Rise and grind, Memphis. It’s Friday the 13th, but in lieu of a night in with slasher films, you might want to get out to the Grind City Coffee Xpo pre-party at Cooper House Project. There will be coffee-infused beer. (Got to get up to get down, right?)

The actual expo, which offers unlimited coffee samples, is Saturday morning, so you’ll be sufficiently wired for the annual Silky Sullivan’s St. Patrick’s Day parade on Beale Street. That’s at 2 p.m., or you could go see the pretty flowers at the Mid-South Daffodil Show. There’s more on these events in The To-Do List. Or, you can listen to editorial director Mary Cashiola and me talk about stuff to do this weekend on the AM/DM podcast.

Saturday is also Pi Day (3/14), when math nerds and foodies unite. Find some places for sweet, savory and pizza pies in this week’s Table Talk. And on Sunday, the Oscars are here, and movie buff Chris Herrington has some predictions on who will win.

THE NEED TO KNOW

Wing Guru owner Billy Richmond pleaded nolo contendere before Judge Jennifer Mitchell on a reduced charge of theft over $60,000 and one count of tax fraud. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)

Wing man owes big bucks: Wing Guru owner and former Memphis Tigers star Billy Richmond will be placed on eight years of diversion after his plea to theft and tax fraud charges. And he must repay more than $335,000 in restitution. (Diversion is a legal process that helps a defendant avoid jail time, through probation or community service.) The charges, which were reduced, were related to Richmond’s restaurant, though his attorney contends a former employee was actually responsible. 

A voter cast their ballot at Riverside Missionary Baptist Church on Thursday, August 1, 2024. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)

Automatic wins: Four incumbent state legislators from Shelby County won reelection on Thursday without shaking any hands or kissing any babies. State Sen. Raumesh Akbari and state Reps. Jesse Chism, Larry Miller and Kevin Vaughan, were automatically reelected at the noon qualifying petition deadline for state and federal primaries since all four were unopposed. Here’s a look at all the rest of the state and federal candidates, who’ll have to wait for the August primaries. The primaries will also include suburban school-board races, and we’ve got a look at who’s running there, too.

The Holiday Inn Express remains unfinished nearly seven years after the Collierville Board of Mayor and Aldermen issued a development agreement in 2019. (Abigail Warren/The Daily Memphian)

Ghost hotel: A partially finished Holiday Inn near Carriage Crossing has been under construction since we were all singing “Old Town Road.” That was seven years ago, FYI, and town leaders are tired of the eyesore. Collierville’s town attorney sent a letter to the company behind the hotel earlier this month, demanding it address a number of issues to avoid a lawsuit. Among them: A request for a new inspection since “the building was left exposed for an extended time.”

MEET MEMPHIS

Lauran Stimac is the chair of Evans Petree’s litigation practice group. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

As a kid, Memphis lawyer Lauran Stimac asked her attorney father, Richard Glassman, to share stories of his court cases rather than read bedtime stories. And it was clear early on that she would follow in his footsteps: Stimac’s mom said she often brought “facts and logical suppositions” to arguments with her parents and often negotiated on behalf of her sisters. These days, she’s using those skills in her law practice at firm Evans Petree. And just last month, she won a major award for female attorneys.

THE NICE TO KNOW

San Diego Cantina is located in East Memphis next to Whole Foods and the Malco Paradiso. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)

Opening soon frfr? San Diego Cantina, the East Memphis restaurant that has mysteriously sat empty — with the lights on — for eight years, may finally be opening. Southaven-based restaurant chain El Agave is interested in the space, and owner Rafael Angel, who has been promising an opening for years, filed an occupancy permit for the site. Read more on that in Food Files, plus news of another Little Petals restaurant. In the $15 Deal, we tell you where to get chilaquiles but with fries instead of chips. (In other words, better chilaquiles.)

Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall handled the ball ahead of Memphis Grizzlies forward GG Jackson II in Memphis. (Brandon Dill/AP)

Grizz lose tank off: The Memphis Grizzlies lost last night’s game to the Dallas Mavericks, 120-112, but considering that both teams are in a race to the bottom, I’d say that’s a win for us, huh? The Mavs’ win, which ended up being a great game for their forward Khris Middleton, put the Grizzlies near the bottom in the reverse standings, one rung below the Mavs. It wasn’t a fair game anyway, with only eight Grizzlies available due to injury. 

Man of the hour: Memphis native Daniel Ridenhour has been chosen to lead Memphis FC, the new semipro team in the United Soccer League Two. Ridenhour played for Houston High and the Memphis Futbol Club as a kid and went on to coach at Winthrop, where he led the program to the NCAA Tournament several times. No word on whether Ridenhour will tell his players that “doing the right thing is never the wrong thing” (a la Ted Lasso), but that’s good advice for all of us, either way. 

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

A handful of Mid-Southern musicians will share the stage with Miles Caton and Raphael Saadiq on Sunday during their Oscars performance of “I Lied to You” from the “Sinners” soundtrack. Shoutout to Memphis’ Eric Gales, Pine Bluff’s Bobby Rush and Clarksdale’s Kingfish.

Have an excellent weekend! I’ll be out on Monday, and Chris Herrington will be waking up with you. See y’all Tuesday!

.....