Month: January 2020

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News News Blog

CannaBeat: Akbari Files Recreational Cannabis Bill

Sen. Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis) wants to legalize it.

Akbari filed a bill in the state legislature on Friday that would decriminalize low-level possession offenses and legalize the sale of marijuana for recreational purposes. Akbari’s bill is modeled after Colorado’s laws.

If approved, the legislation would put a 12 percent tax on the sale of marijuana. Half of the taxes generated would be applied to public school funding, roughly a third would apply to road and bridge projects, and 20 percent would be returned to the state’s general fund.

“This legislation makes criminal justice more fair, creates thousands of Tennessee jobs, and invests real money in our students and teachers,” Akbari said. “With marijuana now available closer and closer to our state, it’s time for Tennesseans to have a real discussion about repealing outdated penalties for low-level possession and investing in our economic future and public schools through legalization.”

Tennessee General Assembly

Sen. Raumesh Akbari

The bill is not finalized, but Akbari said the goal is to “stop wasting tax dollars on a failed drug policies and to start creating economic and educational opportunities for Tennessee families” and address concerns related to potential drug use.

“Tennessee’s tough-on-crime possession laws have trapped too many of our citizens in cycles of poverty, and they haven’t actually stopped anyone from obtaining marijuana,” Akbari said. “The enforcement of these laws in particular [has] cost our state billions, contributed to a black market that funds criminal organizations, and accelerated the growth of incarceration in Tennessee’s jails and prisons. Tennesseans deserve better.”

In the draft of the bill, state regulators would be responsible for developing policies related to commercial sales of marijuana here. The legislation is not yet scheduled for debate.

Categories
Memphis Gaydar News

Lee Signs ‘Shameful’ Anti-LGBTQ Bill Into Law

Memphis Pride Fest

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed into law Friday a bill that will allow adoption agencies to discriminate against the LGBTQ community.

State senators passed the bill last week, its first major move since the 111th Tennessee General Assembly reconvened earlier this month.

The bill would shelter faith-based adoption agencies from lawsuits by any group claiming discrimination. It prohibits faith-based groups from participating “in any child placement for foster care or adoption that would violate the agency’s written religious or moral convictions.”

Governor Lee

Some senators warned passing the bill could hinder business in the state, with companies and conventions passing over Tennessee for more gay-friendly states.

However, Lee said he’d sign the bill immediately after its passage. The bill was sent to Lee’s office Tuesday and was signed on Friday.

Several organizations criticized the move. The Campaign for Southern Equality called the bill “the first anti-LGBTQ legislation to pass in 2020.”
[pullquote-2] “We strongly oppose Gov. Lee’s decision and urge him to deeply and prayerfully consider the damage and harm of this bill, which could do a colossal disservice to the many children in Tennessee waiting to be adopted by safe and loving families,” said Rev. Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, executive director of the Campaign for Southern Equality. “It opens the door to taxpayer-funded adoption agencies turning away potential parents just because of who they are. It’s bad for kids, bad for LGBTQ people, and bad for the state overall.”

The Human Rights Council (HRC) called the move “shameful.”
[pullquote-1] “It’s disturbing that Governor Bill Lee signed legislation that will harm children in Tennessee,” said HRC president Alphonso David. “Elected officials should protect all of their constituents, not just some. Now, Tennessee has the shameful distinction of being the first state to pass an anti-LGBTQ bill into law this year.

“This bill does nothing to improve the outcomes for children in care, shrinks the pool of prospective parents and is a blatant attempt to discriminate against LGBTQ Tennesseans. With many months ahead in the Tennessee legislative session, Tennesseans should make their voices heard — loudly — to ensure that the legislature and Gov. Lee do not continue to target LGBTQ Tennesseans.”

Chris Sanders, executive director of the Tennessee Equality Project said, “As this bill becomes law, Tennessee’s LGBTQ community is worried about the introduction of even more discriminatory bills. The governor and the legislature must put a stop to this kind of demeaning public policy.”

Categories
Music Music Blog

Hippie Hippie Shake: Blvck Hippie Cooks Up Tasty Tunes

Blake Galloway (left) and Josh Shaw


Memphis-based indie rock band Blvck Hippie released one of the catchiest Memphis-made songs in recent memory a little over one year ago, in January 2019.

“Hotel Lobby,” from the Blvck Hippie EP, opens with a drum shuffle followed by a descending bass line; when the piano and whining guitars hit, it’s already obvious the band has neo-soul arrangements on lockdown. And it just gets better from there.

Blvck Hippie, fronted by Josh Shaw, 24, has toured in support of the EP, undergone multiple lineup changes, and is currently working on new material. After seeing the new lineup at work at a concert at the Lamplighter Lounge, I called Shaw, who was cooking vegan pasta sauce at the time, to find out what was in store for Blvck Hippie.

The band will perform at Philly’s Got-You-Covered Fest in Cooper-Young on Saturday, January 25th, and at Pagan Mom House with Sun Not Yellow, Madd Well, Wednesday, January 29th, at 8 p.m. But that’s not all that Blvck Hippie has up its sleeve.

It’s no understatement to say that Shaw has immersed himself in music of late. He works at the School of Rock performance academy and is studying recording at the University of Memphis. He already has a music industry degree from Lambuth University. Of course, that’s when he’s not writing, recording, rehearsing, and performing with Blvck Hippie, a band that grew out of Shaw’s solo shows and demo tapes.

“Toward the end of my senior year of college I started being a little more open with sharing the music I’d been writing,” Shaw says. “I was pretty private about it at first, recording a lot in my room and in the studio on campus and keeping it to myself.”

Josh Shaw


So, after spending some time in Toronto, Canada, with his brother, Shaw decided to double down on making music. He moved back to Memphis from Jackson and bought some new gear. “I got a better electric guitar and a looper pedal,” he says.

After being booked at a festival, Shaw put together a band. “I decided January of 2018, that whole year was going to be only band shows,” he explains. Of course, the band would need a name. “I was a very weird, eccentric child, so my mom used to call me her little black hippie,” Shaw explains. He says he thought, “So I’ll just use that.”

With a name and a full roster, Blvck Hippie released its self-titled EP on January 1, 2019. That four-song example of indie-pop perfection was recorded at Young Avenue Sound with Calvin Lauber, and for a year, the band toured and played locally in support of it.

In addition to the excellent arrangements, the EP, along with the rest of Blvck Hippie’s music, is characterized by Shaw’s open and honest lyrics. Just as the songwriter who used to record in his room had struggled taking his songs public, he was unsure about being so open in his songwriting. But he had taken strength from the art of confessional songwriters when he needed it, and he was inspired by their example. “If I’m that open and honest, then I can help somebody else who might be going through a rough time,” Shaw says.

Blvck Hippie faced a new challenge when Blake Galloway, the band’s second guitarist, moved to Colorado. Shaw explains, “After losing a band member who was one of the founding members [I had to] reevaluate everything and [say], ‘What is it about us that I like? And what is it about us that can change and improve?’”

Shaw continues: “Every time somebody leaves, you feel like, ‘Aw, man, why did I even let this person into my heart? I should have just stayed solo.’ But I decided to embrace it as much as I can. Writing, arranging, recording — I do all the cooking of it, but if you don’t allow other people to throw seasoning in it, you might end up with a bland dish and not know it because you’re the only one who tasted it.”

Blvck Hippie


For the moment, the band is a trio — guitar, bass, and drums, but plans are in the works to add keyboards, trumpet, and euphonium. “Once everything hits the fan, you have to sit down and figure out why you’re still doing this,” Shaw says, explaining that he decided forced lineup changes were, from one perspective, just an excuse to build on what he likes in the group.

The two upcoming house concerts are on par for Blvck Hippie’s indie (as in “independent”) aesthetic. Shaw says he has made merchandise at his parents house, and the band’s self-titled EP was self-funded as well. “It’s something that’s done out of necessity,” Shaw admits. There are benefits, though, to an indie approach. “It’s a culture that embraces the different and weird,” Shaw says. “So you just automatically feel comfortable no matter what happens. You’re like, ‘Hey, I know this is an intimate setting and everybody’s here just to enjoy the experience. If I break a string, if I sing the wrong note, everything’s okay.’”

Blvck Hippie performs at Philly’s Got-You-Covered Fest at 1054 Philadelphia Street in Cooper-Young on Saturday, January 25th, at 8 p.m.; and at Pagan Mom House with Sun Not Yellow, Madd Well, Wednesday, January 29th, at 8 p.m.


Categories
News News Blog

Lawmakers Take First Step Into Possible Criminal Justice Reform

Tennessee’s incarnation rate is 10 percent higher than the national average, its female prison population rate has exploded, spending on corrections has surpassed $1 billion, and the state has the fourth-highest violent-crime rate in the country.

That’s all according to researchers with the Crime and Justice Institute (CJI), who presented their findings Wednesday to members of the Tennessee House Judiciary Committee. Those researchers were tapped to join a task force last year and charged by Gov. Bill Lee to review the state’s criminal justice system.

The task force released its findings in an interim report in December. That report recommended lawmakers review criminal sentencing, reduce sentencing times for some parole violations, and more.

State Capitol building

CJI staffers Maura McNamara and Alison Silveira presented some of the information to lawmakers during what could be a two-year overhaul of some of the state’s criminal justice policies meant to reduce the prison population.

The presentation and hearing was one of the first times legislators were able to dig into the data and ask questions about the study.

The researchers said the state incarcerates around 13,000 people each year. Admissions to prison have declined overall by 14 percent, they said, since 2009. However, while admissions have fallen in West and Middle Tennessee, admissions rose in East Tennessee by 500 from 2018 to 2019. (West Tennessee admissions fell from about 4,500 in 2009 to about 2,900 in 2018.)
Crime and Justice Institute

The bulk of incarcerations (74 percent) last year were from what researchers called “non-person” offenses like drug and property crime, and vehicular offenses. The rest (26 percent) were violent crimes and sex offenses.

In all categories, the average length of time served by felons in Tennessee rose by 11 months over the last 10 years, from 48 months to 59 months, Silveira said.

“People released in 2019 are serving nearly a year longer behind bars than those in 2009,” she said.

The large amount of non-violent incarcerations drew the ire of Rep. Antonio Parkinson (D-Memphis), who called the figure “an indictment to us who sit on this committee.” He also noted that “I think our policies are causing some of these — if not all of these numbers — to be in the place that they are.”

However, Rep. Andrew Farmer (R-Sevierville) reminded the committee members that “all of these crimes are crimes against society.”

“We make laws up here not because we want to see people in jail, we don’t,” Farmer said. “We don’t make laws up here because we want to waste taxpayer dollars. We don’t make laws up here just to keep people in jail.

“We make laws up here to see those who violate out laws here in the state of Tennessee are pushed appropriately. We want them to become rehabilitated and we are doing the very best we can to do that.”

Lee said last year the task force’s main aim to reduce recidivism, the act of people being re-arrested after they’ve been released from prison. McNamara said nearly half (47 percent) of those released from custody here over the last 10 years, were rearrested within three years.

However, 40 percent of those are rearrested because they broke their parole on technical violations, not on new crimes, Silveira said. They’ll go backup prison because they moved and didn’t tell their parole officer, failed to pay a monthly fee, or failed to appear at a meeting or hearing.

Google Maps

Riverbend Maximum Security Prison in Nashville is home to Tennessee’s death row.

“The reason a person usually goes back to jail has more to do with the challenges of returning home than a sign of criminal conduct,” Silveira said.

Rep. Joe Townsend (D-Memphis) wanted financial data, noting “the state is spending extraordinarily large sums of money to re-incarcerate people for technical violations.” He said if the state locks up about 13,000 people each year, and their length of stay has risen by about a year, “that’s like an additional 13,000 years.”

The state’s female prison population grew 41 percent over the last 10 years, from 2,364 in 2009 to 3,481 in 2019, the researchers said. Female felony offenses mainly involved drugs and property, they said, though didn’t offer detailed insight as to why the female prison population was surging.

Rep. G.A. Hardaway (D-Memphis) wants to learn more. “I am so disgusted that we are evidently not doing what we need to do to keep our women from choosing a life of crime and from being incarcerated,” Hardaway said. “I don’t know what the answer is. But I sure would like to find out and do something about it very quickly.”  Crime and Justice Institute

Categories
News News Blog

Governor Renews Push for Comprehensive Anti-Abortion Legislation

Lee announces strict abortion restrictions


Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced Thursday that he will submit a “comprehensive pro-life” bill this legislative session that will put the state “at the forefront of protecting life.”

Surrounded by state GOP lawmakers, Lee made the announcement of the near-total abortion ban just one day after the 47th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision. The governor called it a “monumental step forward in celebrating, cherishing, and defending life.”

“I believe we have a special responsibility to protect the most vulnerable members of our community,” Lee said. “And no one is more vulnerable than the unborn.”

Last year’s “heartbeat bill” passed in the House but failed in the Senate. This bill has additional restrictive provisions. Lee said these provisions “make it a stronger bill” and are a part of a legal strategy. The provisions include prohibiting abortion motivated by the sex, race, or diagnosis of a disability, as well as requiring women to view their ultrasound.

[pullquote-2]

“We know that when a mother views her unborn child and hears a heartbeat, hearts and minds are changed,” Lee said of the ultrasound provision.

Following the model of a Missouri law, the bill will also specify that if the heartbeat provision is struck down in court, the abortion ban would kick in at 8, 10, or 12 weeks — the point at which bans have been upheld in court.

“My passion for developing this legislation stems from my commitment to defending the intrinsic dignity of all people,” Lee said.

Rep. William Lambert (R-Portland) is one of the lawmakers pushing the bill.

“It is reprehensible to murder a human being, period, whether that child is in the womb or it’s already drawn his or her first breath,” Lambert said. “Governor, leaders, I wish we had a bigger stage because I think this shows just how powerful this legislation is.”

Lambert said legislators will work out the details of the bill over the next few months, figuring out “exactly how we can accomplish the mission of saving millions of lives.”

Tennessee Advocates for Planned Parenthood

Democratic lawmakers speak against governor’s proposal.


Democratic legislators quickly voiced opposition to the governor’s announcement in a press conference Thursday.

Sen. Jeff Yarbro of Nashville called the governor’s proposal “extreme” and “divisive.”

“This isn’t even legislation at all,” Yabro said. “It’s a litigation strategy. We have real problems to solve in this state. If you went to hearings in this building, just this week we talked about the fact that we provide fewer protections for pregnant women than any other state.”

Sen. Katrina Robinson, who is from Memphis, also spoke at the press conference, saying that Thursday’s announcement is a “stage prop” and “divisive political pawn.”

“It is not a political issue,” Robinson said. “It’s a human rights issue. It’s a women’s rights issue. It’s an issue of families. It’s an issue of being human. I find it very disturbing that this is our first run of political agenda this session.”

Robinson also opposed referring to the legislation as “comprehensive” and “pro-life.”

“I don’t understand that,” she said. “How is it comprehensively pro-life if we don’t provide health care, don’t provide childcare, don’t fund education? That’s pro-life. This is not pro-life legislation.”

Robinson said with Tennessee’s high infant-mortality rate and high number of unintended and teen pregnancies, the governor should be focused on preventative care, contraception access, and policies that will provide youth with sexual education to reduce unintended pregnancies.

[pullquote-1]

Tennessee Advocates for Planned Parenthood also responded to the governor’s announcement in an open letter to the governor and legislators.

“We, the undersigned, are called by our lived experience as parents, caregivers, and family members to stand up for the dignity and autonomy of pregnant people,” the letter reads in part. “We have lived through typical and complicated pregnancies, and we are raising children we deeply love. We oppose all attempts to criminalize and restrict abortion access.”

The letter continues saying that the proposed legislation will not eliminate abortions, “but will force pregnant people to turn to unregulated and often dangerous attempts to end their pregnancies.”

The letter also notes that the legislation would force women to become parents, including those who are survivors of rape or incest.

“Rather than force people to have babies, our state lawmakers should focus on broadly popular ideas to support new families, such as paid leave, access to affordable care, and reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers,” the letter continued.

The letter calls for lawmakers to “recognize that abortion access is a critical issue for current and future families. We trust people who are pregnant to make thoughtful, moral decisions and urge our state leaders to do the same.”

A study done by Vanderbilt University in the fall found that 54 percent of respondents believe Roe v. Wade should be upheld. The poll surveyed 1,000 registered voters in Tennessee. Of the 54 percent that believe the Supreme Court decision should be upheld, 85 percent were Democrats and 32 percent were Republican.

Last year, a poll done by NPR/PBS News/Marist Poll showed that 77 percent of Americans think the Supreme Court should uphold Roe. v. Wade, while 13 percent want to see it overturned.

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Film/TV Film/TV/Etc. Blog

Alex Greene Live Scores Two Silent Sci-Fi Classics at Crosstown Theater

A still from the hand-painted version of ‘A Trip To The Moon’

Last October, Crosstown Arts premiered a new screening series where Memphis musicians composed and performed scores for classic silent films. My band 1000 Lights was one of the acts chosen, and we adapted some of our existing material and wrote new songs to accompany Häxan, the silent horror-documentary about witchcraft through the ages. It turned out to be a daunting task that was quite unlike how a rock band usually operates. But it was extremely rewarding, and the audience loved it.

The original series of live scores went so well, Crosstown Arts’ Justin Thompson and Courtney Fly have been scheduling more. The first is this Thursday, Jan. 23rd. Alex Greene, the Memphis Flyer‘s music editor and the current composer-in-residence at Crosstown Arts, will perform a live score to two silent science fiction films. The first is “A Trip to the Moon (Les Voyage dans la Lune)” by pioneering French director Georges Méliès. Made in 1902, it is arguable that “A Trip to the Moon,” which borrows heavily from the works of Jules Verne, is the first science-fiction film ever made. Greene says choosing it “was kind of a no-brainer because it’s such a classic. The French group Air did a soundtrack to it, but I have purposefully avoided it. I’ve wanted to score it for a long time. It’s just so whimsical. It was 1902, but it feels Victorian.”

It was created years before color film was available, so a limited number of prints of the film were laboriously hand-colored by teams of artists at Méliès’ Star Film Company. Many black-and-white prints survived the silent era, but the color version was thought lost until a single, badly damaged copy was recovered in the early twenty-first century. The restored version is beautifully handmade.

Selenites attack in ‘A Trip To The Moon.’

“A Trip to the Moon” is about 15 minutes long, so to round out the program, Greene says he went searching for something that would play well with its surreal imagery. For the second film, “I wanted something more feature-length. I came across Aelita: Queen of Mars almost by accident.”

Not to be confused with the 2019 Robert Rodriguez/James Cameron production, Aelita is a 1923 silent film by Russian director Yakov Protazanov. “The set design and costume design is amazing,” says Greene. “Especially the kingdom of Mars. It’s a wonderful combination of the glory of the monarchy with the angularity of Soviet Russia. It was before the corruption of the revolution, so it was so full of idealism … We play up the propaganda elements. It makes for good comic relief.”

Yuliya Solntseva as Aelita: Queen of Mars. Solntseva went on to direct 17 films herself and became the first woman to win Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival.

The “we” who will be playing with Greene is what he’s excited about. “This is the most amazing part: I’m combining my long-standing jazz band, the Rolling Head Orchestra, with the Blueshift Ensemble, a bunch of the more avant-garde players from the MSO who do Continuum Fest and work with new composers. It’s really stunning — a jazz band with classical intent.”

To create his scores, Greene first went back to his archives. “Some of it is stuff I composed years ago, but I had no use for it. It’s amazing, one of the main themes for the Queen of Mars herself just fits everything in the film perfectly. But it was something I recorded while I was farming 10 years ago! It was just a matter of translating that into a score for the classical musicians. But it’s all original, every bit of it.”

Combining the classical and jazz aspects of the show turned out to be the most difficult part of Greene’s job. “I thought, oh, this is easy! But then I dug into the details,” he says. “It was very difficult to score out everything and get the timing just right. Combining the forces of the jazz players, who are used to getting a chord chart and running with it, and the classical players, who probably could do that, but to make full use of their talents, it’s best to have an actual score. Combining that was harder than I thought. But we’ve had several rehearsals now, and it’s just all amazing.”

Alex Greene and the Rolling Head Orchestra with the Blueshift Ensemble will accompany A Trip to the Moon and Aelita: Queen of Mars on Thursday, Jan 23rd, at 7:30 p.m. at Crosstown Theater. Tickets are $5 at the door.

Categories
Politics Politics Feature

Voting Machines, MATA, and Mike Pence

As members of the Shelby County Commission prepared to meet in committee on Wednesday for one more crack at finding a solution for funding a county contribution to MATA (Memphis Area Transit Authority), they will have yet another enigma to deal with — the matter of new voting machines for Shelby County.

The question is not whether new machines will be purchased. County Election Administrator Linda Phillips is committed to that. The problem is what kind, and an aggressive complement of present and past public officials are intent upon arguing for machines that not only have paper-check capability but are based upon hand-marked paper ballots, as against those marked by mechanical means.

Jackson Baker

Activists for new voting machines

Meeting with reporters in the lobby of the Vasco Smith County Building last Friday to advocate for a forthcoming resolution by Commissioner Van Turner to purchase hand-marked ballots were State Representative Joe Towns, County Commissioner Reginald Milton, former Commissioner Steve Mulroy, former legislator and city council member Carol Chumney, former legislator and Memphis School Board member Mike Kernell, longtime activist Dr. Yahweh, recent council candidate Erika Sugarmon, and Germantown activist Sarah Freeman. The thrust of their argument is distilled in this issue on page 8, in the Viewpoint by Mulroy.

In the press conference, the predominant message was perhaps summed up by Kernell, who said apropos the ballot-marking machines evidently intended by administrator Phillips, “Why replace old hackable machines with new hackable machines?”

• Besides dealing with the issue of voting machines, the commission will use part of its committee time on Wednesday to consider a compromise version of the previously proposed wheel tax increase to benefit MATA. Sponsored by Democratic Commissioners Willie Brooks, Turner, and Republican Brandon Morrison, and reportedly supported by Mayor Lee Harris, the measure would keep the controversial $20 surcharge of the originally proposed wheel tax measure but allocate its proceeds both to MATA and toward the funding of additional sheriff’s deputies in the recently de-annexed portions of Memphis.

• To the satisfaction of many Memphians and the dismay of others, this year’s holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King was preceded by a visit to Memphis from Vice President Mike Pence, who made ceremonial appearances at the National Civil Rights Museum Downtown and at Holy City Church of God in Christ on James Road.

At the latter venue, Pence was allowed to deliver a homily from the dais — to, in his words, “pay a debt of honor and respect to the man who, walking the dirt roads of the Deep South and speaking to hundreds of thousands on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, touched the hearts of the American people, and led the civil rights movement to triumph over Jim Crow.”

Pence also made a point of working into his remarks a series of encomia to the administration which he serves, alleging, for example, that “under the leadership of President Donald Trump, we have created more than 8,700 opportunity zones, including many here in Tennessee, creating new investment and jobs to underserved communities across the nation. I’m proud to say that today, African-American unemployment is at the lowest level ever recorded. Not long ago, surrounded by university leaders, President Trump made the more than $250 million in annual funding to historically black colleges and universities permanent under federal law.”

It was the likelihood of Pence’s imposing such self-serving remarks on the occasion that no doubt provoked a corps of protesters to the scene of the James Road event. But they, and members of the news media, were cordoned off by police to an area several blocks removed from the site of the church.

Categories
News The Fly-By

MEMernet: Kristin on Cue, Alexa’s Memphis Forecast, and Sen. Raumesh Akbari

“Violet, Violet!”

The Orpheum’s Kristin Bennett had a bubble-blowing contest with Zakiya Baptiste (who plays the gum-chewing champion Violet Beauregarde in the Broadway production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory now at the Orpheum) on her web show “Kristin on Cue” last week.

Baptiste admitted she chews so much gum during the performances her jaw gets tired. Bennett lost the contest.

Your Monthly Forecast

@AlexaMemphis: Alexa, when will the dreary weather end?

@memphisweather1: Alexa, late March.

Posted to Twitter by @memphisweather1

On the Floor

Memphis state Sen. Raumesh Akbari took us to her desk on the floor of the state Senate last week (via Facebook).

There, we found a pink cup and a throwback Shirley Chisholm pin with her 1972 campaign slogan “Unbought and Unbossed.”

Categories
News News Feature

CannaBeat: Play Ball!

CREDIT: Body and Mind

Here we go!

The General Assembly cranked back up last week, and while it seems some new leaders may have dampened efforts toward medical cannabis, some other cannabis bills have already been filed.

New House Speaker Cameron Sexton said of cannabis legislation, “It’s against federal law. And so, until that changes, it’s hard to have a discussion.” However, other states have passed medical cannabis despite speakers’ reluctance, according to the Marijuana Policy Project. Gov. Bill Lee said he wants to “explore alternatives before we go there.”

However, Rep. Rick Staples (D-Knoxville) filed a bill last week that would allow referenda in Tennessee counties that would “authorize the growing, processing, manufacture, delivery, and retail sale of marijuana within jurisdictional boundaries.” The bill also “decriminalizes the possession of small amounts of marijuana statewide.”

The Memphis City Council tried to lower punishments set here for the possession of small amounts of cannabis back in October 2016. The move would have allowed Memphis Police Department officers to charge anyone in possession of less than a half-ounce of marijuana with a $50 fine or community service. However, state lawmakers voided the rule.

Sen. Sara Kyle (D-Memphis), who sponsored a raft of pro-cannabis legislation last year, is back this year with a new bill. Kyle wants to allow medical cannabis patients from other states immunity from Tennessee laws. If a person carries a medical marijuana patient identification card from another state and has less than a half-ounce on them, they “do not commit an offense in this state.”

So, say you’re a patient from West Memphis and you carry your legally prescribed cannabis with you across the bridge. If Kyle’s bill were law, police here could not arrest nor charge you for carrying your medicine.

A number of other cannabis-related bills remain from the first part of the 111th legislative session. However, no major bill has yet been filed that would organize a medical marijuana system in Tennessee.

Buds of Summer

ICYMI: Major League Baseball (MLB) players won’t face drug penalties from the league if they use cannabis.

MLB and the MLB Players Association announced last month that marijuana had been removed from the league’s list of banned substances, and its consumption among players will now be treated the same as alcohol. Up to now, players were fined $35,000 if they tested positive for cannabis.

The new policy begins with spring training 2020, which starts on February 21st when the Rangers meet the Royals in Arizona.

Body and Mind

Coming soon to West Memphis

West Memphis

Work is underway for three dispensaries to be open soon in West Memphis, according to WMCTV.

The dispensary sites were approved by the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission in 2018. At the time, no work had begun on any of the West Memphis sites. Plans were filed for the shop on OK Street in October. That one is from Body and Mind, a Vancouver-based, publicly traded company that offers dried flower, edibles, topicals, extracts, and vape pen cartridges.

West Memphis Mayor Marco McClendon told WMC that the lure of medical marijuana could help people from Memphis to move to his side of the Hernando DeSoto bridge.

Categories
We Recommend We Recommend

Con Talk at this Month’s Nerd Nite Memphis

CREDIT: Jessi Gaston

Nerd Nite Memphis hosts its monthly talk series at Highland Axe and Rec this Wednesday, where speakers will talk about conventions in Memphis.

Nerd Nite was originally established in Boston in 2003 as a way for nerds and non-nerds to get together, drink, and learn. Since its inception, the series has become so popular that more than 100 cities worldwide have adopted the programming.

Nerd Nite Memphis has covered a multitude of subjects like sperm transfer, string theory, and Aztec mythology. Now, they’re bringing their first talk of 2020 with a cons (short for “conventions”) theme, featuring Jessi Gaston, adult track director of Anime Blues Con, and Danny Chamberlin, chairman of MidSouthCon.

Jessi Gaston

Talkin’ that nerdin’ out, cosplay, anime blues

Gaston has been with Anime Blues Con since its first meeting 10 years ago at Starbucks.

“I showed up to that meeting and George [the co-founder] asked me what I wanted to do,” she says. “I told him I wanted to do programming, and he said, ‘Okay, do it.'”

Since that encounter, Gaston has stuck with the Japanese arts and culture convention crew, volunteering her time as adult track programming director and briefly as con chair.

“I think a lot of people don’t realize it’s actually pretty much a 365-days-a-year job,” says Gaston.

Despite that, Gaston says the last 10 years with the convention have been rewarding.

“One year, we brought in a famous Japanese fashion designer, and being able to meet him and see him in person was really special for me because I’ve been a fan of his work for a long time,” she says. “It was kind of like the culmination of putting in these hours, and you actually get to be a part of this.”

Nerd Nite, Highland Axe and Rec, Wednesday, January 29th, 7-9 p.m., free.