Month: March 2023

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Morant, Bane Lift Grizzlies to Sixth-Straight Win

Ja Morant goes up for a layup against the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday, March 26, 2023. (Credit: Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images)

After coming off the bench in the first two games after serving an eight-game ban, Ja Morant was reinstated in the starting lineup against Atlanta Sunday night for the Grizzlies. He took advantage of the opportunity.

Morant put up 27 points, six assists, and three rebounds as Memphis defeated the Hawks 123-119, and clinched a top-4 seed and home court advantage in the first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs. The Grizzlies previously clinched a playoff berth on Friday night with a win against the Houston Rockets.

Morant said he’s not quite himself just yet. “I’m getting there,” he said after the win. “I’m getting a lot more comfortable. Getting my legs under me a little bit. My staff is preparing me the right way, having me ready for games each and every night. I believe in them 100 percent in how they’re managing me and ramping me back up.”

Morant said he studied film while he was away from the team. He said, “Obviously I watched pretty much all the games – how they were moving the ball and playing no-point-five basketball, sharing the ball, being very unselfish and that’s one of the reasons I decided to come off the bench early on to get that feel of that playing style. 

Morant went on to say, “I feel like we [have] to keep continuing to play like that. We have a lot more guys that can contribute and be in rhythm playing with confidence and we’re tough to guard.” 

The 23-year-old said it was nice to hear the young fans cheer for him. However, he knows he has a responsibility as a role model to the younger generation. “I got to set better examples,” said the All-Star guard. “Mistakes I made in the past [are] not examples they need to see. It’s only right, I correct them and show them the right way. Having them still behind me brings joy to me, makes me happy.”

Morant didn’t have any issues in the opposing arena since he said it was home for him. He was born in Georgia and spent time there growing up. 

Morant also said he can’t wait to get back to Memphis in front of the home crowd in the playoffs. Like Dillon Brooks, he’s ready to hear, “Whoop That Trick,” the Grizzlies playoff rallying cry. 

The Grizzlies are now 47-27 on the season and hold the longest active winning streak in the NBA with six consecutive victories.

Desmond Bane added 25 points, five assists, three rebounds while going 11-of-18 from the field. 

Jaren Jackson, Jr. finished with 15 points, eight rebounds, five blocks and three steals in 34 minutes of play. 

After the game, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins had this to say about Jackson, Jr.’s defensive impact: 

Xavier Tillman, Sr. had an all-round complete game. In 30 minutes, he chipped in 15 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks. Tillman has been doing an excellent job holding it down for the Grizzlies in the absence of Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke.

Luke Kennard scored 14 points while shooting four-of-nine from three and grabbed seven boards off the bench. As a reserve Tyus Jones had 13 points and five assists. 

Up Next 

The Grizzlies return to FedExForum for a three-game homestand starting Tuesday, March 28, against the Orlando Magic at 7 p.m. CT. 

Categories
News Politics Politics Beat Blog

Local GOP Chair Urges New Look, Enlargement from Trump Era

Shelby GOP chair Cary Vaughn on Saturday

It’s been an astonishing and paradoxical weekend for the Shelby County Republican Party.

On Saturday, some 100 or so members of the party faithful had a dissent-free reorganizing convention in which chairman Cary Vaughn, who was re-elected by acclamation, called for “turning the page” and distancing the party from “the Trump brand.”

On Sunday, rumbles were heard from the local GOP’s populist right wing, notably from former Shelby County Commission chair Terry Roland, who issued a retort saying, “Without Trump you don’t have a party,” and contending that there were “more Trump [voters] than not” among the county’s Republicans, “and we aren’t taking a back seat to anyone.”

Roland, who chaired the local Trump election efforts in 2016 and 2020, went so far as to say: “Most of us won’t support anyone else, so I’m done with the Shelby County party after 36 years.”

In his acceptance remarks on Saturday, Vaughn had said, “We need boots on the ground. We need new people. … We can’t get there with the same core group. … We have to truly look at how we market the Shelby County GOP. … We have to work on the depth chart, right?”

Vaughn said, “We’re kind of fractured a little bit. We’ve got Trumpers,  we’ve got Never Trumpers, we’ve got moderates, we’ve got people that are ultra ultra conservative, and and we all have to live together in the sandbox. But here’s my point. There’s enough common core, enough common ground, right?”

The chairman illustrated his point by citing a conversation with an African-American acquaintance, who told him, “We as African Americans want to be a part of the Republican Party in Shelby County.” Vaughn quoted the man as saying many Blacks were “pro-life, pro-God, pro-business, pro-traditional marriage [and] believe in core values. But we’re not coming over under the Trump brand.”

[Apropos this aspect of Vaugh’s appeal, Roland’s statement declares, “So you would throw Trump under the bus to get maybe a few minority votes and lose all the the Trumpers. Real smart.”]

Calling for the party to broaden its recruitment efforts, Vaughn identified as potential new GOP cadres “the people that serve in the same pockets that we serve, the people that we work with, the people that we serve with.” Republicans should say to such people, “You need to join. I’m gonna sponsor you to join the Republican Party. And then all of a sudden, activity happens.

“If nothing changes, nothing happens, right? And so we have to find a way to say look, there is room for everybody at the table with the Shelby County GOP. Now maybe we tear down the silos just a little bit so that we can come together on these core competencies, and we can move this party forward.” 

There was also the matter of fund-raising for the party, which he spoke of as being urgent. “We know people that have the financial capacity, but they have no desire. We have people that have desire and passion, but they don’t have two nickels to rub together. … No money, no mission. We’ve got to focus on this money piece so that we  can move forward.

“We want to be more successful in winning in elections, right? We begin with the end in mind — we have to win elections. That’s why we’re here. But at the same time, we want to focus on how we market ourselves how we push membership, and also how we raise more money for the foundation, and how we raise more money for the GOP.”

After his remarks to the convention, and as members gathered in groups according to state House districts and busied themselves with the process of electing  a new steering committee, Vaughn expressed optimism regarding the GOP’s future in a session with reporters.

Asked if he anticipated blowback from die-hard Trump supporters,  Vaughan said, “I think all that’ll work out in the long run. I think what we have to focus on is electing the right people for the right positions for the right purpose. It’s kind of a Tom Sawyer approach. We’re gonna paint this big fence, everybody’s gonna grab a brush, and everybody’s gonna do it together. We’re gonna have fun.”

That, of course remains to be seen. If Roland’s sentiments turn out to reflect a significant number of the county’s Trump-leaning Republicans, the big fence may not get painted so easily, and chairman Vaughn may not experience all the fun he’s counting on.

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Kennard Leads Grizzlies Over Rockets

Luke Kennard, expert three-point shooter. (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE by Getty Images)

Alternate column title: Luke Kennard Shot the effing lights out; also the Grizzlies won by 37 and are going to the playoffs.

Final score: 151-114.

What a ride this one was, in all the best ways. Obligatory “the Rockets are slaw this year” disclosure aside, how about those Grizzlies?

Let’s get into it.

Season-high-scoring game — check. Second-highest-scoring game in franchise history — check. Franchise record 25 3-pointers made — check. Playoff berth confirmed — check.

FedExForum already has big playoff energy, and it was on display Friday night. If this is how Memphis gets up for a late March game against one of the worst teams in the Western Conference, imagine how wild it will be during the postseason.

The Grizzlies had this game mostly won by the end of the third quarter, they just had to play it out to make it official. Coach Jenkins pulled the starters early in the fourth quarter, so the final 10 minutes were dominated by Kennedy Chandler, Kenneth Lofton Jr, David Roddy, Santi Aldama, and John Konchar.

The fact that Memphis was able to soundly defeat Houston with no one on the roster playing more than 26 minutes is a testament to how deep this team is. It is also a nod to the work done by the coaching staff in developing the young talent over the course of the season.

Is Luke Kennard the missing three-point threat the Grizzlies needed? Because it is sure looking that way. Kennard tied his high career-high 30 points, leading all scorers on a career-best 10 of 11 (90.0%!) shooting from beyond the arc, and setting a new Grizzlies franchise record for most three-pointers made in a game, surpassing the shared record of 9 made by Mike Miller and Jaren Jackson Jr.

With shooting like that, my guy here deserved a little more effort in the Photoshop department.

By The Numbers:

Behind Kennard’s heroics, Desmond Bane put up 25 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block, while shooting 10 of 13 overall and 5 of 7 from three-point range.

Ja Morant once again came off the bench, and he put on a master class, complete with highlights, in less than 20 minutes, finishing the night with 18 points, 2 rebounds, and 8 assists.

Jaren Jackson Jr also finished the night with 18 points, plus 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks.

Dillon Brooks closed out with 11 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block. And no technical fouls.

Tyus Jones also put up 11 points, 3 rebounds, and 9 assists, on 4 of 8 shooting overall and 3 of 4 from beyond the arc.

And finally, last but not least, Kenneth Lofton Jr put up 11 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block on 5 of 9 overall shooting, in just 10 minutes of playing time.

Who Got Next?

The Grizzlies head to Atlanta to face off against the Hawks on Sunday, March 26th. Tip-off is at 5 PM CDT.

Categories
Art Intermission Impossible Theater Theater Feature

Murdoch’s Legacy: Fast-Paced Ink Delivers at Circuit Playhouse

Michael Kinslow as Rupert Murdoch and David Hammons as Larry Lamb in the Circuit Playhouse production of Ink. (Credit: Collin Baker)

If you think journalism has gone to hell, you won’t get an argument from me. 

I don’t hate it — I still practice it and am grateful for the income — but the idea and execution of the industry has morphed over the decades from town criers to scandalous broadsheets to principled news organizations to scandalous tabloids to mindless aggregators. Print ruled for ages, but then radio and TV came in to further reshape it, but in any medium, journalism ultimately has to give the public what it wants — and will pay for. 

James Graham’s Ink, now playing at Circuit Playhouse, brilliantly describes one of those defining shifts in the newspaper era when, in 1969,  a 38-year-old, pre-tycoon Rupert Murdoch bought a failing British rag. To run The Sun, he hired his friend Larry Lamb away from a competitor and challenged him to boost the numbers to surpass the fusty broadsheet that had long led in circulation in the UK. 

There’s plenty of newsroom energy in the Circuit Playhouse production of Ink. (Credit: Collin Baker)

The play visits all the topics that journalists talk about — newsworthiness, ethics, objectivity — and one of the key insights into the thinking of the new endeavor from Murdoch/Lamb comes in a discussion of the five W’s: who, what, when, where, and why. 

But Lamb challenges the need for that last W: “The only thing worth asking isn’t why — it’s: what’s next?”

That philosophy isn’t deep, but sets the stage for how storytelling in newspapers would be trending along with the clearly understood primary goal of making money. Its duty to inform the public would be done by entertaining and titillating readers, not by crafting thoughtful stories for the civic minded. And The Sun would show how a news organization could shape what was next.

The Circuit staging is helmed by Chicago-based Warner Crocker, who keeps the action snappy whether its dialogue between Murdoch (Michael Kinslow) and Lamb (David Hammonds), or chaotic newsroom scenes with the entire cast throwing newspaper bundles, barking into phones, typing furiously, posing for pictures, cracking wise, and arguing tirelessly.

Graham’s script is crisp and purposeful, propelling the story, revealing the characters, and amping up the stakes. It doesn’t set up Murdoch or Lamb as good guys or bad. They have their dreams and in Act One, you may well find yourself pulling for their audacious enterprise to succeed — they are, after all, trying to stick it to the power structure. Act Two keeps the energy but gets inside the consequences of their newspaper’s brashness. How flippant can you be in a life-or-death situation?

The Circuit cast is solid and the production smartly executed. It’s entertaining from the get-go and stirs up enough issues to provoke discussions long after the final bows.

More than 50 years later, Murdoch is still around and still intent on making money from the news business — hence his multi-billion-dollar company named News Corp. His publishing legacy will include taking bold risks and shaping global news coverage as well as shamelessly pushing lies, agendas, and the lowest common denominator. 

Ink runs through April 16th at Circuit Playhouse. For info and tickets, go to playhouseonthesquare.org.

Categories
Film Features Film/TV

Jacir

Malik Rahbani in Jacir. (Credit: WAFilms)

Jacir is directed by Waheed AlQawasmi, an immigrant from the Middle East who landed in Memphis two decades ago. Set in the director’s adopted hometown, it arrives in theaters amidst a storm of controversy. A lawsuit by the film’s first producer Amy Williams alleges an abusive working environment on set, culminating in wrongful termination, and a number of financial improprieties. It’s never a good sign when the behind-the-scenes drama overshadows the story on the screen. If it’s any consolation to all those involved in the ongoing turmoil, at least it wasn’t for nothing. Jacir is an artistic success. 

You probably know Memphis is a poor city, but how poor is it, in the big picture? Last Sunday, the New York Times published a story on the twentieth anniversary of the Iraq War. Writer Alissa J. Rubin notes that “About a quarter of Iraqis live at or below the poverty line, according to Iraq’s Planning Ministry.” 

According to U of M’s 2021 Memphis Poverty Fact Sheet, 24.6 percent of the city’s adults and 39.6 percent of children live at or below the poverty level. 

That’s right — Memphis, Tennessee, USA, is as poor as Iraq, the county we destroyed on a whim two decades ago. During the course of the invasion, and the eight-year occupation, the U.S. military killed approximately 80,000 enemy combatants and 200,000 civilians. ISIS formed to fill the power vacuum in the northwestern part of Iraq, sparking a series of conflicts that spread to Syria, where a multi-pronged civil war still occasionally flares up. Millions of people fleeing the fighting are now refugees, spread out across the world. 

Tutweezy and Malik Rahbani in Jacir. (Credit: WAFilms)

In Jacir, Malik Rahbani stars as young man from the destroyed city of Aleppo, Syria, who fled the fighting and made it all the way to Memphis. His entire family is dead, and the former architecture student is now a dishwasher at a Middle Eastern restaurant run by the acerbic Adam (Tony Mehanna). He gets in the good graces of fellow kitchen staffer Jerome (Tutweezy) by telling him Adam is calling him the n-word in Arabic. 

When Jacir walks through the urban blight of South Memphis, with gunfire echoing in the distance, he can’t help but be reminded of the bombed-out streets of Aleppo, and wonders if he has come to “a worse shithole.” As he stares at pictures of his dead family on his cracked smartphone screen and plays Al Kapone on his scavenged stereo, he hears anti-immigrant Fox News rants coming through the walls. His neighbor Meryl (Lorraine Bracco) is a disabled retiree who has given up on life. “I like drinking by myself now,” she tells her last friend who tries to coax her back to the land of the living. Instead, she chooses to soothe her pain with racist grievance and oxycontin. 

Lorraine Bracco in Jacir. (Credit WAFilms)

Raised in a tradition of kindness towards strangers, Jacir wants to help his neighbor, to prove that he’s a nice guy, not a dirty animal. But she pushes back, continually insulting him even after he saves her from a burglary. Jacir’s immigration officer (Mark Jeffrey Miller) is not happy about his charge showing up on police reports, no matter what the reason. He threatens Jacir with deportation, even though he has no place to go. 

What Jacir, Jerome, and Meryl all have in common is that they are members of the disposable class that their governments and economic systems have tossed on the trash heap. Their challenge is to figure out how to carve out space for themselves while learning to accept the humanity of their fellow strugglers. They want to live, to create, to pursue happiness in their own way, but whether it’s Fallujah or Allepo or Memphis, they’re all in the same place. 

These are well-trod roads. Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing, with its restaurant setting and casually racist owner, is a clear inspiration. Tutweezy’s aspiring rapper is right out of Craig Brewer’s Hustle & Flow, and AlQawasmi indulges in Brewer-esque montages for several character beats. The cinematography by Memphis lenser Ryan Earl Parker is excellent at evoking both the bleakness of the impoverished settings and the city’s unpredictable bursts of beauty. 

But it’s the performances that really make Jacir. Rahbani, who looks like John Cusack by way of Beirut, goes from wide-eyed vulnerability to flinty cynicism while holding on to the human core of his character. Bracco brings out the pain, confusion, and denial behind the devotion of many Trumpist cultists. Miller, Tutweezy, and Leila Almas Rose as Adam’s sympathetic daughter Nadia all deliver solid turns. 

Jacir’s jacket. (Credit: WAFilms)

There is a long tradition in art of the enfant terrible, the troubled visionary whose rages and cruelty go hand in hand with their undeniable talent. Some see Welles’ tantrums, Hitchcock’s misogyny, Goddard’s abusiveness, Polanski, and Singer’s sex crimes as part of a package with their brilliance. In fact, these great men — and notice, they’re all men — were held back by their bad behavior. Their films succeeded in spite of, not because of, the rampant assholery. They were saved by crews who knew how to behave professionally, even when their leaders failed to. The days of John Ford slugging whiskey while directing a cavalry charge are over, mostly thanks to crews who refuse to put up with it in the wake of #MeToo and several recent high-profile on-set fatalities. In this case, it’s a real shame, because Jacir is a legitimately remarkable achievement, both in artistic and business terms. Is that what it will be remembered for?

Categories
Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

Belle Meade Social to Open in East Memphis

Rendering of the Belle Meade Social entrance (Credit: DCA)

Anyone need an extra order of Parmesan truffle fries for the table? The upcoming Belle Meade Social has you covered, alongside plenty of other refined American favorites.

Named for the surrounding residential neighborhood, Belle Meade Social plans to open this spring at 518 Perkins Extended. The menu aims to deliver contemporary and elevated takes on classic American cuisine; look out for the Belle Meade burger, a spicy tuna stack, Asian chopped salad, and brick chicken.

Founding partners Jules Jordan and Paul Stephens are leading the effort alongside executive chef Eric Ingraham, who most recently has worked with Pimento’s for the better part of a decade. “We’re excited to add to the energy of the Poplar-Perkins corridor and serve as a destination for everyday yet upscale dining,” said Jordan in a statement. “Whether for business lunch, happy hour, a special occasion, or family dinner, we’re creating a space that can authentically serve as everyone’s neighborhood spot.”

Belle Meade Social will feature lunch, dinner, and late-night dining. The Garden Room can accomodate fine dining for a nice evening meal, while the expansive bar is perfect for a more casual night out. Meanwhile, the Tuckahoe Room is available for private receptions and cocktails.

More info, such as the full menu and hours, will be available closer to opening, so stay tuned.

The Brick Chicken (top) is one of Belle Meade Social’s featured dishes. (Credit: DCA)
Steak Noodle Salad (Credit: DCA)
Tuna Salad (Credit: DCA)
Categories
News News Blog News Feature

Community-Based Organizations Discuss Impact of HIV Funding Being Cut

(Credit: Testalize.me on Unsplash)

Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and the Shelby County Health Department invited community-based organizations to form the HIV Equity Coalition (HIVE Coalition) in response to the state of Tennessee cutting HIV funding.

According to a statement from the mayor’s office, the HIVE Coalition “will engage area stakeholders to discuss the current problems facing people with HIV and how Governor Bill Lee, the State of Tennessee, and Health Commissioner Ralph Alvarado’s refusal to accept nearly $10 million in federal funds for HIV care and prevention will impact patients and vulnerable populations.” 

“The HIVE Coalition will also discuss ways for the community and local officials to help support organizations following the state’s destructive decision,” said the statement.

Mayor Harris was joined by representatives from the Shelby County Health Department, Friends for Life, OUTMemphis, Hope House, and the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS foundation to host a panel discussion on Zoom to not only discuss the work they are doing to help those impacted by HIV, but to share how cutting funds will disrupt their efforts.

“This is the start of our efforts, which we are committed to sustaining until our vulnerable HIV population has the level of healthcare access that we know is needed,” said Harris.

According to Jerri Green, senior policy advisor for Shelby County, there are 19,000 Tennesseans living with HIV. Green added that Shelby County ranked number three in “incidence rates of new HIV infections in the United States,” and the disease disproportionately affects those in minority populations.

“What we’re really talking about is creating equity in a space where this funding being cut is going to jeopardize that equity,” said Michelle Taylor, director of the Shelby County Health Department. “The fact that this funding is being cut is going to be devastating to the community.”

Taylor also explained that community-based organizations help the Shelby County Health Department’s outreach efforts in not only the treatment space but the prevention space as well.

Molly Quinn serves as the executive director of OUTMemphis, which launched its HIV prevention campaign 12 years ago. While the organization focuses most of its programs and services on the LGBTQ community, its HIV prevention services are open to all.

“We feel very strongly about the importance of LGBTQ experiences in our public health outcomes, which are so severely negative in this part of the country, in this part of the world,” said Quinn. “We really look forward to a time when politics are no longer a part of our public health.”

Hope House serves families that have been affected by HIV. They also have a full service social services house that provides support services and more to those living with HIV.

“Prevention is so incredibly important,” said Melissa Farrar, director of social services at Hope House. “We have babies that are not living with HIV because of prevention efforts in our community, so the prevention funding is so important for everyone in the community. It’s so important that everyone has equitable access to prevention services.”

Diane Duke, CEO of Friends For Life, explained that they initially started out as a “group of people who helped their friends die with dignity,” but her organization has come a long way thanks to prevention efforts.

“We are dependent on funds from the federal government in order for us to be successful in our mission,” said Duke.

Duke explained that they received a grant for $463,000. However, funding from the CDC qualified them for the 340B Drug Pricing Program, which according to their website, “enables covered entities to stretch scarce federal resources as far as possible, reaching more eligible patients and providing more comprehensive services.” According to Duke, that would result in losses of $1.7 million in funding annually.

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

It’s a Parade Inside My City, Yeah!!!

Ja Morant back on the court after a nine game absence against the Houston Rockets (Credit: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

Grizzlies defeated the Houston Rockets at FedExForum Wednesday night, 130-125, and clinched their second consecutive Southwest Division title. Memphis improved to 45-27 on the season and have a league-leading 31-5 home record. 

The J&J Show

Jaren Jackson, Jr. put on a master-class on the offensive end with 37 points, 10 rebounds, and two assists while going 14-of-20 (70%) from the field plus two blocks and a steal.

The All-Star big man scored on his first 13 field goals inside the 3-point line and finished with 13-of-15 in the paint while tying his career-high in field goals made. 

“I’m taking what the defense has given me, definitely a lot right now,” Jackson, Jr. said after his dominant performance. “Being assertive and trying to abuse mismatches and just taking it upon myself to be dominant and not take a possession off.”

He went on to say, “Really just try every time to get what I want and get to my spots. It’s all about spots, for real. I’m learning that more and more each game, it’s about spots because spots become more and more repetitive each game and trying to get to certain places on the floor where I can really be successful.”

“I definitely have the potential to be good,” Jackson, Jr. added. “I think just growing into the potential that I have is great; you got to just get there. Potentially I will.”

Ja Morant was back on the floor for the first time since his 8-game suspension. The All-Star point guard came off the bench for the first time in his career and received a standing ovation from the crowd. 

“It meant a lot, man,” said Morant. “Obviously, I’m thankful and grateful for everybody who’s been supporting me during this time. It definitely helped me a lot, definitely made me feel a little better. Eased everything that was going on. Felt good to be back. Super excited. Glad we [were] able to get the win.”

As far as coming off the bench, it was essentially Morant’s idea. “I didn’t want to come back and mess any of that chemistry up,” the All-Star guard said. “Obviously, I was watching film once my time was getting closer to being back, watching how they was playing. Obviously, it’s different from watching and actually being out there. So getting back into the flow, getting back into the offense. Also getting back comfortable with everything. My mental is very important to me, and that was one of the reasons why.”

The 23-year-old said he had to calm his nerves before the game. “Before the game, I did some meditation to basically just ease the nerves, the emotions I was feeling coming back,” he said. “It was a lot, but it kind of helped me, and then once I got out there on the court, just seeing how the fans reacted to me being back definitely helped me a lot. Made me feel good inside, and I can’t put it into words. Thank you everybody.”

He also made clear he’s prioritizing his mental health. He emphasized his counseling will be an ongoing process. 

Morant closed out the game with 17 points, five assists, four rebounds, two steals and a block. The Murray State alum says he got a second chance and I believe he’s going to make the best of it. 

Up Next

The Grizzlies and Rockets will do it again on Friday, March 24th, for the final matchup of the season. Memphis looks to take the season series 4-0. 

Categories
News News Blog News Feature

New Bus Service Offers Travel From Memphis To Nashville On Memorial Day Weekend

Photo Credit: BizBus

A new intercity bus service that will allow travelers to go from Memphis to Nashville and back will be making its first trip on Memorial Day weekend. On Saturday, May 27, 2023, and Sunday, May 28, 2023, BizBus will depart from Memphis to Nashville at 7:00 A.M., and from Nashville to Memphis at 12:00 noon.

BizBus is a new bus service that will offer comfortable seating, Wi-Fi and an onboard attendant. The one-way fare is $49.99, and according to BizBus, the fare is priced competitively with FlixBus and Megabus.

Jonathan Toles is the founder of BizBus and said that the idea was a result of his traveling experiences. Toles said that during his time as a TSA officer, he heard travelers voice their frustrations about regional travel.

“If you wanted to go from Memphis to Nashville, there’s no direct flight,” said Toles. “It was so frustrating. You could hear people’s frustrations. That’s when I first got interested in this.”

Toles said that when he was a TSA officer, he wanted to provide the best service, and he wanted people to feel comfortable and excited about their travels. And as a Memphis native, Toles said he believes that it’s a city that lacks professional services. Some big cities naturally have businesses that are “hospitality first,” he said, while mid-sized cities such as Memphis and Nashville are often overlooked.

“Here now we have an opportunity for people who don’t like to fly, or are too exhausted to drive, to connect those two cities,” said Toles. “Memphis is my heart. I want the people of Memphis to experience business-class travel, and not just the big market cities.”

 According to Toles, the use of buses as a means of transportation has been overlooked. He said he believes that buses are given the perception of an “unsafe” and “uncomfortable” experience with “horrible customer service.”

“With that in your mind, you don’t even think about a bus,” said Toles. “But the statistics suggest a bus is actually the best way of intercity, highway travel between 200 and 400 miles for one-way trips.”

A study entitled by DePaul University called “Ground Transportation Gaps: Evaluating Recent Setbacks in Amtrak and Intercity Bus Travel and Service Expansion during an Era of Lower Cost Fuel,” said that “intercity bus and rail travel is most viable on trips within the 100-400 mile range. These trips can generally be traversed on a ground-travel mode in about two-to-eight hours, a distance which can be uncomfortable when driving, particularly with heavy traffic,” the study said.

Toles said that people need to realize that there is an alternative. “Now we can save on the environment, the consumption of carbon dioxide, It’s actually safer, less accidents. You don’t have to worry about fatigue, no TSA, no layovers, no delayed flights, no cancellations. You can arrive 15 minutes before your trip’s departure, and you can go where you need to go. BizBus provides a business-class experience and you can ride like a Kardashian.”

BizBus currently does not have its own coach buses, but they have contracted with companies such as Tennessee Limousine Services to “provide a clean bus with leather seats and a professional driver.” Travelers will also be provided with on-board attendants, light meals and refreshments, pillows and blankets, and complementary alcoholic beverages.

“We’re changing the concept of business-class experience without necessarily having to break the bank,” said Toles. “You can have quality, and everyone wins.”

Categories
News News Blog News Feature

Interim MSCS Leader Outlines Her Vision for District as Superintendent Search Narrows

Toni Williams, interim superintendent of Memphis-Shelby Country Schools, used an annual state-of-the-district address Tuesday to review the results of her six months leading the district and to outline a vision for the future of the district. (Laura Testino / Chalkbeat)

In a speech reflecting on the recent school year and teasing budget priorities for the coming one, interim Memphis schools leader Toni Williams described a district on the rise, with big decisions ahead about improving facilities, literacy, and safety. 

Williams also implicitly made her case to be considered a candidate in the search for Memphis-Shelby County Schools’ next superintendent, a position she once said she had no interest in assuming on a permanent basis. 

The school board, working with a national search firm, has been soliciting applicants for that post since March 1st, and is in the process of narrowing its list of candidates to a small group of finalists. The search firm, Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates, will interview 12 candidates by Thursday afternoon and is expected to deliver a slate of three finalists to the school board in April. Finalists will be interviewed publicly on April 21st and 22nd.

Williams used the annual state-of-the-district address Tuesday to review the results of her six months leading the district, following the departure of Superintendent Joris Ray, and to outline a vision for the future of the district. 

In the months after she was appointed, Williams appeared to soften her stance against seeking the permanent job. After her address today, she demurred when Chalkbeat asked whether she had applied or been interviewed for the role. 

“I don’t want today to be about me,” Williams said. “I want to just stay focused on, you know, really today’s message.”

She added: “But there will be other opportunities to answer that question.”

Williams’ theme for the address was “triumphant together,” a nod to the district’s calls for community members to help remove the often poverty-related barriers Memphis students and families face outside school. Rather than “Reimagining 901,” a tagline Ray used to describe a facilities and academics plan, Williams spoke of “transforming the 901.” 

“What transforming the 901 is about is a long term, thoughtful, shared vision for rebuilding this community, including wraparound services, community schools, expanding pre-K and after-school programs … . It has to be a community effort,” Williams said.

Williams’ speech at the district’s Teaching and Learning Academy auditorium had the feel of an elevated school assembly, unlike the more lavish hotel ballroom addresses of Ray’s tenure. The house lights stayed on, and attendees went home with stationery sets featuring student artwork.

The setting was meant to show that the district could be a “good steward of the resources that we already have,” Cathryn Stout, the district’s chief of communications, explained during a preview of the address.

Williams spent much of the 90-minute address explaining district plans for issues of interest to key constituencies in the district, in the business community and among Shelby County and City of Memphis leadership. (You can watch the full address online here.) 

For teachers, the district plans to invest $27 million in teacher pay, a move that will bump up starting salaries. 

Williams confirmed a new 10-year facilities plan. The district released a plan two years ago, but Williams had told the Shelby County Commission, which funds capital projects for the district, that the district would provide a new plan when requesting funds for a new Cordova high school. 

She touted new state investments into district career and technical education that would appeal to the business community. 

To improve attendance rates, Williams said, the district has upgraded communication to families about student absences. That includes referrals to community resources. The steps follow a rise in tensions between the district and Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland, who in the fall claimed concerning crime rates were linked to low school attendance. 

With a few months to go in the current fiscal year, district officials still have to prepare and present a budget for next year, which will be the first time the district sees a boost of recurring funds through a new state funding formula, called Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement, or TISA. The funds could ease the transition out of programs funded by one-time federal pandemic funds, but the district will have to assess which programs remain.

An ongoing review of academic programming funded by the millions of dollars in federal aid will help inform which programming makes the cut. Tuesday, Williams pointed to $30 million annually toward “specialized education assistants” in lower elementary grade classrooms and $42 million annually toward reading and math tutoring as successful programming funded by the federal cash influx.

Williams also said the district is looking to scale a piloted school safety program across all district middle and high schools at a cost of $50 million. The technology, according to a video played during Tuesday’s program, sounds alarms at school entrances that aren’t designated for student or staff use. Improvements also would speed up student weapon searches at the start of the school day. 

Williams also announced the finalists for the teacher, principal and supervisor of the year:

Supervisor of the year finalists: 

  • Brian Ingram, Human Resources
  • Sunya Payne, Student, Family and Community Engagement
  • Reggie Jackson, School Operations 

Principal of the year finalists:

  • Keyundah Coleman, John P. Freeman Optional School
  • Renee Meeks, Sea Isle Elementary School
  • James Suggs, G.W. Carver High School 

Teacher of the year finalists: 

  • Thomas Denson, White Station Elementary School
  • Tishsha Hopson, Hickory Ridge Middle School
  • Ollie Liddell, Central High School

Laura Testino covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach her at LTestino@chalkbeat.org.

Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.