Monday, June 29, 2009
I So Called It
Posted by Mary Cashiola on Mon, Jun 29, 2009 at 12:35 PM
Just got word from the city administration that the following people are planning to retire:
Kenneth S. Moody,
Director of Public Services and Neighborhoods
Effective July 10, 2009
Yalanda L. McFadgon
Deputy Director of Public Services and Neighborhoods
Effective July 10, 2009
Michael A. Gray
Deputy Director of Library
Effective July 17, 2009
The mayor said members of the city administration would retire during his resignation press conference last week. Don't believe I called it? Check out my twitter stream from Thursday: https://twitter.com/marycash
Friday, June 26, 2009
Wicked's Green
Posted by Mary Cashiola on Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 10:25 AM
Last night, I went to see Wicked at the Orpheum. I'm not a reviewer, so this isn't a review.
[We'll have a review from Chris Davis in the paper next week. I will say that I enjoyed myself immensely and the costumes were SO well done.]
This is more a note about the economics of a phenomenon.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Herenton Resigns
Posted by Mary Cashiola on Thu, Jun 25, 2009 at 12:51 PM
Remember when I live-blogged Mayor Willie Herenton's press conference about the Memphis Sexual Assault Resource Center?
Well, today, when Herenton announced his resignation (yes, again. Is it a year to the day or what?), I tweeted the press conference here (undoubtably making myself the most annoying person on twitter for a good 45 minutes): https://twitter.com/marycash.
Or, after the jump: my twitter highlights. You know you want to read them ...
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Mapping HIV
Posted by Mary Cashiola on Wed, Jun 24, 2009 at 3:58 PM
The National Minority Quality Forum recently released a map of county-level data on HIV/AIDS prevalence rates for the entire nation.
"The Atlas gives elected officials, advocates and citizens alike the ability to create a snapshot of the disease in their community," Phil Wilson, founder and CEO of the Black Aids Institute, is quoted as saying on the website. "The Atlas allows communities to build more effective education, prevention and testing campaigns."
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Skimming Off the Top
Posted by Mary Cashiola on Tue, Jun 23, 2009 at 11:24 AM
Longtime readers of this blog prolly know that I am fascinated by credit card skimmers. Especially the ones that are installed on ATMs and gas pumps to steal your account information as you swipe your cards.
(I don't know why; I think it might be that as much as I don't want to see a skimmer in real life — especially if I'm about to stick my credit card through it — I would like to be able to recognize one when/if I see one.)
This morning, I chatted with Tami Nealy about skimmers and basic things you can do to protect yourself from identity theft. In town to speak at a state mentoring conference, Nealy is the director of Public Affairs for LifeLock, an identity theft protection company.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Bigger is Better?
Posted by Mary Cashiola on Mon, Jun 22, 2009 at 11:55 AM
I haven't done this in a while, but the NYTimes has an interesting piece today, asking if a company is too big to fail, is it too big to exist?
ULI Event Friday
Posted by Mary Cashiola on Mon, Jun 22, 2009 at 10:16 AM
ULI Memphis will explore contemporary approaches to revitalizing urban areas and invigorating suburbs Friday, June 26th.
In a program at Christian Brothers University, Denver's community planning and development manager, Peter Park, will speak about what that city is doing using form-based coding.
It should be an interesting talk, as Denver's code is similar to the proposed Memphis and Shelby County Unified Development Code. For more information, visit ULI Memphis.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Hot Pink Paperclips
Posted by Mary Cashiola on Fri, Jun 19, 2009 at 3:39 PM
I know, it's late notice and, for that matter, a little off-topic ...
But I wanted to make sure people knew about the Delta Girls Rock Camp fundraiser at the Hard Rock Cafe this Saturday. It's from 3-5:30 p.m. and is hosted by Pearl Jam's Wishlist Foundation (tho all proceeds benefit rock camp).
A few friends of mine who were in the Hot Pink Paperclips at camp last year (admittedly, much younger friends) are getting the band back together and will perform. It's not only a great organization, but it should be a great show.
The website says the event is free, family friendly and open to the public. There will also be an auction and an "unraffle" — not quite sure what that means — of Pearl Jam memorabilia.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Pedestrian Bridge Project
Posted by Mary Cashiola on Thu, Jun 18, 2009 at 11:00 AM
In connection with the University of Memphis' new law school on Front Street — scheduled to open this fall — the Riverfront Development Corporation is building a pedestrian bridge across Court Avenue.
The bridge will connect the former Customs House turned law school with Confederate Park.
As part of the city's percent-for-art program, which funds public art with capital improvement monies, the UrbanArt Commission is seeking an artist to create a lighting design for the bridge.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Council Committee Clicks No on Red Light Cameras
Posted by Mary Cashiola on Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 2:16 PM
Presented with several options this morning to generate revenue with vehicle-related fines, the City Council's O&M Budget committee passed on red-light cameras, extra fees for booting and towing, and fines for unpaid parking tickets.
The red light camera proposal was expected to produce $1.8 million in revenue for the city. The cost of the system — around $480,000 for the first year — would have come from that revenue, leaving the city with a net profit of $1.3 million.
The figure came from estimating 15 violations per day at each of 20 intersections.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Q&A with Shelby Farms Architect
Posted by Mary Cashiola on Mon, Jun 15, 2009 at 4:51 PM
Last week (this week?) was the NYT magazine's architecture issue and there is a nice Q&A with James Corner of Field Operations.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Good PR
Posted by Mary Cashiola on Thu, Jun 11, 2009 at 1:33 PM
After Marvin Stockwell's wife took a knife skills class through the University of Memphis continuing education program — and loved it — he started thinking about teaching a class himself.
"The instructor, Melissa Petersen at Edible Memphis, was sharing her knowledge, based on what she already knows and loves to do," says Stockwell. "I thought, I'll go ahead and teach a class."
Stockwell, public relations manager for the Church Health Center (as well as a local musician and a writer), routinely gives advice to groups interested in starting their own Church Health Center-like programs.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
RDC Invades Fort Pickering?
Posted by Mary Cashiola on Tue, Jun 9, 2009 at 12:58 PM
The Tennessee department of archaeology was in town today at the Fort Pickering site near the National Ornamental Metal Museum.
The RDC recently started work on new walkways in Chickasaw Heritage Park, which includes two Indian mounds, and they voluntarily stopped work after the state wanted to check for the presence of human bone.
Monday, June 8, 2009
MSARC to Move to County July 1st
Posted by Mary Cashiola on Mon, Jun 8, 2009 at 4:06 PM
Mayors Herenton and Wharton are currently giving a joint press conference at the county Health Department, where they've announced that MSARC will be moving under the health department's management starting July 1st.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Detention Basin Declared Dead
Posted by Mary Cashiola on Fri, Jun 5, 2009 at 11:13 AM
City engineers gave Park Friends a death certificate last night for the proposed Overton Park detention basin.
The certificate, which reads "The land of Overton County of Greensward cometh the coronor certifying that the detention basin alternative near Rainbow Lake is not merely dead; it is sincerely dead," is signed by Deadus O. Arrivalus.
"For me, I think we saved the greensward and we saved the forest," says Martha Kelly with Park Friends.
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