- Issue Archive for
- Nov 15-21, 2007
- Vol. 1, No. 977
News
Rickey Peete Gets 51-month Prison Sentence
Same courtroom, same defendant, same charge.
Former Memphis City Councilman Rickey Peete, who pleaded guilty to accepting $14,500 in bribes while in office in 2006, was sentenced to 51 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Samuel Mays.
That was the upper end of the 41-51 month sentencing range in the guidelines, and Mays said he was influenced by "the serious and repetitive nature of this offense." Peete, 52, was convicted ...
Memphian's Band is "Artist to Watch" in Rolling Stone
MGMT, a Brooklyn-based band fronted by 2001 White Station grad Andrew VanWyngarden, has been named one of Rolling Stone magazine's "Artists to Watch" for 2008. Another young Memphian, Hank Sullivant, formerly of the Whigs, has also joined MGMT's tour as lead guitarist ...
Tell Sweden About Your Odd Balls, er, Oddballs
Winters in Stockholm must be long and cold and boring, because the producers of a Swedish TV program called The Most Extraordinary Person Show have now turned to America to find the most offbeat person in our country.
Who is the most likeable, extraodinary, and offbeat person in your part of America?" they ask. "Your local odd character? There is probably one in every town ..."
Same Game, New Name
Bruce Thompson is latest local politician to be indicted
Knock Down, Drag Out
Local mixed martial arts team packs a punch (and a kick).
5-Year Plan Presented to Law Enforcement Consolidation Group
Saying it was just a "starting point," County Commissioner Mike Carpenter officially presented his consolidation proposal to the law enforcement consolidation task force on Wednesday.
Carpenter's plan suggests creating a Public Safety Commission that would guide a five-year consolidation process of the Memphis Police Department and the law enforcement duties of the Shelby County Sheriff's Office. ...
Detroit Ranked "Most Dangerous" City in Controversial Report; Memphis 8th
AP - In another blow to the Motor City's tarnished image, Detroit pushed past St. Louis to become the nation's most dangerous city, according to a private research group's controversial analysis, released Sunday, of annual FBI crime statistics.
The study drew harsh criticism even before it came out. The American Society of Criminology launched a pre-emptive strike Friday, issuing a statement attacking it as "an irresponsible misuse" of crime data ...
Elvis is Alive Museum Comes Home!
Mississippian Andy Key has purchased the collection of Elvis Presley memorabilia displayed near St. Louis for the past 15 years as the Elvis is Alive Museum.
Key, 38, won an eBay auction held by museum owner Bill Beeny, 80. Items include documentation proving that Presley survived beyond the commonly accepted death date of August 16, 1977....
Finalists Named in Shelby Farms Design Contest
Three of the nation's leading landscape architectural firms have been chosen as finalists in a competition to re-design Shelby Farms Park.
And the winners are: New York City's Field Operations, San Francisco's Hargreaves Associates, and Tom Leader Studios of Berkeley, California ...
Hazardous Waste Center to Open Near Shelby Farms
If paint cans, florescent light bulbs, old computers, and other types of hazardous waste are taking over your garage, help is on the way.
Beginning Tuesday, Nov. 27, the county's new Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility at 6305 Haley Road near Shelby Farms will be open every Tuesday and Saturday ...
Timberlake Wins Two at American Music Awards
Justin Timberlake did Memphis proud last night by scoring the favorite male pop/rock artist and favorite soul/R&B album honors during the 35th Annual American Music Awards. He was topped only by Daughtry, the band led by a former American Idol contestant, which won three awards ...
Q&A: Jerry Collins
President, Memphis Light, Gas and Water
Thompson to Feds: This Is No Game
Less than an hour after pleading not guilty to federal corruption charges Wednesday, former county commissioner Bruce Thompson, who is a competitive tennis player, took a few swings at the style and substance of the government's case.
"This is not a game," Thompson said in media appearance in attorney Leslie Ballin's office. "This is my life. This is my freedom that is on the line here."
That was a swipe at FBI Special Agent in Charge My Harrison who said Tuesday, "Same game, different name," after the indictment was handed up...
FedEx Stock Drops on Reduced Earnings Expectations
Upon news that FedEx cut its earning expectations for the year, shares of the company sank almost 5 percent during morning trading [Friday].
The company, citing rising fuel costs, said that earnings per individual shares would be 20 cents lower than previously expected ...
No Charges Against West Memphis Police in Killing of DeAuntae Farrow
A special prosecutor for the Arkansas State Police announced that a criminal investigation into the June 22nd West Memphis police killing of 12-year-old DeAuntae Farrow turned up no evidence to support criminal charges against West Memphis police officer Erik Sammis, who shot the boy, or his partner Jimmy Ellis ...
Defense Theory
New evidence in the Damien Echols case disputes Satanic ritual theory.
New "Blue Law" Passes Memphis City Council
When they say Memphis is the Home of the Blues, they're not talking about blue laws. But maybe they should be. The City Council voted last week to prohibit beer sales for off-premise consumption within 500 feet of churches, schools, and most residential areas.
Though stores currently selling beer will be grandfathered in, any new stores wanting to locate within the 500-foot restriction will have to be located on a state or federal highway ...
Global Warming to Have Worst Impact on the South
From The Washington Post: "Climate change may be global in its sweep, but not all of the globe's citizens will share equally in its woes. And nowhere is that truth more evident, or more worrisome, than in its projected effects on agriculture ...
No Memphis Turkey for Timberlake
Sorry to all you fans hoping to see Justin Timberlake cruising around Memphis for Thanksgiving with the family, but JT is busy in Australia with his mom Lynne, stepdad Paul, and ... Jessica Biel ...
Great Expectations
With the Memphis Tigers aiming for the Final Four (at least), their coach reflects on the state of a program that can now be called international.
Elkington's Birmingham Development Hits Delay
Beale Street developer John Elkington is facing price increases and delays in building an entertainment district in Birmingham.
Earlier this year his firm Performa Entertainment Real Estate was chosen by the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex to develop the downtown project, but economic factors, including a credit crunch, have slowed progress there. ..
Calkins Leaves WHBQ for ESPN Radio 730-AM
After three years as co-host of the long-running morning-radio program Sportstime with George Lapides on Sports 56-WHBQ, Commercial Appeal sports columnist Geoff Calkins has left the station for its primary competitor, 730-AM ESPN Radio.
Calkins made his final appearance on "Sportstime" yesterday morning ...
Ole Miss to Host Presidential Debate
Mark September 26, 2008 on your calendar. The non-partisan Commission on Presidential Debates announced today that the first presidential debate will take place in Oxford, Mississippi...
Invest in Memphis Sewers!
You've been depositing your tax dollars into the Memphis sewer system for years now. Here's your chance to to get a little of that money back.
Financial forecasters at Fitch Ratings assign the City of Memphis sanitary sewerage system revenue bonds an "AA" rating. Fitch likes the system's low rate structure, manageable capital needs ...
Real Estate
Yea-sayers
The Horizon is ready for liftoff.
We Recommend
Music
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On the Road Again
Local rockers Ingram Hill survive a California sojourn, a lost bass player, and a wreck on the highway.
Politics
Chuck Norris Hearts Huckabee
From The New York Times Politics Blog: Just when Mike Huckabee was starting to be taken seriously, he brought back Chuck Norris.
Mr. Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas who, according to polls, last week ascended to the number-two spot in Iowa, will begin running his first television ad there today -- starring Mr. Norris, the tough-guy action hero who has been actively campaigning for Mr. Huckabee ...
POLITICS: The Fat Lady Sings
The completion of four runoff races brings the 2007 election to a close.
Sports
Griz-Rockets Wrap-Up
The Griz got a desperately needed, quite impressive, and terribly exciting win tonight against a terrific Houston Rockets team. Pathetic but true: This was probably one of the better wins in franchise history.
1. The Ivory Towers
There's been a lot of talk early on about the Grizzlies implementing an uptempo attack ...
Tigers Top Oklahoma in Madison Square Garden, 63-53
Derrick Rose had 17 points and Joey Dorsey had 9 points, 13 rebounds, and five blocks to lead the Memphis Tigers to a workman-like victory over the Oklahoma Sooners Thursday night in Madison Square Garden.
Memphis did not play particularly well offensively, shooting 37 percent from the field and making only 11 of 21 foul shots, but ...
Grizzlies Beat Sonics, 125-108
Stromile Swift, who had 24 points, led seven Grizzlies in double figures to push Memphis to a 125-108 victory over Seattle at FedExForum Monday Night ...
FROM MY SEAT: Tommy West's Tigers Make Their Bones vs. UAB
That sixth win now has Memphis in a position to head back to a bowl at the Superdome in New Orleans. That's a marriage this Memphis football season needs: a city in rebirth and a football team renewed in both spirit and performance.
Griz Lose to New Orleans in Overtime. 118-120
The Grizzlies fell to New Orleans in overtime at FedExForum Friday night, despite 28 points from Juan Carlos Navarro, and two clutch 3-pointers from Rudy Gay that sent the game into an extra period ...
Tigers Beat UConn, 81-70; Win NYC Tourney
Led by Chris Douglas-Roberts, who scored a career-high 33 points, the Memphis Tigers held off a tough challenge from UConn to win the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic in New York's Madison Square Garden.
Memphis built an early double-digit lead ...
Pros Scout Derrick Rose at Tigers/ASU Game
From the Seattle Times: 'On nights like this, you wonder what all of the fuss surrounding Derrick Rose is about.
"The 6-foot-3 freshman point guard, considered perhaps the best men's college basketball player in the country, finished with five assists and four points as the Memphis Tigers strolled to an 84-63 victory against Arkansas State at FedExForum on Tuesday night.
"With a handful of NBA personnel in attendance ...
Memphis Tames UAB, 25-9
(AP) -- Joseph Doss rushed for 168 yards and a touchdown and Matt Reagan kicked a career-high four field goals on Saturday as Memphis became bowl-eligible with a 25-9 victory over UAB.
Martin Hankins threw for 298 yards and Duke Calhoun led Memphis receivers with 159 yards on four catches, including a pair of 70-yard receptions ...
Theater
Cybill Does Atlanta as "Curvy Widow"
If you're headed down to Hotlanta in the next month, you might want to check out Memphis Belle Cybill Shepherd in the one-woman comedy, Curvy Widow, at the Alliance Theatre ...
Film
The Evil Men Do
Director Sidney Lumet's masterful heist-gone-wrong flick is the year's least likely great film.
"Before the Devil Knows You're Dead"
Who saw this coming? Director Sidney Lumet got his start in television during the early days of the medium, graduating to film with such black-and-white message movies as Twelve Angry Men and Fail-Safe. He hit his stride in the '70s, helming the Paddy Chayefsky political potboiler Network and really making his mark with a series of New York stories: Dog Day Afternoon, Serpico, Prince of the City ...
Opinion
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Letter from the Editor
I received an e-mail this week from a gentleman in Houston. He'd been reading the Flyer online ...
The Scholarship Game
A new and overlooked report shows which schools get the big bucks.
Time To Get Out
Iraq is a no-win situation, no matter how you look at it.
Books
John Daly, Literary Giant
Finally, some sweet relief for those of us still reeling from the death of Norman Mailer. Golfer John Daly is back with his second book, Golf My Own Damn Way: A Real Guy's Guide to Chopping 10 Strokes Off Your Score....
Taste Test
Judith Jones honors her muse, Gasterea.
Food & Wine
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The Kid Stays in the Picture
Going to a nice restaurant? Don't forget the children.
Special Sections
Christmas in Thailand? Win a Part in Oliver Stone's New Movie.
Winsome Sinclair & Associates will hold a casting call Saturday, November 17th in Memphis for "featured extra" roles for the new Oliver Stone movie, Pinkville.
Stone will be shooting on -location in Thailand starting December 26, for six weeks. Saturday's open casting call will be held from 1-6 p.m. at the FedExForum.
Sinclair is seeking ...
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