The Early Word: Bad weather ain’t over yet, and Iisalo is just getting started
Good morning. It’s Friday, April 4, and Martin Luther King Jr. was killed in Memphis 57 years ago today. The National Civil Rights Museum will host its annual commemoration this evening.
Dance troupe the Hot Foot Honeys (starring The Daily Memphian’s very own Laura Testino) will perform tonight and Saturday at the Germantown Community Theatre. There’s also a weekend-long Tattoo Fest at the Renasant Convention Center if you’re itching for some fresh ink. (No ragrats, right?)
As for athletic stuff, my friend Melissa Bamford’s gym, Grit Group Fitness, is hosting a grand opening on Saturday, and the Pickleball 901 pop-up is, too. Make a day of it. You could also just watch other people be athletic from the comfort of your couch. The Memphis Grizzlies play the Detroit Pistons, and the Memphis Showboats play the DC Defenders, both on Saturday. For more things to do, check out The To-Do List.
The latest weather buzzword sounds more like what happened when the Baby Boomers were born. But the predicted “generational flooding” really just means “once-in-a-generation.” Who knows if we’ll see that much water here, but there’s a good chance for more flooding by the weekend’s end. The NWS had already recorded 6.63 inches of rain at Memphis International Airport, as of Thursday evening. The Wolf River is incredibly high, and on Thursday afternoon, Germantown officials said some drivers were stuck in their cars near flooded areas. Also, we may be in for more severe storms Saturday, too, so don’t let your guard down yet. Here’s a look at this weekend’s weather.
It’s about dang time, right? The Memphis Grizzlies won a close one, 110-108, over the Miami Heat on Thursday night, their first win since Coach Taylor Jenkins was fired one week ago today. They’d suffered four straight losses before last night. But star Ja Morant was back in fine form — actually, “villain” form as Morant might say. He landed the game-winning shot with under 14 seconds left in a tied game. It was the first official victory for interim coach Tuomas Iisalo, so the team gave their new leader an ice-cold celebration.
Plus, a panel floats ways to prevent another Edmund Ford Jr. situation, a Broad Avenue gift shop closes and an Overton Square bakery changes hands.
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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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