The Early Word: Can laser tag save Liberty? Plus, an arrest in Penny pinch
What’s up, Memphis? It’s Friday, Aug. 23, the city’s official Hollywood Raiford Day, when we remember the disco king behind the Downtown nightclub. Raiford died in 2017, but his legacy continues on the lighted dance floor. Ladies get in free tonight.
On Saturday, there’s a free drive-thru rabies and parvo vaccine clinic for dogs and cats at the Forestview Church of Christ. So, get your pup’s shots, and then treat your very good boy (or very good girl) to a very good time at Streetdog Foundation’s Woofstock party at Loflin Yard.
No pets? You could check out two barbecue contests this weekend; the Patio Porkers event is in Handy Park on Saturday, and the pork-free ASBEE World Kosher BBQ Contest and Festival is at the Baron Hirsch Congregation on Sunday.
Also on Saturday night, Black Lodge is hosting its last-ever party, frfr. After kind of quietly closing last weekend, they decided to come back and throw one final all-out rager. For more weekend fun, check out The To-Do List.
Okay, one last thing: If you want to attend the Memphis Tigers football season opener against North Alabama for free, you’ll want to get in on our ticket giveaway. It ends on Aug. 27. Good luck!
Earlier this month, the Memphis City Council approved long-term leases for apartments, a hotel and an entertainment chain called High 5 in Liberty Park. The latter would offer laser tag, bowling and ax-throwing. And Scott Emley, the company’s CEO, says it’ll be like the Chick-fil-A of entertainment, generating an anticipated $7 million in annual revenue. And that could be just what the city needs: Sales-tax growth under the Liberty Park Tourism Development Zone could help bail out the city’s bonds on the nearby Memphis Sports and Events Center. And there’s another Midtown development, planned a few miles away on Union Avenue, that could help under the TDZ, too. But it seems a fast-food joint — one that’s not named Chick-fil-A — is holding up that process.
Ronald Jones allegedly tried to walk a mile in Penny Hardaway’s shoes (or, rather, walk away with Hardaway’s shoes), but Jones was arrested on Thursday for theft of property. He’s charged with stealing 14 pairs of Nike shoes, estimated to have a total value of $2,100, from Hardaway’s Memphis Country Club home on Aug. 8.
Plus, one ex-cop in Tyre Nichols’ case takes a deal, Midtown’s crown jewel has a new queen and birria tacos are coming to Grizz games.
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Bianca Phillips
Bianca Phillips is a Northeast Arkansas native and longtime Memphian who’s worked in local journalism and PR for more than 20 years. In her days as a reporter, she covered everything from local government and crime to LGBTQ issues and the arts. She’s the author of “Cookin Crunk: Eatin’ Vegan in the Dirty South,” a cookbook of vegan Southern recipes.
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