Welcome back, friends. It’s Friday, Oct. 2, and the Art in The Loop festival begins today, with food trucks and an artists’ market on East Memphis’ Ridgeway Loop.

There’s also a VIP Happy Hour (for VIP ticket holders) for the Virtual Memphis Beer Festival ... but ticket sales end today at 9:01 a.m., so hurry! 

THE NEED TO KNOW

Health Department Director Alisa Haushalter (Daily Memphian file)

Fewer restrictions on the way? I’m not saying the Health Department may be feeling a little political pressure, but I’m not not saying that, either. In the wake of Gov. Bill Lee’s executive order to lessen coronavirus restrictions — and an idea to strip the Health Department of its autonomy — local officials say they will review the data and issue a new Health Directive early next week, with an eye toward seating capacity for sporting events (more on that below). To the thought that Shelby County and the other metros should be under the state’s directives, Health Department Director Alisa Haushalter said that urban areas need the authority to be able to act quickly and prevent large outbreaks — and not just of coronavirus. And, yesterday’s numbers were dominated by a COVID-19 death toll near 80 for September as well as seven additional deaths (yes, already) for October.

Education in flux: As we near fall break, two of the area’s suburban superintendents talked on “Behind the Headlines” about how school is going and what changes they’ve already made since the school year started. In Arlington, for example, they began with teachers leading an in-person class with other students online at the same time, but Jeff Mayo said that didn’t work at the elementary school level: “I don’t want it to appear that we don’t have a plan, that we’re not organized. But I told my administrators from day one there is no shame in changing the game plan at any point during this school year because we don’t know what’s coming at us next.”

Tammy DeGroff (submitted)

A type of madness: As the coronavirus continues to threaten a loss of life, the drawn-out nature of the pandemic threatens more losses of livelihood. Today, Geoff Calkins is talking about Tammy DeGroff, who has been with the University of Memphis, more or less, since 1999, but was one of 19 employees who were laid off from university athletics. “Restaurant workers have lost their jobs, and airline workers, and hotel workers, and workers at the radio station where I have a morning show. DeGroff isn’t remarkable because she was great at her job — although she was great at her job — but because there are so many people exactly like her.” As Calkins notes, the layoffs came after the U of M realized “basketball ticket sales are going to fall off a cliff.” The school announced just yesterday that all home basketball games this season would be sold as single-game tickets, with the FedExForum’s new capacity around 1,500 spectators per game.

DA talks guns: Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich spoke yesterday about the state’s proposed open carry bill, which would allow most residents over the age of 21 to carry a handgun without a permit. She said she thinks we already have an easy-to-follow permit system: “We see how bad it’s been allowing people to carry guns in their cars. Imagine a universe where people are walking around with guns and law enforcement doesn’t know if you’re a convicted felon or why you’re carrying that gun or what you intend to do with it.”

Home of the Blues: Indigo Ag may have a new CEO but its commitment to Memphis isn’t changing. The Bluff City is the company’s North America commercial operations headquarters, employing 30% of its 1,150 employees worldwide. In addition to Memphis’ proximity to Indigo Ag’s customers, the area has “a really pro-business climate, which allowed us to really get access to the world-class talent that we need for the agricultural industry,” the CEO said.

MEET MEMPHIS

Scott Forman and TOM III (submitted)

Before the University of Memphis decided to sponsor a tiger mascot at the Memphis Zoo, before TOM III died, even before TOM II, Scott Forman was a Memphis kid who saw the original TOM the Tiger during U of M games. And it became a dream of his to be involved. When he could, he became an understudy caretaker for the final 10 years of TOM II’s life and he took over as Tiger Guard chairman in 2008, with TOM III, transporting the Bengal tiger to games, feeding him, even standing outside his enclosure during a tornado. He says he’s never regretted a minute of it, but the plan was always to stop the TOM program after III unless someone else stepped up: “I can’t go through this pain again,” Forman said. “The pain of raising an animal and loving it as my child, I don’t have the energy to do that again.” 

THE NICE TO KNOW

Spaghetti Warehouse (Tom Bailey/Daily Memphian file)

So long, Spaghetti Warehouse: Kemmons Wilson Companies has unveiled updated plans for its new headquarters at 40 Huling Ave., and it includes adding more windows, a substantial front porch and a monumental glass entryway to the former restaurant space. I have to say, I’m surprised the former Spaghetti Warehouse building is 115 years old. The Downtown Memphis Commission’s report includes what I would consider a mean real estate burn: “Even while it was operating as a restaurant, pedestrians approaching the building on Talbot or Wagner could have easily mistaken 40 Huling as a vacant property.”

Laid to rest: The grandson of Elvis and Priscilla Presley has been buried in the family plot at Graceland. Benjamin Keough, the son of Lisa Maria Presley and her second husband, committed suicide earlier this summer; his was the first burial at Graceland since 1980. But this raises a question for me: Are other members of the family going to be buried there?

ServiceMaster's Downtown corporate headquarters (Daily Memphian file photo)

Betting on bugs: ServiceMaster is no more. The company officially became Terminix Global Holdings Inc. yesterday and will begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange Monday, Oct. 5, under TMX. ServiceMaster’s non-pest control brands were sold to an equity capital firm because they were growing more slowly than Terminix “and company officials believe the transaction will help jumpstart further growth in pest control.” 

Friday night lights out: Another local high school football game has been postponed due to a coronavirus outbreak. St. Benedict at Auburndale reported an undisclosed number of positive coronavirus tests and is postponing this week’s game against MUS; in addition, SBA is going remote today and will return to in-person classes after fall break.

WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

Yesterday, there was some top-level confusion about the difference between a Rhodes graduate and a Rhodes scholar, brought about by the Supreme Court nomination for Rhodes College graduate Amy Coney Barrett, and some Memphians and former Memphians couldn’t help but get in on the fun. 

OK, I’ll stop there. Y’all have a great weekend, and I hope to see you again Monday. 

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