Good morning all you fungis and gals. It’s Friday, Nov. 3, and it’s my duty to tell you that the Memphis Mushroom Festival kicks off today at Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park. Because that’s what friends are spore, right? Okay, I’ll stop.

Also today, Sofia Coppola’s new Priscilla Presley biopic opens in Memphis theaters, and the Memphis Grizzlies — bless them — play the Portland Trailblazers in an away game.

On Saturday, Meddlesome Brewing Co. is hosting a race distance that nearly anyone can run with the Meddlesome Meandering 0.5K. And the Memphis Tigers celebrate homecoming with a match against South Florida. (Will it be another close win? Our sports writers say it doesn’t matter, so long as it’s a win.) And tonight, Acre cook Colleen Kohl will present her first tasting menu at Cameo’s “Fancy Dinner” series. 

Daylight saving time ends on Sunday, so remember to set those analog clocks back. And then get ready to cheese the day (sorry) at the annual Memphis Grilled Cheese Festival at the Hi-Tone. The Memphis Japan Festival brings traditional dance, music, food and martial arts to the Memphis Botanic Garden. And the Grizz will get another shot at the Trailblazers on Sunday night. 

THE NEED TO KNOW

Attorney Blake Ballin addressed the media outside of the Odell Horton Federal Building on Thursday, Nov. 2, after his client, Desmond Mills, pleaded guilty for his role in the death of Tyre Nichols. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)

Plea deals, new details in Nichols case: Desmond Mills, one of the five ex-Memphis Police officers accused in the death of Tyre Nichols, pleaded guilty in federal court to excessive force and witness tampering on Thursday, after previously pleading not guilty. He also agreed to plead guilty to state criminal charges of second-degree murder, among other charges, after his federal sentencing. Federal and state prosecutors have agreed to a sentence of 15 years, but U.S. District Judge Mark Norris will make the ultimate decision. The plea agreement revealed new details about Mills’ role in the beating, including descriptive details on how he used his baton on Nichols. Antonio Romanucci, an attorney for Tyre Nichols’ family, called the plea deal a key moment in American policing. In related news, Shelby County Criminal Court Judge James Jones Jr. ordered the public release of additional video, audio, personnel files and other documents related to the Nichols’ case, but it’s unclear when that will happen.

Hernandez Govan appeared in Judge Lee Coffee’s courtroom on Thursday, July 13. The Court of Appeals of Tennessee at Jackson has since ordered Lee to recuse himself from the case. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)

In other criminal justice news ... Hernandez Govan, a defendant in the killing of Memphis rapper Young Dolph, appeared in a different judge’s courtroom on Thursday, after the former judge on his case was ordered to recuse himself. In another crime story, a now-former IT employee for the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Department was charged with possession of child pornography. John Herring was hired by the sheriff’s office in 2010, and the material was allegedly discovered on a media storage drive at his workplace. 

A woman runs along the Mississippi River on Wednesday, October 26, 2022, in Greenbelt Park. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)

Rising costs don’t lift all boat docks: Greenbelt Park won’t be getting a new boat dock any time soon. The City of Memphis is scrapping its plans to install a dock there after the project ballooned to about $8 million. That means river cruise boats will have to keep tying off to trees on the riverbank, as they’ve been doing for years. The city is moving ahead with a dock expansion at Beale Street Landing, though. But bad news: Because of the renovations, the city will be without a cruise boat dock for months.

Advocates gathered for a rally at the Tennessee state capitol complex in Nashville to oppose a series of bills that targeted the LGBTQ+ community. (Jonathan Mattise/AP file)

Taking it to the top? The nation’s highest court is being asked to weigh in on Tennessee’s law banning gender-affirming care for minors. A federal district judge in Nashville had blocked the law before it was set to take effect in July, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit reversed that decision in September, allowing it to take effect. Now, three transgender teens, their families and a gender-affirming care provider are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case, marking the first time the court has been asked to weigh in on such a law.

QUOTED

Attorney Ben Crump has been retained by the family of Deion Byrd. Byrd died after being stabbed by another inmate while in a holding cell before a court appearance at 201 Poplar. (Seth Wenig/AP file)

“Being in jail is not a death sentence, but at 201 Poplar, nobody’s life is guaranteed.”

— Civil rights attorney Ben Crump
The family of Deion Byrd, who died after he was stabbed in the neck behind a courtroom at 201 Poplar, has retained Crump. Donnie Clay has been charged with first-degree murder in Byrd’s killing, but it’s still unclear how he got a knife into the courtroom. Crump is now representing five local families over deaths in police custody.

THE NICE TO KNOW

“We tell [inmate’s] stories and explore the hurdles society places in front of people after they pay their debt and try to get back on their feet,” said former television personality Marybeth Conley at the premiere of “Flip My Life” at Malco Paradiso. (Brad Vest/Special to The Daily Memphian)

On the flip side: Forget flipping houses; longtime Memphis TV personality Marybeth Conley is flipping lives. The former WREG host, who retired last year, premiered “Flip My Life,” the new web series she created with husband Rick Woodall, at Malco Paradiso last night. In the show, she and Woodall rebuild abandoned houses for former prison inmates from Memphis after they return to their communities. The backstory is a tale that could be straight out of “The Secret”: Conley thought of the idea years earlier and prayed to meet a contractor who could help make it happen. And then she reconnected with her high school crush, Woodall, in 2018. He just happened to be a contractor and a former inmate. (Who says you can’t manifest your dreams?)

Local on the Square closed in late October. Another restaurant is already slated for the Midtown Memphis space. (Mary Cashiola/The Daily Memphian)

Locally owned: Midtown’s Local on the Square closed at the end of October after a very unfortunate, um, larvae incident. (Google the video if you dare.) And now the owner of Downtown’s Local on Main Street — which contrary to popular belief is under different ownership than the Midtown Local was — has taken over the lease at the Overton Square space and plans to reopen it as Madison Tavern. Restaurateur Tim Quinn said he plans to give the space “more of a lodge-feeling and class it up a bit,” offering steaks, sandwiches and salads with a focus on local ingredients. As for the bugs-in-the-grub situation, well, Quinn said his Downtown Local has taken a hit despite no relation in ownership.

Memphis Tigers guard David Jones drove by LeMoyne-Owen’s Micah Evans (right) on Thursday, Nov. 2. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

Tigers win all around: The Memphis Tigers basketball team defeated LeMoyne-Owen College in their last exhibition match on Thursday night, but it wasn’t the smooth win fans witnessed in the previous preseason game last Sunday. Nope, this 104-63 win was sloppy with 19 turnovers, a lack of effort in the rebounding department and several points left on the board at the free-throw line. For the second game in a row, transfer wing David Jones was the star. The Tigers head into their regular season next week, and they’ll be without suspended head coach Penny Hardaway for three games. In other Tigers wins, the women’s soccer team is heading to the AAC final after defeating Charlotte, 2-0.

Clockwise from the top: Torre de Mariscos Gigante, empanada de cameron, tostada del pulpo and carne asada taco served at Mariscos Sinaloa. (Joshua Carlucci/Special to The Daily Memphian)

Fish story: They say you shouldn’t eat seafood in landlocked places. Food writer Joshua Carlucci grew up believing that but had his mind changed as an adult after notably tasty experiences in middle America. One of those experiences was right here in Memphis at Mariscos Sinaloa, “a rinky-dink, nautical-themed restaurant” (his words), on Summer Avenue. In this week’s $10 Deal, Carlucci offers a tip for sampling many things on the menu, which features everything from blue crab to octopus, while staying under budget.

Weekend listening: In this post-pandemic, hybrid-working world, many of us are looking for new remote places to work. In this week’s “Sound Bites,” our own Eric Barnes, Chris Herrington and Holly Whitfield share their favorite University-area cafes, Downtown hotel lobbies, Midtown coffee shops and other non-office settings for settling in with a laptop. Turns out a good remote work spot needs more than fast Wi-Fi. And on “The Sidebar,” Barnes talks to the “prime minister of pop culture” himself, Mike McCarthy, a Memphis Renaissance man if there ever was one.

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

The Memphis Grizzlies officially signed center Bismack Biyombo this week. He’s a 12-year veteran who protects the rim and comes with a strong rebounding resume. No word yet on when he’ll hit the court, but fans on X (formerly known as Twitter) are really hoping for a miracle. No pressure or anything!

Have a great weekend. I’ll see you Monday, on the first dark-at-5 p.m. work day of the season.

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