- Issue Archive for
- Aug 14-20, 2008
- Vol. 1, No. 1016
News
Get Out This Weekend: To Midtown and Beyond
If you're Jailhouse Rocked-out by this point in Elvis Week, here are a few other suggestions for the weekend.
Midtowners shouldn't miss the opening reception for "This Is Midtown," a collection of photographs from the city's edgy, artsy sector by Tommy Wilson. The show opens tonight at 7 p.m. at the newly reopened Edge Coffee House on North Watkins....
Committee Approves Funding Compromise
In the ongoing tussle over more than $57 million in city funding, the City Council's budget committee this morning approved a compromise.
"The ball will be in MCS' court to fund it," said council attorney Allan Wade.
Vance Lauderdale Discovers the "Clarksdale Giant"
Roaming through the fourth floor of the Lauderdale Library last night, I came across several bound volumes of a now-defunct magazine called Night & Day. As I flipped through the yellowing pages of the July 1953 issue, my one good eye was caught by a story about a fellow named Max Palmer, who became known as the Clarksdale Giant, among other monikers ...
The New School Year's Begun: Where Are the Students?
City and county public schools opened this week, and students aren't the only ones who could use an orientation.
Kriner Cash, his staff, and members of the Memphis City Council and school board should climb on a yellow bus and check out three new high schools their predecessors left them — and taxpayers — at a cost of nearly $100 million....
National Civil Rights Museum to Honor Al Gore, Diane Nash
The National Civil Rights Museum will honor former vice president Al Gore and long-time civil rights activist Diane Nash at this year's Freedom Awards on October 28th ...
Calling All Photographers: Images Needed for "Memphis 8.16.08"
On Saturday, August 16th, between 12:01 a.m. and 11:59 p.m., the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art is asking this city's citizens of all ages, creeds, and colors to pick up their cameras and start shooting. The goal of "Day in the Life of Memphis" is to capture images of Memphis 2008.
"Day in the Life of Memphis" is the first time the museum has made such a large call for entries...
Gone Fishin'
The city and county get closer to landing Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid.
Best of Memphis: Last Day To Vote
Voting in the 2008 Best of Memphis Readers' Poll ends tonight at 11:59 p.m.
To have your voice heard on everything from the best tapas place and favorite tattoo parlor to Memphis' "best" failure of 2008 and the best athlete, go here.
Q&A with Scott McCormick,
Resigning city council member
Out of the Woods
After the Memphis Zoo bulldozed four acres of old-growth forest in February, local park advocates want 17 acres of virgin forest in Overton Park returned to the public.
Charter Commission (Briefly) Considers MCS Funding
With a Memphis City Schools budget presentation to the City Council scheduled for this evening, school board and charter commission member Sharon Webb proposed -- and then withdrew -- a charter change that would have required the city to fund the school district.
Mrs. Fields Files for Chapter 11
As they say, that's the way the cookie crumbles.
Mrs. Fields, the cookie company started by Debbi Fields Rose more than 30 years ago, announced Friday it plans to file for Chapter 11 protection.
What They Said
Comments from memphisflyer.com
Literacy Council's "Taste of Cooper-Young" Tickets On Sale
Tickets are currently on sale for "Taste of Cooper-Young," a popular fund-raising progressive dinner to benefit the Memphis Literacy Council. The event is Thursday, August 21st. Last year's event sold out.
"The issue for us is getting the word out -- not only who we are but about the problem in Memphis. One in three people in Memphis are functionally illiterate," explains Debra Hall of the Literacy Council. "It’s really a call to let the community know that we have a problem, because we can’t solve it if they don’t know about it."...
Shad Death at Shelby Farms
A number of fish have bought the farm. Shelby Farms, that is.
Shelby Farms' Patriot Lake is experiencing a mass kill of gizzard shad, similar to an incident in March.
Rock Camp Rocks
Memphis music this summer is young and girlish.
No Cover
Newby's and Broadcast Music Inc. move closer to an agreement in a copyright-infringement lawsuit.
Council, MCS Meet on School Funding
The proposed funding compromise between the city and the school system is, quite literally, passing the buck.
The seats at Bridges were filled with City Council members, Memphis City Schools board representatives, parents, and teachers Thursday night ...
Real Estate
Simply Timeless
Circa 1929 bungalow in East Buntyn.
We Recommend
Music
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Remembering "Black Moses"
Memphis says goodbye to an icon with the passing of Isaac Hayes.
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Isaac Hayes Memorial Set for Monday
The family of Isaac Hayes has announced that a memorial service will be held for the late soul icon Monday at Hope Presbyterian Church from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hope Presbyterian is located at 8500 Walnut Grove Road in Cordova.
Politics
Backing into a Term-Limit Referendum: How the Commission Reached Agreement
On Wednesday, the county commission finally came up with a charter referendum for November,but the story behind that story provides an object lesson for commission members henceforth, one more or less summed up in well-known lines from the Kennedy Rogers ballad, "The Gambler."
Now for Round Two
A new council election looms; Cohen wins big; and Democrats prevail countywide.
After More Discord, the County Commission Proceeds with Term-Limits Agreement
After indulging themselves in yet another vexing and acrimonious recap of all the various dissents and counter-arguments that had kept the county commission from coming to agreement on what to do about the five newly recreated county offices, a commission majority finally approved a second reading on a new ballot proposal for November.
Commission Rules in Judges' Favor: No Retired Officers as Bailiffs
What looked to be a substantial portion of the local judiciary poured into the upstairs meeting room of the Shelby County Commission on Wednesday. Their mission was to bear witness against a proposal to substitute retired law enforcement officers for a few of the bailiff positions now held by uniformed active sheriff’s deputies.
Sports
In Wake of Spitz’ s Lost Record, Memphian Lewis Nolan Remembers the Swimmer
It might surprise Lewis Nolan"s friends to know it, but the portly Memphian was once a competitive swimmer -- and a coach with some vivid memories of ex-Olympic record holder Mark Spitz, who competed against teams mentored by Nolan in California.
FROM MY SEAT: From Phelps to Phelps
Michael Phelps's record-setting haul of gold medals at the Beijing Olympics -- eight last week and now 14 for his Olympic career -- is enough to make the most casual sports fan pause. And, on the subject of Phelps, the Memphis Redbirds' Josh (29 home runs and 93 RBIs through Sunday) has enjoyed one of the finest seasons in the franchise's 11-year history.
Team of Themes
There's an Elvis song for every athlete.
Theater
Of Mice & Menace
New Moon actors crash Harold Pinter's Birthday Party.
Film
Film Review: Tropic Thunder
Ben Stiller's war-movie farce Tropic Thunder — co-starring Tom Cruise as a foul-mouthed studio executive and Robert Downey Jr. as a black man (sort of) — opened this week.
Does it deliver big laughs? Does it have much on the brain? Check out Chris Herrington's review after the jump to find out.
The Kids Stay in the Picture
American Teen turns the camera on a group of high school seniors.
Opinion
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Letter from the Editor
I've been reading recently about "low-information voters" ...
Back To School
The only thing missing in some new Memphis schools is students.
Taking Down Tinker
In Tennessee's 9th District, the challenger lost an election and gained a reputation.
On Dumbasses
I've been reading recently about "low-information voters." These are people who, for the most part, don't read newspapers, political websites, or opinion magazines to learn candidates' voting records or political positions. They don't pay much attention to politics at all, which in theory makes them susceptible ...
Bianca Knows Best ... And Helps a Wuss
Dear Bianca,
Last week, a friend asked me to babysit her 12-year-old daughter for two weeks while she goes on vacation. This task involves waking up early to take her to school, driving her to soccer practice after school, and even attending a couple of soccer matches on the weekend ...
Books
Holy Moses!
The Good Book: a naughty book.
Food & Wine
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How Do You Eat That?
Dishing out a bit of advice that's easy to swallow.
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The Edge Coffeehouse Reopens
In August 1997, the Edge, the popular Midtown coffeehouse owned by Frank James, moved to 1913 Poplar, in a space now occupied by the Hi-Tone.
Almost a year later, customers who stood in front of the Edge's locked doors found a Post-It note. "I'll be back" is all that James had written.
James and the Edge (not to mention its popular signature drink the "Avalanche) are indeed back ...
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