Paul Ryburn's Journal

A man was shot in the leg in a black pickup truck at Peabody Place and S. B.B. King Blvd. at about 1 this morning. He is reported to be in stable condition.

There were reports of cars doing donuts on Main Street and of two cars drag racing on Main Street last night.

There was a report of one of those party pedal bikes cruising through residential parts of Downtown with the music turned all the way up well after midnight.

Yesterday morning there were reports of a large number of cars broken into in the Harbor Town, Arbors, and Regatta areas.

Several weeks ago, a large group was harassing some women in a Downtown lounge. A bartender came over and asked the group to step away. One of the men in the group punched the bartender, then punched a customer, a man in his 60s.

One of the most loved bars by the Downtown locals now has security that pats you down from head to toe before you can be let in after 7. In no way is management overreacting by putting that measure in place, either.

Downtown has become one of the most ghetto parts of the city since the pandemic. Not because of the people who live here, but because of the people who come here from other parts of town and even other states. They have no courtesy, consideration, or respect for anyone they encounter down here. This is their playground that they feel free to abuse and destroy as they see fit.

If I were 20 years younger and still had the majority of my adult life ahead of me, I’d move out of state when my lease is up.

As things are, I’ll probably stay, but Downtown Memphis is about 20 to 30 percent as fun as it was seven or eight years ago.

All right, let’s get on to the news…

Summertime heat arrives in Memphis today and it’ll be here for the foreseeable future. The MemphisWeather.net blog has the details.

The Memphis Redbirds close out their homestand vs. the Durham Bulls today at 2:05. Kids under 12 get a free ice cream sandwich and get to run the bases after the game.

Cordelia’s Market has a deal on Shiner Strawberry Blonde. Get a 6-pack for only $6.49.

Two important college baseball games are on at noon today:

• North Carolina vs. Arkansas, Chapel Hill Super Regional, ESPN2, Arkansas leads 1-0
• Notre Dame vs. Tennessee, Knoxville Super Regional, ESPN, tied 1-1

If any of those teams other than North Carolina wins today, they’ll advance to the College World Series.

I wonder how many people will come to the Majestic today expecting to have brunch and find the door locked. Their Monday-Saturday lunch and dinner service kicks off tomorrow.

Deandre Williams sat down with ABC 24 to discuss his decision to drop out of the NBA draft and return to the University of Memphis for one more season.

Acme Party Band plays the Hard Rock today 12:45-3:00 PM.

Weird conversation I overheard yesterday: “… that girl who works at Bardog who likes to do bleach shots.”

“What?” I said. “She’s shooting Clorox? Do we need to have an intervention?”

“Oh, no,” came the reply. “A bleach shot is made with two kinds of moonshine – half blueberry, half peach.”

Oh.

That’s the news. Back tomorrow (probably) with more.

Popeye’s is offering 59 cent chicken for its 50th anniversary, WREG reports. If you order and pay via the app or online, and you make a $5 qualifying mobile purchase, you can receive two pieces of chicken at Popeye’s 1972 price of 59 cents. The deal is good June 12 through June 19.

Aldo’s Downtown patio will begin opening Sundays from 4:00 to 10:00 PM beginning tomorrow.

Today is Corn on the Cob Day. I recommend celebrating with the Elotes Con Crema (Mexican street corn) from Maciel’s. Today is also World Gin Day and National Rosé Day.

A 19-year-old who was shot at Second and Beale on April 28 has died.

A Nissan Maxima was found burglarized neat Wagner and Gayoso about 3 this morning.

MLK50: Justice Through Journalism celebrates its 5th anniversary at Brickwood Hall, 391 S. Front, tonight at 7.

It’s Girl Scout Night at the Memphis Redbirds. When you purchase this specialty ticket, you’ll get to attend a Women in Sports Q&A. You’ll also receive a commemorative patch. As is the case every Saturday home game, fireworks presented by Terminix will follow the game. The Durham Bulls are the opponent and the first pitch is 6:35.

Little River Band plays the Orpheum tonight at 8.

There will be a River Quest adventure happening at River Garden this afternoon at 4. Ranger Allison will lead participants on a guided tour of riverfront flora and fauna.

There will be live music by Oakwalker on South Point Grocery’s front porch today at noon.

Darian Roe plays the King’s Palace Tap Room on Beale tonight 8-midnight.

All right. That’ll do it for today. Leading off at Blind Bear for brunch today. Next Saturday I’ll probably return to Bardog brunch at some point in the afternoon. Back tomorrow with more.

The St. Louis Cardinals’ Jack Flaherty is expected to make a rehab start for the Memphis Redbirds tonight vs. the Durham Bulls at 7:05. Flaherty is a former Redbird himself, having pitched the latter half of the 2017 season here. First 1000 fans in the gate tonight get a Jack Flaherty jersey.

There are three specialty tickets for the Redbirds tonight. Tonight’s All-You-Can-Eat ticket gets you breakfast for dinner: all-you-can-eat scrambled eggs, pork sausage links, breakfast potatoes, biscuits & gravy, hot dogs, chips, soda, and water $21 field box/$24 dugout

Another specialty ticket gets you a jersey honoring St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt.

A third specialty ticket gets you a Dylan Carlson bobblehead. Carlson, an outfielder for the Cards, is also rehabbing with the Redbirds this week. The Goldschmidt and Carlson promotions will be available for tomorrow’s game too.

Edge District news from WREG: Hundreds of apartments are planned along Union. 

From Action News 5: $5.5 million has been allocated to fix the Memphis monorail that transports visitors to and from Mud Island. But is it enough?

There’s a regional HBCU reunion in Memphis this weekend with alumni of 25 colleges and universities attending. They have a mixer on the Hu. rooftop tonight and a day party at Carolina Watershed tomorrow.

The Downtown Neighborhood Association and South Main Association will have a joint meeting this month on Tuesday, June 21 at Beale Street Landing. Amber Lombardo, Executive Director of the American Institute of Architects, will speak, as will George Abbott of the Memphis River Parks Partnership. Because parking is scarce in the area, Groove on Demand will provide free rides there – just download the Groove on Demand app and get 10 rides free. There will be free beer, wine, and food for DNA and SMA members.

The most boring sport on Earth, golf, is actually not boring this week. There’s a new golf tour, the LIV Tour, which is offering huge prize purses (like, bigger than the purse at the Masters) at its events; however, it is somewhat controversial due to Saudi investment. This week the PGA Tour suspended 17 golfers, including Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson, for participating in the first LIV event. Johnson had already resigned his PGA membership but Mick planned to play in the U.S. Open next week. It’s reported that Mick got $200M and Johnson $100M for joining LIV. They are reported to have dangled a billion in front of Tiger Woods but he said no.

The I-40 bridge will undergo single-lane closures for approximately two weeks beginning June 18, Action News 5 reports.

Anime Blues Con will run today through Sunday at the Renasant Convention Center.

Bestselling author Wright Thompson will be at the Rendezvous tonight for BBQ, Brews, and Books.

The River Rockets play #1 hits from the 1960s through the 1980s this evening at the Ghost River taproom on Beale.

We’ve got a rainy day ahead of us. Back tomorrow with more news.

Next Wednesday, June 15, Durand Jones and the Indications, Aaron Frazer, and Snoobz will be spinning records in the lounge at Eight & Sand all night. This will be a warm-up for their show at the Overton Park Shell the following day.

JUICE Orange Mound is Memphis Made Brewing Co.’s partner for Give Back Wednesdays for the month of June. $1 of every pint purchased goes to the charity.

Lots of Downtown news in this morning’s Daily Memphian. The buildings at 99 and 105 S. Front, formerly home to The Butcher Shop and the Pier, are just about completely renovated after 3 years. The space is being transformed into apartments with unique floor plans and a parking garage.

The DM also has a look at South Point Grocery’s June live music schedule.

Also in the DM: Central Station Hotel will get a gelato shop and a florist.

The greatest beer in the world, Pabst Blue Ribbon, is only $2 at tonight’s Memphis Redbirds game. PBR pairs perfectly with a Dollar Thursday hot dog. First pitch vs. the Durham Bulls is at 7:05.

A five-game winning streak came to an end last night as Birmingham shut out Memphis 901 FC, 1-0.

If you don’t feel like waiting in the drive-thru line for a Mexican Pizza, Chef Tam’s Underground Cafe out in The Edge makes them. I’m not sure they have them every day, though, so you better call ahead.

Kooky Canuck has announced that a Winnipeg Fat Boy, a chili cheeseburger, will be added to the menu soon.

I played Pop Culture Trivia Tuesday night at Blind Bear, hosted by Velvetina who does the Friday night burlesque shows. She has some unique prizes for the winner of each round. A friend of mine won a flamingo-shaped Bluetooth speaker that floats in the pool.

Landon Lane and the Ivories are the featured entertainment at tonight’s Peabody rooftop party.

Shar & Flamingo King play the King & Union Bar and Grocery tonight from 6 to 9.

Alice Hasen and Walt Busby play Live at the Tracks at Central Station Hotel tonight from 6:30-9:30.

Grease will be tonight’s free movie in Court Square, presented by the Downtown Neighborhood Association. The event opens at 7:30 with the movie beginning at 8.

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

The Lannie McMillan Trio will play Sunset Jazz in Court Square this Sunday from 6 to 8 PM. The concert is free to the public. There will be food trucks on site. Limited seating will be available and you’re welcome to bring a lawn chair.

From the Flyer: A $3.7M federal grant will be used to construct Tailout Trail at the far south end of Tom Lee Park. It will give “visitors an immersive experience of an ecologically-diverse area at the far south end of the park.”

Dr. Bean’s Coffee and Tea Emporium, the coffee shop inside Stock & Belle at 387 S. Main, is hiring. Email sadie@drbeanscoffee.com to apply.

Memphis 901 FC has an away game tonight at Birmingham at 7:00.

The Redbirds host the Durham Bulls tonight at 7:05.

The Starbucks at Poplar and Prescott has become the first Starbucks in Memphis to vote to unionize.

Action News 5’s latest 5 Star Story features the Black Seeds Urban Farms neighborhood garden in Uptown.

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

Comedian Kevin Hart’s Reality Check Tour is coming to FedExForum on October 21. Tickets go on sale to the general public this Friday at 10 AM.

Do you plan on voting in the county elections in August, said to be the largest ballot Memphis has seen in some time? Well, you might be interested in knowing that the county election commissioner told the County Commission that the servers used to tally ballots for elections are on their last legs. The County Commission is willing to “roll the dice” (one commissioner actually used that term) that the servers will make it through August, and then move to a different system in November.

Paulette’s has released its Sunday brunch menu for Father’s Day, June 19.

Also, Primas Bakery & Boutique in South Main has released its Father’s Day menu.

There’s an AutoZone vendor summit going on at the Renasant Convention Center today and tomorrow. Tonight, MIghty Lights over the river will be red and orange AutoZone colors in recognition of the summit.

MATA is looking to hire bus drivers, trolley operators, and diesel mechanics. There are hiring bonuses of up to $3000.

Memphis police are asking for help in a cold case, a deadly shooting in The Edge in 2017.

2 N. Main, which houses Downtown Walgreens, has been sold to a California firm. Don’t worry, though, Walgreens isn’t going anywhere. They just signed a long-term lease.

Xfinity is working in my neighborhood today, so I’m going to go ahead and hit Publish before my connection goes out.

Other than this article about Jaren Jackson Jr. that made the front page of stats site FiveThirtyEight.

Xfinity is in my area upgrading the network, so I’m going to have Internet outages at some point this morning. Sounds like a good day to go to Bardog.

Back tomorrow.

Police responded to a shooting last night at about 11:20 near Monroe Avenue and Riverside Drive. Officers blocked Monroe between Front and Riverside and advised there were three victims who sustained gunshot wounds, with a possible fourth victim having departed in a vehicle.

Today’s the final day for regular, weekly Sunday brunch at the Majestic Grille. Beginning June 13, their new schedule will be: Open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday, closed Sunday. They say they’ll bring brunch back for special occasions like Brunch with Santa. I wonder if there’ll be any groups there today who don’t know how to behave in a nice restaurant.

Weather permitting (and it should permit), classic country and rock fiddle band Hilbilly Mojo will perform on the patio of the Blind Bear tonight.

From the DM: A developer plans to bring 119 Madison back to life. There will be luxury apartments on the upper floors of the building, which sits at the intersection of November 6th Alley. The plan is to have a coffee shop on ground level and a speakeasy bar in the basement.

Also in the DM today: Pride parade photo gallery

The Inkwell, the cocktail bar in The Edge District, has added 3 new drinks to the menu.

• Duck Duck Goose: Tequila, Meletti, Capeletti, Saline
• 59th Minute: Rum Blend, Angostura, Orange Bitters
• Five Under (alcohol-free): Pineapple, Ginger Beer, Lime

South Point Grocery is now selling retro, matte SPG lunch boxes for $20. They’re a perfect way to transport one of their sandwiches from the deli.

Served on Sunday happens at Robusto by Havana Mix tonight starting at 6 PM. Gerald Richardson, J. Buck, Mike Mosby, Steve Bethany. $10 cover.

The Downtown Memphis Flea Market is today at 115 Jackson.

Froader Fest happens at Grind City Brewing Co. beginning at noon. Off-roader vehicles will be showcased at the festival, and it’s free to attend and $20 to show off your rig. The event benefits Folds of Honor, providing educational scholarships to the families of fallen service members. There will be food by Diamond Dave’s food truck and music by Charvey Mac.

Mario Monterosso plays Loflin Yard today at 5.

Kurt Allen Band plays Hard Rock Cafe 8-10 tonight.

That’s it for now. Back tomorrow if there’s any news to report.

A subscribers-only article by Geoff Calkins in The Daily Memphian offers a hint as to what to expect at Penny Hardaway’s Nitty Gritty restaurant which will open in the Westin. They’ll offer a build-your-own-grits option: Pick the type of grits, pick a protein, pick a garnish, pick a sauce. Sounds yummy!

I wonder how the folks at Sugar Grits feel about a grits restaurant two blocks away opened by a celebrity head coach.

DJ Damp Velour plays Wiseacre Downtown tonight from 6 to 10. That is a great DJ name.

A friend of mine went to The Peanut Shoppe yesterday and came back with some news… they’re thinking about expanding their offerings to include falafel and hummus. YES, PLEASE to both! Those are two of this non-vegetarian’s favorite vegetarian foods!

Memphis 901 FC hosts a home match vs. Atlanta United 2 tonight at 7:30. As of this morning there are still some $1 tickets available. Prior to the match there will be a Pride Night pre-party at the Brass Door beginning at 4:45.

Here’s a Lifehacker article for the people who come Downtown on the weekends: How to do a flawless donut (in your car)

Plans have been submitted for the renovation to the Falls Building at Front and Court. 176 residential units, a game room and arcade area in the basement, and a swimming pool on the ground floor. There will also be first-floor space for a retail tenant.

Daaaaang… this week there was a church service that was part of the Queen’s platinum jubilee celebration. Not only were Prince Harry and Meghan Markle not allowed to sit with Harry’s brother William and the other senior royals, but they were BOOED. At church. Ouch, bet that caused ol’ Megs some narcissistic injury.

Those of you attending Zoo Rendezvous tonight, be sure to stop by and see my friends at the Blind Bear for some delicious food and specialty cocktails!

By the way, if anyone who works at the zoo is reading this… How’s Ja Raffe doing? We haven’t heard anything about him in a while.

Today is a number of minor holidays. Here we go:

• It’s National Black Bear Day. Once again, whether at Zoo Rendezvous or Downtown on Main Street, I recommend celebrating at the Blind Bear.
• If you go to the Bear for brunch (11 AM to 3 PM) and order their mimosa setup with pineapple juice, you can check off two more holidays: National Bubbly Day and National Pineapple Day.
• I don’t recommend celebrating National Pineapple Day with a pizza, but if you must, you can knock off National Cheese Day too.
• It’s National Cognac Day. Silly Goose got a fresh shipment of Hennessy while I was there Thursday.

Brit Floyd, called “the world’s greatest Pink Floyd tribute band,” plays the Orpheum tomorrow night at 8. They’ll play a 23-minute, note-for-note rendition of Pink Floyd’s sone “Echoes,” as well as selections from Dark Side of the Moon, The Wall, Animals, Wish You Were Here, and The Division Bell. Tickets are $39.50-$59.50 and there’s also a $159.50 VIP experience that includes a meet-and-greet sound check.

Maybe Brit Floyd will play “Astronomy Domine” in honor of Neil deGrasse Tyson’s Astronomy Bizzare tour which comes to the Orpheum on Tuesday. Tickets are $39-$250 and the $250 ticket is a VIP experience that includes one of the best seats in the house, an autographed poster, a Q&A, and a group photo. Note that masks are required for this event.

Hmmm this is interesting… a week-long Broadway show not at the Orpheum, but the smaller, more intimate Halloran Centre. Million Dollar Quartet, the story of the recording session that brought Elvis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis together, will run at Halloran Tuesday through Sunday. Tickets are $47.50.

A Pride-themed Ford Bronco will be on display at Mid-South Pride Fest in Church Park today and it will participate in the 1 PM Pride Parade on Beale.

Son Person, Shorty and The Grooves, and Lavendear play Bluff Fest at Carolina Watershed tonight at 7. Tickets are $15 at the door.

40 Watt Moon plays an acoustic set on the patio at Ghost River on Beale from 6 to 10 tonight. Come hungry, because the New Wing Order kitchen in Ghost River will be open for business.

That’s it for now! Back tomorrow.

Exciting news! A new pop-up beer garden called Riverside Taps, a collaboration between Memphis River Parks Partnership and Grind City Brewing Co., has opened in Beale Street Landing. It’ll be open 3-8 PM Thursdays and Fridays and noon to 8 PM Saturday and Sunday. It’ll operate through Halloween.

STIX has announced its monthly combo special for June: A ginger salad, Collierville roll, and hibachi shrimp with fried rice. The Collierville roll comes with salmon, cream cheese, and crab. It’s tempura fried and topped with sweet soy.

I haven’t confirmed this, but I heard yesterday that two more Downtown restaurants plan to discontinue Sunday brunch because the crowds that show up are so poorly behaved. There have been stories of customers throwing glasses at servers.

The DM has a look at Mid-South Pride Fest which started yesterday and returned to in-person and Downtown.

Queen of Cravings will be the food truck in Health Sciences Park today from 11:30 to 1:00.

A new HOTWORX fitness studio is coming to The Edge at 750 Madison.

The annual Zombie Walk happens today.

The European-Asian country of Turkey has changed its name to Türkiye.

Today is National Donut Day.

Tin Roof is requiring its security guards to undergo de-escalation training for a safer customer experience.

American Airlines is adding nonstop flights from Memphis to Boston.

Check out these fresh picks by the staff at Cordelia’s Market.

I found out yesterday that the verdict in the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial came on World Narcissistic Abuse Awareness Day. How appropriate. I’ll say it again – just because someone is attractive and charming does not necessarily mean they have strong character.

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