Community News: News Blog, Memphis Flyer

Animal Advocacy Group Plans Protest Against Memphis Animal Services

Bianca Phillips — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:51:00 -0500

Memphis Animal Services (MAS) medical director Rebecca Coleman was written up by city officials for "cruel and inhumane treatment" after it was discovered that a dog with an embedded collar waited four days for medical treatment.

An embedded collar means the dog's collar was so tight that it had grown into its neck.…

Crosstown Developers Address Neighbor Concerns

Bianca Phillips — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:06:36 -0500

The Crosstown Development Team and Crosstown Collaborative (the neighborhood's new association) held a public forum on Tuesday night at the Crosstown Arts office on Cleveland to fill neighbors in on plans for the Sears building.

Todd Richardson, project leader for the Crosstown Development Team, gave a presentation on plans to turn the 1.4-million square foot building into a "vertical urban village" complete with healthcare from the Church Health Center, Methodist Hospital, and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, shared art-making facilities and artist residency programs run by Crosstown Arts, and an education component with Gestalt Community Schools and Memphis Teacher Residency.…

Scenes from the Anti-KKK Rallies

Chris Shaw — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 17:47:57 -0500

Rain couldn't stop two events promoting equality and friendship this past weekend, as people from all over the Mid-South headed to Tiger Lane for the Heart of Memphis Festival and the People's Conference on Race and Equality, both events billed as alternatives to the KKK rally happening downtown at the same time.

In the Pipkin Building, a make-shift green lawn was spread out on the concrete floor for the Mayor's Easter Egg Roll, while the Memphis United organization used the Creative Arts Building as a forum to spread messages of equality and worker's rights.…

62-year-old Georgia Man Stopping in Memphis on His 3,500 Mile Trek to California

Louis Goggans — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 15:40:40 -0500

It’s not everyday that a 62-year-old runs across the country.

But that won't stop Jack Fussell.…

Mid-South Spay & Neuter Services Will Focus on Pets in the 38105 Zip Code

Bianca Phillips — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 14:46:46 -0600

Mid-South Spay & Neuter Services was awarded a $71,630 grant from PetSmart Charities to cover the cost of spay/neuter surgeries for 1,085 pets living in the 38105 zip code area. That encompasses the some of central downtown and all of north downtown.…

Petition Aims to Save Club Crave Building From Demolition

Bianca Phillips — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 11:10:09 -0600

Last week, Mayor A C Wharton called for Club Crave on Beale Street to be demolished after it was shuttered for being a public nuisance. The closure came after a Christmas Eve shooting at the club, in which one man was killed.…

"Sea of Blue" Scheduled Tonight to Honor Fallen Memphis Police Officer

Bianca Phillips — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 11:05:36 -0600

This evening, a procession of police squad cars with flashing lights will honor Memphis Police officer Martoiya Lang, who was killed in the line of duty last Friday morning.

The staging will begin at 2641 North Hollywood behind Burger King at 5 p.m., and the procession will travel southbound on Hollywood to I-40 at 5:30 p.m.…

Local Funeral Home Sets Up Registry Book for Sandy Hook Elementary Victims

Bianca Phillips — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 10:14:45 -0600

Registry books have been set up at all three locations of Forest Hill Funeral Home and Memorial Park for those wishing to send thoughts and condolences to the families affected by the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newton, Connecticut on Friday.

The books will remain open until December 22nd, and then they'll be sent to Newtown.…

Design Plans Unveiled for Overton Park Playground

Bianca Phillips — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 15:34:55 -0600

The Overton Park Conservancy has released an artist's rendering by DaKoda Davis of plans for the Rainbow Lake playground at Overton Park. Renovations to the playground will begin soon, and the playground is expected to reopen in spring 2013.…

UPDATE: MATA Route to Southland Dumps Riders on Side of Interstate

Hannah Sayle — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 15:37:00 -0600

A MATA bus route to Southland Park for gaming and racing is now dumping riders on the side of Interstate 40, according to a video secretly recorded by members of the Memphis Bus Riders Union.

In the video, the bus driver says that as of about a month ago, Southland Park no longer allows MATA buses to drop off on Southland property.…

New JobLINC Bus Rolls Into Memphis

Louis Goggans — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 15:00:00 -0500

A new way to find jobs has rolled into the city — literally.

The Memphis Public Library & Information Center unveiled the new and improved version of its JobLINC Bus, a converted school bus, in late October.…

SMA Founder Recognized By Sierra Club

Chris Shaw — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 09:59:21 -0500

This Saturday, the Sierra Club will recognize South Memphis Alliance (SMA) founder Reginald Milton for his continued service to the South Memphis community.

Both the founder and executive director of the South Memphis Alliance, Milton has been selected as the recipient of the 2012 Dick Mochow Environmental Justice Award.…

Local Humane Society Launches "Pit Bull People" Campaign

Bianca Phillips — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 15:01:01 -0500

Just in time for Pit Bull Awareness Day (which was October 27th), the Humane Society of Memphis and Shelby County released a series of photographs of local families with their pit bull pets.

“Our community is overrun with pit bull-type dogs who desperately need homes, and the truly upsetting fact is that many adopters will not even consider these dogs because of the many myths and discriminatory propaganda surrounding them,” said Alexis Amorose, executive director of the Humane Society.…

Regional Pie Company Continues Search for Holly Bobo

Bianca Phillips — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 14:52:10 -0500

Mrs. Sullivan's pie company, based in Jackson, Tennessee, is running ads on its pie boxes featuring a picture of missing Darden, Tennessee nursing student Holly Bobo. The ad reads "Help!!!…

Occupy Memphis Will Hold One-Year Anniversary Celebration

Bianca Phillips — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 14:00:04 -0500

Although Occupy Memphis was evicted from its encampment at Civic Center Plaza in early August, the group still plans to celebrate it's one-year anniversary on October 15th.

The three-day celebration will begin at Audubon Park in East Memphis on Saturday, October 13th and Sunday, October 14th from 8 a.m. until midnight.…

Neighborland Kicks Off in Memphis

Bianca Phillips — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 10:33:31 -0500

Neighborland, a national social network for civic activism, has launched a Memphis page where locals talk about what positive changes they'd like to see in the city. Other users can then click a "Me Too" button to show their support.…

Gas Cards Offered in Exchange for Guns

Bianca Phillips — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 09:32:09 -0500

Turn in a gun and get free gas: That's the premise for the city's "Gas for Guns" event scheduled for Saturday, September 15th at Bloomfield Baptist Church (123 S. Parkway West) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

No questions will be asked of those who surrender their weapons. But participants will be given a $50 Mapco gas card for each gun turned in, as well as two Memphis Grizzlies tickets.…

Old Bellevue Dairy Plant to Be Demolished

Bianca Phillips — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 15:11:36 -0500

The giant, rusted replica of a glass milk bottle on top of an old dairy plant at 1039 S. Bellevue will be coming down soon as the building is demolished under the city's Neighborhood Stabilization Program.

Also included in the project, which is intended to fight blight in selected neighborhoods, is the renovation of the South Memphis Alliance Laundromat.…

New "Gateway" to Crosstown Installed

Bianca Phillips — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 11:15:36 -0500

On Thursday night, several hundred people gathered in the parking lot of the Cleveland Street Flea Market in Midtown to watch artists Eli Gold and Colin Kidder install a large, spinning sculpture made from 51 repurposed bicycle wheels across the street from the old Sears Crosstown building.

Intended to serve as the new "gateway" into Crosstown, the sculpture — titled "Beacon" — was created with money donated by Harry Freeman and Sara Ratner.…

Fund-raisers Go Over the Edge

Louis Goggans — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 16:00:27 -0500

Those with a desire for an adrenaline rush will have the opportunity to rappel down the city’s 365-foot iBank Tower this Saturday.

“Over the Edge,” will provide the first 100 people who raise a minimum of $1,000 with the chance to rappel down the tower located on 5050 Poplar Ave from 8:30am to 4:30pm.…

Mentoring Workshop Benefitting Kids with Incarcerated Relatives

Louis Goggans — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 16:50:05 -0500

This weekend, kids with incarcerated parents or relatives will get an opportunity to secure a mentor that helps them stay on the right path throughout the school year.

SoGiv, a nonprofit that sells footwear and apparel, and donates a portion of the proceeds to a worthy cause, is hosting the workshop “SoGiv-A-Mentor,” Saturday, 1 to-3 p.m. at 258 N. Merton St. The group is partnering with fellow nonprofit, Families of Incarcerated Individuals, for the event.…

UndocuBus Rolls Through Memphis

Elizabeth Cooper — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 16:06:47 -0500

“No Papers, No Fear,” painted in purple letters and surrounded by pink flowers and butterflies, stood out from the six-foot backdrop of a flatbed truck’s makeshift stage at yesterday’s Memphis Unafraid rally.

“No somos illegales!…

Memphis Bus Riders Union Meeting To Discuss Gas Tax Referendum

Louis Goggans — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 13:09:05 -0500

Members of the Memphis Bus Riders Union are gathering on Saturday, August 11th to discuss the recent gas tax referendum approved by the Memphis City Council. The referendum would ask voters to support or refuse adding a one-cent tax to every gallon of gasoline sold within city limits, with the proceeds going to Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA).…

Robberies in Overton Park Led Conservancy to Issue Warning

Bianca Phillips — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 12:11:04 -0500

An e-mail newsletter from the Overton Park Conservancy sent out Monday morning warned park users to use caution in the wake of a series of robberies in the Old Forest.

The letter said several individuals were robbed on the forest trails over the past few days.…

"Living Ads" Take to Memphis Streets

Bianca Phillips — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 14:31:05 -0500

Drivers who pass through seven local intersections on Saturday, August 4th could catch a glimpse of a "living ad."

Teens from the Memphis Ambassadors Program (MAP) will be holding signs reminding parents that school starts on Monday. The MAP program is the city's replacement for the youth summer jobs program, which ran into problems several years ago when some student workers were not paid.…