City Retirees Ask For Health Care Relief Imagine calling your health insurance company with a question about the explanation of benefits on your bill, only to be told by the customer service representative that she doesn’t know the answer, that the information provided by the company on your statement may not be correct, and that it’s up to you to figure it out for yourself. “A lot of people don’t know any better, and they won’t challenge that,” says Francis Bradley, a director of the Association of City Retired Employees (A.C.R.E.). It’s episodes like that which have caused some city retirees to begin taping their phone conversations with representatives of Managed Healthcare Concepts, the Atlanta-based company that administers the city’s Blue M insurance plan. They have also learned to send correspondence to the company by registered mail or resign themselves to their letters being lost. A.C.R.E. is petitioning the city council for help in dealing with the company, which has contracted with the city for the last six years. It’s only in the last year and a half, however, that retirees say dealing with the company has been a problem. They believe the company is reluctant to pay claims, taking months to settle accounts. They’re also unhappy that those retirees who have Medicare or another primary insurer have to pay an additional $250 deductible for their supplemental Blue M coverage, even though they pay the same premiums as those who have Blue M as their primary insurer and their primary insurance pays the bulk of their bills. But Westelle Florez, director of personnel services for the city of Memphis, says the city is happy with the service they’ve received from Managed Healthcare Concepts and that only a small group of people have complaints about the company. “It’s not that they can’t get an answer; it’s that they can’t get the answer they want,” she says. “They want things outside the city’s fiscal ability to do.” Blue M covers more than 8,000 city employees and retirees and has operated in the red for several years. — Heather Heilman Memphis Participates In Safety Program Next week two criminology professors from the University of Illinois at Chicago will visit Memphis to begin gathering data about sexual assault here. Sponsored by the National Institute of Justice and the U.S. Justice Department, Memphis is one of five cities that will participate in the Strategic Approach to Community Safety Initiative (SACSI), a crime data collection program that will eventually help instruct community members, local activists, law enforcement officials, and politicians. Chip Coldren and David Ford of the University of Illinois will visit Memphis December 14th and 15th to meet with directors of several organizations that deal with sex offenders and help assault victims. Those groups include the Memphis Child Advocacy Center, the U.S. Attorney’s office, the Center for Research on Women, the Memphis Police Department, and Shelby County Juvenile Court. “We’re hoping to establish partnerships with everyone so that we can come up with more creative ways to prevent sexual assault,” Coldren says. Although the National Institute of Justice says the number of sexual assaults in Memphis has increased, figures kept by the police indicate otherwise. According to the latest community statistics from January 1, 1999, to the present, all forms of sexual assault are down 10.7 percent. “If that’s the case, then hopefully this project will work to reduce that number,” says Coldren. — Ashley Fantz New Garage To Help Downtown Parking It’s true that street parking downtown can be hard to find, but if you don’t mind spending more than a quarter to park your car, you shouldn’t have a problem. Work has begun on a new 1,600-car parking garage at the corner of Third Street and Peabody Place. The new garage will be close to lots of other new things going up downtown — like the new ballpark and the retail center and movie theaters being built behind the Peabody. When it’s done there will be more than 20,000 public parking spaces in the core of downtown. The garage will open next fall, along with the Peabody Place Retail and Entertainment Center, and will be connected with the shopping center as well as The Peabody hotel. Unfortunately, it will not open in time for the April 1st exhibition game between the Redbirds and the St. Louis Cardinals, which will inaugurate AutoZone Park. That game is expected to sell out the 14,000-seat stadium. Redbirds spokesman Jason Jones says he doesn’t think parking will be a problem as long as people don’t expect to park a block away from the stadium. — Heather Heilman Germantown Responds to Couple’s Lawsuit the citY of Germantown has filed an answer in federal court to a lawsuit filed by Mary Muskett and Ron Seigel. The couple were the Germantown Police Department’s prime suspects in the 1997 slaying of McDonald’s employee Delma Ramsey. Earlier this year, two former McDonald’s employees were charged with the murder. In their suit, Muskett and Seigel allege that the Germantown PD were negligent in their handling of the investigation. Among other things, the suit claims police issued false affidavits, assigned underqualified officers to the case, and exhibited conduct “redolent of a self-aggrandizing media circus rather than a quest for truth.” The response filed on behalf of Germantown denies any harassment was aimed at the couple and argues that probable cause existed for a 1998 search of the couple’s home and business. The response claims, furthermore, that, while the department never publicly named the couple in connection with the Ramsey slaying, Muskett and Seigel themselves sought out media attention that “resulted in any adverse publicity.” “I’ve read the complaint and I see no substance to it,” says attorney Edward J. McKenney Jr., who is representing Germantown in the matter. “What Germantown is accused to have done does not violate federal law.” The couple’s attorney, Mark Ledbetter, disagrees. “I don’t see anything in [Germantown’s response] that rebuts the basic allegations of the suit.” Unfortunately, this he said/he said legal battle will not soon be resolved. The case is set for trial March 12, 2001. — Jim Hanas City Grocery Sale Raises Questions About Peabody Place Prosperity Peabody Place lost its only black-owned business when City Grocery quietly closed shop the day before Thanksgiving. The store, formerly operated by Bobbie Banks-Reid and Rollin Reid, has been acquired by Lifestyle Ventures, the Peabody Place-based business that owns the Italian Fisherman, the Bakery, Java Blues, and World’s Fare in the downtown development, Saddles in Germantown, and operates B.B. King’s Blues Clubs in Memphis and Los Angeles. The grocery store will reopen in January or February as the Market at Peabody Place. How the City Grocery’s closing will affect the development’s financing is unclear. Part of the almost $30 million in federal grants and loans that are helping to pay for Peabody Place are contingent on a minority-business component. Downtown residents say the store has struggled because of a shortage of free parking nearby. They also complain that the quality and selection of groceries have gone downhill since the store opened in January 1998. In the end, the store functioned more as a sandwich shop than a grocery store. It appears that Miss Cordelia’s in Harbor Town has been winning the battle to become downtown residents’ upscale grocery of choice. That store is mulling over plans to expand into the space vacated by the recent closing of the downtown Deliberate Literate. Lifestyle Ventures hopes to turn things around with the addition of delivery service, freshly baked breads, and a better selection of groceries. According to Kerissa Hollis, chief administrative officer for Lifestyle Ventures, the Market will appeal to both budget and upscale shoppers, with a complete stock of the basics at good prices as well as more upscale items like organic produce and imported cheeses. Handled well, she believes the store is well-located to compete with Miss Cordelia’s for downtown workers’ patronage despite the lack of parking. But City Grocery offered delivery and a broad variety of goods in its early days, yet failed to thrive. Why? A lunchtime trip to Peabody Place offers a clue. Business was slow throughout the ambitious development. The Italian Fisherman and World’s Fare enjoyed only a handful of customers. “We’re satisfied with the amount of business that we’re doing,” Hollis says, adding that the company is confident that increasing downtown development will bring more customers. And she adds that Lifestyle Ventures prefers to be in the game as it’s beginning, rather than later when space will be at a premium. In the meantime, the Peabody Place Museum & Gallery, in the lower level of the Pembroke Square building, has opened a new wing. The museum now occupies 10,500 square feet and houses the private art collection of Jack and Marilyn Belz. The focus of the collection is on Chinese art of the Ching dynasty, although it also encompasses Judaica, Italian mosaics, fossils, and minerals. The museum, which has been open for more than a year, often appears to be deserted, although staff members say visitorship is healthy. They see a lot of school groups and tourists, but relatively few everyday Memphians. Construction is ongoing at the Peabody Place Retail and Entertainment Center, the 300,000-square-foot development scheduled to open in the fall of 2000. It will feature an Imax theatre, 21 standard movie screens, shops, and restaurants. Muvico Theaters and Jillian’s, an immense sports bar/restaurant/arcade/bowling alley/dance club, have already signed on for space in the center, and the NASCAR Silicon Motor Speedway will offer a virtual-reality NASCAR experience. Whether these entertainment behemoths can draw crowds to Peabody Place, or whether they will just be expensive flops, remains to be seen. — Heather Heilman Population Figures Disagree With County Estimates Start slimming down now if you plan to still live in Memphis in another 20 years. University of Tennessee economists recently issued a study predicting that the city will bulge with 50,000 more people by 2020. The rate is high in comparison to what the University of Tennessee’s Center for Business and Economic Research calculated for most other counties in the state. UT economist and professor Matt Murray directed the project and says that Tennessee growth pattern consistently fluctuates every 10 years. In the 1970s, business boomed and people moved to the state. But the ’80s saw a plummet in population figures, which most economists and demographers blame on the decade’s recession. Looking back on the ’90s, Murray says, Tennessee grew most rapidly, yet by the year 2020, population will taper off. And those numbers are disappointing to planning and development groups in some cities. “Our hope was to help community policy-makers plan future services and decide boundaries,” says Murray. “Our numbers aren’t iron clad. They are only something to consider.” The UT team of seven undergraduate, graduate, and Ph.D. economy students used a common survey model. They considered data on deaths, births, and migration and estimated, over a period of at least 20 years, how many people were likely to live in Tennessee by the first quarter of the century. Murray says that two hindrances cropped up during the team’s research, including a lack of standardized record keeping in most counties dating back to the ’50s. In addition “we couldn’t know every city as if we lived there and understood its attitude or personality,” Murray says. “We were working strictly with numbers calculated the same way across the board. I have to admit I was a little taken aback by the large number of cities that took exception to our findings.” UT has been accused of using a cookie-cutter approach by treating every city the same. “We had to use the same method,” says Murray. “That was the only way to keep it consistent. If we didn’t do that, we’d be considered ad hoc at best or pandering to political voices at worst.” Dexter Muller, director of Memphis and Shelby County’s Division of Planning and Development, says the county’s figures are within 10 percent of UT’s and still show a population on the rise. “We had already done the number on transportation planning,” Muller says. “Our conclusion was that it would grow faster because our economy is doing so well.” Muller believes Shelby County will likely never see a dramatic decrease in population. “We have a diversified economy,” he says. “We continue to have employment gain and private sector investments. Ours is a stable growth and that’s better than, for instance, the rust belt like Detroit or the Midwest where they depend on the automotive industry until that industry will no longer dominate in that area. We don’t have the threat of moving up and down.” Murray says it’s difficult for people in counties that are used to high growth for a decade to see numbers that indicate that growth might not continue so rapidly over the next 20 years. “Policy is usually influenced by recent population growth,” he says. Right now Tennessee’s population is 5.5 million. UT estimates it will reach 6.6 million by 2020. — Ashley Fantz Making A Difference in Millennial Memphis - 28 It’s a pretty well-known fact that arts education can open up entirely new worlds for young people. Maybe the kid who isn’t that great at math will be inspired by his own artistic talents, whether with a paintbrush or on the stage. And sometimes that self esteem can drift into all areas of life, including boosting performance in academic classes. Unfortunately, though, not everyone has access to galleries or theatres. That’s why the Children’s Museum of Memphis is planning a free Celebrate the Arts program in March that will allow kids, age 2 and up, and their families to experience the thrill of watching a live performing arts show, which will bring together many of Memphis’ top arts groups, including Ballet Memphis, the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Opera Memphis, Playhouse on the Square, and Theatre Memphis. Besides watching performances, kids will get to do some singing and dancing of their own. For this worthwhile project, the Children’s Museum of Memphis will receive the 28th Making a Difference in Millennial Memphis grant. As part of its 10th-anniversary celebration, The Memphis Flyer is giving away $50,000 in grants of $1,000 each. The money is provided by an anonymous Memphian who hopes to encourage what might be called “good works” — little things that improve the quality of life in Memphis. The grants are disbursed by the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis. Grants are available to any nonprofit in the Memphis area. To apply, send a proposal on the organization’s stationery to: Making A Difference The Memphis Flyer P.O. Box 1738 Memphis, TN 38101

					Fly on the Wall WTO Woes PHOTO BY CHRIS OWENS While rioters tore apart downtown Seattle, World Trade Organization protesters in Memphis were more subdued but no less visible last week. Banners popped up on overpasses and bridges all over town decrying the WTO’s evil effects on the environment, labor, and world freedom in general. Last Friday, protesters representing the Industrial Workers of the World, an old labor group apparently now made up of young college students, demonstrated in front of the Old Navy, a subsidiary of the Gap, which the Wobblies allege has a history of sweatshop practices. Reported to be part of the protest was Sherman Hemsley, alias Mr. Jefferson, who is bitter about being squeezed out of the latest round of Old Navy commercials. While Hemsley could not be reached for comment, Weezie told reporters, “I’m going to whup that man when he gets home.” Center of Attention “Memphis has torn down more history than most places. … The only reason there’s anything left of Beale Street is because it finally dawned on them that they could make a buck off it. If the French Quarter was in Memphis, it would’ve been torn down a long time ago” — blues harmonica player Charlie Musselwhite making some pointed comments about his former hometown in the online magazine The Southerner (www.southerner.net). Musselwhite was specifically referring to the imminent closing of the Center for Southern Folklore. More than $100,000 and several months behind in its rent, the center will have to close its doors Wednesday, December 15th to make room for a daiquiri bar. Cries against the growing commercialization of the street have gotten louder as the vacate date approaches. Besides the Southerner article, the center was also featured on National Public Radio Weekend Edition Sunday last week (the broadcast can still be heard at www.npr.org). While a new advisory board tries to get the center back on good financial feet and find it a new home, center executive director Judy Peiser is trying to figure out where to store her massive collection of folk art and archival material. She expects this Wednesday to take on the air of a wake, as longtime supporters come by one last time to help pack. “It’s going to be a party,” Peiser says. “The piano and the beer kegs will be the last things to go” X-WAY XMAS Someone with an excess amount of Christmas cheer — or maybe just way too much eggnog — has decided to transform a scraggly cedar along the northern loop of I-40 into a Christmas tree. Colored tinsel and even tiny gift packages dangle from the branches, though the blasts from passing trucks tend to blow away some of the ornaments. We don’t know who does this year after year, but if they start leaving presents under the tree, then they’ll really get our attention. A Hankerin’ For Hanks Fans of Tom Hanks have been hounding Malco Theatres after we jokingly suggested in an article on the movie chain’s 85th anniversary celebration that the Oscar-winning actor would be making an appearance at the fete. Though the article goes on to explain that Hanks will be making an appearance via a sneak preview of his new film, The Green Mile, a lot of readers apparently thought Hanks would be there in person. Inundated with phone calls, Malco has asked us to tell you that no, Mr. Hanks will not be at Thursday’s event. He never was going to be. What are you, crazy? In his place, however, will be Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts, Mel Gibson, Benito Mussolini, and Charo.
		Compiled by Mark Jordan Send items to: P.O. Box 1738 Memphis, TN 38101 FAX: 521-0129 e-mail: jordan@memphisflyer.com.