Hi there, Memphis. It’s Friday, Jan. 27, and today is Holocaust Remembrance Day, when we pause to honor the millions of victims of that tragic time in our history.
The Memphis Grizzlies are still on the road, and they’ll play the Minnesota Timberwolves tonight. (Maybe things will be better?) And the statewide, multi-site Tennessee Triennial for Contemporary Art kicks off tonight.
On Saturday, the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art will host a free Lunar New Year party, and Celtic Crossing will host a sold-out Burns Night celebration of all things Scottish (including haggis).
There’s plenty of basketball on Sunday with the Memphis Tigers taking on Tulsa and the Grizzlies going up against the Indiana Pacers. Just before the Grizz game, the group Dear Fathers will host a panel discussion on mental health and fatherhood. You’ll find even more to do this weekend in our To-Do List.
THE NEED TO KNOW
(From left to right): Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith are the Memphis Police officers terminated in connection with the death of Tyre Nichols. (Courtesy MPD)
Cops indicted, body camera footage coming: Five Memphis Police officers have each been indicted on seven charges, including second-degree murder, related to the death of Tyre Nichols. Emmitt Martin III, Tadarrius Bean, Justin Smith, Demetrius Haley and Desmond Mills Jr. were all booked into the Shelby County Jail on Thursday. Attorneys for two of the officers held a press conference Thursday afternoon. Nichols died on Jan. 10, three days after allegedly being injured during an encounter with those SCORPION unit officers. Attorneys for the family of Nichols have released a letter calling for an end to such specialized police units. Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said the City of Memphis will release the body camera footage of the incident on Friday evening. Ahead of the video release, Memphis-Shelby County Schools and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center have announced cancellations and early closures.
After working with family members for years, David Grisanti and his wife Robyn opened their own Italian restaurant in the Sheffield Antiques Mall in Collierville. The restaurant will close after dinner service on Jan. 28. (Jim Weber/The Daily Memphian file)
David Grisanti is closing: This coming Saturday will be the last for David Grisanti Italian Restaurant in the Sheffield Antiques Mall in Collierville. But never fear, Italian food lovers. There’s a plan to reopen. The restaurant’s lease is ending, and Grisanti plans to open a new space in Collierville where he can set his own hours.
Memphis Tigers (from left) Kendric Davis, DeAndre Williams and Elijah McCadden celebrate on the bench against SMU on Thursday, Jan. 26. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)
Welcome to the Kendric Davis show: The Memphis Tigers, led by Southern Methodist University transfer guard Kendric Davis, delivered a 99-84 win over SMU on Thursday night. It was Davis’ first time playing against his old teammates, and he showed off his skills with 25 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. “I went to war with a couple of those dudes. I was a kid when I got there. And I left as a man,” Davis said. But Davis didn’t do all the work; four other Tigers scored in double digits. Thursday night’s win was Coach Penny Hardaway’s official 100th win, per NCAA records, and Hardaway said “I’m just thankful for all of it.” During the post-game press conference, Hardaway took a moment to address the death of Tyre Nichols.
QUOTED
Dozens of mourners showed up to Tobey Skate Park in Midtown on Jan. 26, to honor Tyre Nichols. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)
“I don’t want us burning up our city, tearing up our streets, because that’s not what my son stood for.”
— RowVaughn Wells, mother of Tyre Nichols
A candlelight vigil was held in memory of Nichols at Tobey Skate Park on Thursday night. The Daily Memphian’s Chris Herrington was there and said “while the outside world and some officials in Memphis may fear the worst, the anger expressed on this loving night was channeled toward effecting change.”
THE NICE TO KNOW
Under the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Program, patients experiencing severe health conditions can purchase limited amounts of cannabis after receiving a medical marijuana card. (Julio Cortez/AP Photo)
Budding industry: The first (legal) pot sales in DeSoto County could happen today. Herbal Alchemy Dispensary in Hernando received its first shipment of cannabis products on Thursday, and they’re holding a soft opening today. Under Mississippi’s new medical marijuana program, patients with certain qualifying conditions may purchase legal weed with a state-issued medical marijuana card.
A crowd attends a Tennessee Wildlife and Fish Commission meeting to discuss fishing regulations on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)
State not hot on trotline changes: After reviewing trotline fishing rules in neighboring states, the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission is opting not to update the state’s regulations for the unmanned fishing lines that involve stretching hooks across bodies of water. Last month, the commission discussed the frequency of trotline-related accidents, including a fatality in 2019. Now, the American Canoe Association, which advocates for stricter trotline rules, is taking their concerns to the state legislature.
Crispy tofu is an appetizer at Asian Eatery but can make a satisfying light meal. (Jennifer Biggs/The Daily Memphian)
Tofu for you: When she needs a moment of zen, The Daily Memphian’s Jennifer Biggs stops into the calming Asian Eatery in Germantown and orders the crispy tofu, which she says is the best tofu in town. (I’m not sure how any tofu could top Pho Binh’s lemongrass tofu, but I’d be happy to try it.) These lightly coated tofu cubes are crispy on the outside, silky on the inside and covered with fried onions and jalapeno. And you can get all that for just $7.15. Need more food? There are also 20 lunch specials for $10.25.
Andy Groveman of Belz Enterprises said it plans to convert 77,000 square feet in the Pembroke building, located at 119 S. Main St., into 73 apartments. (The Daily Memphian file)
Offices to apartments: In this post-pandemic world, more projects are trading office space for living space. Earlier this week, Belz Enterprise filed a commercial alteration permit to convert office space in Pembroke Square into residential units. (And that news came in the same week that Germantown officials approved a plan to trade office/retail space for condos at The Standard.) The $11 million project will convert offices into 73 apartments.
WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
Forget the spelling errors. This assignment gets an A-plus from me.
While we’re on the topic, this AI-generated story of Ja Morant dunking so hard the earth exploded is worth a few seconds of your time.
Alright, Memphis. That’s it for now. Stay safe and peaceful out there.
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