HOW IT LOOKS

• by Ed Weathers

A New Ball Game

Governor Phil Bredesen puts the brakes on state spending -- big-time.

• by Jackson Baker

POOR SHANE?

POOR SHANE?

• by Chris Davis

REP. FORD TO BACK CARSON

Whatever the political credentials of the Democrats backing State Rep. Kathryn Bowers for the chairmanship of the Shelby County Democratic Party -- and longtime Ford-family partisans are prominent among them -- they do not number in their ranks U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Jr.. In a call to the Flyer Thursday, the congressman pronounced himself concerned primarily with the fact that "the country is at war" and expressed support for the current Democratic party chairman, Gale Jones Carson. "I think she's done a damn good job, and I plan to support her," Ford declared -- clearly at some pains to dissociate himself from those among his political allies who are backing Rep. Bowers for the post.

• by Ed Weathers

SPEAKING OF THE GRIZZLIES...

SPEAKING OF THE GRIZZLIES...

• by Chris Davis

HEADLINE OF THE WEEK

HEADLINE OF THE WEEK

• by Chris Davis

SELF HELP 101:

SELF HELP 101:

• by Chris Davis

THE WEATHERS REPORT

THE WRONG WAY ON A ONE-WAY STREET A few days ago, I got an email from a reader. He was responding to my column in this space last week, which questioned the constitutionality of a U.S.-led attack on Iraq. Along the way, the column also just might have implied that it would be for the best if George Bush were impeached. Anyway, this reader was unusually eloquent. He sent me a total of four words. "Shut up," he wrote. "Go away." PLUS: A Texan responds. (No, not that Texan!)

• by Ed Weathers

Waiting in Line

The new airport reality means more old-fashioned people-watching.

• by Paul Gerald

FUNNY STORY: LETTER FROM THE PEACE FRONT

Hypocrisy and shallowness are everywhere it seems, these days, but one would have to go a long way to top the network tv media in either of these areas. CNN has just spent the past hour doing homilies to war, squibs on how this gizmo really works, and this one too, and isn't this all just nifty? while ignoring completely the arrest of a thousand anti-war folks in SF today, similar large #s in NYC and Washington, and the shutting down of Lakeshore Boulevard during rush hour in Chicago -- first time he can recall THAT ever happening, a native just told me by phone. And massive protests all over Europe?

• by Ed Weathers

CITY BEAT

THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE As he waited for Mayor Willie Herenton to arrive at the final session of the city council's annual retreat earlier this year, Councilman Jack Sammons likened the mayor's leadership style to lobbing a grenade into the room and closing the door. Usually, the result is a lot of headlines and hard feelings, but the big idea (consolidation, surrender the city charter, appointed school board, sell MLGW, the Formula for Fairness, raise suburban sewer fees, etc.) goes away. But Sammons thinks Herenton's push for school-system consolidation could be different.

• by Ed Weathers

FREEDOM DIPS

FREEDOM DIPS

• by Chris Davis

City Reporter

Karaoke Killer Arrested, and other news.

• by Flyer Staff

FROM MY SEAT

CORNER TURNED I hope I was wrong in my misgivings of March 2000. Here's hoping Calipari goes into the history books (many years from now) remembered primarily for his achievements in the Bluff City. For the first time since he swept into town, I'm starting to believe this just may happen.

• by Ed Weathers

Short Cuts

Cat Power's nervous introvert breaks out.

POLITICS

A NEW BALL GAME So far, at least, Governor Phil Bredesen is enjoying a honeymoon with the legislature-- both houses and both parties. After a visit to Memphis' Autozone Park on Friday, March 14, during which he continued his tireless advocacy of his unprecedentedly austere state budget, Tennessee's surprising new governor sat down with The Flyer and discussed the reasons for his live-within-your-means budget. strategyTennessee's new governor, former