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Yesterday Memphis in May announced that the 2022 Beale Street Music Fest and BBQ Fest will move to the Memphis fairgrounds. The move is happening for one year only (at least, that’s what they’re telling us) while construction is being done on Tom Lee Park.

Meh.

I mean, it was probably the best option they had. There was no other public outdoor space Downtown that was suitable for holding the two events.

But, still, meh.

To make it clear, my “meh” reaction is with regard to BBQ Fest. I haven’t been to Music Fest in many years and couldn’t care less where they hold it.

Not being able to walk to and from BBQ Fest is a major bummer. I’m not saying “I’m out” for BBQ Fest 2022, but I’m less than 100% sure I’m in.

If they get a strong and free shuttle service to and from Downtown for BBQ Fest participants, as they had in the Tiger Lane year of 2011, that would sway me much closer in favor of doing it. As many BBQ Fest team members live Downtown or stay in Downtown hotels, a shuttle would be a very good thing to have.

Anyone operating an AirBnB in Cooper-Young is about to make some money next May.

On a happier note, CHEERS to FedExForum management for doing the right thing! If you want to attend a Grizzlies or Tigers game this season and you’re 12 or older, you must show that you have had at least one COVID-19 vaccination dose, or you must show a negative COVID-19 test that is less than 72 hours old. The policies will be in place until at least November 19. Also, in compliance with the Shelby County mask mandate, all Grizzlies and Tigers fans will be required to mask up as long as the mandate is in place.

If you attend a Grizzlies or Tigers game, you might want to get there 15 or so minutes earlier than you usually do… checking vaccination cards and negative tests will probably take a little while to figure out.

Bet FedExForum has to hire some extra security to deal with unruly fans who are livid that they can’t get into a game without a vacc or a test.

The Memphis Redbirds are back at AutoZone Park for one final homestand of the regular season. Their opponent will be the Charlotte Knights, Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. Let’s have a look at what is happening this week:

• Today: Final weekday matinee game with a 12:15 first pitch
• Thursday: Throwback Thursday, with $2 draft beers, $1 hot dogs, and the Redbirds in their classic Memphis Chicks uniforms. It’s the last Bark in the Park of the season, where a special ticket gets you and your dog admission. First pitch 6:45.
• Friday: There will be two specialty tickets. One gets you a St. Louis Cardinals puffy vest. The other gets you all-you-can-eat ribs, beans, chips, hot dogs, and up to 2 drinks (soft drinks or water) per ticket. First pitch 7:10.
• Saturday: There will be two specialty tickets. One gets you a replica of the 2006 World Series trophy. The other gets you a Costway red canopy chair. First pitch 3:15.
• Sunday: Free ice cream sandwiches for kids 12 and under. First pitch 2:05.

Mud Island residents, you’re getting a pharmacy. Harbor Town Pharmacy opens Saturday, October 9. They’ll be located at 103 Harbor Town Square and will be open 9 AM to 6 PM Monday-Saturday.

Buddy Albert Nemenz plays King & Union Bar & Grocery tonight at 9. That’s the space in the Doubletree Hotel that used to be TGI Fridays.

Feelin’ Memphis, the Memphis-themed gift shop at 509 S. Main, now has landmark coasters. Take home a coaster with images of classic signs outside The Rendezvous, Paula & Raiford’s Disco, Central BBQ, Silky O’Sullivan’s, Memphis Made Brewing, and many more.

Amber Rae Dunn & The Mulberries perform at Central Station Hotel’s Live at the Tracks series tomorrow 6:30-9:30.

Yesterday I heard a Sugar Grits employee say that there are plans to open a second location in Collierville.

I’d never heard of Quad Cities pizza until yesterday, but now that I have, I want one! Mountains of mozzarella, sausage, and fragrant tomato sauce on a crust that is cooked in such a way that it doesn’t go limp when you pick it up. The pizza is cut party-style. The Quad Cities are Moline and Rock Island, Illinois, and Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa. They are now on my bucket list to visit.

Four teenagers have been arrested following a string of about 10 car break-ins in South Bluffs. A stolen iPhone was tracked to Breedlove Street in the New Chicago neighborhood. There, police found all four teens wearing the same clothes they had on in security video. Stolen items were recovered, as were two weapons.

Miss Gay Arkansas America, Athena Sinclair, will make a special appearance at Atomic Rose’s drag show Saturday at 10:30 PM.

The Peabody’s mixologists have been busy upgrading the Lobby Bar’s drink menu. Have a look.

As your number-one source of news and information about The Edge District, it is my pleasure to share with you some news about one of The Edge’s businesses. Sunday is National Boyfriend Day, and Craft Axe Throwing is celebrating by offering free throws to all boyfriends and husbands. The place will fill up, so make a reservation to claim your spot.

The Peanut Shoppe is selling its two-story “PEANUTS” sign.

5 Star Story from WMC Action News 5: Downtown alleyways turned into neighborhood spaces

Today is Goose Day. I certainly plan to celebrate that holiday this afternoon.

A reader recently asked me: “Hey Paul, you haven’t posted any pics of Perjorie to your blog lately. How’s she doing?”

She’s doing well! I’ve posted a few pics of her to social media, but they didn’t make it onto the blog. Let’s catch up!

Here’s Perjorie standing next to the Daily Dog a few Saturdays ago at Bardog. This dog was topped with avocado, bacon, pico de gallo, and spicy mayo. Perjorie especially liked the avocados because they were the same color as her hair. Someone sitting next to me commented, “Avocados don’t belong on a hot dog.” Wrong. Ketchup is what doesn’t belong on a hot dog. Unless you’re 7.

Dude around the corner of the bar ordered some olives in his PBR, so I decided to give them a try. I found that neither the taste of the beer nor the olives changed much. At least I could say I ate a serving of green vegetables that day, and Perjorie liked the olives because they were the same color as her hair.

A friend of mine is doing some contract work in San Diego. Having lived there for 6 months, I offered some dining advice: “Go to any Mexican fast-food restaurant that ends in -o’s (ex. Alberto’s, Roberto’s) and get the fish tacos.” Fish tacos are to San Diego what BBQ is to Memphis.

Well, that made me hungry for fish tacos. Luckily, I have a Mexican restaurant as good as any in San Diego right down the street here in Downtown Memphis: Maciel’s. I got 3 baja fish tacos in fried tortilla shells, topped with lettuce, salsa, and cheese. Rice and beans on the side, of course. So good. Perjorie likes Maciel’s because two of the three sauces they give you are the same color as her hair.

Downtown Memphis dining just doesn’t get much more classic than fish & chips at the Majestic Grille. Perjorie and I met two good friends there for lunch last Friday, the day of the week they run seafood lunch specials.

Well, I thought I wasn’t going to have to write any more professional articles until October 1, but it turns out I need to squeeze one more in. No problem, I have an idea on the ready. Going to fire that up, do a few other writing-related tasks, and then get out and celebrate Goose Day. Back tomorrow with more news.

Ladies and gentlemen, one of the major wrongs of the 2010s is about to be made right.

In 2013, the makers of Skittles candy decided to change the flavor of their green pieces from lime to apple. This was, of course, a horrible decision. Lime was the best flavor in the entire bag; on the other hand, the only thing that should be apple-flavored are, well, apples.

Food & Wine reported good news yesterday. Skittles’ makers have realized they made a mistake, and over the next few months, green Skittles will return to lime flavor. Hallelujiah! There is justice in the world after all.

Wahlburgers Wild, the burger concept owned by Donnie, Marky Mark, and their brother Chef Paul, has opened in Bass Pro at the Pyramid. Here’s their menu. They have 7 different burgers as well as starters, sandwiches, salads, shakes, and floats. For vegetarian diners, they have a plant-based Impossible Burger, which is noted on the menu to be Marky Mark’s choice. More on Wahlburgers Wild from the DM’s Jennifer Biggs and Chris Herrington

Arkansas will play in the College GameDay game of the week this Saturday. The folks at College GameDay made the decision to head to Athens for 8 Arkansas vs. 2 Georgia. The game kicks off at 11 AM on ESPN. Wooooooooo pig sooooiiieeee! Razorbacks!

You gotta admit River City Records has a point here:

Don’t forget that Southern Avenue will perform songs from their new album this Thursday at 7 PM at the record store – and if you like what you hear, you can pick up the album right then and there.

Here’s an article on how to get Google to blur the image of your house when people take a virtual walk down your street using Google StreetView. There are instructions for doing similar on Apple Maps and Bing Maps as well.

It’s National Drink Beer Day. I thought we just had that a few weeks ago, but it’s perfectly fine to have another one. Reminds me, I have a beef with whoever distributes PBR in this town… get the 16-ounce cans back in stock!!!

Congratulations to Hot N Heavy Dogs, who got a 100 recently on their health inspection. You can find the hot dog cart at Union and Main most Wednesdays.

Enjoy prison, R. Kelly. The artist/producer faces 10 years to life after being convicted of a number of sex crimes involving minors.

Well, I’m in a weird spot… due to the way my monthly minimum payment is structured, it doesn’t make sense for me to publish anything professionally until Friday, the first day of next month. So, OF COURSE, on the day I don’t need to write anything, I come up with FIVE kick-ass article ideas. Isn’t it funny how the mind works?

I’ll see how many more ideas I can come up with by noon, then go celebrate the national holiday. Back tomorrow with more news.

HOW BOUT THEM HOGS!!! The 16th-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks beat 7 Texas A&M 20-10 yesterday in Arlington, Texas. We still have not seen what the ceiling of this Arkansas team is. Arkansas will have its hands full next Saturday, though, with an 11:00 road game at 2 Georgia.

It wasn’t such a great day for the Memphis Tigers. A last-second field goal by UTSA handed Memphis a 31-28 loss. At one point the Tigers were up by 17, but it looked like they took the game for granted and started making mistakes. The Tigers also have an 11:00 road game next Saturday, at Temple.

CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP! The 11th-ranked Florida Gators handed the Tennessee Lady Vols powder puff football program yet another loss, 38-14. Florida has now beaten Tennessee 16 times out of the past 17 and 24 of the past 29. The Vols also have an 11:00 road game next Saturday, at Missouri in what could be a matchup to determine who is the worst team in the SEC.

Not a Memphis or an SEC game, but it sure was nice to see unranked NC State beat 9 Clemson last night, 27-21. Must’ve been a sad day for the folks at the corner table at Max’s Sports Bar, between that loss and the Tennessee one. Wonder if they did a round of prune juice and Malort to drown their sorrows and stay regular.

Memphis 901 FC is in playoff position! A 1-1 draw against Louisville FC last night left Memphis in sole possession of 4th place in the USL’s Central Division standings with 32 points. Fifth-place OKC Energy FC is one point behind with 31.

Mario Monterosso plays Loflin Yard today at noon.

The Crowd Goes Wild Tour featuring The Risky Whiskey Boys comes to Slider Inn Downtown today at noon.

Chef Tam posted that Philly cheese steak spaghetti will make a return at her Underground Cafe out in The Edge this week. That sounds yummy!

Couple of closings to report:

• Little Italy Downtown will be closed today
• Bardog will close Monday-Thursday this week to complete some maintenance that didn’t get finished earlier this month

Youth Villages will have a job fair Tuesday. They’re looking to hire Behavioral Youth Counselors/Assistants and Night Monitors.

River Inn of Harbor Town seeks a Front Desk Agent.

6 to 8 gunshots were reported at Beale and Wagner at 1:27 this morning. Another set of about 20 shots were reported in that area a half hour later.

Here’s a link to James Aycock’s COVID Week-in-Review. This week it’s mostly good news. Case counts are down considerably. Hospitalizations, while still high, are down a good bit too. Deaths are up, but deaths are a lagging indicator so that was somewhat expected.

Not going out today, other than a snack run to DGX. I’m going to start getting back in the rhythm I was in most of June and July. I want to write two professional articles and also look into a career-building opportunity that crossed my path Friday. Monday tends to be a slow news day but if there’s anything to report, I’ll be back with a post.

Well, well, well, where are my manners? In my Tuesday update post, I listed college football games today of interest to Memphians… and I forgot the most important game of all!

• UTSA at Memphis, 2:30 PM, ESPNU

The Roadrunners are 3-0 and have been mentioned as a candidate to be invited to the American Athletic Conference (they’re currently in Conference USA) to replace one of the teams that will leave for the Big 12. They got a win over a Power Five team, Illinois, in their season opener. This should be a good matchup.

Dr. Michelle Taylor, Health Department Director, said a new health directive will be issued next week but no easing of restrictions is expected. Although case numbers and the reproduction rate are down, we’re still at a high rate of COVID hospitalization. Each bed taken up by a COVID patient is a bed not available for someone with another illness or trauma.

Disney’s The Lion King plays the Orpheum November 11-28, but if you have kids, Tuesday, November 16 is the day you’ll want tickets. It’ll be Kids’ Night.  Kids can enjoy pre-show crafts, a photo booth, and a packet introducing them to the theater. There’s special pricing for a limited time: Call 901-525-3000 Monday-Friday, 9 AM-5 PM, to purchase tickets, and get a child’s ticket free with the purchase of an adult ticket. Activities start at 6:30 PM and the show starts at 7:30.

There’s a nice pic of Downtown Memphis in 1910 that got posted to Reddit.  The Gayoso House is in the lower left, so the pic appears to be looking north from Main & Peabody Place (then Main & McCall).

It’s National Lobster Day, and I would recommend either the lobster omelet that Bardog almost always has as a Saturday brunch special or Slider Inn’s lobster roll. It’s also International Rabbit Day, so I hope Flopsy Buns enjoys his day.

From WREG: What we know about Collierville Kroger shooter U.K. Thang

There’s an art festival at Real 2 Reel Photography, 136 G.E. Patterson, today.

Mr. Happy plays Slider Inn Downtown at noon.

Plans for today: Got a difficult choice to make between expensive PBRs, small PBRs, no PBR at all, or reasonably priced PBR that comes with a 20 minute walk. Life is complicated. Back tomorrow with more news.

The Grizzlies have released their 2021-2022 promotional schedule. Here’s a look at some of the giveaway highlights:

• October 20 vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (opening night): Free Beale Street Blue T-shirt to first 10,000
• October 30 vs. Miami Heat: Free Grizzlies face masks to first 10,000
• November 12 vs. Phoenix Suns: Free Brandon Clarke mini-hoop to first 5000
• November 26 vs. Atlanta Hawks: Free Jaren Jackson Jr. slides to first 3000
• December 11 vs. Houston Rockets: Zach Randoph jersey retirement ceremony. Commemorative vinyl record to first 5000
• December 31 vs. San Antonio Spurs: Free Dillon Brooks sunglasses to first 5000
• January 11 vs. Golden State Warriors: Free Grizzlies Tech Suit hoodie to first 3000
• January 17 vs. Chicago Bulls: MLK Day Game
• January 28 vs. Utah Jazz: Tony Allen jersey retirement night. Commemorative vinyl record to first 5000
• January 29 vs. Washington Wizards: Free Grizzlies Tech Suit pants to first 3000
• March 5 vs. Orlando Magic: Free Grizzlies fanny pack to first 5000
• March 26 vs. Milwaukee Bucks: Free Grizzlies shoelaces to first 5000

It’s South Main Trolley Night, with galleries and shops in the district staying open until 9 or later. Many of them will put out wine or beer and hors d’oeuvres for their patrons, and some may offer specials. There will be live music throughout the arts district. The weather will be beautiful (forecast 80/58 with southwest wind and no chance of rain), so come on out.

Sky King, Kayce Russell, Justin Williams, and Kyndle Wilde will perform at South Main Sounds, 550 S. Main, for Trolley Night from 7 to 9 PM.

Save the date! Thursday, December 23 is the Blind Bear’s 10th birthday. Needless to say, there will be a big party. Blackjack with prizes for the winners, live music, and a photo booth are among the plans for the evening.

Guided kayak tours return to the Wolf River Harbor tonight.

Maggie Miles comes to the Tin Roof on Beale Saturday at 7 as part of the Nashville Hits the Roof Tour.

If you have good handwriting and attention to detail, MIFA could use your help. They’re putting together a team of volunteers to write handwritten messages in their holiday cards. Contact vbc@mifa.org if interested.

Texas band Vandoliers plays a free show at Carolina Watershed tonight at 7. Chris Hamlett opens.

Worth a Lyft or an Uber: Wiseacre’s Oktoberfest happens at its Broad Avenue location tomorrow. Mighty Souls Brass Band, the Grizzline, Oktoberfest beer pairing classes. Food trucks on hand will include Hot N Heavy Dogs, Yippie Trippie, and Gourmade.

It’s an honor and a privilege to play a service academy in football, yet the Tennessee Vols athletic department chose to drop a 2022 contest with Army to pick up the much less highly regarded Akron Zips the same day. The move cost UT $100,000 and ESPN radio host Paul Finebaum torched the university for its decision. Why did Tennessee do it? Probably because loading up their nonconference schedule with cream puffs is their only chance to reach 6-6 and become bowl-eligible.

I don’t have much to say about the Collierville mass shootings other than to send prayers to those affected and their families. It’s a shame it is not as easy to get access to mental health care as it is to get access to a gun.

The website Sorry Anti-Vaxxer tells the stories of people who were fervently against the COVID vaccines and ended up dying or becoming severely ill with the virus.

A very happy birthday to my friend Mary Pat! I hope you have a wonderful day.

That’s it. Back tomorrow.

Memphis 901 FC got an important win last night at AutoZone Park. The club defeated Indy Eleven, 1-0, to gain 3 points in league standings. Memphis is now tied with OKC Energy for fourth place in the Central Division (top 4 teams at the end of the season advance to the playoffs), pulling ahead of Indy Eleven and also Atlanta United 2.

A fire broke out in the kitchen of Automatic Slim’s last night. No one was injured.

The Grizzlies have announced an open practice Sunday, October 3 at 1:30 PM at FedExForum (doors open at 1), the DM reports. Details:

• First 500 through the doors will receive an autographed photo of a Grizzlies player (which one you get will be a surprise)
• Players will compete against each other for $15,000 for charity
• MVP season ticket holders will be invited to a “State of the Grizzlies” speech by Josh Kleiman and Jason Wexler

The DM also reports that the Grizzlies are surveying their season ticket holders on attendance policies for this season. A source told the online newspaper that a policy requiring vaccination or a negative test is being considered. I would 100% support such a policy and would be considerably more likely to attend Grizzlies games this season with it in place.

A.D. Smith presents the red carpet premiere of Killer the Movie tonight at 7. Ten friends are quarantined together. One of them is a killer. Can they figure out who before it’s too late? Tickets are $25-45 and the show is intended for 13 and up.

The space that holds Felicia Suzanne Restaurant is now listed on the commercial market. Felicia has announced that her restaurant is moving but has not yet announced a location.

The 7-day average of new COVID cases continues to fall. It was down to 409 yesterday morning, which would work out to about 44 cases per 100K residents. There’s a COVID task force press conference at noon… wonder if anything will be announced? I’d like to see the mask mandate go away at the end of the month, but I trust health department director Dr. Taylor’s judgment.

From the Tampa Bay Times: If you want Mike Norvell out, remember, Florida State football could become another Tennessee. Meaning, stability in the head coaching role will keep FSU from becoming its conference’s punching bag the way the Tennessee Vols have become in the SEC.

That’s the news. Back tomorrow.

I had to run by First Horizon this week to get a new debit card because my old one was cracked. The new cards are all white except for the numbers and the First Horizon logo. That’s a horrible color scheme for a debit card. Why? Because it too much resembles a receipt. I just know at some point I won’t notice my card sitting in the plastic tray with the receipt after the card has been run, and I will walk out without it.

Worth a Lyft or Uber: The Soulful Food Truck Festival returns to Tiger Lane this Sunday. 24 food trucks will be on hand along with 8 other food vendors. There will be live music and DJs all afternoon. Options will be available for vegetarians and vegans. Insider tip: Go visit my friends at the Robinson Smokehouse food truck. Great local people cooking up some delicious food.

The World’s Largest Outdoor Escape Game comes to Downtown Memphis Saturday, October 23. There are 21 clues your team of 2-6 must solve to grab your share of the pirates’ loot. $50 + $2.50 ticket fee per team.

Memphis 901 FC hosts Indy Eleven tonight and the Memphis club is looking to make a playoff push. Indy Eleven is one point ahead in the standings, making this a very important match for Memphis to win at home. Kickoff is 7 PM.

The Memphis Hustle, G-League affiliate of the Memphis Grizzlies, are hosting two free “Back to Basketball” clinics Sunday, September 26 at the Landers Center.

• Ages 6-10: 12:00-12:45 PM
• Ages 11-16: 1:15=2:00 PM

Learn more about the clinics here.

For the final 10 games of the season, Minor League Baseball will participate in a “Homers that Help” campaign. For each home run hit during those games, the team will donate $50 to charity. The team hitting the most home runs will receive an additional $5000 donation. For the Memphis Redbirds, Memphis Little League is the chosen charity. The team has been on a roll lately, hitting 7 homers in 5 games.

Cordelia’s Market hosts Thirsty Thursdays this fall. Every Thursday from 5 to 8, beginning tomorrow, the market will have Oktoberfest beer specials along with special events like trivia, crafts, and movie nights.

Westy’s has brought back their Blue Plate Special: From 11 AM to 2: 15 PM weekdays you can get meat-and-two, meat-and-three, or four-veggie plates.

The Paint Memphis Paint Festival will be held Saturday, October 9 at 660 S. B.B. King Blvd. from 12 to 5 PM. The festival will feature 150 artists plus live painting, food trucks, vendors, and a kids’ area. The festival after-party will be at Carolina Watershed 7 to 11 that night, featuring Al Kapone, Grrl Power Hour, Outer Ring, and Jombi.

COVID Act Now has Shelby County down to an average of 49.0 cases per 100K residents. That’s a significant drop because the CDC recommends everyone mask, including those fully vaccinated, when there are more than 50 cases per 100K in a community. If the numbers continue to trend in the right direction, will the Health Department consider dropping the county-wide mask mandate?

Memphis Made Brewing Co. has brewed a light, refreshing beer called Gonerbrau just in time for Gonerfest, the celebration of local music that runs tomorrow through Sunday.

In other beer news, Sam Adams is releasing a beer so strong that it will be illegal in 15 states, including Arkansas and Mississippi but not Tennessee. At 28% ABV, the beer is five-and-a-half times stronger than typical domestic beers. Even though it can be legally sold here, it won’t be cheap: The price will be $250 for a 25-ounce bottle.

From WREG: Police investigating two armed carjackings on Mud Island

The Orpheum asks your patience if you experience longer wait times than usual this fall. Like many other businesses, they are struggling to fully staff up.

It’s National White Chocolate Day and National Ice Cream Cone Day.

Only 50% of city employees are vaccinated and the City Council is considering mandating it. That figure lags Shelby County overall, which COVID Act Now shows as 51.8% vaccinated. I must say I am disappointed that the Memphis Police Department (47%) and Fire Department (48%) aren’t showing a better example to the public.

The Broom Closet is offering an Equinox Sound Energy Meditation by certified sound healer Matt Petty. Singing bowls, gongs, and instruments will produce sounds that will help participants raise their vibrational frequency. Cost is $10. Bring a yoga mat or blanked. Space is limited so you will want to make a reservation.

That’s it for today. I said I might not do a post today and I ended up doing a long one. Back tomorrow or Friday.

Oops, I forgot the word “Monday” in my Monday update post yesterday. Hopefully everyone figured it out.

Three armed robberies were reported on Mud Island over the weekend on Nextdoor. Two happened at the Riverset apartments and one happened in the parking lot across from Riverset. The times listed were Saturday at 6:30 AM, Saturday at 8:00 PM, and Sunday at 10:45 AM. If you live on the Island and see anything suspicious, do not hesitate to call 545-COPS and report it.

River Time Market and Deli on Court Square has announced new fall hours. They are 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM Monday through Saturday.

From the MBJ: The Memphis Clover Club will open in the former 3rd & Court space and the lounge in its basement. It’s being opened by Tim Quinn, who recently took over ownership of Downtown Local. The food will be “international Southern fusion” and they have hired musician Rodd Bland to be the entertainment director.

Memphis made the list of Reader’s Digest 20 Romantic Getaways.

From Food & Wine: Tater tots are finally getting the festival they deserve

There will be a ribbon-cutting for chiropractic clinic Memphis Spine & Sport tomorrow at noon.

The DM reports that 114 N. Main, the building in which the Downtown Memphis Commission resides, is set for commercial renovation.

Two Girls and a Whip is back, this time as a bakery, and with new “girls.” Its owners are part of the group that also owns The Vault, Earnestine & Hazel’s, Paramount, and Backlot.

The National Civil Rights Museum will celebrate its 30th anniversary with free admission this Saturday.

Is it too early in the week to look at college football matchups of interest to Memphians this weekend? I don’t think so.

• 12 Notre Dame vs. 18 Wisconsin, neutral-site game at Soldier Field in Chicago, 11 AM, FOX
• LSU at Mississippi State, 11 AM, ESPN
• 7 Texas A&M vs. 16 Arkansas, neutral-site game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, 2:30 PM, CBS
• Arkansas State at Tulsa, 4 PM, ESPN+
• Tennessee at 11 Florida, 6 PM, ESPN

A cold front moves through today. The MemphisWeather.net forecast has rain and storms becoming likely this afternoon, followed by a very pleasant low of 59. After that we’ve got three days of 70s highs/50s lows.

The recently-renovated Renasant Convention Center is experiencing some major electrical issues. They better get those fixed pronto, because the annual AutoZone sales convention will bring 3000 people to the convention center next week.

The annual Memphis Bacon & Bourbon Festival happens Friday at the Metal Museum. Bacon-inspired dishes and plenty of bourbons to sample… what’s not to love? A part of the proceeds will benefit the Memphis Farmers Market.

This season’s Memphis Songwriters Series, hosted by Mark Edgar Stuart, kicks off Thursday at the Halloran Centre. The performers will be Kina del Mar, Kyndie Wylde, and Joshua Cosby.

That’s it for today. It’s 9:42 as I type this and it looks like an outflow boundary from the cold front, with some intense storms, will be here in about half an hour. Grab an umbrella! I may take a day off from blogging tomorrow but I’ll be back with more no later than Thursday.

Felicia Willett-Schuchardt, the owner of Felicia Suzanne Restaurant, dropped a shocking piece of news on social media Saturday: 20 years after construction began on the Brinkley Plaza location, the restaurant is moving. Michael Donahue has a report in the Memphis Flyer. The new restaurant will be in Memphis but she won’t yet say where.

The Daily Memphian has more on the shift of Raymond James Tower to residential. That was not the owner’s original desire, the DM reports, but multiple brokers told him it would not be feasible to lease the entire building as commercial space.

I got a tip this weekend that Max’s Sports Bar now has White Russian slushies. Yum! (The tipster, by the way, was the same person who told me about the police action at Flava House. If you don’t know about that, keep scrolling down to my Sunday update post.)

It’s National Pepperoni Pizza Day, and there are a number of good options. Silly Goose, Slim & Husky’s, Aldo’s Pizza Pies, and Little Bettie inside Downtown Wiseacre can take care of you.

Don’t forget that you can catch a free performance of King Henry VI: The Wars of the Roses by Tennessee Shakespeare Company tonight at Downtown Wiseacre.

Professionals’ networking group The Link Up Memphis will have a networking event at Grind City Brewery tonight 6:30-8:30.

That’s it for today’s post. Again, if you haven’t read about the recent police action on the block of Main between Union and Gayoso, keep scrolling for Sunday’s post.

When you live Downtown, you have to expect a certain amount of noise – revelers going “Wooooooo!” the nights of Music Fest, the occasional revving engine, fireworks. However, the folks who live on the block of Main between Union and Gayoso have had far more than their fair share of noise to deal with lately.

Large crowds have been gathering on that block every night of the week, and I’m not talking 9, 10 at night – I’m talking about the wee hours of the morning. The crowds have been loud and unruly, making it hard for those who live in the many condos and apartments on that block to get a decent night’s sleep.

About a week ago, a man was out walking his dog at 5:30 AM and the crowd was still there. He approached them and asked them to please keep the noise down because people were trying to sleep. The crowd became aggressive and a man identifying himself as Flava House Security allegedly pulled two guns on the dog walker and threatened to arrest him.

This past week after numerous posts on Nextdoor about the matter, residents gathered together and asked the Memphis Police Department for help. (My source of this information, by the way, is a regular reader of this blog who lives on that block of Main.)

Police responded by sending undercover agents to Flava House Lounge, followed by a raid on the business. According to my source, this led to the following charges on people in and around the business:

• Felony arrest for sale of marijuana
• Conspiracy to sell crack cocaine
• Bartender serving without an ABC card
• Security operating without a license

My source said that police allegedly found marijuana and cocaine in plain view. My source also told me that the security guard who pointed guns at the dog walker was arrested for aggravated assault.

Kudos to MPD, who put the operation together within only a few days of hearing the residents’ complaints. They sent the message loud and clear that criminal behavior will not be tolerated.

On to the news… Let’s hear it for those Memphis Tigers, who defeated another SEC team yesterday, topping Mississippi State 31-29. Check out this punt return by Calvin Austin III that will be on ESPN’s highlight reels this week.

Mississippi State had downed the ball at the Memphis 6, but the referee had not yet whistled the play dead. That allowed Austin to sneak through several Bulldogs players, scoop up the ball, and take it to the house.

Memphis improves to 3-0. Next Saturday the Tigers host UTSA in a 2:30 game at the Liberty Bowl.

Couple of big SEC games coming up next Saturday… Texas A&M and Arkansas will play in a 2:30 neutral-site game in Arlington, Texas. The Razorbacks have a chance to prove that they’re back as a force to be reckoned with in the SEC for the first time since Bobby Petrino’s motorcycle ride.

Also, it’s one of my favorite weeks of the year, the annual WHOOPIN’ that Florida puts on the Tennessee Vols. This year’s beating will happen in Gainesville with kickoff at 6:00. Florida has won 15 of the last 16 meetings and this doesn’t look to be Tennessee’s year.

Here’s a link to James Aycock’s COVID Week-in-Review. The biggest news is good news: Hospitalizations are down 23% over the past two weeks, a sign that we may be past the current surge’s peak.

ZZ Top plays the Orpheum tonight. Tickets start at $59.50 and there are front row, gold, and silver premium ticket packages. The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band will open.

In celebration of National Talk Like a Pirate Day, there will be a Pirates’ Raid at River Garden Park this afternoon 1 to 4.

Test-drive a youth acting class at Lily Roze Studio, 810 S. Main, this Sunday or next from 3 to 4.

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