Good morning, and happy Make Up Your Own Holiday Day. That’s right: March 26 is the day when you get to come up with your own silly holiday. In Memphis, we might celebrate Barbecue Spaghetti Day or Pancho’s Remembrance Day. If you’ve got a fun idea, let us know in the comments. 

The Bartlett Board of Mayor and Aldermen will consider a special event permit today for a flashlight Easter egg hunt planned for Friday at Ellendale Baptist Church. You know, in case a regular daytime egg hunt doesn’t challenge you enough. 

THE NEED TO KNOW

Two Memphis police officers talked outside FedExForum before the first round of the NCAA Tournament on March 22. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)

Police up, Downtown crime down: Crime was significantly down in the 38103 ZIP code during last weekend’s NCAA Tournament at FedExForum. The Memphis Police Department stepped up security efforts for the event with bike officers and a higher presence on Beale Street, among other measures. The weekend prior to last weekend netted 95% more crime in the same area, and two of those previous weekend crimes were homicides. 

A court filing alleges Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Melissa Boyd has continued to use drugs and alcohol despite an impending hearing where her bond could be revoked for doing so. (Brad Vest/The Daily Memphian file)

Boyd fails another drug test: Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Melissa Boyd failed a second drug sceen on March 15, a violation of her bond conditions. Frederick Agee, district attorney for Tennessee’s 28th judicial district, will argue to have Boyd’s bond revoked on Wednesday. Boyd has been out on bail for charges of harassing and attempting to coerce her former campaign manager Lashanta Rudd into not testifying in an official proceeding. If her bond is revoked, she could be jailed again until her April 24 trial on those charges. Boyd had also been suspended from the bench for her alleged drug and alcohol use. 

Geronimo Kee appeared in Judge Christian Johnson’s courtroom on Monday, March 25. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

Kee has words for his judge: Geronimo Kee, the man accused of shooting a Memphis Police officer during a March 8 traffic stop, referred to the judge on his case and the Memphis Police Department as “tyrants” during his court hearing on Monday. He also gave the judge an interesting reason as to why his lawyer shouldn’t speak for him. Kee was supposed to hear the results of his mental evaluation at the hearing, but he refused to cooperate with the evaluation. The outburst on Monday was the second time Kee tried to argue with Judge Christian Johnson in court.

Southaven standoff ends in arrests: Lamottis Simms Jr., 19, and Franshawn Brown, 18, of Memphis are now in custody in DeSoto County after a police chase and shootout that ended with a standoff. Horn Lake police attempted to stop Simms and Brown for suspected auto burglary, which resulted in a chase. After the car hit a concrete median, Simms and Brown allegedly tried to flee on foot, and one of the men reportedly shot at officers. The two then allegedly barricaded themselves inside a Southaven warehouse.

MEET MEMPHIS

Rev. Dorothy Sanders Wells

When she’s ordained this summer, Rev. Dorothy Sanders Wells will become the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi’s first female and first Black bishop. The Mobile, Alabama, native spent the first 18 years of her career working in law, both in private practice and for FedEx Corp. But she felt a draw toward ministry and entered the seminary. Since 2013, Wells has served as rector at St. George’s Episcopal Church in Germantown, where she has utilized her leadership position to minister on racial reconciliation and inter-faith communication.

THE NICE TO KNOW

“Today, I don’t want to own [a restaurant], but I can never stop cooking,” Chef Tamra Patterson said. “Cooking is in my blood — it’s all I know to do.” (Ziggy Mack/Special to The Daily Memphian)

Chef Tam’s Supper Club: Memphis chef and Food Network star Tamra Patterson is taking over the kitchen at Downtown’s Supper Club on Second, which closed four months ago but is reopening this week. Patterson closed her restaurant, Chef Tam’s Underground Cafe, earlier this year, citing the stress of restaurant ownership. In her new gig, she’ll be in charge of the food without the burden of running the business. As for the menu, expect some Chef Tam favorites, like peach cobbler nachos and Tenniyaki wings (glazed in Tennessee whiskey and teriyaki). Patterson is also bringing a new dish that she describes as “nothing Memphis has ever seen.”

Local dignitaries attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Pine Hill golf course clubhouse on Monday, March 25, in Longview Heights. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

Here’s the tee: A new clubhouse, with plenty of glass and natural light, at the city’s Links at Pine Hill golf course opened on Monday. It’s part of a revamp of the course that first opened in 1932. The golf course closed in late 2021, and construction on the new course began early in 2022 with added man-made lakes, a playground, a basketball court and a community center. It will cost a little more for golfers to play now, but green fees are rising at all city courses. 

(Front from left to right) Sondra Khammavong, Quynh Tran, Karina Pham and Tieng Le stand with volunteers for Asian Night Market, which will take place at Tiger Lane and the Pipkin Building on Saturday, July 20. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

Too big for Crosstown: If you attended last year’s Asian Night Market at Crosstown Concourse, you know what max capacity feels like in the cavernous space. There were so many people, it was hard to move around, much less wait in long lines for food as vendors peddled authentic foods from Cambodia, China, Japan, Vietnam and other Asian countries. But the organizers of the highly popular food and culture fest found a venue that’s even bigger — Tiger Lane — for their July 20 event. And they’re trying another tactic to control the crowds at the formerly free event.

Memphis Grizzlies forward Lamar Stevens, front, drove past Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson on Monday, March 25, in Denver. (David Zalubowski/AP)

Another loss in Denver: The Memphis Grizzlies lost, 128-103, to the Denver Nuggets on Monday night, but at least the loss wasn’t as bad as the many suffered last March in the Mile High City. That’s when they lost Brandon Clarke, Ja Morant (the first time) and the game. On the bright side, the team’s 43rd different starting lineup of the season seems to have some future promise.

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

Not that you haven’t noticed already, but the part of spring where everything is yellow and you can’t breathe has arrived. Maybe the rain from last night will at least make your car look a little better today.

Have a good made-up holiday! Don’t forget to share your ideas below.

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