Month: November 2002

UNDER THE INFLUENCE

Post author By Chris Davis
Post date November 24, 2002

It seems that Ben Smith, the chef/owner of Midtown’s always-superb Pacific Rim bistro Tsunami, finds inspiration for his culinary masterpieces in some unlikely places. In a recent edition of the industry mag Restaurants and Institutions, Smith claims to be influenced by a local “found object” artist, whose constructions remind him of food and has been working on a special dessert since he heard his son announce, “I want chocolate dumplings.” If we’re lucky, the talented but easily influenced chef will never see a dog go near the litter box.

News News Feature

WHAT’S NEW UNDER THE, ER, SUN?

Post author By Corey Mesler
Post date November 23, 2002

TIM CAHILL: The first man to set up a recording studio specializing in the music of black Mississippi Delta musicians was a red-haired freckled-faced young fellow named Sam Phillips. Back in 1950, Phillips was 27 years old, a DJ on radio station WREC, and a man with a deep interest in blues music, especially the blues of the Delta country. It was not terribly unusual for a white man of that time to be interested in black music.

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Politics Politics Beat Blog

SAME OLD SAME OLD: SPURS 95, GRIZZLIES 86

Post author By Corey Mesler
Post date November 23, 2002

SAN ANTONIO — The Memphis Grizzlies remained the only winless team in the NBA and lost their 21st consecutive meeting with the San Antonio Spurs, who got 28 points and 15 rebounds from Tim Duncan en route to a 95-86 victory.

Memphis has lost its first 13 games, just four losses shy of the worst start in NBA history. The Grizzlies’ drought was unlikely to end against the Spurs, who have not lost in the series since Feb. 12, 1997 — about four months before Duncan was drafted.

The Spurs have a 26-3 advantage in the all-time series against the Grizzlies, who were 2-11 at the Alamodome and did not have any luck in their first visit to the SBC Center.

San Antonio had a 48-43 halftime lead before opening the third quarter with a 15-1 run. Duncan scored nine points during the burst, which gave the Spurs a 63-44 cushion with 5:43 left.

“We really started getting it done in the second half,” Spurs forward Malik Rose said. “We really started making shots and that, coupled with defense, carried us through.”

Duncan had a jumper, a hook shot, a dunk and three free throws during the run. He made 9-of-16 shots from the floor and 10-of-12 from the line.

The Grizzlies faded as they failed to make a basket in the first 5:43 of the second half. They were held to just 13 points in the third quarter and had only 56 entering the fourth.

David Robinson and Stephen Jackson scored 12 points apiece for San Antonio, which has won 10 straight home meeting with the Grizzlies.

The Spurs shot just 44 percent (35-of-79) from the floor but held a commanding 49-30 rebounding advantage. Robinson grabbed nine rebounds and Rose pulled down seven.

“They played a lot of zone tonight and it’s a great way to rebound,” Duncan said. “Whatever we could get in there was a definite plus. Their zone messed us up a little bit early but we figured it out and got back on track.”

“When your leading rebounder is you point guard, it’s hard to swallow,” Memphis coach Hubie Brown said. “We’re not into moral victories but we’re pleased that we fought back and we can build on something.”

Mike Batiste scored 18 points and Pau Gasol added 12 as Memphis fell to 0-7 on the road.

The Grizzlies played without starting point guard Jason Williams, who is sidelined with a sprained foot, and remained winless in five games under Brown.

“We just need to go out and take care of business,” Memphis guard Brevin Knight said. “Things are going to change and I think as a team we are committed to putting in the work to making this thing work.”

The game was tied at 17-17 late in the first quarter before San Antonio used a 12-4 run to take the lead for good. Duncan scored the first six points on an alley-oop and four free throws and rookie Emanuel Ginobili capped it with consecutive layups for a 29-21 lead 36 seconds into the second.

The Spurs had their largest lead at 86-62 with 6:52 left on a reverse dunk by Ginobili, who scored nine points.

Politics Politics Beat Blog

POLITICS

Post author By Corey Mesler
Post date November 22, 2002

TWO FOR THE FUTURE

Almost like the meteor shower that interested parties had to be up and ready for one cold morning this week, the star of Harold Ford Jr. flared briefly across the nation’s political consciousness last week.

In the space of a few days, the 9th District congressman from Memphis had announced his candidacy to lead the slightly truncated body of Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives, launched a frenzied lobbying campaign (complete with hopeful spin on the numbers), and suffered an unexpectedly lopsided loss of 177-29 to the favorite and ultimate winner, Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California.

One factor which may have led to the enormity of Pelosi’s margin was that, while Ford himself was a fresh presence, his posture as a “black centrist,” supportive of tax cuts and the Iraqi war resolution, might have come across as old wine in new bottles. His House colleagues plainly wanted a show of more contrast with the Bush administration.

It would be tempting to invoke the overused Warholian cliche and speak of Ford’s fifteen minutes, except for the fact that the congressman, a telegenic, articulate, and versatile commentator on politics at large, had logged mucho clock time already as a guest on virtually all the prime-time network talk shows. Indeed, Ford is so ubiquitous in such venues that his press secretary, Anthony Coley, would be well advised to alter the format of the “Ford TV Alert” notices he regularly sends out to the media.

Instead of sending head-ups on this or that program which will be featuring a drop-in by Ford (discoursing on everything from atom bombs to xenophobia), Coley might more efficiently advise reporters that his man will not be appearing at 3:30 a.m. next Sunday morning on the all-weather channel.

The ambitious 32-year-old congressman was described recently by Chattanooga state senator Ward Crutchfield this way: ” “He’s a star. This guy’s got a personality out of this world.” There’s nothing particularly exceptional about that observation, except for the source — a crusty, seasoned East Tennessee pol who is as shrewd an exponent of Realpolitik as can be found anywhere in the state.

If Ward Crutchfield thinks a bill can pass, believe it: It can, and probably will, pass. If he thinks a fellow Democrat — even an African American from Memphis named Ford — can pass muster as a statewide candidate, then you can make book on it. Most likely for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Bill Frist and presumably up for grabs in 2006.

Frist — who as director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, oversaw his party’s recapture of the Senate early this month, is another shooting star from Tennessee; like Ford, he is held back only by the clogged aisles, fickle calendar, and blocked passages that govern political ascendancy. His Senate seat is expected to be open in 2006 either as a fulfillment of his two-term pledge or, more likely, because he has passed on to greater glory.

An intimate of President Bush’s, Frist is widely viewed as a potential successor to Vice President Dick Cheney and as a likely presidential candidate in 2008. In the meantime he is regarded as a possible Secretary of Homeland Security when that cabinet post is created. Complicating (or expediting) Frist’s career itinerary was the recent victory of Democrat Phil Bredesen as governor of Tennessee. Should Frist depart his Senate post for any reason after Bredesen’s swearing-in next January, Bredesen would get to pick a successor — almost surely a partymate.

That fact would surely give pause to Bush, since, even after the smashing GOP election triumphs of two weeks ago, the next Senate will be only narrowly in Republican hands. The president could ill afford to lose a Republican senator; so any major appointment for Frist — or commitment for one — would have to occur on GOP governor Don Sundquist’s fast dwindling watch.

Tennessee’s two political zephyrs were linked for some months back in 1999 and 2000 when Ford , under pressure from both state and national party figures, contemplated a race for Frist’s seat. The congressman’s intentions became largely pro forma after Memphis mayor Willie Herenton’s smashing victory over city councilman Joe Ford — and the extended Ford family — in the city election of October 1999.

The fact that Ford kept up appearances for as long as he did back then, continuing to fire criticism at Frist over the issue of dormant patients’ rights legislation, has led some skeptics to conclude that he is interested more in making headlines than in making headway. But there was no doubting he was in earnest earlier this year when Republican Fred Thompson decided not to seek reelection; Ford badly wanted to run and was prevented from doing so only when party elders backed his equally resolute House colleague from Nashville, Bob Clement. Clement went on to lose to the GOP’s Lamar Alexander in a race that would have been difficult for Ford as well.

There is little doubt that Ford would run for an open Senate seat in 2006, and little chance that any other name Democrat would get in his way. A likely opponent might be outgoing 7th District congressman Ed Bryant, who lost a bitter primary to Alexander this year, or 6th District congressman Zach Wamp of Chattanooga.

Only time will tell whether the embarrassment of his lopsided loss to Pelosi has damaged Frost’s prospects. Meanwhile, watch your cable channels to see whether, and to what extent, Harold Ford Jr.’s fifteen-minutes-plus has been extended by the gods of the communications industry.

Ford will be 38 in 2008, presumably an “open” presidential year. Frist is positioning himself to run that year. It’s a long shot, but not an impossibility, that both upwardly mobile Tennesseans will find themselves on a national ticket. And their showdown, deferred two years ago, could take place after all.

News The Fly-By

DEFEATED A FORD LATELY?

Post author By Chris Davis
Post date November 22, 2002

The supermarket tabloids may think Democratic congressman Harold Ford Jr. ranks among the sexiest mena alive, but after his failed bid for the position of House minority leader, the Mid-South’s highly visible legislator got more than his share of criticism in the press. The Washington Post noted, “It’s more about him than the party.” How could they say such a thing about the obviously selfless Blue Dog conservative, who has regularly bashed former majority leader Tom Daschle, all but ignored his party’s charge to help with Democratic campaigns in Kentucky, easily sided with the opposition on such noncontroversial issues as the Iraqi resolution, and even enlisted the aid of a noted Republican to help draft his speech at the Democratic national convention? It’s absolutely beyond our ability to comprehend. Why, it’s clear that our Jr. is all about the party — the other party, that is.

News The Fly-By

City Reporter

Post author By Flyer Staff
Post date November 21, 2002

A Moldy Mess

Report alerts parents about air quality at East High.

By Mary Cashiola

With mold clean-up still ongoing at East High School and the recent death of one of the school’s students, parents are wondering about the time lag and just how harmful the substance is.

Findings from the National Econ Corporation Report indicated that there were mold spores in the air at East, as well as fungal growth and contamination on walls, ceiling tiles, and other surfaces. The report was dated November 4, 2002; however, a letter to parents was released November 13th, over a week later.

“I’m the one who released the report to the press,” East parent Reverend James Robinson said. “No board members knew about the report. The superintendent didn’t know about the report.”

Robinson said he was at the high school with another parent and the principal discussing the school improvement plan when he casually asked about the air quality in the basement. Robinson came before the school board earlier this fall when his child developed a rash he said was due to East’s environmental conditions.

Principal Harry Durham told Robinson about the report, but when Durham would not give him a copy, Robinson drove to the superintendent’s office.

“I’ve got an investment at East. I’ve got children there,” said Robinson.

Robinson said when he went to get a copy of the report, Superintendent Johnnie Watson told him he did not know it existed. Watson was out of town and could not be reached for comment.

The report said that results of the air analysis should be “made available to the employees’ personal physicians for a specific evaluation of the findings if complaints or medical symptoms are present.” The letter to East parents explained that the fungal growth in the annex and first-floor classrooms could cause cold and flu-like symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, and coughing.

Adding to the confusion is the death of East High senior Donald Mister. A longtime asthma sufferer, Mister died Saturday of the disease, according to the medical examiner’s report. District officials said that Mister had been ill several days before his death and had been absent from school. There is no evidence currently linking his death to the school’s mold problem.

The school district defends the time between the report and the letter to parents.

“There was a lot of activity within that interim period,” said Associate Superintendent Roland McElrath. “Subsequent to receiving the report, we had to meet with the National Econ Corporation to review the report findings so we understood them.” McElrath said the district’s next step was to meet with their medical experts and formulate a plan to ensure the well-being of the students.

After development of that plan, information was then passed onto parents and others.

Although McElrath declined to speculate how long the mold might have been in the affected areas, he said, “Anytime we identify mold or mildew on walls, we move immediately to address it. We do feel we responded in as timely a fashion as practical given the work we needed to complete in order to give a comprehensive response to the parents.”

Better than a Bumper Sticker

State begins production of Callicott license plates.

By Mary Cashiola

Despite not meeting a pre-established quota, Memphis artist Burton Callicott joins such things as horses, cats, and the University of Tennessee logo on the backs of automobiles.

The production of the “art is … a rainbow” license plate honoring Callicott was officially announced earlier this week. The plate, based on the works of Callicott, was given special consideration by the Tennessee legislature.

“The legislature introduced 28 new specialty license plates and, at the same time, they sort of grandfathered in the Burton Callicott plate,” said Dennis Adkins, communications director for the Tennessee Arts Commission.

The state’s arts commission has been working on getting the Callicott plate into production for almost a year now. Five hundred plates were supposed to be pre-sold before the plate could go into production.

“We had sold about 320 of the license plates when the legislature approved the new 28,” said Adkins. “On the same bill, the legislature lowered the amount of Callicott plates we needed to start production from 500 to 250.”

Work on the plate began after a suggestion made by state Senator Steve Cohen. “Callicott is almost a legend in the Memphis area. He’s 96 years old; he taught at the Memphis College of Art. … Senator Cohen wanted to recognize him in some way,” said Adkins. “We thought that would be a good way to honor him by producing a license plate.”

The pre-ordered plates are already in production, and the commission expects to have the plates available to the general public by next February.

The plates cost $35 plus the wheel tax. There are more than 100 specialty license plates currently available, many with proceeds benefiting the Tennessee Arts Commission.

All future specialty license plates will need 1,000 pre-ordered before they go into production.

Flunking Out

State report cards show low grades for city schools.

By Mary Cashiola

The Tennessee Department of Education released its school report cards Tuesday, with more than three times the data it has reported in the past. But as in the past, Memphis students can’t seem to make the grades.

Middle-school students in the district fared the worst, garnering Fs in reading, math, science, and social studies. In language arts, they earned a D. Making the picture even more dismal are the value-added scores, which compare the change in scores from year to year. In value-added reading, math, and science scores, middle-schoolers had three more Fs. They got a D in value-added language arts and a C as their value-added social studies score.

Elementary school students in Memphis received Fs in reading, science, and social studies and Ds in language arts and math. The value-added scores showed Cs in reading, math, and science, with an F in language arts and a D in social studies.

Shelby County elementary school students received As and Bs in both subject areas and value-added scores, with the exception of an F in the value-added language arts score.

Individually, only 20 schools in the city district escaped without any failing grades: Campus School, Central High, Colonial Middle, Craigmont High, Delano, Idlewild Elementary, John P. Freeman, Kirby High, Manor Lake Elementary, Overton High, Ridgeway High, Rozelle Elementary, Shady Grove Elementary, Shelby Oaks Elementary, Snowden, Oak Forest, Vollentine,White Station Elementary, White Station Middle, and White Station High.

Union or Bust

Ministers increase the scope of their boycott against Fred’s.

By Janel Davis

A coalition of Memphis ministers expanded its boycott of Fred’s Inc. to a second location on Wednesday, November 20th, this time at the store next door to the company’s headquarters at 4300 Getwell Rd.

Dr. LaSimba Gray, of the Ecumenical Task Force, said the boycotts are designed to be “economical withdrawals” to keep customers from shopping in the stores.

The protests stem from allegations of unlawful termination and mistreatment by several employees of the company’s distribution center. Employees voted in May to organize a union to address “injustices,” including low wages, lack of respect, and substandard benefits. Jimi Williams of UNITE, the Union of Needletrades, Industrial, and Textile Employees, said Fred’s refused to accept the vote “and filed 17 rejectionable charges against the [formation] with the National Labor Relations Board [NLRB].” The NLRB overturned Fred’s objections, finding them to have no credibility, and the company appealed.

“When [the objections were overturned] that’s when it got worse,” said distribution center employee Amirah Burnett. The two-year center stocker was terminated for arguing with a fellow employee. “[The company] played favorites. I was fired but they let the other person stay.” Burnett and Latoya Myles, who was also terminated, described the worsening situation, citing a change in attitude by management and a strict attendance policy for some employees.

The Ecumenical Task Force held its first boycott of the company Saturday at the Northgate Shopping Plaza store location. About 60 employees and clergy held picket signs and chanted as several potential customers turned away from the store. “We will not encourage a strike,” said Williams. “As Pastor Gray has said from the beginning, this is an economical withdrawal from Fred’s stores.”

The Task Force’s demands included Fred’s reinstating unfairly terminated employees, immediate recognition of the worker’s union, withdrawal of all objections and settlement of nine open cases before the NLRB, and immediate negotiations with the union for a fair contract.

“The management of Fred’s will not listen to workers or the clergy, but Fred’s listens to money,” said Gray at a previous press conference. “As Fred’s watches its sales drop, we believe the company will see the wisdom in treating workers fairly and with dignity.”

Several calls to the company’s representative legal counsel, the Kullman Firm, were unreturned.

The Flower Wilts

Downtown cafe closes its doors after 30 years.

By Janel Davis

The Yellow Rose Cafe, a mainstay of the downtown Court Square area, will serve its last meal at the end of the month, ending a 30-year history of home cooking.

Joe and Becky Keating, the cafe’s owners for the past 15 years, said the lack of downtown traffic forced the restaurant’s demise. “A lot of the offices that contributed to our clientele have moved out east,” said Becky. “And the spotlight on dining has shifted to Peabody Place and Beale Street. There was no way we could continue to stay in business.”

The restaurant, located at 58 N. Main, has a staff of 10, including some cooks who have been with the restaurant 20 or more years.

“You got to know when to hold ’em and know when to fold ’em,” said Becky. “It was a decision we had to make, and we will miss the many friends we’ve made over the years.”

The Yellow Rose’s last day will be Friday, November 29th.

Music Music Features

Local Beat

Post author By Andria Lisle
Post date November 21, 2002

The first 30 seconds of “Rat’s Brains & Microchips,” the lead song off The Lost Sounds‘ new album, are not necessarily what you’d expect from this Memphis combo. Jonathan Kirkscey‘s beautifully bowed cello chords serve as the prelude for their latest synth-driven onslaught. It’s an imaginative departure for the group, blasting one Flyer letter-writer’s recent contention that the Lost Sounds “are a bunch of meatballs who believe that the listener should suffer indescribable pain” to smithereens.

“With the cello, we wanted a diverse sound, something we couldn’t do on frets and keys,” Lost Sounds co-founder Alicja Trout says. “Jonathan has a different take on music — he’s classically trained. We were apprehensive about asking him to play with us, but he seemed to really like it.”

“Jonathan was the only person we knew who could do it,” Trout’s partner Jay Jay confirms. “He was nice enough to take time off from the Memphis Symphony to come play some elementary music,” Jay Jay says with a laugh. When guitarist Jonas Garland broke his shoulder just before the Lost Sounds were supposed to go on the road for their last tour, which featured 29 shows in just 28 days, they recruited Kirkscey.

“Logistically, Memphis is a really good place to be from,” Jay Jay says. “And as far as music goes, I like the whole underdog thing you get when you tell people you’re from Memphis. When we’re on tour, we always get strange looks from arty guys who ask us where we’re from. ‘Oh my Gawd — how do you guys live there?,'” he drawls in mock contempt. “I don’t like to use the word ‘soul,’ but Memphis definitely has something to it that’s more human than other cities. The flaws here make it more real.”

“Outside of here, people are really weirded out. They wonder where we get our ideas from, because we definitely don’t do traditional Memphis rock-and-roll,” Trout says, likening the sounds on Rat’s Brains & Microchips to an amalgamation of pop and low-fi rap metal. “You can have a real love/hate relationship with Memphis, but right now I really love it. Going somewhere like Othar Turner’s picnic is a really special experience. It really grounds you from the ‘I wanna be on MTV’ mentality.”

Catch the Lost Sounds at a record-release party for Rats Brains & Microchips Friday, November 22nd, at Young Avenue Deli.

Looking for something more traditional? Head over to the Center for Southern Folklore this Saturday, November 23rd, for a Night of Comedy with 103.5 radio personalities Mother Wit and PA Bomani. Running from 9 p.m. to midnight, the benefit for Mother Wit’s nonprofit Grace Foundation promises to leave ’em rolling in the aisles. “She has a real gift,” center employee Drew Long says. “In the half-hour that Mother Wit was emceeing at the Music & Heritage Festival, she got more money from people in the audience than the entire rest of the festival put together.”

Long, who runs the bar at the CFSF’s Peabody Place location when he’s not promoting events, has been working with the center’s director Judy Peiser since August. “My ‘trial by fire’ was working on the festival this year, but it was the best week of music in my life,” he says. “I’d never been around so many different types of music or met so many people. Waking up and breathing music all day — and knowing that I had something to do with it — was an incredible feeling.”

The native Memphian, a recent graduate of Northwestern University, hopes to invigorate CFSF activities with a younger audience. “When I was in college, I was so impatient to come back to Memphis,” Long says. “I felt like so much was beginning to happen here. These little sparks of energy and passion are so exciting to be around.”

Mark your calendar for the center’s Thanksgiving Weekend concert, which the CFSF hopes to make an annual event. The November 29th show, a Tribute to the Roots of Memphis Music, will feature performances from The Daddy Mack Blues Band, The Spirit of Memphis gospel group, and The Orange Mound Jazz Messengers.

Andria Lisle writes about the Memphis music scene each week in Local Beat. You can e-mail her at localbeat@memphisflyer.com.

Editorial Opinion

Driving Home a Point

Post author By Editorial
Post date November 21, 2002

If you’re driving along Highland Street at a certain time on Sunday, you will likely encounter several men in suits who will step in front of oncoming traffic and halt it, meanwhile directing a stream of cars in or out of an off-street parking lot. These are representatives of the World Overcomers Church helping worshippers make their entrances and exits, and, as annoying as these traffic interlopers may be to some motorists, at least they are visibly civilian. Even if some of them should happen to be law-enforcement officers on their day jobs, what they’re doing on Highland offers no confusing overlap of the separate functions of church and state.

Drive along Germantown Parkway at equivalent times, and one is treated to a similar spectacle, except that it’s done on a far larger scale and the people performing traffic control for Bellevue Baptist Church are dressed in the garb of Sheriff’s Department employees. As if this weren’t sufficiently symbolic of a governmental function, each of them also wears a vest that advertises their connection with the department in bold letters. Add to that the presence of three or four Sheriff’s Department vehicles, complete with revolving and flashing lights, and what we have here is, to all appearances, an assist by the state to the affairs of a church.

As the Flyer explained in an article on the subject last week, the policies of the city and county differ on how to handle the matter of traffic control for worship services. Upon investigation, it appears that these Sheriff’s Department employees are working on their own time, and the church is footing the bill. So far, so good. We do not object to the provision of qualified personnel to safeguard the flow of vehicles in what is clearly a congested situation.

Where we do get somewhat literal-minded is in our concern lest the trappings of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department, a taxpayer-paid enterprise, become identified so blatantly with the activities of a private religious facility. We take seriously the constitutional provisions for the separation of church and state, which exist, we would maintain, for the benefit of the church as well as for that of the state.

By all means, let there be official-looking and competent presences on hand to monitor the flow of traffic during high-volume times in the vicinity of a church. Let them wear signs designating their service on behalf of the church. For that matter, the public interest might even require the presence of unobtrusively clad officers on hand to supervise matters — as is the case at school crossings, where the need for traffic control is equally obvious and at no conflict with constitutional provisions.

We do not object to the success of Bellevue Baptist Church or any other religious institution. But surely the same positive qualities and strong commitments to mission that are attracting such large throngs to worship can be put toward solving the question of traffic control. Just take a drive down Highland and see how it’s done.