Month: August 2025

Not to be confused with “Sun downdate.”

I stayed out all night last night. Brrrrrr! 65F and 10 MPH north wind felt a little chilly in a T-shirt and shorts.

About 3:30 AM the Subway at N. Main and Jefferson got an unplanned new look.

A witness told me a car came barreling down Jefferson at about 60 MPH. The driver lost control at Main and took out 3 of the restaurant’s front window panes. “The car went so far into Subway that I can’t believe the driver backed out and went on his merry way,” the witness said.

Irish Network Memphis is pleased to bring Consul General Frank Groome to the Brass Door Wednesday at 6 PM for an evening of conversation and connection. All are invited and this event is free.

Celebrate the life of FedEx founder Fred Smith through music at the Orpheum Sunday, September 7 at 7 PM.

Memphis Songwriters Series, hosted by Mark Edgar Stuart, returns to the Halloran Centre this Thursday. Jimbo Mathus, Tonya Dyson, and Jeremy Stanfill are set to perform. $10 at the door.

Comedy show Killers of Kill Tony comes to the Orpheum Saturday.

Today is Grab Some Nuts Day.

Back tomorrow with more news.

I gratefully accept tips:
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
Cash App: $PaulRyburn1
Zelle: paul@paulryburn.com
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com

If you’re a fan of Nashville musician Jelly Roll, you might want to tune into the first of two nights of WWE’s Summerslam premium live event tonight. Jelly Roll will team with WWE veteran Randy Orton in a tag team match against Drew McIntyre and social media influencer Logan Paul.

It looks like In-N-Out Burger’s first Memphis location will be at 5341 Poplar.

Two minor earthquakes (2.6 and 3.0) were measured in NE Arkansas yesterday. Foreshocks of The Big One?

The New York Times recently sat down with local advertising legend John Malmo, who discussed what worked and what didn’t redeveloping Downtown in the 1970s and 1980s.

Today is International Blues Music Day. Celebrate on Beale Street.

It’s also National Mustard Day. Celebrate with mustard on a Soul Burger at Earnestine & Hazel’s.

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds NPR and PBS stations, will shut down thanks to federal budget cuts.

Can you discern AI-generated images from real ones?

Back tomorrow with more news.

I gratefully accept tips:
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
Cash App: $PaulRyburn1
Zelle: paul@paulryburn.com
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com

Folks, when you’re donating clothes to charity, please don’t donate anything that makes a political statement.

I checked into the Union Mission yesterday, having stayed out since Monday to avoid the $6 nightly charges which are now inescapable. I signed up on the list to take a shower and about 2:25 my name was called.

Now, before you go to your assigned shower stall, you stop at the clothes closet so you’ll have something fresh and clean to put on after you dry off. The attendant gives you a washcloth and towel and a shirt and pants in the size you request. As for socks, there’s a big bin full of ’em and you pick out what you want.

So I rummaged through the sock bin. The socks are balled up so they can fit as many as possible in there. I found a pair of white socks that felt fairly loose, necessary to fit over my swollen ankles. They had a red emblem on them but I couldn’t see what it was because they were in a ball.

After the shower I put the socks on and discovered that the red emblem was a Confederate flag.

Only one visit to the clothes closet per day is allowed, so returning the socks and getting another pair was not an option.

So if you see me walking around in socks that scream I AM A RACIST, that’s why.

On to the news…

The Orpheum will have a screening of Grease Saturday at 2 PM. Come sing along to the songs of the 1978 classic starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.

From Popular Science: Read ebooks for free on your Kindle or other reading device

Rolling Stone has coverage of Ozzy Osbourne’s funeral in Birmingham, UK. Rock on, Ozz Man.

Build your own Tom Lee lantern at Beale Street Landing Saturday from 4 to 7. $12. This workshop is for adults only. BYO adult beverages and snacks.

There will be a jazz jam at Center for Southern Folklore Sunday afternoon at 2.

It’s Wizarding Week at Grind City Brewing:

• Tonight: Popcorn and movie night
• Saturday: Diagon Alley Market and limited can release
• Sunday: Hororux Hunt

Ladies are invited to learn to shoot a pistol at Bass Pro at the Pyramid this weekend.

There’s a back-to-school event at the Greenlaw Community Center Saturday from 10 to 2. Score some free school supplies. 190 Mill Avenue.

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

I gratefully accept tips:
Venmo: @Paul-Ryburn (8113 if it asks for digits)
Cash App: $PaulRyburn1
Zelle: paul@paulryburn.com
Apple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com