I hope your morning is off to a great start! It’s Thursday, Oct. 20, and the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority meets today.

This afternoon, Memphis Heritage will host its “Sip & Save” cocktail hour with a tour of the new Memphis Suffrage Monument behind the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. And tonight, the Memphis Sports Hall of Fame ceremony will be held at the Renasant Convention Center.

There are only a few tickets left to The Daily Memphian’s lunch with Jennifer Biggs at Celtic Crossing tomorrow. Get them while you can.

THE NEED TO KNOW

Debby Dalhoff was raped and tortured in her home in 1985 by a masked intruder. The case was never solved. Records show evidence in her case was among items boxed up and tossed in a local landfill. (The Daily Memphian file)

Rape kit lawsuit back in court: A 2014 lawsuit accusing the Memphis Police Department of failing to test thousands of rape kits, some dating back to the 1980s, will be back in court today and Friday. Shelby County Circuit Court Judge Gina Higgins will hear motions for summary judgment from both the city and from lawyers representing scores of women — including Debby Dalhoff, whose 1985 rape kit was destroyed by the MPD. The 2014 lawsuit takes on new urgency as officials wrestle with another backlog caused in part by insufficient resources in the state crime lab.

“I am open to everything. I am open to every possibility that exists. That’s why we are having this meeting,” said Memphis Parks Director Nick Walker at a public meeting on Oct. 19. (Bill Dries/The Daily Memphian)

Caddy issues: A “charged environment” at a public meeting on Audubon Park’s renovation Wednesday evening stemmed from the city’s plans to expand the park’s golf course. Some park users expressed concern that the course’s expansion limits use of the lake and some greenspace. “It eliminates public access to our park and takes it for a privatized use by a very select limited group. If you lose parkland, you never get it back,” said Angela Link of “Saving Audubon Park.” Memphis Parks Director Nick Walker told the group “we screwed up” on the announcement of the plans and that changes had already been made to allow some public access to the lake. But he cautioned that the city doesn’t intend to “do a wholesale change on this.”

Eduard Rodriguez Tabora (middle) appeared in General Sessions Criminal Court Division 11 in August. A judge ruled Wednesday there is enough evidence to send the first-degree murder charge against him to a grand jury. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)

Eduard Tabora murder charge goes to grand jury: On Wednesday, Criminal Court Judge Karen Massey ruled that there is enough evidence to send the first-degree murder charge against Eduard Tabora in the July carjacking death of Rev. Autura Eason-Williams to the grand jury for possible indictment. Tabora is one of three people charged in the death of the district superintendent for the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference of the United Methodist Church. The other two suspects are juveniles, and District Attorney Steve Mulroy has said he’ll consider keeping the teen suspects in the juvenile system.

MEET MEMPHIS

University of Memphis lineman Jaylon Allen (22) sacks the North Texas quarterback during a Saturday, Sept. 24, game. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)

Memphis Tigers linebacker Jaylon Allen is a jack of all trades. Allen originally had hoped to play for Houston, his hometown. But he says Houston “didn’t want me.” So when the University of Memphis came calling with a scholarship offer, Allen took it. Since joining the team in 2018, Allen has lined up as a defensive end, an outside linebacker, an inside linebacker and a pass rush specialist. Allen said learning to operate in his hybrid role hasn’t been easy: “It’s been crazy; I’m not going to lie.”

THE NICE TO KNOW

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (left) celebrates a basket against the New York Knicks on Wednesday, Oct. 19. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

‘Best new show in the NBA’: The Memphis Grizzlies lived up to their new “Big Memphis” slogan when they beat the New York Knicks, 115-112, in overtime for the home opener at FedExForum Wednesday night. The team was carried by star point guard Ja Morant, who finished with 34 points, nine assists and four rebounds, marking the third season he’s scored more than 30 points in a home opener. The Daily Memphian’s Geoff Calkins called Morant “the best new show in the NBA right now.” Santi Aldama also made an impressive showing as a fill-in for injured forward Jaren Jackson Jr. Aldama said his family in Spain was so excited to watch that they stayed up until 4 a.m. (their time) to finish the game. While we’re talking about the Grizzlies and FedExForum, our own Tim Buckley has some thoughts about how Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland should prioritize funding for the proposed sports venue updates he announced on Tuesday.

Three of Cups Wine Bar has tentative plans to open in spring 2023 at 644 Madison Ave. (Courtesy cnct design)

Wine fund: Three of Cups Wine Bar (which I can’t stop calling “three cups of wine” bar) received a $30,000 retail improvement grant by the Center City Development Corp. on Wednesday. Owner Jake Smith said construction could begin in the coming weeks. Other grants approved by the CCDC on Wednesday include a grant for exterior and masonry work at 656 Madison Ave. (home of Memphis Medical District Collaborative) and a Good Neighbor grant to renovate the former Jazzy J’s Sports Bar on Jackson Avenue into a new restaurant.

Public housing refresh: Two Downtown public housing developments, Venson Center and Paul Borda Towers, may be getting makeovers as part of a $58 million redevelopment project through Louisiana-based Knight Development and Memphis Housing Authority. Both housing developments were built in 1972, and renovations will include updated HVAC systems, refurbished rooms, and updates to laundry facilities, picnic areas and more.

People waited in line at the Kroc Center to register for the Salvation Army Angel Tree program. (Brad Vest/Special to The Daily Memphian)

Silver Bells and Angels: Halloween isn’t even here yet, but I’ll try to let go of my disdain for the Christmas creep as I share two ways you can help Memphians in need this coming holiday season: Meritan Inc. is gearing up for its Silver Bells program, through which people and organizations fill holiday wish lists for senior citizens. And the Salvation Army is currently enrolling families, children and seniors with financial restrictions to be holiday gift recipients in its Angel Tree Project. The program allows donors to purchase gifts for people on the “Adopt an Angel” list.

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

The Metal Museum’s 44th annual Repair Days event — Memphians’ chance to have artisan metalsmiths repair metalwork — opens today and runs through Sunday. And Metal Museum shop cat Mr. Fuller is ready!

By the way, you can follow all of the adventures of the Metal Museum’s shop cats at @sleepyshopcats on Instagram. Have a cat-tastic day!

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