Mothers of children who attend Nashville’s Covenant School in the Tennessee House gallery on the first day of the 2023 special legislative session. (Photo: John Partipilo)
Tennessee House Republicans passed a set of rules allowing them to silence lawmakers deemed disruptive, off-topic or who “impugn the reputation” of another member during this week’s special legislative session.
The new rules are an attempt by Republican lawmakers to find a way to stop Reps. Justin Jones, D-Nashville, and Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, from disrupting proceedings without expelling them or running afoul of the state constitution, which requires the two men to be able to vote in person on the House floor.
“The rules that are being put forward now are to limit freedom of speech,” Pearson said during the debate over them. “It’s not just limiting the freedom of speech of representatives. You are limiting the freedom of speech of our constituents.”
Earlier this year, Jones and Pearson used a bullhorn to take over the House floor and protest a lack of response to gun violence following a mass shooting that killed six at the Covenant School in Nashville.
Republican lawmakers expelled the two for their actions, but local governments and voters swiftly returned the two men to their House seats, removing expulsion as a deterrent.
Gov. Bill Lee called this week’s legislative in response to the Covenant shooting but has restricted lawmakers from discussing any gun-related legislation.
The rules that are being put forward now are to limit freedom of speech. It’s not just limiting the freedom of speech of representatives. You are limiting the freedom of speech of our constituents.
– Rep. Justin Pearson, D-Memphis
Lee will allow lawmakers to discuss 18 topics, which include ways to strengthen criminal justice laws and address mental health issues. He will also enable them to discuss a red-flag law to remove guns from this deemed a risk, but no House or Senate Republican has sponsored such a bill.
Democrats have criticized the special session for not allowing lawmakers to debate some form of gun control. The Covenant shooter had three guns in their possession, including an AR-15 military-style rifle.
As part of the special session and new rules, Republican lawmakers restricted public access to the Capitol building, legislative offices and House floor.
A cap was set for how many people could enter the Capitol, and members of the public won’t be allowed to carry signs while in the House gallery.
House Republicans also closed off one of the two galleries from the public, allowing only credentialed guests like media members, legislative staff and lobbyists.
In the past, House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, could cut off a lawmaker’s microphone if he determined they were disruptive, off-topic or personally insulted a House member when commenting or asking a question during the debate of a bill.
Sexton had exercised this authority several times with Jones, Pearson, and the occasional Republican lawmaker. But, the new rules allow Sexton and the Republican supermajority to escalate the punishments. House Majority Leader William Lamberth. (Photo: John Partipilo)
“Stick to the bill, stick to the policy,” House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, said advocating for the rules. “Let’s stay on the issue and not insult each other.”
The rules give House lawmakers three strikes on disruptions. A House member can’t debate or make remarks on the floor for three days after the first time Sexton deems them disruptive. On the second offense, it’s six days of silence and a third offense results in a ban for the rest of the special session.
When a member is off-topic, the rules give lawmakers four strikes before they are silenced for the rest of the special session. On the first offense, the lawmaker’s mic is cut off. On the second offense, the speaker won’t recognize the lawmaker on the House floor for three days, and on the third offense, it’s no recognization for six days.
When a lawmaker “impugns the reputation of another member” the House will take a vote on remark without debate. If the House determines the lawmaker insulted a member the same four-strike rules as being off-topic apply.
Tennessee Lookout is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Tennessee Lookout maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Holly McCall for questions: info@tennesseelookout.com. Follow Tennessee Lookout on Facebook and Twitter.
Celebrated Memphis journalist Jennifer Biggs (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Jennifer Biggs and I used to say we were going to be the first two people to never die.
We said (not sure if we really thought it) that we were going to be the exception to the rule. It had never happened before in history. But who was to say — besides everybody — that it couldn’t happen?
Jennifer, the food editor for The Daily Memphian, died August 16th. Cancer. It was for me, like everybody I know, a shock. It just doesn’t seem like it was time for her to go. Not yet. She was always there for everybody who loved her. And even for those who just knew her from her newspaper writing, and appearances on TV and radio.
We met when we both worked at The Commercial Appeal. We shared the same sense of humor. We worked on stories together a few times. I remember both of us tag-team covering food stories where we’d set out early and eat at six or seven places from Memphis to Mumford, and then back to some places on Winchester Road. And we’d still squeeze in one more place before we called it quits.
When we weren’t working, we’d go out to eat. Sunday night dinners at Sakura on Poplar Avenue — usually, with John and Missy Stivers — were common. Or we’d go to fancy places with Peggy Burch. And then sometimes with Jennifer’s daughter, Megan Brooks Biggs, and Jennifer’s grandchildren, Jack and Chloe. Every time I went to her house before dinner her dogs Henry and Rouxby (both rescues — by Jennifer) would bark and bang on the inside of her front door.
Often it was just me and Jennifer at The Pancake Shop. We both religiously ordered the “Everyday Special.”
It was always fun to make Jennifer laugh. She loved pratfalls. There was a two-wheeler in the features department one afternoon at the CA. I told photographer Dave Darnell I was the “King of the Two Wheeler.” I told him to stand on the two wheeler and lean back. I announced I could pull anything on a two wheeler. He stood on it, leaned back, and we both immediately fell down. My head clanged when it hit a metal wastebasket. Dave and I immediately jumped up to show we were tough and this didn’t hurt us at all. Even though it did. Jennifer shrieked.
She also shrieked when I showed up for work one afternoon with coffee all over my shirt. I told her a guy at the paper decided to empty the rest of the coffee in his mug at the same moment I was walking by the truck garage. He threw the coffee on me.
I remember when I moved to the Memphis Flyer and Jennifer was still at the CA. She said she hated the idea of us competing with each other instead of being on the same paper. When I began covering food more for the Flyer, Jennifer and I were very competitive. We both loved scoops. We wanted to be the first to announce some restaurant opening or food news. But it was understood between us that was our job. We tried to get the story first for our own newspaper. I will admit, though, it felt so good to scoop Jennifer.
Jennifer became the acclaimed food editor for The Daily Memphian. I watched her become an even bigger celebrity than she already was at the CA. She was in the top three “Best Columnist” category in the Flyer’s “Best of Memphis.” Her photo was on the side of MATA buses.
We never talked about our newspaper stories much. We’d get together at Sakura and talk about other things. People usually.
I recently realized I don’t know Jennifer’s favorite book, favorite song, favorite band, or favorite movie. We never talked about that kind of thing. We just talked, texted, and laughed about whatever.
We had a poster someone made in the features department at The Commercial Appeal. It read “WWJD.” It stood for “What Would Jennifer Do.” She had all the answers. And she usually was right. It seemed like she knew everything. She was the person I first asked what “AI” stood for. She calmly explained. “Artificial Intelligence.”
One more story. … Jennifer and I ran into each other in New Orleans many years ago. A buddy of mine, Blakney Gower, and I were there doing a get-out-of-town-go-to-New Orleans-weekend-bar-and-restaurant thing. Jennifer and her then-husband, Bob Brooks, and Blakney and I had dinner at Antoine’s, my favorite New Orleans restaurant. Many Beefeater gin martinis on my end. Lobster Thermidor, probably, for dinner. And Baked Alaska.
After dinner, our server took us on a tour of Antoine’s. I saw a piano in a ballroom and, of course, sat down and began playing. Jennifer and Bob danced. It was just one of those magical nights. Like you dream that your favorite restaurant just happens to also have a ballroom upstairs and you never knew it before. It was also a happy night.
And now she’s gone. No more new adventures with her to turn into memories.
But I keep seeing Jennifer at different places. Not the person. Just reminders. Like a plastic bag jammed full of metal — not plastic — forks she gave me a few years ago when I had a family Easter dinner at my home. They’re on top of a cupboard in my kitchen. Jennifer always took care of whatever you happened to need. All you had to do was ask her.
I went by to visit Jennifer the day she died. When I saw her, I knew that was the last time I was going to see her alive. She was in bed. Her head was turned to one side.
I walked up to the bed and I said, “Jennifer, it’s Michael. Let’s go eat at Sakura.” She opened her eyes wider. I’m not sure she was able to physically smile. But I think she was smiling just the same. I said, “I love you, Jennifer.” And then I left. This was family time. I didn’t want to be in the way.
I didn’t know until the next morning that Jennifer was gone. I was charging my phone when the texts and phone calls about her death began.
That morning, I had to write a Flyer story on deadline. It was a self-imposed deadline. It was about an artist, Alexandra Baker. I could have waited, I guess, but I wanted to post the story before the opening of her art show, which was the next night. Like every reporter has had to do at least once, I wrote the story even though I was very sad. It’s never an easy thing to do.
While writing the story about Alexandra, I came upon a quote in my notes. It suddenly took on more meaning. Alexandra said, “I lost some friends along the way in life. And family members. But friends hurt more because they’re so young. And I felt life was kind of softened by them.”
Jennifer softened my life as well as the lives of countless others.
And I’ve now learned that Jennifer was right — as usual — when she said she was never going to die. She won’t. My memories of her will continue to live as long as I do.
The Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) has announced a new reusable and cashless payment option for tickets.
The Next-Generation Collection System GO901 Smart Cards are “modern and easy-to-use smart cards,” that make paying for rides “effortless and faster.” MATA likened these cards to a credit card, with users able to to “tap and ride” on MATA vehicles.
These cards are non-transferrable, and each rider needs their own card.
MATA said these cards offer “balance protection” as well as “online access to manage payment sources, set up auto loads to fund your account automatically, and view your smart card balance and history.”
The GO901 smart card is reusable, and can be used for up to five years from the issue date, according to MATA. Customers may add as little as .50 cents to their cards, with a maximum balance of $200.
“This has been a longstanding goal for the future of MATA,” said Gary Rosenfeld, CEO of MATA. “GO901 Smart Cards are a sustainable and simpler way to connect people to places across the service area. We’re excited to begin this journey.”
According to MATA, GO901 Smart Cards can be secured and loaded on MATA ticket vending machines at their transit centers, or the GO901 app. They can also be loaded on MATA’s website, or at MATA Transit Center Customer Service Counters.
There is also an option to auto-load funds onto these cards through MATA’s customer portal.
MATA also plans to add a network of retail stores where customers will be able to reload their cards in the future, they said.
Riders will temporarily be able to pay with cash and tickets.
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s College of Nursing recently announced a $2.6 million grant renewal that will serve “rural and underserved communities.” This is a renewal of a federal grant that was initially awarded in 2019.
According to the university, the Advanced Nursing Education Workforce grant was renewed by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The grant will be awarded to 19 students in the following Doctor of Nursing practice programs:
Nurse Midwifery
Family Nurse Practitioner
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
“The goal of the four-year grant is to increase the number of nurse practitioners and certified nurse midwives, to serve underserved populations, increase diversity in the workforce, and train providers to address health equity and social determinants of health,” said the university in a statement.
Information provided by the Tennessee Justice Center (TJC) said “health equity is achieved when every person, regardless of race, income, education, gender, or other demographics, has access to what they need to be as healthy as possible.”
“The goal of health equity is to eliminate health disparities, such as higher rates of infant and maternal mortality, higher rates of chronic conditions, and lower life expectancy, that are prevalent for people of color and are not due to genetic predispositions,” said TJC.
Memphis and Shelby County have historically reported higher than average infant mortality rates. In 2022, the Flyer reported that while the Shelby County Health Department reported a 28 percent decrease from 2019 to 2020, the averages were still higher than the national average.
The grant also has “enhanced relationships with academic practice partners and rural clinics providing student experiences in rural and medically underserved areas; and provided telehealth training and supplies to rural areas.”
The Tennessee Department of Health considers Shelby County to be a partial county medically underserved area (MUA.)
Dr. Sarah Rhoads, a professor at UTHSC who is responsible for submitting the grant, said this funding will help students with tuition, books, fees, and travel to their partnering clinical sites. These sites include Regional One Health in Memphis, Java Medical Group, and Professional Care Services in West Tennessee. Students will also receive training in these clinics.
“The excellent thing about this program is we are going to develop close partnerships with institutions and ideally it will be a win-win for both,” said Rhoads. “We will make an impact on rural communities as well as underserved communities here in Memphis.”
Rhoads also said that, ideally, students who rotate in these rural health clinics and the “medically underserved areas in Memphis,” will work there when they graduate.
Listen up, Memphis. The Subteens were playing pop-punk before pop-punk was a thing. They were on the scene to have fun in the ’90s when most other bands they shared stages with were serious to the point of depression. Front man Mark Akin was legendary for playing encores wearing nothing but a guitar. They called it quits in 2004; soon after, Akin got sober and became a successful personal trainer.
Now, singer/guitarist/songwriter Akin, bassist Jay Hines, and drummer John Bonds are back at it with the same blistering pace, newly introspective lyrics, and a promise to remain fully clothed. Produced by J.D. Reager and released on Back To The Light records, Vol. 4: Dashed Hopes & Good Intentions rocks as hard as anything in the ‘Teen’s extensive catalog.
The video for “Hard to Be Lonely Tonight” uses clips from The Last Man on Earth. Starring Vincent Price as the titular final dude, the 1964 horror was the first of three films based on Richard Matheson’s proto-zombie story I Am Legend. (Charlton Heston would reprise Price’s role seven years later in The Omega Man, and Will Smith got his turn in 2007.) The video transforms Price’s troubles with swarming vampire-zombies into a metaphor for staying in on a Friday night. Let the rock begin!
If you would like to see your music video featured on Music Video Monday, email cmccoy@memphisflyer.com.
It’s a crowded weekend for new releases, so let’s get right to it. Blue Beetle is almost as old as Batman — so old, he once starred in a radio serial — but he never took off like the Bats. His current incarnation is Jamie Reyes, a Mexican-American undergrad who finds an alien robot scarab, and, well, just watch.
Memphis expat auteur Ira Sachs’ latest is his most controversial work to date. Passages is a film about a love triangle between a charismatic rogue film director (Franz Rogowski), his longsuffering printmaker husband (Ben Whishaw) and a meek school teacher (Adèle Exarchopoulos) that earned an NC-17 rating from the MPA for reasons that Ira Sachs explains in this interview I did with his for this week’s Memphis Flyer. This is one of the year’s best films so far, so don’t sleep on it.
Sure, dogs are great. But wouldn’t they be greater if they could talk? Sure they would. But let me up the ante for you: What if dogs could talk, and they talked dirty?
Uh huh. Now I got your attention. Will Ferrell, Will Forte, Jamie Foxx (that’s Academy Award-winning actor Jamie Foxx to you), and Randall Park are dirty, dirty dogs that talk in Strays. Since this is the Flyer, we’re running the red band trailer, so put on your headphones unless you want your boss to overhear and fire you.
Wesley Snipes is a national treasure who doesn’t get enough work because most Hollywood producers are weak and fearful. That’s why he’s producing his own joint with fellow under-appreciated talent Tiffany Haddish. Back on the Strip brings together a crackerjack cast, including JB Smoove and Bill Bellamy, to tell the story of Merlin (Spence Moore II), a wannabe magician who discovers his real talent is as a male stripper. Snipes co-stars as “Mr. Big.”
In a shocking twist, Tiffany Haddish’s film is opening against a film co-starring Tiffany Haddish. This one is Landscape With Invisible Hand, based on the science fiction novel by M.T. Anderson. When aliens come to earth, things go on pretty much as normal. A new social media niche opens up because the aliens don’t understand human emotion. They will pay people who are in love to livestream their lives, which are apparently very entertaining to the loveless blobs. But what happens when two livestreamers fall out of love? Litigation, apparently.
While Monday officially begins a special session of the Tennessee General Assembly called in response to rising gun violence in the state, planning and posturing has set the tone for what reform skeptics have called “the special session on everything BUT guns.”
Here’s a few things you should know to get ready for next week’s session:
Why is it happening?
Gov. Bill Lee promised to bring legislators back to Nashville this summer after he proposed rules (sometimes called “red flag” laws) that would temporarily take guns away those who could be a risk to themselves or others. Not a single member of his own party sponsored the bill in either they state House or Senate.
Lawmakers high-tailed it out of Nashville in April, sprinting through a usually laborious effort to pass the state’s budget. Most was quiet after that.
But about a month later, three GOP lawmakers — Rep. Bryan Richey (R-Maryville), Rep. Ed Butler (R-Rickman), and Rep. Todd Warner (R-Chapel Hill) — called on Lee to cancel the session. They said his ”red flag” had no traction; called the session a “publicity stunt” that will gather the national media and “woke mob” to the Capitol that will “make the ‘Tennessee Three’ circus look like a dress rehearsal.”
Nevertheless, Lee issued a call for the session earlier this month.
What can and can’t be considered?
Lee’s proclamation puts specific guardrails in place. Special sessions in the past have operated like mini-regular sessions, with lawmakers filing and considering bills on any topic they like.
But Lee’s proclamation for the session is limited to 18 specific topics, most of them on mental health, crime prevention, and criminal sentencing. Only one of the 18 topics mentions firearms. But it is only designed to help encourage the safe storage of guns and does not include any new penalties for failing to safely store them.
What is on the agenda so far?
So far, 47 bills have been filed on the House side and six on the Senate side.
It’s already been widely reported that a great many of them deal with mental health (as a way to better connect people with help and, thus, maybe away from gun crimes), tougher sentencing for criminals, better information for law enforcement, and more.
Several bills filed by Rep. Anthony Davis (D-Nashville) would create tougher sentences for those who would stalk or commit a mass killing against those who preform abortions or gender-affirming care.
Many of the earliest bills filed for the session came from House Majority Leader Rep. William Lamberth (R-Portland), with most of them seemingly carried on behalf of the administration. However, another one of his bills, called the Child Victims’ Privacy Act, would make private “autopsy reports of minor children who are victims of violent crime.”
“This information should never be used to further victimize and traumatize these families,” Lamberth tweeted Monday.
Today I filed the Child Victims' Privacy Act, HB7007. This bill protects sensitive county medical examiner and autopsy reports of minor children who are victims of violent crime. This information should never be used to further victimize and traumatize these families.… pic.twitter.com/kgMGrcflfy
This information should be public to be used as evidence in every child death no matter the circumstances. You are just covering for firearm deaths. Pathetic.
Some GOP members issued intent to file certain bills once the session began. Rep. Ferrell Haile (R-Gallatin) really summed up the slate of proposals in a statement last week.
“So much of the conversation about this special session has centered around guns, but inanimate objects are not the problem,” Haile said. ”Violent criminals are the problem.”
On Friday, state Democrats outlined a slate of bills they will file Monday. They include gun safety measures in defiance of the parameters set in place by Lee.
“Our families want gun reform that saves lives by preventing future shootings and that’s exactly what we’re going to fight for in the special session,” said Senate Minority Leader Sen. Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis). “We know the controlling party doesn’t want to address the elephant in the room, but the facts are undeniable: Easy access to firearms is killing our kids and loved ones more than ever. It’s time to protect our families.”
The legislative package, sponsored by Senate and House Democrats, includes universal background checks, a red flag law, safe storage requirements, and “repealing the disastrous ‘guns in trunks’ law,” and more.
How do Tennesseans feel ahead of the session?
The grassroots Rise and Shine TN organization, formed after the Covenant School shooting, combed through the more than 20,000 responses to Lee’s call for public comment ahead of the special session.
The group’s review of the comments found that more than 83 percent of them favored gun safety laws. More than 3,600 comments supported bans or restrictions on assault weapons. More than 3,200 favored extreme risk protection orders.
Works by Alexandra Baker, including "When Doves Cry," opens August 18th at New Day Healing and Wellness (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Alexandra Baker’s art exhibit, “Healing Through Color,” opens August 18th at New Day Healing and Wellness. Which is appropriate …
“The pieces in this show are more focused on calming and relaxation,” says Baker, 32. “They have a ‘Relaxation Room,’ so the painting in there is ‘When Doves Cry.’ Very subdued colors.” She adds, “The other pieces in the show are all based around healing. All my work is based around healing.”
Since Baker and New Day have the same goal of healing, the owners thought her abstract paintings “would be great in the therapy rooms.”
Describing “Earth Shake,” as a “fun, funky” painting to honor Earth, Baker says, “Since Memphis is on the fault-line for an earthquake, I believe if you honor the weather, maybe it won’t come. So, that’s my intention in that piece.”
“Earth Shake” by Alexandra Baker (Credit: Michael Donahue)
The show features eight works, including prints as well as originals. “Some of them I painted when I was sad. When I paint when I’m sad, it’s a very soothing result. What I need to see in that moment,” Baker says.
Born in Boston, Baker moved to Memphis with her family when she was four. “As a child, I loved art class. I was blessed to study with a woman named Kay Spruill. She was so wonderful. And she taught me so much about art and the magic of creation.”
Baker painted a lot of still lifes and animals in Spruill’s class. “I did a portrait of a dog once. I’ve always loved animals. It was a just a picture of a dog out of a magazine. It was a small dog with brown spots and brown ears. And it actually won a contest at my school. They put it on some stationery for my school, St. Mary’s Episcopal School for Girls.”
But Baker says she never explored “what’s in your soul” in Spruill’s class, as she does now.
Baker says she always dreamed of being an artist, but her parents steered her away from that dream. They thought she’d be better off being a doctor or a lawyer, “to be more lucrative or be more successful, or what have you.” Her parents are supportive of her now, but, Baker says it was “a journey.”
After high school, Baker attended the University of Vermont. “I double majored in English and studio art for a while,” she says, “and then I ended up dropping the studio art at the behest of my parents. (They) preferred that I just study English and psychology at that point in time. I don’t know. I think they were just looking out for my best interests. And maybe believing art might not be able to sustain me.”
Ironically, Baker says her parents helped further her love of art when she was growing up. “They were always taking me to art galleries.”
They also took her to art museums when they traveled. “They were always teaching me about the greats. Rembrandt and Monet,” she says. “We even went to Versailles and saw the gardens. So, my parents valued art highly. I think they were just surprised to find their daughter was an artist.”
Baker never took a painting class in college. “I took some of the foundation classes, like two-dimensional work and just some basic creating classes. The last class I was going to take was painting. Then I chose to drop the major and didn’t get to take that painting class.”
Baker became a paralegal after graduating with a degree in English literature. “My parents are attorneys, so I grew up in the law firm, learning how it works.”
Her mother and father are “wonderful, wonderful parents,” and, at the time, Baker thought it was best to go along with what they wanted her to do. “I wanted to please them and I knew art wasn’t the way to do that. So, I tried to take other avenues. But God really had plans for me. I started feeling a pressure on me to paint. Like I’d better paint or else.
“Just that feeling, that inner knowledge, of knowing that I needed to paint. I need to paint to process trauma. To heal my grief. I lost some friends along the way in life. And family members. But losing friends hurt more because they’re so young. And I felt life was kind of softened by them. I had a lot of grief I needed to process. And God gave me painting in order to help me heal myself and, hopefully, heal the world by sharing through my art. I really did try to suppress my need to create, but it didn’t last for long.”
Baker began painting five years ago. “It was kind of a culmination of the universe speaking to me. I had a knowing I had to paint, but I didn’t know what that meant. I had never painted what was in my heart. Never painted my emotions. Never painted my soul before.”
Then, she says, “The universe lined up. An art store near my home had a big sale on canvases.” Baker thought, “Okay, this must be the time.”
She bought canvases and paint and went to work. “My first painting was just variations of white and yellow. It was a big 48-by-48 (inch) painting. I was so proud of it. Just the fact that I had painted was maybe the bravest thing I had ever done. I felt in my heart I had taken a step toward my destiny.
“I loved it. Other people weren’t too impressed, but I was just proud I had put paint to canvas.”
Baker kept painting, and painting helped with whatever she was going through at the time. It was “the medicine I needed at that moment. Abstract art gave me a language of color and texture to really express my soul in a way that landscapes just didn’t.”
She didn’t show her work to her parents until about a year after she began painting. Her father, in particular, was “moved by the work to the point where he became incredibly supportive of me painting. My parents could tell painting was healing me. They knew it was the right thing whether I ever sold a painting or not. This was something that was healing their child and they were supportive of that.”
Baker exhibited her work in group shows after she moved to San Diego, nine years ago. “I have many paintings that are dedicated to the water — the spirit of the water, the ocean. I have a painting called ‘MAMA’ that is dedicated to the great mother, the ocean.”
She was asked to exhibit “MAMA” in British Vogue. “I spoke with them on the phone to see if their values were in line with mine. I agreed to go ahead with it. I’m gay. I’m not as familiar with high fashion values. I wanted to make sure they’re trans friendly. Gay friendly. Pro Black. Things like that. I wanted to make sure our values lined up before I agreed to be published in their magazine.”
Since then, Baker’s art has appeared in two more issues of British Vogue and three issues of Vanity Fair London.
Darrell Baker Jr. and Deborah Whitt with “MAMA” at Medicine Factory show (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Baker moved back to Memphis seven years later. “Several people reached out to me though social media: ‘We saw your work. We love it.’ And wanted to learn more about me and as an artist.”
She held her first solo show at Stock & Belle. She also showed at The Gallery on Main, which still has some of her art on view. She’s also exhibited in New York, San Diego, and Dallas.
In June, she held a show at the Medicine Factory in Memphis. “I put it all together myself. I rented the venue. I picked the food. I picked the wines. I picked the mock-tail. I dedicated the drink to one of my friends who passed away. I picked the pieces myself. It was all me. And the energy there was so wonderful. Everyone was so loving. So receptive to the work.”
l”Squigglefish” by Alexandra Baker at the Medicine Factory show (Credit: Michael Donahue)
As for managing her art career, Baker says, “I’ve been doing it all by myself. My mom is very supportive. And she gives me business advice often. She studied business in school. But it’s all me. I don’t have an agent.”
Baker also teaches yoga, but, she says, “Currently, my art career is sustaining me. In between times, shows and stuff, I’ll still pick up a bit of legal work from my parents to help them out.”
Alexandra Baker and her mother, Deborah Whitt, at New Day Healing and Wellness (Credit: Michael Donahue)
She continues to paint abstract works, but, she adds, “My process has changed a bit. I like incorporating fabric in my work sometimes now. That’s a new development. My work can be a little looser now. I feel a little bit more free of self-judgments now that I’ve been painting for quite a while. It’s a wonderful feeling. It gives me freedom to express what’s in my heart.”
Painting is a panacea for Baker. “It heals my heart. It heals my life. And my hope is to make my own personal dent in helping to heal the world. I know the world really needs it.”
Baker also is utilizing that English literature degree. “I started my book. It’s based on my life experiences, but I’m going to publish it as fiction because it’s a bit whimsical.”
“Healing Through Color” is on view through October 12th at New Day Healing and Wellness, 5040 Sanderlin Avenue, Suite 111.
Alexandra Baker and Eden Hite of New Day Healing and Wellness with Baker’s painting, “Jungle Spirit Share” (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Mexican cultural artifacts — some dating back to 900 B.C. — were given back to the Mexican government Wednesday in Memphis.
Seven shipments of artifacts were stopped by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Port of Memphis between 2016-2021. In all, agents recovered 281 artifacts destined for addresses in California, South Carolina, and Florida.
“Customs and Border Protection will continue to use our border authority to identify, rescue, and return precious antiquities being smuggled by those who profit on the theft of another country’s historical and cultural property,” said Michael Neipert, CBP’s Area Port Director in Memphis.
The nine shipments of artifacts included Olmec statues, Olmec figures, tubular beads, a zoomorphic amulet, body adornments, bowls, earflares, a human head amulet, a temple effigy, prismatic blades, a basalt grinding stone, a tripod glass with lid, a hand grinding stone, flint projectile points, carved obsidian, clay anthropomorphic figurines, clay and stone earmuffs, a metallic ring string, a stone spindle, a clay winch, jars, sea snail shell fragments, a vase, and a copper rattle.
Credit: U.S. Customs and Border ProtectionCredit: U.S. Customs and Border ProtectionCredit: U.S. Customs and Border Protection
The artifacts were repatriated to Ambassador Carlos Giralt-Cabrales of the Consulate of Mexico in Little Rock. Special agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) participated in the event as they aided in the investigation through the agency’s Cultural Property, Art, Antiquities Program.
Juvenile justice might not have a connection to the shooting deaths at Nashville’s Covenant School, but potential bills could cause a furor next week in the Legislature’s special session — if lawmakers haven’t gotten cold feet already.
Gov. Bill Lee’s official call for the session covers a variety of topics ranging from school safety plans to reports on violent threats. One likely to create contention, though, would allow the transfer of juveniles 16 and older to adult courts for prosecution. It would include the right of appeal for the juvenile and prosecutors.
Another proposal would limit the circumstances in which juvenile records could be expunged, and one would set up “blended” sentencing for juveniles, a situation in which an underage offender could receive juvenile and adult sentences simultaneously.
Even though Lee included them in his official call, he isn’t pushing measures related to juvenile justice. Instead, those were sought by Republican lawmakers, who had not filed any related bills by Tuesday afternoon.
We have juveniles committing armed carjackings, robberies and thefts multiple times, and they are out with no bail within hours of their arrest, only to re-offend before law enforcement can get back into their patrol cars. The revolving door is real.
– Doug Kufner, spokesman for House Speaker Cameron Sexton
House Speaker Cameron Sexton is one of the leaders in supporting juvenile transfers to adult court, in addition to blended sentencing, saying “current soft sentencing isn’t working,” according to spokesman Doug Kufner. He noted Sexton agrees with Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland, who has said the city is experiencing a juvenile justice problem.
“We have juveniles committing armed carjackings, robberies and thefts multiple times, and they are out with no bail within hours of their arrest, only to re-offend before law enforcement can get back into their patrol cars. The revolving door is real,” Kufner said on behalf of Sexton.
He pointed out the transfer of juveniles to adult court for crimes such as murder is not automatic and said that needs to change, too.
Lt. Gov. Randy McNally isn’t quite as adamant as Sexton, even though a spokesman said he has “consistently expressed concern” about juvenile crime increases in the state.
“Criminal gangs are known to use juveniles to do serious crimes knowing they will be unlikely to receive any real punishment. Lt. Gov. McNally supports Gov. Lee including this in the call and looks forward to reviewing legislation filed on the subject,” spokesman Adam Kleinheider said.
Yet the path to passage isn’t clear.
Housing juveniles in adult prisons and jails isn’t permitted in Tennessee, even if they’re held separately, and building new facilities is expected to be expensive, likely drawing opposition from budget hawks in the House and Senate.
The other question is whether the Legislature is prepared to rewrite a large section of its juvenile justice laws in the short time frame of a special session intended to deal mainly with school shootings.
Lee faced criticism last week from proponents of gun-law reform, when his official call for the session contained no provisions for stricter firearms laws after three adults and three 9-year-olds were killed by a 28-year-old former student in the March attack at the small Christian school in Green Hills.
Democrats are urging Lee to back a ban on military-style weapons such as AR-15s, tougher background checks for weapon purchases and a “red-flag” law to keep unstable people from possessing guns.
We’re punishing teenagers, which nine times out of 10 they’re probably going to be African American. So you’re going to punish people more rather than be preventative.
– Rep. Vincent Dixie, D-Nashville
None of those are expected to pass the Republican-controlled Legislature, even though 82 percent of Tennesseans support the governor’s executive order on gun background checks and 75 percent back a red-flag law for gun possession, according to the Vanderbilt Poll.
Rep. Vincent Dixie, a Nashville Democrat, says proposals such as moving juveniles to adult court are a result of Republicans’ “failed policies.”
Dixie contends Lee’s permit-less carry law and other lax gun regulations, including one allowing people to leave weapons in vehicles, allow teens more opportunities to steal guns. The numbers of gun thefts from vehicles in Nashville and Memphis over the last decade have skyrocketed.
“We’re punishing teenagers, which nine times out of 10 they’re probably going to be African American. So you’re going to punish people more rather than be preventative,” Dixie said. House Majority Leader William Lamberth. (Photo: John Partipilo)
House Majority Leader William Lamberth filed bills this week mandating DNA testing on all felony arrests; TennCare coverage for mental health treatment; requiring all schools to set policies for responding to an active shooter situation; allowing orders of protection to be expanded to lifetime orders in cases of aggravated stalking and especially aggravated stalking; requiring law enforcement notification when a mental health facility releases a patient; and specifying that autopsy reports and medical examiner reports on victims of violent crimes are not public records. He also filed what appears to be a place-holder bill for court operations, which would be amended with the full language.
House Republican Caucus spokesperson Jennifer Easton said Tuesday that Lamberth would not be sponsoring bills dealing with juvenile justice.
Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson hasn’t been asked to sponsor any bills related to juvenile justice.
In contrast, Rep. Antonio Parkinson filed bills Tuesday to increase penalties for adults who coerce minors into stealing guns for them and to make an adult who transfers a weapon to a minor responsible for any resulting mass violence or threat of mass violence using that weapon.
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