The semifinals of Emergenza, an international battle of the bands, begins tonight at Young Avenue Deli and runs through Sunday. Former Memphian Steve Stern signs copies of his latest book, The Angel of Forgetfulness, at Burke’s Book Store, 5 to 7 p.m.
CHANGE OF COURSE
Two issues before the Shelby County Commission at its regular Monday meeting indicated that the body, faced with a worsening budget crunch and other discontents, may be ready for a sea change or two.
One controversy welled up over what, in other times, would have been the routine nomination of two members to the Memphis and Shelby County Development Corporation — Frank Ryburn, an existing member, and Tony Thompson III.
But Commissioner Julian Bolton objected to the appointments — maintaining that the quasi-public corporation had been profligate in extending PILOT (payment-in-lieu-of-taxes) arrangements to a variety of industries and that this, at a time of severe budgetary pressures on schools, jails, and other county-funded services, was costing taxpayers “hundreds of millions of dollars” unnecessarily.
Kelly Rayne, legal adviser to Mayor Wharton, insisted that the mayor’s office was sensitive to such concerns and was conducting a “pilot study” to review the procedures for granting PILOT arrangements — especially with regard to shifting the emphasis from suburban sites to potential in-city businesses and industries.. “We wanted to be more comprehensive and less piecemeal about it,” Rayne said.
“We don’t need a study to make a decision,” Bolton objected. “With just a cursory review, you will see it’s out of whack.” In the time it took to conduct such a study, he said, another “50 or 60 million” taxpayer dollars would be expended. “That’s how fast it’s going.”
Vice chairman Tom Moss, acting as commission chairman in the absence of current chair Michael Hooks, expressed agreement with Bolton’s concerns but suggested out that holding up on the renomination of Ryborn and the nomination of Thompson would not have any effect on the process.
Ultimately, in two close votes, the commission upheld the two appointments, but the unexpectedly spirited discussion that had welled up indicated that a full review of PILOT procedures, long held out as bait to attract — and keep — industry was in store.
As David Lillard, generally a suppiorter of PILOT arrangements and and a supporter of the appointment resolution Monday said: “Let’s roll up our sleeves and get into it.”
The other issue was a vindication of sorts for John Willingham, a Republican member who, like Democrat Bolton (whose objections to the PILOT procedures he shares), has often found himself on the short end of controversial votes but keeps trying.
For some time, Willingham, whose 2002 election owed much to his opposition to the deal that brought the NBA Grizzlies to Memphis and got the FedEx Forum built, has been struggling to subject that contract to a full review.
On Monday, he got the commission’s backing with an 11-0 vote in support of a resolution by himself and Walter Bailey, another longtime skeptic concerning the complex of arrangements surrounding the Forum and the Grizzlies.
The resolution would begin a grievance procedure, allowable under terms of the Grizzlies’ contract with the city and county, by which certain issues — financial ones and other matters, notably that of the no-compete-clause which gives the Grizzlies’ management de facto control over bookings at other local arenas — might be renegotiated.
For his pains, Willingham has drawn some add-on hurt in the form of declared opponent Mike Carpenter, governmental liaison for the Associated Builders and Contractors. In Nashville this week to promote a bill favored by his association, Carpenter was apprised of Willingham’s frequently voiced — and evidently quite sincere — question: “Why does Mike Carpenter want to run against me?”
Asked about that, Carpenter laughed. “I want a seat on the commission,” he answered. Then, more earnestly, he proceeded to spell out some other motives: “I just disagree with John about a number of things. He was elected on a no-tax platform and promptly started voting for taxes. He proposed a payroll tax, he voted for a property tax increase, and he voted to support a real-estate transfer tax.”
(The latter tax — which requires action by the General Assembly — was endorsed by ten other members of the commission, more or less to back up Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton, its chief sponsor, and was forwarded to Nashville without a No vote.)
Carpenter said he was also opposed to Willingham’s idea of turning The Pyramid into a casino.
The challenger has a fundraiser scheduled for next month that has some name sponsors. Among them: consultant David Perdue, longtime GOP eminence Lewis Donelson, former Republican chairman David Kustoff, city councilman Brent Taylor, and legislators Paul Stanley and Bubba Pleasant.
Presuming that Marilyn Loeffel, the soon-to-be-term-limited county commissioner, is still interested in running next year for Shelby County clerk, she won’t have a free run at it.
Debbie Stamson, wife of Juvenile Court clerk Steve Stamson and a longtime employee of the county clerk’s office, announced this week that she will run for the clerk’s job, at present held by Jayne Creson, who has said she will retire.
Stamson’s election next year, if it comes to pass, would create the first husband-and-wife pair of clerks to serve in Shelby County government
NASHVILLE — State senator John Ford addressed some last-ditch questions to colleague Roy Herron before he, too, ended up voting Monday night for ethics legislation, sponsored by Herron, that swept through the legislature in the wake of Ford’s much-publicized consulting arrangements with private firms doing business with the state of Tennessee. The Senate’s 33-0 vote followed last week’s 92-3 vote in the House.
Back at Isaac Hayes tonight it’s Di Anne Price & Her Boyfriends. Chris Scott is at the Buccaneer. Davy Bennett and Javier Padial are at the P&H. And now I gotta bounce. As usual, do whatever you like this week and don’t speak to me if you see me in public. I’ll be trying to sleep.
In voting in favor of a bill requiring full disclosure of income earned by legislators from state clients, embattled state senator John Ford may have voted against his own best interest, but not without taking a shot at his colleagues who proposed and supported the bill.
“Some of you are all stuck on what the media has been saying to you,” Ford claimed. “Some of you are suffering from a seared conscience of shame and the worst part about it is, you don’t know why.”
Guilt by association, maybe? Chris Davis
Plante: How It Looks
Jim Spake and Jim Duckworth at Fresh Slices Sidewalk CafÇ & Deli.
The Nujynsis Band at Isaac Hayes Reloaded.
A WEEK SO STRONG
If there’s an American city that will have more fun this week than Memphis, Tennessee, I don’t want my daughters anywhere near it. And with due respect to the likes of Nelly, Elvis Costello, Sarah McLachlan, and the Black Crowes, sports will be providing the rhythm, as it were, to this remarkable week.
To start the festivities, you’ve got Bobblehead Monday at AutoZone Park (Cardinal pitcher Chris Carpenter being the dubiously honored player this week). Having split two games over the weekend, the Redbirds and Omaha Royals will play Monday and Tuesday as new divisional rivals in the Pacific Coast League’s American Conference, Northern Division. The teams will play a total of 16 times this season, so the impact in the standings can’t be overstated. (And based on the home team’s turning a 7-0 lead into a 10-9 loss Sunday afternoon, the Redbirds have something to prove as the week gets underway.)
After a day off Wednesday, the Redbirds will host Iowa Thursday through Sunday (with matinees on Saturday and Sunday, lessening any conflict with the action at Tom Lee Park). As the top minor-league affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, Iowa (like Omaha) is a new division neighbor of the Redbirds, finally setting up the kind of rivalry the franchises’ ties to the Cardinals and Cubs warrant. (Why does it take seven years for the PCL to recognize this? Until this season, the Redbirds did battle with the Texas Rangers’ top farm team — Oklahoma! — for a postseason berth.) One of the St. Louis Cardinals’ top two pitching prospects — Adam Wainwright — will pitch either Saturday or Sunday.
Alas, Triple-A will play second-fiddle in terms of buzz, though, as our Grizzlies host the Phoenix Suns (winners of an NBA-best 62 games) in the first round of the playoffs. With Game 3 of their best-of-seven series to be played Friday night and Game 4 on Sunday night — head-to-head with Triple-A baseball and the region’s preeminent music festival — how can we not feel like the Bluff City is the center of the universe, if but for a day? All you Griz fans soaking up the rays and who-knows-what down on the river, keep an eye out for Steve Nash or Amare Stoudemire on Saturday, the “rest day” between playoff tilts at FedExForum. If you happen to see them (or any of their Phoenix teammates), treat the visitors to an extra beverage (or seven). Home-court advantage, you know.
And what of the goings-on not requiring a ball and scoreboard? Memphis in May’s Beale Street Music Festival is so packed with talent the organizers couldn’t wait for May. Come Friday, if you can tear yourself away from the Cubs-Redbirds game, Mavis Staples will be crooning down at Tom Lee Park, followed on the Budweiser Stage by the Wallflowers. Or check out Trey Anastasio on the AutoZone Stage.
Having learned to air-guitar in the Eighties, my rockin’ heart will be pumping Saturday when Tesla takes the stage (just before Collective Soul). I saw these California power-rockers twice at the old Six-One-Six on Marshall (my wife barely survived), and can’t wait to see “Little Suzi” on Ol’ Man River. As for Sunday, has one platform at the Music Fest ever hosted a better lineup than you’ll see on the AutoZone Stage: Billy Lee Riley, Lisa Marie Presley (home again!), War, Billy Idol (more air guitar!), and the Black Crowes. Hard to handle, in the best kinda way.
Take a breath, Memphis. And hold on. Over seven days (April 25-May 1), we have six Triple-A baseball games, two NBA playoff games, and three days of music (64 performers on four stages!), all in the Mid-South hub we call Downtown. Make sure you keep track of your tickets — don’t confuse that Griz ducat with a pass to see Bobby “Blue” Bland — and be sure to have a few of your favorite CDs in the car. The only down time you’ll likely have in this Week of Memphis Weeks . . . will be sitting in traffic on the way home.
Today’s Rendezvous at The Dixon at The Dixon Gallery and Gardens features food by the Rendezvous, along with live music, activities for the kids, and other fun. And there’s a Memphis Blues Society Acoustic Jam tonight at Sleep Out Louie’s.
Between rap-bashing and guilt-ridden Jay-Z downloads, and checking out Federal inmates for friendship and possibly more, Commercial Appeal scribe Wendi Thomas has devised a new tax plan that, according to the pious columnist, can solve Memphis’ financial woes by raising a fictional sum of money. In a column titled, “Everyday sin taxes could raise gazillions,” Thomas suggests a $100 fine for couples who take their baby to a movie theater, a $200 fine for anyone whose cell phone rings at a wedding or funeral, a $50 fine and “four thumps on the knuckles with a hardback Bible,” for churchgoers with bad parking lot etiquette (a potential violation of church/state separation), and a $1000 fine for anyone who runs a leaf blower before 8 a.m. on a Saturday. There was no mention of a more streamlined plan to level a single gazillion-dollar fine against cutsie-pie newspaper columnists.
Plante: How It Looks
THIS AND THAT
Jerry Stokes of Memphis, a 49-year-old attorney and former divorce referee, was appointed by Governor Phil Bredesen Monday as the successor to retired Circuit Court judge George Brown. The governor’s office released the following statement announcing the appointment:
NASHVILLE — Governor Phil Bredesen today announced that Memphis attorney Jerry Stokes will fill a vacancy in division six of the 30th Judicial District’s Circuit Court, created by the retirement of George H. Brown, Jr. The 30th Judicial District Circuit Court covers Shelby County.
“Jerry Stokes has more than 20 years experience working in private practice and is highly regarded in the Shelby County legal community,” said Bredesen. “Through his years practicing law, Jerry has proven himself committed to the improvement of the legal system in Tennessee and has worked diligently to represent those who may not otherwise have had access to the courts system in Shelby County. I have great confidence that he will serve the citizens of the 30th Judicial District with fairness and integrity.”
Stokes has been practicing law since 1981, working in private practice with Stokes, Wilson and Wright Law Firm. The firm handles mostly personal injury, debtors’ bankruptcy, criminal defense and plaintiff cases. Stokes has also worked as a part-time assistant divorce referee for Shelby County since 1998, when he was appointed by then Mayor Jim Rout. He has also served more than 100 times as special judge in the General Sessions Criminal Court of Shelby County.
“I’m overwhelmed and honored that the Governor has appointed me to this position,” said Stokes. “I certainly appreciate his confidence in me, and will do all I can to serve the citizens of the 30th Judicial District to the best of my abilities.”
Stokes, 49, holds a bachelor’s degree in radio, television and filming from the University of Memphis and earned his doctor of jurisprudence degree from Southern University, Baton Rouge. He is a member of the National Bar Association’s Ben F. Jones Chapter and the Memphis and Shelby County Bar Association. In 2003-2004, Stokes received the highest rating among divorce referees (8.9 out of 10) in a survey commissioned by the Memphis and Shelby County Bar Association. From September of 2003 to February of 2005, Stokes served on the Speedy Trial Plan Committee Task Force at the request of Judge James Todd, Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western Division of Tennessee.
Stokes’ appointment is effective immediately, and he will stand for election to a full 8-year term in 2006.
Elections of 2006 (Cont’d): Presuming that Marilyn Loeffel, the soon-to-be-term-limited county commissioner, is still interested in running next year for Shelby County clerk, she won’t have a free run at it.
Debbie Stamson, wife of Juvenile Court clerk Steve Stamson, announced this week that she will run for the clerk’s job, at present held by Jayne Creson, who has said she will retire.
In a statement mailed to potential supporters, Stamson — an employee of the clerk’s office for 25 years — says she has “Jayne’s full support.”
“During my twenty-five years, I have worked in every department in the clerk’s officeÉ.I know the important of running an efgficient office and living within a budget as Jayne Creson has done for the past eleven years.”
Stamson’s election next yea;r, if it comes to pass, would create the first husband-and-wife pair of clerks to serve in Shelby County government.
Secret Weapon?: Local Democrats were exhorted Thursday night at a party fundraiser by veteran broadcaster Leon Gray, who will soon be an afternoon feature on the local Air America outlet, WWTQ, 680AM, dispensing “progressive talk” as an antidote to arch-conservative commentator Mike Fleming on WREC, 600AM.
