We were all reminded this past week of how freakishly and without warning the weather can change, but unless there are unexpected changes in the political weather, this week is due to see the advent of the second consecutive three-way contest in a Memphis mayoral race. And a hot one it could be.
Already out there getting campaigns in gear were local NAACP head and former County Commissioner Van Turner and Memphis Downtown Commission CEO/president Paul Young. Barring an unlikely last-minute change of mind, Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner is about to challenge these two previously declared worthies.
Bonner’s entry, scheduled for a Tuesday afternoon press announcement, could change the race from a conflict of credentialed challengers to one in which the city’s priorities are in for the same kind of seismic policy shifts Shelby County experienced just months ago.
This time, like last time, will see a contest between rival views of government — call it progressive versus traditional — but will see the direction of attack reversed and progressivism, triumphant in August but not yet firmly entrenched locally, faces the prospect of a new and powerful coalition, conventional in attitude but encompassing constituencies overlapping the usual boundaries.
It is Bonner’s persona, coupled with his breadth of appeal and success in electoral politics, that makes this possible. Clearly, he has political gifts.The sheriff polled more votes than all contenders in all other countywide races, both in 2018 and in his 2022 re-election race. The last time around, while running as a Democrat, he ended up on the endorsement list of the Shelby County Republicans as well. To the population at large, he seems to inspire confidence. Yet he is not menacing. On the stump and in person, he comes across as something of a Teddy Bear.
Many a candidate tries to run on the bromide that “my friends have urged me to run.” In most cases, this is a semi-fiction at best, a cloak for the candidate’s personal ambition. But, uniquely, Bonner seems to have been the subject of a genuine draft. His aforementioned appeal across party lines is replicated in the racial sphere as well, and going into the mayor’s race, addressing an electorate that is considerably less conservative politically than that of the county population as a whole and is made freshly apprehensive by an outbreak of violent crime, that is no mean advantage.
Bonner will remind the African-American community early and often that he is a native of Orange Mound, the son of one of the first waves of Blacks to be allowed to join the Memphis Police Department. Some have noted the sheriff’s current residence in unincorporated Shelby County. He has explained that he moved there from Whitehaven at a time when he was doing undercover work in that area’s drug trade, to reduce his family’s potential vulnerability. Bonner is reportedly seeking a new residence in the city.
There are no Ds and no Rs on the city’s political ballot, a fact that makes Bonner’s attempt at being a unity candidate considerably easier than was that of, say, former District Attorney Amy Weirich, who tried to run as “our DA” in a demographically divided community but was weighed down, among other factors, by her Republican label.
Can Bonner compete in such policy areas as that of economic development? He vows to pay special attention to that matter and says he will appoint a ranking city official to attend to it.
All that having been said, neither of Bonner’s declared mayoral rivals is exactly a slouch. Turner is a skilled political veteran with ties to various factions. He will have the particular support of those members of the political left who rallied in August to the support of current DA Steve Mulroy (who has endowed Turner) and who formed a hard core also for Juvenile Court Judge Tarik Sugarmon and County Mayor Lee Harris.
Young, who scheduled a fundraiser the same day as Bonner’s announcement, can count on powerful support from members of the city’s commercial and industrial elite.
Money counts in political races and Bonner will have an early chance to demonstrate his own strength. He begins the race with a leftover political kitty amounting to a hundred thousand dollars, and his backers proclaim an optimism that this sum will grow to several hundred thousand by January 15th when the candidates’ first financial disclosures will be made known.
In the meantime, Bonner’s entry will, at the very least, be a strong dissuader to other potential candidates who have considered running.
The Mississippi is 10.75 feet below normal. (Photo: Bruce VanWyngarden)
The boardwalk to Harbor Town Marina on Mud Island usually runs at a slight decline to the water from the parking lot near Cordelia’s Market. Today, the walkway slants at a precipitous angle, flat to the ground, down to the marina and its collection of yachts, cruisers, houseboats, and ski-boats, most of which are literally stuck in the mud. The Mississippi River is at its all-time historical low in Memphis — 10.75 feet below normal.
I’m meeting John Gary, one of Memphis’ preeminent river men. Gary’s been going out on the Mississippi since his boyhood, 50 years ago. He knows the Memphis section of the river like few others. We’ve been friends for many years.
“Over here,” he shouts. I see him approaching from the far end of the dock, where there appears to be at least a few inches of water, and where Gary’s 19-foot runabout is tied up.
“This is crazy,” I said.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” he replies. “There’s a lot of beach out there where a river used to be.”
John Gary and Max (Photo: Bruce VanWyngarden)
We climb into the boat and putter our way south, heading out of the harbor, past the Downtown skyline, past the exposed cobblestones, and past an ancient, long-hidden motorboat with its stern sticking out of the mud. Gary’s two dogs, Max and Lyon, are our happy passengers.
Once on the river, we turn north and motor briskly under the Hernando DeSoto Bridge. We’re going over to take a look at the Loosahatchie Bar (known by locals as Robinson Crusoe Island). It’s the island you see just north of the bridge as you cross into Arkansas. Well, it used to be an island. Now, not so much. What was once a river back-channel is currently a vast sandbar that connects the island to the mainland and reaches halfway across the river to Downtown.
Gary finds a good spot to stick the boat anchor in the sand and we tie off. The dogs run ahead, eager to explore this fresh Sahara, with its high white dunes and its deep dark pockets where the water lingered longest, now as dry as the gar and carp bones bleaching in the sun. Animal footprints remain in the once-muddy sand around the now-gone watering holes: great blue heron, coyote/dog, raccoon, even a large cat track or two. I take photo after photo, dazzled by the weirdness of standing on the bottom of the country’s biggest river.
After a while, we decide to motor upriver along Mud Island, where we pass a long string of barges that are running their engines at the precise speed needed to stay in place against the current. They are loaded with benzene (used to refine gasoline), ammonia, fertilizer, concrete, and other farm and industrial essentials.
Harbor Town Marina (Photo: Bruce VanWyngarden)
Gary explains that the channel has narrowed so much upriver that only one barge can pass at a time. Barges coming downstream have the right of way, so upstream barges can often sit for hours a day, burning fuel, awaiting their turn. For the moment, this section of America’s supply chain is dead in the water. Results coming soon to a gas station or construction site near you.
We continue north until we reach the mouth of the Wolf River, which looks more like the Wolf Ripple as it splashes over rocks and mud, adding a temporary trickle to the Mother of Waters.
How long does this go on? How low can the Mississippi go? And as Mother Nature continues to show us new climate change tricks, is this something we can expect to happen more often? The immediate prediction is that we can expect the river to stay low for the near future, and possibly even drop further. Meaning we can expect a vital supply lane for the U.S. economy to continue to be slowed, at best.
Back at Harbor Town, we tie off Gary’s boat to the very end of the marina in a couple feet of water. As we survey the bent steel and broken boards of the marina’s structure, and the dozens of boats settled into the brown goo, it’s obvious that most of these vessels won’t be going anywhere for quite some time. For now, there is no joy in Mud Island. The mighty Mississippi has struck out.
Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies dunks the ball against the Orlando Magic during a preseason game on October 3, 2022 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo: Copyright 2022 NBAE • Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Memphis Grizzlies’ surprising run to the Western Conference’s second seed last season caught many NBA observers by surprise. Overnight, the squad went from being the NBA’s ugly duckling to must-see TV. Nonetheless, nobody will be caught off guard this year. The team has an opportunity to demonstrate that they are serious contenders in the West for the foreseeable future.
One can consider that the team won 56 games last year and has one of the best young cores in the league at under 25 years old. The Grizzlies are counting on improvements from their returning players and a group of newcomers. Other teams around the league made significant roster adjustments and have a litany of healthy players who are returning from injury.
Memphis had a season that set a new standard for excellence. By playing stifling defense, the Grizzlies made NBA history by being the first team to finish first in rebounding, steals, and blocks all in the same season. Fast break points, offensive rebounds, points in the paint, and second-chance points were also league-bests for this team.
Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies drives to the basket during a preseason game against the on October 3, 2022 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo: Copyright 2022 NBAE • David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)
Because of his tremendous growth as a player, Ja Morant was selected as a starter for the All-Star Game and became the league’s most-improved player. Morant agreed to a five-year maximum rookie extension, the team announced on July 6th, worth upwards of $231 million. With Jaren Jackson Jr. leading the NBA in blocks and earning first-team All-NBA Defense honors, the team won the Southwest Division for the first time in franchise history.
Sharon Brown and Aimee Stiegemeyer, the Flyer’s special Grizzlies correspondents, analyze here the key questions facing the team as they prepare for the 2022-23 season.
There have been several changes to the roster since last season. Whose absence will have the most impact on the Grizzlies’ success?
Aimee Stiegemeyer: No disrespect to De’Anthony Melton, but Kyle Anderson’s absence is going to have the most noticeable impact. Anderson is one of the most underrated role players in the league and his talent often gets overlooked because his style of play is not the flashiest, and the best basketball that he has ever played was during the 2020-21 season when he filled the starting power forward position in Jaren Jackson Jr.’s absence. Memphis will need a Kyle Anderson this season.
Sharon Brown: It’s possible that Kyle Anderson’s worth can’t always be reduced to a number in the box score. However, the group greatly benefited from his leadership. The Grizzlies were in a jam in the first round of the playoffs last year, Game 5. It seemed like the Minnesota Timberwolves had their number, and Jaren Jackson Jr. was frustrated and in foul trouble, but the veteran leadership of Anderson and Steven Adams helped the young team stay composed.
At one point in the game, the Timberwolves were up and were poised to even the series 2-2, but the Grizzlies were able to recover and win the game, largely in part to the veteran presence on the bench that night.
Anderson was a veteran voice the team needed, in addition to being a great ball handler and above-average defender with length. In Anderson’s absence, Danny Green is ready and able to fill that void with his leadership pedigree.
The Grizzlies’ most recent season set a new standard for excellence. (Photo: Sharon Brown)
Among the returning players, who will have the most impact on the court, in terms of the Grizzlies’ success? Off the court?
AS: On the court? This is Ja Morant’s world, and we are all just living in it. As Morant goes, the team goes. He has really come into his own as the leader of this Grizzlies team, and during games you can find him encouraging and coaching his teammates from the floor.
Off the court, I envision Steven Adams taking on the role as the team’s dad. Big dad energy was on display with Adams last season when he physically picked up and carried Tony Bradley away from Ja Morant, thereby thwarting an altercation between them. We saw it again after the season opener when Adams swiped a towel from John Konchar to give to Morant.
And while he is not a returning player, Danny Green’s veteran leadership and guidance can be of immense value before he ever steps foot on the court. Green has seen the top of the mountain and he has been where the Grizzlies are trying to go — the NBA Finals. The experience and maturity that Green has gathered during his years in the league will be a welcome addition to this squad.
SB: On the floor, I would say a combination of Morant and Jackson Jr. Morant can alter the course of games offensively and Jackson Jr. is the anchor on the defensive side of the ball. Off the court, Danny Green. Green brings that championship experience as a three-time NBA champion. He has been on the big stage and knows what is required. On media day, Green was adamant that the team lacked maturity in a way. “A lot of guys like to do the social media — the TikTok, the tweets,” Green said.
“We can try to limit that a bit — focus on staying locked in to the game and treating the game the right way.
“We love to have fun, but the basketball gods will turn on you if you celebrate too early. Acting like you’ve been there and realizing you haven’t done anything yet — regardless of how many games you won in the regular season — if you haven’t won a championship, there’s nothing to really celebrate. My focus is on keeping them with that mentality for the whole season: Job’s not done,” Green added.
The team is about accountability and I believe Green’s presence will help with that.
And Morant is on board also. “I mean we’re young — he’s a vet,” Morant said when told on Grizzlies media day that Green thinks the team can benefit from maturity. “That’s his job … to hold us accountable. He’s going to be a big help for us in that area. It’s what we need.”
Thirteen-year NBA veteranDanny Green brings championship experience to the Grizzlies. (Photo: Aimee Stiegemeyer)
Last year the Grizzlies finished second in the Western Conference. Where do we expect them to rank this year?
AS: Fourth or fifth seed — not because the Grizzlies got worse over the summer but because other teams in the conference got better. The return of Zion Williamson for the Pelicans will be huge, and Minnesota made some offseason moves that will help propel them to a better ranking in the standards. Memphis’ loss of Kyle Anderson is Minnesota’s gain.
SB: I’m going to guess somewhere in the range of 2-7. It’s the Wild West, a place where anything can occur. The Los Angeles Clippers have Kawhi Leonard and Paul George back, the Minnesota Timberwolves have Rudy Gobert, Zion Williamson is healthy for the New Orleans Pelicans, and the Sacramento Kings and Oklahoma City Thunder might make huge strides this season.
Which player will take his game to the next level?
AS: All signs point to Santi Aldama taking a big leap forward this season. His performance in the season opener shows him already playing at a higher level than last season, particularly putting up a double-double in his first career start. Aldama made himself useful on both ends of the floor, adding offensive power with some clutch baskets and snatching defensive rebounds. The Grizzlies and Spanish big men are historically an iconic duo.
SB: For me, I’d say Desmond Bane. Even though Morant was voted as the league’s most-improved player, that honor should have gone to Bane. The Grizzlies’ young sensation shot 43 percent from outside and averaged over 18 points per game last year. Considering Bane more than doubled his scoring average and improved on nearly all counting stats averages last season, he is undoubtedly taking another leap. Bane might be on track for an All-Star appearance.
He was phenomenal and a major reason the Grizzlies made the playoff push last season. Bane averaged 18.8 points and hit 49 percent from deep in the postseason.
The Grizzlies will have 18 nationally televised games, a franchise record. (Photo: Sharon Brown)
With Jaren Jackson Jr. sidelined for an undetermined amount of time, who will step up to fill his role?
AS: There is no one player on this roster who can give you all the things that Jaren does, which means it will take a group effort from multiple players to provide the offensive and defensive value missing. Expect to see this coming from a combination of Santi Aldama, Steven Adams, Brandon Clarke, and Xavier Tillman Sr. This is where losing Kyle Anderson is going to hurt Memphis the most.
SB: The success of the Grizzlies can be attributed to their “next-man-up” mentality. There is no egotism in the locker room, which contributes to the culture. Every single one of them has the same goal in mind, and that’s to win basketball games. That manner of thinking and feeling is unimpeded by anything. Every single thing is geared toward achieving that one goal.
In my opinion, any player on that roster is capable of stepping into that role on any given night.
Predicted season win total?
AS: Fifty-three games. The competition among the Western Conference this season will be cutthroat and relentless. On a micro-level, there is the factor of Jaren Jackson Jr.’s indeterminate timeline for returning to the court.
SB: Barring serious injuries to key players, I have them winning between 50 and 56 games. Memphis has the right vibe and players who are eager to prove themselves. The squad is still as confident as ever and ready to take on any opponent. And then there’s that person at number 12 who can alter the course of games.
The Grizzlies have a franchise record of 18 nationally televised games, and for the first time they will be playing on Christmas Day. Will that adversely affect the team’s performance?
AS: Not even a little bit. This group has shown that they thrive under pressure and embrace the opportunity to prove any naysayers wrong. If anything, the increased national exposure will be a motivating factor for this Grizzlies team, especially given how intense the rivalry between Memphis and Golden State has become.
SB: The opposite is true; it will only encourage them to improve. The Grizzlies don’t have much to worry about other than getting out of their own way and focusing on the task at hand. Morant is a once-in-a-generation talent for Memphis, with the capacity to completely dominate games once he gets into his groove. Memphis has taken a giant step forward with the Christmas Day game. To top it all off, the squad still has more to prove.
Five rookies joined the Grizzlies’ roster this offseason. Who should we be keeping an eye out for?
AS: David Roddy and Jake LaRavia are the likeliest to see game-time minutes early in the season, but I am most looking forward to seeing Kenneth Lofton Jr. develop and how his game progresses. Junior, as he is known, will spend most of the time playing with the Hustle in Southaven, but he has the potential to put up big numbers. If the Grizzlies can get the version of Lofton we saw during Summer League, he can be a substantial weapon in their arsenal for years to come. His basketball IQ and smooth footwork are reminiscent of Grit-and-Grind-era Zach Randolph.
SB: There was no doubt that Kenneth Lofton Jr., better known by his nickname Junior, was a sight to behold in the Summer League and the few games in which he participated in the preseason. People should go to Southaven to watch him play for the Memphis Hustle. With a two-way deal, Lofton may only play in 50 regular season games for the Grizzlies and cannot participate in the postseason. Even in preseason, the crowd was screaming “bring in Kenny” for Junior, indicating that he had a devoted fan base. A #FreeJunior hashtag has also been created for use on social media. Zachary McKenley Randolph, also known as Z-Bo, is a Grizzlies icon who is often compared to Junior. Lofton is a bucket-getter, a traditional post player who makes the most of his size and strength.
Poster from the Mid-South Coliseum’s opening in 1964 (Photo: Steve Hopkins via Facebook)
As a native Memphian — and, yes, biased toward keeping the memories of my childhood alive — I can’t imagine Memphis without the Mid-South Coliseum.
Times with Dave Brown and Jerry “The King” Lawler and at Central High School graduations and my first Memphis State University Tigers game (I guess that shows some age) were all spent there. I grew up in Midtown and spent my summers at the Fairgrounds. My sister got to go to concerts there. The Coliseum was the shrine to all things cool. So, the building held future aspirations for me and countless others.
Even today, as it sits vacant, global tourists make it a “must-stop” to take their picture in front of Elvis’ home concert hall. Beatlemaniacs stop by to see where John, Paul, George, and Ringo had to apologize for saying they were “bigger than Jesus.” Fans nationwide see the Coliseum as a cathedral to the history and sport of wrestling. Just ask where Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson got his start next time he comes to film at one of our historic sites in Memphis.
Your eyes don’t deceive as you drive around the immense parking lot. Those memories were long ago, and the place has been empty for years. Why not tear down? Simply put, not all buildings were created equal and the Coliseum was built better than most.
At a time when supplies run short and we all know the costs incurred with construction (not to mention possible new taxes), why not reuse what we have? Take a trip around the surrounding area and you can find empty land to build an amazing stadium, within the footprint of the Fairgrounds area.
I learned from my predecessor, June West, that if you think it can’t be saved … think again. She, as well as so many advocates across our city, have countless stories of working together with developers and city and state officials and coming together to compromise, while still having a thriving and growing economic opportunity. Whether it’s a revolutionized Crosstown Concourse, a revitalized South Main corridor, or the new culinary destination of the Edge District, Memphis knows how to adapt and reuse, not to mention bring jobs, spur economic growth, and give a much-needed boost in revitalizing neighborhoods.
If that is the only location possible, what does saving a “portion” of the Coliseum mean? Memphis Heritage has a successful history working with development partners on these projects, including the Chick-fil-A on Union and the new Caption by Hyatt Downtown — facades can be part of an amazing facility.
However, that is not what was shown. History can’t be replicated, but new stadiums … well, they can always be built and, in some cases, become a great retail space. Yes, the Pyramid is saved, but not the Coliseum.
I, as well as many of my advocate partners, are not naïve. We win some and lose some (RIP Napoleon Hill Mansion, our first loss, back in 1975). Although the loss may be inevitable, we need not speed up time by demolishing before the money is in the bank and final plans are approved. Unfortunately, this happens far too often in our city.
Currently, our members are finding a home for the ironwork left over from the torn-down, historic dog pound building at the corner of North Front and A.W. Willis Avenue. Why was it torn down without a final plan and full funding in place? The hotel never came and the building no longer remains.
I am excited to see the new Brooks campus Downtown, but why tear down a building before its time? The parking lot next door is due to come down as well. Please let the checks clear first.
Our mayor and city council members have been part of many of the successful projects listed above. I know they share our interest in ridding the blight that our city suffers from: crumbling buildings. Demolishing these buildings before their time only further increases this ugly scar on our hometown. It was a campaign focus for many running for office in our city and one we all agree on, no matter what the political stripe. Shiny and new has its place and not every building with some years on it deserves to be saved.
I want to see Memphis grow and prosper. It is why I moved back to my hometown to raise my daughter. I love the idea of our city growing and becoming an even larger economic powerhouse.
But if we lose our history, our soul, our bones (aka our historic buildings), are we still Memphis? That is what we will learn over the coming months. I hope we protect what makes Memphis unique — why it is the city I invested my family’s future in and the city that Memphis Heritage will always protect and preserve.
Leah Fox-Greenberg is the CEO of Memphis Heritage Inc.
Inga Theeke grew up with Latvian baking. Like pīrāgis.
“It is like yeast dough filled, usually, with bacon and onion,” says Theeke, who is from Chicago. “A little bit of ham in there. And that is the official Latvian treat.
“Every grandmother has their touch to it. It’s one of those things. They can’t give you the recipe, but they can show you if you spend some time with them in the kitchen.”
Theeke keeps busy nowadays baking things like seasonal pear tarte Tatins and pumpkin cheesecake over gluten-free spice cake.
She moved to Memphis in July 2021 to become pastry chef for all of the Kelly English restaurants, which include Restaurant Iris, Pantà, Second Line, and Fino’s from the Hill, and for the catering arm, Iris Etc.
Theeke worked in human resources in Chicago, but that changed after she went to pastry school at Kendall College. “I thought I was going to learn more about techniques and recipe development and just use it for hosting family and friends. But I caught the bug and started working for some fine dining restaurants after that.”
She worked as a pastry chef at Carlos’ in Highland Park, and the old 302 West in Geneva, Illinois.
Her specialty is “maybe taking an ingredient or something we haven’t always used in pastry and figuring out how to pull that together into something unique. I’m one of the rare birds that really likes change. So, being in an environment we have now, where we can pivot and try things out, has really been fun.”
Theeke met her current employer online. “During the pandemic, I looked into one of Kelly English’s Zoom classes and participated with about 70 people around the country. I watched him make a dish.”
She found English “so engaging and so real in connection with people via Zoom” and contacted him the next day. “And I said, ‘I don’t know if you are hiring, but this is who I am and keep in touch.’ We started a conversation and that turned into this position.”
Theeke, whose daughter graduated from Rhodes College, had visited Downtown and Midtown Memphis. She found Memphis “so authentic and so inviting.”
She expanded Fino’s menu. “I changed their tiramisu recipe to make it a little more traditional and easier for more production.”
Theeke then came up with the desserts at Pantà. “I’m a food anthropologist at heart. Although I’ve never been to Spain, I had the opportunity to do the research and do the homework when I prepared the dessert menu for Pantà. I dug into cookbooks, travel journals, online research — anything about the Catalan region I could access from Memphis. It wasn’t just the items but the stories behind them, so when the server brought it to the table, they could tell you how that fit into Catalan culture and the traditions as well.”
She also met people who had spent time in that region, asked them what they ate, what it tasted like, and then she created something.
Like brazo de gitano. “Ours here is a chocolate cake rolled with chocolate ganache in between and then finished with a little bit of latte crème anglaise. The style is a little bit different from what I believe is served in Spain, but it resembles it enough.”
As for the Iris desserts, Theeke says, “The goal is definitely to offer a traditional Creole menu with our own spin on things as well. Again, I have been to New Orleans, but I did my research on these as well so that we understand the story behind some of these. Like bananas Foster. It’s everything you think of in a Creole restaurant’s Foster, but our twist here is to make it a bananas Foster within a tres leches cake. Bring that roasted banana and rum taste through it. And then our crème brûlée here features a chicory coffee flavor.”
All the restaurants “set the tone” for what the dessert menu will look like. But Theeke says, “Every now and then I’ll come up with something. And they’ll let me know if I’ve crossed the line between forgiveness and permission.”
Posts are pouring in on the record-low level of the Mississippi River. Let’s have a look at conditions from the headwaters at Itasca State Park in Minnesota (where levels are normal) to Louisiana (where they’re not).
Minnesota
Illinois
Posted to Twitter by Ohio Valley Aerial
A dry spot south of Cairo, IL.
Missouri
Posted to Twitter by Hiking With Shawn
People are hiking to Tower Rock, which is usually surrounded by water.
Tennessee
Posted to Twitter by Charles Peek
Boats sag onto the muddy bottom of the Wolf River Harbor at the Mud Island Marina.
Though this latest is his third album, J.D. Reager’s latest, Where Wasn’t I?, leaps from the turntable like a sizzling, fresh-off-the-grill debut. After all, it’s been ten year since his last solo release. Yet perhaps we ought to celebrate third albums more, assuming OK Computer, London Calling, Electric Ladyland, and Led Zeppelin III qualify as milestone works. Let’s say Where Wasn’t I? (Back to the Light) is Reager’s own bid to enter that esteemed company.
The larger point is that this really hangs together as an album, a unified body of songs and moods, despite springing from a variety of disparate recording sessions and venturing in multiple stylistic directions — much like Led Zeppelin III, in fact. When kickoff “Diane” explodes from the speakers, it sets a standard for what’s to come: perfectly raw-yet-crafted pop gems. And, as gems go, “Diane” is a stomper, a soaring power pop steamroller given wings with seraphic background voices.
(Credit: album art by Jason Pulley; layout and design by Graham Burks)
Speaking of voices, Reager is in better voice than ever, keeping his trademark vulnerability but now adding a more determined tenor to it. “There’s no reason to shy away!” he cries out in track two. While unique, Reager’s voice might arguably be compared to Bob Mould’s, in terms of feeling equally at home (and authentic) in a soaring post-punk power pop anthem or a screaming punk rager like “Stop Staring.”
But keep listening, and soon the fourth track will summon echoes of Rick Danko. “I need help from a friend,” Reager sings with a quaver, and it may bring a chill to many a listener. “Through all we recover/The dead friends and lovers/What we discovered/Was that it meant everything.”
Later, you’ll hear traces of Thunderclap Newman. But whatever the echoes, Reager’s uncanny ear for a rock arrangement ties the tracks together, backed by a host of A-list guest artists who always step in with the perfect part. Each pop gem fits together like clockwork.
Though Reager’s often been known to collaborate, he notes on his own Back to the Light podcast that the 2020 quarantine helped him take that to a new level. “I’ve always had a little home studio or project studio of some kind; previously, I would just invite folks over to the studio. But under quarantine, with everybody getting into home recording and file sharing, I caught the wave at exactly the right time, and everybody said yes.”
“The pandemic also created an availability for other people to work with me who normally wouldn’t have. I don’t know that nailing down people like Steve Selvidge [of the Hold Steady] or Dave Catching [of Eagles of Death Metal] would have been possible if everyone was as busy as they normally would be.” Beyond those players on the international stage, the LP hosts a legion of local luminaries, often grounded by the Midtown powerhouse, John Bonds, the drummer formally known as Bubba. Mark Edgar Stuart, John Whittemore, Paul Taylor, Jeff Hulett, Jeremy Stanfill, Jeremy Scott, and Graham Burks also make appearances.
Those players help bring a rock classicism to this project that gives the tracks a timeless feel. But while the guitars might channel a ’70s/’90s timewarp, and the synths the ’80s, this is most strikingly an album for now. Something in Reager’s frank delivery doesn’t let us forget that.
J.D. Reager (Credit: Jennifer Brown Reager)
That may be because the album grew out of a major time of struggle and growth for the artist. As he told Mehr last year, in 2019 “I finally got into therapy and quit drinking – now I’m over two years alcohol free. But then the pandemic hit and I lost my job. It came to where I didn’t have anything else to do but work on music and podcasts all day.”
Yet all backstory aside, coming to grips with his own personal demons seems to have pulled out some of the songwriter’s most emotional work. It shows in his delivery, but that’s taken up a notch by the delivery of another, one Ross Johnson, who makes two cameos on this LP. His trademark self-excoriating humor (is self-directed schadenfreude a thing?) proves to be a perfect foil for the slamming sounds of Reager’s band(s), especially on “Philanderer,” which hits like a pounding outtake from Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk (that’s a compliment). And Johnson touches a very personal nerve when ruminating on his father’s Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (“PTSD Story”), stemming from the World War II era — eerily reminiscent of what this author’s own father experienced.
As crazy-quilt as all this may seem, the best approach is just to listen. Listen to the well-crafted prose of Johnson the wordsmith, and the well-crafted power pop of Reager, and you’ll hear the album as a seamless whole, offering many flavors of regret, passion, and maybe even redemption.
“What does it mean to be a best friend?” Reager asks with childlike wonder in the album’s closer, “Wore Me Down.” But, as with most of the album, the raw nerves and sensibilities of youth are soon met with more adult concerns moments later in the song: “There are times when I can’t sleep next to you/And I thought about running ’round/But you wore me down.” From there, the song leaps along like a go-cart over the landfill: perfect power pop, complete with trash and shadows.
Songs from the new album and more can be heard at the Back to the Light Fall Turnout, Saturday, November 5 at 2 p.m., Wiseacre Brewing Company, featuring these bands: 2 pm – Loose Opinions 3 pm – Rosey 4 pm – J.D. Reager 5 pm – S p a c e r 6 pm – The Subteens
LH White, Leanna Tedford, Lindsay Roberson, and David Parks were the "Dream Team" of bartenders at the Brewster Elementary Uniform Drive celebration. (Credit: Michael Donahue)
So many cool things go on in Memphis people don’t know about. Unsung heroes. People doing things for other people without lots of fanfare.
I didn’t know about the “Brewster Elementary Uniform Drive” until an old friend Ward Walthal invited me to a reception for those who participated in the drive for W. H. Brewster Elementary School. It was held October 13th at Marx-Bensdorf Realtors, where Walthal is an affiliate broker.
It was a “celebration of us having our biggest year with the uniform drive,” says Melody Bourell, also an affiliate broker at Marx-Bensdorf. They raised $20,419, which provided 876 uniforms for Brewster students. They usually raise $15,000 or $16,000, but “over $20,000 was a big deal,” Bourell says.
Current Brewster principal Martha Mason and former Brewster principal Angela Askew at Brewster Elementary Uniform Drive celebration (Credit: Michael Donahue)Kelly O’Dwyer and Melody Bourell at Brewster Elementary Uniform Drive celebration (Credit: Michael Donahue)Ward and Jennifer Walthal at Brewster Elementary Uniform Drive celebration (Credit: Michael Donahue)
It was a great reception. Some of Memphis’s top bartenders were on hand. Leah Donahue (no relation but a longtime friend) did the amazing food.
Michael Donahue and Leah Donahue at Brewster Elementary Uniform Drive celebration
The Brewster Elementary Uniform Drive is Bourell’s baby, so I called her to get its history.
It began with “a simple conversation between me and another realtor at our office, Cathleen Black,” Bourell says. “We were just having a conversation about how teachers have to bridge the gap for everything in these lower income neighborhoods. It’s sad. I said, ‘Hey. Why don’t we do something?’
“So, soon after, I got in my car and and drove to Brewster Elementary, which is located in Binghampton, and knocked on the door and said, ‘Hey. We want to help.’”
That was 12 year ago. “I told them who I was and that we would like to do something to help their school. Binghampton was and still is an up-and-coming neighborhood.”
Bourell began by raising money with Facebook posts to provide backpacks filled with school supplies for students. “That evolved into uniforms.”
Village Mart provides the uniforms. Muhamad Ibrahim, whom Bourrell describes as a “very nice and generous man,” owns Village Mart. “He cares about Memphis and always gives us something extra.”
People now donate $25 on Facebook. That pays for the shirt, pants, belt, socks, and underwear.
“The last day of the campaign I post this video. I’ll choose someone to be Elvis and Priscilla.”
A recording of Elvis’ “It’s Now Or Never” plays on the video. “This year, Jake Lawhead was Elvis and Ashley Bonds was Priscilla.”
Marx-Bensdorf president Jimmy Reed said he thought they should have a party to celebrate.
“With all the bad things that happened in the recent past, it just felt good to share some good that Memphis is doing,” Bourell says. “So, we did. And we had a party.”
And, she says, “I invited all the people that donated and got us to our over $20,000 mark.”
The party also featured the “Dream Team of Bartenders” — David Parks, Leanna Tedford, LH White, and Lindsay Roberson.
The Mighty Souls Brass Band provided the music.
Mighty Souls Brass Band at Brewster Elementary Uniform Drive celebration (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Bourell, who originally was in the restaurant business, was general manager at the opening of Tsunami restaurant. “I don’t have to call a party planner or caterer. I just pick up people I know and say, ‘Hey, can you work this gig?’”
As Reed says, “You push the ‘Melody’ button and stuff starts happening.”
Reed definitely thought this was a good time to hold a celebration. “Supporting that specific, wonderful institution has been important for us for years,” he says. “And, especially, with Melody’s strong efforts behind all that. But especially now with the perceived negative environment taking place in our city, we felt it was a very timely thing to have a celebration about reaching across communities. And showing a really good strong initiative at the same time there have been some difficult things going on.
“My wife Janice and I have traveled a lot over many years and we have perspective. This is a damn good town. We’re funky and fun.”
Jimmy Reed and Angela Askew at Brewster Elementary Uniform Drive celebration (Credit: Michael Donahue)William Ware, Worth Jones, Lisa and Hugh Mallory at Brewster Elementary Uniform Drive celebration (Credit: Michael Donahue)Ben Smith and Jenny Vergos at Brewster Elementary Uniform Drive celebration (Credit: Michael Donahue)Courtney Griesenauer and Monica Bynum at Brewster Elementary Uniform Drive celebration (Credit: Michael Donahue)Minday Okeon Wagerman, Worth Jones, and Laurence Kenner at Brewster Elementary Uniform Drive celebration (Credit: Michael Donahue)Eddie Wilbanks, Denise Ware, Melissa Wilbanks at Brewster Elementary Uniform Drive celebration (Credit: Michael Donahue)We Saw You
Ja Morant handles the ball against Ben Simmons. (Credit: Aimee Stiegemeyer)
What’s good, Grizz Nation? Your Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Brooklyn Nets 134-124 in the second home game of the season.
Let’s get into it.
Drama plagued Brooklyn in the offseason, with one of their star players, Kevin Durant, requesting to be traded and that Nets’ owner Joe Tsai fire general manager Sean Marks and head coach Steve Nash. None of those things happened, and Durant opted to remain with the team. Judging from his performance in Monday night’s game, any residual awkwardness from Durant’s off-season behavior has not affected his on-court ability. Durant and Kyrie Irving each scored 37 points in the loss.
The Grizzlies welcomed the return of Dillon Brooks, who played for the first time this season. Brooks had a quiet night offensively but still brought his signature defensive effort, culminating in him and Kevin Durant receiving double technical fouls in the first half.
But the real dynamic duo of the night turned out to be Ja Morant and Desmond Bane. Their combined 76 points set a new franchise record for combined points by two teammates. Morant and Bane each put up 38 points, with the latter setting new career highs in scoring and three-pointers made.
Desmond Bane launches from behind the three-point line. (Credit: Aimee Stiegemeyer)
By the Numbers:
Ja Morant closed out the night with 38 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and two steals while shooting 4 of 6 from three-point range. Morant is currently leading the league in total points scored (141) and in highest-scoring game (49).
Desmond Bane also finished with 38 points and 7 assists, shooting 8 of 11 from beyond the arc. Bane scored 32 of his points in the second half.
12skii + deuce deuce went 𝐅𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋 in the win last night.
Santi Aldama had 17 points and 4 rebounds; Brandon Clarke dropped 13 points from the bench on 4 of 5 field goal attempts.
Steven Adams put up 9 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.
Who Got Next?
The Grizzlies are embarking on a 4-game road trip, with their first stop in Sacramento to face off against the Kings Thursday night. Tip-off is at 9 PM CDT.
For 2023, the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee (ACLU-TN) and Tennessee Equality Project (TEP) expect bans on hormones and surgeries for minors, forced outing and mandatory reporting, gender affirming care being defined as child abuse, religious exemptions for counselors, and doctors being criminalized for professional misconduct.
The ACLU-TN and TEP made this prediction during a presentation titled “The Reality of Trans Healthcare in Tennessee: A Conversation With Trans Advocates,” on Friday, October 21, 2022.
Advocates joined together to not only give an overview of the state of trans healthcare in Tennessee, but to inform attendees on the process of receiving care for youth, potential obstacles, and different forms of care.
This session comes after it was announced that Vanderbilt University Medical Center, which Dulce Torres Guzman of Tennessee Lookout said was a “leader in transgender healthcare,” would be temporarily stopping gender affirming surgeries for minors.
According to the ACLU-TN and TEP, Tennessee law currently allows for families to access gender-affirming healthcare for youth. It is also legal for medical providers to provide this care to youth. The ACLU-TN said that if lawmakers try to pass legislation that violates the rights of trans people, their plan of attack is to “fight it in the legislature.”
“As the ACLU-TN of Tennessee and as the Tennessee Equality Project we are sworn and heavily dedicated to access to gender affirming care for youth,” said Henry Seaton, ACLU-TN’s first-ever trans justice advocate.
In 2022 SB 657/HB 578 was withdrawn, which according to the ACLU-TN “prohibited any sort of intervention for gender identity, or any gender affirming care for prepubescent minors and minors in general. It also would have punished violations as “child abuse.”
SB 2360/HB 2451 failed, which required parents to have access to information in their child’s school such as teacher names, book titles in the library, and curriculum. It also would have prohibited healthcare providers to give treatment to minors without parental consent.
The ACLU-TN also said that SB2696/HB 2835 was placed in a general subcommittee and encompasses a number of policies that touch on gender affirming care, the usage of state funds to “prepare a minor for treatment, the ability of school staff to “out” a student to their parents, and more.
According to advocates from the ACLU-TN and TEP, the process for minors to receive care is extensive, and is “influenced largely by access to education, care, and safe support systems.” Advocates said that there is a lot that needs to be done before a child can receive care due to a number of obstacles.
Some of these obstacles include families not having the education that they need or not having a safe support system.
The TEP said that the most common form of care is social assistance, which involves educating parents so that the child can start socially transitioning at school, home, and with their friends. After this, a child may start Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) after the “appropriate stages of development, but never before puberty.”
If gender dysphoria still poses a threat to the “biopsychosocial safety of the youth,” then surgery will be allowed. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) defines gender dysphoria as “psychological distress that results from an incongruence between one’s sex assigned at birth and one’s gender identity.”
Surgery is only considered after a series of mental and physical health evaluations, and familial counseling. TEP also said that genital surgery does not occur before the age of 18.
There are a lot of factors that contribute to the reasons why healthcare providers opt to not delay care to minors. TEP said that there are increased risks in suicide, self-harm, and mental illness. TEP also said that kids who were able to transition as youth contributed to a 73% decrease in suicidal behavior and ideation in the first six months.
