Category: Uncategorized

The new sign is up at Downtown Walgreens

Saturday will be costume contest time at both Ghost River locations. At the taproom and Main and Crump, dress to impress the beertenders no matter what time of day you come in. They’ll hand out prizes every hour.

At the Beale Street taproom, the costume contest will happen between 8 and 9 PM. Be prepared to strut across the stage. Prizes:

• 1st place: Ghost River sweatshirt and $1 off a 4-flight
• 2nd place: Medallion T-shirt and stickers
• 3rd place: Ghost River pint glass and stickers

Ghost River will have limited-batch Halloween beers at both locations this weekend.

If you’re bummed out that the free outdoor yoga classes Downtown come to an end as October does, the DMC points out that you have a few more yoga opportunities as part of the Fieldaze festival happening the weekend of November 5-7.

• Saturday, November 6 from 11 AM-noon: Flow Yoga with Candace from Yoga Kickback at Wiseacre Downtown
• Sunday, November 7 from 2-3 PM: Flow Yoga with Candace from Yoga Kickback at Wiseacre Downtown
• Sunday, November 7 from 5-6 PM: Sunset Yoga with Bridget in Fourth Bluff Park

YOGA!

Yeah, about that Sunset Yoga class on the 7th: Technically, the sun will set before that class begins. Daylight Time ends at 3 AM on Sunday, November 7, when the clocks will “fall back” to Standard Time. Sunset that day should occur around 4:59 PM. UGH.

People always ask, if the clock falls back to 2 AM, are the bars allowed to stay open until the second 3 AM that occurs that night, which would be 4 AM if we didn’t switch over to Standard Time? The answer is no, and the reason behind observing the earlier closing time is that the people on the Tennesee Alcoholic Beverage Commission are a bunch of assholes.

Struggle Jennings, the grandson of country music legend Waylon Jennings will perform with his band A Killer’s Confession Tuesday night at Tin Roof. Doors open at 7, show at 8.

The DMC wants to take the frustration and confusion out of parking Downtown. In a meeting of the Downtown Mobility Authority yesterday, the DMC unveiled a plan to become the information hub for parking in the area, price parking to encourage shorter stays on street parking and longer stays in garages, and to unlock vacant garages and lots for parking.

In case you missed my second post yesterday: The mask mandate is over!!! Health Directive No. 27 changes its language to make masks in most public indoor spaces “highly recommended” rather than a “must.” Masks are still required in schools, government buildings, and on public transportation. The health department warns that the mandate could be brought back if the holiday season leads to another surge in case numbers.

The Grizzlies stumbled in a 116-96 loss to Portland last night. They’ve got to turn around and get right back in the saddle, with a 9 PM game at Golden State tonight.

Today looks like my first PBR hoodie and shorts day of the year, with a temperature of 60 as I type this and not expected to get much warmer during the day. Good chance of rain, gusty winds, low of 50. I notice that MemphisWeather.net’s extended outlook has a good chance of below-normal temperatures for the November 4-10 period. Typically highs are 64-67 during that stretch and lows about 20 degrees lower. “Below normal” temps could indicate our first lows in the 30s of the season.

The Peanut Shoppe will not die at the end of 2021. The CCDC approved a $30,000 retail tenant grant yesterday to upgrade the shop’s new location at 121 S. Main. The shop has to move from its current space at 24 S. Main at the end of the year. This is exciting news indeed. If you live too far away to shop the Main Street location, you can order online.

WREG Live at 9 has a look at next week’s Downtown Dining Week. I must say, I’m a little disappointed that, only 4 days out from DDW, half the participating restaurants have not uploaded their menus to the DDW website. I usually do a “Paul’s Picks” of the best menus right before the week starts, but what’s the point when half the menus aren’t available?

I will say this: Rizzo’s and Felicia Suzanne Restaurant are worth a DDW reservation even without seeing the menu. Those are two restaurants that always show out big time for Downtown Dining Week.

The pandemic caused cigarette sales to rise last year. It’s the first time in 20 years sales went up from the previous year.

Today is National Chocolate Day.

A man is charged with stabbing his wife to death at the Edison Apartments near Danny Thomas and Jefferson yesterday. He allegedly tried to clean up the blood with household cleaner and a vacuum.

View a list of trucks that will be at today’s Court Square food truck rodeo. DJ John Best will supply the tunes.

Max Kaplan will perform an acoustic set for the season finale of Live at the Tracks at Central Station tonight 6:30-9:30.

Memphis’ music incubator The Consortium MMT presents Raneem Imam and Better in Color at Moxy Memphis tonight 6 to 9.

Plans for tonight: I’ll probably play the always-fabulous Bad Bear Bingo with Sharmin at the Blind Bear (8 PM start time) then grab a 6-pack at City Market and come home and watch the Grizzlies-Golden State game. Hmmm… given the market’s tendency to close earlier than its posted time, maybe I better go ahead and get that beer run done now. Back tomorrow with more news.

Health Directive No. 27 is out and it is now “highly recommended” that businesses require their employees and customers to mask up, but the businesses are no longer required or mandated to make that requirement.

It makes sense. COVID Act Now has Shelby County at 9.9 new cases per day per 100K, a fifth of the 50/day/100K level at which the CDC recommends everyone including vaccinated people mask indoors.

I’ve been openly flouting the mask mandate at some places I frequent for about 2 weeks now and no one has said anything. I’ve also witnessed health inspectors visit 2 restaurants in the past month, and they did not check for masking at all. Might as well remove the mandate since it’s clearly not being enforced.

The DMC has released an updated flyer for the Music on Main festival happening Friday. Although the main performances start at 6, you can catch live music as early as 2:30 in the afternoon in Barboro Alley. (Click the image to view it in a larger size)

A rock legend is coming to Downtown Memphis. Nick Mason is the drummer for Pink Floyd and the only musician who was a member of that band throughout its entire existence. He and his band Saucerful of Secrets will tour North America in 2022, where they’ll play early Floyd classics. They’ll be at the Cannon Center on February 9.

Good news about a Downtown business: Prospero plans to hire 300 new employees in the next 5 years and will move from One Commerce Square to the office building at 50 S. B.B. King. Prospero helps seniors get Medicare benefits that are already included in their plan, but which they may not be aware they are entitled to. I hear it is a great place to work.

Memphis Farmers Market is now accepting vendor applications for its Turkey Day Market (November 20) and its Homegrown Holiday Market (December 11). Email manager@memphisfarmersmarket.org for more details. The last market of the regular season happens this Saturday.

The Memphis Redbirds, Memphis 901 FC, and AutoZone Park are looking for a Corporate Sales Account Executive. They’re looking for someone with at least 2 years sales experience in sports, broadcast, or entertainment, and who can be available to work some nights, weekends, and holidays.

Memphis 901 FC has a home match against FC Tulsa tonight in what is effectively a playoff game – the winner gets the 3 seed in the USL Central Division for the playoffs and the loser gets the 4 seed. $2 draft beers for those over 21 who attend. Watch the game on channel 906 (Comcast), 6 (Dish), or 5.5 (rabbit ears).

The Memphis Grizzlies travel to Portland for a game that will be nationally televised on ESPN tonight at 9.

Rumors are out that Pancho’s will close its two remaining restaurants at the end of this week to focus on the distribution of its dips to supermarkets. However, nothing official has been released. Employee “Anonymous” told the DM’s Jennifer Biggs Saturday would be the last day.

Could this be a marketing gimmick to drive business to the restaurants? Kudos to Pancho’s if that’s the game they’re playing. Few forces drive human emotions more than the feeling of scarcity.

Forbes has a look at the Hyatt Centric Hotel.

If you’re a systems integration nerd, you’ll enjoy this story about the challenge First Horizon faced merging its operations after acquiring IberiaBank.

Memphis Made Brewing Co. hosts its annual Bigfoot Festival this Saturday. There will be encounter stories, presentations by experts, and the latest videos suggesting the existence of Bigfoot. There will be a costume contest as well. $10 admission.

Today is American Beer Day. May I recommend the PBR?

I ended up getting sidetracked and I missed the DNA meeting last night. I’ll try again in November.

Back tomorrow with more news.

You read it here first and now it’s official – Felicia Suzanne Restaurant will move to the old Spindini location, 383-385 South Main, in Spring 2022. The restaurant will continue to operate in its current Brinkley Plaza location until the end of March.

I am SUPER excited to attend my first Downtown Neighborhood Association meeting in 14 years this evening! It’s at The Landing Residences, at 1 MLK Ave. (corner of Wagner Place). The rooftop has city views and an infinity pool, and is said to be a must-see space. City Council Chair Frank Colvett and City CFO Shirley Ford will speak. Social hour 5-6, meeting & presentation 6-7. I’d love to meet some of my blog readers who are DNA members. I’ll be the guy with the long blond hair and shorts, come say hello!

Maciel’s has announced that they will have birria available on Thursday. Wikipedia describes birria as “a traditional ancestral soup or stew made from a combination of chili pepper-based goat meat adobo, garlic, cumin, bay leaves, and thyme, and cooked at a low heat.” Beef, lamb, or sheep may be substituted for goat. Birria is served with corn tortillas.

Cool app I learned about yesterday: Weather Puppy. Every time you check the weather, you get a pic of a cute puppy too.

Edible Memphis recently sat down with Drew Barton and Andy Ashby, proprietors of Memphis Made Brewing Co., and they talked about plans for the new Memphis Made location in The Edge, surviving the pandemic, and plans to expand distribution.

Cordelia’s Market is looking for an energetic cafe associate to join their team.

Food & Wine answered a question that a friend of mine asked recently: What’s the difference between snow crab and king crab?

Useful: 9 YouTube URL tricks you should know about

State Senator Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown) has been indicted on federal campaign finance charges. The government alleges he illegally transferred money from his state Senate campaign to “a national organization that rates members of Congress” (sounds like the NRA) and then to his failed 2016 U.S. House campaign. I’ve heard a lot of Republicans participated in a similar scheme in this time frame.

Today is Chicken Fried Steak Day.

Four teenagers stole a car at the Springhill Suites as the driver was dropping it off for the valet.

The Flying Saucer will host Halloween trivia tonight, with questions about movies, TV shows, and candy.

Rock out with some Werewolf Metal at Earnestine & Hazel’s Friday night.

Chris Gray plays the Tin Roof tomorrow 5:30-7:30.

The Rumba Room will hold a Halloween party Saturday night with a $300 costume contest. Free salsa lessons at 9:30. Earlier in the day, at noon, they will host a Hallowoof dog costume contest.

The James Lee House at 690 Adams will host The James Lee Hallow Masquerade Saturday night. Tickets are $100 and guests are encouraged to wear Halloween costumes or cocktail attire. The Kruzz Kontrol Band will perform and there will be heavy hors d’oeuvres and cocktails.

Tomorrow night and every Wednesday night is College Night at Craft Axe Throwing. Throw for 25% off with valid college ID.

Moxy Memphis will host a Howling Halloween party featuring DJs from House in the Midsouth Saturday 6-9 PM.

Wet Willie’s on Beale Street will host Wicked Willie’s Halloween Bash Saturday from 6-11 PM. Costume contest 8-9 for a chance to win a $250, $50, or $25 Wet Willie’s gift card. “Hocus Pocus” Halloween daiquiri special: Sour Apple, monster Melon, Call A Cab, and garnished with rum-soaked gummy worms.

The Family Safety Center will Light a Path of Hope tomorrow at 6 PM. The Hernando de Soto Bridge will turn purple to commemorate domestic violence victims and survivors for Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Memphis Spine and Sport at 372 S. Main will hold a blood drive this Saturday.

Join Just City this Friday from 5 to 8 PM at the Commonwealth Building, 240 Madison, for an exhibit entitled Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration. Artist Mark Loughney is currently incarcerated, and this is a project he began in 2014 to humanize fellow prisoners. Proof of COVID vaccination will be required upon entry, or you can upload it when you register online.

We’re down to a 7-day rolling average of 93 new COVID cases per day in Shelby County.

That’s it for now. I had meant to attend the DMC Safety Task Force meeting this morning but overslept. If anybody went and wants to give me a recap (in particular, if anything was said about the recent shooting at the Riverset Apartments on Mud Island), that’d be cool. Back tomorrow with more news.

11:58 AM: Gotta get this up quick to scoop the Memphis food writers.

Based on a photo hint Felicia posted this morning, I believe the restaurant is moving to the former Spindini location on South Main.

I sure hope construction on Riverside is finished by October 2022 so River Arts Fest can be moved back to its traditional location. Having it at the Renasant Convention Center just wasn’t as much fun.

The kids’ activities, art demos, and live music were outdoors on Exchange Avenue, and you didn’t need a wristband to partake in those activities. Three food trucks were parked there as well – Smurfey’s, Stickem, and Trap Fusion. They’re all excellent, of course, but River Arts Fest was missing festival food and a wide variety of vendors. In past years, I have enjoyed Cajun food, Chinese fried rice, cinnamon pecans, Pronto Pups, and funnel cakes from festival vendors. None of that was there.

The artists’ booths were in the convention center and you had to have a $10 wristband to get in. You couldn’t bring food in with you and walk around and munch as you looked at the art. The art was every bit as excellent and diverse as I expected, but it felt more like a museum setting than a festival one.

Still, though, cheers to River Arts Fest’s organizers, who did the best they could with the situation they had. Also, cheers to the Renasant Convention Center for the assist in providing the space. It would have been a shame if Downtown’s premier arts festival hadn’t happened 2 years in a row.

The Memphis Tigers got a 105-57 win over LeMoyne-Owen in Sunday’s exhibition game at FedExForum. Four players who are expected to be strong contributors to this year’s team did not play: five-star recruit Emoni Bates, returning player Landers Nolley II, Oregon transfer Chandler Lawson, and his brother Johnathon Lawson. Next up: The second and final exhibition game vs. Lane College, Sunday at 1 PM at FedExForum.

The Grizzlies had their first loss of the regular season last year, 121-118 in overtime to the L.A. Lakers. Ja Morant had 40 points and 10 assists.

I know it’s early in the week, but since Monday’s a slow news day, let’s go ahead and list college football games this coming weekend of interest to folks in the Mid-South. All listed games will be played Saturday, October 30.

• Memphis, Arkansas, and Tennessee all have bye weeks
• 2 Cincinnati at Tulane, 11:00 AM, ESPN2
• 6 Michigan at 8 Michigan State, 11:00 AM, FOX
• 1 Georgia vs. Florida, TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, 2:30 PM, CBS
• Arkansas State at South Alabama, 4:00 PM, ESPN+
• 10 Ole Miss at 18 Auburn, 6:00 PM, ESPN
• 12 Kentucky at Mississippi State, 6:00 PM, SEC Network
• 19 SMU at Houston, 6:00 PM, ESPN2
• 20 Penn State at 5 Ohio State, 6:30 PM, ABC

Tomorrow’s post may be late getting up because I may have a meeting to attend at 9 AM.

It’s Tiger basketball time! Penny’s team hosts the LeMoyne-Owen Magicians, with head coach Bonzi Wells and assistant coach Lionel Hollins, at FedExForum at 4. If you go to the game, be sure to read the arena’s health screening policies.

The Grizzlies improved to 2-0 in league play last night with a 120-114 victory over the L.A. Clippers on the road. They’ll remain in Los Angeles for an 8:30 game against the Lakers tonight.

The matchup you really want to mark down on your calendar, though, is Wednesday’s 9 PM game at Portland, nationally televised on ESPN. Ja vs. Dame. This is a chance for Ja to make an early-season statement that he is All-Star level this year.

Memphis 901 FC lost to Louisville last night on the road. They’ll be back home Wednesday in an important match vs. FC Tulsa that will determine who is the USL Central Division 3 seed and 4 seed in the playoffs.

That Alabama-Tennessee game was absolutely delightful. The Vols looked competitive in the first half, and I had to remind myself, “This is Tennessee. They’ll screw it up. They always do.” Sure enough, the Vols’ defense apparently thought college football games only last 45 minutes, and Bama rolled to a 52-24 victory, its 15th consecutive in the series.

This Friday is the 2021 South Main Trolley Night grand finale. I’ve never known Trolley Night to take months off before, not counting during the pandemic of course. Anyway, there will be a lot going on that night. Trolley Night will coincide with the first-ever Music on Main festival, with one stage by the Arcade and another by the Orpheum. North Mississippi All-Stars, Al Kapone, Southern Avenue, and The PRVLG will all perform and it’s absolutely free to attend. Also that night:

• Civil Axe Throwing will have the grand opening of its South Main location, and you can book a reservation and be entered in a chance to win Grizzlies tickets.
• Black Sheep Meats and Memphis Modern Market will have a night of shopping, music, and drinks in 409 S. Main
• South Main Hemp will have a night of live music by Raneem
• Halloween parties at Central Station Hotel and Odds Atelier

What will the weather be like Friday? The MemphisWeather.net forecast says it will be near 60 for a high and near 50 for the low, with a 40% chance of showers. Sounds like perfect PBR hoodie and shorts weather for me.

Here’s a link to James Aycock’s COVID Week-in-Review for Shelby County. Good news: Our rolling average of cases/day/100K and our positivity rate are among the lowest at any point of the pandemic. Vaccinations are low, though, and I agree with James’ frustration that it’s taking so long for the FDA to approve vaccinations for kids 5-11.

Loflin Yard will become Loflin Grave Yard next weekend. On Saturday the 30th they’ll have a DJ in the Coach House and an adult costume contest at 9 PM, with prizes for individual, couple, and group winners. On Sunday the 31st they’ll have candy for trick-or-treaters, and at 8 there will be a costume contest for dogs.

Today is Food Day. Well, that’s about as generic as holidays get. It’s also National Crazy Day and that’s a holiday I hope leaves me alone.

The Daily Memphian has a look at day 1 of RiverArtsFest. I’m heading down there for Day 2 in a little while. Back tomorrow or Tuesday with more news.

Well, last night sucked. Geoff Calkins of the DM accurately summarized what happened in a subscribers-only story: The Tigers were forced to start what was effectively a fourth-string quarterback. They had no chance. They fell to UCF on the road, 24-7. Memphis falls to 4-4 and needs to win two of its remaining four games to become bowl-eligible. That’s not going to be easy with SMU and Houston on the slate.

If there’s a bright side for Memphis, it’s that next week is a bye week. QB Seth Henigan has an extra week to heal from injury, and the rest of the Tigers have an extra week to watch film or trick-or-treat or whatever they do with their downtime.

I watched the game at the Blind Bear, where there was a burlesque show going on. Meh. Those shows and the Thursday night drag shows are not my cup of tea. That said, I have to admit the crowd was way into the Albert King Jr. house band that was playing. I’ll be back up there for the Mario Monterosso Quartet tonight. They are fantastic.

Porter-Leath is looking for an administrative assistant. Great place to work if you enjoy making a positive impact on children’s lives. Apply here.

The Moxy Memphis hotel will host a hydration station by Elite Total Wellness Sunday, October 31 from 10 AM to 2 PM. Hung over from Saturday night Halloween parties? Elite’s intravenous treatment will have you feeling as good as new in minutes. Treatments start at $75, and they’ll give you a complimentary mimosa to sip while they work their magic.

Yelp recently named Earnestine & Hazel’s one of the top haunted spots in America. I almost went down there after discovering last-minute Charvey was playing there last night, but due to a certain bartender forcing a shot of Rumple Minze on me, I decided it was too far to walk. E&H proprietors, you gotta let a brother know farther in advance what’s going on at your place!

A Memphis police office thwarted a knife attack Thursday at Second and Poplar.

RiverArtsFest kicks off today. I plan on spending the majority of the day tomorrow there.

Kane Brown’s Blessed & Free Tour, along with Jordan Davis and Restless Road, makes a stop at FedExForum tonight.

There’s an art auction at the Metal Museum today. It’s part of their annual Repair Days event.

Jerry Patton plays Jerry Lee Lewis’ cafe on Beale today at 5.

Memphis 901 FC has an away match tonight at 6:30 vs. Louisville FC. The soccer club has already clinched a playoff berth and hopes to tighten its grip on the 3 seed in the Central Division with a win tonight.

The Grizzlies are on the road as well, battling the L.A. Clippers tonight at 9:30. You can watch on Bally Sports Southeast (831 on Xfinity).

South Main Sounds has a show tonight at 7. Debuting on the stage there will be Memphian Madaline Collins and Dallas native Justin White. St. Louis-based Andre Ryan will make his return tonight as well.

Memphis Spine & Sport is hosting a Hallo-Woof Dog Costume Photo Event today from 2 to 4. Cost is $15 per dog and photos will be emailed to the owners. Proceeds benefit HappiDog Animal Rescue.

An event called Sapphire Soul Care will take place at the urban garden at 580 N. Fourth St. today from 1 to 4. A session of yoga, meditation, and mindfulness will be led by Sapphire Yogi Jackie O. $15 to attend, free for children. Bring a yoga mat and a water bottle. YOGA!

Fat Charlie’s Speakeasy hosts Bourbon and Cigars for Beginners at noon today at 107 Harbor Town Square. Learn the basics of how bourbon pairs with a fine cigar. Tickets are $60-$75.

There will be a Pop N Pink Sip & Shop with 40 vendors at 325 Wagner Place this afternoon.

Farmers Market and Bardog are first on my agenda today. Back tomorrow with more news.

Rida AbuZaineh, the proprietor of the Peanut Shoppe currently at 24 S. Main, has applied to the Center City Development Corp. for a $30,000 Tenant Improvement (TI) grant to move his business to 121 S. Main. He can’t stay in his current location because the owner has renovation plans. Everything in the new location will be new and up to code, except the famous peanut roaster which would sit in the window.

The new location would be the ground-floor storefront that used to be the Center for Southern Folklore. That block of Main sees even more foot traffic than the Peanut Shoppe’s current location, and a similar business (Margie’s 901 ice cream parlor) is a proven success on that block.

We locals love Rida and his family and I cannot think of a better small business example that illustrates what Downtown Memphis is all about. I urge the CCDC to approve this application.

Today is National Nut Day. Can you think of a more perfect reason to visit the Peanut Shoppe?

From Smithsonian Magazine: How Memphis created the nation’s most innovative public library. You can take sewing lessons, check out a bicycle repair kit, or record a song with your library card.

Go Tigers! Memphis travels to Orlando today for a 6 PM game against UCF, broadcast on ESPN2.

Memphis and UCF’s conference, the American Athletic Conference, announced that it was watering itself down expanding yesterday with the addition of Conference USA teams UAB, UTSA, North Texas, FAU, Charlotte, and Rice. Any notion of there being a “Power Six” – the Power Five conferences plus the American – got flushed down the toilet with this expansion. You’re truly scraping the bottom of the barrel when you admit Rice.

Bardog has announced its annual Halloween costume contest. It will happen at 11 PM on Saturday, October 30 and cold, hard cash is on the line.

• First place: $250
• Second place: $100
• Third place: $50

The First Horizon Foundation has committed $1 million to the creation of Big River Park, a conservation effort stretching from the I-55 bridge to Big River Crossing (Harahan bridge).

TEDx Memphis happens Saturday, October 30 at the Levitt Shell. This year’s theme is Ctrl-Alt-Del, a keyboard combination when you need to do a reset. What if, instead of resetting our computers, we reset our way of thinking?

Your Academy and Loose Opinions play a free, outdoor show tonight at Carolina Watershed beginning at 8.

Big Barton will play golden-age country (1940s-1960s) tonight at Wiseacre Downtown’s outdoor beer garden stage tonight from 7 to 9.

Drag queen bingo is back at the Moxy Hotel tonight. You might win a night’s stay in a suite if you play.

Grind City Brewing Co. hosts Barks and Boo-ze tomorrow afternoon. Friends of Tipton County Animal Shelter will be there. Feel free to bring your pups.

National news: The remains of Brian Laundrie, boyfriend of slain blogger Gabby Petito, were found in a Florida wilderness reserve this week.

The Trumpster is starting a social media company called TRUTH Social. Oh, the irony of that name. A platform where narcissists can lie as much as they want – I can think of a couple of people who should jump aboard.

That’s it for this Friday. Back tomorrow with more news.

If you live on Mud Island or are considering moving there, read this Fox 13 News story: Shooting at Mud Island apartment leaves residents concerned. Ashleigh Scroggins, who is a personal friend of mine, had a friend over to her apartment to hang out Tuesday night. He left her apartment about 2:45 AM Wednesday, and sat in his truck in the parking lot of her apartment complex, the Riverset Apartments, for several minutes watching TikToks. Two men approached the truck and shot Ashleigh’s friend 7 times. His arm was shattered but fortunately, none of the bullets hit major arteries or veins.

I sat on a patio with Ashleigh yesterday afternoon as she held back tears. She said that she’d been living in East Memphis, but as a young woman, she wanted to be closer to all Memphis had to offer. So she moved Downtown, after hearing that Mud Island is one of the safest parts of the city. Now she regrets her decision. Downtown, this is the impression we are leaving upon new residents.

Most of the apartment communities on the north end of Mud Island are gated, but Riverset is not. Criminals can drive right in and out and be back in North Memphis in under 3 minutes.

Very longtime readers of this blog remember that in 2006, I absolutely WENT OFF on this blog about how unsafe Downtown had become. Friends of mine were getting knocked out and robbed, and aggressive panhandling was out of control. The crimes in 2021 are different, but Downtown is approaching the lack of safety seen in 2006.

There will be a public meeting of the Downtown Memphis Commission’s Safety and Traffic Task Force on Tuesday, October 26 at 9 AM. The meeting will be held in the large conference room at 114 N. Main (corner of Main and Adams). The principal agenda is planning for the St. Jude Marathon in December, but if you’re concerned about crime Downtown, I would encourage you to attend and voice your feelings on that issue.

Another step you can take is a step I took yesterday – I rejoined the Downtown Neighborhood Association. I left that organization around 2007, but I have kept my eye on it. Current president Jerred Price has been an excellent liaison between Downtown residents and city staff and the police, voicing concerns and effecting change. I’m happy to once again be a part of DNA and I look forward to meeting fellow members next Tuesday.

Many people, myself included, thought the Center for Southern Folklore had gone out of business when they vacated their storefront on the Main Street Mall, but a Facebook post reveals that the Center is still around and open for business:

Borrowing liberally from a Mark Twain quote, the CSF store’ death has been greatly exaggerated. We’ve moved but we haven’t gone far – just inside Pembroke Square. – down from our old location and behind the Belz Museum. Now, we’re truly a one-stop experience. The museum or cultural center stands inside one side of 119 S. Main and the store is located on the other side. We’re virtual, too, with our online store at https://www.southernfolklore.com/store for the best of Memphis art, CDs, DVDs, Books and more. And you can still use our venue for meetings, seminars and conferences. So come and visit. We’re open Tuesday thru Fridays. Weekend openings soon.

Tin Roof on Beale Street is looking for photographers/videographers to record happenings there. They posted the following to Facebook:

We’re looking to bring on some photographers / videographers to capture live content at our Tin Roof locations.

If you’re interested, please send Moncell@tinroofbars.com the following for consideration:

– The city and state you are based in

– your insta / social handles

– any website content you have

– and/or your top 5 best pictures

We are especially interested in candidates with a background in Low Light / Live Music Photography.

Thanks for your interest! We can’t wait to hear from you

Left Unsung will perform a Grateful Dead tribute on the outdoor beer garden stage of Wiseacre Downtown this Friday from 7 to 10.

The South Main Association is organizing a neighborhood clean-up this Saturday. They will supply gloves, bags, and pickers, and you can work alone or with a buddy or a team. Meet at Talbot and Main near Slider Inn at 10 AM to take part in the clean-up. Following the clean-up, volunteers are invited to hang out at Slider Inn.

From MakeUseOf: 4 ways to tell if someone was snooping on your PC

From the CA: The Shelby County mask mandate could be extended past its current expiration date of October 30. Some leaders are asking why, given that CDC guidance recommends masking even among the vaccinated in areas where there are more than 50 new cases per day per 100K population. Shelby County’s current rate, according to COVID Act Now, is 13 cases/day/100K. I’ve heard rumors from folks in the restaurant industry that the health department wants to keep the mask mandate through the holidays.

Ja Morant dropped 37/6/6 in a Grizzlies win over Cleveland last night, 132-121.

Today is a sports equinox, a rare day when MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL games will all be played.

Today is also the International Day of the Nacho. You have a number of good choices Downtown but my pick would be Huey’s.

Today is the one day a year that a WWE pay-per-view event happens during the daytime. Crown Jewel will be broadcast live from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, starting at 11 Central time, on the Peacock network. (If you’re an Xfinity customer, you get Peacock for free.) The main event is intriguing. Roman Reigns defends his WWE Universal title against Brock Lesnar, and no one is sure whose side special counsel/advocate Paul Heyman is truly on.

That’s the news for now. Back tomorrow.