Good morning, sunshines! It’s Friday, Oct. 9, and Mempho Music Festival is here! Tonight brings EDM headliner Pretty Lights, who, in my opinion, is the best headliner in Mempho history. Plenty of others might say the same about Widespread Panic, which headlines Saturday and Sunday — though, if you’re going for that, wear your rain boots. Hurricane’s a comin’.

Mempho isn’t the only music fest battling rain this weekend. The all-new Memphis Jazz Festival runs all weekend with shows at multiple Downtown locations. If you’re going to get wet, you might as well be drinking, and Hampline, Flyway and Meddlesome breweries are hosting Oktoberfests this Saturday. (Nevermind that Oktoberfest in Germany is already over.)

It’s also a big weekend for sports. Friday brings the inaugural game of the Mid-South Monarchs, the region’s new hockey team. And on Saturday, the Memphis Tigers play rivals UAB in the Battle for the Bones. (Pack your poncho.)

For more weekend fun, check out The To-Do List. Or just listen to (or watch!) the Friday episode of The AM/DM.

THE NEED TO KNOW

The Memphis City Council held a special meeting Thursday to deal with unfinished business after ending Tuesday’s meeting early. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)

To be continued: The Memphis City Council passed a tentative set of zoning standards for data centers Thursday. That was during a special meeting called to finish their agenda from Tuesday, after a council meeting ended early amid protests when the council delayed — yet again — a one-year moratorium on new data centers. Some of those who protested inside council chambers Tuesday were sent letters banning them from Thursday’s meeting. As for the moratorium, it’s set to come up again later this month. And the council has at least four more planned discussions on what to do about data centers.

The Memphis-Shelby County Schools takeover board so far includes, from left to right, (top) Dedrick Brittenum Jr., Tyrone Burroughs, Dorsey Hopson, David Mansouri and Shanea McKinney, (bottom) Billy Orgel, Nisha Powers, Beverly Robertson and Karen Vogelsang. (The Daily Memphian file)

Seed money: Education nonprofit Seeding Success helped pay for the plan that will guide the takeover of Memphis-Shelby County Schools. Consulting firm MGT developed the plan, which could cost about $1 million over six months. That was revealed Thursday as the takeover board met for the first time since July, when it was paused — but not on purpose — by a federal judge. Board member Dedrick Brittenum pushed back on working with MGT and questioned whether the firm was hired through a proper procurement process. Meanwhile, just before the takeover board’s first meeting back, MSCS filed a new lawsuit to try and halt the takeover. 

Jail East cause of death released: Beverly Turnage, 43, died by suicide last month at Jail East. Turnage was found unresponsive in her cell on Sept. 12 and died shortly after in the hospital. The autopsy also found several drugs in her system, as well as underlying cardiovascular disease. 

QUOTED

Rendering of UTHSC’s new College of Medicine building on Madison Avenue and Dudley Street. (Courtesy UTHSC)

“Medicine has changed dramatically. ... This building recognizes that.”

— Ophelia Pilkinton, president of the Medical Student Executive Council at UTHSC
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center broke ground Thursday on a new $350 million College of Medicine Interdisciplinary Building. The building is expected to modernize the way medical students are taught and increase class sizes to address a physician shortage in Tennessee.

THE NICE TO KNOW

Demarcus Dickerson returned to the corner of Poplar Avenue and East Parkway to sell his drinks to drivers waiting at red lights on Thursday. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)

Water guy is back: If you need a feelgood story to restore your faith in humanity, here you go. After spending more than 20 hours in jail for “obstructing a highway or passageway,” Demarcus Dickerson was back to work selling cold drinks at his Midtown intersection early Thursday morning. Dickerson was arrested while selling drinks Wednesday, after someone called the police to complain. But it was clear Thursday the complainer was in the minority; Dickerson saw an outpouring of support from Memphis drivers, who wiped out his inventory by noon. 

HungryAF opened in early August at 3364 Poplar Ave. (Sophia Surrett/The Daily Memphian)

Hanger management: There’s a new lunch spot for when you’re hungry AF. In fact, that’s the name. HungryAF serves elevated takes on comfort food. Think oxtail grilled cheeses, strawberry Hennessy wings and salmon Phillies. Kimberly Jones started her food business out of her home during the pandemic after she was laid off. And she quickly went from having $80 to her name to making $10,000 in the first week. (Maybe I’m in the wrong business.) In other food news, this week’s $15 Deal is a massive meatball sub — made with homemade bread and family-recipe meatballs — that won’t break the bank. 

Cedric Coward, GG Jackson II and Jaylen Wells make up the Memphis Grizzlies young-wing trio. (Wes Hale, Rick Bowmer, Matt Rourke/The Daily Memphian, AP file)

Wing men: The Memphis Grizzlies’ wing problem may finally be solved. Over the past few seasons, the team has had solid guards and bigs (when they weren’t injured), but the wings were “swings and relative misses,” according to Chris Herrington. Now, with this newly rebuilt team, the homegrown wing trio of Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells and GG Jackson II offers more promise. For one, they comprise members of the NBA’s last three All-Rookie teams. And Herrington has a lot more to say to make his case.

After identifying potential breach conditions near Arkabutla Dam, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lowered water levels before it could initiate emergency repairs. (Courtesy Bill Snapp/Memphis District Corps of Engineers)

Dam straight(ish): A big portion of repairs on the Arkabutla Dam in North Mississippi are complete after a sinkhole was discovered in 2023. But there’s still a lot of work to go, and future funding isn’t guaranteed. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said crews have finished grouting in the part of the dam that controls and releases water. But efforts to lower the water level in the lake may be ongoing until 2034. That said, the lake is still open for business — though some recreation may be affected. 

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

Millington-born pop star Justin Timberlake made a public apology this week ... for beatboxing. Comedian Hannah Young cracked a joke about Timberlake’s ’N Sync-era beatboxing, and Timberlake posted the apology we didn’t know we needed in the comments. 

“Too many boots. Too many cats. I hope you can forgive me,” he said. LOL. Users on X had some thoughts.

And now I shall beatbox my way on out of here! Have a magical, music-filled weekend! And try to stay dry!

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