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It’s Monday again! And the Shelby County Commission will take up a proposal from County Mayor Lee Harris to shift $34 million from the stalled Cordova high school construction plan to a new Frayser high. The funding was approved by a committee last week, so now it goes to the full commission. 

For a look at what’s coming up, check out This Week in Memphis.

THE NEED TO KNOW

A rendering shows the proposed Live Nation music venue (left), which would be across from the Crosstown Concourse parking garage. Signage is for representation purposes and is not final. (Archimania/Courtesy Downtown Memphis Commission)

Face the music: Live Nation is planning a new 33,600-square-foot music venue just across the street from Crosstown Concourse, and it’s expected to hold 1,300 people and host about 100 shows per year. But other than that, details are vague, and neither Crosstown nor Live Nation is saying much. But other music fans and venue owners certainly are. Some, like Hi-Tone owner Brian “Skinny” McCabe, are worried the corporate entertainment giant will hurt his nearby music club, and others fear Live Nation, which is being sued by the U.S. government and at least 30 states over its alleged monopoly practices, will come with high ticket prices. But some say the mid-sized venue could mean more variety in touring bands stopping through.

Stanton Mayor Allan Sterbinsky, right, said his town remains enthusiastic about the BlueOval City. Haywood County Mayor David Livingston and Sterbinsky posed for a portrait at a fire station in BlueOval City in 2021. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)

Still truckin’? Ford’s BlueOval City was supposed to start assembling electric trucks at the new plant in Haywood County next year, but that’s been delayed until the second half of 2027. That hasn’t slowed development in the surrounding West Tennessee communities around BlueOval City though, and some even say the delay is a blessing. Stanton Mayor Allan Sterbinsky said Ford’s original timeline “scared me to death” because it didn’t give him time to set up protections for the nearby Hatchie River. “My motto is: Don’t touch the Hatchie,” he said. Still, auto industry experts say Ford’s delay is a symptom of Americans’ waning interest in EVs, especially as former President Donald Trump prepares to take office again.

“We are always interested in continuous improvement. I think we use this as a call to action to develop our own plan locally. And we invite DOJ to be a part of that,” said Memphis Mayor Paul Young. (Ziggy Mack/The Daily Memphian file)

What’s next after the DOJ report? The U.S. Justice Department’s scathing report on civil rights violations committed by the Memphis Police Department was released earlier this month, and the city immediately said it wouldn’t be entering into an agreement (called a consent decree) with the DOJ to correct the issues. The city cited the cost of such a decree as one of the reasons. But that doesn’t mean the city is ignoring the accusations. On WKNO-TV’s “Behind The Headlines,” Memphis Mayor Paul Young said he plans to establish a task force that would guide police reform. Also on BTH, Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy said it’s possible some of the allegations in the DOJ report could result in criminal prosecutions. 

QUOTED

“I just feel a tug to continue [Arrow Creative] somehow.”

— Kristina Tubinis, Arrow Creative artist
Nonprofit arts organization Arrow Creative is closing on Dec. 31, due to funding problems and other issues, and artists and customers of its retail store are lamenting the loss. But fans won’t have to say goodbye completely: The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art will absorb its retail store and arts programming. And Tubinis may buy some of Arrow’s maker equipment so artists can continue to access it.

THE NICE TO KNOW

From left: Bobby Rich III, Camille James and Derravia Rich stood outside Roxie’s Market in Uptown on Dec. 3. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)

Roxie’s stays rooted: The former Roxie’s Grocery in Uptown, best known for its burgers, closed last year. But the name lives on in a new Roxie’s that reopened in the space last month. At Roxie’s Market, run by Black Seeds Urban Farms and The Works Inc., the burgers have been replaced by kale, winter squash, carrots and other produce grown by local farmers and gardeners. “We couldn’t see this turn into a liquor store or a bodega …” said Bobby Rich, co-founder of Black Seeds. Burgers should be making a comeback soon, but they may be a little healthier than the ones offered in the old grocery.

The Parisian gnocchi at Limelight is made with a choux pastry base instead of potato. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)

Spotlight on Limelight: Germantown’s Limelight, which switches up its menu and decor with every season, is currently serving some of food writer Jennifer Chandler’s fall faves, including Parisian gnocchi that’s made from pastry rather than potatoes. In her What to Order column, Chandler samples that dish, as well as a seasonal onion dip and one of the “more original salmon dishes” she’s ever had. In other food news, the former Carrabba’s Italian Grill space that’s been sitting empty in the shadow of Clark Tower has new owners who are bringing upscale Mexican cuisine to East Memphis.

Memphis guard Colby Rogers celebrated a win against Clemson in overtime on Saturday, Dec. 14, in Clemson, South Carolina. (Mike Stewart/AP)

Tigers bounce back: The Memphis Tigers men’s basketball team redeemed themselves on Saturday in a 87-82 overtime win against No. 16 Clemson, thanks in part to a combined 45 points from guards Tyrese Hunter and Colby Rogers. That was after the Tigers’ embarrassing double-digit loss to Arkansas State last Sunday that was so bad Coach Penny Hardaway deleted all the game footage from his phone. It was worse luck for the women’s basketball team on Saturday though; they fell to Troy, 85-67. In Tigers football news, three defensive backs have announced their decisions to enter the NCAA transfer portal.

Santi Aldama’s scoring outburst in the third quarter blunted the Brooklyn Nets’ momentum on Friday, Dec. 13. (Brandon Dill/AP)

Good, bad weekend for Grizz: The weekend started out great for the Memphis Grizzlies, as they beat the Brooklyn Nets, 135-119, Friday night. Star Ja Morant finished with 28 points and 10 assists, which no doubt helped with the win. But it was also likely fueled by caffeine — and anger. Grizzlies wing Santi Aldama got super mad after an offensive foul call that he disagreed with, and the cuss words were flying. Later, teammate Jaren Jackson Jr. said Aldama’s anger might stem from all the espressos the Spanish player drinks. Some cuss words were probably flying in the locker room Sunday night, too, after the Grizz suffered a 116-110 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Grizzlies just couldn’t find their groove in a particularly bad first quarter that ended with a season-low 20 points. 

THIS WEEK’S WEATHER

Last weekend’s rains aren’t over yet, but at least it’s warmer for a couple of days. See more from our friends at MemphisWeather.net.

Have a great Monday! And if you want to save 20% off a subscription, get one now using the code EARLYWORDEVERYDAY.

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