Sunday update

An arrest has been made in connection with the man who was photographed pointing a gun at protesters near the Civil Rights Museum Wednesday night. Paul Staples, 39, was charged with 7 or 8 counts (media sources differ) of aggravated assault and a count of tampering with or fabricating evidence.

Staples is reported to have come to the MPD North Precinct Friday to make a statement. He told police he was scared and that is why he came outside his residence brandishing a gun. He turned in a pellet gun but officers said it did not match the gun in the photo. At that point, officers said he confessed and retrieved the 9 mm handgun he used in the photo.

Hmmm I may have to make a trip to South Main in the early part of this week and find out what people know about this guy. He looks like someone who would hang out at Max’s on the weekends and watch football. He’s hidden his Facebook page and I don’t see him on LinkedIn either.

I had lunch at Slider Inn Downtown yesterday and learned a couple of pieces of information my readers can use. First of all, Slider Inn is getting NFL Sunday Ticket and will have all the games. Keep them in mind if you’re looking for a place to watch this afternoon’s action.

Second, Slider Inn’s sibling restaurant Momma’s is set to open Monday and they will open for breakfast at 6:30 AM. Momma’s is the final Aldo restaurant to reopen. It is at the corner of Crump and Kentucky in the former Dirty Crow Inn location.

I love it that you can get Frito chili pie as a side at Slider Inn. I had it with fish tacos for lunch yesterday.

“A food item a day keeps the COVID away” – Health Directive No. 12

I’ll give you a sneak preview of a Medium post I plan on doing this week. It’s a prediction that the end of the COVID-19 pandemic will usher in an era of hedonism only seen twice before in modern times: Following World War I (approximately 1919-1929) and following the Vietnam War and the impeachment and resignation of a president (approximately 1975-1981). What’s going to be important is the underlying attitude. Which will it be?

  • “We’re all going to celebrate the end of COVID together” or,
  • “Dammit I lived through the COVID era and now I’m going to celebrate, and I don’t care if my celebration comes at your expense”

FedExForum has been selected as an absentee ballot counting location. By court order, if you live with someone who is COVID-19 vulnerable or their caretaker, you can vote absentee. Flush the turd November third!

The first presidential debate happens Tuesday from 8:00 to 9:30 PM. It will be broadcast on ABC and C-SPAN.

I look at FiveThirtyEight’s presidential election forecast every day, but today I looked at the Senate forecast. They have the Democrats as a 62/38 favorite to gain control of the Senate.

It’s looking more and more like, by the end of the year, I will be able to say I went to college with a Supreme Court justice. I am equally thrilled about the prestige this will bring my alma mater and terrified for the future of our country.

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