Month: July 2015

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Cover Feature News

Totally Skewered!

CREDIT: Justin Fox Burks

It’s high summer in Memphis. The sun beats down without mercy. Your car is hot. Your pets are hot. You’re hot — and not in a good, sexy way.

It’s even too hot for silverware and dishes. You want your food fast and convenient. You want it on a stick. Don’t lie. You know you do.

Your faithful Flyer staffers have combed the city to find the best foods on a stick in town. We may have missed a few — probably even some good ones — but we’re too hot to care. And what we did find is good, spanning the gauntlet from savory to sweet, from meaty to seafood to vegan. Stick with us.

Lobster Pronto Pup at Rizzo’s Diner …

Justin Fox Burks

Mainers talk lobster like we talk barbecue, normally and informally. But lobster language needed a Memphis translator here, so Chef Michael Patrick stepped in. The Rizzo’s Diner owner battered and fried lobster meat, put it on a stick, and drizzled it in mustard.

Yes, Memphians, he made you a Pronto Pup, something we can all understand. 

Rizzo’s Lobster Pronto Pup ($14) consists of two “pups” on a bed of mixed spring greens and a side of Creole mustard aioli. It probably would have made a nice salad, but, when it comes to pups, the stick is the shtick. So, I went with it still skewered. 

The batter was light and perfectly fried, with brown hues ranging from Twinkie to Oreo. The meat delivered its delicate, briny-sweet flavor, though it was a bit chewier in the pup than pulling it straight from the claw or tail. The aioli was a luxurious blend of mayonnaise and enough coarse ground mustard to be present but not hot. The dish was two things at once: thrilling and familiar, just exactly like you think a Lobster Pronto Pup would be. — Toby Sells

492 S. Main, 304-6985, rizzosmemphis.com 

Skewers at Skewer …

Justin Fox Burks

Food-on-a-stick central in Memphis is Skewer. Come on, the name of the place says it all. So what’s being stuck at Skewer? Beef, pork, salmon, chicken, shrimp, lamb, scallops, and all kinds of vegetables make up the yakitori section of the menu — some 32 choices in all. That’s not to mention the kushikatsu — Japanese-breaded and deep-fried — options. There are also “sets” you can order that include a number of skewers plus sushi — Butcher Shop and Veggie-tation, among them.

The lightly breaded tofu kushikatsu is creamy inside and comes with a sweet and tart dipping sauce with a tanginess that recalls barbecue sauce. The okra yakitori is still slightly slimy when warm (deal with it) and is served with an umami-rich miso sauce. The pretty mixed-veggie yakitori with squash, red pepper, and zucchini looks like a lollipop.

… and Chiwawa

Chiwawa recently updated its menu. Out is the Bianca Dog (boo!), and in are skewers (yay!). You have four to choose from: chicken with blackened bell peppers and onion; steak with chimichurri sauce and peppers; grilled shrimp with purple onion; and herb-roasted red potatoes.

I went for the potatoes. There’s nothing wrong with simplicity — just enough salt, just enough oil, the potatoes cooked to perfection and sprinkled with dried parsley. The plate comes garnished with an excellent aioli-like sauce with a deep pepper taste (chipotle?). It’s more of a flourish, really. There should be more for dipping. — Susan Ellis

Skewer: 5101 Sanderlin, 682-9919, skewermemphis.com

Chiwawa: 2059 Madison, 207-1456, chiwawamidtown.com

Steak Stick and Grilled Chicken and Pineapple Kabob at Huey’s …

Besides the World Famous Huey Burger and the classic Brownie ‘a la mode, the Steak Stick has been a staple of the Huey’s menu since time immemorial. The bite-sized chunks of tender beef are inundated in a soy-based marinade before being grilled to order. It comes in snack or dinner size with your choice of side. Served with fries, it’s a comforting variation on the classic European steak frites.

Huey’s other stick-based delectable is a combo of chicken and pineapple that, like its beef-based menu mate, is marinated as a unit until it’s tossed on the grill. But the marinade in this case is teriyaki-based. I surprised myself by preferring the Grilled Chicken and Pineapple Kabob to the Steak Stick. If you’re into onion rings, Huey’s makes some of the best, and they make for the perfect accompaniment to this delicious protein pylon. — Chris McCoy

8 Locations in the Memphis Metro Area, hueyburger.com

Holy Land Shish Kabob at Casablanca …

Justin Fox Burks

Like everything else at Casablanca, the Holy Land Kabob is made with care. In the case of something as simple as chicken and onion on a skewer, attention to detail matters. The chicken chunks are uniform in size and cooked to juicy perfection. But the secret ingredient is the mango-based sauce that is a house specialty at Casablanca, which is brushed on just prior to the meat hitting the heat. Try this outstanding dish at Casablanca’s second location, which will be opening on Madison by the end of August, Insha’Allah. — CM

5030 Poplar, 725-8557, casablancamemphis.com.

Tofu Kabobs at The Blue Nile/Stickem …

Justin Fox Burks

As a vegan, I’m kind of a tofu connoisseur. And I can tell you that the tofu impaled on the kabob skewers at the new Blue Nile and its sister food truck, Stickem, is, hands down, the best in town. Each kabob is made with six or seven cubes of perfectly prepared tofu. It’s crispy on the outside and peppered with black char-grilled marks, and the inside is chewy and firm in all the ways that tofu should be.

The flavor is hard to pinpoint, but it’s savory and smoky from the grill. And there are no vegetables on these kabobs. Because let’s be honest — that would just steal precious space on the stick for more tofu.

Besides, the Tofu Kabob Platter at the Blue Nile comes with a mix of sautéed broccoli, carrots, and squash on the side, as well as steamed white rice. If you’re ordering the kabobs from the Stickem food truck, there’s no rice on the side, but you can order veggies, or you can say, “To hell with health food,” and opt for a side of fries. I mean, fries are potatoes. And potatoes are veggies, right? Add some ketchup for dipping, and you’ve got a balanced meal. — Bianca Phillips

1788 Madison, 474-7214, @StickemFood

Corn Dog at Oshi Burger Bar …

If you’re like most Memphians, when you see the word “corn dog,” you think Mid-South Fair, and that evokes a bunch of other memories — olfactory, gustatory, and visual. The classic Pronto Pup fair dog usually features a generic hot dog wrapped in a smooth, doughy casing. You dip that tasty cylinder in mustard (or ketchup, if you’re an inferior person), shove it in your piehole, and then head off to the Tilt-a-Whirl.

Oshi’s corn dog ($9) is a different breed altogether. First, it’s massive, coated with a rough-hewn, crusty, flour batter that’s blended with jalapeños and cheese. The dog looks like it’s covered in bark, and it’s got bark. The meat itself has a nice pedigree — Waygu American Kobe beef — and it’s accompanied by a side of tasty cheese mustard. It’s a simple presentation, but this corn dog will fill you up and then some. — Bruce VanWyngarden

94 S. Main, 341-2091, oshiburger.com

Las Tortugas’ Elote Con Cotija y Mayonesa …

Justin Fox Burks

Sweet summer corn is nearly perfect on its own, but it’s even better slathered in rich Duke’s mayonnaise, rolled in salty Cotija cheese, and seasoned with lime juice, kosher salt, and crushed chilies — and it’s all served on a stick to boot. This is Mexican street food at its finest.

The best local iteration of this Oaxacan dish can be found at Las Tortugas Deli Mexicana in Germantown ($4.50). “What makes our version unique is the freshness of ingredients, the care with which it was made, and the skill of the person who made it,” says owner Jonathan Magallanes, who cooked at the James Beard House in New York City last year. “Our corn is steamed to order, so it’s piping hot,” he adds.

You either already love this dish, or you just haven’t tried it yet. — Justin Fox Burks and Amy Lawrence

1215 S. Germantown, 751-1200, delimexicana.com

Skewers at Robata Ramen and Yakitori …

There is beauty in simplicity. Like a tasty Nasu dengaku or shishito pepper yakatori lightly charred on a hot robata. If you don’t believe us, you must go try a few of the skewers at Robata Ramen and Yakitori.

“Yakitori” is simply the Japanese word for skewered food, and a robata is a traditional Japanese grill. So all we’re talking about here is grilled food on a stick. If you’re going to do something that simple, you’d better do it right.

Robata has an entire page of its menu devoted to yakatori, with prices ranging from $1.75 to $8.50. We tend to gravitate toward the vegetable skewers section, with prime choices like the aforementioned Nasu dengaku, which is umami-rich, grilled Japanese eggplant with miso, or eringi, which is commonly known as a king oyster mushroom. The one not to miss is the garlic skewer. The robata transforms the cloves into sweet, smoky morsels that are great on their own. And the Kewpie mayo on the side will skewer you over the top. — JFB and AL

2116 Madison, 410-8290, robatamemphis.com

SWEETS ON A STICK

Paletas at La Michoacana …

On a hot summer day, there are few things better than a chili, cucumber, and lime-flavored paleta from La Michoacana ($2.13). It’s a little sweet and a little sour and full of tiny refreshing chunks of frozen cucumber that explode when you bite into them. The chili pepper flakes aren’t evident at first, but the more you nibble, the more your lips will start to tingle. It’s a wild balancing act: perfection on a stick.

Paletas are Mexican popsicles, and the freezer at La Michoacana is an eye-popping wonderland of colorful handmade treats in flavors that range from coconut and avocado to pine nut, rice pudding, and mango with raspberry sauce. Occasionally they’ll even toss in a special flavor experiment like rose.

On a recent visit I sampled a variety of flavors including a tart tamarind paleta, a tasty coffee-flavored paleta stuffed with Mexican chocolate, and a rich caramel paleta stuffed with dulce de leche.

La Michoacana can be packed even in the winter. In the summer months you’ll be lucky if you can find a place to sit. But no matter how busy things may get at this family-owned business, service is always speedy. You’ll be made to feel like you’re the only customer in the joint. — Chris Davis

Several locations, including

4091 Summer, 590-1901

MEMPops All-Natural Handcrafted Pops …

Justin Fox Burks

When we asked Chris Taylor, owner and pop maker at MEMPopS, why he struck out on his own after years of working for others in restaurant kitchens, he replied, “I just really wanted to make things that people love.”

Well, he’s certainly done that, with flavors like Roasted Peach, Sweet Cherry, Apricot Lavender, Watermelon Basil, Blackberry with Yogurt and Honey, and Spicy Pineapple. His handcrafted popsicles ($3) are all-natural and made with seasonal, often locally sourced ingredients. What started as a passion has grown quickly. “I figured I’d go for it, and I got a really positive response,” he said.

Taylor began selling his creations from a cart at the Tennessee Brewery Revival this spring. Last week, he unveiled his newly renovated MEMPopS truck at the Memphis Made brewery on Cooper. — JFB and AL

MEMpopS (mobile popsicle cart and truck), 569-6293, @MEMpops

Rock Candy from Dinstuhl’s …

Rock candy is a sugar lover’s dream, and it’s been around since the U.S. was young, when its simplicity allowed early-American colonists to make it as a treat for the wealthy. It’s literally sugar and water, heated to crystallize the sugar. At Dinstuhl’s, where candy is a form of art, rock candy isn’t just a series of heating processes — it’s a delicious, old-as-time candy on a stick that folks can’t resist. For $1.95, you get two sticks of original white rock candy in a bag. The only problem may be an upcoming visit to the dentist; make sure to floss. — Alexandra Pusateri

Several locations, including 436 S. Grove Park, 682-3373, dinstuhls.com

Cookie-on-a-Stick from Whimsy Cookie Company …

Whimsy Cookie is locally famous for its Grizzlies-themed cookies, but the company offers a wide selection of other delights, including cookies on a stick ($4). The cookies taste just like your grandmother’s, wrapped in tradition and sprinkled with love, soft enough to satisfy and firm enough to stand up for themselves, with or without frosting. Makes you wonder why we didn’t start doing this a long time ago. — AP

4704 Poplar, 343-0709, whimsycookieco.com

Categories
Music Music Features

Raekwon, Ghostface Killah at Minglewood Hall

Few groups have had a stranglehold on the hip-hop community over the last 25 years like the Wu-Tang Clan. The rap collective produced superstars like Method Man, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, RZA, and GZA, along with breakout MC’s like Masta Killa and Inspectah Deck. Now that most of the members of the Wu-Tang Clan have been focusing on their solo careers, Memphis has been a tour destination for a few of the group’s artists, including Masta Killa and Inspectah Deck (who played at the old Hi-Tone a few years ago) and Raekwon (who played at the Young Avenue Deli in 2012). But no Wu-Tang Memphis appearance has had more hype than this Friday’s show that features Ghostface Killah and Raekwon at Minglewood Hall.

The duo is touring in support of the 20th anniversary of Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, the masterpiece of an album that launched Raekwon into superstardom. Every track on Only Built 4 Cuban Linx is a classic, from the hard-hitting lyrical content of “Guillotine (Swordz)” to the classic anthem “Ice Cream,” featuring Method Man’s infamous chorus, which isn’t exactly fit for print. While Ghostface Killah went on to create seminal albums like Bulletproof Wallets, Put It on the Line, and The Pretty Toney Album, there is something about the staying power of Only Built 4 Cuban Linx that just oozes classic Wu-Tang Clan. RZA produced most of the album, and while many have tried to replicate/rip off his beats, few have come close to re-creating that classic ’90s Shaolin sound. If you’ve been paying attention to hip-hop at any point in the last two decades, be at Minglewood Hall on Friday and remember, “Wu-Tang is for the children.”

Categories
Opinion Viewpoint

Fixing the Lines

This week marks the 271st birthday of the politician who first approved of “gerrymandering.” As governor of Massachusetts, Elbridge Gerry (also the nation’s fifth vice president) agreed to the idea of drawing congressional districts in odd shapes to ensure that the political party in power won the majority of the state’s seats in the House. His enduring legacy is the partisan split in Congress that dismisses compromise and disdains bipartisan solutions to the nation’s biggest problems.

But last month, the Supreme Court took a first step toward burying the corruption of gerrymandering. In a 5-4 decision, the justices approved of voters deciding by referendum to create independent, nonpartisan commissions to draw a state’s congressional map. Last week, the Florida Supreme Court followed up by ruling that parts of a current redistricting plan violate the state constitution by being crassly political.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s majority opinion said voters have the right to go around politically skewed state legislatures and “address the problem of partisan gerrymandering — the drawing of legislative district lines to subordinate adherents of one political party and entrench a rival party in power.”

“Entrench” is the right word. One popular joke around Washington is that redistricting by state legislatures allows members of Congress to pick their voters instead of voters picking their members of Congress.

When it comes to 2016 House races, more than 400 of the 435 seats in the House are rated as “safe” for incumbent Republicans and Democrats because of gerrymandering. That leaves only about seven percent of the seats in Congress open to a meaningful contest.

Gerrymandering has distorted congressional politics by eliminating the need for either party to appeal to the political middle. Instead, the members of Congress live in fear of a challenge from the far right (in the case of Republicans) or the far left (in the case of Democrats).

Gerrymandering is the mother of the “Tea Party Caucus” that undermines the Speaker, John Boehner (R-Ohio), by denigrating him as insufficiently conservative when he tries to make budget deals with Democrats.

Gerrymandering is the reason President Obama tells supporters the best thing they can do to help him is to move to a red state and help break the GOP hold on Congress.

In the 2014 cycle, an off-year election, Republicans had the edge in voter enthusiasm as well as control of more state legislatures. As a result of the power of gerrymandering, the GOP won 57 percent of all House seats even though they had just 52 percent of the votes.

Even in election years when majority control of the House changes from one party to the other, the reelection rate tied to gerrymandered districts is staggeringly high. In 2006, when Democrats won the House, 94 percent of incumbents were reelected. In 2010, when Republicans rode a Tea Party wave back to the majority, 85 percent of representatives retained their seat. This is the politics of back-room congressional mapping.

This era of unprecedented polarization and dysfunction borne of gerrymandering has current congressional approval ratings down to 15.8 percent, according to the RealClearPolitics polling average. Obviously, Republicans as well as Democrats disapprove of what is going on in this broken Congress.

Senator John McCain has often said that the only people approving of Congress these days are “paid staffers and blood relatives.”

The adoption of independent state commissions to draw congressional maps is by far the most important step available to voters longing for a Congress that works. Seven states already have nonpartisan commissions in place: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Jersey, and Washington state. With the Supreme Court’s recent ruling, the door is open to more. It is not as sexy as the court’s recent rulings on gay marriage and Obamacare, but this high court ruling also has historic potential. It opens the door for voters in more states to get referendums on the ballot calling for nonpartisan panels to set the lines for congressional districts — and so revive a functional Congress.

Juan Williams is an author and political analyst for Fox News Channel.

Categories
News The Fly-By

TDOT Delays I-55 Bridge Project

CREDIT: Brandon Dill

Turns out, we can drive I-55, at least for another year.

Last week the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) hit pause on a plan to build a new interchange for Interstate-55 at E. H. Crump and Riverside. That $60 million plan would have closed the Memphis-Arkansas Bridge for nine months, beginning in 2017.

Opposition to the bridge closure mounted quickly after news of the plan broke in the Flyer in late May. By the beginning of July, TDOT Commissioner John Schroer remained resolute in his decision to implement the plan. When asked if anything would change his mind, Schroer told the Flyer that, “It’s not a case of changing my mind. It’s about making the right decisions, and, in this case, we made the right decisions.”

Brandon Dill

Less than a month later, TDOT announced it would idle the project for one year as it studied the project’s impact on the regional economy and the communities surrounding the proposed construction.

TDOT will take the year to compare two plans. One is the plan on the table, with a three-year construction period and a nine-month closure of the bridge. The other has a six-year construction period and would close only some traffic lanes across the bridge, but there would be no full closure.

“Over the past several weeks, we have heard from residents, business owners, elected officials, and other stakeholders in Memphis and in Arkansas, and we understand there is a significant level of concern over a full closure of the Memphis-Arkansas Bridge,” Schroer said in a news release Friday. “We want to take the opportunity to address those concerns before moving forward with construction.”

The loudest, most formal opposition to the plan came from Arkansas state Senator Keith Ingram of West Memphis. Ingram launched a petition at change.org to fight the bridge closure, saying it would “devastate” local economies and “cripple” emergency services.

Ingram said he and a group of state and local officials had a “good and meaningful” meeting with Schroer two weeks ago. He said delaying the project is a “good first step” in the process to build a new interchange.

“I think sometimes, and I’m not saying it’s the case here, but sometimes in Little Rock, or Nashville, or Jackson, Mississippi, it’s easy to make some of these decisions until you really see first-hand and understand the daily disruption and the regional impact that closing this bridge would have for all of us,” Ingram said.

The Greater Memphis Chamber also opposed closing the bridge, fearing the move could have a multi-billion-dollar negative effect on the regional economy.

“We appreciate TDOT’s leadership on this issue and support their plan to delay the project for a year to complete additional analysis of the impact and to work with Arkansas and regional businesses on any alternatives to a complete closure of the bridge during construction,” said Dexter Muller, the Chamber’s senior advisor.

The plan delay was good news for West Memphian Jim Russell. He’s retired and travels to Memphis for medical visits and to volunteer at the Memphis Botanic Garden.

“I was planning on not going to Memphis at all anymore, except for some doctors’ appointments I couldn’t change,” Russell said. “I was going to cut out the Botanic Gardens completely, but now I won’t have to do that.”

Categories
News The Fly-By

Fly on the Wall 1379

Mala Vista

Fly on the Wall wants readers to be extra careful if they find themselves walking, biking, or driving near any of the newish solar-powered gates installed along Mud Island’s Greenbelt Park. According to park signage, the city of Memphis isn’t responsible for what might happen if these gates “malfuction.” We’re not really sure what “malfuction” means, mind you, but it sounds really awful.

Punking Punks

Rule #1 for bigots in politics. Be sure to own all internet domains related to your name. And for the love of God and all that’s holy and heterosexual, whatever you do, don’t let those contracts expire. Case in point: Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, who has worked to prevent gay couples from adopting and has presided over the passage of numerous anti-gay bills. Last week, the gay and lesbian chat forum LGBTchat.net acquired the domain AsaHutchinson.com, which now redirects to the gay-friendly chat site.

Holt Act

With a serious water crises looming in America and around the world, Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery joined the State of Tennessee in a lawsuit led by state Representative Sheila Butt and Andy Holt against the EPA’s “Waters of the United States” rule. WOTUS would ultimately establish whether or not antipollution laws apply to farmers redirecting waterways to create cattle ponds or dumping a million gallons of pig poop all over the place, as Holt has been accused of doing.

Categories
Music Music Features

Ron Campbell’s Colorful World

If you’re into the Beatles or you’ve enjoyed watching cartoons at any point over the past 50 years, chances are you are already a fan of Ron Campbell’s work. The Australian animator has worked on memorable cartoons like The Jetsons, Rugrats, Scooby-Doo, The Flintstones, and The Smurfs, in addition to directing the wildy-popular The Beatles Saturday morning cartoon show that aired in the 1960s. After moving to the United States, Campbell was asked to contribute to the Beatles film Yellow Submarine, a job that would define his work as an animator. I caught up with Campbell to find out about his life in the cartoon business and to learn more about his upcoming art show this weekend at Art Village Gallery.

Ron Campbell

Flyer: What was your first paying gig as a television animator?

Ron Campbell: I got a job at a small animation studio in Sydney, Australia, after college. Television came to Australia in 1956, and I graduated art college in 1958. There was only one animation studio in Sydney, so I knocked on the door and I said, “You have to hire me.” They said they didn’t have enough work, so I waited about four days and came back and said, “I need to work here, and you have to hire me.” I did that about half a dozen times before they finally had enough work and hired me.

I sat at a handmade animation desk, and my job was to work on commercials for bug spray. I had the only real scene in the commercial, and it was of a spray can coming out and spraying a 100-leg centipede. I had to do 100 drawings each, and I remember sitting there as a young man thinking, I would pay them to let me do this, but I better not tell them that.

Did The Beatles television show you directed just lead into your doing the animation for Yellow Submarine?

The Beatles television show became a huge success and enabled me to get job offers in Hollywood, so I moved to America with my wife and first child and started working for Bill Hanna of Hanna-Barbera. I left there after a while and started working on my shows, like Scooby-Doo and George of the Jungle, when I got a call from London asking me to help out on the production and animation of Yellow Submarine. The movie had a huge budget problem, and they were having issues with the animation, so I agreed to help out with about 12 minutes of animation of the submarine and the scenes with the big Blue Meanies. I would draw something up and then send my pencil drawings back to London. The scenes were sent to me, and I would bring them to life with animation. But with The Beatles TV show, I was responsible for directing and hiring people. The work I did for Yellow Submarine accounts for 12 minutes of the film, but it took eight months to complete.

With so many cartoon illustration jobs under your belt, which ones were your favorites? Which jobs stick out as unique?

The show that I produced in the ’70s called Big Blue Marble is probably the one I’m the most proud of. It was an international show, and we sent it to over 100 countries. It featured a lot of live action, but my studio produced all the animation. We won a Peabody and an Emmy for that show, and you might be able to find some of it on the Internet. I don’t see any show as a favorite, though. I love them all. How can you choose between Smurfette and Angelica from Rugrats? I love Scooby-Doo, Fred Flintstone, George Jetson. I love them all.

Ron Campbell

Campbell’s work on Yellow Submarine totals 12 minutes of animation.

Now that you are retired, how often are you able to travel for art shows?

I guess I do an art show or two every month, sometimes less and sometimes they jam up together. I obviously need to spend a lot of time at home painting, but one of the pleasures that I get out of doing a show is meeting the audience. When I was working in animation, all the audience to us was a ratings number on the page. Now, people will come up to me and say, “You represented a lot of my childhood.” The memories that stay with the audience for the rest of their lives really surprise me. Popular culture is enormously powerful, and that’s something I’ve learned since I retired and started meeting my audience.

Being in the industry for 50 years, what kind of changes did you see?

I didn’t really experience any major changes, but I saw them coming. The first computer-generated animation I ever saw was in 1968. Computer technology was used in feature films while I was primarily working on television, but now it’s become the only way to make animation. I did my part, I worked in a different era, and the world rotated on its axis, and time went by. Young people are doing everything on a computer now, and I’m the dinosaur holding a pencil. I saw the technology come, but no doubt in 50 years young people will see another major change because that’s just how the world works.

Categories
We Recommend We Recommend

Menopause: The Musical at the Orpheum

Menopause: The Musical is coming to the Orpheum this week. Featuring heart-touching song parodies like “Drippin’ and Droppin’,” “I’m Flashing,” and “Good Vibrations” — a song about exactly what you think it’s probably about — this long-running show follows the bargain-hunting adventures of four middle-aged women shopping for lingerie and going through the ch-ch-changes.

Why would anybody write a musical about menopause? Because The Vagina Monologues aren’t getting any younger. A group interview with the entire cast yielded the composite answer: “Women are in menopause and searching for opportunities to share the shared experience.” And this time around the cast of what’s been dubbed the “survivors tour” has another reason for taking their show on the road. Showcasing the talents of three cancer survivors and a cancer co-survivor, this cross-country jaunt doubles as a benefit for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation.

Linda Boston, and Judy Blue in Menopause: The Musical

Judy Blue, who plays the character Soap Star, says it’s “exciting to bring that conversation into our musical. It’s not just about all the fun we’re having and laughter about menopause. We’re able to tell our stories about survivorship too.”

Menopause: The Musical has been on the road for 14 years. The veteran cast coming to the Orpheum has a combined 31 years invested in the show.

Megan Cavanagh, who plays Earth Mother but is probably best known for her portrayal of Marla Hooch in the film A League of Their Own, has been with the musical for 11 years and thinks the show’s longevity results from its special connection with women. “There’s not a lot of entertainment aimed at this particular age group,” she says. “It’s a night when they get to think, ‘This is all for me.'”

Categories
News The Fly-By

Prison Reform Task Force Prepares Recommendations

The Governor’s Task Force on Sentencing and Recidivism has been working for a year to make the state’s prison system more effective, and they may be making their first recommendations as soon as next month.

The task force was formed last year with the help of the nonprofit and nonpartisan Vera Institute of Justice out of New York. The task force’s 27 members were appointed by Governor Bill Haslam to reform the prison sentencing structure in Tennessee.

The group is focused on sentencing structure, sentencing classifications and enhancements, programming and treatment, and community supervision.

Among the 27 are seven from the Memphis metro area: John Campbell, criminal court judge; Rep. John DeBerry (D-Memphis); Sen. Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown); Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell; Shelby County Sheriff Bill Oldham; Blair Taylor, president of Memphis Tomorrow; and Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich.

Luttrell, who requested to be considered for the task force, said he believed he could use his previous experience in law enforcement and corrections.

“It’s a comprehensive look at sentencing reform and trying to keep people from returning to prison,” he said.

According to a Vera Institute of Justice report released in June, the prison population is expected to rise by four percent over the next five years, pushing the state’s prison population over maximum capacity.

“It’s not the intent of this task force to increase the [prison] population,” Luttrell said. “If you look at the multitude of recommendations that we’ve been making, we talk about some areas where it doesn’t have sentencing, but then it also talks about a number of areas where we are looking at reducing prison time, more effective ways to deal with behavior, more community-based programs, and establishing commissions and councils that will sustain this initiative going forward.”

At the August 6th meeting of the task force, Luttrell said he hopes they will complete the first draft of recommendations to be sent the governor.

“Certainly, there are instances where we need to enhance sentencing, but there are also areas that we need to ensure that the sentencing accurately reflects the severity of the offense, which would be a reduced sentence in some cases,” Luttrell said.

Kerry Hayes, an adviser to Just City Memphis (a criminal justice reform organization), said the task force may be biased: “The people from Shelby County [on the task force], by-and-large, are fantastic people. On the whole, the entire task force statewide is overwhelmingly oriented around law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges, which means there’s a whole half to the criminal justice system that’s hardly being represented at all, in particular, the public defenders.”

“Any time you have a massive statewide committee like this that is so completely biased in terms of one viewpoint that’s dealing with stuff this sensitive, you run the risk of having recommendations coming out that are tilted, which is what looks like is happening,” Hayes said.

Hayes said there are some task force-recommended reforms that may spell out progress for the criminal justice system, including recommendations to change the threshold for the felony property crime charge to $1,000 from $500. The Vera Institute’s analysis of the task force’s recommendations found causes for concern, including requiring that repeat drug trafficking and aggravated burglary offenders serve 85 percent of their sentences.

“They’re changing some parole policies that we think might increase the population of incarcerated individuals in Tennessee,” Hayes said. “That is really troubling, because that has ripple effects all throughout the rest of the criminal justice system, all the way down to the taxpayer. Suddenly, budgets are increasing, because prisons are increasing in size, and [private prison] companies like [Corrections Corporation of America] are increasing their contracts with governments. The whole criminal justice apparatus becomes more expensive and harder to unwind.”

Categories
Letters To The Editor Opinion

What They Said… (July 30, 2015)

Greg Cravens

About Tim Sampson’s The Last Word column, “Trumped” …

After Trump wins the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary, I expect to see Trump step up on the stage and tell his adoring conservative fans, “Bitches, you just got punk’d!!” And then Ashton Kutcher jumps out from behind the curtain.

Charley Eppes

Trump is a hero. He is the living embodiment of the Republican id. Unrestrained by the need to court the votes of the squishy middle, he is free to pull back the bed sheet and reveal the raging Rotary club president within. He is what the Republican Party would be if we didn’t have elections.

Jeff

About Chris Davis’ cover story, “Rockin’ the Halls” …

Thank you for last week’s story about the Memphis Music Hall of Fame, and especially for the focus on the artistry of Jim Dickinson. Of course, in Memphis, museums love to exhibit musicians’ rhinestone jumpsuits or stage costumes. Dickinson’s musical genius was that he helped develop so many of those superstars from studios like Ardent and Zebra Ranch. We’re proud to be able to display an expression of Jim’s artistry in that piano.

I made an insensitive mistake in last week’s article, referring to that piano as “Jim’s soul,” and I apologize to his great family. As a fellow Christian, while I love the awesomely creative expression of that piano, I understand that his soul, through grace, is both huge and eternal, a testament to his great slogan, “I’m just dead, I’m not gone.”

John Doyle, Memphis Music Hall of Fame

About Alexandra Pusateri’s post, “TBI Investigating Darrius Stewart Case” …

Who trusts the TBI or D.A. to investigate this? They need the police to produce evidence that keeps the jails full. Who is going to bite the hand that feeds them? I am so outraged, as a U.S. citizen, by the mentality of the police and their supporters. Police can kill without recourse.

Memphis Belle

I am enjoying watching our local media fan the flames and totally try to have this story blow up into something much more than it actually is. Memphis TV media: It’s just not going to happen here. Sorry.

Midtown Mark

I’m also enjoying reading some of the comments being posted on those local media articles. The local racists are so mad that black people aren’t rioting and protesting over this.

Nobody

I’m enjoying all the wanton police violence sweeping the country. Isn’t this just great? People are dying for systemic reasons we could fix but refuse to address, because it makes us feel icky. Wait, this actually sucks, because it could happen to anyone. Now it doesn’t seem so funny anymore.

Autoegocrat

About Wendi C. Thomas’ column, “Black Wealth Matters” …

Black wealth does matter. If things were reversed and blacks were the minority in numbers but majority holders of wealth in Memphis, the sentiment on the Caucasian side of this issue would be very different.

TruthBeTold

It is important that “black-owned businesses” are actually owned by black people and not just a front man or woman and that the employee ranks have actual black workers whose wages form the actual foundation of community.

Nick R.

About Bianca Phillips’ post, “MPD Does Not Have Passenger Policy for Traffic Stops” …

There is always a problem when any authority exceeds its constitutional limits, be it the MPD or anybody else. If it is unconstitutional for the police to demand ID on a passenger when the police are merely enforcing traffic laws, they do not have the right to go ahead and do it anyway.

If I am walking down the street minding my own business and the police stop me and ask me to show ID, I will not do so unless they can show some probable cause as to why I should comply. None of which gives Darrius Stewart cause to run and then fight with that policeman.

Arlington Pop

Categories
Politics Politics Feature

Money vs. Grit ‘n Grind

CREDIT: Jackson Baker

If, as so many people declaim, money is the “mother’s milk” of politics, the fact is, there are some determined candidates who are virtually lactose-free and decline to be poor-mouthing about it. Others are letting their gross receipts and checkbooks speak for them.

As a sample case of such contrasts, consider the five-candidate race for Super District 9, Position 2. It is, like the races for mayor and City Court clerk, an at-large race. The two Super Districts, 8 and 9, represent a compromise dating from a 1991 judicial settlement, when the city’s electorate was roughly half white and half black.

In blunt terms, District 9 was the white half, more or less, while District 8 was predominantly African-American. Population shifts since then have altered the makeup of both districts, but the rough division still holds.

And there are clear distinctions between how candidates might run in an at-large race and how they can run in district races.

As Shea Flinn, the former councilman from 9, 2, and now an executive with the Greater Memphis Area Chamber of Commerce, put it, “You can walk a district race.” (That is, go door-to-door.) “You can’t do that to nearly the same degree in an at-large race. The territory is too large.”

That fact would seem to militate against an at-large candidate without a budget big enough to do radio, TV, and newspaper advertising. That doesn’t necessarily mean that the candidate with the most money wins in an at-large race, but ample funding certainly conveys an advantage.

On the other hand, the same judicial settlement that created the current district structure ordained that, unlike the case in district races, there would be no runoffs in any of the at-large races. That fact gives even cash-poor candidates the hope of winning a plurality, if they can bring some other advantage to the winner-take-all scramble.

Stephanie Gatewood, for example, a former Memphis School Board member who now aspires to the Super District 9, Positon 2, seat, reported exactly $671.45 on hand in her second-quarter financial disclosure, covering the period April 1st to June 30th. She listed two contributions, each for $500.

Gatewood’s expenditures for the period totaled $338.95, which she laid out to Perkins Productions for some “4 x 6” wallet cards.

At a recent meet-and-greet/fund-raising affair held at Acre Restaurant (after the last reporting deadline), Gatewood boasted that her election to the old Memphis City Schools board had been achieved by grass-roots and word-of-mouth efforts without much of a budget and, after engaging with attendees in a kind of quiz-’em-on-the-issues dialogue, she asked those present to notify their Twitter or Facebook networks where they were and whom they were listening to.

Clearly, Gatewood hopes that her former school board incumbency, and the contacts that came with it, can generate some turnout.

That prospect may loom even larger with another name candidate and former school board member in the same race, Kenneth Whalum Jr. Whalum, who is something of a master at using social media and attracting press coverage, has made it clear, too, that his efforts will not depend on raising a huge amount of campaign cash.

In addition to his considerable name-recognition, gained most recently from a good showing at the 2014 Democratic primary for Shelby County mayor, Whalum intends to engage in serious networking — emphasizing the theme of education and coordinating his own efforts with those of like-minded candidates for other council positions.

As a late entry, Whalum was not required to post a financial disclosure for the second quarter.

Another entry in the 9, 2, race is Lynn Moss, a novice candidate with no prior incumbencies and no name-recognition factor. Her financial receipts are also lacking — with second-quarter receipts of $1,745, mainly from personal friends, and cash-on-hand of $1,173.48.

Moss would seem to be unusually handicapped against her opponents, but she has one ace-in-the-hole, affiliation with a group of grass-roots activists who meet frequently to challenge the precepts of various civic establishments. In particular, she is running on a ticket of sorts (with Robin Spielberger in Super District 9, Position 1, and Jim Tomasik in District 1) that advocates de-annexation from Memphis of relatively recently annexed suburbs such as Cordova. To the extent that she and others can make that issue prominent, she has prospects.

The campaign of Paul Shaffer, longtime business manager for the IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers), is intermediate between the position of determined do-it-yourself campaigns and those that are backed by numerous and significant donations.

Shaffer has benefited from large donations from union-oriented Political Action Committees (PACs). His cash-on-hand amount of $11,735.22 in his second-quarter report derives almost entirely from such sources, which are, however, relatively limited in number. They run the gamut from $500 to $5,000.

Shaffer can depend also on voluntary grass-roots support from union members and from the Democratic Party rank-and-file activists who have known Shaffer for years (many of them, as candidates, having benefited from IBEW’s own financial generosity).

And then there is Philip Spinosa, a new name to most Memphians, including the majority of voters residing in Super District 9, 2, but one not destined to stay that way for long. Already motorists along several of the city’s major thoroughfares — Walnut Grove being a case in point — are seeing Spinosa’s yard signs in great quantity, often in tandem with those of Reid Hedgepeth, the incumbent council member in Super District 9, Position 3, and Worth Morgan, a candidate in District 5, a Midtown-East Memphis enclave.

Like Hedgepeth and Morgan, Spinosa, a sales executive with FedEx, has the kind of youthful image that is made-to-order for television advertising, and his connections with influential members of the city’s business elite are similar to theirs as well. His second-quarter receipts were a whopping $164,940, and his cash balance was $149,133.75.

Resources like that (Morgan is similarly fixed, by the way) are almost on a par with those of the two mayoral-race titans, Mayor A C Wharton and Councilman Jim Strickland, and, over the long haul, obviously give Spinosa the potential to close and overcome the name-ID factor currently owned by a couple of his opponents.

Jackson Baker

The family of late civil rights icon and National Civil Rights Museum founder D’Army Bailey acknowldged the Shelby County Commission’s vote on Monday to rename the Shelby County Courthouse in his honor. From left: son Merritt Bailey, wife Adrienne Bailey, Commission chair Justin Ford, son Justin Bailey. At right is Commissioner Terry Roland, sponsor of the re-naming resolution.