Rub that sleep out of your eyes, friends. It’s Friday, April 25, and if you stayed up late for that tragic Memphis Grizzlies-Oklahoma City Thunder game, you might be feeling it physically — and emotionally — right now. (I know I am.)

Today, xAI finally has a public hearing for an air-emissions permit from the Shelby County Health Department for 15 of its natural-gas turbines. And you can watch Food Network host Guy Fieri go to Flavortown — aka Uncle Lou’s Fried Chicken — on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” 

If you’ve been feeling an itch to get outside, this weekend’s City Nature Challenge can help. Shelby County will be competing with places all over the world to see which area’s residents can document the most wildlife diversity. Read more here.

On Saturday afternoon, the Grizzlies get another go at the Oklahoma City Thunder in game four, and well, this one is make it or break it. If you just can’t bear to watch, the Memphis Tigers play their spring football game around the same time. For some artsier weekend ideas, check out The To-Do List.

THE NEED TO KNOW

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant took a hard fall in Thursday’s game three playoff against the Oklahoma City Thunder. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)

Ja falls and takes us all with him: The Memphis Grizzlies were absolutely killing it Thursday night — finally. They were taking down the Oklahoma City Thunder in game three of the playoffs. They’d built the lead to 29, and then it all came crashing down, starting with Ja Morant. Morant fell hard on his hip toward the end of the second quarter and exited the game after his free throws. He never returned (literally), and neither did his team (figuratively). The Thunder slowly drained that lead away for a 114-108 win, and at the same time, Grizzlies fans felt their joy melt away, too. It was so painful to watch, and our own Chris Herrington weighs whether it was the worst home playoff loss in Memphis Grizzlies history.

A University of Memphis professor looked into the potential impact of xAI’s natural-gas turbines. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)

How much is xAI polluting the air? Today, the Shelby County Health Department is hosting a public hearing on xAI’s natural-gas turbines, which the supercomputer facility has been using as a temporary power source. There’s been lots of concern from environmentalists and residents over potential pollution from those turbines. So, Memphis Mayor Paul Young asked a University of Memphis professor to, uh, mess around and find out just how bad that pollution could be. Chunrong Jia used info from xAI’s permit application to the health department. And while he admits he’s not sure how accurate his findings are, Jia said pollution from xAI may not be that bad.

Wall-to-wall screens connected to Downtown’s 63 AI-powered traffic cameras monitor activity in the Memphis Police Department’s new Downtown command center. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

Somebody’s watching you: The Memphis Police Department unveiled its new command center on Thursday, and all eyes are on Downtown. The new center has wall-to-wall screens connected to Downtown’s 63 AI-powered traffic cameras, which monitor what types of cars drive around the area and how fast they’re going. And lots more cameras are coming soon. The center is similar to the MPD’s Real-Time Crime Center, except the RTCC has camera feeds coming in from all over Memphis. The new center is strictly for Downtown.

MEET MEMPHIS

Todd Halford

The @bartlettpolice account on Instagram alternates between feel-good posts on officers doing work in the community to the silly, recurring Motorcop Monday series that asks questions like, “If a dog carries his leash, is he walking himself?” And every Wednesday and Saturday, there are new camel pics (Hump Day, natch) and cat pics (for Caturday!). The City of Bartlett’s Facebook page is just as wild. The at-times unhinged (in the best way) socials are headed up by Todd Halford, Bartlett’s chief communication officer. He got his start handling Facebook for the Bartlett Police Department in 2009, and in 2023, he became the city’s first CIO. And if you’ve ever wondered if all those camel and cat pics are effective, know that Halford has massively grown the city’s social-media following over the years.

THE NICE TO KNOW

711 Social will open in late May beside Boba Boba Life at 711 East Parkway. (Sophia Surrett/The Daily Memphian)

Late-night Chinese food: Ever get the late-night munchies at midnight and think, “Where can I score some Chinese food at this hour?” Until now, the options have been few, but a new place from the Petals of a Peony folks will soon have you covered. 711 Social is opening in the former DeeO’s Seafood at East Parkway and Central Avenue in Midtown. And they’ll be serving Chinese street food into the wee hours of the morning. Read more on that in Food Files. We’ve also got a tip on what’s rising in the old City Silo in East Memphis.

The fried chicken taco at El Mero Taco has a bright scatter of diced tomato and cilantro. (Joshua Carlucci/Special to The Daily Memphian)

South meets Mexico: If his $10 Deal columns are any indication, food writer Joshua Carlucci spends a lot of time at taco trucks on Summer Avenue. That’s where you’ll find the most authentic, Mexican tacos. But this week, Carlucci is veering off his beaten path to try some fusion tacos at El Mero Taco. There, he found a Southern Fried Chicken Taco and a Smoked Brisket Taco for just a buck over budget. Carlucci can be a tough critic, but he sings the praises of this non-traditional taco pairing. 

Brandon Flowers will lead The Killers on Saturday at Riverbeat Music Festival. (Amy Harris/Invision/AP file)

More Riverbeat guides: Yesterday, we told you about the Daily Memphian staff-produced guide to Friday at Riverbeat Music Festival, which is set for next weekend at Tom Lee Park. Now, guides for Saturday and Sunday are up, too. You can find them all in one place here. Do your music research and thank us later.

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

In honor of Bartlett CIO Todd Halford (see Meet Memphis above), here are few of the @bartlettpolice Instagram account’s greatest hits.

Later, gators! Hope your weekend is swell.

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