy the sale items you want, go over $25 and redeem your new coupon. Note the coupon is good for future savings – you don’t get it off the $25 or more purchase, but a subsequent time you shop there. I got lunch yesterday, lunch today, and a pint of ice cream for $1.12 having applied this strategy.

Zion Williamson looked like exactly the beast he is advertised as in a Pelicans 109-99 win over the Memphis Grizzlies last night. With 5 seeding games remaining, the Grizzlies hold a 2-game lead for the 8th spot in the West over the Portland Trail Blazers and the San Antonio Spurs, 2.5 over New Orleans, and 3.0 over the Sacramento Kings. Even the Phoenix Suns at 3.5 back could enter the playoff conversation. Notable games today:

• Dallas at Sacramento, 1:30, no national TV (we want Dallas to win)
• Phoenix at L.A. Clippers, 3:00, NBATV (we want the Clips to win)

13 members of the St. Louis Cardinals organization have now tested positive for COVID-19. If the late, great Gorilla Monsoon were alive, he’d have this to say about the 2020 MLB season: “Stick a fork in it, it’s done.”

If living within a short walking distance of Gus’s Fried Chicken is your Downtown Memphis dream, you will want to keep your eye on this new apartment development. Under a proposal, buildings at 316 and 324 S. Front, at the corner of Vance, would be renovated into 165 new apartments with attached parking of about 100 spaces.

Elmwood Cemetery is hosting an online Fare from Beyond tour tonight at 6 PM. They’ll have a look at those who fed Memphis over the years, exploring restaurant concepts of the past ranging from street vendors to fine dining. $10 registration fee gets you a Zoom link so you can follow along for the hour tour.

A photo of teenagers standing in long lines outside Incredible Pizza on Germantown Parkway Saturday night has Jeannette Comans, owner of the Blind Bear Speakeasy, questioning why that business is allowed to be open while her limited service restaurant is not. Many in the line were not wearing masks and the line was not appropriately social distanced. The executive vice president of marketing at Incredible commented they were very busy this past weekend. “Why can’t I provide food in very isolated, six-feet-apart tables?” said Comans. “People stay at their own tables, and everyone wears masks to come in.” If any news reporters read this, how about asking at the COVID-19 press conference today if there will be a path for limited-service restaurants to submit custom plans for reopening, the way large entertainment venues were allowed to in Phase 1.

Also from WREG: Nearly a decade’s worth of Downtown parking tickets may be invalid. The tickets were written by employees of the Downtown Memphis Commission, who may not have had the authority to issue citations. Cheers to my fellow Bardog regulars for standing up for what’s right! A class action lawsuit is being considered to compensate other people who paid parking tickets.

Washington DC, Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston are under a tropical storm warning as T.S. Isaias blows through today. Donald Trump better stay indoors. Just think what Isaias could do to his comb-over!

Meanwhile, in Memphis…

It’ll feel more like early fall than summer today across the Mid-South! Morning clouds give way to a bit of afternoon sun, but that and a north breeze help hold temperatures down. Wake-up temps near 70 rise to 77 by noon and 84 for the high. Enjoy!

— MemphisWeather.net (@memphisweather1) August 4, 2020

That’s it for now. Check back this afternoon for possibly another post.

The Memphis Grizzlies take the national stage tonight, playing the New Orleans Pelicans in a Ja vs. Zion extravaganza on ESPN at 5:30. The Grizzlies will need this win after suffering a second close loss yesterday afternoon to the San Antonio Spurs. With 6 seeding games remaining, the Grizzlies still hold eighth place in the Western Conference, with the Spurs 2 games back, the Portland Trail Blazers 2.5 games back, and tonight’s opponent the Pelicans and the Sacramento Kings 3.5 games back.

The Grizzlies didn’t win yesterday, but they scored more than 99 points, and that matters.

Squad hit 99 points so show this post for a free @tacobell Chalupa w/ purchase of a large drink, at participating locations. #ChalupaChallenge
Details: https://t.co/zqmBloMYlw pic.twitter.com/bdMvtrbVph

— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) August 2, 2020

I noticed something… “all games televised on the (Fox Sports Southeast) network will also be available on the Fox Sports GO app.” I will have to give that a try after I was unable to stream FSSE on my laptop for yesterday’s game.

Other game of interest tonight: San Antonio at Philadephia, 7 PM, no national TV. We badly need the 76ers to win this one.

Tin Roof on Beale Street is hosting a Grizzlies Watch Party tonight at 5:30. $15 buckets of beers, and specials on chicken tender platters and wing platters.

BUT WAIT… NBA games run two and a half hours, three hours if there’s overtime, as there has been in both Grizzlies seeding games thus far. Don’t you know that if you linger at a restaurant for more than two hours, you can get COVID-19? Wonder how they’re going to manage that?

Let me use this to point out an opportunity for those who do catering, or for limited-service restaurants who might want a lifeline via starting a catering arm… if the health directive remains in place, no one is going to be able to go out and watch an NFL game at a restaurant this fall. The games are simply too long to fit the directive’s time window. Therefore, there are going to be a LOT of house parties on Sundays the next four months. Most limited-service restaurants had wings and tenders and other football food on their menus already… could be a way to get some revenue coming in.

As for college football, the American Athletic Conference still plans to play a slate of 8 conference games this year, as well as whatever non-conference games the Gods of Football (i.e. the Power Five conferences) will allow.

Rizzo’s by Michael Patrick is back open following a week’s closure. They will do lunch Wednesday-Friday 11-2 going forward.

Pyramid Wines on A.W. Willis has some new stuff in stock:

INVIVO X SJP!! Each wine in the @invivoxsjp, SJP collection was made to a unique blend created by Sarah Jessica Parker and the fellas at Invivo. Combine New York sass, the world’s best wine regions and New Zealand winemaking know-how and boom @wine_spectator gave it 90 points pic.twitter.com/00WZDrxY35

— Pyramid Wine and Spirits (@PyramidWine) August 2, 2020

Here’s a fun nickname meme:

Donald Trump’s birthday is June 14.

Riverside Drive is open again. Only on weekdays though.

Chicken Piccata and seared ahi tuna are the entree choices for the $19.95 3-course dinner at Paulette’s tonight.

That’s it for now. Go Grizz and I’ll be back tomorrow with more news.

Yesterday was a sad day to be on social media here in Downtown Memphis. People were changing their cover photo and profile pic on Facebook to images of Max’s Sports Bar and posting “greatest hits” photo and video galleries, to commemorate what may very well have been the limited service restaurant’s final day of operation after nearly 13 years.

When most businesses close, there is a “but.” That is to say, if you weren’t familiar with the situation, you might wonder if people were saying stuff like

• “A sports bar was a good idea, but Max just didn’t know how to run a business.”
• “Having all the games on was nice, but Max had to charge really high drink prices to pay for all those TV subscriptions.”
• “It was convenient to have a place to drink right in the heart of South Main, but Max’s wasn’t any fun.”

No. None of that. The only thing Max was guilty of was creating a place where people could enjoy a tasty adult beverage, get to know their neighbors, and cheer for their favorite teams. Well, that and being a limited service restaurant, but during the time Max’s was back open, COVID-19 protocols were followed much more strictly than even most full-service restaurants.

It’s not for sure that Max’s is gone for good, but think about its business model. Max’s was open 365 days a year, but there were about 30 to 35 of those days that really mattered. Specifically

• The last Saturday in August to the first Saturday in December
• The Sunday after Labor Day to the first Sunday in February

On those days, Max could count on having an ass in every seat from 30 minutes after open until the final whistle blew on the last game of the night. He could also count on there being a crowd 2-3 deep at the bar waiting to order drinks, and a packed patio out back. If you needed to get up and use the restroom, it took you 10 minutes to navigate the 30 feet from the farthest bar stool away because there were so many people. Such was football season at Max’s.

For that to happen, for Max to be able to make his money on the days that matter the most, we would need to get into and past Phase 3 and back to 100% capacity, no social distancing required, in four weeks. That is unlikely to happen. Even if we call the beginning of football season the first day of SEC conference play, now scheduled for September 26, we almost certainly aren’t gonna get there.

For those of you who have no medical background at all but nevertheless get on social media every day and preach that we aren’t doing enough in the way of COVID-19 restrictions, are you happy now? Is the CLOSED sign at Max’s a victory for you? Are you basking in the glory of your #PeopleBeforeProfit hashtag today?

On to the news… it’s National Coloring Book Day, so I will remind you that you can support local journalism and local artists by ordering the Memphis Flyer Coloring Book.

Memphis 901 FC picked up its first win of the season, defeating Saint Louis FC 1-0. The victory gives the club three points in league standings.

You can watch the final round of the WGC St. Jude Invitational today on WREG channel 3 locally. Brendon Todd, at 12 under, holds a one-stroke lead going into the day.

The Grizzlies play the San Antonio Spurs today at 3 PM in the second of eight seeding games. You can catch the action on Fox Sports Southeast.

Other NBA games of interest to the Grizzlies today:

• Portland at Boston, 2:30, ABC (we want Boston to win)
• Sacramento at Orlando, 5:00, NBATV (we want Orlando to win)

You can get a free mask in Fourth Bluff Park this afternoon from 4 to 7, as well as free hand sanitizer, free school supplies and a free snow cone courtesy of the city, Memphis River Parks Partnership, and One Memphis One Vision.

I was at Slider Inn Downtown yesterday between about 12:30 and 2:30, and discovered that the full menu is back! I ordered the shrimp po’boy sliders.

Cornmeal batter was excellent, as was the slaw that came on the sliders. I would definitely get them again, although it looks like I will not be at Slider Inn next Saturday. I’ll leave it as an exercise to the reader to figure out where I might be instead.

There’s been a suggestion on Facebook that the e-scooters be disabled at a certain time on Friday and Saturday night so teenagers can’t ride around Downtown and weave in and out of the drag racing traffic and come close to crashing into people. I would totally support that. 9 PM?

That’s it for now. I have absolutely nothing to do today, so there could be another post. Otherwise I will be back tomorrow.

I am pleased to say that the Tennessee sales tax holiday works like a charm at major online retailers. Yesterday I bought a pair of casual loafers from Amazon and a pair of sandals from Zappos, and both of them recognized I was in Tennessee and charged me zero sales tax when I checked out.

Tell ya a couple of other things I learned… Amazon defaulted to a $7 shipping charge, telling me I’d get the shoes on Tuesday, August 4. However, I looked around by hitting the “Place order” button and discovered my shoes were eligible for FREE shipping, although I’d have to wait all the way until Wednesday, August 5 to get them. Sure, I’m willing to look like a homeless person from the ankles down for one extra day to save $7.

I also learned that Amazon has an “Amazon’s Choice” badge they award to products that are rated highly and sold at good prices. My loafers averaged 4.7 stars out of 5, and after I placed my $41.21 order, I found the same shoes on the manufacturer’s site for $70. I am going to look for the badge when I shop on Amazon in the future.

The Health Department has been talking about a “trip wires” document for some time now, listing additional restrictions that will be triggered if certain thresholds related to COVID-19 were hit. Last week they said they expected to have a draft document ready for review this week. Tuesday they said it would be ready by the end of this week. Well, guess what, end of business Friday came and went, and there’s no evidence of a tripwires document on the health department’s coronavirus page.

Now, I don’t really care much either way, but it’s a bad look to promise and then not deliver. Also, I hope they realized they ruined the weekend for Facebook “medical experts” who were looking forward to writing 19 paragraphs and 32 hashtags about how the tripwires did not go far enough.

Meanwhile, I found this meme, which I think does a pretty good job summing up the Health Department’s position:

The Grizzlies gave a tremendous effort last night, but ended up falling to a more experienced Portland Trail Blazers team yesterday afternoon in Orlando, 140-135 in overtime. Looking at the standings, the Grizzlies now lead Portland by 2.5 games, San Antonio by 3 games, and Sacramento and New Orleans by 3.5 games. The next two games, against San Antonio and New Orleans, will be key in determining how solid or how tenuous the Grizzlies’ hold on the 8 spot really is.

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Los Angeles Clippers on ESPN at 5 today. The Clippers are already safely in the Western Conference playoffs, so we want them to win this one.

Memphis Spine and Sport, offering chiropractic services, sports rehab and wellness care, is expanding to South Main. The location appears to be at the corner of South Main and Talbot, across from the Slider Out yard (formerly the site of the bocce ball court).

Those of you who have a sentimental attachment to Max’s Sports Bar might want to get by there and pay your respects today. Although they are still holding out hope that Max’s will ride again, there seems to be a genuine sense of fear in social media posts by employees and regulars that today could be the last day. I believe Bjarni is working open to 5 and Mike 5 to close. It’s take-out only; see meme above for explanation why.

All we can do now is hope… I have a feeling that the Health Department won’t consider letting limited service restaurants reopen until the number of new COVID-19 cases plateaus or declines, and the average positivity rate is under 10% on a 7-day basis. We’re at about 15% right now.

Memphis 901 FC hosts Saint Louis FC tonight at 7:30 at AutoZone Park. They are doing staggered entry times for fans to try and keep people social distanced. Recommended entry times, depending on the first letter of the ticket holder’s last name:

• All: 6:00-6:30
• A-F: 6:30-6:45
• G-L: 6:45-7:00
• M-R: 7:00-7:15
• S-Z: 7:15-7:30

Those of you who have a symbol for your name rather than letters (you know, like Prince did at one point) can enter whenever you want.

From Comeback Coffee in The Pinch:

We’re coming back THIS Saturday! That’s right our team’s tests all came back negative and we are so ready to be back in the swing of things. We’re coming back with normal operations ( no curbside or call in orders. Just come in and order in shop.) which includes wearing a mask when approaching the bar and keeping a safe distance. Come hang out Saturday as we get back to “normal”.

ALSO!! We did some work while we were away. We installed a misting system in our alleyway and courtyard space. What does that mean? Basically, our outdoor space will feel *perfect*. The system is installed high enough to bring down the temp without getting the seating area wet. We are doing everything we can to beat the heat and make that space as comfortable as possible. Come check it out Saturday!

A virtual Memphis beer fest, presented by Cerrito Entertainment and Madison Growler & Bottle Shop, is coming October 3. A portion of funds raised will go to Memphis Food Industry Worker Assistance. More details to come.

The Memphis Business Journal has more information on Curfew, the restaurant to be opened by Chef Fabio Vivani, in the new hotel across B.B. King from AutoZone Park. The chef says to think “elevated sports bar fare” for the menu. He said the look would resemble “a modern foundry and leather shop” and that it wouldn’t be “your typical Miller Lite neon sports bar.” Glad to hear that, it will keep the old farts away.

The St. Louis Cardinals are the latest MLB organization to have to cancel games due to positive COVID-19 tests. MLB’s commissioner has warned the season will be shut down if the virus is not better managed. How much more proof does he need? The Cards are the sixth team to have games shut down by the virus.

DAAAANG Sonya Deville cut Mandy Rose’s hair last night!

I’m going to state a possibly unpopular opinion here: Liv Morgan is hotter than Mandy Rose. Liv just has a mysterious sexiness to her. Although, Mandy promised to take her guy Otis out for all-you-can-eat ribs and steaks, and there’s something to be said for that too.

I listened to the police scanner last night and about 11:35 it was reported that a large group of teenagers smoking weed was gathering near the bridge at Riverside and Beale. Just think, that could be your view if you move into the new apartments at One Beale when they open!

My plan for today is to be safe from Covid. Back tomorrow with more news.