The Big Unit (i.e., Mayor Willie Herenton) hasn’t been the only absentee from candidate cattle calls this year. Two major contenders for council seats have been conspicuous absentees, as well. Call Sergeant Preston. Or Boston Blackie. Somebody alert the Coasters! We’ve picked up the trail, and, by golly, we’ll find ‘em!
For solid clues, go to ”Political Beat”.
Memphis school board member Tomeka Hart has been chosen as foreperson of a federal grand jury.
Hart’s name appeared on an indictment released by the clerk’s office this month. The foreperson routinely signs indictments. She confirmed to the Flyer that she has been serving since July and expects her term to last another year and a half. Typically, there is more than one grand jury operating at the same time. Grand jurors hear prosecutors present evidence in criminal cases and decide whether or not to indict.
Hart is the second prominent Memphian to serve recently as a foreperson in the federal system. In 2005-2006, former Commercial Appeal editor Angus McEachran did the job.
Former Memphis school board member Michael Hooks Jr. was indicted on federal charges several months before Hart began her jury duty. His case is scheduled for trial later this year.
Running from the law? From Wednesday through Saturday, the local division of the United States Marshals Service is offering fugitives a chance to turn themselves in exchange for possibly lighter penalties.
Fugitive Safe Surrender will be held at New Salem Missionary Baptist Church at 2231 S. Parkway East from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Prosecutors will be on site to make deals with fugitives facing outstanding misdemeanor or felony warrants. It’s the Marshals Services’ way of cleaning up old cases, and they’re promising “no scams, no gimmicks.”
After the church closes its doors on Saturday, the Marshals will begin intensive fugitive sweeps with no favorable consideration given for those captured. In other words, Safe Surrender is your best bet for freedom.
For more, go here.
So it turns out that Mayor Willie Herenton’s claim, some months back, to be the victim of a lurid blackmail plot by his election opponents was just some sort of elementary overture. His latest claim, delivered from the same podium in the Hall of the Mayors at City Hall on Wednesday, may exceed the other one — both from the standpoint of sensationalism and (though not in the sense he would like) on the elementary smell test.
As before, the mayor invoked higher authority — or, rather, stood by supportively while city attorney Elbert Jefferson did, calling for investigations by the state Election Commission and the Justice Department. This time the culprit is not dishonest lawyers and scheming snakes but the Diebold voting machines that have been recording Memphians’ early-voting choices since last Friday.
Herenton declined to answer a direct question as to whether his “suspicion” about the machines was that they just didn’t work right or that they were designed to work against him. But, having asked Jefferson to make an “independent” case for defective voting results in the Hall of the Mayors, the mayor then stepped outside — maybe 100 yards away from his original podium but directly under the sign of the city’s Great Seal atop City Hall — and supported that position, citing the 1974 congressional election of Harold Ford Sr. and his own first mayoral victory in 1991 as cases where vigilance by African Americans prevented fabricated vote totals
Herenton kept a straight face fore and aft of Jefferson’s role in the proceedings. He withdrew to the background while Jefferson made the same case to gathered reporters that the mayor had begun making the previous day — namely, that there had been “numerous” complaints from voters that the Diebold machines had been recording their votes incorrectly. Then, after Jefferson announced that the city would seek a legal halt to the voting, the press conference adjourned in order to reconvene just outside the building
There “candidate” Herenton solemnly maintained that he had not in any influenced Jefferson’s decision, suggested that anecdotal reports the early voting numbers were against him were in error, and that as a candidate he had no need, therefore, to stop the voting. (Inside, he had said, he was not involved in the vote-halting stratagem as mayor, “but only to protect the citizens of Memphis.”)
Though he continued to proclaim that he was but a disinterested observer, Herenton did make a point of recapitulating the two prior campaigns where voter fraud was suspected and said that African Americans as a group had little faith in the election process.
It was somewhat off the point of his press conference theme, but the mayor ceased being high-minded long enough to contend that the current election was between himself and City Council member Carol Chumney, and that an “individual” he declined to name — presumably former MLGW Herman Morris — had no mathematical chance to win.
Herenton did not thereby consign Morris to the rank of snake, however, as he had those individuals he accused of complicity in the earlier disclosed “blackmail” plot involving felony suspect Gwen Smith as the alleged pawn of conspirators hoping to defeat his reelection.
It was no great surprise that Morris, Chumney, and others hastened to discount this latest conspiracy scenario, as, apparently, did the county Election Commission, whose chairman, Myra Styles, had pointed out the various built-in fail-safe remedies to early voters — including a final page recapping votes cast on the entire ballot.
Reporters at the outdoor press conference attempted to remind Herenton and attorney Charles Carpenter of those safeguards, but neither appeared to be convinced.
It remained to be seen what response was forthcoming from the state Election Commission and the Justice Department.
Back in 1953, a handful of Memphis women who sought to educate the public about contemporary art launched a support group for the Brooks called Art Today.
Their first acquisition was a group of paintings by Jackson Pollock, purchased shortly after his death in 1957. Over the next few years, works by other artists joined Art Today’s collection, including those by Georgia O’Keefe and Ansel Adams, to name just two.
With a goal of promoting “that which is historically significant in our time,” the founders drew from their own experiences as artists and educators.
Now until December 2nd, visitors to Memphis Brooks Museum of Art can see the works of these women — Nancy Glazer, Mildred Hudson, Adele Lemm, Marjorie Liebman, and Dorthy Sturm — as well as a selection of some of their significant acquisitions, in a variety of media.
For more information call 901-544-60200.
A Midtown architectural icon may be poised for new life. Crye-Leike real estate company has bought the building that held Anderton’s Restaurant at 1901 Madison Avenue for $700,000.
Though the company has not announced specific plans for the site, it says that preserving Anderton’s distinctive façade will be a top priority.
To which we say amen, especially if the new tenant brings back those vodka gimlets.
From Reuters — The Spanish media was awash with what might have been on Monday, a day after Russia won a dramatic European basketball championship final 60-59 against the hosts and favorites Spain to take the gold medal.
Coach Pepu Hernandez’s side had led for most of the game but Russia slowly ground them down and Spain’s nerves got to them.
With two seconds remaining, guard Jon Robert Holden’s two-point jump shot bobbled in to give Russia a slender lead.
The world champions sought out NBA star Pau Gasol for a last-ditch effort to win the game but his looping shot bounced off the rim at the buzzer.
The front page of Spanish sports daily Marca had a picture of Gasol lying on his back on the court with his head in his hands, under the headline: “They lost (by a point in the last second) but won (a place in every Spaniard’s heart).”
Daily Sport‘s headline was “Silver Tears”, while AS said: “Gasol failed, Kirilenko shone.”
Read all of the Reuters story.
From CheapFlights.com: Look for new competition in the Memphis (MEM) to New York LaGuardia (LGA) market come December 13. Heretofore, Northwest Airlines has dominated the run. NW has a major domestic hub at MEM. Now comes word that American Airlines plans to loft what amounts to twice-daily nonstop service on the route beginning a few days before Christmas, just in time for the holiday crush.
Eagle will use a 37-passenger Embraer 135 regional jet on the route between the Home of the Blues and the City that Never Sleeps. Northwest employs full-size aircraft, while Continental Express connects Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Memphis via Embraer Regional Jets.
This is an “O&D” (origin and destination) run for American Eagle. Most passengers using the flight will be headed for New York itself, not looking to connect onward to other flights.
Of all three New York airports — Kennedy, Newark, and LaGuardia — it’s the latter that specializes in origin and destination passage.
— Cheapflights Ltd Jerry Chandler
On January 1st, Mayor Willie Herenton surprised those attending his traditional New Year’s Day prayer breakfast by proposing that Memphians consider tearing down Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium and replacing it with a new stadium at the Fairgrounds.
On Tuesday, the Memphis City Council received a consultant’s report on the feasibility of a new stadium and promptly voted to delay further discussion of it until December.
Here is a “progress report” on the stadium proposal for the last nine months.
January 1, 2007
Theme: “On the Wall,” the title of the mayor’s breakfast speech.
Venue: Press conference after breakfast at Memphis Cook Convention Center.
Handout. Six stapled-together pages of color pictures of pro and college football stadiums in Charlotte, Detroit, Nashville, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Louisville.
Cost estimate: $63 million (Louisville) to $300 million (Detroit)
Research/Professionalism: College student hoping for a C grade.
Supporting cast: UM’s R. C. Johnson and CVB’s Kevin Kane.
Big idea: Replace rather than refurbish the Liberty Bowl.
Reaction: Say what?
February 20, 2007
Theme: “Project Nexus: Fairgrounds master plan and new stadium proposal.”
Venue: Lobby of City Hall
Handout: Four-page press release and 40-page plastic-covered report.
Cost estimate: $150 million to $185 million.
Research/Professionalism: Five-figure consulting job, Power-Point style.
Supporting cast: Various directors and mayoral staff.
Big idea: Economic development with fiscal restraint. No property taxes.
Reaction: Harold Byrd and other UM boosters push for on-campus stadium.
September 18, 2007
Theme: “Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Development Options.”
Venue: City Council committee room.
Handout: 136-page report.
Cost estimate: $21 million for renovation to $217 million for new stadium.
Research/Professionalism: Six-figure consulting job, with footnotes.
Supporting cast: Chief Financial Officer Robert Lipscomb.
Big idea: Report covers all the bases, but was “edited” before release.
Reaction: Put it away until December, two months after election.
Meanwhile, the University of Memphis Tigers defeated Jacksonville State Saturday before an estimated 28,000 fans at the 62,000-seat stadium.
By now, with early voting under way and scarcely two weeks
to go before Election Day itself, it is apparent — even to the extreme
Pollyanna types among us — that Mayor Willie Herenton will not be aiding
the voters (or his opponents) by participating in any multi-candidate forums.
That’s unless you count the two times he has appeared in
series with his three major adversaries – city council member Carol Chumney,
former MLGW head Herman Morris, and former Shelby County Commissioner
John Willingham.
The first of those occasions occurred several weeks back
when the mayor deigned to appear – separately, as did the others — before a
public evaluation session of the Coalition for a Better Memphis, answering the
same set of policy questions as his opponents. He was third in line for that
event and, coincidentally or not, also finished third in the Coalition’s
ultimate numerical evaluations (behind Morris and Chumney, in that order).
Only last week, Herenton made another partial concession to
the forum concept when, at Homebuilders on Germantown Parkway, he deigned,
albeit briefly, to sit on the same stage as his three main contenders at an
event put on by the Cordova Neighborhood Association. Speaking first, he
itemized his dogs and ponies and then left, leaving Chumney to chastise him for
not staying to “answer questions” and Morris and Willingham to do similar
tut-tutting.
Actually, the format of the evening, which also featured
candidates in several council districts, did not permit questions, nor, ipso
facto, did it allow for answers.
Herenton next had an opportunity for some joint Q-and-A
action on Sunday, when he, the other mayoral candidates, and aspirants for
various council seats were invited to appear at an event sponsored by the
Central Gardens Neighborhood Association at Idlewild School.
His Honor had accepted the Association’s invite, but he
opted out when he learned he would not be able, as at the two prior events, to
speak his two-cents’ worth and then depart, but would be expected to stick
around with the others to field questions – including some from the audience and
from children at three neighborhood schools and, potentially at least, from his
opponents.
As it happened, the Central Gardens folks excluded several
candidates who had not managed to complete the Association’s fairly extensive
questionnaire on issues before a deadline had passed. As a result, both Chumney
and Willingham, along with various council candidates, found themselves on the
outside looking in, having to settle for passing out their campaign literature
to arriving attendees.
Among mayoral contenders, only Morris and the inimitable
Laura Davis Aaron were empanelled. Morris, who – buoyed by a fresh
endorsement from The Commercial Appeal — seems to be enjoying something
of a late rise, performed well, and Aaron, whose persona has sometimes seemed to
be an SNL improvisation, outdid herself with a dire warning – Grim
Reaper-like, given the presence of the student corps – that children educated in
the public schools, unlike their home-schooled counterparts, would die.
(It was some consolation that “Dr.” Aaron, who claims to
receive visions from God, did not say when.)
One of the questions directed at the field of candidates
concerned their attitude toward those of their opponents who had spurned the
opportunity to come forth. Predictably, the absent Herenton drew barbs from
Morris and others – as did incumbent District 8, Position 1 councilman Joe
Brown from opponent Ian Randolph, who has picked up some good late
support in various quarters.
Brown has indeed been a no-show at the campaign year’s
public forums and other collective events, whether or not his reason is what
Randolph alleges it is — to exploit voter confusion of himself with the other
Joe Brown, the former Criminal Court Judge who now holds court on syndicated
national television.
The other main target of complaints concerning his chronic
abseentism from public scrutiny was Reid Hedgepeth, a political newcomer
who is seeking election to the District 9, Position 3 seat being vacated by
council veteran Jack Sammons and who has stout support from Sammons,
FedEx founder Fred Smith, and other influential Memphians.
Hedgepeth’s support group also includes the first-time
candidate’s fellow developers, or so alleges opponent Lester Lit, a
retired businessman who makes that charge in a radio ad now running and who
verbally blistered Hedgepeth on Sunday for consistently making himself scarce.
“Vote for me or Desi [Franklin] or Mary
[Wilder],” was Lit’s generous advice to attendees at the Central Gardens
forum. (Both Franklin and Wilder, who also seek the District 9, Position 3 seat,
were present, as they – like Lit — have been for other candidate forums this
year.)
Hedgepeth’s is a special case, for – unlike Brown, who
maintains his own North Memphis community center for constituents, and unlike
Herenton, who has been the cynosure at several mass rallies in the inner city
and who has made selected drop-in appearances elsewhere, Hedgepeth has, by
apparent design, been the subject of few public sightings.
Sammons, who by general acknowledgement is directing the
Hedgepeth campaign, pooh-poohs the necessity of his protégé’s making appearances
at forums and other such events. “He needs to be out where the people are,” said
the retiring councilman on the occasion of the recent opening of Hedgepeth’s
Park Place campaign headquarters.
And that, Sammons went on, passing his hand over a wall
map, meant concentrating on door-to-door canvassing. It should be said that
there are skeptics in other candidates’ camps who doubt that Hedgepeth is doing
much door-to-door, either. What is incontestable is that Hedgepeth has beaucoup
campaign signs – including what would seem to be scores of large wooden ones –
all over District 9 and, for that matter, in adjoining areas, both inside and
outside the city.
And this week saw the appearance of a TV spot in which the
30-year-old former University of Memphis tight end appears both personable and
focused and promises, once in office, to be the source of “straight talk” and
“practical solutions.”
Meanwhile, it would seem, voters will have to do without
much of either. Hedgepeth’s highly packaged and well-financed campaign so far
has distinct resemblances to the election efforts of Nikki Tinker, a
repeat candidate for the 9th District congressional seat who, in both
2006 and in the campaign she has already launched for 2008, has eschewed much in
the way of policy statements and whose public appearances are highly controlled.
She, too, like Hedgepeth, has relied heavily on mailouts, visible campaign
paraphernalia, and expensively produced media.
Whether coincidentally or not, both Hedgepeth and Tinker
also reportedly have stout support in local corporate circles.
None of that conclusively demonstrates anything, for better
or worse, about the potential of either candidate in office, but it is the kind
of outward, detached manifestation that Joe Saino, a candidate for
District 9, Position 2, had in mind on Sunday at the Central Gardens forum when
– almost in the manner of ’60s balladeer Joe South — he denounced the
prevalence of “signs, signs, signs.”
But even Saino, a retired businessman and public official
who is best known these days for his muckraking blog efforts at
memphiswatchdog.org, has his signs out. They all do. On the day after Election
Day we’ll see which ones were omens and which just turned out to be litter.
(Next week: the Flyer‘s pre-election issue.)