To the Editor:
Thank you for your report on Memphis City Schools and the work of Superintendent Dr. Gerry House [Cover, January 16th issue]. Your careful assessment of our public schools' strengths and weaknesses should encourage Memphians to strongly support our schools and those individuals who are working hard to improve them.
Sadly, much of today's extreme political rhetoric denigrates our public schools and their students and teachers. For example, local radio hatemonger Mike Fleming once ranted that "only an idiot would choose to send his children to our public schools" (presumably the geniuses send their children to special schools that will teach them how to spew vitriol over the airwaves).
I'm proud that my children attend Memphis City Schools, and I encourage other parents in our community to support our public schools and work to make them better.
B. Keith English, M.D.
Memphis
To the Editor:
I am delighted that Memphis is to finally have Triple-A baseball, and congratulate Dean Jernigan on his efforts to obtain our team. However, having seen the proposed area for building the stadium, I have but one recommendation to make: Put a dome on it. Otherwise, those lucky enough to work in offices on the south and east sides of the First Tennessee Bank Building will have their own bird's-eye view, free, of course. And also out of the weather, with office restrooms convenient and without lines, and you can bring your own snacks, instead of spending a fortune for cold hot dogs and stale popcorn.
Come to think of it, I think I'll start sending resumes.
Janet Curtis
via the Internet
To the Editor:
I think your editorial about building a ballpark downtown [January 23rd issue] is completely wrong. We'll watch that team fail just as almost every other sports team in Memphis has failed. Think about it: the people who can afford to go to professional sporting events don't live downtown and the people you want to attract to such events are not going to drive their fancy automobiles down to the river to watch a minor-league baseball game.
Just like The Pyramid, the new baseball complex should be built out east at Shelby Farms where the people are. Maybe someday this community will wake up and do something right. Maybe.
W. Oliver
via the Internet
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AFTER FOUR WEEKS IN INDIA, completely separated from any news of Memphis (except for a few inside-the-office tidbits I received via e-mail), I felt a bit like Rip Van Winkle settling behind my desk Monday morning. To catch up, I spent the day speed-reading a huge stack of newspapers. As I did this, I was struck by one thing about Memphis that I definitely did not miss while I was gone the violence that surrounds us on a daily basis.
Both the story about the parking-garage murder at Oak Court Mall and the abduction/rape at the new Visitors Information Center seemed frustratingly familiar. Random acts of violence inflicted on innocent citizens. Deja vu all over again.
These two stories undoubtedly frustrated Mayor W.W. Herenton and led to his seven-day ultimatum for MPD to clean up its act. As Phil Campbell points out in this week's City Reporter, however, the mayor's ultimatum may not necessarily mean a reorganization of the police hierarchy. A more visible presence by MPD on the streets of Memphis seems likely. Meanwhile, we will keep an eye on efforts by the mayor and others to do something about this plague on our city.
ON A BRIGHTER NOTE, THIS IS, OF course, our annual "Best Of" issue, marking the fourth year we have asked you to vote for your favorite things Memphis. Jim Hanas drew the assignment of overseeing this mammoth project this year and did a splendid job, coming up with some interesting new categories, overseeing the arduous vote-counting process, and making sure that no ballot-stuffing occurred. (At least we think he succeeded in foiling the would-be stuffers. Kevin Kane winning "Memphian of the Year" does seem a tad suspicious, we think). Jim even helped with the composition of this week's cover.
Over the years, the readers who participate in our Best Of balloting have become more sophisticated. This year we saw a reversal of the trend of big chain establishments beating local entrepreneurs. Ronnie Grisanti's, for instance, was able to beat out Olive Garden and Macaroni Grill, two chains with strong followings and national advertising budgets. Likewise, our readers choose Memphis Pizza Cafe over the established chain names Pizza Hut and Papa John's. This seems like progress to us.
Thanks to all of you who filled out the ballots this year. You even have your own award. Best Reason to Live in Memphis: Nice People.