The good news? The Tennessee Valley Authority’s 2014 decision to phase out the Allen coal plant that spewed toxic gas and chemical particles into Memphis’ atmosphere for decades. Even more good news: TVA’s decision to replace the coal plant with a much more environmentally friendly combined gas-cycle plant, which is due to go online in […]
Posted inLetters To The Editor, Opinion
What They Said…
Greg Cravens On the cover story, “Bad Behavior” … “Strip clubs, porn, booze, weed, guns” What are things found on Bruce’s monthly expense report? Charlie Eppes Q: “Did you expense the lap dances?” A: “I did the job I was hired to do!” Q: “Did you expense the lap dances?” A: “YOU’RE GODDAMNED RIGHT I […]
Posted inEditorial, Opinion
Pot, Police, and Ambulance Service: Three Wins for Memphis
When it comes to fast-breaking issues in a year of change, the presidential race ain’t got nothing on local government in Memphis and Shelby County. Last week alone featured decisive and potentially transformational action on a trio of matters — two on the part of the Memphis City Council, another within county government. The council […]
Posted inEditorial, Opinion
Two Political Milestones in Shelby County
So it’s come to this: There is, as pointed out this week by state Young Democrat president London Lamar, only one “chartered Democratic organization in this county,” and it isn’t the Shelby County Democratic Party, a body which was officially “decertified” last Friday by state Democratic chair Mary Mancini. It is, in fact, the Shelby […]
Posted inEditorial, Opinion
Ruby Wilson
There’s a video clip from 1988 of Ruby Wilson singing “The Thrill Is Gone” at the Peabody Hotel with B.B. King and Rufus Thomas. When Ruby steps up to the microphone, B.B. steps back. “You think I’m gonna sing behind that, you’re crazy,” he says, getting out of the way. And who can blame him? Wilson, […]
Posted inEditorial, Opinion
A Matter of Time
In the course of proclaiming himself a “change agent” in a luncheon speech to members of the Rotary Club of Memphis on Tuesday, Juvenile Court Judge Dan Michael did his best to justify such an appellation by advancing an innovative idea in relation to juvenile crime that has implications for other areas of social policy. […]
Posted inLetters To The Editor, Opinion
What They Said…
Greg Cravens About Jackson Baker’s and Chris Davis’ stories, “Tales of Two Cities” … A wonderful and totally unusual pair of reports about this bizarre moment in American history — if there is history to be written after all this. The Ark is a perfect symbol for this time when politics are being drowned by […]
Posted inEditorial, Opinion
After the Conventions: On the Plus Side
The Republicans and Democrats have each held their quadrennial conventions and certified their nominees. As tradition would have it, now the American people can sink back into a late-summer torpor, not to fasten their attentions on presidential politics again until Labor Day. Something tells us this will not be the case in 2016. For one […]
Posted inEditorial, Opinion
“Hunger Games” at The Commercial Appeal
If you work for the Commercial Appeal‘s copy desk these days, the odds are most definitely not in your favor. Come to think of it, the same might be said for subscribers. Earlier this month, Gannett representatives announced intentions to eliminate seven copy editor and five design jobs in Memphis, centralizing much of that work […]
Posted inEditorial, Opinion
The RNC: Preview of a Trump Presidency
Those watching the first night of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland on television were treated to the following: An opening prayer that referred to presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton as “the enemy;” a speaker who led a chant, “Hillary for Prison;” Iowa Congressman Steven King, who questioned what “non-white” people have done to advance […]
Posted inLetters To The Editor, Opinion
What They Said…
Greg Cravens About Toby Sells’ story, “Tina Sullivan Talks Trams in the Old Forest” … There are alternative routes to get from any one place to another on any given surface. This is basic geometry. It’s not really hard to see that the Memphis Zoo leadership is full of elephant droppings here. Again. OakTree The […]
Posted inLetters To The Editor, Opinion
What They Said…
Greg Cravens On Chris McCoy’s The Legend of Tarzan review … This is what I thought. But, my wife wants me to look like this Tarzan fellow. So, I am sure we will see it soon enough anyway. Sausage Factory. Dwayne Butcher Dwayne, hang in there. My wife eventually settled for me looking like a […]