Memphis Flyer 3/23/2023

SHARA CLARK

Editor

SAMUEL X. CICCI

Managing Editor

JACKSON BAKER, BRUCE VANWYNGARDEN

Senior Editors

TOBY SELLS

Associate Editor

KAILYNN JOHNSON

News Reporter

CHRIS MCCOY

Film and TV Editor

ALEX GREENE

Music Editor

MICHAEL DONAHUE, JON W. SPARKS

Staff Writers

ABIGAIL MORICI

Arts and Culture Editor

GENE GARD, EMILY GUENTHER, COCO JUNE, FRANK MURTAUGH

Contributing Columnists

SHARON BROWN, AIMEE STIEGEMEYER

Grizzlies Reporters

ANDREA FENISE

Fashion Editor

KENNETH NEILL

Founding Publisher

CARRIE BEASLEY

Senior Art Director

CHRISTOPHER MYERS

Advertising Art Director

NEIL WILLIAMS

Graphic Designer

JERRY D. SWIFT

Advertising Director Emeritus

KELLI DEWITT, CHIP GOOGE

Senior Account Executives

MICHELLE MUSOLF

Account Executive

CHET HASTINGS

Warehouse and Delivery Manager

JANICE GRISSOM ELLISON, KAREN MILAM, DON MYNATT, TAMMY NASH, RANDY ROTZ, LEWIS TAYLOR, WILLIAM WIDEMAN

Distribution

THE MEMPHIS FLYER is published weekly by

Contemporary Media, Inc.,

P.O. Box 1738, Memphis, TN 38101

Phone: (901) 521-9000

Fax: (901) 521-0129 memphisflyer.com

CONTEMPORARY MEDIA, INC.

ANNA TRAVERSE FOGLE

Chief Executive O cer

LYNN SPARAGOWSKI

Controller/Circulation Manager

JEFFREY GOLDBERG

Chief Revenue Officer

MARGIE NEAL

Chief Operating Officer

KRISTIN PAWLOWSKI

Digital Services Director

MARIAH MCCABE

Circulation and Accounting Assistant National Newspaper Association

I found an unlikely companion in Greenwood.

When I rst settled into my grandparents’ trailer, my dad told me about an alligator that lived in the nearby pond. He’s always been an expressive storyteller, and although I believed him, when we went to look for the creature, it was nowhere to be found. In a group chat, I told my friends, half-kidding, that I’d have to watch out for the resident gator during my stay. “Be careful!” they warned, also half-kidding, because they didn’t believe it at all.

Every day, I’d walk the perimeter of the water, scanning the bank and the gaps in the grassy patches wa ing within. My dad said it usually stayed in one spot, in one of the holes in the pond’s ora. But every day, I’d look to no avail. en, it happened. I spotted what appeared to be a log oating amid the aquatic weeds. I zoomed my camera in as far as I could to examine it. Still not clear. Log or gator? I tried di erent angles, wishing I had some binoculars. at could be the bark of a thick fallen branch, I thought. Or was it scales? As I moved to and fro to get a better view of this tree or alligator, I must’ve caught its attention. Because out popped its snout and — as I could see through my zoomedin phone screen — an eyeball, looking right at me as if to say, “Hi, yes, I’m not a piece of wood. Nice to meet you!”

I shrieked! Alligators can run 30 miles per hour on land, I’d been told, and if it decided I might be a tasty treat, I’d rather not be near enough for it to sprint in my direction and sink those sharp teeth into me and roll. I quickly snapped a few pics and walked, as calmly as I could so as not to appear as escaping bait, to the porch. Back to safety, looking through my camera roll, I could swear it had ashed me a crooked-lipped smile.

I stayed about two weeks out there in the country, working remotely and spending evenings and weekends either alone with my thoughts or with my dad and brother who live a short walk across an open eld. e trailer had already been emptied out, aside from a couple recliners and beds, a few co ee cups and a co ee maker, a table and fridge, patio furniture, and some knickknacks. No TV, but I did have my laptop and hot spot to work on weekdays and watch Net ix at night. Sitting amid the sparse material items le behind from my granny (83) and pawpaw (86) was a bit surreal. A Bible here, some old photos there. A hummingbird feeder and plantless planters on the deck outside. Not at all representative of the full lives they lived, the work they’d done, the relationships they had with the world around them. But I did get a glimpse inside parts I hadn’t known before, simply existing in the space they once called home.

I made it a daily practice to check on my new alligator friend. One a ernoon, my dad brought over a shing pole and tried to catch it. Its foot got hooked, and my dad reeled it in within a few feet of the water’s edge. It ipped and struggled to get loose, and I felt bad for the thing. It freed itself, and when it snapped away from the line, my dad tripped into a beaver hole on the bank. I was having anxiety for both of them. But the gator slowly swam back to its place in the pond, unfazed.

NEWS & OPINION

THE FLY-BY - 4 AT LARGE - 8

POLITICS - 10

I’m not a herpetologist and wondered why this alligator was so darn docile. A Google search informed me that it was in brumation, the reptilian equivalent of hibernation, where its metabolic, heart, and respiratory rates slow. ey create mud holes for shelter and don’t eat but do come up on warm days to absorb heat through blood vessels in their backs. So it was simply chilling out — and occasionally sunning its scutes. Perhaps we wouldn’t have been friends if we’d met in summer.

FINANCE - 11

COVER STORY

“TAKING CARE OF BEERNESS”

BY MICHAEL DONAHUE - 12

NCAA BRACKET - 16

WE RECOMMEND - 18

MUSIC - 19

AFTER DARK - 20

CALENDAR - 21

NY TIMES CROSSWORD - 22

THEATER - 23

FOOD - 24

METAPHYSICAL CONNECTION - 25

NEWS OF THE WEIRD - 26

ASTROLOGY - 27

FILM - 28

CLASSIFIEDS - 30

LAST WORD - 31

e time there was a form of brumation for me, too — to rest and reset, to oat and just be. ose walks down the gravel road, the moments spent with my dad, the stunning sunsets, the quiet, the quiet — a brief period of dormancy and rejuvenation to prepare for the coming season, full of blooms and bite. ere was no gator to check on this morning as I drank co ee on my own porch, but there was the familiar chirping of birds, a visiting cardinal, squirrels poking around the yard doing squirrel things. Ready, as I, to shi into spring.

Shara Clark shara@memphis yer.com

PHOTO: SHARA CLARK I see you.

THE fly-by

MEM ernet

Memphis on the internet. THAT

LEE WEBSITE

Questions, Answers + Attitude

Edited by Toby Sells

{CITY REPORTER

By Kailynn Johnson

STD Capital of the Country

Memphis ranks rst nationally for sexually transmitted diseases.

It’s unclear whether or not Governor Bill Lee ever used the governorbilllee.com URL. But someone found it unused, bought it, and built a scathing site on it that surfaced last week.

e top banner icon reads, “Governor Bill Lee: Equality for a Few.” e site’s topics range from Lee’s stances on education, antiLGBTQ bills, Lt. Governor Randy McNally, and more. Owners promise a live drag queen reading on the site on May 7th.

NEVER-ENDING ELVIS

e Elvis ’68 Comeback Special recently got the Lego treatment by artist Paul Hetherington. It will debut this weekend at the BrickUniverse Lego Fan Convention at Agricenter International.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

A study compiled by Innerbody.com shows Memphis has the highest reported STD rate of any city in the United States. Memphis’ rates have overtaken those of Jackson, Mississippi, which had previously been reported as number one.

e report also showed that cities located in the South have reported the highest numbers out of the 100 cities ranked.

e information was compiled from data by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). e report showed Memphis reported 1,460 STD cases per 100,000 people, with a total of ve HIV cases, 4,772 gonorrhea cases, 9,681 chlamydia cases, and 605 syphilis cases.

While the data showed the numbers have worsened over the year, “the STD burden is not equal within our cities. … While we witness increases in STD infection across many groups, the STD burden continued to hit minority racial and ethnic groups the hardest,” the report said.

is report comes months a er the state of Tennessee announced it would be cutting funding for programs “that are not a liated with metro health departments as of May 31st.”

Krista Wright ayer serves as the director of outreach and prevention for e Haven, a resource located at 622 Minor Road that “strives to promote the physical, mental, and social well-being of everyone impacted by — or potentially impacted by — HIV, stigma, or lack of support.”

ayer said, speaking for an organization which will be a ected by these funds being cut, the people Governor Bill Lee hopes to prioritize are “percentage-wise, not nearly at high risk for HIV infection” as marginalized communities are.

ayer said many believe the disease predominantly a ects African-Americans because of behavior, but in reality it’s primarily due to poverty levels. “ ose who are in high poverty areas don’t have access to care as much; they also can’t prioritize care as much as they would like to because if you don’t know where your next meal is coming from, you’re not going to prioritize HIV prevention.”

ayer said people who know about underserved communities know they have lack of access to care, meaning they are the people who need to be prioritized.

other strategies have helped lower the rate of perinatal transmission of HIV to 1 percent or less in the United States and Europe.”

ayer said the governor wants to prioritize rst responders and EMT workers, despite HIV infections “being very, very low” as a result of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). While there are e orts being made that will a ect the way people are able to access HIV prevention services and testing, ayer explained there are also stigmas that stand in the way of this.

Rowan, the Memphis Zoo orangutan, turned 7 last Sunday and celebrated with a fun, frozen birthday cake.

“ ose are the ones where you have to bring the care to them, and that’s the work we do. at’s our outreach work,” ayer said. “I can’t for the life of me understand why the governor would want to prioritize mother-to-baby HIV infections, when that’s not really a thing anymore with the advanced medicines that we have.”

According to HIVInfo, “the use of HIV medicines and

One of the best ways, according to the CDC, to prevent the spread of HIV is by being on PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), ayer said. “When I talk to some clients, some of them don’t want to be associated with taking a medicine every day. A lot of people think that people who are on PrEP are promiscuous, and they don’t want to be seen as just having a lot of casual sex because that’s stigmatizing.”

POSTED TO FACEBOOK BY MEMPHIS ZOO

POSTED TO TWITTER BY @LEGOBRICKBARON

CREDIT: INNERBODY Memphis rose 11 spots in the ranking to overtake Jackson, Mississippi.

LGBTQ

By Kailynn Johnson

Rage on the Stage

Drag show to promote trans visibility.

Bricks have become symbolic for the LGBTQ community. However, Hunny Blunt, a 27-year-old local drag performer, tells the Flyer it isn’t a violent symbol, but rather one that bears meaning and is representative of an ongoing struggle present in the community.

Blunt says the brick symbolism dates back to the Stonewall riots in New York City in 1969, a pivotal moment in LGBTQ history. “When we hold a brick in the air, we’re not necessarily threatening violence or inciting any sort of damage,” Blunt explains. “What we are doing is really paying homage to the fact that we were so repressed that we literally had to ght back with bricks.”

Hunny Blunt, like many others in the LGBTQ community, has been ghting back in a number of ways over the past few months. Most recently Governor Bill Lee signed legislation that will negatively impact members of the LGBTQ community. ese bills include Senate Bill 3 and Senate Bill 1.

Opponents of the legislation say it serves as an attempt to erase LGBTQ culture from Tennessee.

“You read the wording of some of these bills and it’s so hateful. I can’t believe nobody said, ‘ is is a little too much,’” said Jenna Lee Dunn. Dunn serves as the trans services specialist for OUTMemphis and recently started Jenna On Fire Productions LLC. “ ere is no line or boundary with these people. ey’re just hateful. ey want to get rid of us completely.”

Members of the LGBTQ community have decided they will not go quietly and are planning to take an active stance against the legislation. One of these ways is through an event called “Rage on the Stage: Trans Day of Visibility, Drag Show Riot.” e event will be held on March 30th at the Hi Tone.

e event was created by Dunn,

who invited several community partners to sponsor it.

“We need to be seen. We need to be making noise to show how big we are in number,” says Blunt. “I think we are reaching that turning point where it does feel good to see allyship from people. It does feel good to be seen and accepted.”

Blunt says it’s important to stand in solidarity, as these bills impact the community as a whole, not just drag performers and young trans people. “A lot of these drag bans target transgender people who really aren’t drag performers, but are everyday transgender people,” she says. “We have transgender drag performers of course, but there are transgender people that don’t necessarily do drag, but that’s how they live their life, and these laws can really prevent them from being in any kind of safe space.”

e idea of not only having a safe space, but the need to be seen and heard, has been a common theme among participants and event organizers like Dunn, who says there are certain places, like drag shows, where people in the community feel more comfortable. She says her love and passion for the trans community, as well as having friends who are drag performers, has ampli ed her drive for wanting to put on events such as this one.

“I can’t go to Nashville and force these people to not pass these bills and to change their minds and to stop hating people,” she says, “but what I can do is create outlets for people to be able to go and enjoy themselves and try to get some of this o of their mind.”

Rage on the Stage will be held March 30th from 8 to 10 p.m. at Hi Tone.

PHOTO (LEFT): JENNA LEE DUNN Jenna Lee Dunn

PHOTO (RIGHT): DREW PARKER Hunny Blunt

JUNIOR BROWN

MARCH 25

7:30P.M.

Junior Brown is a legend among Honky Tonk & Country musicians! You’ll dig songs like HIGHWAY PATROL – VENOM WEARIN’ DENIM – MY WIFE THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD! Rolling Stone included Junior in “50 Country Albums Everyone Rock Fan Should Own.” That’s Junior Brown – only at BPACC!

MAKE YOUR CLOSET HAPPY, MANE.

AT LARGE By Bruce VanWyngarden

Memphis in Maybe

There is about to come a true reckoning for Memphis, and for the two organizations — the Memphis River Parks Partnership (MRPP) and Memphis in May (MIM) — who’ve been wrangling for years over the fate of the 30 acres of land along Memphis’ Mississippi waterfront that comprise Tom Lee Park.

MIM, the ever-whinging predictors of doom for their annual events because of the new park’s facilities and landscaping, and MRPP, the everoptimistic promoters of a “world-class reimagined riverfront,” will soon see their competing visions encounter a real-world test.

From May 5th through May 7th, the Beale Street Music Festival will return to the still-uncompleted but thoroughly reconfigured terrain along the river. Tens of thousands of music fans will stream into the park searching for music, which for the first time ever will not involve merely wandering around in a big field and stopping when you see a band on a stage.

According to MRPP, the new Tom Lee Park is 80-percent completed. There are new trees, sodding, bushes, and grasses, plus landscaped ridges, moguls, and walkways and partly completed shelters and playgrounds, plus natural spaces and trails, including a “riffle area.” In other words, music fans are going to have to walk around the plantings and landscaping and new construction — or on it and over it.

In the past, after Music Fest, with its seemingly inevitable rainy day or two, the park was almost always a disaster area — a muddy, gross morass littered with discarded tennis shoes, boots, clothing, food and drink detritus, and dozens of ever-aromatic porta-potties. How will it go this year?

I don’t know, but I’m trying to imagine, say, Keith and Travis, two young music fans from Jonesboro, a little stoned, a lot drunk, meandering through the park. Then let’s say they hear the raucous sounds of Low Cut Connie in the distance and head in the direction of the music. It’s dark, and Keith stumbles in some monkey grass, drops his beer cup, falls to his knees, then climbs up on a mogul of earth to get a better view. Travis, who is a more sensitive type, says, “Dude, you probably shouldn’t be up there. You’re trampling the liriope.”

“Whooo, LIRIOPE!!” says Kevin. “LOW CUT CONNIE!!! Whooo!!!”

Multiply this action over three days and 30,000 people, plus a probable rainy day or two, and you’re reimagining some serious damage repair. Or at least, one would think so.

Then two weeks later, the World Championship Barbecue Contest settles in for four days of nonstop partying and carousing, including the building of often-massive ramshackle temporary shelters for teams to boogie the days and nights away while tending their world-class smokers. Lumber gets hauled in, muddy pathways form between team shelters and sites. Booze gets drunk, trash gets thrown, pigs get smoked, and a good time is had by all. Except the clean-up crews.

Memphis in May has complained that it hasn’t been given enough acreage to carry out its events in the new park. MRPP responded with a document clearly showing that it has in fact provided more space than MIM asked for. Even so, MIM has disinvited 35 barbecue teams to this year’s contest, claiming a lack of space. In addition, the Blues Tent is being moved to Beale Street, also because MIM says the new park configuration isn’t big enough for it. So it goes. If you get what you ask for, it’s difficult to justify the complaints.

But enough theory, enough predicting, enough sniping. Events are in the saddle now, and we’ll soon know for sure whether MIM can succeed — financially and otherwise — in the new park.

And we’ll also soon know how much MIM events will damage the area and its new landscaping. One assumes that both sides will learn a lot from 2023, and that both sides may have to make adjustments for future Memphis in Mays.

The good news is that, after much wrangling, the contract between MRPP and MIM has been signed, with the city agreeing to pay for any repair damages above $500,000. That’s an open checkbook for taxpayers, with the amount to be determined, one would assume, after the last barbecue smoker trailer leaves the grounds. It’s also another reality check, literally, and another learning opportunity.

Call me Pollyanna, but I think that after all the smoke clears this May, both organizations, and the city, will know more about how to create a win-win for Memphis: namely, a great annual festival held in a world-class river park that also serves the populace yearround. That’s the reality we should all be hoping for.

Tom Lee Park is about to give us a reality check.

POLITICS By Jackson Baker

Shaking Things Up

A smallish crowd of 166 people showed up last Saturday at First Baptist Church on Broad to take part in the rst round of balloting for the biennial Shelby County Democratic Party reorganization. Two delegates from each of the county’s 13 Shelby County Commission districts were selected to form the party’s executive committee.

Norma Lester, who presided over last Saturday’s Democratic event, lamented that fewer members attended than had been expected. She attributed that fact to the lingering e ects of the pandemic, during which in-person party events were relatively rare.

e party’s bylaws require that the two committee members representing each district be of di erent genders, and in one district, that allowed for an unprecedented result. On Saturday, the voters of District 11 elected the rst transgender committee member, Brandy Price, to serve.

Some 100-odd members were also named to the party’s grassroots council. Members of both groups will convene via Zoom on Saturday, April 1st, to name a chairman to succeed outgoing chair Gabby Salinas. e three known candidates are businessman Jesse Huseth, longtime activist Lexie Carter, and Alvin Crook, a former Young Democrats chair.

Meanwhile, on this coming Saturday, March 25th, the county’s Republicans will hold their party’s reorganization caucus at the YMCA corporate o ces on Goodlett Farms Parkway. Current GOP chairman Cary Vaughn has indicated that he intends to seek a second term as chair in order to continue his ongoing fundraising plan for the party.

• To say that the 2023 Memphis mayor’s race is in something of an uproar is a classic understatement. It is still two full months before the rst date (May 22nd) to pick up candidate petitions at the Election Commission, and three of the race’s putative leaders, as identi ed in a recent poll, may be disquali ed from even picking one up. ey are Shelby County Sheri Floyd Bonner, NAACP president and former County Commissioner Van Turner, and longtime former Mayor Willie Herenton.

Bonner and Turner have both raised substantial amounts of cash, and, while less is known about Herenton’s receipts, his background in city government and historical cachet are such as to guarantee him a substantial vote base to begin with.

What makes the position of these three candidates tenuous is that none of them would qualify under residency requirements just posted on the Election Commission website. In its instructions to would-be candidates, the commission links to a legal opinion written by former EC chairman Robert Meyers. at opinion states explicitly that a citycharter provision of 1895 is still in e ect and requires candidates to have lived in Memphis for ve years “next preceding” an election.

None of the three candidates would t that precise language, and these happen to be the three contenders who just nished on top in a local poll conducted by the Caissa Public Strategy group. e poll gives Turner a minuscule edge over the other two. Although Caissa normally handles candidates of its own, it so far has no mayoral candidate on its roster, and, though there are skeptics here and there regarding the poll’s reliability, most observers give it a fair degree of credibility.

Candidate Bonner has led suit against the commission’s published criteria, and Chancellor Jim Kyle will consider the litigation, probably at rush speed. Meanwhile, other candidates, notably Paul Young of the Downtown Memphis Commission and wealthy businessman J.W. Gibson, have to be pinching themselves at their apparent good luck.

MEMPHIS

PHOTO: JACKSON BAKER

Outgoing Democratic chair Gabby Salinas (r) checks results of party convention with state Rep. Dwayne ompson and Rose Mary Bradley.

Dems, GOP reorganize, while leaders in mayor’s race face the specter of disquali cation.

Should You Help?

What to consider before making a loan to a loved one.

y loved one is in debt and asked for my help in paying it off. What should I do?” At Creative Planning, we run into this question often, as family and finances are so frequently interconnected with one another. When it comes to deciding a course of action, oftentimes there’s not one clear and obvious answer. Before making a financial commitment to help a loved one, be sure to consider the following.

What are the alternatives?

Before volunteering your own funds, a positive first step is to understand if there are any other ways to help your loved one clear up their debt. If it’s reached a point where it has destroyed your loved one’s credit rating, it could make sense to have it written off by declaring bankruptcy. Or perhaps you can help find a debt management program or pursue a debt settlement arrangement. Depending on the circumstances, there may be other ways to help your loved one gain financial footing that don’t require a check from you.

How will the money be used?

If alternatives fail to produce a viable solution, before committing your funds it’s best to understand how the current or new debt may be impacting your loved one’s situation. As the potential lender, it’s natural to question the borrower’s previous financial decisions. Practically, you (as the lender) may not view paying off an auto loan as prudent; however, there may be more common ground around paying off an outstanding medical or educational debt. Having clarity regarding how the loan is to be used may help to overcome emotions and objections around providing a loan. Whether the loan helps to free one from their debt burden or enable a new venture, the purpose of the loan should be clearly defined. If servicing existing debt, it may be wise to ensure any money you lend is being used to pay off principal, which will have a greater impact on your loved one’s overall financial health.

What are the specific terms of the loan?

Just as you would with any other borrower, have your loved one agree to the loan’s terms in writing before you issue a check. While this may seem harsh, it’s an important step to help ensure there are no misunderstandings or resentments down the road. Your loan agreement should include the following:

• The amount you’re lending

• The time frame in which the loan will be repaid

• Any agreed-upon interest, if applicable

• The amount and frequency of payments, if applicable

Keep in mind that loans over a certain threshold amount may be viewed by the IRS as taxable gifts if not repaid in full. One way to avoid tax liabilities is to charge interest and require regular payments.

What is the “repayment priority”?

Depending on your loved one’s financial situation, your loan may be just one part of their total “loan portfolio.” Even if you and your loved one agree on a payment plan, your payment schedule may not be as rigidly set as a traditional creditor’s may be. In other words, you may be more willing and able to allow for a payment to be missed while your loved one addresses other obligations. Make sure you’re comfortable knowing that you may be at the bottom of your loved one’s obligation list and that, in the event they’re unable to pay you back, you’re also comfortable with potentially not receiving the loan back in full.

What is your level of comfort with lending?

If a loan to your loved one would put your financial future in jeopardy, it wouldn’t be a prudent decision to make the loan in the first place. If you’re in the position where you’re able to provide the loan without negatively impacting your financial future, then loaning a loved one money is less about your ability to “afford it” and more about your level of comfort in introducing a borrower/lender arrangement into your relationship. There can be many emotions involved in mixing business and family. Regardless of any other considerations, if you’re not comfortable not seeing the money again, it may not be a good idea to loan it in the first place.

Gene Gard, CFA, CFP, CFT-I, is a Managing Director with Creative Planning, formerly Telarray. Creative Planning is one of the nation’s largest Registered Investment Advisory firms providing comprehensive wealth management services to ensure all elements of a client’s financial life are working together, including investments, taxes, estate planning, and risk management. For more information or to request a free, no-obligation consultation, visit CreativePlanning.com.

COVER STORY

AND PHOTOS

By Michael Donahue

Hopper Seely is a perfect name for a brewery owner.

Seely, 27, is owner of Grind City Brewing Company, but “Hopper” has nothing to do with “hops,” which are owers used to make beer.

“People think I made the name up when I started the brewing company,” Seely says. “I wish I did. at’d be more clever. My parents named me Hopper.”

Since opening the brewery in 2020, Seely now distributes beer in three different states. e brewery holds public events in the tap room, where they keep 12 to 17 beers on tap. “We always keep it rotating with new, fun stu . In markets, as of now, we have three products: Godhopper IPA, Tiger Tail cra malt liquor, and Poppy’s Pils pilsner.” eir beer is in Kroger and other “major grocery chains that are known for selling cra beer, independent liquor stores, and bars and restaurants.”

In late March, Grind City beer will be in new cans. It’s part of the company’s rebranding to keep the business fresh.

GRIND CITY BUILDS MORE THAN JUST A BREWERY IN UPTOWN.

Grind City uses “TCB” as its public slogan. But, unlike Elvis, theirs stands for “Taking Care of Beerness.” ey also use “TCB” for the company’s pillars, Seely says.

e “T” stands for “Traditional”: “We’re a traditional American cra brewery.” e “C” stands for “Communal”: “We want to be a part of the community,” he says, adding, “We routinely partner with charities, and we all are part of developing Uptown in general, making sure the neighborhood gets cleaned up.” And the “B” stands for “Betterment”: ey are working to “make sure Uptown gets redeveloped. Since we started the brewery, there have been two businesses that started because of what we did.”

Building Up Uptown

e brewery is on the border of the Greenline. Construction has started on the bike path, which will connect Downtown and North Memphis all the way through to Shelby Farms.

Uptown businesses have been growing since Grind City opened, Seely says. “Of all things, a brewery [Soul &

Hopper Seely

I HAD TO SIT BACK AND THINK, ‘WHAT DO BREWERIES DO THE MOST?’ THEY BUILD COMMUNITIES.

Spirits Brewery] started a er we started here. We’re seeing developers really following through. ere’s construction being built up all over Uptown. ere are apartments and a multi-use blend of retail and living spaces.

“I would say it has the feeling of a neighborhood in Downtown. South Main is awesome, but all the apartments are right next to each other. But if you want a slower paced, more relaxed, really family-centered part of town, that is what Uptown is now. And that’s what it’s being developed into.

“I think eventually somebody was going to start the rst retail business in Uptown. We just happened to be the rst one to do it.”

When trying to decide where to open a brewery, Seely thought, “Do we get a property in the heart of Downtown or do we go Midtown?

“ en I had to sit back and think, ‘What do breweries do the most?’ ey build communities. Broad Avenue wasn’t what Broad Avenue is today without Wiseacre [Brewing Company] planting their ag on Broad.”

Same thing happened to areas around Ghost River Brewery & Taproom at Crump and South Main, Memphis Made Brewing Co. in Midtown, High Cotton Brewing Company in e Edge, and Meddlesome Brewing Company in Cordova, Seely says.

Seely looked at Pinch and Midtown but wanted to be “part of an area that can use development.”

In 2017, he discovered a LoopNet photo of North Second Street in Uptown. It was just one overhead shot. But he learned the 4.65 acres at 76 Waterworks Avenue included 40,000 square feet of warehouse space. “It was right across from Harbor Town, a stone’s throw from St. Jude. I said, ‘I’ve got to check this place out.’’’ en, he says, “I saw the view.” It showed “the entire Memphis skyline perfectly.”

Seely bought the location, which had been the old Tri-State Veneer & Plywood. “ ey were a custom bent wood chair factory. If you bought a wooden chair before 2000 in America, there was a really good chance you got it at TriState.” e company had molds to make “every part of a chair imaginable, and you could customize it.”

e property included four 10,000-square-foot warehouses. “One building was salvageable, and that’s the building we occupy.”

Born to Beer

His middle name notwithstanding, Seely’s life has basically involved beer in one way or another.

Born in Memphis, his full name is William Hopping Seely V. “ ey said, ‘We’ll call you Hopper,’ because every version of William — mostly Bills — has already been used.”

His mom, a movie fan, liked actor

Dennis Hopper, and his dad thought Hopper sounded like a good athlete’s name. “Chipper Jones was kind of in the spotlight at that time.”

But, Seely says, “I sucked at baseball. at didn’t work out. I actually did wrestling. I did every sport, but I stuck to lacrosse and football.”

When he was 13, Seely began homebrewing beer with his dad. “He wanted to have a father-son bonding experiment on the weekends he’d be home. And he needed to pick something that a punk middle schooler would be willing to stay home on a Saturday and do with his dad.”

teacher asked freshman class members what they wanted to do for a living. “I said, ‘I want to start a brewery.’ at didn’t go down so well.” But he was being honest when he said he liked the “science and math of it” rather than the taste.

Seely’s rst beer was a taste of Guinness Extra Stout. “My grandmother loves German beers and Guinness. And she really loves European-style beer. I was like, ‘Oh, can I try it?’ And she thought she’d be able to pull the old ‘I’m going to let you take a sip and you’re going to hate it and we’re good for life.’” at didn’t happen. “I liked the chocolaty-ness of it.”

As he got older, Guinness Draught was Seely’s go-to beer. “People would tailgate with Bud Light and I would tailgate with Guinness Draught. ose are still notes I appreciate in beer today.”

Seely attended Boise State University, but when he was 18 he enrolled in a nine-week course at Brewlab, a brewing school in Sunderland, England. “I learned I know nothing about beer.”

Many fellow students dropped out, but Seely told himself, “If you quit this, you’ll quit everything else for the rest of your life.” He thought, “I have to get through this. … And I did. I ended up graduating third in my class.”

Building a Business

Seely’s goal was “to work at as many breweries in the Mid-South as possible,” and he worked for two years at Yalobusha Brewing Company in Water Valley, Mississippi, and another two years at Ghost River Brewing Co. He then began formulating a business plan for his own brewery. “I wanted Grind City Brewing to be the pub of Memphis.”

“Pub is short for ‘public gathering,’” Seely says. “I want to be part of your good times. I want our beer to be the one you select to have with your friends.”

ere was one condition: “I was not allowed to sample the beers that we would make.” But, Seely admits, “I’m not saying a sample wasn’t taken when no one was around.”

His mother served his home brews, including his amber lager, at anksgiving dinners. And they were a hit. “ at brought me so much joy as a middle schooler all the way through high school.” He realized what he enjoyed the most about beer was other people’s reaction to it.

Seely, who went to Briarcrest Christian School, remembers when his

Seely still loved Guinness and heavy IPAs, but, he says, “A er Brewlab, I had a whole new respect for light beer. It is the hardest beer to make. If you think of light beer as tap water, you know bad tap water when you taste it. It doesn’t seem like a big deal, but the tiniest mistake in a light beer is highlighted. Just because the whole point of a light beer is for it to be similar to water. Super subtle avors.” It can be bitter, buttery, or slightly tart “if you don’t have the proper brewing process.”

Seely came up with a light beer that is “super light, super drinkable. But there’s a subtle avor that you get from our yeast.” He added subtle fruit and spice avors. “And that’s just from experimenting with dozens of di erent yeast strains to gure out the one subtle note we wanted.”

continued on page 15

Located in Uptown, Grind City Brewing Company has a full view of the Memphis skyline.

Tony Allen, a Memphis Grizzlies player at the time, was the inspiration for the name, which was his wife’s idea. “Tony Allen said something along the lines of, ‘ at’s what we do. We grit. We grind. We are Grind City.’”

Seely bought the old chair factory in 2018, but spent about two and a half years renovating it. A lot of chair parts, mostly chair backs and furniture molds, were le behind. “We wanted their history to be a part of our history. We took the molds they le there and we created almost all of the tap room core. e furniture, the xtures, that wall are all made from actual molds and furniture pieces.” His uncle and mother built the tables using Seely’s concept of repurposing molds as table tops and wood pieces for the legs.

Blueprints for the Future

On May 11, 2020, Grind City Brewing Company had its “ rst sale for liquor stores and grocery stores,” Seely says.

e Godhopper IPA, Viva Las Lager, and Soulbier black lager were their rst three beers.

Cordelia’s Market was one of the rst places to sell their beer. “Grind City Brewing is a personal favorite of mine, from their crushable [easily-drinkable] year-rounds to their mouthwatering sours,” says the store’s beer and wine

buyer Morgan Pirani. “I know I can always trust the guys in the brew house to create a masterpiece for the masses.”

Grind City began to grow, but, Seely says, “ e money we had budgeted for marketing, we had to use to keep us a oat because we couldn’t open our tap room and we couldn’t sell beer to everyone we wanted to during the pandemic.”

ey nally opened the tap room that October. “ at’s when we realized

this is going to work.

Just the support from the city. We had a huge day. Everybody came out.” And, he adds, “People were loving the beer.”

Blueprints from the old chair factory are the design on the new cans. “We saved them all and that’s actually the background art on the new cans.”

“We really wanted to focus on who we are and try to express that in a can,” says Grind City director of events Ian Betti. “And that is di cult ’cause the

brand as a whole is built around this feeling of community and cra smanship and, essentially, betterment.”

eir “main job” as a company is “to improve on what is already happening in Memphis,” he adds. e blueprints on the cans are “a nice nod to the past that helps us build the future. Internally, we’re calling it ‘a blueprint to your good times.’”

Grind City also is adding new beers, including Belga, a Belgian-style wheat ale, Seely says. And they’re adding addeus, an amber lager. “We named it addeus because of St. Jude addeus.” e beers previously were only available in the tap room, Betti says.

But, Seely says, “Nothing is nished. Everything has just begun.” ey want to do more with their yard. “We did a music festival last summer, and it was a big success.”

ey currently do “awesome music sets,” featuring “fun, laid-back music” inside and outside, Seely says.

One of his goals is to have a permanent stage. Another is for the Dave Matthews Band to play at the brewery.

But Seely has a main goal for Grind City Brewing Company: “I want to be able to bring my kids to the brewery. And when they’re old enough to understand where they are, I want to be able to tell them, ‘ is is not what Uptown looked like before we started.’”

Grind City brews a diverse range of cra beers, with its most recent additions being Belga and addeus.

Live music at steppin’ out

We Recommend: Culture, News + Reviews

Red Bull Gives You Dance

By Abigail Morici

is Saturday, March 25th, 16 street dancers will dance their way into the hearts of the crowd at Crosstown Concourse in hopes to earn a spot to compete in the Red Bull Dance Your Style Chicago National Final in May.

e Saturday event, in which dancers will compete one-on-one in a single-elimination bracket, serves as the rst quali er of eight for that nal battle in Chicago. e dancers won’t know their music beforehand, so they won’t have any choreography planned. Instead, they’ll have to rely on their freestyle instincts and musicality skills. Without a panel of judges, their progression through the competition depends on the crowd vote.

e dancers set to compete in Memphis are from all around — from New Orleans to Detroit. But three competitors have a home- eld advantage: defending Red Bull Dance Your Style Memphis champion Jadyn Smooth and jookin’ specialists Gangsta E and Trent Jeray. And those are the three for whom host Ladia Yates will be rooting.

A dancer in Memphis herself, Yates, also the founder of L.Y.E Academy, understands what sets Memphis jookin’ apart from other street-dance styles that’ll be on display at the quali er. “It’s not like one of those ‘I watched a music video or something and I copied some moves,’” she says. “It has a rich culture behind it. It has a certain swag. It consists mainly of cool footwork — dope footwork — and it has, like, a ballet technique to it. … It stands out.”

Jookin’ won’t be the only Memphis representation at the event: Memphis hip-hop legends Duke Deuce and NLE Choppa will also perform. “It’s like a concert-slash-dance battle,” Yates says, “and they’ll be giving out free Red Bulls all night.”

e event, Yates adds, is family-friendly. “So you might have a 5-year-old who comes and has never seen [this style of dance] before and sees it and may nd interest in the whole culture,” she says. “And it can be life-changing. Dance is an outlet. It gives us direction, a positive direction. It keeps us out of trouble. ese days you can make money from it, from social media, posting your content. If your video goes viral or the right person sees it, it can change your life. You can get major opportunities such as doing things with Red Bull and stu like that.”

In all, Yates hopes audience members of all ages will leave inspired. “ is is a big brand that’s pouring into Memphis in a lot of positive ways and opportunities — that’s not really the norm,” she says. “We would love for the city to come out and support and enjoy a good show.”

Tickets cost $5 and can be purchased at shorturl.at/rNOZ2.

Memphis Area Master Gardeners’ Spring Fling Garden Show and Plant Sale

e Red Barn at Agricenter International, Friday-Saturday, March 24-25, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., free My allergies are acting up, so that means spring is here, no matter how low the temperature uctuates. And my allergies aren’t the only thing signaling a new season; the Memphis Area Master Gardeners are ready for it, too.

In honor of spring, the group is going all out with two days of educational seminars with regional/ local experts, hands-on demonstrations, 2,000+ plant sale, gardening photo exhibit, recycling products and information, a mini ea market with gently used garden items, plus homemade treats and a kids corner.

Learn more at memphisareamastergardeners.org.

BrickUniverse Lego Fan Convention

Agricenter International, SaturdaySunday, March 25-26, 10 a.m.4 p.m., $14.99

Lego my Eggo, but don’t lego your weekend, especially when BrickUniverse is coming to town.

e expo is fan-driven and family-friendly. Attendees will meet professional Lego artists (yes, that’s a career — an enviable one, if you ask me) from around the world and be inspired by their incredible Lego creations from intricate displays to massive creations made with hundreds of thousands of Lego bricks. Guests will also have a chance to view local Lego master-builders’ creations and even try their hand at their very own masterpiece in the Building Zone.

Learn more and buy tickets at brickuniverseusa.com.

Chalkfest

Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Saturday, March 25, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., free with registration

Chalk it up to a love of chalk, but Chalkfest sounds like a good time. Local artists Craig ompson, Sumo, and Toonky Berry will be transforming the Brooks Plaza into a giant collaborative, chalky masterpiece, and they need your help. at’s right, you. In addition to watching these artists work, you get a chance to add to the plaza yourself. Bring your own chalk or buy some for $5.

In between masterpieces, you can explore the galleries inside for inspiration, dance to Shorty and the Grooves and DJ Siphne Aaye, and take part in free art activities and face painting with Memphis Face Painting for $10. Register at brooksmuseum.org.

RED BULL DANCE YOUR STYLE MEMPHIS, CROSSTOWN CONCOURSE, SATURDAY, MARCH 25, 6:30-9:30 P.M., $5.

PHOTO: JUSTEN WILLIAMS LaShonté Pop in 2021

MUSIC By Alex Greene

Ebonie Smith

It’s not every day that an in-house producer and engineer at Atlantic Records in New York asks to be transferred to Memphis, but Ebonie Smith is not like most engineers. She grew up here and still identi es with her hometown on a deep level. Of course, three years ago, it also made a lot of sense to get out of New York. “I was in New York eight years,” Smith says, “but then the pandemic happened. I told Atlantic I wanted to move down to Memphis for a minute, and they approved it.”

She stayed busy while back in her hometown. “I spent the bulk of my time at 4U Recording, pretty much every other day, and I did a couple dates at Young Avenue Sound and Royal,” she recalls. Besides, being in Memphis not only reminded her of the diversity behind the music she loved most; it represented her spirituality. “ e most important thing for me has been my faith and growing up in church,” she says. “My church was First Baptist Beale Street at the corner of Beale and Fourth. ere was a natural blending of secular and sacred there. At 2 p.m. on Sundays, Beale Street would start revving up and you could hear the sounds of bands outside bleeding into what we were doing in church. And the sounds weren’t that di erent. at’s the nature of the Memphis music scene: musicians who’ve been trained in sacred spaces, making their money in both secular and

sacred spaces. So there’s always been an interesting dichotomy there.”

Having thus attended the same church as the great hip-hop producer DJ Squeeky, then graduating from East High School, Smith went on to become one of the most high-achieving Memphians in the music industry. Between starting for Atlantic in 2013 and the pandemic era she was involved in many notable projects, such as the original Broadway cast recording of Hamilton, Sturgill Simpson’s A Sailor’s Guide to Earth, the Grammy-nominated album Dirty Computer by Janelle Monáe, and the Grammy-winning album Invasion to Privacy by Cardi B. And yet, having returned to Memphis for a time, she felt she could take things further. And that meant going west.

A er the world stopped sheltering in place, she headed to Los Angeles, where she’s chosen to settle down for a time. “ ey have more studios here,” she notes. “In New York we only really have one room, with a few auxiliary spots, but in LA there’s a lot more going on and a lot more studio facilities. It’s been nice because it’s been a lot more nomadic than New York. I bounce around. Each studio has a di erent personality. Di erent equipment, di erent clientele. So that’s been cool. e studio in New York is really nice, but I’ve been learning a lot more about gear out here.”

e move has also led her to further

develop her career as an independent producer. “Atlantic has been such a big part of my career, and they’re one of the reasons why I’ve had so many great credits,” she points out, but then adds, “I’m mostly working freelance these days. I’m still with the company, but I think, post-Covid, fewer artists are bringing their whole projects in. e days of getting the whole Hamilton cast album are gone. Which is one of the reasons I moved to LA. ere’s more happening out here than there is in New York. I’m focused on making records, things that are going to go out into the world. So I’ve been hustling out here.” Meanwhile, she’s also been focused on her nonpro t, Gender Ampli ed (genderampli ed.org), which she started while still a senior in college in 2007. “Gender Ampli ed is my passion work,” she says. “Our mission statement is to advance the careers of women in music production and audio engineering, and we’ve recently expanded our de nitions to include nonbinary producers and trans producers. Warner Music Group gave us a pretty sizable grant a couple years ago, so we’ve been hiring sta and doing our music production camps in New York. We also did an event in Memphis with 4U Recording, for Women’s Equality Day in August of ’21, and that was a fabulous experience; we want to do more with them. It’s just a matter of setting it into motion.”

PHOTO: SHAINA STEIN Ebonie Smith

Raised in Memphis, the producer is paving the way for women in the music industry.

AFTER DARK: Live Music Schedule March 23 - 29

Area 51

$10. Friday, March 24, 8 p.m.

NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM

Andy Whatley & Co.

Saturday, March 25, 6:30 p.m.

TIN ROOF

Cody Clark

Friday, March 24, 10 p.m.

TIN ROOF

Donna Padgett Bowers

Presents

Variety show of Memphis talent. Friday, March 24, 8:30 p.m.

WESTY’S

Eric Hughes Band

ursday, March 23, 7-11 p.m.

RUM BOOGIE CAFE

Jan Briggs Band

Sunday, March 26, 4-9 p.m.

HARD ROCK CAFE

Jarred Kingrey

ursday, March 23, 6:30 p.m.

TIN ROOF

MarceauxMarceaux

Saturday, March 25, 9 p.m.

CENTRAL STATION HOTEL

Miller and the Other Sinners

Saturday, March 25, 8-11:45 p.m.

RUM BOOGIE CAFE

No Cover/No Covers

Concert Series

Pay no cover, and hear no covers with Savannah Brister. ursday, March 23, 5:30-7 p.m.

MEMPHIS ROCK ‘N’ SOUL MUSEUM

Richard Wilson

Soulful blues and jazz. Friday, March 24, 12:30-3:30 p.m.;

Sunday, March 26, noon-3 p.m.

RUM BOOGIE CAFE

Robbie Bletscher on Piano

Wednesday, March 29, 5:308 p.m.

WESTY’S

Rodell McCord

Sunday, March 26, 7 p.m.;

Wednesday, March 29, 8 p.m.

TIN ROOF

Stereo Blue Band

Friday, March 24, 6-9 p.m.;

Saturday, March 25, 6-9 p.m.

HARD ROCK CAFE

Thomas Claxton

ursday, March 23, 5 p.m.

HARD ROCK CAFE

Tikyra

Friday, March 24, 8 p.m.

K3 STUDIO CAFE

Wendell Wells & The Big Americans

Friday, March 24, 7 p.m.;

Saturday, March 25, 7 p.m.

WESTY’S

Willie Traywick

Friday, March 24, 6:30 p.m.;

Saturday, March 25, 10 p.m.

TIN ROOF

Zechariah Lloyd

Saturday, March 25, 3:15 p.m.

TIN ROOF

Cazateatro’s Retro Party Celebrate Women’s Month with the best Latin music from the ’80s and ’90s with featured Latina artists Mariana Figueredo and Marisol Pierre, plus DJ XANDER. $20. Saturday, March 25, 9 p.m.-1 a.m.

MEMPHIS MUSIC ROOM

KIX 106 40th Birthday

Blowout

With Joe Nichols and Parmalee. Friday, March 24, 7 p.m.

AGRICENTER INTERNATIONAL

The Brian Johnson Band

Friday, March 24, 9 p.m.

T.J. MULLIGAN’S

Viano String Quartet: “Celebration & Romance”

Tuesday, March 28, 7:30 p.m.

HARRIS CONCERT HALL, UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS

19 Stone

A tribute to Bon Scott-era AC/ DC. $7. Saturday, March 25, 8 p.m.

BLUE MONKEY

Almost Famous

Friday, March 24, 10 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Amber McCain Band

Friday, March 24, 6 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Aquanet

Saturday, March 25, 10 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM Area 51

Sunday, March 26, 8 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Bandit with Ross Turner, Josh McLane

$20. Saturday, March 25, 9 p.m.

HI TONE

BYG KURSE

Saturday, March 25, 8 p.m.

GROWLERS

Devil Train Album Release Show

Saturday, March 25, 10 p.m.

B-SIDE

Devil Train Listening

Party Preview of Devil Train’s debut record, Eye Explain. Free.

ursday, March 23, 6-8 p.m.

MEMPHIS LISTENING LAB

Droneroom, Jon Camp, Fosterfalls, Robert Traxler

Sunday, March 26, 8 p.m.

HI TONE

Dr. Patrick A. Scott

A solo organ recital. Sunday, March 26, 6 p.m.

GRACE-ST. LUKE’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Duane Cleveland Band

Saturday, March 25, 8 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

All Cactus Jacks, Shooters, Denim and Diamonds Dancers

Saturday, March 25, 8 p.m.-

2 a.m.

WHISKEY JILL’S

Emily White, Blood Noize, Lung Cancer

Speedrun

$10. ursday, March 23, 7 p.m.

LAMPLIGHTER LOUNGE

Eric Hutchinson with Special Guest Anna Vaus

Wednesday, March 29, 7 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Excavate, Vomit Forth, Upon Stone, Tomb

Sentinel

Monday, March 27, 8 p.m.

HI TONE

Farewell to Rap

Friday, March 24, 10:30 p.m.

GROWLERS

Farseek, Jadewick, Slumdog

Tuesday, March 28, 8 p.m.

HI TONE

Graham’s SongSwap ft.

Austin Holcomb and the McStays

Friday, March 24, 8 p.m.

BAR DKDC

Iron & Wine: Back to Basics – Part Three

With Anna Mieke

ursday, March 23, 8 p.m.

CROSSTOWN THEATER

Jackie Venson

ursday, March 23, 8 p.m.

RAILGARTEN

Jack Oblivian

Friday, March 24, 10 p.m.

BAR DKDC

Jamalama

Sunday, March 26, 6-9 p.m.

B-SIDE

J.D. Reager Birthday Bash

With Spacer, J.D. Reager & the Cold Blooded ree, Chef Joshua McLane, DJ Bloody Elle and One a Day, comedian Caroline Allen. Friday, March 24, 7 p.m.

B-SIDE

JD Westmoreland Band

Monday, March 27, 10 p.m.

B-SIDE

John & Kory

Saturday, March 25, 2 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Joslyn and the Sweet Compression

Saturday, March 25, 8-10 p.m.

RAILGARTEN

Judah & the Lion, plus Goldpark

Friday, March 24, 8 p.m.

MINGLEWOOD HALL

Kamikaze Zombie with Kill Command, East of Eden

Wednesday, March 29, 7 p.m.

GROWLERS

Liquid Chrome

Monday, March 27, 9 p.m.

GROWLERS

Lucky 7 Brass Band

Saturday, March 25, 9 p.m.

BAR DKDC

Makaya McCraven

$25-$30. Tuesday, March 28, 7:30 p.m.

CROSSTOWN THEATER

Morgan James

Saturday, March 25, 7:30 p.m.

THE GREEN ROOM

Mozart and Electric Guitar

A concert of musical dedications. Friday, March 24, 6:308:30 p.m.

CROSSTOWN THEATER

Murph, Pressed, Little Baby Tendencies

ursday, March 23, 8 p.m.

HI TONE

Music in the Round Featuring Misty White, Greg Cartwright, Lorette Velvette, and Kristi + Warner Witt.

Saturday, March 25, 7 p.m.

BAR DKDC

Nathan Graybeal Quintet

Free. Tuesday, March 28, 6 p.m.

CROSSTOWN CONCOURSE

Oakwalker, Elevation

Memphis, Screamer, Niika

Sunday, March 26, 5:30 p.m.

LAMPLIGHTER LOUNGE

Pedro Maia and Christina Lai

Saturday, March 25, 11 a.m.noon.

AMRO MUSIC STORES, INC.

Perry Mears, Beethoven Club Avanti Concert

Free .Wednesday, March 29, 7-8:15 p.m.

BEETHOVEN CLUB

post doom romance, Drekka, Artificer, Dinosauria

Presented by Memphis Concrete. $10. Friday, March 24, 7-10 p.m.

BLACK LODGE

Prizefighter, Everdeens, Wagoneer, The Stupid Reasons, Drugstore

Cowboy

ursday, March 23, 8 p.m.

HI TONE

R&B Only Live

Saturday, March 25, 9 p.m.

MINGLEWOOD HALL

Rick Camp and the Suburban Trunk Monkeys

Sunday, March 26, 3:30 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Rosegarden Funeral Party

Tuesday, March 28, 7 p.m.

GROWLERS

Salo Pallini with Steve Selvidge and Peewee

Jackson

Celebrating the release of Salo Pallini’s debut record, e Sirens of Titan: A Preemptive Scoring

Friday, March 24, 9 p.m.

YOUNG AVENUE DELI

Shakermaker

Sunday, March 26, 9:30 p.m.

B-SIDE

Shell on Wheels: 5

Fridays of Jazz | Ekpe and the African Jazz Ensemble

Free. Friday, March 24, 6:30 p.m.

BENJAMIN L. HOOKS CENTRAL LIBRARY

Smile Empty Soul with Horizon Theory, Fire Follows

Tuesday, March 28, 7 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

SpiralPhonics Special Quartet

$15-$20. Wednesday, March 29, 7:30-10 p.m.

THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS

Strictly Jazz: The Music of Bill Evans

$15-$20. Sunday, March 26, 7 p.m.

THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS

Swingtime Explosion Big Band

Monday, March 27, 6 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

The Kattawar Brothers

Saturday, March 25, 6 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

The Moss with Almost Monday & Wilderness

ursday, March 23, 7 p.m.

GROWLERS

The Oolong Gurus

Saturday, March 25, 8 p.m.

SUN STUDIO

The Pages-Davises

Featuring Memphis Free Jazz Initiative and Pinky’s. Monday, March 27, 8 p.m.

HI TONE

War Hippies ft. Scooter Brown and Donnie Reis

ursday, March 23, 7 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Weavr, Oakwalker, The Study of What, Spacer

Wednesday, March 29, 9 p.m.

HI TONE

WiMM Presents Alexis Jade and the Gemstones & Lina Beach

Wednesday, March 29, 8 p.m.

B-SIDE WREST with David Collins Explosion

Wednesday, March 29, 8:30 p.m.

BAR DKDC

Everdeens, Clementine

Was Right, Oakwalker

$10. Saturday, March 25, 7 p.m.

HERNANDO’S HIDEAWAY

Finley Watkins

Saturday, March 25, 6-8 p.m.

MARLOWE’S RIBS & RESTAURANT

Jason D. Williams

Wednesday, March 29, 8 p.m.

GOLD STRIKE CASINO

Parker Gispert (of The Whigs)

$10-$12. Sunday, March 26, 7 p.m.

HERNANDO’S HIDEAWAY

Tanya Tucker

Saturday, March 25, 7:30 p.m.

EAST ARKANSAS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

The Pink Stones with Mr. Sam & the People People

$12-$15. ursday, March 23, 5 p.m.

HERNANDO’S HIDEAWAY

Bartlett Community Concert Band

$10. Sunday, March 26, 2 p.m.

BARTLETT PERFORMING ARTS AND CONFERENCE CENTER

Anthony Wilson

$35. Friday, March 24, 7-9 p.m.

GERMANTOWN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Junior Brown $35. Saturday, March 25, 7:30 p.m.

BARTLETT PERFORMING ARTS AND CONFERENCE CENTER

Mozart and Electric Guitar

A concert of musical dedications. Sunday, March 26, 2:304:30 p.m.

GERMANTOWN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

PHOTO: DERREK KUPISH Tanya Tucker

CALENDAR of EVENTS: March 23 - 29

ART AND SPECIAL EXHIBITS

“Brick X Brick: A Billion Pounds of Cultivation”

An interactive exhibition to bring about restoration to the folks in the community.

Through May 7.

TONE

“Extending the Potential: The Art and Techniques of Bill Helwig”

A tribute to both Helwig’s art and passion for experimentation. Through May 21.

METAL MUSEUM

“From the Studio”

Carl E. Moore’s response to the Tennessee Triennial theme of Repair. Through April 29.

JAY ETKIN GALLERY

“Going with the Grain”

A collection of crayon drawings on wood by Rose Marr. Through April 6.

HATTILOO THEATRE

“Master Narrative”

Paintings by Harmonia Rosales who challenges the concept of the master narrative. Through June 25.

MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART

“Of This Place”

Jeanne Seagle’s perceptive drawings. Through April 9.

THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS

“Mending in a State of Abundance”

Exhibition of work by Katrina Perdue exploring the emotional and physical labor of repair. Through March 26.

CROSSTOWN ARTS

“Those Who Hold Dominion Here”

Exhibition of work by Sarah Elizabeth Cornejo. Through March 26.

CROSSTOWN ARTS

ART HAPPENINGS

“No Longer Never” Art

Opening

Art opening by Leslie Young. Friday, March 24, 6-9 p.m.

OFF THE WALLS ARTS

LOCAL: Art Moves

Memphis

Inspired by the vibrant urban art and murals of Memphis, choreographers will bring their creativity and unique perspectives. $20. Thursday, March 23, 7-8 p.m.; Friday, March 24, 7-8 p.m.

HUTCHISON SCHOOL

“Offerings/Please Save The Baby!” Artist

Reception

Through this exhibit, Jasmine Marie unpacks her coming of age in the arts scene. Free.

Friday, March 24, 5-8 p.m.

CHRISTIAN BROTHERS UNIVERSITY

“Seed Society” Opening Reception

An art exhibition by Erika Roberts. Friday, March 24, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

THE COTTON MUSEUM AT THE MEMPHIS COTTON EXCHANGE

Spring Fever Market

A market of vintage goods, home plants, and arts and crafts. Saturday, March 25, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

HI TONE

The Process of Comic Book Creation

Learn how to make a comic book with Greg Cravens and Gabriel DeRanzo. $30. Thursday, March 23, 6-8 p.m.

CROSSTOWN BREWING COMPANY

UAC Artist Workshop: What Is Public Art?

Covering the foundational knowledge of public art. Free.

Wednesday, March 29, 5:307:30 p.m.

MEMPHIS MUSIC INITIATIVE

I Saw You Personals

You’ve Got Mail

I was standing in line at the Union@McNeil UPS in a blue suit jacket. You walked in holding a parcel and looking ... really cool. Did we have a moment? Reach out if you think so.

Have you spotted a hottie around town? A missed connection been bugging you? Are you the one described in this ad?

For more info on how to submit your missed connections or replies, email isawyou@memphisflyer.com.

BOOK EVENTS

Meet the Author: Cheryl L. Bevelle-Orange Cheryl L. Bevelle-Orange celebrates the release of her book The Courage to Continue: Navigating Your Corporate Journey. Thursday, March 23, 5:30-7 p.m.

NOVEL

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 EVENT LISTINGS, VISIT EVENTS.MEMPHISFLYER.COM/CAL.

Meet the Authors: Memphis Central High 1959 Classmates

Celebrating the launch of From Around the Clock to TikTok: Eighty Years of Life, Learning and Hope. Saturday, March 25, 2 p.m.

NOVEL

Sticks and Stones

Reading and Signing

Cassie Brooks reads from her children’s book Sticks and Stones Saturday, March 25, 2 p.m.

THE BROOM CLOSET

COMEDY

Damon Williams

Damon Williams brings his comedy to Memphis. $22-$40. Thursday, March 23-March 25.

CHUCKLES COMEDY HOUSE

John Crist

The Metal Museum’s latest exhibit contains work in enamel by Bill Helwig and by contemporary artists who have been influenced by him, such as Martha Banyas, whose work is pictured above.

John Crist brings his Emotional Support Tour to the Orpheum. Friday, March 24, 7 p.m.; Friday, March 24, 9 p.m.

ORPHEUM THEATRE

Kristen Becker

Comic Kristen Becker brings Dykotomy-Self Identified

continued on page 22

Alcohol kills on average 95,000 Americans every year. Tobacco related deaths average 480,000 per year.

Once again, meth is back on the scene in full force and taking over US cities. Even recreational drug use is more dangerous than ever. Hear from local experts about current data and find out what we can do to help prevent unnecessary ATOD related deaths.

Students, Teachers, Therapists, School Counselors, Socia Workers, Psychologists, Peer Specia ists, Addiction & Mental Health Professionals, Treatment Centers, Churches, Outreach Ministries, Physicians, Nurses, Pharmacists, Law Enforcement, Judges Media Representatives, Individuals In Recovery & Families

PHOTO: PAUL FOSTER

Comedy to Dru’s stage. $10. Saturday, March 25, 8 p.m.

DRU’S PLACE

Preacher Lawson

Lawson showcases his talents with PG comedy. $25. Saturday, March 25, 8-9:30 p.m.

GERMANTOWN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Rated R Comedy Show

Starring Flamaholics, Adam Nickson, Big Mickey, Jason Jenkens, and musical performance from Tenia Stout. $20. Saturday, March 25, 7 p.m.

PREMIERE PALACE BALLROOM

COMMUNITY

Down for the Brew

A fun day of activities with art sale, talent show, games, fitness event, and more to raise awareness for Down syndrome. Saturday, March 25, 11 a.m.

WISEACRE BREWING COMPANY HQ - LITTLE BETTIE

Memphis Area Master Gardeners’ Spring Fling Garden Show and Plant Sale

Featuring educational seminars with regional/ local experts, hands-on demonstrations, plant sale, and more. Friday, March 24, 9 a.m.

GREATER FAITH TABERNACLE

CALENDAR: MARCH 23 - 29

The Cancer Kickers Big Buffalo 50

The largest annual fundraiser for the Cancer Kickers Soccer Club, which is committed to providing comfort, community, and connections to children with cancer. Saturday, March 25, 6 a.m.

SHELBY FARMS PARK

Victorious Annual Walk & Roll

March-A-Thon 2023

Raising awareness about the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in all areas of community life. Saturday, March 25, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

SHELBY FARMS PARK

FESTIVAL

BrickUniverse Memphis Lego Fan

Convention

Lego fan event organized by fans, for fans of all ages. $14.99. Saturday, March 25, 10 a.m.

AGRICENTER INTERNATIONAL

Chalkfest 2023

Join local artists in transforming the Brooks Plaza into the most beautiful masterpiece. Saturday, March 25, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART

Mid-South Flute Festival

A festival of creative and artistic presentations, exhibits, concerts, and competitions.

Friday, March 24, noon.

RUDI E. SCHEIDT SCHOOL OF MUSIC

FILM

AI After Dark: A High-Tech Happy Hour featuring The Matrix

A night of drinks and games to see MOSH’s exhibits, plus a screening of The Matrix. Saturday, March 25, 5:30 p.m.

MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY

Rye Lane

An uplifting rom-com set in Brixton and Peckham about meeting the right person at the worst possible time. Wednesday, March 29, 7 p.m.

MALCO STUDIO ON THE SQUARE

The Blob & Invasion of the Body

Snatchers

A double feature screening of two legends. Free. Tuesday, March 28, 4 p.m.

BLACK LODGE

FOOD AND DRINK

Beer-lympics

The time has come to crown a new champion for the 2nd Annual Beer-lympics. Saturday, March 25, noon.

MEDDLESOME BREWING COMPANY

The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Monday, January 14, 2019

Crossword

Edited by Will Shortz No. 1210

PERFORMING ARTS

Devon’s Dollhouse: Country Music Night

Featuring the talents of Devon Davenport Phillips, Wednesday Moss, Alanna Stephens, Coco Flores, Rawki Matrix, and more. Thursday, March 23, 10 p.m.

DRU’S PLACE

Spillit Slam: No Stone Unturned

An evening of your stories about what we are searching for and how far we are willing to go to find it. $10. Saturday, March 25, 7 p.m.

BLACK LODGE

The Southern Literary Salon Series: Truth and Beauty of Ann Patchett

A unique, fun social hour of curated readings, scenes, and discussions that explore the work of Ann Patchett. Sunday, March 26, 3 p.m.

TENNESSEE SHAKESPEARE COMPANY

SPORTS

Memphis Wrestling Spring Break presented by Homer Skelton Ford Lucha sensation and former WWE superstar Lince Dorado is coming to Memphis Wrestling. $10-$25. Sunday, March 26, 1:45-4:15 p.m.

MEMPHIS WRESTLING WRESTLECENTER

Grizzlies vs. Houston Rockets

Friday, March 24, 7 p.m.

FEDEXFORUM

Grizzlies vs. Los Angeles Clippers

Wednesday, March 29, 7 p.m.

FEDEXFORUM

Grizzlies vs. Orlando Magic

Tuesday, March 28, 7 p.m.

FEDEXFORUM

THEATER

2023 - 2024 Broadway Season

Reveal

The Orpheum reveals its upcoming Broadway season lineup with a celebration of drinks, desserts, and more. Free. Monday, March 27, 6 p.m.

ORPHEUM THEATRE

Black Men Missing 2

An in-depth view of disparities in the Black community, due to mass incarceration, broken families, and absent fathers. Saturday, March 25, 6:30-9 p.m.

ORPHEUM THEATRE

Freckleface Strawberry

Julianne Moore’s beloved children’s story onstage. Through April 15.

CIRCUIT PLAYHOUSE

Menopause The Musical

1 Timothy Leary’s drug

2 “The Greatest” in the ring

3 One who doesn’t travel to work alone

4 “___, Brute!”

5 Religious offshoot

6 ___-de-lis

7 Cowboy’s rope

8 Informal affirmative

9 Danish or cream puff

10 Avis competitor

11 Highly successful, in theaterspeak

12 One of 500 in a ream

13 Zaps with a police gun

18 Harleys, in slang

21 PC character set

22 Milk dispensers

23 Leader of the pack

25 Sounds of resignation

27 Stage after larva

28 Bilingualism subj.

31 Sacred peak in Greek myth: Abbr.

32 Had one’s fill

33

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.

Four women at a lingerie sale have nothing in common but a black lace bra and memory loss, hot flashes, night sweats, not enough sex, too much sex, and more! Wednesday, March 29, 7:30 p.m.

ORPHEUM THEATRE

On Stage, School Girls; or, The African Mean Girls Play

This buoyant and biting comedy explores the universal similarities (and glaring differences) facing teenage girls across the globe. Through April 16.

HATTILOO THEATRE

The Play That Goes Wrong

A play within a play with actors missing cues, breaking character and the fourth wall. Where could disaster befall? Through March 26.

THEATRE MEMPHIS

TOURS

The Marvelous Women of Elmwood Cemetery

Learn about the magnificent, amazing, groundbreaking women buried at Elmwood Cemetery. $20. Saturday, March 25, 10:3011:30 a.m.

ELMWOOD CEMETERY

PUZZLE BY ALEX EYLAR

A Play That Goes Wrong

eatre Memphis hosts this play within a play.

The Murder at Haversham Manor was a complete and utter travesty. Viewing this play was akin to viewing a slow-motion train wreck. Actors forgot their lines, were replaced mid-show by stagehands (and at one point, believe it or not, a prop), and by the end of the night, the set had completely fallen apart! However, e Play at Goes Wrong, the show that encompassed e Murder at Haversham Manor, went o without a hitch.

One of my favorite tropes in theater — or any storytelling format, really — is a play within a play. It is always a joy to watch the layers of an actor playing the role of an actor playing a role. eatre Memphis’ e Play at Goes Wrong adds another element to this gambit: Nearly every component of a play that you can think of “fails” in this show within a show.

Murder at Haversham Manor

Most of the characters in e Play at Goes Wrong are captivatingly zany, none more so than Max Bennett (who “plays” Cecil Haversham), played by Bruce Human. Max Bennett is a gloriously overthe-top showboat, but when we sat down to discuss the show, I found Hu man to be a complete contrast to his character, quietly engaging, gracious, and kind. We spoke of everything from director Ann Marie Hall’s process to the heart of the arts in Memphis. ough the character Max o en steals the spotlight, Hu man is very aware of his fellow cast members. “Some of the characters do break the fourth wall and some of them don’t,” he says, “and I think one of the intentions of having some of them not is to be there and support us in reeling it back in if we need to.”

e Murder at Haversham Manor, and subsequently, e Play at Goes Wrong, opens with a body being discovered, that of Charles Haversham, “played” by Jonathan Kes’Trelle, played by Hugh Boller-Raup. e Murder at Haversham Manor is a murder mystery, while e Play at Goes Wrong is a comedy that allows the audience to feel as though they’re getting a glimpse behind the curtain. e show even begins with “crew members” attempting to x a faulty set piece.

For anyone who enjoys minutiae and details, e Play at Goes Wrong is a veritable bu et of theater subtleties. Multiple characters sport two pink circles of makeup on their cheeks, an example of one deliberate “inexpert” element of the show. e set, which over the course of the play becomes increasingly dilapidated, sports a door with a “restroom” sign on one side. Even the program for the show includes a program within a program, a complete work-up of the ctitious e

Working an audience can be a di cult task, especially in a production where the technical timing needs to be precise — actors and stage hands alike have to meet cues for the movement of big set pieces. According to Hu man, director Hall had some advice to share on the subject: “If you are trying to work the audience too much, they can tell, and you will steal your own joke.” Fortunately, the cast seemed to perfectly balance the accuracy necessitated by the script with encouraging and interacting with the audience. Comedy is all about timing, and the fact that the cast and crew had the added pressure of so many “surprise” cues throughout the show makes the success of the production even more impressive.

is is a play in which it is obvious the cast is having a good time, and the energy is infectious. “ e most fun I’ve ever had doing a show ever,” Hu man says. One thing I personally enjoyed was how o en the background of this play demands the audience’s attention. ere are o en two scenes happening at once, and everywhere you look, a joke is being carried out. Taking in the comedy of this show was delightful. Of his fellow cast and crew members — but I think it translates to the audience as well — Hu man says, “It felt like everyone was just there to support each other and have fun, and we did just that.”

e Play at Goes Wrong runs through March 26th at eatre Memphis.

PHOTO: CARLA MCDONALD Chaos ensues, in the best of ways, in this play within a play.

WINNER!

FOOD By Michael Donahue

Behind the Waffles

Meet kitchen manager Mary O’Brien.

Mary O’Brien doesn’t wa e when Lent arrives. She knows she’s going to spearhead the kitchen at Calvary Episcopal Church’s Wa e Shop.

O’Brien, the church’s kitchen manager, has only been doing it for 16 years.

Wa e Shop, which is celebrating its 95th anniversary this year, is open for lunch Wednesdays through Fridays beginning the ursday a er Ash Wednesday and ending before the start of Holy Week.

e menu hasn’t changed much since Wa e Shop began in 1928. Diners know they’re going to get tomato aspic, shrimp mousse, Boston cream pie, wa es with or without chicken hash, and much more, including the infamous sh pudding.

“I was hired as the parish chef,” O’Brien says. “I do all of the cooking for all of the events at the church and that are going on at the parish.”

at includes Wednesday dinner, Sunday morning breakfast, and Sunday morning co ee hour. “We do funerals, weddings, and lots of outside events.”

A native Memphian, O’Brien didn’t do much cooking growing up. Her sister Elaine Carey is a trained pastry chef. “She’d ask me to help her with di erent events.”

O’Brien worked in an o ce for her father until Elaine and her husband, the late Joe Carey, moved from California to Memphis to open the old Memphis Culinary Academy.

A er their father died, Elaine invited Mary to attend the school. O’Brien didn’t necessarily want to become a chef, yet, she says, “It was time for me to make a change. I wasn’t happy being in an o ce.”

But, she adds, “I caught the bug when I went to school.” Just being in class “really pushed me to appreciate good food ’cause we did ne dining and stu like that.”

A er she graduated in the early ’90s, O’Brien went to work at the old 25 Belvedere and Bistro Hemmings restaurants. Later, O’Brien and a partner opened Cafe Eclectic, where she stayed for about six years until taking the Calvary job.

She quickly learned the Wa e Shop recipes were set in stone. “I don’t know how many years those recipes have been there, but I was not allowed to veer away from them because I would be in trouble.”

She did add the seafood gumbo and vegetable soup to the menu.

Laurie Monypenny makes the desserts, and Connie Marshall heads up the wa emaking station. O’Brien and her sta

of six make the rest of the food. “We do three huge pans of aspic, two huge pans of mousse. And the poor chicken salad guy, he just keeps on. We cook 120 pounds of chicken breasts and 80 pounds of leg quarters twice a week.”

Wa e Shop runs from 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., but O’Brien begins her day at 6 a.m. “I start the custard for the Boston cream pie.”

She usually ends her day about 4:30 or 5 p.m. “Taking inventory. And putting in orders.”

As for that sh pudding, people who’ve never tried the casserole are o en skeptical until they taste it. “I think they just see

it as maybe sh in Jell-O instant pudding or something. I don’t know.”

O’Brien removed some desserts from the menu over the years. And, she says, “We dropped the chicken livers, which is one of my favorites. It was kind of a small audience.”

Wa e Shop closed shortly a er it opened when the pandemic hit in 2020, but it was open for take-out orders the next year. “ ey were lining up in the alley.”

O’Brien might wa e a bit when Wa e Shop closes for the year. She thinks, “Ohhh, can I do this again?”

But that thought vanishes. “Just these people that come in. It’s like old home week every day.”

Many volunteers have worked at Wa e Shop for decades. Same goes for customers.

O’Brien doesn’t do much cooking at home. “Luckily, my husband cooks.”

So, Kevin O’Brien has dinner ready every night she gets home from Wa e Shop? “Well, I won’t go that far.”

Calvary Episcopal Church is at 102 North Second Street.

Entertainment by Donna Wolf, Violinist Pet caricatures by Greg Cravens

PHOTO: MICHAEL DONAHUE Debbie Balling, Doug Franklin, Laurie Monypenny, Mary O’Brien, Connie Marshall, and Bruce Marshall

By Emily Guenther

The King of Wands

is card in tarot captures the drive and passion of Aries.

Astrology is prevalent throughout tarot, as many tarot practitioners know. On the spring equinox, Aries season begins and takes us through mid-April. Many people may be familiar with e Emperor card in tarot being the big Aries card, and it’s easy to understand why. But did you know there are more cards in tarot associated with each zodiac sign aside from their major Arcana card? For Aries, the suit of wands contains many cards that capture the drive and passion of the sign, especially the King of Wands.

him. e King of Wands is a master at directing his energy, at motivating people and making sure things get done.

e King of Wands is a great leader because he inspires you, he has a vision, and his passion doesn’t leave anyone behind. e King of Wands’ goal is overcoming a challenge and opening up new horizons. As much of an adrenaline junkie as e Emperor can be, the King of Wands is perhaps more since the he oversees a smaller kingdom.

I am not the rst nor the last person to say this, but the world can be overwhelming. Technology has made it a smaller place, connecting us with those on the other side of the planet, making communication instantaneous, sending out news and information constantly. Technology has also made seeing and knowing about disasters, bad news, and crime that much easier. Many people feel the pains of the greater world looming over them, on top of the complications of daily life. is is why we need the energy of the King of Wands.

GIVEAWAY GIVEAWAY

SATURDAYS

JANUARY 1 – APRIL 1

7PM – 10PM

Over 700 winners will win their share of $500,000 in Free SlotPlay® and Prizes, including a 2023 Ford F-150 King Ranch!

Earn 2x entries every Wednesday and Saturday.

GRAND PRIZE DRAWINGS

JANUARY 28 | FEBRUARY 25 | APRIL 1

27 winners per drawing day! Be the last winner standing each Saturday to win BIG!

e kings of the four suits are all aspects of e Emperor card, as all queens are aspects of e Empress card.

e King of Wands is unique because it so closely resembles e Emperor. Both contain a erce energy that helps keep us motivated and goal-oriented.

e ery aspect of both lends itself to driving our passions to fruition. Which is what we need if we are going to embrace the energy of spring and begin working on our spring projects.

Like all kings in tarot, the King of Wands has a fatherly feel. As a king, he has lived through all the experiences of the smaller cards in his suit and has gained wisdom from his encounters.

ere is a maturity in the king that you do not see in the other court cards (page, knight, or queen). is experience and maturity allows the King of Wands to use his passion and his temper to achieve his aims, rather than allowing them to control him or derail

Whether we are coming out of our winter shell or trying to navigate the politics at work, the King of Wands is here to help show you the way. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, remember how to eat the elephant — one bite at a time. Instead of trying to channel the energy of e Emperor card and do everything, try being the King of Wands instead. Focus on one thing at a time. e Emperor has to rule and manage all the kingdoms in tarot (wands, swords, cups, and pentacles), but the kings only have to rule over their one kingdom. Start smaller, do a good and thorough job, and then move on to the next task.

If you feel like you are stuck on a project, try tackling it from another direction. e King of Wands is fond of creative and bold plans. ink outside the box, push the envelope, be bold and daring, do something everyone else thinks will fail. You may not succeed every time, but you tried and made an e ort, and hopefully learned something so that when you try it again, you will make more progress. e one thing you cannot do is give up. Embrace your inner King of Wands and change the world, one bite at a time.

50 slot points = 1 drawing entry.

PHOTO: EMILY GUENTHER King of Wands in the Light Seer’s Tarot by Chris Anne Donnelly

NEWS OF THE WEIRD

By the editors at Andrews McMeel Syndication

Police Report

Murphy the ape statue was an “icon” at Design Emporium and Antiques in Kensington, Maryland — until he was stolen in the wee hours of Jan. 4, the New York Post reported. Murphy, made of cast iron and weighing 200 pounds, was hurriedly loaded into the bed of an “older model Chevrolet Colorado Z71,” authorities said, as seen on a surveillance video. The suspect “pulled right up and had the bolt cutters ready” to cut the cable securing the sculpture. Shop owner Kristina Jamgochian said people would take selfies with Murphy. “It’s my business and I feel violated,” she said. A $10,000 reward awaits anyone who helps recover the gorilla. [New York Post, 1/31/2023]

Oops!

A 66-year-old female patient at the Glen Oaks Alzheimer’s Special Care Center in Urbandale, Iowa, had suffered a slow decline and was moved into hospice care in late December. On Jan. 3, CBS News reported, the woman was pronounced dead, and the funeral home was called. She was placed in a body bag and transported to the Ankeny Funeral Home & Crematory, where workers unzipped the bag and got a shock: They “observed [the resident’s] chest moving and she gasped for air,” a report from the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals detailed. Responding EMS workers were able to get a pulse and monitor breathing, but she had no eye movement or verbal response. She was returned to the care facility, where she died two days later with her family at her side. The home is facing $10,000 in fines. [CBS News, 2/2/2023]

New York City recently unveiled the Long Island Railroad’s new Grand Central Madison terminal, which was built to the tune of $11 billion. But, NBC New York reported on Feb. 1, the new facility is marred by a spelling mistake — etched in stone. A carved quote from artist Georgia O’Keeffe sports a misspelling of her name, with only one F. “We clearly F-ed this one up and it’s being fixed,” said MTA communications director Tim Minton. However, he couldn’t say when the edit would be complete. [NBC New York, 2/1/2023]

Wait, What?

A couple in Etobicoke, Toronto, left on

an extended business trip in January 2022, CTV News reported. When they returned home months later, they were stunned to realize that their house had been sold and the new owners had moved in. Police said a man and woman impersonated the owners, hired a real estate agent, and listed the property using fake identification. Police are still looking for the imposters.

[CTV News, 1/5/2023]

That Rule Doesn’t Apply to Me

On Jan. 16, Brazilian attorney Leandro Mathias de Novaes delivered his mother to the Laboratório Cura in Sao Paulo, where she was scheduled for an MRI. Before they both entered the MRI room, the New York Post reported, they were asked to remove any metal objects from their persons and signed a form detailing the protocols, but Novaes opted to not remove, or disclose, his concealed weapon. When the MRI’s magnetic field yanked the pistol from his waistband, it fired and struck him in the stomach; he was hospitalized for three weeks after the incident but died on Feb. 6. [New York Post, 2/9/2023]

Clothing Optional

Trevyn Wayne Hill, 21, of Las Vegas, let it all hang out on Jan. 28 when he approached another guest in a stairwell at the Des Moines (Iowa) Downtown Marriott, KCCI-TV reported. Court documents said Hill was naked and brandishing a toilet plunger when he yelled, “I’m going to [expletive] get you,” while chasing the other person. Hill cruised around the hotel in his birthday suit, destroying a sprinkler system and pulling several fire alarms before finally being subdued by firefighters. Hill pleaded not guilty to assault, first-degree criminal mischief, and disorderly conduct. [KCCI, 2/3/2023]

Send your weird news items with subject line WEIRD NEWS to WeirdNewsTips@ amuniversal.com. News of the Weird is now a podcast on all major platforms! Visit newsoftheweirdpodcast.com to find out more.

© 2023 Andrews McMeel Syndication. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “The only thing new in the world,” said former U.S. President Harry Truman, “is the history you don’t know.” Luckily for all of us, researchers have been growing increasingly skilled in unearthing buried stories. Three examples: 1. Before the U.S. Civil War, six Black Americans escaped slavery and became millionaires. (Check out the book Black Fortunes by Shomari Wills.)

2. Over 10,000 women secretly worked as code-breakers in World War II, shortening the war and saving many lives. 3. Four Black women mathematicians played a major role in NASA’s early efforts to launch people into space. Dear Taurus, I invite you to enjoy this kind of work in the coming weeks. It’s an excellent time to dig up the history you don’t know — about yourself, your family, and the important figures in your life.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Since you’re at the height of the Party Hearty Season, I’ll offer two bits of advice about how to collect the greatest benefits. First, exbasketball star Dennis Rodman says that mental preparation is the key to effective partying. He suggests we visualize the pleasurable events we want to experience. We should meditate on how much alcohol and drugs we will imbibe, how uninhibited we’ll allow ourselves to be, and how close we can get to vomiting from intoxication without actually vomiting. But wait! Here’s an alternative approach to partying, adapted from Sufi poet Rumi: “The golden hour has secrets to reveal. Be alert for merriment. Be greedy for glee. With your antic companions, explore the frontiers of conviviality. Go in quest of jubilation’s mysterious blessings. Be bold. Revere revelry.”

CANCER (June 21-July 22): If you have been holding yourself back or keeping your expectations low, please STOP! According to my analysis, you have a mandate to unleash your full glory and your highest competence. I invite you to choose as your motto whichever of the following inspires you most: raise the bar, up your game, boost your standards, pump up the volume, vault to a higher octave, climb to the next rung on the ladder, make the quantum leap, and put your ass and assets on the line.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): According to an ad I saw for a luxury automobile, you should enjoy the following adventures in the course of your lifetime: Ride the rapids on the Snake River in Idaho, stand on the Great Wall of China, see an opera at La Scala in Milan, watch the sun rise over the ruins of Machu Picchu, go paragliding over Japan’s Asagiri highland plateau with Mount Fuji in view, and visit the pink flamingos, black bulls, and white horses in France’s Camargue nature reserve. The coming weeks would be a favorable time

for you to seek experiences like those, Leo. If that’s not possible, do the next best things. Like what? Get your mind blown and your heart thrilled closer to home by a holy sanctuary, natural wonder, marvelous work of art — or all the above.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): It’s an excellent time to shed the dull, draining parts of your life story. I urge you to bid a crisp goodbye to your burdensome memories. If there are pesky ghosts hanging around from the ancient past, buy them a one-way ticket to a place far away from you. It’s okay to feel poignant. Okay to entertain any sadness and regret that well up within you. Allowing yourself to fully experience these feelings will help you be as bold and decisive as you need to be to graduate from the old days and old ways.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Your higher self has authorized you to become impatient with the evolution of togetherness. You have God’s permission to feel a modicum of dissatisfaction with your collaborative ventures — and wish they might be richer and more captivating than they are now. Here’s the cosmic plan: This creative irritation will motivate you to implement enhancements. You will take imaginative action to boost the energy and synergy of your alliances. Hungry for more engaging intimacy, you will do what’s required to foster greater closeness and mutual empathy.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scorpio poet Richard Jackson writes, “The world is a nest of absences. Every once in a while, someone comes along to fill the gaps.” I will add a crucial caveat to his statement: No one person can fill all the gaps. At best, a beloved ally may fill one or two. It’s just not possible for anyone to be a shining savior who fixes every single absence. If we delusionally believe there is such a hero, we will distort or miss the partial grace they can actually provide. So here’s my advice, Scorpio: Celebrate and reward a redeemer who has the power to fill one or two of your gaps.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Poet E.E. Cummings wrote, “May my mind stroll about hungry and fearless and thirsty and supple.” That’s what I hope and predict for you during the next three weeks. The astrological omens suggest you will be at the height of your powers of playful exploration. Several long-term rhythms are converging to make you extra flexible and resilient and creative as you seek the resources and influences that your soul delights in. Here’s your secret code phrase: higher love.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Let’s hypothesize that there are two ways to further your relaxation: either in healthy or not-so-healthy ways — by seeking

ARIES (March 21-April 19): If we were to choose one person to illustrate the symbolic power of astrology, it might be Aries financier and investment banker J.P. Morgan (1837–1913). His astrological chart strongly suggested he would be one of the richest people of his era. The sun, Mercury, Pluto, and Venus were in Aries in his astrological house of finances. Those four heavenly bodies were trine to Jupiter and Mars in Leo in the house of work. Further, the sun, Mercury, Pluto, and Venus formed a virtuoso “Finger of God” aspect with Saturn in Scorpio and the moon in Virgo. Anyway, Aries, the financial omens for you right now aren’t as favorable as they always were for J. P. Morgan — but they are pretty auspicious. Venus, Uranus, and the north node of the moon are in your house of finances, to be joined for a bit by the moon itself in the coming days. My advice: Trust your intuition about money. Seek inspiration about your finances.

experiences that promote your long-term well-being or by indulging in temporary fixes that sap your vitality. I will ask you to meditate on this question. Then I will encourage you to spend the next three weeks avoiding and shedding any relaxation strategies that diminish you as you focus on and celebrate the relaxation methods that uplift, inspire, and motivate you.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Please don’t expect people to guess what you need. Don’t assume they have telepathic powers that enable them to tune in to your thoughts and feelings. Instead, be specific and straightforward as you precisely name your desires. For example, say or write to an intense ally, “I want to explore ticklish areas with you between 7 and 9 on Friday night.” Or approach a person with whom you need to forge a compromise and spell out the circumstances under which you will feel most open-minded and openhearted. PS: Don’t you dare hide your truth or lie about what you consider meaningful.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Piscean writer Jack Kerouac feared he had meager power to capture the wonderful things that came his way. He compared his frustration with “finding a river of gold when I haven’t even got a cup to save a cupful. All I’ve got is a thimble.” Most of us have felt that way. That’s the bad news. The good news, Pisces, is that in the coming weeks, you will have extra skill at gathering in the goodness and blessings flowing in your vicinity. I suspect you will have the equivalent of three buckets to collect the liquid gold.

By Chris McCoy

Imposter Syndrome

I’m just going to come out and say it: e superhero movies made by DC Studios and Warner Brothers have been awful. O cially beginning with Suicide Squad in 2016, the 12 lms have ranged from tedious to unwatchable. e only decent one is 2017’s Wonder Woman, which succeeds on the strength of the pitch-perfect performance by Gal Gadot in the leading role. Now, with the release of Shazam! Fury of the Gods, the DC franchise machine nds itself in a strange position: Its down-market product is better than its marquee product.

Shazam has always been a fascinating also-ran in comic book history. e character was created by Fawcett Comics in early 1939, only months a er Superman made his debut. Captain Marvel, as he was originally called, was the star of best-selling superhero comic books of the 1940s. en, National Comics sued for copyright infringement, and by the mid-’50s, they owned Captain Marvel and rebranded as DC Comics — which became a real sticking point between them and their rival, Marvel comics, who had their own Captain Marvel. Long story and many billable legal hours later, the original Captain Marvel is now known by his catchphrase Shazam and played by Zachary Levi, and the Marvel Captain Marvel is a billion-dollar character played by Brie Larson.

While WB was bleeding money in two unsuccessful attempts to make Justice League watchable, the rst Shazam felt like an a erthought — and was all the better for it. e sequel, Fury of the Gods, also seems to have bene ted from benign neglect at the studio executive level. ( at seems to be the key to successfully making a lm in the Hollywood system right now: Get enough money to make the movie, but don’t let the budget get big

enough that the money guys actually feel threatened by it.)

Why do I call Shazam “downmarket”? Well, in Justice League, the A-team superheroes are trying to stop the A-team super villains from destroying the world. In Fury of the Gods, Billy Batson (Asher Angel) is trying to save Philadelphia. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Philly is a ne city, full of history and cheesesteak. If I were in Philly, I would certainly hope a civically focused superhero would save us when two magical beings named Hespera (Helen Mirren) and Kalypso (Lucy Liu) reclaim the magic sta that the Wizard (Djimon Hounsou) used to bestow the power of the gods on Shazam. But Batson is still a kid at heart (and also physically, when he’s not Shazam-ed up), so all this pressure is really getting to him. He’s trying to lead the super-team he created

when he bestowed magical powers on his fellow foster kids, but they’re increasingly put o by his leadership style. Billy’s facing some major imposter syndrome when a new girl shows up at school.

Anne (Rachel Zegler) takes an interest in Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer), one of the Shazam fam who walks with a cane when in kid form. She baits and charms Freddy into revealing his super-form (“Captain Everypower”) before revealing that she is actually the goddess Anthea, third sister to Hespera and Kalypso. With his superteam fractured and Philadelphia trapped under a Simpsons Movie-like dome, Shazam must save the day.

Lucy Liu understands how much mustard to put on lines like “Ladon, World-Eater, rise from the pit!” Helen Mirren phones it in while munching on cheesesteaks, and she’s perfect. When Jack Dylan Glazer is following Rachel Ze-

gler around like a puppy, it feels accurate because what high school geek wouldn’t react that way? In fact, the lm only runs into big problems when it dwells on Levi as Shazam. Imagine Tim Allen trying to play Superman.

My beef with superhero blockbusters isn’t that they’re trash — I love well-made trash. It’s that they’re badly executed, ruinously expensive trash. Batman v. Superman thinks it’s Shakespeare. e Joker thinks it’s Scorsese. Shazam! Fury of the Gods knows it’s trash and just tries to be entertaining.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods

Now playing Multiple locations

FILM

Shazam! Fury of the Gods is a trashy good time.

Zachary Levi plays the superpowered Shazam form of Asher Angel’s Billy Batson.

Our critic picks the best films in theaters.

John Wick Chapter 4

It started so simply and innocently, back in 2014, when a bunch of guys killed Keanu Reeves’ dog, so he slaughtered them. Good times. Now, three films and a lot of convoluted lore about hotels later, Wick’s back to kill some more folks. Let’s dance!

Jacir

A Syrian immigrant in Memphis tries to make sense of America. Good luck with that. The debut feature by director/producer Waheed AlQawasmi was shot in the Bluff City. It stars The Sopranos’ Lorraine Bracco as an eccentric neighbor, YouTube sensation Darius “Tutweezy” Tutwiler, and Malek Rahbani as the title character, along with a host of Memphis actors.

The Lost King Sally Hawkins stars as Phillipa Langley, a depressed British office worker who becomes obsessed with finding the body of King Richard III, whose burial site was never recorded after he lost the Battle of Bosworth Field. Her search is aided by the ghost of Richard himself. After getting busy with an aquatic monster in The Shape of Water, Hawkins risks becoming typecast as “disturbed woman who falls in love with weird things,” but she’s great in this Stephen Frears film.

My Neighbor Totoro Hayao Miyazaki’s first masterpiece is one of the greatest animated films of all time. Hop aboard the Catbus for 35th anniversary screenings Sunday at 4 p.m. and Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Malco Paradiso.

MLM Medical Labs

Volunteers to donate blood for a research study.

MLM Medical Labs is currently seeking Volunteers to donate blood for a research study.

MLM Medical Labs is currently seeking Volunteers to donate blood for a research study.

If you are between the ages of 18 and 80, weigh more than 110lbs, and are currently taking a blood thinner such as Aspirin, Brilinta, Eliquis, Lovenox, Plavix or Xarelto, or have been diagnosed with Kidney Disease, you may be eligible to participate.

If you are between the ages of 18 and 80, weigh more than 110lbs, and are currently taking a such as Aspirin, Brilinta, Eliquis, Lovenox, Plavix or been diagnosed with Kidney Disease, you may be eligible

This is a blood collection study only. No drug treatment will be provided.

Participants will be paid for blood donation.

This is a blood collection study only. No drug treatment

For more information, call:

If you are between the ages of 18 and 80, weigh more than 110lbs, and are currently taking a blood thinner such as Brilinta, Eliquis, Lovenox, Plavix and Aspirin, Xarelto, or Coumadin, you may be eligible to participate.

Participants will be paid for blood donation.

901-866-1705

This is a blood collection study only. No drug treatment will be provided.

For more information, call:

901-866-1705

Participants will be paid for blood donation.

For more information, call: 901-866-1705

901-575-9400

classifieds@memphisflyer.com

SHARED HOUSING

FURNISHED ROOMS

Bellevue/McLemore, Jackson/ Watkins, Airways/Lamar. Call 901-485-0897.

SOUTH MEMPHIS

1 furnished room for mature lady in Christian home. Nice area on bus line, near expressway. Non-smoker. $450/mo, includes utilities, cooking/ laundry privileges. 901-405-5755 or 901-518-2198.

BUY, SELL, TRADE

PET SERVICES

AUTO

NOTICE OF SALE

THESE ABANDONED VEHICLES WILL BE SOLD ON 03/23/2023

at Null’s Towing, 992 Stage Ave, Memphis, TN 38127.

2016 Volkswagen Passat

VIN: 1VWAS7A33GC006669

2014 Ford Taurus

VIN: 1FAHP2F83EG152124

2014 Volkswagen Passat

VIN: 1VWBS7A30EC052512

1984 Pontiac Bonneville

VIN: 1G2AN69A5EB208766

2004 Toyota Avalon

VIN: 4T1BF28B54U377037

2016 Nissan Maxima

VIN: 1N4AA6AP5GC410940

2019 Chevrolet Trax

VIN: KL7CJLSB5KB905171

TIPPY IS LOOKING FOR A FOSTER OR FOREVER HOME.

WANTED: OLD WINDUP

Victrolas & old 45 & 78 records. Call Paul 901-734-6111.

Tippy is three years old. She is spayed, and fully vetted however she does have heart worms. Tippy is super sweet and dog friendly and good with kids. She is crate, leash, and house trained. Contact Cynthia Meiring at Inkydoo3@aol.com or (901)603-0422.

Feat.

WELLS &

SAT 3/25 & SAT 4/8

(Also @ TJ’s Midtown 3/24)

By Brad Wolf

Staying Alive in a Country of Death

If we succumb to the corporate screed, we will be morally and spiritually killed.

“I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore.”

So screamed the character Howard Beale in the 1976 movie Network, a prescient commentary on the corporate capture and slow su ocation of America. Howard was a prime-time news anchor who’d had enough. To some of his viewers, he was having a mental breakdown on national television. To others, he saw the country as clearly as a prophet, for exactly what it was: a fetid cabal of the rich obsessed with money at the expense of human life and dignity. Howard wasn’t losing his mind, but his soul. And he knew it, so he screamed on national television. Millions followed him, inging open their windows and screaming the same furious line: “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!” at lm was made almost 50 years ago. e tragedy of Vietnam had just concluded; the disgrace of Watergate was barely behind us; congressional hearings revealed that the United States government had engaged in assassinations of foreign leaders, staged coups to overthrow foreign governments, funneled money to tyrants and terrorists, even worked with the ma a to achieve its political goals. Meanwhile, in ation and unemployment skyrocketed at home; the nation’s infrastructure crumbled; crime soared; cities went bankrupt. Con dence in the country’s ability to provide a decent quality of life for its citizens hit rock bottom.

Today, in 2023, the Pentagon, that Beast of the Apocalypse epitomizing greed, gluttony, and eternal violence, has grown its annual budget to gargantuan proportions. It ghts wars wherever it wants without congressional approval or notice. It remains the only government institution awash in unlimited funding and shiny new technology while the rest of the country rusts and goes without. Our tax dollars are consumed ghting a proxy war with Russia, using Ukrainian people and land as a testing ground for a seemingly inevitable war with China. e use of nuclear weapons is openly discussed. Countless civilians in ird World countries die beneath the weight of sanctions while our neoliberal economic policies su ocate the livelihoods of millions of others. Climate catastrophe bears down, causing droughts, oods, res, and typhoons. e poor initially bear the brunt of this, but soon climate catastrophe, this man-made monster, will come for us all. And plagues, worldwide plagues have struck, killing millions while our disease control centers ail haplessly about beneath a torrent of public and political outrage. At home, wages erode; debt nancially cripples college graduates; CEO salaries shoot through the stratosphere. Housing prices soar as real estate conglomerates gobble up the land. Our infrastructure collapses; healthcare grows scarce. Tent cities, school shootings, toxic spills, and oligarchs stain the land. All the while, our elected congressional o cials earn an average salary of $175,000 per year while dickering over “wokeism” and perverse ideas of patriotism and faith. In 2022, those same elected o cials took in $2.4 billion in campaign contributions from big-time donors seeking bigtime federal favors for their bribes.

“I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!” But simply screaming out the window then slamming it shut isn’t enough. Not now. Not when it’s 90 seconds to midnight. We can’t just be viewers. A death culture reigns in our country, in our politics, corporations, our entertainment and news, our churches, universities, and our workplace. It seeks to dehumanize, desensitize, divert. It asserts that acquiescence is survival, the best you can hope for in this broken world. Give up and play a video game; watch a cat video; take a pill.

In the movie, Howard Beale succumbs to pressure from the corporate conglomerate that owns the TV station and so begins spouting nightly nonsense on the holiness of big business. His viewers tune him out, his ratings take a nosedive, and his TV production team plots to get rid of him. ey dare not go against their corporate chie ain who wants the pro-business narrative to continue, but they cannot abide low ratings. And so, poor Howard is caught in the middle and winds up being shot to death on live television. He becomes another storyline scripted by a TV production team.

Howard was one of those Americans who keenly felt the loss of their soul from corporate tyranny and endless war, who were astonished at the absurdity of their news screens, the direction of their country, the helplessness they felt in the face of it. We are not TV viewers but live participants. Innocents across the globe are killed in our name, lands pillaged with our dollars while Americans su er incalculable indignities here at home. Our souls hang in the balance. e corporate-military state seems intent on canceling this show we call life. If we succumb to the corporate screed and spout its nonsense as Howard did, we will be morally and spiritually killed, shot full of holes. If we tune out as his viewers did, we surrender to stasis and lose our humanity, with the victims of our indi erence strewn around us.

e only way to live authentically in a country of death is to resist because it is in resisting that we retain our humanity, no matter the odds against us, no matter the outcome. Being fully human means resisting death in all its forms. It means peacemaking. We have hope because we have the power to nonviolently resist, and that is a remarkable power. When exercised properly, it not only shivers the state but a rms all of life.

Brad Wolf, syndicated by PeaceVoice, is a former community college dean, lawyer, and current executive director of Peace Action Network of Lancaster as well as a team organizer for the Merchants of Death War Crimes Tribunal.

PHOTO: LUCIAN MILASAN | DREAMSTIME.COM Enough is enough.