Thursday update

James Aycock’s mid-week Shelby County COVID-19 recap is online. In it he makes a good point: We may have the COVID overflow hospital at 495 Union ready to roll, but with a nationwide nursing shortage, who’s going to staff it?

Then James made another good point. Tuesday afternoon the health department allowed strip clubs to reopen, provided they submit a plan to show they will follow a long list of guidelines. Funny how that wasn’t mentioned in the noon press conference, and a new health directive wasn’t issued. They just kinda managed to sliiiiiide that change in there, low-key.

Makes me wonder – do we know who all is on the COVID-19 task force? Specifically, is there a public relations flack on the committee who guides them on how to best roll out announcements like that? Not that I personally care one way or the other whether strip clubs are open, but it leads me to wonder whether the primary goal of the task force is perception rather than transparency.

For the first time in my life, I have an interest in going to see the opera. Opera Memphis will give a live performance at Wiseacre Downtown (B.B. King and Butler) Sunday, November 15 at 4 PM. They will perform CRAIGSLISTLIEDER, an opera which pulls its song lyrics directly from Craigslist ads.

Thanksgiving Eve is one of the biggest party nights of the year. Of course, the party will be somewhat subdued this year due to COVID, but local businesses plan to make the most out of it that they can. Tin Roof will hold a Thanksgiving Eve celebration Wednesday, November 25 beginning at 5 PM. Semi-Average Joe will kick off the live music, followed by Seth Walker later in the evening. Full dinner menu and drink specials all night.

We have a record-setting number of murders in Memphis, yet the police department is focusing on Click It Or Ticket over the Thanksgiving holiday. Fucking ridiculous. Usually that campaign is in May, but I guess the cops didn’t get their jollies that month with so many people working from home.

The Grizzlies don’t have a first-round pick in next Wednesday’s NBA draft, having conveyed the #14 pick to Boston to fulfill the Jeff Green trade obligation. However, in the second round, they do have the #40 pick. The DM’s Drew Hill has a look at who might be on the board. Also in team news, the Grizzlies unveiled new uniforms to celebrate their 20th season in Memphis.

The 491 S. Main building is for sale. This is your chance to own a piece of property on the most hopping block of the South Main Arts District. I can’t find a price listed on any of the literature, so this is probably in the “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it” range.

The Cousins Maine Lobster food truck will be at Health Sciences Park today for lunch.

From Choose901: Black Seeds Urban Farms is working to create community gardens in Uptown. Catch them on Instagram to see pics. They plan on using the gardens not only for growing, but as a community space for events like picnics and yoga.

Alaska has been called for the Trumpster in the presidential election. That makes it Biden 290, Trump 217, with electoral votes from North Carolina (15) and Georgia (16) still to be called. Trump is pondering an attempt to become the Grover Cleveland of the 21st century with a run in 2024. Conservative lawyer John Yoo discusses what will happen if Trump doesn’t concede the 2020 election.

That’s it for now. Back tomorrow with more news.