Mempops Opening Third Location in Collierville

Collierville residents will be getting a sweet treat soon, as Mempops has announced a new location at 3670 Houston Levee Road.

“We have been bringing the Mempops mobile fleet out to events and festivals in Collierville for years and people just kept asking us to open up a shop out here,” operations director J.C. Youngblood said in a release. “The timing was finally right and we couldn’t be more excited to expand our flavorful reach.”

This will be the third brick-and-mortar store in as many years for the popular gourmet ice pop maker.

While no grand opening date is set, plans are already underway to meet the demand for catering and special events requests, the release indicated.

“If you had asked me a few years ago if we would be opening our third store in three years, I would have said you were nuts,” said owner Chris Taylor, who founded Mempops in 2015. “We are incredibly grateful for the support and love we have received thus far. Let’s keep it going.”

– Patrick Lantrip

Children’s Museum Hosts Annual Fundraiser Feb. 3

The Children’s Museum of Memphis’ annual fundraising event – Cirque de CMOM – is coming up on Saturday, Feb. 3, at 7 p.m. at the museum.

This year’s event theme is Over the Top Under the Big Top and will highlight the restored 1909 Dentzel carousel.

Individual ticket prices are $150 and can be purchased online at CMOM.com. All proceeds benefit The Children’s Museum of Memphis, its exhibits and educational programs.

The event will include food, music, dancing and silent and online auctions.

For tickets to Cirque de CMOM or for more information, call the museum at 901-458-2678. Or go to cmom.com/cirque-du-cmom-2018 for a list of this year’s sponsors and more details.

– Don Wade

Explore Bike Share Names Operations Director

Explore Bike Share has named Rajah Brown as its operations director.

Brown comes to the post from creating programming for the Mayor’s Safe Summer Initiative and before that worked with Memphis Athletic Ministries for a decade.

With Brown’s hiring, a lead technician and four other bike technicians will be hired as the bike share program continues to staff up toward a spring opening.

Volunteers are also being recruited for the buildout of the bikes and stations to be placed in Orange Mound, Uptown, Midtown, Downtown, South Memphis and Binghampton.

– Bill Dries

Harris, Clemmons File Net Neutrality Bill

In the wake of the FCC’s recent vote to end net neutrality, state Sen. Lee Harris of Memphis and Rep. John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville, have introduced the “Tennessee Net Neutrality and Internet Consumer Protection Act” to enact and enforce net neutrality rules at the state level.

State legislators in at least four other states have introduced similar legislation in recent months.

Harris said the internet is almost a public utility in this day and age, and everyone deserves equal and open access to it.

“This move by the Trump administration hurts consumers, innovators, and our small businesses,” Harris said in a release. “The legislation we have filed will ensure that Tennessee stays on the path of creative entrepreneurship.”

Clemmons said the state law would “protect consumers, ensure equal access to information, foster opportunity for innovation, and ensure a level playing field for our startup community,” adding that a free and open internet “is crucial to growing our economy statewide.”

– Daily News staff

Grizzlies on Five-Game Home Winning Streak

The Memphis Grizzlies rallied to take down the Philadelphia 76ers 105-101 Monday night at FedExForum for their fifth straight victory at home.

The Grizzlies outscored the 76ers 31-18 in the fourth quarter.

Center Marc Gasol led Memphis with 19 points and guard Tyreke Evans had 18 points and eight assists. But the Grizzlies also received a huge spark from recently signed two-way player Myke Henry, who scored 12 points with four steals and hit 3-of-5 from long range. Guard Mario Chalmers finished with 17 points.

Henry made his NBA debut at New Orleans last weekend but missed the only shot he attempted. He went 4-of-8 from the floor overall against the 76ers.

“I just got a feel for the game and the results came,” Henry said of his performance Monday night.

The Grizzlies improved to 17-29 while the Sixers dropped to 22-21. Memphis scored a season-high 39 points off Philadelphia’s 24 turnovers.

The San Antonio Spurs play at Memphis at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 24.

– Don Wade

H&M to Open In Wolfchase Galleria

Fashion retailer H&M is planning to open its third Memphis-area location in Wolfchase Galleria.

Hennes and Mauritz Inc. says the 22,000-square-foot store will open this fall and will offer ladies’, men’s and teen fashions, as well as separate store-within-a-store sections for accessories. The Wolfchase Galleria location also will carry the H&M Kids collection for newborns to 14-year-olds.

“H&M has experienced a warm welcome from customers and fans in Tennessee and is happy to continue to expand its store and employee count in the state,” the company said in a statement.

The global retailer, which is based in Stockholm, Sweden, is known for selling high fashion at low prices.

H&M opened its first Memphis-area store in Carriage Crossing in 2015. That was followed by a location in Tanger Outlets Southaven the following year.

It currently operates 521 stores in the United States, employing a total of roughly 16,000 workers. It did not say how many employees the Wolfchase store would employ.

– Daily News staff

Diana Krall Plans Memphis Show

The Orpheum Theatre will present “An Evening with Diana Krall,” a concert set for June 30 at the performing venue at 203 S. Main St. featuring the pianist.

Krall’s Memphis stop on her “Turn Up The Quiet” world tour will feature material from her new album “Turn Up The Quiet,” which has earned praise from outlets such as People magazine and Mojo Magazine.

Tickets range from $62.50 to $118.

– Andy Meek

Hearing on Peabody Avenue Improvements Set Feb. 6

The city of Memphis will take public input on plans to make streetscape improvements along Peabody Avenue from Bellevue Boulevard to Cooper Street.

The hearing on Tuesday, Feb. 6, by the city engineering division is in advance of a resurfacing of Peabody in the summer financed with city capital funds.

The 6 p.m. public meeting at Idlewild Elementary School, 1950 Linden Ave., will include an overview of what the city plans to do, an opportunity for questions and answers, comments and an open house.

Engineering division staff will present and seek public input on proposed designs that include bike lanes and traffic calming configurations. The city will also present how Peabody could act as a critical piece of a longer corridor that effectively extends the Shelby Farms Greenline to Downtown.

The meeting’s agenda:

• 6-6:20 p.m., overview of presentation

• 6:20-6:30 p.m., facilitated Q&A

• 6:30-7 p.m., open house

– Bill Dries

Orgel, Caldwell Pull Petitions In School Board Races

Incumbent Shelby County Schools board members Billy Orgel and Chris Caldwell have pulled qualifying petitions to seek re-election to the nonpartisan positions in the August elections.

Caldwell faces a challenge in District 1 from Michael Scruggs, a motivational speaker, and Katherine Ayers, who have each pulled a petition for the race.

Orgel, in District 8, faces a challenge from Jerry Alan Cunningham.

Meanwhile, incumbent Republican state Rep. Mark White has pulled a petition for re-election to his District 83 seat.

The filing deadline for the August state and federal primaries and nonpartisan county races is at noon on April 5.

– Bill Dries