Good morning, Memphis. Today is Friday, Aug. 7, and a familiar face is our new General Sessions Court Clerk, replacing outgoing clerk Ed Stanton. We’ve also got a new Shelby County Schools board member.

The Memphis Grizzlies will take on the Oklahoma City Thunder this afternoon at 3 p.m., and (though no one wants this) they could go 0-8 in the seeding games and still make it to a play-in scenario for the playoffs. If that makes you feel better. 

THE NEED TO KNOW

Former U.S. Ambassador to Japan Bill Hagerty spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference last October at the University of Memphis Holiday Inn. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian file)

Senate surprise? In what seemed to be a closely contested race, the former U.S. Ambassador to Japan defeated a Vanderbilt surgeon to become the Republican candidate for a U.S. Senate seat come November. Bill Hagerty got 51% of the statewide vote to Dr. Manny Sethi’s 39% and, in something of a surprise, will take on a Memphian in the general election: environmental activist Marquita Bradshaw. We’ve also got Gabby Salinas and John Gillespie and Steve Cohen and Charlotte Bergmann ready to square off in November. 

By the numbers: In this strange election year, with limited campaigning and victory parties on Facebook Live, more than 68% of the active voters voted early or absentee. And, if you are looking for complete election results, go here. 

Visitors practice social distancing at Overton Park. (Mark Weber/Daily Memphian file)

Our ongoing balancing act: I feel like this has been something of an unspoken (or rarely spoken) narrative, but the Health Department’s Dr. Bruce Randolph put it very plainly yesterday: “The virus … is going to be here for a while. Now let’s figure out how we can still live, function, in a safe and healthy manner but still enjoy life as fully as possible.” So, if you haven’t already, settle in, folks. This is it. Randolph also said yesterday that local leadership is relying on the public to make good decisions but that just because we are permitted to do things doesn’t mean that medical experts think that we should actually do them. Which, I guess, is in part how we ended up here. From his perspective, columnist Dan Conaway is wondering what we are thinking. 

MEET MEMPHIS, SORT OF

Rapper Skinny Finsta (submitted)

Based on the web traffic still going to this article, I suspect many of you have already been introduced to Skinny Finsta. But just in case not, Finsta is “a Memphis-minded emcee who’s among a crop of new artists who have a sonic infatuation with the lore of 1990s Bluff City street culture.” Finsta, whose name is actually Tassilo Treiber, is also from Germany. He and his best-friend-turned-manager used to fantasize about the day they could visit Memphis and Finsta did, in 2015. The visit inspired him to release his own music and, these days, the artist is signed to Universal Music Group and is a staple at German rap festivals. 

THE NICE TO KNOW

Talk the Walk: After hearing news earlier this week that Union Row, an ambitious mixed-use project slated for Union Avenue, would be renamed, you might have wondered why. The team behind the project now says Union Row was more like a temporary code name or a working title. (For those who thought Union Row might never come to fruition, uh, you’re right.) Now we have The Walk on Union, a name meant to elicit a walkable, urban community as well as one that embraces people from all walks of life. 

Termite swarms and a new CEO: Roughly seven months after the departure of Nik Varty, ServiceMaster has hired a new head executive. Incoming CEO Brett T. Ponton has a background that seems almost more suited to AutoZone than ServiceMaster, having held positions at American Driveline Systems and Heartland Automotive. ServiceMaster also reported its most recent quarter’s earnings yesterday, with growth in termite services due to a “strong termite swarm in certain markets” and in cleaning and disinfection services.

Memphis Tigers tight end Joey Magnifico (86) celebrated after scoring a touchdown at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in 2018. (Houston Cofield/Daily Memphian file)

The best seat in the house is a seat: The University of Memphis released a ticketing plan yesterday for its fall 2021 football season at the (reduced capacity) Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. Because the Health Department is requiring at least 12 feet between seated fans, the U of M won’t be able to accommodate all of its season ticket holders and is asking supporters to essentially trade their season tickets in for single-game tickets to at least one home game. The Daily Memphian’s Geoff Calkins called it “a bold request from the university. Especially at a time when money is short.” But he also asks, given the university’s economic situation right now, what else do you expect them to do?

Freddy’s in the works: The former site of a high-rise in East Memphis will soon be home to a frozen custard and steak burger franchise. Tim Heeren opened his first Freddy’s Frozen Custard location in the Memphis area during 2017, with a plan to eventually open eight to 10 local shops. Construction has started on the latest, at 4700 Poplar Ave., an address that used to be home to Meritan. 

WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

Can someone be Memphis and Millington simultaneously? 

I’m calling it a week, but I’ll be back Monday, bright and early. Hope to see you then! 

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