Malco Pulls $6.5M Permit For Downtown Theater

Downtown’s new movie theater is moving forward. Malco Theaters recently filed a $6.5 million building permit application for a seven-screen movie theater as part of the greater Central Station development spearheaded by Henry Turley Co. and Community Capital. The permit also lists a rooftop seating area and a new box office and bar in the existing Power House building as part of the project.

The Malco theater will be at 45 E. G.E. Patterson St., at the southeast corner of Front Street. The theater would incorporate the historic Power House structure with new construction. Vertical marquee signs are planned to light up the sides of the new building and the Power House column.

The theater is part of the greater $55 million redevelopment of Central Station, which includes a boutique hotel, apartments, restaurants, retail and significant infrastructure and landscaping improvements to the surrounding South Main area.

The project is expected to be completed in time for Elvis Week 2017.

– Madeline Faber

Another Memphis Tiger Announces Transfer

Coach Josh Pastner’s University of Memphis basketball team is down to eight scholarship players for next season after freshman Randall Broddie said on Twitter that he intends to transfer.

Broddie, a 6-foot-3 guard, did not even practice with the team this season, with Pastner saying Broddie needed to concentrate on his academics. Broddie’s announcement followed junior guard Avery Woodson’s, also on Twitter, that he planned to transfer. Woodson was an important part of the team, leading the team in 3-point shooting.

The number of scholarship players could still drop, too, because signee Charlie Moore was recruited by former Tigers assistant Damon Stoudamire (now head coach at Pacific). Moore has not said directly, publicly, that he will still come to Memphis although media reports have his high school coach confirming Moore is still planning to play for the Tigers.

Also, freshman forward Dedric Lawson is exploring his potential NBA opportunities over the next few weeks. If Lawson does not return, Memphis will be absent its top five scorers from this past season. The top scoring returnee would be Dedric’s brother, K.J., who as a freshman averaged 8.8 points in 10 games before being injured.

– Don Wade

Memphis Meteorologist Scores Digital Seal

Meteorologist Erik Proseus, the proprietor of the independent MemphisWeather.net, has been awarded the Digital Seal of Approval by the National Weather Association.

Similar to the television broadcaster Seal of Approval, the Digital Seal is awarded to meteorologists who provide content via digital means instead of through an over-the-air broadcast.

In order to be awarded the Digital Seal, applicants must complete all steps in a process that includes acceptance into the application process by the NWA executive director, passing a 100-question exam covering all aspects of meteorology with a score of at least 80 percent, receiving high marks on a series of blog posts or multimedia webcast submissions by an expert panel, and receiving final approval of the NWA president. A digital seal panel also evaluates applicants’ blog or webcast content on communication skills, use of graphics, meteorological competency, flow of presentation, use of terminology, and a feature – educational or editorial – article.

– Andy Meek

Graceland Offering ‘Scouts Rock Day’

There isn’t a Elvis merit badge for Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts.

But scouts can get an Elvis sticker and patch Saturday, April 2, during the 10th annual Scouts Rock at Graceland Day.

The paid event at Graceland includes Cub Scouts and Brownies.

And the activities count toward eight merit badge requirements, including horsemanship, forestry and photography.

Rangers from Tennessee state parks will be part of the activities in Graceland Plaza. The scouts will also vote at a polling booth for their favorite Elvis song.

Scouts Rock at Graceland Day also features taekwondo and robotics demonstrations.

More information on the schedule of events is at graceland.com.

– Bill Dries

Rotary Club Launches ‘Rotar-e’ Memberships

The Rotary Club of Memphis has introduced a new membership option aimed at individuals who want to be a Rotarian but can’t attend regular meetings.

Called Rotar-e, the new option combines an online membership with many of the benefits of traditional club meetings and service opportunities. Ten lunch meetings are covered, with the option to attend more often as schedules allow, and the club plans to begin streaming many of its luncheon speakers online as a way for new members to stay connected.

One thing that isn’t changing: the community service component. Both traditional and Rotar-e members take part in the club’s service projects in varied areas of interest.

“Our traditional membership is still the membership option of choice for the majority; however, we know that other individuals would benefit from a slightly less structured system,” said Betty Sue McGarvey, president of the Memphis club, in a statement. “We also know that the more Rotarians we have, the better we can serve our community and the more professional connections we can build.”

For more information on Rotar-e memberships, contact Taylor Hughes at taylor@memphisrotary.org or 901-526-1318.

– Kate Simone

BB King’s Lands Spot On List Of Hottest Restaurants

B.B. King’s Blues Club Memphis has been named one of the Top 100 Hottest Restaurants in America for 2016 by OpenTable.

The list, according to OpenTable chief dining officer Caroline Potter, is generated from more than 5 million restaurant reviews collected from verified OpenTable diners between March 2015 and the end of February. Restaurants were sorted according to a score calculated from each restaurant’s average rating in the “hot spot” category, she said.

OpenTable, a leading provider of online restaurant reservations, seats more than 17 million diners per month via online bookings across more than 33,000 restaurants. Beale Street Blues Co. president Tommy Peters, whose company owns and operates B.B. King’s, called the restaurant’s inclusion on the list “a tremendous honor.”

– Andy Meek

Obama Commutes Sentences Of Two Memphis Men

Six people from Tennessee and Kentucky, including two Memphis men, are among the 61 prisoners who had their sentences commuted by President Barack Obama on Wednesday.

All six were drug dealers who were sentenced to serve anywhere from 16 years to life in prison. Four are scheduled to be released on July 28.

Nathan Carter of Memphis was serving a life sentence in prison. He was convicted on two counts of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. One count involved 121 grams of the cocaine, and the other amount was 65.8 grams of the drug.

Robert Anthony Anderson of Louisville was serving a life sentence for his involvement in a cocaine distribution ring.

The others include Eric Smith of Memphis, Lamont Durville Glass of Knoxville, Robin Evette Shoulders of Louisville and Michael Yandal of Murray.

– The Associated Press

School Board Votes to Close Memphis Career High School

The Shelby County Schools board has voted to close one school and potentially close another.

The board voted unanimously Tuesday to close the Memphis Health Careers Academy at the end of the school year.

Superintendent Dorsey Hopson last week said the school, which has 74 students and about 20 staff, is underutilized. He says just three students last year received a work certification through the program.

The board also voted to revoke the charter of the New Consortium of Law and Business. Among other accusations, officials say the school missed retirement payments, didn’t file financial reports and falsely reported that students were still in the school after they transferred.

Tommie Henderson, the school’s executive director, has denied the accusations and says he planned to appeal the revocation.

– The Associated Press