I hope you’re feeling fine on this Friday, Memphis. It’s Aug. 4, and the owners of North Memphis staple Roxie’s Grocery will be honored in a ceremony this morning. The couple is retiring and selling the shop. 

Also, the Ed Murphey Classic track meet starts today, and it’s bigger than ever (Beale Street pole vaulting is back, and there’s a new mile race on Beale, too.) Tonight, Friends of George’s — the local theater company that helped stop Tennessee’s drag ban — opens a new show, “The Drag Boat,” at Evergreen Theater.

Arkansas’ tax-free holiday runs from Saturday through Sunday, so if you still need to stock up on school supplies, take a trip over the bridge this weekend. Also on Saturday, there’s a “no boys allowed” picnic at Shelby Farms, and Planted Rock Vegan Festival will feature plant-based eats and live music at the Collage Dance Center. On Sunday, Streetdog Foundation celebrates 14 years with a western-themed dog party at Loflin Yard (git along, little doggies!).

THE NEED TO KNOW

Germantown city leaders and water experts answered questions from residents at a town hall at the Germantown Performing Arts Center on Thursday. (Abigail Warren/The Daily Memphian)

Fuel to the fire (or water, rather): In a town hall meeting on Thursday night, Germantown officials revealed that between 250 and 300 gallons of diesel fuel spilled into the city’s water system last month, leading to a “no-contact” water order that lasted more than a week. That’s nearly three times the 100 gallons originally reported. Officials also revealed the leak was caused by human error when an employee, who has since been terminated, was refueling the generator. Many residents at the meeting had words for officials over the city’s lack of communication since the spill was discovered.

On left, Cleotha Henderson, aka Abston, appeared in Judge Lee Coffee’s courtroom on Feb. 3. On right, Ezekiel Kelly appeared in court April 13. (Mark Weber, Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)

PD’s office backs out of Kelly, Henderson cases: The Shelby County Public Defender’s Office has recused itself from the capital murder cases of Ezekiel Kelly and Cleotha Henderson (aka Abston). Public defender Jennifer Case was the public defender for both cases. Kelly is charged in a September 2022 citywide shooting rampage that left three people dead and several injured, and Henderson is charged in the abduction and death of runner and school teacher Eliza Fletcher, also in September 2022. Case cited conflicts in both cases, and the men are now being represented by private defense attorneys.

Rep. Justin J. Pearson, left, won reelection to state House Distric 86 after being expelled from the General Assembly in April. (The Daily Memphian file)

Justins are back (officially): Democratic state Representative Justin J. Pearson easily won reelection on Thursday to the District 86 seat he was expelled from in April. Pearson had been serving in the seat after a reappointment by the Shelby County Commission, but the election makes it official. Pearson and state Rep. Justin Jones of Nashville were expelled for speaking on the House floor without being recognized as gun control advocates protested outside the House chambers. Jones was also re-elected on Thursday.

Memphis Police officers at the scene of a shooting at Margolin Hebrew School on Monday, July 31. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

Alleged Margolin shooter had tragic past: Margolin Hebrew Academy alumnus Joel Bowman, who has been charged in a Monday shooting outside the school, witnessed his father’s death as a child in 2003. In a lawsuit filed against the City of Memphis, Bowman’s mother, Susan Bowman, said she called 911 when her husband, Dr. Anthony J. Bowman, was having a mental health crisis. In the ensuing police response, her husband was fatally wounded by multiple gunshots. A friend of Joel Bowman’s said the event left him “sad and traumatized.”

MEET MEMPHIS

Annie Taylor, 94, sat on her front porch on Wednesday, Aug. 2. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

South Memphis resident Annie Taylor is 94 years old and has 19 children. Nineteen! She can name them all in order, but the math gets a little fuzzy when she starts counting grandchildren (54 is number she’s told) and great-grandchildren (around 124, she thinks). Taylor was born on a plantation in Mississippi and moved to Memphis with her first husband (she’s had three) in 1948. She has a French bulldog named Gangster, plays poker, loves cowboy movies and drinks wine. “They say it’s good for my blood,” said Taylor. In fact, she may just be the most interesting woman in Memphis, and our own Geoff Calkins offers a glimpse into her life and legacy.

THE NICE TO KNOW

Maria Tyszka plans to open Lucyja Hygge in a new location the first week of October. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)

New Hygge home: Midtown metaphysical supply shop Lucyja Hygge, which has been asked to vacate from its spot, will move near Overton Square. The shop’s current location in a historic home at 48 S. McLean Blvd. will be demolished to make way for an assisted living facility. When news broke that owner Maria Tyszka’s shop would have to close, developer Taylor Caruthers reached out and offered Tyszka a new spot at 2075 Madison Ave. in the same building as longtime shop Maggie’s Pharm. “We have use of the courtyard too, so we can offer free yoga there and other events,” said Tyszka.

Coach Penny Hardaway (left) has the opportunity to coach two of his sons, freshman Ashton (center) and senior Jayden. (The Daily Memphian files)

Basketball bonding: Half-brothers Jayden and Ashton Hardaway have spent most of their lives apart, one living on the East Coast and the other on the West. But this season, they’re together as Memphis Tigers, playing with their father, Penny Hardaway, as coach. The Hardaways are getting some much-needed sibling bonding time during the team’s Dominican Republic trip. So far, they’ve been golfing, horseback riding and they played in their first exhibition game on Wednesday. The Tigers lost that game to the Dominican Republic National Team, but it offered fans a chance to learn a few things about the new-look Tigers team. And it gave us a glimpse at Santo Domingo native David Jones, who played well for the opposing team but will join the Tigers next month.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant during an NBA playoff game against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 26. (Brandon Dill/AP file)

Reading between the lines of Ja’s new ink: As we shared in The Early Word yesterday, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant has fresh ink. Like, a lot of it. Morant got a new back piece from tattoo artist Andres Ortega that features logos of his high school and college teams, a Grizzlies logo and a tribute to the late Kobe Bryant. He got some new work on his chest, too. Problem is, Morant didn’t leave much room for anything else if, say, he goes to another team someday. As The Daily Memphian’s Chris Herrington points out, Morant is only 23, and his professional basketball journey has just begun. So what does this say about Morant? Herrington has thoughts. In other Grizz news, Desmond Bane gave us a toe update during his annual backpack giveaway.

The Black-Eyed Pea Sausage Biscuit (left) and Brekky Sando are vegan breakfast options at Lulu’s Cafe & Bakery. (Joshua Carlucci/Special to The Daily Memphian)

What to eat for brekky: It’s possible you’ve not yet had breakfast at the time of this reading, so we’ve got a hot tip for your first meal today. Get yourself to Lulu’s Cafe & Bakery on Poplar Avenue near East High School, and have my friends Stephanie Blanda and Don Gaines hook you up with their Brekky Sando (a vegan take on the traditional bacon, egg and cheese sandwich) or the Black-eyed Pea & Sausage Biscuit (pro tip: add the tomato jam). Both items will run you $10 or less, so that’s our $10 Deal for the week. And if you think you’re not into vegan food, you might think again after you read this review from food writer Joshua Carlucci. 

Meta’s $800 million Gallatin data center plans to buy power from a solar farm in Millington. (Courtesy TVA)

So Meta: A $140 million solar farm will soon be under construction in Millington, and much of the power it generates will be sold to a Meta Platforms Inc. data center. Meta is the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. Graceland Solar LLC will construct, own and operate the 150-megawatt solar facility, which is part of the Tennessee Valley Authority’s plan to add 10,000 megawatts of solar to its grid by 2035.

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

Downtown has 960 new parking spaces. The Downtown Mobility Center, which has been under construction for what feels like forever, finally opened on Thursday. It’s also home to a “bike hub” where cyclists can lock up their bikes, and retail is coming to the ground floor. I especially love the Eso Tolson mural that says “Aye ... you in Memphis, mane. Welcome!” 

I hope you have a relaxing and fun weekend. And don’t forget to stock up on tax-free items in Arkansas. 

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