Month: August 2022

Categories
Cover Feature News Sports

Ready to Roar

Ryan Silverfield (Photo: Larry Kuzniewski)

University of Memphis football coach Ryan Silverfield is tired of answering questions about the pandemic, the transfer portal, and NILs (name-image-likeness deals for student athletes). But here’s the thing: He’ll keep answering those questions, and with a smile on his face. Because that’s college football today. The case could be made that the sport has changed more since Silverfield took over the Tiger program — in December 2019 — than it did over the previous three decades. Recruiting is different (what kind of NIL possibilities exist?). Retaining players is a new challenge (that pesky portal). And graduating players? Keeping a standout running back for four (or five) seasons? You must be thinking of 2018.

“This is my 24th year of coaching,” notes Silverfield. “And the last three years have changed [the profession] dramatically. Not just for a head coach. The game has changed so much itself. That’s been what’s so dynamic. Who would have thought my first few months on the job would be the most normal? [Silverfield made his debut at the 2019 Cotton Bowl after his predecessor, Mike Norvell, departed for Florida State.] I couldn’t call [Alabama coach] Nick Saban up and ask how he dealt with a pandemic. I couldn’t call [LSU coach] Brian Kelly and ask how he handled the transfer portal in 1989. How did coaches deal with NIL in the late ’90s? We’re in a different, ever-changing game. When will we ever be able to just talk football? I don’t know if we’ll be on that trajectory anytime soon. Every coach is dealing with it.

“So the only constant is change. With a little bit of patience — as a man and a coach — I understand that every day something new will occur. You better adapt and adjust and get on the bus, or you’re going to get run over. We’re trying to stay ahead of it, to be proactive. And I believe we’re doing that here. The game’s hard enough. When you’re working 100 hours a week, to get frustrated does you no good. There’s a lot. Nobody’s going to feel sorry for a head coach who makes a good salary and gets to live his dream. But it’s changed.”

The 2021 Memphis Tigers, it can be said, broke even. They won six games and lost six. (Memphis hasn’t had a losing season since 2013.) They scored 30.1 points per game (a total that ranked 52nd among 130 FBS teams), and allowed 29.2. They were strong at home (5-2) but weak on the road (1-4). Most troubling, Memphis finished 3-5 in the American Athletic Conference, well short of a primary goal every season: winning the AAC championship. The Tigers qualified for a bowl game for the eighth season in a row (the Hawaii Bowl), but the game was canceled when their opponent (the University of Hawaii) had a Covid outbreak the day before kickoff. Silverfield’s second season as a head coach was decent, but he doesn’t hesitate in emphasizing Memphis football should be better.

“It starts with me,” says Silverfield. “I’ve got to be better. We were 3-0 after beating Mississippi State and up 21-0 on a UTSA team that went 12-2. We had a pair of injuries and our 18-year-old quarterback threw a pick-six. At that point, the kids looked up and felt there was a chink in the armor. We were never over-confident, but we must stay healthy. We had 47 guys out last season at some point. We played 27 freshmen and redshirt-freshmen. On paper, we’ve put together the best back-to-back recruiting classes in the program’s history, so that bodes well for the future.”

Silverfield acknowledges the most common factor in a good program going sour for a stretch of time. “We turned the ball over too much,” he notes. “We fumbled the ball inside the one-yard line against Temple. Then again on the 15. Two different running backs. We have to do a better job of establishing the run. We’ve been a rotational backfield, more so than I ever wanted. It will sort itself out through camp. Asa Martin has come on the last two seasons. Rodrigues Clark has shown some flashes but has to be more consistent. Brandon Thomas, when healthy and well, has been a force to be reckoned with. [Thomas led Memphis with 669 rushing yards last season.] Marquavius Weaver started against Navy [last year]. We need to have two or three we can rely on heavily. I don’t want to play six running backs. It’s a wide-open competition.”

Seth Henigan (Photo: Larry Kuzniewski)

One position the Tigers did not rotate a year ago is quarterback. When Arizona transfer Grant Gunnell was sidelined by injury shortly before the season opener, freshman Seth Henigan — merely nine months after his last high school game — took command of the Memphis offense. He completed 60 percent of his passes for 3,322 yards and tossed 25 touchdown passes (with eight interceptions). Silverfield is counting on an even better Henigan in 2022.

“What allowed Seth to play so well as a freshman are his maturity and intelligence,” says Silverfield. “He has a lot of tools. But he threw three pick-sixes and at times played like a true freshman. Part of that is growing pains, but we saw growth every single game. It may not have resulted in the best completion percentage, but in recognizing situations: ‘Did you see where that safety was?’ He’s got more comfort now. It’s not just studying the playbook. Grasp the offense, but grow in year two. He’s had a full offseason in the weight room, getting his body right.”

“I’ve gained 15 pounds since last season,” says Henigan. “That should help me withstand hits, stay in the pocket, and deliver strikes. And knowing I’m the starter … that’s a good feeling. Building chemistry, and not splitting reps [in practice]. The experience from last year will benefit me this season and in the long run. We have a lot of kids capable of having a breakout season. Our receiving corps is really deep; our offensive line is more experienced. We should be pretty dynamic, fun to watch.”

The Tigers’ biggest loss from a season ago is wideout Calvin Austin III. The speed demon will now split coverages for the Pittsburgh Steelers after being drafted in the fourth round of April’s NFL draft. But Silverfield likes the group of receivers Henigan will be targeting this fall. What they may lack when compared with Austin’s flaming speed, they make up for with collective size. “This is the most depth we’ve had at wide receiver since I’ve been at Memphis. Javon Ivory has shown production. People are expecting big things from Gabe Rogers.” Joe Scates (a transfer from Iowa State) will be in the mix, as will Eddie Lewis (four touchdowns last season). Sophomore Roc Taylor brings the kind of size (6’2”, 225 lbs.) that can punish defensive backs.

“The size [of our receivers] will stretch the field,” notes Silverfield. Caden Prieskorn should get the majority of snaps at tight end, and he checks in at 6’6”, 255 lbs. He’ll actually have a size advantage on some of the edge rushers Memphis faces.

In looking at the Tiger defense, let’s start with the secondary, where safety Quindell Johnson returns for what he hopes will be a third-straight all-conference season. (Motivation? Johnson was named second-team All-AAC each of the last two years.) Johnson’s 66 solo tackles were 17th in all of college football last season, but the numbers merely approximate his value to the Memphis cause.

“Quindell Johnson is the leader of our team,” says Silverfield. “The leader of our defense, certainly. Intelligent. Had the opportunity to go to the NFL, but decided to come back and compete. He cares, lives at the football complex. Could have transferred, but he stayed here. Loyal to the program. His family raised him right. Usually when I get a text from a parent, it’s negative. But his mom will text me just to say, ‘Hope your day is going all right. I know you have a lot on your plate.’ He’ll need to continue to make plays on the ball. Our new defensive scheme will suit him. He wants to win. It’s not just about improving his draft stock. Let’s win a championship. I admire that in him.”

Johnson relishes the chance to win a conference championship before his Tiger days are complete. (He graduated with a degree in business management last December and is now working toward a master’s degree.) “We have new guys, new coaching staff,” he notes, “and I’m just excited to see how it plays out. Playing football with the people I love.” Johnson refuses to name the teammates who will impact this year’s defense, insisting fans will need to “watch all of us.” Johnson’s offseason was spent building a more complete football player, as he puts it: “Getting faster, stronger, working on my technique, being a student of the game.”

And for those wondering why Johnson stayed despite alternatives, a program’s culture made the difference. “I’ve been so loyal,” emphasizes Johnson. “This program has given me nothing but love. I was in a situation where I didn’t need to leave. I’m somewhere I know I can play; I’m comfortable. The love the city’s given me … it’s unconditional.”

Johnson may be the most decorated, but the Tiger defense will have veterans at every level, with fifth-year seniors on the line (Wardalis Ducksworth), at linebacker (Xavier Cullens and Tyler Murray), and in the secondary (Rodney Owens). Even a sophomore like cornerback Greg Rubin — in 2020 a senior at White Station High School — brings experience, having started 11 games as a true freshman. “It’s maturity and confidence,” says Silverfield when asked how Rubin made an impact so quickly. “He’s shown an ability to work. Had the opportunity to go elsewhere, but stayed home and has found success.”

The Tigers will take the field for their opener at Mississippi State under the guidance of a new offensive coordinator (Tim Cramsey joins the program after four years at Marshall) and a new defensive coordinator (Matt Barnes arrives after three years at Ohio State). When asked for a connecting thread between the two hires, Silverfield says, “They’re great teachers.” Having interviewed seven candidates for each position, Silverfield chose men he feels can match his players when it comes to energy and passion.

“They’re dynamic,” says Silverfield. “They both bring energy, both have a chip on their shoulder. They have an underdog mentality and want to prove how good we can be, how great their units can be. When I interviewed [Barnes], he was getting all sweaty, uptight, jumpy. I said, ‘All right, this guy gets it.’ He wants to prove what he’s capable of.”

The Tigers will host seven games. (Photo: Larry Kuzniewski)

Silverfield sees the larger picture of college football’s shifting landscape. USC and UCLA are leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten, for crying out loud. We can erase the word geography from any equation measuring a program’s value for one “power conference” or another. The AAC is losing three of its top programs — UCF, Houston, and Cincinnati — after the 2022-23 academic year. Joining the AAC are programs that won’t exactly sell football tickets by themselves: UAB, Rice, UTSA, Charlotte, North Texas, and FAU. (If it feels like the old Conference USA days, it should.)

“We want to be in the best conference for football,” says Silverfield. “Football is the driving force [of revenue for an athletic department]. It’s ever-changing. We’re doing things the right way, with some of the best facilities in the country. We’re pouring money into [significant] renovations of Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. Back-to-back years, we’ve had the highest graduation rate of any football program in our conference. All those things will put us on display, and we’ll see what the future entails. We want to play at the highest level we can.”

Before Seth Henigan was born, a 6-6 season may have been welcomed in these parts. But Memphis football has new standards now, and the sophomore quarterback is here to meet them. “I’m trying to get us back at least to the top of the AAC,” says Henigan. “The standard at Memphis is a level of excellence, grit, grind, and all that stuff. We work really hard, but we need to prove it on Saturdays. Nobody really cares if we don’t win on Saturdays.”

Categories
Letter From The Editor Opinion

How Many Moons?

Many moons ago, I was a baby, the first of the Clark grandkids.

“Because we don’t know when we will die, we get to think of life as an inexhaustible well. Yet everything happens a certain number of times, and a very small number, really. How many more times will you remember a certain afternoon of your childhood, some afternoon that’s so deeply a part of your being that you can’t even conceive of your life without it? Perhaps four or five times more. Perhaps not even that. How many more times will you watch the full moon rise? Perhaps twenty, and yet it all seems limitless.” — Paul Bowles, The Sheltering Sky

Hello, dear readers. It’s me again, with what will surely be another introspective, somewhat sorrowful column. It’s been a rough few months for my family, and this is where my heart and head have been. So if you’d prefer not to join on this journey, please go ahead and turn the page. But know, there will be some hope somewhere. There’s gotta be. (That’s what I keep telling myself.)

I first read the above quote years ago when traveling down an internet rabbit hole confirming Brandon Lee’s (son of martial artist Bruce Lee) cause of death. It was, in fact, the result of a defective blank round fired from a prop gun during filming of the 1994 movie The Crow. The excerpted text from the 1949 novel The Sheltering Sky was inscribed on the young actor’s tombstone. I’m reminded of the words when mortality creeps into view, as it tends to do from time to time.

In May, I wrote in this space about my granny Clark being diagnosed with lung and liver cancer. After a couple of weeks in hospice, she passed away in early June with her daughters at her side. In July, my uncle died unexpectedly at his home. And last week, my pawpaw Clark succumbed to, we suspect, a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm, which we’d previously been told was a ticking time bomb. These events, in such quick succession, have had me reflecting on certain afternoons from my childhood — those deeply ingrained among the things that have made me, me.

Growing up in Greenwood, Mississippi, my family was close. We gathered often with the many branches that extend from the Clark family tree. As the first grandchild on that side, I was doted on before my cousins were born. My aunts and uncles would have me over for weekends. My first job was helping at the barbecue restaurant and food truck my grandparents owned and operated. Some memories have faded as the years have gone by, but there are still those — taking special trips (my first drive-in movie, a visit to Disney World) with my aunts, being mesmerized by the color-changing lights on a fiber optic lamp at my uncle’s house, smelling the barbecue smoker and preparing plates for long lines of customers with the grands — that are imprinted.

We all have memories that make us nostalgic — longing, maybe, for simpler times, for the carefree days of our youth. Especially with today’s chaos, when the world seems to burn around us as people fight over student loan forgiveness, reproductive freedom, inflation, liveable wages, climate change … this list goes on (and on and on). Keyboard warriors always have something to argue over. Fewer folks actually get out and take a stand, in protest or support of what they find worthy of fighting for. But the sobering fact is, our time is fleeting. We should make the ways in which we spend it count. Whether that’s watching a hummingbird hover at a feeder, playing Barbies with your niece, running a hard-trained marathon, or writing a letter to your congressperson about an issue that’s got you fired up — the choice is yours. No one but you can determine what’s best for you.

We humans are inclined to think we’re going to be here forever. In fits over traffic, petty quarrels, the sink full of dishes. Large or small, these are all temporary troubles, and death is the ultimate reminder that we aren’t on this beautifully broken planet for long. We are gathered here today to get through this thing called life. Choose your battles, savor the joys, discover the lessons in loss. Heal, forgive, and find your own peace — in whatever ways you can — before that final full moon rises in your view.

The Memphis Flyer is now seeking candidates for its editor position. Send your resume to hr@contemporary-media.com.

Categories
News News Blog News Feature

Officials: Memphis Tourism Sector Makes a “Full Recovery” from Pandemic

(Photo: Memphis Tourism)

Tourism jobs have returned to pre-pandemic levels in Memphis, tourism spending is nearly back to pre-pandemic levels across the state, and Shelby County ranked behind Davidson County as the most-visited Tennessee county last year.  

Memphis Tourism and the Greater Memphis Chamber announced Monday that the leisure and hospitality industries here made a “full recovery” from job losses associated with the Covid-19 pandemic after nearly two-and-a-half years. 

The July jobs report from the Chamber’s Center for Economic Competitiveness said tourism jobs rose slightly from June and were up 1.4 percent from from February 2020. Job growth in the sector led it to a record-high 667,200 jobs here last month.   

Greater Memphis Chamber

“Positive job growth in our industry is welcome news as Memphis and Shelby County also meets and exceeds hotel room night demand seen in 2019,” said Memphis Tourism president and CEO Kevin Kane. “The biggest challenge now facing our industry on a local level is filling available openings. The Memphis destination has recovered at a rapid pace and our industry is laser-focused on showcasing how a job in tourism and hospitality can also develop into a successful career path.” 

Ted Townsend, chief economic development officer with the Chamber, said the pandemic “decimated” tourism and hospitality around the world but said it has made a “full recovery here.”

“This comeback comes as our region continues to set new records for jobs,” he said. “What that tells me is that Memphis has regained its pre-pandemic momentum and is entering a new phase of growth.” 

Tourism across the state has bounced back, too, according to state data released this week, but not back to pre-pandemic levels. Tennessee tourism generated $24.2 billion in domestic and international travel spending in 2021, according to data from U.S. Travel Association and Tourism Economics. The figure is just slightly off the record-setting $24.5 billion spent here in 2019. That number fell by 32 percent in 2020 to a record-low of $16.8 billion. 

The new figure marks the largest visitor spending nationally in Tennessee history, officials said. Travelers in the state spent an estimated $66 million per day here last years. Tourism activity here in 2021 generated $1.9 billion in state and local tax revenues and made the sector the third-highest employer in the state.  

“Tennessee is crushing it with the largest visitor spending national market share for Tennesseans in our history,” said Mark Ezell, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. “Tennessee is one of the top travel destinations in the world because of our tremendous assets including our unmatched scenic beauty, diverse cities, and small towns, as well as our world-class attractions, music, cultural, and historical sites.”

Shelby County tourism bounced back last year, too, according to the report, but not to pre-pandemic levels. Visitors here spent $3.4 billion in 2021, compared to the record $3.7 billion spent in 2019. However, spending here was up 35 percent over 2020 with a spend of $2.5 billion. 

The top three spending categories in Shelby County tourism last year were food and beverage ($1.1 billion), transportation ($826.2 million), and lodging ($544.2 million). Retail ($466.8 million) and recreation ($458.6 million) rounded out the top five.

State of Tennessee

Tourism here employed nearly 24,000 people for a total labor income of more than $1 billion. Tourism activity here yielded $276.1 million in state and local taxes. State officials said, thanks to tourism taxes generated here, each Shelby County household pays $744 less in state and local taxes. 

Davidson County (Nashville) continued to dominate tourism here, ranking first in the state’s annual report. Spending there is not back to pre-pandemic levels either but bounced back to a healthy $7.3 billion last year. The figure is nearly $4 billion more than money spent in Shelby County in the same time period.  

Categories
Intermission Impossible Theater

We Were There: Ostrander Awards

Lindsay Roberts, Brent Davis, and some photobombing reporter from the Memphis Flyer. (Photo by Brent Davis).

Don’t tell a performer to not perform. Silence the singer, still the dancer, hide the actor, shut down the crew — but sooner or later they’ll be back on stage putting heart and soul into it. The Covid-19 pandemic was successful for a while, lousing up plans and performances, but it would not last. 

The local theater community put up with what had to be done, closing doors and keeping stages quiet for as long as it took, but after two years of being shut down, Memphis performers got back into it with even more enthusiasm than before.

It was seen as clearly as it could possibly have been at Sunday night’s Ostrander Awards ceremony that celebrated the people and productions in collegiate, community, and professional theaters. 

“Planning for the 38th Ostranders was almost surreal,” said Elizabeth Perkins, director of the usually annual event. “It had been so long since we had been together. I can’t believe it finally happened after three years! The night was full of laughter, tears, hugs, and, most importantly, love for everyone in our community. Being backstage as the award winners and performers exit is the best seat in the entire venue. I get to see the smiles on their faces after they get to do what they love doing the most and I get to be a small part of making that happen.”

The gathering seemed to agree, whether they took home a plaque or not (see the winners here). As one might expect, attendees were dressed to the nines. Here are some of those who came to celebrate. (Photos by Jon Sparks).

Curtis C. Jackson, Courtney Oliver, Ann Marie Hall
Elizabeth Perkins, director of the Ostranders.
Ashley Whitten Kopera and Jaclyn Suffel
Emily Draffen and Stephen Garrett
Mary Buchignani and John Hemphill
Performance at the Ostranders Sunday night
Billy Pullen
Jimmy Hoxie
Categories
Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

Best Bets: Chicken Salad and Frozen Fruit at Mortimer’s

The chicken salad and frozen fruit combo at Motimer's restaurant hits the spot for me every time. (Credit: Mark Esterman)

If I could only have one thing to eat in this world, it would be chicken salad and frozen fruit at Mortimer’s restaurant. That sounds like two things, but it’s a combo.

My love affair with this Mortimer’s lunch item began when my sister and I began ordering it in the late 1960s or early ’70s at The Little Tea Shop, which was owned at the time by the late Vernon Bell, father of Sara Bell, who now owns Mortimer’s. Mortimer’s uses some recipes that were carried over from the old Little Tea Shop as well as the old Knickerbocker restaurant, which also was owned by Vernon.

Frozen fruit was taken off the menu at The Little Tea Shop a long time ago. I asked one of the restaurant’s veteran servers for the recipe, which she wrote out for me. I tried to make it, but I didn’t know enough about cooking to follow her directions at that time.

It looks like ice cream, but it’s actually made out of marshmallows, fruit cocktail, whipping cream, and topped with cream cheese and cherry juice, which makes the cream cheese pink. When I order it at the bar, I get questions from curious customers who want to know what it is. One person thought it was mashed potatoes.

Chicken salad and frozen fruit at Mortimer’s restaurant (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Years ago, I had a newspaper assignment to write about chicken salads around town. I hadn’t been to Mortimer’s in years. I ordered it from Kris Robertson, who was a server at the time. Then I heard longtime bartender/manager, Mark Esterman, call from the bar, “Does he want frozen fruit?”

I was so excited I’m sure I looked and acted like an idiot. With my mouth twisted into a big gaping smile, I probably yelled, “You have frozen fruit???!!!” After that, I became a Mortimer’s regular. And now 95 percent of the time, I order chicken salad and frozen fruit. It’s a lunch item, but they usually have some left over at dinner time.

I love sweet and savory dishes, so that duo is perfect. I remember being told that my old Memphis Press-Scimitar colleague, the late George Lapides, was a fan of chicken salad and frozen fruit at Mortimer’s.

I called Christopher Jamieson, Sarah’s son and also an owner of Mortimer’s, about the history of my favorite culinary combination.

“It’s popular among the people that know it, if that makes sense,” Jamieson says. “It’s a hard thing to describe. It really doesn’t make sense to most people until they put their eyes on it and try it. I have the same people that come in for it every week.”

Frozen fruit is particularly popular in the summertime, Jamieson says. “With it being cold and kind of refreshing, in a sense. So, anybody with a sweet tooth certainly enjoys it.”

Note: I wrote about the prime rib at Mortimer’s in the February issue of Memphis magazine. I think that’s why my name is now on the sign in front. It reads, “Michael Donahue Says Try Morts You Will Love It.” I’m honored, of course. I like to sit by the window closest to the sign in case somebody comes by my table. I can motion toward the sign with my eyes.

Mortimer’s is at 590 North Perkins Road, (901) 761-9321.

Categories
From My Seat Sports

Redbirds Report: The Skipper’s View

Paul DeJong and Redbirds manager Ben Johnson (Ryan Beatty/Redbirds)

A life-changing silver lining can be discovered even in a pandemic. Ben Johnson’s mother was in her fifth year of a battle with cancer when the coronavirus outbreak took hold of the United States in the early months of 2020. When professional baseball shut down in March of that year, the Memphis Redbirds’ second-year manager found himself at home, here in Memphis, with his ailing mom. Johnson was able to spend countless hours, days, and weeks with her that he would not have had were the Redbirds traveling from one Pacific Coast League city to another between homestands at AutoZone Park. Today, almost two full baseball seasons removed from that shutdown, Johnson is grateful for minor-league baseball’s “missing season.”

“It was an absolute blessing for me,” says Johnson. “The Cardinals were one of the few organizations that continued to pay the staff. I know [the pandemic] was awful for a lot of people, but it worked out for me and my family. I’m lucky.”

In his fourth year — third season — in the skipper’s office for the Redbirds, Johnson recognizes some internal growth as he adapts to the role he plays in the St. Louis Cardinals organization. “You can learn something every day out here,” he says, “especially dealing with different personalities. Each player is different, and you have to treat them as individuals. You can’t ‘old-school’ these new kids. They want to know that you care about them. It’s building relationships.”

The 2022 Redbirds find themselves hovering around .500 (63-59) with a month to play in the season. Outfielder Alec Burleson is contending for the International League batting title. (The Redbirds left the PCL after the 2019 season and are playing their first as members of the IL West Division.) The Cardinals’ top pitching prospect, Matthew Liberatore, has had ups and downs on the AutoZone Park mound. But Johnson’s primary task is fine-tuning his players to impact the parent Cardinals, and by that measure, the 2022 Redbirds were successful before Memorial Day, having sent three players — Brendan Donovan, Nolan Gorman, and Juan Yepez — north to St. Louis. Each of the trio has contributed to the Cardinals’ rise to first place in the National League Central Division.

“We continue to play hard,” says Johnson. “We’ve got some young players, and we’re making mistakes. But we teach off that. Baseball comes and goes in waves. We’re hitting the ball hard, just right at players. It seems like one mistake has beaten us lately.”

When asked about players who have impressed him upon arrival, Johnson mentions a pair of young pitchers: Freddy Pacheco and Ryan Loutos. But his chest swells with pride when he reflects on the likes of Donovan and Gorman, who used their time in Memphis precisely as it’s scripted: a platform to the major leagues. “They had work to do,” says Johnson, “and they busted their tails. They’re competing for the big-league club, and immediately. It’s what [Gorman] did in the offseason. He came back more agile, more athletic. Quicker bat, and that equated into more power. When we were in Durham, he hit the farthest ball I’ve ever seen hit.”

Johnson relished the two months veteran shortstop Paul DeJong spent with the Redbirds. Demoted when he struggled to hit in the early weeks of the season, DeJong leaned into a program for rediscovering his stroke. Instead of pouting — DeJong had been the Cardinals’ primary shortstop since 2017 — he produced at the plate, driving in 54 runs in 51 games before being recalled by St. Louis.

“He wasn’t that hot when he first got here,” says Johnson. “But he was a pro in every way. Never did he go through the motions. When you have a veteran who’s in it, it makes me a better manager. He wants to be better. Let me facilitate that in every way. I want to be more prepared. I know he’s hungry. He inspired everyone.”

A 1999 graduate of Germantown High School, the Redbirds are Johnson’s home team in a way no previous Memphis manager could claim. And he hopes to return in 2023, particularly with the likes of Jordan Walker and Masyn Winn (highly ranked Cardinal prospects) soon to arrive. But for now, there are games to play in 2022, and Ben Johnson focuses on a culture of growth and positivity, traits he surely inherited from his late mother. “You’ve got to keep the negative energy at bay, because this is a game where failure is a part of it. Negative energy is contagious, and it can pull a club down. You’ve got to be mentally tough, despite [a bad] outcome.”

Categories
Intermission Impossible Theater

Ostrander Awards are Back

Stephen Hancock (Credit: Michael Gravois)

The 2022 Ostrander Awards are back.

The celebration of live theater in Memphis was put off for two years (thanks, pandemic) but returned to the stage Sunday night with awards in dozens of categories and much conviviality at the Halloran Centre. 

The 38th Memphis theater awards recognized excellence in collegiate, community, and professional theater. 

Winning 11 awards was the musical Urinetown staged at Theatre Memphis. And it was a very good evening overall for Theatre Memphis, which took 28 of the 32 awards in the Community and Professional category.

There were 14 college division awards, all going to the University of Memphis. In past years, Rhodes College was a frequent winner, but in 2021 the school decided to phase out its theater major, effectively taking it out of Ostrander consideration.

The Eugart Yerian Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Stephen Hancock, a playwright, Ostrander-winning director, and longtime professor at the University of Memphis.

Because last year’s event was postponed, winners from 2021 were also honored.  

Last year’s Eugart Yerian Award went to Andy Saunders. Others include the 2021 Janie McCrary Putting it Together Award, Michael Compton; the 2021 Otis Smith Legacy Dance Award, Whitney Branan; the Behind the Scenes Award, Lena Wallace Black; and the Larry Riley Rising Star Award, Donald Sutton and Abby Teel.

Andy Saunders (Credit: Alan Howell).

Ann Marie Hall, winner of the Eugart Yerian Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020, won an Ostrander Sunday evening for direction of a musical (Urinetown). She was as delighted as anyone to be back with a cheery crowd of theater people. “It’s been remarked many times that this is a community,” she said. “It’s wonderful how they share going to different shows in different places.”

Here’s the list:

Community and Professional Division

Excellence in Scenic Design for a Play: Jack Netzel-Yates, The Secret Garden, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis

Excellence in Scenic Design for a Musical: Jack Netzel-Yates, Urinetown, Theatre Memphis

Costume Design for a Play: Ashley Selberg, The Secret Garden, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis

Costume Design for a Musical: Amie Eoff, Ragtime, Theatre Memphis

Hair/Wig/Makeup Design for a Play: Ashley Selberg, The Secret Garden, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis

Hair/Wig/Makeup Design for a Musical: Amie Eoff, Urinetown, Theatre Memphis

Props Design for a Play: Jack Netzel-Yates, You Can’t Take It With You, Theatre Memphis

Props Design for a Musical: Jack Netzel-Yates, Urinetown, Theatre Memphis

Special Award: Aliza Moran & Julia Hinson, Puppetry, Shockheaded Peter, New Moon Theatre

Lighting Design for a Play: Mandy Kay Heath, American Son, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis

Lighting Design for a Musical: Mandy Kay Heath, Urinetown, Theatre Memphis

Sound Design for a Play: David Newsome, Cicada, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis

Sound Design for a Musical: Jason Eschhofen, Urinetown, Theatre Memphis

Music Direction for a Musical: Jeff Brewer, Ragtime, Theatre Memphis

Choreography for a Musical: Daniel Stuart Nelson, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Playhouse on the Square

Featured Performer in a Play: Susan Brindley, You Can’t Take It With You, Theatre Memphis

Featured Performer in a Musical: Atam Woodruff, Urinetown, Theatre Memphis

Supporting Actor in a Play: Marcus Cox, American Son, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis

Supporting Actor in a Musical: JD Willis, Ragtime, Theatre Memphis

Supporting Actress in a Play: Cecelia Wingate, Cicada, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis

Supporting Actress in a Musical: Cassie Thompson, Urinetown, Theatre Memphis

Ensemble in a Play: American Son, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis

Ensemble in a Musical: Urinetown, Theatre Memphis

Leading Actor in a Play: Kevar Maffitt, Torch Song, Circuit Playhouse

Leading Actor in a Musical: Bruce Huffman, Urinetown, Theatre Memphis

Leading Actress in a Play: Jessica “Jai” Johnson, American Son, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis

Leading Actress in a Musical: Lauren Duckworth, Ragtime, Theatre Memphis

Best Original Script: Tumbling Down, Hattiloo

Direction of a Play: Jared Thomas Johnson, American Son,  Next Stage, Theatre Memphis

Direction of a Musical: Ann Marie Hall, Urinetown, Theatre Memphis

Best Production of a Play: American Son, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis

Best Production of a Musical: Urinetown, Theatre Memphis

College Division

Excellence in Scenic Design for College: Brian Ruggaber, A Bright Room Called Day, University of Memphis

Costume Design for College: Ali Filipovich, A Bright Room Called Day, University of Memphis

Lighting Design for College: Corinne Fann, A Bright Room Called Day, University of Memphis

Sound Design for College: Micki McCormick, A Bright Room Called Day, University of Memphis

Music Direction for College: Tracy Thomas, Ordinary Days, University of Memphis

Choreography for College: Michael Medcalf, The Wolves, University of Memphis

Featured Performer in a College Production: Zy Palmer, A Bright Room Called Day, University of Memphis

Supporting Actor in a College Production: Jasper Lane Pippin, A Bright Room Called Day, University of Memphis

Supporting Actress in a College Production: Aly Milan, The Wolves, The University of Memphis

Ensemble in a College Production: Ordinary Days, The University of Memphis

Leading Actor in a College Production: Will Draper, R & J & Z, The University of Memphis

Leading Actress in a College Production: Raina Williams, A Bright Room Called Day, The University of Memphis

Direction of a College Production: Holly Derr, The Wolves, University of Memphis

Best College Production: The Wolves, University of Memphis

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“Not Pro-Life, Pro-Baby, or Pro-Mom,” Abortion-Ban Critics Sound Off

Photo by Gayatri Malhotra on Unsplash

Providing abortions in Tennessee is now a felony thanks to the state-Republican-led law that took effect Thursday with critics calling the law “dangerous” and a government overreach. 

The new law, the so-called Human Life Protection Act, was passed in 2019 just in case the U.S. Supreme Court ever overturned the landmark Roe. v. Wade decision that gave federal protection for abortions across the country. The reversal of the ruling earlier this summer allowed the Tennessee abortion ban to go into effect after 30 days.

The law does not allow abortions in cases of rape, incest, or any fetal abnormality that could prove fatal to the baby. The law only allows an abortion in Tennessee if giving birth would kill the pregnant woman or would prevent “serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of major bodily function.” Should an abortion be performed illegally here, doctors and healthcare workers would be held responsible, not the pregnant woman.    

Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi (PPTNM) was forced to stop abortion services completely on June 27th, said Ashley Coffield, the group’s CEO, in a news conference this week, as the state was under a six-week ban at the time. She said the law will make “doctors second-guess their medical training and expertise when choosing a treatment plan or risk a felony of criminal conviction” and that “now lawyers and hospital administrators will be weighing in on life-or-death scenarios.”

“Politicians in Tennessee intentionally created this climate of chaos, confusion, and devastation for people who become pregnant. Banning abortion doesn’t stop people from needing abortion,” Coffield said. “It only puts more peoples’ lives in danger. Governor [Bill] Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly want to control what we can and cannot do with our bodies at Planned Parenthood. We believe that you and only you should control your personal medical decisions and we will keep fighting for every person to regain that right here at home, no matter what.”

PPTNM is now focusing on its patients, directing them to abortion providers in other states. Through this patient navigation service, the group is also helping patients travel to other states and helping them to pay for the trip with gas cards, hotel vouchers, and more.

Tennessee Democrats sounded off on the new law Thursday, rebuking the move, calling abortion a “moral and personal issue” unfit for government interference, and stating “our caucuses are committed to reproductive freedom.”

“This government mandate on reproductive healthcare endangers the lives of women during a crisis pregnancy and gives rapists a greater right to choose the mother of their child than a woman has to control her own future,” reads a joint statement from state Senate Democratic caucus chairwoman Sen. Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis), House Minority Leader Rep. Karen Camper (D-Memphis), and House Democratic caucus chairman Rep. Vincent Dixie (D-Nashville). “There should be clear protections for mothers if their life and health are in danger, and a victim of rape should not be victimized twice.

“Pregnancy is no place for big government. Choosing to start a family is a moral and a personal issue. Women should be trusted to start a family when they’re ready — without interference from the government.”

Senate minority leader Sen. Jeff Yarbro (D-Nashville) called the ban “extreme” and said “our already high rates of infant and maternal deaths will go up. It’s not pro-life, pro-baby, or pro-mom.”

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New Bail System Unveiled Here Hailed as One of the “Fairest in the Nation”

(Credit: Matthew Ansley on Unsplash)

A new system unveiled here Thursday will transform the bail process in Shelby County next year, and advocates call the new process “one of the fairest in the nation.”

The new system comes after criminal justice reforms advocates like Just City, The Wharton Firm, the Official Black Lives Matter Memphis Chapter, and the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee (ACLU-TN), threatened to sue local officials late last year if the county did not stop bail practices “that violate the constitutional and statutory rights of people arrested in Shelby County,” a news release from the ACLU-TN said Thursday. 

The groups entered a mediation process with the county. They agreed to a new $2-million courtroom for bail hearings, promised in a resolution from the Shelby County Commission. With that promise in hand, Shelby County General Sessions Court Judges recently signed a new standing bail order for the county, an agreement that will set a new path for bail here when it goes into effect in February 2023.  

In the current system, judicial officers reach for money bail nearly 77 percent of the time, according to Josh Spickler, executive director of Just City. They do this even though state law mandates using money bail only as a last resort. The new system will help set bail on a case-by-case basis that could include no bail, lower bail, home monitoring, or even an unaffordable bail to keep someone in place to ensure a court appearance. 

In the new system, once a person is booked in to the Shelby County Jail, they’ll be interviewed by an official from Shelby County Pretrial Services. They’ll use a financial assessment tool to determine “an amount that is financially affordable for the individual,” reads the order. 

Within 12 hours of detention, a Judicial Commissioner will evaluate the person to see if they can be released on their own recognizance (meaning no money bail needed but a promise to appear at their court date), if they should be released with no money bail but with conditions (like at-home monitoring), or with money bail. 

A bail hearing with counsel will then be set in the new bail hearing courtroom to take place usually within the first 48 hours of detention and not to exceed 72 hours. Under the current system, a person could be held for weeks or longer without a bail hearing with counsel. 

The ACLU-TN said under the current system, “most people never had a bail hearing at all, ability to pay was not considered when bail was set leaving those who could not afford to pay detained indefinitely even if they were not a flight or safety risk, while those who faced the same charges but could afford to pay money bail were freed until trial.”

Numerous criminal advocacy groups, politicians, and individuals praised the move.

Here’s what they said: 

Andrea Woods, staff attorney with the ACLU Criminal Law Reform Project 

“With these changes, Shelby County has the opportunity to be a national leader for pretrial justice. These much-needed improvements are a testament to the power of local officials, advocates and community members working together to solve a problem. We applaud the county’s collaboration and leadership in ensuring that no one is needlessly confined to a jail cell, that everyone awaiting trial receives fair treatment, and that community well-being is supported through alternatives to incarceration.”

Josh Spickler, executive director of Just City

“Bail reform advocates from around the country are looking to Shelby County as an example of how a community can realize meaningful reform when forward-thinking leaders decide to collaborate instead of litigate. The entire Shelby County Commission, Mayor [Lee] Harris, and countless members of his administration rallied around this opportunity. We will soon have a smaller jail population, safer streets, and significant cost savings as a result.”

Stella Yarbrough, ACLU-TN legal director

 “Shelby County has taken a huge step away from wealth-based incarceration and toward a transparent system rooted in due process. This new bail system not only brings the county in line with the [U.S.] Constitution, it establishes one of the fairest bail systems in the nation, yielding an immense, positive impact on countless people’s lives.”

Alexander Wharton of The Wharton Law Firm

“I am pleased to have participated in a process where all interested parties and voices participated in changing our current bail setting system to comply with state law and the principles of the U.S. Constitution. This is an example of the ability of all parties working together to help solve problems within our system.”

Shahidah Jones of the Official Black Lives Matter Memphis Chapter

“As an abolitionist organization, we are cautiously optimistic about what this means as we move forward with implementation. We are most excited about the ability to collect data and to actually provide transparency about what happens within our current justice systems.”

Shelby County Attorney Marlinee Iverson

“Shelby County and its officials are invested in ensuring that every arrested person who enters the criminal justice system receives adequate constitutional protections and a fair process. The new bail hearing system reflects the commitment of local leaders, including Mayor Lee Harris and Chief Public Defender Phyllis Aluko, to equal treatment for all residents, regardless of their income.”

Willie Brooks, chairman of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners 

“The Shelby County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved changes to the bail system in order to promote equality, public safety, and to reduce the high costs of unnecessary pretrial incarceration. These forward-looking solutions reflect growing evidence that supportive interventions, rather than incarceration, promote positive outcomes in most cases.”

Shelby County District Attorney General-elect Steve Mulroy

“I look forward to working in support of these groundbreaking reforms and ensuring that my office only seeks money bail where needed for public safety. Pretrial detention should be the exception, not the rule.”

Louis Montesi, Presiding Judge General Sessions Criminal Court

“The judges of the General Sessions Criminal Court of Shelby County are proud to be a part of the bail reform changes to establish and ensure a fair, just, and equal system for pretrial release for persons charged with crimes with proper consideration for the presumption of innocence, due process of law and public safety.”

Marquita Brown, representative of the Official Black Lives Matter Memphis Chapter

“I am the supportive services lead for the people that are bailed out by our organization. My job is to assist with acquiring legal counsel, transportation to court dates, and stabilization. Reform was necessary to stop bail practices that violate the constitutional and statutory rights of people arrested in Shelby County. 

“These reforms are a great place to start, as this process institutes counsel for the individual and also speeds up the process by providing a bond hearing within 72 hours. The assistance of the bail calculator to determine what an individual can afford is also very important because all of the people we bail out cannot afford the full bail or the 10 percent that most bond companies require. This is an exciting moment in Shelby County history and I am looking forward to future changes.”

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New Blues Foundation Interim CEO Wants to Get “Back to the Basics”

Credit: Blues Foundation

Kimberly Horton was recently named interim president and CEO of The Blues Foundation after the departure of former president and CEO Judith Black.

Horton, originally from Jackson, Mississippi, has served as a manager and agent working with artists like Billy Price, Dexter Allen, Lady A, and more.

The Memphis Flyer spoke with Horton as she prepares to move to Memphis to fill this role. — Kailynn Johnson

Memphis Flyer: Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Horton: I’m just me! I’m a native of Jackson, Mississippi. I’m a mom of two — I have a 26-year-old daughter, and a 15-year-old son. I have been working in the music industry since 2008. My daughter is going to be taking over my company, Heathrow Muzik Box, LLC,  since I’ve been appointed interim president and CEO of The Blues Foundation. 

I have a master’s from Belhaven [University] in management and a master’s from Jackson State University in public health, and I’m looking forward to moving to Memphis.

What do you think of the state of blues in Memphis right now? Do you think it’s going strong? Is it weak?

That’s kind of hard to answer, because I think that the blues is always going to be going strong. It’s just having people in place to have it out on Front Street. I think Memphis is definitely a place where the blues, in my opinion, will always be going strong.

Do you think locals still love the blues? What about tourists?

The blues is a part of the culture in Memphis. Not just in Memphis, it’s part of the culture. Especially for the African American race. You know Willie Dixon said it best, “Blues is the root, everything else is the fruit.” So, all of the music that we listen to, whether it’s rap, gospel, R&B, all of that has something to do with the blues in some shape, form, or fashion. So, definitely locally, nationally, internationally, yes, it’s going.

A lot of your knowledge of blues comes from first-hand accounts. Do you think this makes your interest in blues a little more personal?

Oh, yes, definitely. Being able to touch, and listen to, and be in contact with — especially coming up in the South, of course — the blues was the real deal. I didn’t know what I was singing at the age of six. “The Thrill Is Gone” and “Sweet Sixteen,” those were two of  B.B. King’s songs that my dad would play quite often. At the age of six, to be able to actually see him, and meet him was like, “oh my gosh.” Most little kids were ready to see The Jackson 5, I was ready to see B.B. King. So yes, definitely. Even being in close contact with living legends of today as well, I love it. It’s where I’m most comfortable.

So, what do you think about the future of blues in Memphis?

It’s going to keep going. We’re going to make sure that young people know it’s there, and how and why they got the music that they’re listening to, and hopefully bring interest to the younger generation. Growing and thriving.

How do you plan on bringing a new generation of blues in, while also maintaining its already rich history?

The educating part of the blues has dropped off a little bit. [We will be] getting back into blues, and bringing back blues in the schools, exposing the younger generation to exactly what it is, where it came from, how we got where we are. 

[We’ll get] the school enrichment programs back in place and do outreach into the community to make sure young folks know the blues is where you got your rap from. The blues is where you got your everything from. That’s going to be one of the major plans. 

Hopefully, being able to partner with the Recording Academy to do some work with Grammy U, which reaches out to the university capacity for younger folks. Everybody thinks that the blues is sad and drowning, but it’s not. The blues is actually life. So, just getting them re-exposed to where it came from.

Piggybacking off of that, you said you’re looking to work with a new generation of blues artists as well, and bring more diversity in. Why do you think diversity is so important in blues?

I’m saying diversity not just in color but I’m talking about gender as well. We have some wonderful female artists that are blues artists, and a lot of the time they get overlooked because they don’t play a harmonica or a guitar, but they actually sing the blues. So, bringing diversity in that aspect, as well as making sure that our people — my people — know that we still have an obligation to the heritage of the blues.

You kind of touched on it just then, and a little earlier with some of the educational outreach programs that you all plan to do. Are there any other changes that you plan to make at the foundation? Even as interim CEO?

There are, but I’m not at liberty to speak about those at the moment. I want to wait until I actually get into the office full-time. My main change is to get the confidence of the artists back. They’ve lost confidence in the foundation, so I want to gain the artists’ confidence back, to make sure they know that we’re there, we’re here, we’re thriving, and we’re intending on making sure that the awareness is available.

So, what makes you excited about stepping into this role? What are you most excited about?

I’m most excited about working in an area that I love, that I have a true passion about — being able to come in and actually make some positive changes for the foundation. Just getting everything back to the basics — getting back to what it used to be, and better.