Happy hump day, Memphis! It’s Wednesday, Sept. 20, and the Shelby County Chancery Court lawsuit to stop construction on the new Memphis Brooks Museum of Art Downtown is in court today. That comes a day after big news about a free, public park planned for the museum’s rooftop (more below). 

Also, the EDGE board will consider a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes request for Medtronic and CEVA Logistics, which are jointly planning a new $133 million manufacturing facility in Memphis. And the Memphis Light, Gas and Water board will take up a number of changes to the utility’s human resources policy.

THE NEED TO KNOW

The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art’s new riverfront location will include a free-to-access rooftop park. (Credit: OLIN)

Future rooftop party spot? The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art revealed plans for a free, public rooftop park atop the museum’s new Downtown location. The park will offer 360-degree views of the Mississippi River, the Arkansas flood plain and the Memphis skyline. The new details for the rooftop park come amid pushback from Friends for Our Riverfront, which has filed a lawsuit to stop construction of the museum, claiming it violates uses of the public promenade set aside by the city’s founders more than 200 years ago. 

District 5 Memphis City Council candidate Meggan Kiel says rival contender Philip Spinosa is conducting a “smear” campaign by saying her signature on a 2020 letter calling for police reforms was a call to “defund” police. (Bill Dries/The Daily Memphian)

Open letter causes rift in council race: In 2020, Memphis City Council District 5 candidate Meggan Kiel signed an open letter on police priorities during the reaction to the death of George Floyd. Among the letter’s demands was a call to “reallocate funding from the police department to fund alternatives rooted in community health and crisis response.” Now, one of Kiel’s District 5 opponents, Philip Spinosa, is saying that means Kiel is in favor of defunding the police and that she “wants more criminals roaming the streets.” “It’s never been a call for taking away funds. It’s making sure the funds are in a place where the police can actually protect and serve our community,” Kiel said.

IP has completed the sale of its 50% interest in Ilim SA, the holding company for its Ilim joint venture. Ilim Group is Russia’s largest pulp and paper company. (Courtesy IP)

IP says bye to Russia: International Paper filed notice on Monday that it had divested all of its ownership interests in Ilim Group, Russia’s largest pulp and paper company. The Memphis-based company first announced in March 2022 it was considering selling its ownership interest in Ilim following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine the month prior. Now, Memphis’ three largest public companies — FedEx Corp., IP and Sylvamo have completely ceased operations in Russia.

MEET MEMPHIS

St. John’s forward David Jones reacted after St. John’s defeated Georgetown during an NCAA game on Sunday, Jan. 29, in New York. (Jessie Alcheh/AP file)

Memphis Tigers basketball transfer David Jones knew very little English when he moved from his home country in the Dominican Republic to attend Teays Valley Christian School in Scott Depot, West Virginia. But the language barrier didn’t matter on the basketball court. His former coach there, Ryan Arrowood, said Jones has “the fire and the drive.” Jones showed that drive as he led the Dominican Republic National Team to a victory over the Tigers during the team’s weeklong foreign tour this summer. Jones finally arrived on campus last week, and it looks like the Tigers’ basketball roster is almost set. One Memphis native, Curtis Givens III, is still deciding whether to play for the Tigers, and he’ll visit campus weekend.

THE NICE TO KNOW

The highest-profile new feature film at the Indie Memphis festival might be “May December,” featuring Natalie Portman (left) and Julianne Moore (right), a likely Oscars contender from director Todd Haynes. (Francois Duhame/Courtesy Netflix)

On the big screen: The 26th Indie Memphis Film Festival, scheduled for Oct. 24-29 at Crosstown Theater, will bring screenings of Oscars contender “May December,” director Todd Haynes’ film loosely based on the story of teacher Mary Kay Letourneau, who pleaded guilty in 1997 to two counts of felony second-degree rape of a child. Other highlights will include Augusta Palmer’s “The Blues Society” (a documentary about the Memphis Country Blues Festival) and “Going to Mars” (a portrait of poet/activist Nikki Giovanni), among other award-winning and acclaimed films. My personal favorite on the schedule: a screening of 1995’s “Friday,” featuring Ice Cube, as part of a slate of films showing in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. See more of the film line-up here.

Cafe India restaurant will serve authentic cuisines from the “North to South” and “East to West” of India, said co-owner Vineeth Sheelam. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

Dal that and more: Franklin, Tennessee-based Cafe India will open its first Memphis location next month at 3810 Hacks Cross Road with plans to serve regional dishes from all over India. “I want to break the ideology of Indian food just being curry,” said co-owner Vineeth Sheelam. The Memphis spot will be bigger than the original Franklin restaurant with plans for a buffet and a tandoor (clay-based oven). Anyone want to meet for dosa?

Moneybagg Yo performed at Beale Street Music Festival on May 1, 2022. The musician postponed his FedExForum show scheduled for Sept. 30. (The Daily Memphian file)

Moneybagg Yo postponed: Memphis-based rapper Moneybagg Yo’s Sept. 30 show at FedExForum has been postponed, and tickets will be refunded. FedExForum didn’t provide a reason for the postponement, but it follows a Sept. 7 shooting at a Lil Baby concert, during which one man was wounded. The venue assured that its October shows — AEW Wrestling, Kirk Franklin and Stevie Nicks — are scheduled to proceed as planned.

A rendering of the Tomorrow Building at 421 Monroe Ave. It will consist of 108 studio and one-bedroom units occupying six stories of new construction, as well as street-level retail space. (Courtesy FTC Development)

What to expect from Tomorrow: The developers behind the Tomorrow Building, a co-living space planned at the site of the historic Cycle Shop, say their 108 studio and one-bedroom apartments will be geared toward “knowledge workers, newcomers, empty nesters [and] graduate students” looking for fully furnished units with included utilities and flexible leases. (Is it just me, or does the name “Tomorrow Building” give an Epcot vibe?) Anyway, The Daily Memphian’s Rob Moore has more on that project in his “Inked” column, as well as an update on demolition of the old Memphis Police Crump Station precinct, the future site of the Union Station redevelopment (and a Whataburger).

Text for help: Beginning Oct. 1, DeSoto County residents can text 911 in emergencies. But don’t go thinking you should text 911 just because you hate talking on the phone. The new service is really designed for people in situations where calling may not be a safe option, like when you don’t want someone near you to know you’re calling for help. It will also be an easier option for the hearing impaired. “The goal is always [to] call if you can, text if you can’t,” said James Powell, director of E911. 

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

You might be talking about this later this morning if your commute takes you along Winchester Road west of South Houston Levee. That rotten egg smell? Memphis Light, Gas and Water says its nothing to worry about.

I hope your Wednesday is wonderful. See ya later.

.....