Happy Friday, friends. Today is Jan. 20, and there’s a free dental clinic for underserved and underinsured Memphians today (and tomorrow) at Bellevue Baptist Church.

Hernando residents can learn about the extension of high-speed Internet there at a meeting this morning. And The Daily Memphian will host a reader lunch at Dim Sum King (sorry, it’s sold out though). Later today, the Memphis-Shelby County Schools superintendent search committee will meet for the first time. And tonight, the Memphis Grizzlies play the Los Angeles Lakers (Will they break the franchise winning streak? Fingers crossed.)

On Saturday, photographer Aaron Turner’s exhibition opens at Tone, and there are Dolly Parton birthday parties (one features a Dolly dog costume contest!) at Wiseacre Brewing and Black Lodge. 

The Lunar New Year begins on Sunday, and Lisa Marie Presley’s public memorial service will be held on the front lawn at Graceland. Mid-day, the Memphis Tigers will play the Cincinnati Bearcats, and in the evening, the Memphis Grizzlies will play the Phoenix Suns.

THE NEED TO KNOW

Court was in session at the Shelby County Criminal Justice Center on Friday, Jan. 13. Some people get stuck in jail, but other people commit crimes and are back on the streets the next day. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

201 Poplar’s ‘revolving door’: A couple weeks back, first-degree murder suspect Gary Taylor was released from jail without bail due a process error. He was put back in custody a few days later. While Taylor’s release was due to error, The Daily Memphian’s Julia Baker reveals a number of other recent situations where suspects charged in violent crimes were released the day after being arrested (and some of those suspects committed more crimes after their release). “Unfortunately, city government plays no role in setting bonds ... Victims and public safety are not at the forefront of these decisions,” said Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland. He hopes that the new bail hearing room, which will become fully operational on Feb. 15, will help close that revolving door.

Cory Brady, principal with Integrated Land Solutions, shows concepts of proposed medical office buildings on Poplar Avenue. He held a neighborhood meeting Thursday to hear residents’ concerns. (Abigail Warren/The Daily Memphian)

Not in their neighborhood? Some Germantown citizens are riled up over conceptual plans for a proposed new medical office on Poplar Avenue. At a public meeting to introduce the plans on Thursday evening, some residents used expletives to express their concerns that ranged from everything to increased crime and decreased property values to drainage issues and mosquitoes. The proposed medical office, which would include a surgery center, would be on a site that was originally zoned residential.

Participants (left to right) DeJuan Parker, Charlotte Fields and Quintin Robinson take part in a collaborative conferencing session with Memphis-Shelby County Schools and one of its unions on Jan. 11. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

Teacher talks: Representatives from Memphis-Shelby County Schools and its two teachers’ unions have spent the past couple of weeks negotiating over various policies. One of the most contentious debates has centered around teachers’ salaries since the district’s current salary policies have led to pay inequities. While the salary issue is still being worked out, the district and unions have reached agreements on a new grievance process, dedicated bereavement days and employee contributions for health insurance.

MEET MEMPHIS

Jazmin Miller is the new executive director of Carpenter Art Garden. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)

Carpenter Art Garden, a one-block installation of after-school art-making and gardens in Binghampton, celebrated 10 years in 2022, and they’re starting 2023 with a new executive director — Jazmin Miller. Miller comes to the non-profit with years of experience in theater, both in production and leadership as the former theater director at Crosstown Arts. The daughter of retired Whitehaven physicians Logan and Rosemary Miller, she toured around the globe with her one-woman show, “Journey of Truth,” based on the life of Sojourner Truth, from 2010 to 2016. 

THE NICE TO KNOW

Izzy & Adam’s originally opened in September 2022, but due to the demand, owner Ryan Long said they had to close, restructure and reopen. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

You might want a pizza this: When Izzy & Adam’s opened on the outskirts of Bartlett in September, they were only open for one day. The Chicago-style pizzeria was so slammed that day that the owners decided to close and re-group. Our own Jennifer Biggs went early on, and everything that could go wrong in a dining experience went wrong. Izzy & Adam’s have apparently figured out their issues because Biggs has been hearing rave reviews. So she gathered her Chicago-style, pizza-loving family and tried again. This time, the story had a happy ending, and Biggs has a few suggestions on what you should order on your visit.

Memphis Tigers forward DeAndre Williams (left) makes a pass around the Wichita State defense on Thursday, Jan. 19. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

Fall back, claw back: The Memphis Tigers fell behind early in their game over the Wichita State Shockers on Thursday, but they bounced back to deliver an 88-78 win. The fall-back-and-then-claw-back approach has become a bit of a trend in this early stretch of American Athletic Conference play, but this game was a bit less dramatic than recent games that were decided by three points or fewer. Forward DeAndre Williams led the closing effort and finished the game with a new personal record of 29 points and 15 rebounds. Williams dedicated the game to former University of Memphis athletic trainer Chris Simmons, who died earlier this week. “I just had him on my mind the whole time, and I was just gonna go out there and give it my all the whole game,” Williams said.

The Blues Tent on the north end of Tom Lee Park before a past Beale Street Music Festival. (The Daily Memphian file)

Beale Street gets the Blues: The Beale Street Music Festival’s Blues Tent will actually be on Beale Street this year. The tent, which has long been a staple of the festival’s presence in Tom Lee Park, will be set up in Handy Park during the May 5-7 fest, and performances will be free. Festival organizers say that the move allows them to offer the blues lineup to a wider audience (But let’s be honest: the smaller footprint of the redesigned Tom Lee Park didn’t leave much room for the Blues Tent.)

The smoke-on-smoke Sam I Am sandwich, with smoked bacon, smoked turkey, smoked gouda and barbecue sauce is one of more than 30 sandwiches on the Young Avenue Deli menu. You can’t go wrong with chili-cheese fries as a side. (Chris Herrington/The Daily Memphian)

Fries with that? On a recent Sound Bites podcast, food writers Chris Herrington and Jennifer Biggs ranked their favorite French fries. Herrington’s favorite fries — the Young Avenue Deli’s self-proclaimed “award-winning, fresh, homemade” French fries — remind him of the fries he used to hand-cut while working at his grandparents’ catfish barn in Arkansas. Since they’re only $2.50, you can pair these fries with a sandwich for about $10, making this our $10 deal for the week. (No one asked me, but if they had, I’d say Slider Inn’s fries are numero uno.)

An overflow crowd attended Arlington’s inaugural Music on the Square in 2021 at The Crossings Amphitheater at Forrest Street Park. Arlington has delayed more new projects until a master plan is completed. (Greg Campbell/Special to The Daily Memphian file)

Big year for suburban parks: Three suburbs have either just completed or are developing master parks plans. State grant opportunities for park projects require that municipalities have an updated 10-year plan, and Arlington is wrapping up its first-ever plan later this month. Bartlett plans to start a new parks plan this year, and Lakeland finished developing its plan in 2022. The Daily Memphian’s Michael Waddell takes a look at proposed upcoming park projects, like an amphitheater and disc golf course in Bartlett’s Freeman Park and the new 100-acre Lakeland Athletic Complex.

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

Memphis’ own singer-songwriter star Julien Baker made the cover of Rolling Stone with her indie rock trio supergroup, boygenius (Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus). Boygenius was also featured in Variety this week. Congrats, Julien! (And now I’ve got this Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show song in my head.)

I wonder if she bought five copies for her mother. Anyway, have an awesome weekend! I’ll return on Monday. 

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