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JESSE DAVIS Editor SHARA CLARK Managing Editor JACKSON BAKER, BRUCE VANWYNGARDEN Senior Editors TOBY SELLS Associate Editor CHRIS MCCOY Film and TV Editor ALEX GREENE Music Editor SAMUEL X. CICCI, MICHAEL DONAHUE, JON W. SPARKS Staff Writers ABIGAIL MORICI Copy Editor, Calendar Editor LORNA FIELD, RANDY HASPEL, RICHARD MURFF, FRANK MURTAUGH, MEGHAN STUTHARD Contributing Columnists AIMEE STIEGEMEYER, SHARON BROWN Grizzlies Reporters ANDREA FENISE Fashion Editor KENNETH NEILL Founding Publisher
Another crackpot conspiracy theory has entered the fray. Last week, the right-wing rag Washington Free Beacon took some liberties and a giant leap of logic, reporting that President Joe Biden’s administration will be handing out free crack pipes as part of a $30 million health grant package. Before long, the headline — “Biden Admin To Fund Crack Pipe Distribution To Advance ‘Racial Equity’” — was out. The article was shared hither and yon, with at least one local news organization repeating it. Prominent Republican politicians lost no time getting in on the game, with Tennessee’s senior senator, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, releasing a video claiming that the Biden administration planned to set up vending machines to distribute crack pipes. You know, because why not bypass marijuana decriminalization and go straight for crack pipe distribution? Around the same time, The Daily Beast reported that the claim was false. A spokesperson from the Department of Health and Human Services was interviewed, but they never said that crack pipes were part of the package. In fact, what the spokesperson did say was that PHOTO: SYDA PRODUCTIONS | DREAMSTIME.COM “all kits must comply with the law.” The kits in question are, it’s true, smoking kits. They’re part of a measure to reduce the risk to those addicted to illicit substances, in what’s usually termed harm reduction. “Safe smoking kits have been identified to reduce the spread of disease,” reads the report, and to that end, the kits would include things like brass screens, rubber mouthguards, and disinfectant wipes. The grant package also includes funding for things like screening for diseases such as HIV, syringe and medicine disposal, safe sex kits, wound care, overdose reversal drugs, and community outreach. In other words, there are no vending machines distributing free crack pipes, and nobody’s getting high off of anything paid for by this package. The HHS and the White House denied the crackpot crack pipe claim. The email exchange with the Washington Free Beacon reporter was turned over to the reporter from The Daily Beast, and there was no mention of crack pipes. Various fact checkers weighed in as well. By that point, of course, the damage was done. I doubt that “crack pipe vending machines” will ever leave the talking-point toolbox of far-right politicians. It’s a specter that will haunt any conversation about harm reduction in the future, like microchips in vaccines, former President Obama’s birth certificate, and ritualistic Satanic abuse. You almost can’t blame them. It really is the perfect right-wing talking point, especially with the “racial equity” phrase in that initial headline. “Look what critical race theory leads to,” I can imagine some self-professed conservative talking head saying. “Right to crack pipe vending machines. And they’ll put them in your neighborhood.” It’s just the right mix of racism, classism, moral outrage, and fear mongering. The best thing about it? Since it was never going to happen anyway, it’s a perfect thing to campaign on. As the aforementioned vending machines will never materialize, that’s one campaign promise anyone can keep. I’m not sure what pains me more, that a new bogeyman has been added to the rightwing arsenal or that serious public relations damage has no doubt been done to the legitimate need for harm reduction measures. Probably the latter. If the past two years have made anything clear, it’s that any community is only as healthy as its least-cared-for members. Meaning it’s really in everyone’s best interest to help take care of the people who are suffering. Of course, I make these points, as I N E WS & O P I N I O N often do, because I hope they’ll reach some THE FLY-BY - 4 conservative-minded neighbor or family NY TIMES CROSSWORD - 6 member, someone who cares about the SPORTS - 8 bottom line, who wants to know what’s in it AT LARGE - 9 COVER STORY for them. But really, I just think it’s the right “THE SOULSVILLE TIF” thing to do. To work to reduce the suffering BY JACKSON BAKER - 10 of our fellow human beings — isn’t that a noWE RECOMMEND - 14 ble calling? A worthwhile use of resources? MUSIC - 15 Oh well. That’s probably enough of my CALENDAR - 16 crackpot theories. FOOD - 19 FILM - 20 Jesse Davis C LAS S I F I E D S - 22 jesse@memphisflyer.com
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As his team played the University of Memphis, a University of Houston fan held aloft a sign reading, basically, “the chances of [Young] Dolph making new music are better than Memphis’ chances of making the tourney.” The sign was taken, and other Houston fans said his actions don’t reflect the team nor the fan base.
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Questions, Answers + Attitude Edited by Toby Sells
ENVIRONMENT B y To b y S e l l s
Charged Up Tennessee electric vehicle charging network gets $88 million jolt. Charging stations for electric vehicles are headed to gas stations, food stores, and truck stops across Tennessee thanks, in part, to $88.3 million from the federal government. The state will get more than $13 million in the current fiscal year to begin the program, part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) announced last week by the U.S. Department of Energy. The rest of the funds will be delivered over the next five years. Tennessee’s share of the funds is part of a larger, $7.5 billion effort from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to build a nationwide system of charging stations. The move is hoped to make electric vehicles reliable for short- and PHOTO: CHUTTERSNAP | UNSPLASH long-distance trips. A new network of charging locations is hoped to grow electric vehicle sales. “For too long, Tennessee has had unreliable and inconsistent charging facilities along its roads and highways, offer charging in “communities where most residents cannot inconveniencing drivers and putting a drag on our regional reliably charge their electric vehicles overnight” and that they economy,” U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Memphis) said in a are more suited for quick-stop charging that may not require a statement. “These overdue investments will strengthen our complete fill-up. state’s critical infrastructure — paving the way for cleaner, “Our industry understands that electric vehicle drivers easier driving and supporting good-paying union jobs.” will expect their driving and refueling experience to be as The country’s current system now has a network of about safe, seamless, and predictable as it is today,” reads a joint 100,000 charging stations. The Biden administration’s goal statement from NATSO and SIGMA. “There is no ‘range with the new funding is to expand that network to 500,000 anxiety’ today for drivers of gas-powered vehicles. That is chargers. achievable for electric vehicles as well.” The new money directs states to work with the private The new network is hoped to help grow electric vehicle sector to build this network. This is “best achieved by sales in the U.S. to 50 percent of the entire automobile market harnessing the existing nationwide network of refueling by 2030. locations,” according to lobbyists for refueling stations. The “The U.S. market share of plug-in electric vehicle sales bill gives priority for charging stations at “travel centers, is only one-third the size of the Chinese [electric vehicle] food retailers, and convenience stores,” according to the market,” reads a statement from the White House. “The National Association of Truck Stop Operators (NATSO) and president believes that must change.” the Society of Independent Gasoline Marketers of America Last year, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) launched (SIGMA). The bill will not allow other companies to install the National Electric Highway Coalition to bolster the electric charging stations, and states cannot install them at rest areas. charging network across its service area and into other states. The truck stop organization says its existing network That coalition has grown to 14 other energy providers across offers convenience, amenities, security, food, and competitive 29 states and the District of Columbia. This push is hoped to and transparent pricing, all usually less than a mile from an install a network of fast-charging stations across these areas, interstate. Gas station advocates say their stores will be able to with stations located less than 100 miles from each other.
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The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Friday, November 16, 2018
Edited by Will Shortz
Crossword ACROSS 1 Bitter end? 5 Many a line from Benjamin Franklin 10 Fool, in British slang 14 Numerical prefix 15 First name in rap history 16 Look (for), as a compliment 17 Question after “Hey!” 20 Bathroom or beach supply 21 Eye intently 22 “Awake in the Dark” author 23 Mic holders 26 Soccer superstar Lionel 27 Gutenberg’s Bible, e.g. 28 Workers, dismissively 30 Jean who wrote “Wide Sargasso Sea”
31 [Don’t you think 47 Provider of a you’re milking it a traveler’s check, bit too much?] for short 32 Enid who wrote “National Velvet” 34 ___ milk 35 Checker of someone’s vitals
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49 Item suggested visually by the black squares in this puzzle’s grid
36 2008 presidential 52 Like many an ESPN Deportes campaign topic watcher 37 Name associated 55 Full-bodied with chicken 38 Unwavering
59 Redress
39 Takes off
60 Reduplicative dance name
40 Focus of Boyle’s law
43 Fortune 500 company whose products have a trademarked green-and-yellow color scheme 44 Capital of South Sudan 45 Hertfordshire neighbor
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25 Seafood known for its sweet taste and delicate texture 28 Peeled 29 Group running together
33 Many profs 42 ___ Kyle, Catwoman’s alter ego 44 Go on and on 46 Places for pedestrians to be alert, informally
52 The International Space Station, e.g. 53 DuVernay who directed “A Wrinkle in Time” 54 ___ Baker (British clothing retailer)
48 Drink with a straw
56 Italian cardinal
50 Sez
57 Bummed
51 Some wares in a china shop
58 ___ time
12 Simple
32 Tender
13 “In other words …”
Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 7,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year). Read about and comment on each puzzle: nytimes.com/wordplay.
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Grow Lights Lit TVA clarifies cannabis question in Mississippi.
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10 Big name in pharmaceuticals
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61 Impressively tough, slangily 41 Relative of philia and agape, to the 62 Marched Greeks
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE F B I L A B
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C A N N A B E AT B y To b y S e l l s
This project is funded under a Grant Contract with the State of Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) clarified last week that it will continue to provide electricity to customers in Mississippi, even if they’re growing cannabis. Mississippi voters approved a medical marijuana program for the state in a ballot initiative in 2020. A court ruling threatened to overturn the will of the voters last year, but Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves signed the bill into law earlier this month with restrictions that limited amounts of cannabis patients could buy. Days after Reeves signed the bill, TVA issued a statement saying it would not “direct any federal resources or funds to the cultivation and/or distribution of marijuana” in states where such activities were illegal. Later, TVA asked the federal government for guidance on delivering power to cannabis companies, according to Tupelo’s Daily Journal newspaper. Cannabis remains illegal on the federal level, listed on the government’s Schedule I category along with heroin, peyote, and meth. The utility said it wanted to ensure it was not breaking a federal law by supplying power to cannabis growers. But TVA officials said last week the company has an obligation to deliver the power. “We want to be clear about TVA’s position on the implications to our energy service to Mississippi customers: TVA has an obligation to serve our customers with safe, reliable, low-cost energy and we will continue to do so,” reads the statement. “There will be no interruption in service because of this newly signed law.
PHOTO: ADD WEED | UNSPLASH
TVA will continue its services in North Mississippi. “The broader issue is a complex one and represents a conflict between state and federal law. We are looking to the appropriate federal agencies for further clarification and have requested additional guidance. “Our service to our customers remains unchanged and we will continue to carry out our mission.” Confusion over TVA’s response and clarification was loud enough to merit a statement from Brandon Presley, Mississippi’s public service commissioner. “TVA’s statement has already caused some medical marijuana facilities to look at other areas of the state and therefore possibly denying North Mississippians the benefits of the newly passed medical marijuana program,” Presley said in a statement posted to Twitter Thursday. “It is a long-held principle in state law that electric utilities have an obligation to serve customers without discrimination. “A licensed medical marijuana facility under Mississippi law is no different. It is my position that any licensed medical marijuana facility should be served with electricity upon application and request. “Once power is delivered by the TVA to a local utility, TVA’s oversight ends, and controlling state law and Public Service Commission statutes ensure that these facilities should be served with electricity like any other licensed business.”
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arely does a single game right. Hardaway sent 11 players to the change a college basketfloor in the first half against Houston. (The ball season, much less one Cougars led by three points at halftime.) played in mid-February. But But over the game’s final 20 minutes, he this may well have happened last Saturstuck with his starting unit: the big three, day, when the Memphis Tigers upset the plus Alex Lomax and Lester Quinones. 6th-ranked Houston Cougars in Texas. Among reserves, only senior Tyler Harris In ending Houston’s 37-game(!) winning played as many as 11 minutes. Depth is streak at the Fertitta Center, Memphis overrated in college basketball. There are earned its first road win over a top-10 team four media time-outs every half. Players in 17 years and its second over the country’s get “breathers” every time someone takes 6th-ranked team this season. (Alabama a free throw. Hardaway has finally landed occupied that ranking when the Tigers on the starting five that appears capable of beat them at FedExForum in December.) winning big games in March. It’s the playFor a program that hadn’t beaten a top-10 ers’ responsibility to avoid foul trouble and team since 2014, the 2021-22 campaign has the coach’s responsibility to play them every gained a measure of significance, but a reminute he can. turn to the NCAA tournament remains the • Free throws win games. Memphis fans goal. Getting there would end an eight-year didn’t need Saturday’s win to learn this lesdrought and would change the trajectory son. It was delivered like a kick in the crotch of Penny Hardaway’s still-young college near the end of the 2008 NCAA championcoaching career. The Tigers ship. Memphis teams have took a significant stride not been known for hitting toward a Big Dance ticket free throws consistently, or by beating Houston. in big moments. This year’s Three truths we discovsquad entered the Houston ered in Saturday’s win: game shooting 66 percent • The Tigers have a “Big from the foul line … 321st Three.” NBA championships in the country. (Houston tend to be won by teams was 320th.) When Williams with headline trios. Think was fouled on a heave as recently of the Miami Heat the shot-clock expired with (LeBron James, Dwyane 1:35 left in Saturday’s game, Wade, and Chris Bosh) or the Tigers led by only three the Golden State Warriors points (56-53). Williams PHOTO: LARRY KUZNIEWSKI (Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, made his three free throws, Landers Nolley and Klay Thompson). The and the Tigers, as a team, Tigers’ victory at Houston connected on 10 more — established the team’s prime players, once without a miss — over the game’s final 90 and for all, as Landers Nolley, DeAndre seconds to make the final score (69-59) Williams, and Jalen Duren. After misslook like an easy victory. They’re called ing four recent games with a knee injury, “free” for a reason. Nolley returned to the starting lineup for Much remains to be gained in a season the first time since late December and led suddenly captivating for longtime Tiger Memphis with 20 points, hitting four of five fans. A pair of road games this week — at three-point attempts. (It’s a good time to Cincinnati Tuesday and at SMU Sunday remember Nolley was a first-team all-con— could go either way, and a pair of losses ference selection after the 2020-21 season.) would toss Memphis back on the infaAfter missing six recent games with a back mous “bubble” when it comes to NCAA injury, Williams looked healthy against tournament consideration. But a pair of Houston, scoring 13 points with four assists wins, then strong showings at home to end and three steals. Then there’s Duren, the the regular season could make the AAC team’s star freshman and the American tournament not so critical for the Tigers’ Athletic Conference’s top rebounder and chances at an at-large berth. A mercurial shot-blocker. Duren had 14 points and 11 team has won five games in a row. And on rebounds against the Cougars, his third a special Saturday afternoon in Houston, consecutive double-double. that team raised its ceiling for achievement • For the Tigers’ rotation, tight makes considerably.
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emories are ephemeral The pundits had a field day making things. They get stacked sport of MTG. Pelosi was a “soup nazi.” like dishes in a cabinet, She’s connected to “anti-pho.” Ha ha, etc. most never brought out Afterward came a tepid debate about until evoked by happenstance — a story whether Taylor Greene was really that told by a friend, an unexpected phone stupid (I vote yes) or whether she was call, an old family photo. We more easily playing a clever four-dimensional chess recall the high moments, the weddings, game to get people talking about her. births, holidays, deaths. The events of an Who knows? Nobody but Marjorie ordinary day from, say, seven years ago, Taylor Greene. But as the “covfefe” inciare mostly forgotten. dent demonstrates, none of it will matter Unless, that is, you have a device like in a couple of weeks. Today’s distraction the Portal that’s in our kitchen. It’s a will be yesterday’s soup. screen on a stand that will play music or But the distractions can present a real perform other web duties as needed, but danger, not just fodder for foolishness. we mostly use it for long-distance calls While everyone is yukking it up about with family, so everyone can see each MTG’s gaffe, GOP-controlled states other at once. around the country are continuing to pass You can also link the Portal to photos laws that restrict voting rights, a woman’s from your camera or computer. Portal then right to choose, and the rights of LGBTQ cycles through your pictures at random, people. They are redistricting their party posting them for 10 seconds at a time, into permanent majority status. It’s hapbefore sliding into the next one. Since we pening here in Tennessee as we speak. In have made hundreds of addition, Governor Bill photos available to Portal, Lee is proceeding apace this can be both delightful with his audacious plan and disconcerting. to pay a Michigan-based Walk into the kitchen Christian school to create and you might see a photo up to 500 private charter of a gorgeous sunset from schools in Tennessee, a long-ago boat ride, using tax dollars meant followed by a shot from to go to public schools. that horrible February It’s a huge grift and a deep when your roof had to be dive into unconstitutional PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS replaced, followed by a waters. But that won’t stop Marjorie Taylor Greene “Bible Bill” from pushing picture of your beloved old mutt, Trotsky, who died in like hell to make it happen. 2015. Every 10 seconds, it’s a new memory All the national talking heads are to think about, a new reminder of how making dire forecasts about the 2022 much past has really passed and how many midterms for Democrats, saying the of life’s transitory moments we forget. GOP is likely to take back the House Yesterday, a picture I took of thenand Senate. This isn’t a drill, anymore. President Donald Trump’s infamous It’s no longer politics as usual. One of 2017 “covfefe” tweet appeared. It was the two major American parties has once a big deal. Was the president skied down the slippery slope, has delivering a secret message? What did it gone all in for establishing a one-party mean? I hadn’t thought about “covfefe” Christian autocracy as our new system and the temporary nuttiness that ensued of government. for a long time. I bet you haven’t either. You have but to listen to the tweetOnce, it was the story of the week. Now rants of senators Marsha Blackburn, it’s just another “WTF?” moment from Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and others. the Donald years. They don’t speak of policy or lawmakThe photo reminded me of last week’s ing. It’s all about spreading fear and kerfuffle involving Georgia Congressdisinformation. That’s it. That’s the woman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who, play. You and I can stand up and fight in a rambling tirade, accused “Nancy like hell, or we can sit back and enjoy Pelosi’s gazpacho police” of spying on the shit gazpacho we’re all about to be her and other members of Congress. served.
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THE SOULSVILLE TIF COV E R STORY BY JAC KS ON BAKER
B of publicity regarding the possibility of a eginning in late 2020, there was a blast
massive redevelopment of South Memphis — two different and competing redevelopments, actually. More of that anon. This is a sprawling territory — including ZIP code 38126, statistically the most impoverished area anywhere in Memphis — that unquestionably needs an economic shot in the arm. Besides containing large pockets of the most bleakly underserved parts of Memphis, South Memphis — “Soulsville,” in the larger generic sense — is also the home of some of the city’s most important landmarks: LeMoyne-Owen College, a pedigreed HBCU (historically Black college and university) that has produced no small share of the city’s influential movers and shakers; The Four Way, a venerable eatery and meeting place that has nurtured luminaries and grassroots politicians alike; and the Stax complex, source of so much of Memphis’ musical history and still functioning today as a museum and training ground for would-be musical avatars. The name “Soulsville” derives mainly from the Stax legacy, and it continues to serve as a descriptor of the South Memphis area and its citizenry at large. The people who live in this domain constitute the very textbook description of an underserved population.
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MILTON’S METHOD Reginald Milton, a member of the Shelby County Commission from the area and a community organizer for the last 22 years, has served on several boards, as commissioners tend to do. One of them was the board of the University Neighborhoods Development Corporation (UNDC), focused on the area around the University of Memphis. Not too many years ago, that area, including the lengthy Highland Street artery that borders the university on its western side, was served by a few hit-ormiss storefronts and collegiate haunts. Nothing you could call a development as such — certainly nothing that was in sync with an educational institution that was ever upgrading and expanding from its roots as a small teachers’ college into the formidable research university that it is today. But then the UNDC was granted a TIF 10 (tax incremental financing) that accelerated
SOUTH MEMPHIS NEIGHBORHOODS ORGANIZE FOR A GREAT LEAP FORWARD.
the active recruiting of new businesses to serve the area. A TIF is one of three basic financial means by which local or state governments can incentivize investment, the others being arrangements for a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) and a TDZ (tourism development zone). Usually, it is an individual business that is granted a PILOT; the recipient is freed, during a given period, from what would be the usual property tax obligations. A TDZ allows for the state sales taxes within a project area to be rerouted, during a set number of years, into the development of the project. A TIF functions more or less like the
PHOTO: JESSE DAVIS
Soulsville is home to the Stax music legacy among other landmarks. TDZ, except that it is granted not by the state but by local government, and the tax deferment applies to the incremental rise in property taxes collected within the project area during the TIF period (usually 15 years or less). Under legislation passed by the Tennessee General Assembly in 1998, TIFs are approved, first, by a local CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) and then by the two basic local funding authorities, in the local case, the
city of Memphis and the Shelby County Commission. If all goes well, the tax base within the project area will rise, and the additional tax revenues arising from that will be poured back into the project area, not into the general fund of city or county. Recent TIFs have been approved in Shelby County for the Uptown area, for the Binghampton community, and, as aforementioned, for the University of Memphis area. The latter TIF, after a slow start, succeeded spectacularly, resulting in a much elongated Highland strip, replete with storefronts and upscale apartment housing from Poplar down to Southern. Reginald Milton remembers: “I was on the UNDC board when they got the TIF. And I realized the tremendous benefit the TIF would provide. I saw how you can build up Highland around the university community. And I wondered if you could do something of that magnitude here in South Memphis.” Before becoming a community organizer per se, Milton had developed his civic consciousness as a neighborhood specialist for the city of Memphis. “That’s what really got me into this. I realized that the city was really trying to help, but the reality was my job was to go and sit in community meetings, listen to the people, and go home and write it down. They would say, you know, there’s drugs in our neighborhood. Okay? Did not know that. Write that down and then go and file it in File 13.We weren’t bad people. It’s just, we weren’t doing anything.” Milton left his city job and began doing hands-on work with several small community groups in South Memphis. “My task was to work with these community groups and show them that their problems came from working individually. You’ve got maybe 10 neighborhood associations. This association has 10 members; another might have 15 members,” Milton says. “Individually, you’re all trying to work with the city. You’re powerless that way.” That effort saw the birth of the South Memphis Alliance (SMA), a grouping of such associations, which Milton founded and runs today as executive director. “My goal, as a community organizer, was to somehow convince these nonprofits that it made sense to create a larger nonprofit, where they will sit on a board and be the
join this conglomerate to others — to form the SoulsvilleUSA Neighborhood Development District (SNDD). Coming together to form the district would be SCORE CDC, LeMoyneOwen College CDC, Memphis Black Arts Alliance, Memphis Music Magnet, Soulsville Foundation, and SMA itself. Milton emphasizes that his role was that of facilitator; the district members elect their own officers. A TALE OF TWO TIFS While Milton was putting together his conglomerate, another major player was PHOTO: JACKSON BAKER
Board of SoulsvilleUSA Neighborhood Development District
PHOTO: COURTESY CRA/SNDD
The proposed map for the South Memphis TIF district expressing interest in organizing for a TIF in South Memphis. This was J.W. Gibson, a prominent contractor and developer, who had already been responsible for numerous building projects. Gibson, through his Southeast Regional Development Corporation, had a somewhat different and larger TIF effort in mind, extending to a few areas — the South Main complex, the Medical District, Victorian Village — that were, technically, outside South Memphis proper. Gibson’s premise was based on the old axiom that “it takes money to make money” and that for a TIF to work properly it should contain some already operating magnet areas to attract potential new investors. And, in December 2000, he was the first to get his application in to the CRA for its appraisal. Milton was still involved in the process of sounding out all his community agencies on collaborating in the TIF process. Gibson’s application upped the ante for him. “We had to ensure that our body had the broad support of the community. We couldn’t just arbitrarily say we represented the community. We held numerous town
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COVER STORY m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m
voice, the face of South Memphis. And we would legitimately be so because we were from a community.” Over the years the SMA became a functioning organization with income sources from adjuncts like a laundromat which shares a parking lot with the nonprofit’s headquarters on South Bellevue. The component organizations of SMA range in area from Annesdale-Snowden to Longview Heights to Rozelle to the Soulsville Neighborhood Association to Shadowlawn. Says Milton: “You had all these organizations that were really doing a decent job. Alone, they weren’t doing the maximum possible job, though. Understandably, all these organizations had to be focused on their own leaky roofs.” And, with a TIF in mind, Milton would
hall meetings to get their approval to go speak on their behalf,” Milton says. “Our reasoning for not turning ours in at the same time as J.W.’s was very clear. Until we met with every community that would be represented in our TIF district, we could not turn in an application. We made it clear to the CRA we would not do so.” Milton’s group reached out for expert advice, hiring Andy Kitsinger, chief designer of Development Studio, an organization which specializes in the kind of by-thebootstraps economic effort that the newly formed SNDD was seeking. Kitsinger had acquired his experience and demonstrated his chops by assisting in several other projects, including a successful and functioning TIF in Binghampton. Once on the Soulsville job, Kitsinger saw the developing TIF as one that was “aimed at creating stability, at preventing displacement of the existing population and spurring the development of affordable housing.” “We worked a long time at getting input from the South Memphis community, getting a sense of their highest priorities, which included blight remediation and affordable housing,” Kitsinger says. Finally, the SNDD was ready with its proposal and submitted it to the CRA in April. “It put a lot of pressure on them to make a decision,” recalls Milton. The usual situation for the CRA was that the agency would receive a single application for a single project area. Here it was having to deal with two groups — Milton’s and Gibson’s — submitting overlapping applications for approval. “I didn’t see it as competition,” says Milton. “My theory was that it was twice as good to have two organizations wanting to do something for the community, but the CRA had never experienced that before.” Complicating the predicament was the fact that one mayor, Lee Harris of Shelby County, was publicly endorsing the Gibson project, while another, Jim Strickland of Memphis, was encouraging Milton and SNDD. “He understood the necessity for the community to control this. He got the idea what we were trying to do,” Milton says. Even today, Milton and Gibson, the impresarios of the two separate TIFs, do not speak ill of each other. Yet they were definitely rivals, and their missions, while overlapping, did operate on different premises. Gibson made it clear that, without specific magnet areas already functioning in a target area, “your baseline is extremely low,” making it “extremely difficult to attract investors.” Hence, his insistence on a larger territorial spread, consisting of some 8,000 parcels, some already generating significant revenue.
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THE SPECTER OF GENTRIFICATION Milton renders his point of view this way, recalling a recent trip to Nashville. “As members of the County Commission, we get invited to a lot of places outside Shelby County. It’s always the same. They invite us to this very nice new hotel they’ve built, and at some point we’re sitting outside relaxing. And across the street is always a Starbucks, and two people come jogging. I swear it’s the same two people, I don’t care what city it is, it’s the same two people. “And our host is saying very proudly, ‘Look at this area. Look how beautiful it is. Just five years ago, I wouldn’t have been caught dead in this neighborhood.’ I mean, here he was an elected official and he didn’t want to come into the area, which I’m sure he represented. And I asked the question, I said, ‘Could you tell me what happened to the local mom-and-pop businesses here and the residents?’ That man looked at me like I cursed his sister out. Because he never thought to talk about that. The fact was, those folks were moved out when they brought those glossier things in.” What Milton was evoking was the specter of gentrification. “What happens is, in the effort to make an area better, you end up moving the poor out and into a more
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stable neighborhood. And because they arrive in massive numbers, you destabilize the community. So you’ve got dislocation on both ends,” he says. “Water always goes downhill. It takes the easiest route. If you’re a business and you want to develop in an inner city community, the best way to do it is to buy up a lot of land in the area, push everybody out, and you can do your development. The hardest thing would be to try to actually go in there and work with the community.” That’s one way of seeing the dilemma of economic development in an underserved area. To change the community by importing new business or super-charging the environment with up-to-date brickand-mortar construction is, as Milton suggests, to risk transforming it and displacing its population. We’ve all seen — or even lived or worked in — such changed landscapes. (Hello, Edge District. Hiya, Cordova and Hickory Hill.) Such areas can once again become economic liabilities in the course of time. Reginald Milton is urging what he acknowledges is basically an “experiment.” Can a poor community lift itself by its own bootstraps? Can it discover within itself the means to regenerate its prospects? In one of his discussions with the CRA, he recast the initials forming TIF this way: “The
Indigenous First.” In the end, the CRA — faced with having to choose between J.W. Gibson’s ambitious model and development expertise and the carefully coordinated community structure of the SNDD — decided upon a uniquely Solomonic solution. It would anoint neither the Gibson project nor that of Milton’s group. Maintaining that both projects were too large as conceived, the CRA produced its own territorial map, consisting of roughly 4,000 parcels, and proclaimed a TIF project under its own auspices. Gibson, disappointed at the outcome and at the snail’s pace by which the necessary approval of the CRA’s TIF by the City Council and County Commission has advanced since its unveiling last fall, is skeptical of the agency’s reasoning. He points out that the CRA, which contended that a project of 8,000 parcels would stress out its staff, had forwarded out an Uptown TIF involving some 7,700 parcels. Milton, too, sees something disingenuous in the CRA’s solution — though in a different sense. “Basically, the CRA said, ‘Well, we’re just going to create our own map, and we’re gonna design it on community organizing and outreach,’ which just so happens to have been everything we did. They literally took
all our data and our design and copied it. They took it and made it their model. And they reduced our size by just a little. It was basically SNDD’s model.” But Milton sees in the outcome the cause for a declaration of victory on his group’s part. He and the SNDD board, chaired by Rebecca Matlock Hutchinson of SCORE CDC, are official advisers on the project to CRA, though it is the agency itself that will direct things. And Gibson has an open invitation to align himself with the CRA model. He and his associate Senchel Matthews are keeping their powder dry on a South Memphis Revitalization Action Plan — including a long-desired grocery store complex — which, to some degree, will undoubtedly come to fruition in part or in parcel. Meanwhile, the CRA-crafted TIF — the Soulsville TIF — is finally about to hit the council and commission calendars for the final approval stages. There was some symbolic preliminary action last week in the commission on a $1 million grant to be shared by the SNDD itself and three of its components— the Memphis Black Arts Alliance, PURE Youth Athletics Alliance, and SCORE CDC. This funding, through the federal government’s American Rescue Plan, is technically unrelated to the TIF, but it does have the look of a favorable omen.
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COVER STORY m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m
Live music at
steppin’ out (& stayin’ in)
We Recommend: Culture, News + Reviews
Pop!
February 17th - 8:00pm Joselyn and The Sweet Compression
February 18th - 7:00pm Memphis All Stars
By Abigail Morici
This past week, the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art opened two exhibits, both of them centering around pop artist Andy Warhol. Even though most people recognize the artist for his Campbell’s soup cans or Marilyn Monroe in bright colorful prints, these exhibits highlight Warhol’s interest in photography and sculpture. “Andy Warhol: Little Red Book” contains 20 polaroids, taken by Warhol, of models, artists, and designers at social gatherings in 1972 — as well as one photo of Warhol himself, though it reveals only a sliver of his face. “These particular polaroids convey an informal, casual sort of party scene and really get across more of an intimate setting,” says Patricia Daigle, associate curator of modern and PHOTO: ABIGAIL MORICI contemporary art at the Brooks. “Photography for Warhol was like a way of life for “Silver Clouds” is an interactive exhibition. him. He always had a camera with him at social events.” To him, Daigle continues, “the polaroid camera was kind of this magic machine in the sense that it could create and develop images instantly. … I think he was very much drawn to the fact that it could be so amateur in that the handheld camera allowed amateur photographers to make images themselves.” Meanwhile, “Silver Clouds,” a show which first appeared in New York in 1966 and has been recreated in the Brooks, features large rectangular balloons made out of silver scotchpak, the kind of thin material that might be used in packaging. “It’s a fun, unpredictable show in that you don’t know how the balloons will react to your presence in the space. There are several fans in the gallery which is like the original, so the balloons are moving and floating even when no one’s around.” When the show debuted, Daigle says, Warhol had achieved a considerable amount of fame and had grown tired of painting. “He saw these ‘silver clouds’ as a farewell to painting — as something you could inflate and that would float out into the sky and sort of disappear forever,” Daigle says. “It’s the idea that art is really not precious, that it can be made of everyday materials, and that it can just disappear.” So, Daigle encourages the viewer to reach out and touch the balloons, push them gently into a new direction, and watch them float from one end of the room to the other. “SILVER CLOUDS”/“LITTLE RED BOOK,” MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART, 1934 POPLAR, ON DISPLAY THROUGH MAY 15.
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VARIOUS DAYS & TIMES February 17th - 23rd
February 19th - 7:00pm Ashton Riker
railgarten.com 2 1 6 6 C e n t r a l Av e .
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Memphis TN 38104
American Son Theatre Memphis, 630 Perkins Ext., performances through Sunday, Feb. 20, $25 As a summer storm rages outside a Miami police station, inside there is a squall involving an interracial couple awaiting news of their missing son. Two policemen, one white and one Black, pursue details of the unaccounted for youth and all four characters become engulfed in a battle of bias, judgment, and racial prejudice. With the fate of a child at risk, tensions mount and fear grows that the answers will never be as simple as black or white. Tickets can be purchased online at theatrememphis.org/tickets or by calling (901) 682-8323.
“Memphis Quarantine” Crosstown Arts, 1350 Concourse, opens Friday, Feb. 18, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Crosstown Arts is pleased to present “Memphis Quarantine,” an exhibition of photographs by Jamie Harmon. From March 13 to May 31, 2020, Harmon photographed more than 2,000 people at more than 800 homes in the Greater Memphis area to document life during the quarantine period of the global Covid-19 pandemic. Through portraiture, the images document Memphis residents’ shared isolation anxieties and bonds renewed by survival, hope, and solidarity. The exhibition will be on view through April 10.
RISE Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, 255 N. Main, Saturday, Feb. 19, 7:30 p.m., $10-$50 RISE, Collage’s trademark winter program, returns to the Cannon Center, bigger and bolder than ever before, featuring and performed in partnership with the internationallyacclaimed Dance Theatre of Harlem. A matinee performance will be on Sunday at 1 p.m. To purchase tickets, visit collagedance.org. Black Lodge Anime Night Black Lodge, 405 N. Cleveland, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 7 p.m., free Celebrate an animated cult classic: the post-apocalyptic sci-fi fantasy Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind from 1984. Food, snacks, candies, and drinks available.
MUSIC By Alex Greene
Leave the Light On The Love Light Orchestra: ‘Oh my god! That sounds like an old record!’
C
CODY CANADA AND THE DEPARTED
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Memphis Flyer: The orchestra captures the sound of a particular era. Is it a challenge to write in the style of another time? Marc Franklin: It’s not an issue for any of us. The reason we started the band was because we’re fans of that kind of
Thursday February 17 7 pm
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27 | 7 pm
music, and we didn’t feel like anybody was playing it. There are lots of Albert King-based and B.B. King-based blues bands, with a ’60s and ’70s sound, but everything from before Stax happened, like the stuff on Duke Records and the blues stuff on Sun Records, which could be kind of jazzy, doesn’t get played much. Like post-swing blues music. And John’s heroes all come from that era and before. People don’t really think of musicians as being music fans, but John’s got a huge record collection and he’s always listening to good stuff. That shows in the way he sings, his styling. How was the new album recorded? Was it akin to how records were made in the ’50s? Yes. We cut it all live at Memphis Magnetic Recording. Everybody was in the same room, no headphones, with John singing in the room with us. The room is so great in there. Adam Hill and Scott McEwen engineered it and did a great job. And Matt Ross-Spang mixed it at Sam Phillips. That great vintage echo chamber at
Sam Phillips kind of put the cherry on top of everything. When Matt pulled up the first song, just getting the levels, it immediately fit the direction we were going. He turned it on and I was like, “Oh my god! That sounds like an old record!” I mean, Phillips was built in 1958 or so. That’s right in the ballpark of where we’re at, stylistically. It must be bittersweet hearing the album now, after original bass player Tim Goodwin’s death last year. Yeah. He was really adept at music that’s blues-but-not-just-blues, with a bit of a jazz element to it. He played with Mose Allison a lot, so he was perfect. Now, Matthew Wilson’s replaced Tim, and we have Paul McKinney on trumpet. Paul and Matthew actually played on the last day of sessions, so they’re on the record, too. You know, except for John, Tim taught everybody in the band at one point or another [at the University of Memphis]. I mean, imagine: Every total pro musician in Memphis since the early ’80s was mentored by Tim in some way. That’s a huge community of people that were touched by him. So it is bittersweet. I wish he was around to see it. The Love Light Orchestra celebrates the release of their new album, Leave the Light On, at the Germantown Performing Arts Center on Friday, February 18th, at 8 p.m. Visit gpacweb.com for details.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2 • 7 PM
MARC BROUSSARD
THUR, MARCH 3 • 7 PM
m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m
PHOTO: ANDREW TRENT FLEMING
(left to right) Matthew Wilson, Joe Restivo, Marc Franklin, Jason Yasinsky, Gerald Stephens, John Németh, Earl Lowe, Paul McKinney, Art Edmaiston, Kirk Smothers
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
ome on, moon! Help me find my way ...” John Németh is singing, imploring, not quite shouting, on the new album by the Love Light Orchestra. It’s the edge of desperation in his voice, sung over a bare landscape populated with only a walking bass, that grabs your attention. “You know the darkest hour is just before day.” As the horns, piano, and guitar swell, the sound echoes off the walls in an earthy, evocative way. Add a few pops and scratches, and you’d think you had just scored an old ’45 on Duke Records, the 1950s Memphis label, eventually gobbled up by Houston’s Don Robey, that released Bobby “Blue” Bland’s first decade of albums. Like Bland, Németh’s dynamic range and timbre can go from a silky purr to a growl in a heartbeat. Yet it’s always marked by his own unique personality. And the echoes of classic vinyl sides aren’t just coming from his singing; the nine players backing him up have also zeroed in on a way of playing that, for many, has been lost to time. There’s something undeniably satisfying about musicians who stubbornly hold on to sounds that the music industry has deemed obsolete. In 1964, Nashville producer Owen Bradley compared musical styles to ice cream, where no one insists that, say, chocolate be abandoned. “Today, there are many, many flavors of music. I suppose you call them ‘trends’ but they go down in history and frequently are revived.” Recently, I spoke with trumpeter and arranger Marc Franklin about how the Love Light Orchestra gets its flavors just right, with an aesthetic that’s more revival than retro.
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CALENDAR of EVENTS:
February 17 - 23
ART AN D S P EC I A L E X H I B ITS
“2022 Mid-South Scholastic Art Awards Exhibition”
Exhibition honoring exemplary art by students in 7th through 12th grades. Through Feb. 20. MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
“39th Annual Juried Student Exhibition”
Exhibition celebrating outstanding University of Memphis student artists. Through March 26. MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
“Andy Warhol: Little Red Book”
Exhibition of work by the groundbreaking icon of pop art Andy Warhol. Through May 15. MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
“Andy Warhol: Silver Clouds”
An immersive and touchfriendly exhibition featuring over 75 metallic balloons by the famed icon of American pop art Andy Warhol. Through May 15. MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
“Borders”
Exhibition of metal sculptures by Steinunn Thorarinsdottir. Through April 23. THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
“Chords of Abstraction”
An exhibition by artist George Frederick Nash of Garland, Texas. His artwork is presented in fragment form to represent how important everyone is to the mosaic composition of humanity. Through March 4. EAST ARKANSAS COMMUNITY COLLEGE
“Color Personified!”
Display of art by Wanda Winsett. Through March 1.
Fe b r u a r y 1 7 - 2 3 , 2 0 2 2
FRATELLI’S
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“Due South: Ke Francis and Hoopsnake Press”
“Savages and Princesses: The Persistence of Native American Stereotypes”
Exhibition of both bound books and loose illustrations, with a total of 15 works on view. Through July 3.
Exhibition that brings together 12 contemporary Native American visual artists who explore how to represent Native Americans authentically. Through March 16.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
“From Shadow to Radiance: Jeannine Paul Art Exhibit”
MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY
“The 12 Months of Memphis”
Exhibition of work by Jeannine Paul. Through March 15.
Original oil paintings depicting one favorite Memphis landmark per month by local artist Jane M. Croy. Through March 2.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
“I Remember Mayfair”
Virtual exhibition of work by Mary “Mayfair” Matthews. Through Feb. 28. WKNO.ORG
BUCKMAN ARTS CENTER AT ST. MARY’S SCHOOL
A R T HA P P E N I N G S
Exhibition of work by John Leslie Breck. Through March 27.
Meet the Artist: Matthew Lee & Interactive Gallery: Who’s that Artist?
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Master Metalsmith: Kim Cridler | Held
Visit the Dixon and meet the artists included in the most recent Mallory/Wurtzburger and Interactive Gallery exhibitions. Free. Thursday, Feb. 17, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
An annual exhibition celebrating the most influential contemporary metal artists. Through March 6. METAL MUSEUM
An exhibition of photographs by Jamie Harmon documenting life during the quarantine period of the pandemic. Through April 10. CROSSTOWN ARTS AT THE CONCOURSE
“Moment After”
A solo exhibition by Birmingham-based Alex McClurg. Through his practice, McClurg has developed a geometric visual language that challenges the notion of tradition through displacement. Through Feb. 28 FLICKER STREET STUDIO
E Flat Major by George Frederick Nash is on display in “Chords of Abstraction” at EACC. “Remembering”
Exhibition of paintings by Louisiana artist Michael Crespo. Through March 12. DAVID LUSK GALLERY
Senior Studio: Mosaics for the Gardens
Join Creative Aging and teaching artist Kristi Duckworth for a four-week course. Learn the basic steps and techniques of mosaic art, then design and create your own piece. Tuesday, Feb. 22, 1-3 p.m.
Virtual Artist Talk with Kim Cridler
Exhibition of fused glass by Christie Stratton Moody. Trough April 2.
“John Leslie Breck: American Impressionist”
DAVID LUSK GALLERY
“Vanitas”
“Waves of Change”
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Virtual tour of paintings by Louisiana artist Michael Crespo. Wednesday, Feb. 23, 12:30 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
JAY ETKIN GALLERY
An exhibition of large-format color photographs that invites viewers to contemplate the interconnectedness of all life forms. Through March 3.
“Remembering” Virtual Tour
PLAYHOUSE ON THE SQUARE
Exhibition of recent paintings by Juan Rojo. Through March 1.
“Janelle Lynch: Another Way of Looking at Love”
“Memphis Quarantine”
Send the date, time, place, cost, info, phone number, a brief description, and photos — two weeks in advance — to calendar@memphisflyer.com. DUE TO SPACE LIMITATIONS, ONGOING WEEKLY EVENTS WILL APPEAR IN THE FLYER’S ONLINE CALENDAR ONLY. FOR COMPREHENSIVE EVENTS LISTING, VISIT EVENTS.MEMPHISFLYER.COM/CAL.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Munch and Learn
Grab lunch and join Munch and Learn at the Dixon. The lecture series features presentations by local artists, scholars, and Dixon staff sharing their knowledge on a variety of topics. Wednesday, Feb. 23, noon-1 p.m. THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Master metalsmith honoree Kim Cridler shares how patterns found in the natural world inspire her work. Saturday, Feb. 19, 2-3 p.m. METAL MUSEUM
Virtual Unveiling
Virtual art opening of Hattiloo Theatre’s commissioned art collection of notable Black theater artists. Be one of the first to see six new artworks, and meet the artists who created them. Monday, Feb. 21, 6 p.m. HATTILOO THEATRE
B O O K EVE NTS
Meet the Author: Mark Greaney
Join NYT best-selling author Mark Greaney as he celebrates the launch of Gray Man: Sierra Six. Book signings will be available. Saturday, Feb. 19, 2 p.m. NOVEL
Our Stories Matter African American ReadIn
Celebrate Black History Month with readers across the world! Join special guest, Erica Martin, author of And We Rise: The Civil
C A L E N DA R: F E B R UA RY 1 7 - 2 3
LIBRARY
Virtual Dixon Book Club
Book club members read fiction and non-fiction to learn about nature, the arts, and history. This month’s book is Underland by Robert MacFarlane. Thursday, Feb. 17, 6-7 p.m. THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Afro-Puerto Rican Bomba Dance Workshop
For Afro-Latino week, join Cazateatro for an Afro-Puerto Rican bomba dance workshop with Las BomPleneras Unplugged from Chicago. Free. Thursday, Feb. 17, 7-8 p.m. THE EVERGREEN THEATRE
Boxwood Seminar
During this day-long event, the most knowledgeable professionals in the industry will be discussing the history of boxwood, landscape use, and cultural information including pest control. Friday, Feb. 18, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
FAM I LY
Caterpillar Club
Build upon traditional mending and darning techniques to examine the creative potential in a modern approach to textile repair. $25. Thursday, Feb. 17, 6-8 p.m.
Toddlers to 5-year-olds enjoy fun-filled stories, music and movement, nature-inspired art, and adventure hikes through the garden. $45-$75. Tuesday, Feb. 22, 10 a.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Land Bank 102: Property Sales Training
Viva el Teatro: Bilingual Theater with Cazateatro (all ages)
A virtual session designed to inspire the transformation of formerly vacant properties. In this monthly virtual training series, walk through the application, review, and appeal process in detail for purchasing land bank properties. Immediately following the presentation, there will be a Q&A session. Friday, Feb. 18, 4-5 p.m.
Theater is more than entertainment; it reflects our world. Join Cazateatro every fourth Saturday of the month to explore fun bilingual theater activities for the whole family. Free. Saturday, Feb. 19, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
BLIGHTAUTHORITYMEMPHIS.ORG
Pruning Hydrangeas with Robin Howell Learn how different hydrangeas require different pruning techniques and timing. $15. Saturday, Feb. 19, 9:30-11 a.m.
Open Mic Comedy
Sign up at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22, 8 p.m. HI TONE
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
COM M U N ITY
C O M E DY
Winter Rooftop Sunset Yoga & Cocktail
Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias $46, $76. Saturday, Feb. 19, 8 p.m. FEDEXFORUM
Yoga! Cocktails! Sunset with a view! $25/general admission. 5-6 p.m. on Tuesdays. HU HOTEL
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
“Remembering” features a collection of paintings on panel by Michael Crespo, such as the one above titled Loss and Innocence. E X PO / SA L E S
Enchante Luxury Flower Cart Stop by Hu Hotel to pick up a seasonal assortment of bouquets. Friday, Feb. 18, noon4 p.m. HU HOTEL
F I LM
Black Lodge Anime Night
Celebrate an animated cult classic: the post-apocalyptic sci-fi fantasy Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind from 1984. Free. Wednesday, Feb. 23, 7 p.m.
MEMPHIS JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER
FO O D A N D D R I N K
Food Truck Thursday
Food Truck Thursday is a weekly event organized by the Downtown Memphis Commission every Thursday, rain or shine. Thursday, Feb. 17, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. COURT SQUARE PARK
Youth Villages Soup Sunday
The Souper Party will feature more than 20 of Memphis’ best restaurants and caterers serving high-end local favorites with delicious innovation. The annual Soup Sunday raises critical funds for Youth Villages’ Chris Crye Mentoring Program. $85. Sunday, Feb. 20, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. THE KENT
BLACK LODGE
Morris and Mollye Fogelman International Jewish Film Festival
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The 10 featured films include a wide wide variety of awardwinning national and interna-
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tional Jewish-themed films that represent a variety of genres. $10-$130. Through Feb. 24
m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m
BENJAMIN L. HOOKS CENTRAL
Hobby Kick-Start: Learn to Mend
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Rights Movement in Poems, to read poetry by African-American poets and authors. Need a poem? You can choose from a selection of poems provided by the host. Hosted by Black Children’s Books and Authors. Free admission for all ages. Saturday, Feb. 19, 2-4 p.m.
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C A L E N DA R: F E B R UA RY 1 7 - 2 3 continued from page 17 H EALT H A N D F I TN ES S
Slow Your Roll: Saturday Morning Meditation Unwind and refocus on Saturday morning! This meditation led by Greg Graber is at the Crosstown Garden in front of the brewery. Free. Saturday, Feb. 19, 9:30-10:30 a.m. CROSSTOWN CONCOURSE
Taijiquan
Led by Milan Vigil, this Chinese martial art promotes relaxation, improves balance, and provides no-impact aerobic benefits. Thursday, Feb. 17, 10:30-11:30 a.m. THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Yoga
Strengthen your yoga practice and enjoy the health benefits of light exercise with a certified yoga instructor. Thursday, Feb. 17, 6-6:45 p.m.
incorporate healthy habits into their busy lifestyles. Saturday, Feb. 19, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Puerto Rican Bomba y Plena. $15. Friday, Feb. 18, 7:30-10:30 p.m.
ACCEL PERFORMANCE AND WELLNESS
THE EVERGREEN THEATRE
African-American History, Memphis, and Elmwood Cemetery
The Al Chymia Shrine Circus has been delighting Mid-South audiences for 79 years. Tickets are good for any show at any time. Pre-show fun and rides start one hour prior to showtime. Thursday, Feb. 17-Feb. 20.
An hour-long, seated, indoor presentation, where you can learn about the AfricanAmerican history of Elmwood Cemetery. $20. Sunday, Feb. 20, 2 p.m. ELMWOOD CEMETERY
Literature and Medicine Discussion Series with Dr. Ralph Savarese Dr. Ralph Savarese of Grinnell College will explore two sections from Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass poetry collection, “Queries to my Seventieth Year” and “Of That Blithe Throat of Thine.” Wednesday, Feb. 23, 4:15 p.m. RHODES.EDU
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
P E R F O R M I N G A R TS LECT U R E
Accel Performance and Wellness February Nutrition Talk: “I don’t have time.”
A talk, led by registered dietician Alisha Parker, focusing on tangible ways people can
Afro-Latino Night
A bilingual and multicultural performance, with a lot of Latin flavor. Experience the Latino rhythms and find your Latin soul. Dedicated to uplifting and bringing visibility to the role and power of women in Afro-
Al Chymia Shrine Circus
AGRICENTER INTERNATIONAL, SHOWPLACE ARENA
Rainbow Rumble Goes to CAMP!
Join contestants as they lip-sync their pretty makeup off for a chance to return for the Grand Rumble in March and compete for a cash prize! $15. Saturday, Feb. 19, 8 p.m.
S P E C IA L E V E N TS
All the Colors of the Dark Labyrinth Ball: David Bowie Tribute
You know what to do ... just be here! Saturday, Feb. 19, 10 p.m. BAR DKDC
Bondage Ball
A kinky Valentine post-mortem variety show and exhibition. 18+ only. Doors open at 7 p.m. $10. Thursday, Feb. 17, 8 p.m. HI TONE
Laser Motown in the Planetarium
Featuring some of the most iconic songs in American music, Laser Motown is a 46-minute celebration of legendary Motown tunes. Friday, Feb. 18, 7 p.m.
BLACK LODGE
MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY
RISE
Pagan and Witches Meetup
Experience Kevin Thomas’ iconic ballet RISE, Ulysses Dove’s classic work Vespers, and Geoffrey Holder’s masterpiece Dougla, featuring and performed in partnership with the Dance Theatre of Harlem. $10, $50. Saturday, Feb. 19-Feb. 20 CANNON CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
inside there is a squall involving an interracial couple awaiting news of their missing son. $25. Through Feb. 20.
slippers that fit. Through Feb. 20.
THEATRE MEMPHIS
TO U R S
Art ~ The Play
How much would you pay for a white painting? Would it matter who painted it? Would it be art? One of Marie’s best friends, Serge, bought a very expensive white painting with white lines. Is it art? $20/adult, $15/ senior, student, military. Friday, Feb. 18-Feb. 20, various times. THEATREWORKS
Jenna Coates, a small-town girl whose big-city singing career is over before it even begins, returns to the people and the places of her past to find a path to the future. Through Feb. 20.
Tootsie
THE BROOM CLOSET
Lichterman Nature Center Talk & Walk Series
In this beginner bird walk, explore the trails to look and listen for birds. Binoculars available. $10. Saturday, Feb. 19, 9-10:30 a.m. LICHTERMAN NATURE CENTER
Tours at Two
May We All
PLAYHOUSE ON THE SQUARE
Rev. Omma from The Fellowship of Yggdrasil, a local inclusive kindred, will give an overview of Norse mythology, teachings, and practice. Saturday, Feb. 19, 2-4 p.m.
PLAYHOUSE ON THE SQUARE
Michael Dorsey, a talented but difficult actor, struggles to find work until one show-stopping act of desperation lands him the role of a lifetime. $29-$125. Through Feb. 20.
Meet in the Catmur Foyer for a tour of a current exhibition with a Dixon docent or staff member. Sunday, Feb. 20, 2-3 p.m. THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Wiseacre OG Tour Broad Ave.
Includes four tasters of Wiseacre beer, a tour of the original brewhouse, and a souvenir taster glass to keep. $17. Saturday, Feb. 19, noon-1 p.m. WISEACRE BREWERY
ORPHEUM THEATRE
Torch Song T H E AT E R
American Son
As a summer storm rages outside a Miami police station,
Hilarious and heart-wrenching, Arnold Beckoff is on an odyssey to find happiness in New York. All he wants is a husband, a child, and a pair of bunny
Fe b r u a r y 1 7 - 2 3 , 2 0 2 2
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Dine In & Drive Thru 3571 Lamar Ave. 2520 Mt. Moriah Drive Thru / Carry Out 1217 S. Bellevue 4349 Elvis Presley 811 S. Highland 2484 Jackson Ave. 1370 Poplar Ave. • 890 Thomas NO PHOTOCOPIES ACCEPTED!
A Very Tasteful Food Blog Dishing it out at .com.
FOOD By Michael Donahue
Where Good Times Roll
PHOTO: MICHAEL DONAHUE
Stanley Perrin II and Jamey Fleming “We actually started as a food trailer last year during Covid,” Perrin says. “It was the same food we’re serving in the restaurant — chargrilled oysters and po’ boys and Cajun food.” Growing up in Arlington and Bartlett before moving to Southaven, Perrin, who played football at Bolton High School and at Austin Peay State University, worked his way up to line cook assistant at his first job at a Bartlett steakhouse. He jotted down his thoughts about food in school. “I still have a notebook to this day that has menu ideas in it. I’ve always been into food and cooking. I’d just be sitting in class thinking about what restaurants aren’t around and what kind of food I would like to eat or cook.” Perrin got into the printing business and, eventually, opened Revolution Printing & Graphics. Fleming, who was working on an oil rig in St. Croix, came home for a visit, but, because of the Covid pandemic, couldn’t re-
turn to the Virgin Islands. Perrin’s printing shop was open, but business had declined because there were no trade shows. Cynthia and Tod Fuller, Fleming’s mother and stepfather, brought oysters from their home in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, during a visit. “We cooked them for the family and everyone was telling us how good they were. Just joking, we said, ‘We can do this on a food trailer and make money off it.’” But it became a reality. The Fullers, who moved to Southaven to open a food truck, let Perrin and Fleming use their trailer to open their own food truck. “We used their trailer for two months. And then we made enough money to get our own trailer.” They grew a “really big following” before they decided to open a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Olive Branch. They brought in the Fullers as well as Perrin’s wife, Tiffany; Fleming’s wife, Megan; and their in-laws, Joey and Tracy Kinnett. Jamey runs the kitchen and the Fullers run the front of the house. “The rest of us pitch in on different projects behind the scenes.” Everybody contributes to the menu. “My father-in-law makes one of the most popular things: the étouffée balls. It’s our crawfish étouffée mixed with bread crumbs and rice and rolled into a ball and deep-fried.” Other items include Crazy Fellas chargrilled oysters, which include bacon, garlic butter, parmesan cheese, and their house blend of seasonings. They recently added hamburgers, including the Fat Tuesday burger, with shredded pepper jack cheese, fried jalapeños, purple onions, and a tangy mustard. Desserts include king-cake bread pudding, which features two layers of bread with a cinnamon sugar center and a cream cheese icing with “traditional purple, yellow and green sprinkles on top,” and bananas Foster pudding with caramelized bananas cooked in rum. They serve other types of food, including tacos. “We’re trying to expand to try to offer more than just the Cajun seafood. We want to have a steak night. We don’t want to get away from our base, but we would like to add a couple of other things. ’Cause not everybody eats seafood.” And that doesn’t sound crazy. 2 Crazy Fellas is at 6518 Goodman Road, Suite 108, Olive Branch; (662) 408-4815.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
S
tanley Perrin II and his brother-in-law, Jamey Fleming, are the “2 Crazy Fellas” at their restaurant of the same name. They’re owners of the Olive Branch, Mississippi, restaurant. But six more people — family members who are also owners and work there — fall under the “crazy” category. That’s “crazy” — as in “crazy like a fox.” The restaurant was bustling when my sister and I visited on all-you-can-eat catfish night. People dined in and others picked up to-go orders at the restaurant, which specializes in Cajun and is decorated year-round with colorful beads and other Mardi Gras items. We watched gumbo and mounds of whipped cream on banana pudding pass by.
m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m
2 Crazy Fellas serves Cajun and more in Olive Branch.
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FILM By Chris McCoy
The Mark Within Guillermo del Toro conjures a film noir carnival in Nightmare Alley.
T
Fe b r u a r y 1 7 - 2 3 , 2 0 2 2
he United States won the propaganda portion of World War II by emphasizing the better angels of our nature. Our individual freedoms of expression, rule of law, and economic self-determination were superior to the dehumanizing groupthink of the fascists. Later, this same formula was successfully brought to bear on the authoritarian communists of the Soviet Union. But after the war, G.I.s who were fighting for this vision of ultimate human freedom returned home to an imperfect country of widespread economic inequality, racism, and religion-driven patriarchy, where criminals and liars prospered while good people were ground down by the brutalities of capitalism. It was taboo to talk openly about such things during the triumphal postwar era, but beginning in 1944 with Double Indemnity, the discontents coalesced into a new kind of crime film. For Hollywood, centering the criminal was nothing new; Jimmy Cagney had made a career out of playing charismatic psychopaths in the 1930s. But this movement, which the French dubbed film noir, was something different. Cagney’s gangsters were self-made men, but film noir rejects the idea that we are masters of our own fate. The noir antihero
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is not empowered by his dreams, but rather brought low by his ambition. The land of opportunity is full of tricksters and confidence men, but the one mark you can never fleece is the mark within. William Lindsay Gresham’s novel Nightmare Alley was first adapted for film in 1947, during the height of the noir movement. Set in the world of cheap carnivals and spiritualist swindlers, it’s an atypical noir. There’s no tough-guy detective, and the femme fatale doesn’t show her cards until the climax. But its spooky world-building and uncompromisingly bleak vision of humanity resonated with director Guillermo del Toro, who adapted the story as his follow-up to his 2017 Best Picture winner The Shape of Water. The director has said this is his first film without a monster, but that’s not true. The monster wears the face of Bradley Cooper as Stan, a down-on-his-luck drifter who finds work at a traveling carnival, run by Clem (Willem Dafoe). He is befriended by Pete (David Strathairn), a hard-drinking carny who takes pity on the penniless stranger, and whom Stan
Bradley Cooper stars as Stan, an ambitious carny who seduces psychologist Lilith (Cate Blanchett), who just might be more dangerous than he is. instantly betrays by sleeping with his wife Zeena (Toni Collette). Pete and Zeena’s spiritualist act once made them the toast of Europe, but now Zeena fleeces the rubes as a psychic and tarot reader while trying to keep Pete from drinking himself to death. Stan hectors Pete into teaching him the secrets of cold-reading a mark. When Pete finally succumbs to alcoholism, Stan steals his book of tricks and absconds with cute fellow carny Molly (Rooney Mara). We catch up with the couple in New York, where they’re selling out fancy nightclubs every night with a mix of fake mind-reading and mumbo jumbo. When Stan is presented with a particularly rich mark in the person of gangster Ezra Grindle (Richard Jenkins), he seduces psychologist Lilith (Cate Blanchett) into divulging her client’s deepest secrets. Cooper, playing a part originated by the great Tyrone Power, is perfect. You might think, because he gets the most close-ups, that he’s the hero, but Stan is under
GRIZZLIES VS SPURS MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28
NEW EDITION SUNDAY, MARCH 13
SLIPKNOT TUESDAY, MARCH 22
MAXWELL FRIDAY, MARCH 25
Come celebrate HBCU Night and watch your Memphis Grizzlies as they take on the San Antonio Spurs at 7PM. Get tickets 901.888.HOOP | GRIZZLIES.COM
New Edition and the legendary Charlie Wilson bring The Culture Tour to Memphis, with special guest Jodeci. Tickets available!
Slipknot bring their KNOTFEST ROADSHOW 2022 to Memphis, with special guests In This Moment and Jinjer. Tickets available!
Maxwell is bringing his NIGHT 2022 Tour, in partnership with the Black Promoters Collective, to FedExForum. Tickets available!
Get tickets at FedExForum Box Office | ticketmaster.com | fedexforum.com
FILM By Chris McCoy no such delusions. He tells Lilith that he’s attracted to her because “You’re no good, just like me.” The genius of the story is how every step down Stan’s path to damnation is just a slight escalation from his last lie. Blanchett plays the Hitchcockian ice queen you always knew she had in her, while Collette is a Cassandra whose warnings of the ruin caused by misusing the tools of a perfectly respectable con are ignored. Also great are Willem Dafoe having the time of his life as a sleazy but articulate carny and Mary Steenburgen as a grieving mother taken in by Stan’s
rackets. Veering from the grubby midway to the resplendent art deco interior of Lilith’s office, Nightmare Alley is visually ravishing. It had the misfortune of being buried at the box office by SpiderMan: No Way Home and Omicron, but hopefully its well-deserved Best Picture nomination will help bring a new audience to this mini masterpiece of neo-noir. After all, Nightmare Alley’s dark vision of America as a utopia for confidence men and carnival barkers has never felt more relevant. Nightmare Alley is streaming on Hulu.
CHECK MALCO.COM OR THE MALCO APP FOR THE CURRENT SCHEDULE
Meet staff and leadership of area camps and learn more about summer enrichment
event!
Saturday, March 5th, 11am-2pm Fedex Event Center at Shelby Farms Park hosted by
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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LEGAL NOTICE • REAL ESTATE • EMPLOYMENT LEGAL NOTICES AUTO AUCTION AUCTION WILL BE HELD: FEB 18, 2022 | 2004 Saturn - VIN: 5GZCZ53464S806593 2004 BMW - VIN: WBANA73544B800830 2018 Dodge Charger - VIN: 2C3CDXCF5JH205881 1999 Mercury - VIN: 2MEFM75W8XX678834 Any and all parties holding interest in either vehicle must send certified letter within (10) business days of the date of this publication to: PO Box 140005, Memphis Tn 38114.
with multiple vendors, 3rd party systems, processes & projects; Utilizing e-commerce platforms ATG, Endeca, IBM WebSphere Commerce (HCL Commerce), or SAP Hybris Commerce; APIs & web services; Customer experience management platform Tealeaf; Adobe Analytics; Tealium IQ for 3rd party Tag management. Email resumes to taresume@autozone.com. EOE.
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SALES/MARKETING SR. DIGITAL PRODUCT OWNER needed at AutoZone in Memphis, TN. Must have Bach degree in Comp Sci or related + 5 yrs of Digital eCommerce experience in retail, direct-to-consumer (B2C) & Business-to-Business (B2B), including: Owning & leading management of digital products & projects using Agile methodologies; Business case analysis, planning, project management, & presentation skills; SDLC methodologies; Working
BUY, SELL, TRADE LEATHER CHAIR and ottoman in good condition for $350. Call Larry at 901-299-6264. WANTED: OLD WINDUP Victrolas & old 45 & 78 records. Call Paul 901-734-6111. WE BUY JUNK CARS! Call 901-870-6238.
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SPECIAL CAREGIVERS DAY OUT! For those who spend most or all of their free time caring for a family member or other loved one: We at Corri Cares LLC are having a special discount on Respite Care (covering for those who tend to the needs of others.) For a limited time, we are offering to care for your special someone for a minimum of 3 hours for the price of 2. Additional hours are 20% off per hour! Everyone deserves some special “me” time. Now is the time to take a break knowing your loved one is safe and well cared for when you are not there. Corri Cares LLC offers a full range of non-medical home caregiver services for adults. Our loving and compassionate caregivers provide personal care including bathing, changing bed clothes, light meal prep, medicine reminders, sitters, companion care, and all with a unique blend of experience and an eye for detail to make sure all of the client’s needs are met. Please call 901.212.9223 or 901.240.7766 today for your free, no-obligation consult with the owner of our company to determine how we can best serve you. You will be glad you did! Our business office hours are Monday - Friday, 8 am - 2 pm. Caregiver contact hours vary.
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T H E L A S T W O R D B y Pa t r i c i a L o c k h a r t
Falling Isn’t for the Weak
THE LAST WORD
One Sunday evening, around 6:30 p.m., my hubby and I decided that we wanted a good cup of coffee. PHOTO: JESSE DAVIS Knowing that most good coffee places are closed at that hour, he did a quick search and found Society Cxffeeblack is just the Memphis Skatepark and Coffee in Binghampton off Broad. We walked in fully expecting a jazzy coffee right elixir to becoming a club scene. Did we read the well-lit signs? No. Did we ask why there were skateboards on the wall? No. Did Cool Kid. we notice the guests in helmets and pads? No. I’m using the pronoun “we” very loosely. My husband probably noticed all of those things and could have possibly pointed them out to me as we entered, but I was hyper-focused on coffee. And not just any coffee. But the good kind. The Cxffeeblack kind! After ordering coffee, I took a peek through what appears to be a back door. There were ramps! Ramps to the left. Ramps to the right! There were handrails and slopes and flying people! Well, they weren’t actually flying, but they were close. I immediately knew that I was in the presence of the Cool Kids. They were doing tricks, turns and … and … cool stuff. I’m sure all of the moves have names, but I honestly couldn’t tell you. As I watched with my mouth wide open, my husband leaned over and said, “We should come back here.” And somewhere between pure awe and a coffee high, I agreed. I agreed to go skateboarding as a date night. Fast forward to Friday night and I found myself nursing another cup of coffee to calm my nerves. (I know, I know. The coffee might have done the opposite, but it was still a great comfort.) The attendant confidently passed me my rental skateboard and left my hubby and me to our own devices. As I looked at the skaters enjoying themselves, I thought, “Maybe I should have signed up for skateboarding lessons.” Well, it was too late for shoulda-coulda-wouldas. I was there and I ain’t no chicken. Within 15 minutes, I realized that I might not be a scaredy chicken, but I was definitely not a spring chicken. And 20 seconds after that realization, I came to terms that I was a scaredy chicken, too. Skateboarding is not an activity for the weak or the timid. My husband and I couldn’t figure out how these Cool Kids got both feet on the boards at the same time. Memphis miracles were happening before my very eyes! After 20 minutes of failing to even stand and move on the board, my eyes desperately said, “Somebody — anybody — help me!” And just like that, Cool Kid S. M. Vazquez came to our embarrassing rescue. He showed us the proper way to stand on a skateboard, how to balance, and even a little physics. (Stuff about motion, center of gravity, and degrees of something or another. My math doesn’t “math” like everyone else’s.) Nevertheless, I was able to stand on the skateboard and balance. Not in motion, but not falling either. That was until he said that we could try to coast down a very small ramp. This ramp was no higher than 2 feet off the ground with a generous slope. I stood at the top of the mini-Mount Everest (yes, I’m exaggerating) and got balanced. I found my center of gravity and pushed off very, very slowly. And very slowly, the ground came rushing to meet me like a long lost friend. Falling when you’re 7 is quite different than when you’re 37. All of my bones vibrated. When the vibrations ended, I felt like pieces of me were floating away. In some distance galaxy, Thanos had snapped his fingers and I was slowly dissolving away. Cool Kid Vazquez and my hubby picked me and all my imaginary pieces off the ground. I blinked a few times back to reality and realized that I was still alive. No bones were broken, but my dignity had permanently stained the floor. The Cool Kid Vazquez mentioned a few tips, but I didn’t hear them. The bones in my ears hadn’t fully recovered. Okay. I might be a little dramatic, but I fell. Off a skateboard. At age 37. Enough said. I took a sip of Cxffeeblack, aka Liquid Courage, while my hubby tried the same thing. He fell, too. Then I was back at the top of the ramp. Before I pushed off, I asked my hubby to hold my waist from the back and Cool Kid Vazquez to hold my wrists from the front. I was determined not to fall. So determined, in fact, that I did the only thing I could do in that situation. I fell. Again. This time, I didn’t meet the floor quite so fast. I was guided down gently. It was then that Cool Kid Vazquez gave me this nugget of knowledge, “If you think you’re going to fall, get closer to the ground.” After one hour, I was finally able to skateboard, and, yes, I’m using that term loosely. I could coast about 6 to 8 feet before losing momentum. And I’m satisfied with that. After falling, my goal was to never experience that again. This date night showed me just how versatile Memphis is. Date night with Memphis doesn’t have to be food and movies. It can be drinking good coffee and almost breaking your rear in the process. Memphis is about making memories and having great stories to tell. This is one for the books. Now that I’m writing this, I wonder if my hubby knew all along that this place was a skateboarding place and used coffee to lure me in. Hmm … Gotta love it, mane! Society Memphis: 901-746-8587, IG: @societymemphis Patricia Lockhart is a native Memphian who loves to read, write, cook, and eat. @realworkwife @memphisismyboyfriend
m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m
Memphis is My Boyfriend: in which Cxffeeblack is savored, skateboards are tested, and gravity has the last laugh.
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