Learn how to attract native pollinators like this tawny emperor butterfly in your own garden. (Photo: Courtesy Overton Park Conservancy)
Ever dream of waking up to a beautiful garden full of roses and peonies every morning, but you just don’t have a green thumb? Or do you want to be more sustainable in your gardening practices? Well, the Overton Park Conservancy can help with its Pollinator Paradise workshop this Saturday.
The workshop is designed to help beginner gardeners learn more about the art of gardening and how to properly care for their plants. Importantly, this event stresses the need for native plants to be cultivated to help preserve our native wildlife and pollinators, instead of using generic plants that are often sold at many stores. “Eighty percent of food in this country is dependent upon pollination,” says Mary Wilder, former Overton Park Conservancy board member and Master Gardener. “We could starve to death if you didn’t have a bee, a butterfly, a beetle, or a bat because the plants wouldn’t get pollinated. They wouldn’t be able to make their fruit or grow up to be whatever plant they’re supposed to be.
“If we can educate folks to garden more naturally with the locally sourced plants, then we are helping in the long run the whole bigger [eco]system. So that’s part of why it’s significant,” Wilder adds.
And if you are unsure about where to purchase your domestic plants or which plants will survive in Memphis weather, there will be plants for sale to help give you a head start on improving your garden. If you are interested in attending, the workshop will be held this Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and it is pay-what-you-can, with a recommended donation of $5. To register, visit overtonpark.org/event/workshop-pollinator-paradise.
Happy Gardening!
Pollinator Paradise: Cultivating a Wildlife-Friendly Backyard, Abe Goodman Golf Clubhouse, 2080 Poplar Ave., Saturday, April 5, 10:30-11:30 a.m., $5/recommended donation.
A pelican glides by just offshore, there, out where the blue dolphins dance, emerging and disappearing into the sea. The kite hangs overhead, side-slipping in the ocean breeze, tethered to your umbrella pole by a gracile thread. You push your new sunglasses up on your nose and soak in the sun, the blue sky, the bleached sand; you hear the surf mumbling, “Stay.”
I could do it, you think, shifting in your canvas chair. “I could get a job renting beach umbrellas or maybe working on a fishing boat. In the evenings, I’ll sip margaritas and finish the novel.”
Your young daughter hands you a sand dollar from a plastic bucket filled with saltwater currency. “Let’s go cash this in,” you say. “We’ll buy this place.
The cast is perfect, a dry fly circling at the deep end of an eddy. There is a flash of silver and a tug that feels like you’ve hooked the river and it wants off. The trout streaks into the current, jumps once, twice, takes line, gives it back a reel-turn at a time. You stand in the riffle, gravel crunching, sliding under your feet. “This is a good one,” you think. Minutes later you net the fat rainbow, admire it for a few seconds, and release it back into the pool.
“I wonder what a piece of land on this stream would cost,” you wonder. “I could live here, deep in these dark woods, enjoying a life of fishing, solitude, and contemplation — become a wise old man.”
You’re sitting on the pool steps, waist-deep in cool water, deep in the steamy jungles of Quintana Roo, south of Cancun. The house is modern, open, with glass walls overlooking the pool on one side and the twisted green jungle on the other. Every morning, a troop of monkeys swings by, screeching through the trees as you sit outside with your coffee, marveling at the strangeness of it all.
“I’ve decided this must be a drug lord’s house,” your wife says from her chaise lounge, not opening her eyes. “Who else would build a place like this in the middle of nowhere?”
“They didn’t mention that in the rental brochure,” you say, “but whoever owns this house certainly knows how to get away from it all.”
Two grackles land near the diving board and begin dipping their heads in the water and shivering it off. They chortle and chatter like an old couple in the park. You slip neck-deep into the pool and they fly away, complaining at the intrusion.
“Hey, I’m thinking maybe we should look into property in this area.”
“Sure,” she says.
Two-hour layover in the Atlanta airport. You’re sitting in a bar that has a stupid name, talking to a man in gray — gray suit, socks, tie. He’s on his way to St. Louis, a software rep for a company you’ve heard of. You both watch as five men walk into the place — scruffy hair, tattoos, colorful funky clothes — obviously a band. You overhear them talking about going to the Bahamas to record.
“Nice work if you can get it,” says the gray man.
“I used to be in a band myself,” you say.
“Really?” says Mr. Gray. “Me, too!”
You sigh and take another pull on your beer.
How many times have you been tempted to start over, to ditch your life, your career, and make a big change? If you’re like me, those moments occurred, but were seldom followed up on, unless you count moving to a new city to take a job, which last happened to me in 1993.
Change is difficult, even when the goal is worthy and attainable. It’s much more difficult when it’s not worthy and it’s forced upon you, and when you’re not sure how to fight against it. That’s where we all are now, in the midst of an attempt to change how our country will be governed, to overturn our core human values. Democracy itself seems tethered by a gracile thread. I take solace in knowing we’re all in this together, and that that’s the only way we’ll get out of it. I don’t know how it ends. I do think that we’re well past the “have a margarita and watch the dolphins” stage. Courage, my friends.
Floyd Newsum, Soul of Blue (Photo: Courtesy Dixon/Estate of the Artist)
As Ellen Daughtery, the Dixon Gallery & Gardens’ assistant curator, prepared the current exhibition on display — “Floyd Newsum: House of Grace” — Newsum, who was based in Houston, told her the show felt like a homecoming. He grew up here, went to Hamilton Elementary and Hamilton Junior and Senior High Schools, and graduated from the Memphis Academy of Arts (later Memphis College of Art) in 1973. “He thought of Memphis as his foundation, his home, where his family was, one of the most important things for him,” Daughtery says. “He believed in Memphis, even though he hadn’t lived here in a long time.”
Unfortunately, Newsum died in August 2024, unable to see the first major exhibition of his art in Memphis, yet his joy remains, radiating through his work in “House of Grace.”
Resembling almost a child’s sketchbook, full of scribbled shapes and drawings etched into spare space, Newsum’s works on paper captivate viewers’ attention, as their eyes travel from one image to the next, taking in each inch of the paper. The viewer is “engulfed,” Daughtery says, noting the works’ large size.
“It forces you to look up, which for him was important — the idea of ascendance.” Or you can get up close. “It’s really different from different perspectives.”
“They have an overpowering sense to them for sure,” Daughtery adds. “And one of the things that’s fun about them — I think they’re intended to be fun — is that you look at them for a while and you see things emerging out of them.”
This almost seek-and-find style took decades for Newsum to develop, for it wasn’t until the 2000s that he moved away from realism and toward abstraction. He had learned of women in the Sirigu Village in Ghana who paint and repaint abstract patterns on the walls of their homes each year. “That was the spark,” Daughtery says. “He said that was the permission: He had to become abstract.”
He wasn’t imitating the Sirigu women, but he saw them as long-distance teachers he wanted to honor in his practice. He even titled a few paintings after their village. After all, they were the ones who set him free in abstraction.
“And we should take free at its word,” Daughtery says. “He was a civil rights activist. He believed in the idea of freedom in many different contexts, so he thought that abstraction was a freeing thing. It allowed him to get rid of his worries and have a direct emotional response to art.”
And he wanted the same for his viewers — to have a direct emotional response. From simple drawings of animals and houses to cut-out photographs of his grandmother to pasted-on used pastels, Newsum “developed a kind of imagery that he used over and over again,” Daughtery says. “He liked the idea that it was childlike, that he was able to communicate on this level that he thought was universal, like little houses that look like a child’s drawing.”
The houses, a universal symbol of community, also harken to one of Newsum’s projects in Houston, where he spent the majority of his life as a beloved professor at the University of Houston and as co-founder of Project Row Houses, a social art organization that restored shotgun houses into studios in one of the city’s oldest African-American neighborhoods. With its arts-focused mission, Project Row Houses supports artists, young mothers, small businesses, and community members.
Looking back, this passion for community was ingrained in Newsum’s youth. His father was one of the Memphis Fire Department’s first Black firefighters and a civil rights activist. “He took Floyd with him when he was in high school to rallies,” Daughtery says. “Floyd marched in 1968. He found a great inspiration in his father.”
In turn, ladders appear in Floyd’s works, in homage to his father’s job but also as a symbol of hope. Sometimes, his ladders turn and twist on the paper. “Help isn’t always straightforward, but it’s there,” Daughtery says. “It’s coming.”
It’s just another one of Newsum’s positive ways of looking at life. In life, he was known for saying: “You can delay my success, but you cannot determine it.” In terms of his art, “I would say wider success eluded him until later in life,” Daughtery says, but now he has his “House of Grace.”
“House of Grace” closes April 6th at the Dixon Gallery & Gardens. Admission is free.
Tradición Cultural Dance Group (Photos: Michael Donahue)
Overton Square in Memphis turned into the Plaza de Armas in San Juan for a few hours during Puerto Rican Night. The inaugural event featured music, dancing, and food.
Destinee and Zak Baker Sonya and Yvonne Johnson Bryan Rollins and Jeannette Gill Caleb Castillo, Justin Thomas, and Adriana Prieto Ivan Estevanott, Sonia Estevanott, Kenneth Estevenott, and Caspian Estevanott
More than 500 turned out for the free event, which was held March 22nd in Overton Square’s Trimble Courtyard, says Dorimar Cruz with Darts Productions, which put on the event. Darts also put on Colombian Night in October 2024. And Darts wants to put on more community events, Cruz says.
Leo Ramos and River Myers Lamont Nesbit Sr., Gabriela Nesbit, and Lamont Nesbit Jr. Nick and Remy Bogdanovich Wendy, Thiago, Veronica, Salvador, and Giovanni Alvarado
The event was a great opportunity for the local Puerto Rican community to “celebrate their own culture,” Cruz says, and at the same time let others learn about Puerto Rico as well.
Brad Walton and Genie Doty Rahul Kodali, Kayla Ibarra, and Zeus Ramirez Carlos EcosCheryl and Darrin Ruddy, Jonathan Marrero, Lucy Marrero, and Efrain Marrero
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) shoots the ball against the Boston Celtics on Monday, March 31, 2025 at FedExForum. (Wes Hale/The Memphis Flyer)
The Memphis Grizzlies faced off against the Boston Celtics on Monday night and were defeated 117-103.
The Grizzlies’ downhill slide continues. They have now lost three games in a row, and they look like an entirely different team than the one that spent most of the season in second place in the Western Conference.
Certainly, it is different from the team that beat the reigning NBA champions on their home court back in December.
Father time was on the Celtics’ side as 17-year veteran Al Horford led Boston with a season-high 26 points off the bench on 9 of 18 overall shooting and 6 of 13 from beyond the arc, and Jayson Tatum put up 25 points and 14 rebounds.
Memphis came out strong in the first quarter, outscoring Boston 32-25 overall and 5-12 from three-point range. Memphis also picked up nine points off turnovers.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (22) drives to the basket against the Boston Celtics on Monday, March 31, 2025, at FedExForum. (Wes Hale/The Memphis Flyer)
The Celtics responded in the second quarter when their three-point shooting heated up – 24 of their 41 points in the quarter came from beyond the arc. Boston leads the league in three-point attempts and makes, and their 32 attempted three-pointers in the first half set a franchise record from any Grizzlies opponent.
The Grizzlies entered the second half with a five-point deficit, which they briefly closed in the third quarter, only to be shut down offensively in the fourth quarter.
By The Numbers:
Ja Morant led the Grizzlies in scoring with 26 points, and added 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals.
Jaren Jackson Jr. put up 20 points and a career-high 15 rebounds, plus 1 assist, and 1 block.
Desmond Bane finished with 12 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal.
Jaylen Wells added 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists.
Santi Aldama led the second unit with 21 points, adding 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal.
Who Got Next?
The Grizzlies will close out their three-game homestand tonight against the Golden State Warriors. This is a must-win game for Memphis. Tip-off is at 7 PM CDT.
Kraftwerk at the Overton Park Shell last Tuesday (Photo: Alex Greene)
Last week, the Overton Park Shell hosted a remarkable show by the band Kraftwerk as part of its Shell Yeah! benefit concert series. The group has long been hailed as pioneers of electronic dance music, but, more than that, as world-building conceptual artists in their unyielding pursuit of a vision. That vision was on full display last Tuesday, and clearly touched a wide swath of the Memphis music community, who had turned out in force. “I think everyone I’ve ever met in Midtown is at this Kraftwerk concert right now,” quipped one music fan on social media. “It’s like a family reunion with synthesizers.”
Yet, while there was much moving and grooving in front of the Shell stage, there was a disappointing lack of the very style of dance that the German synthesists have doggedly promoted throughout their career, even in their choice of a band name. Of course, I’m talking about Twerking.
As with much music aimed at a popular dance, from the Twist to the Pony, it’s difficult to say if Kraftwerk actually invented twerking or were merely inspired by what they saw in the discotheques of 1970s Düsseldorf. But the dance has been associated with them ever since they celebrated it in their very name, which was originally rendered as KRAF-Twerk.
Founders Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider soon found that name either too obvious or too obscure, depending on the source, and quickly settled on the simpler spelling. But early demos, unreleased at the time, have made it clear that KRAF was an acronym denoting “Kinetic, Repetitive Ass Flexing.”
On the demo, an unused track titled “Twerk-Tanz Automatisch” from the Autobahn sessions, thus far only available on bootlegs, a voice intones, with deep gravitas, first the words “Mit gebeugten Knien tanzen” (dance with bent knees), then “das Gesäß betonend!” (emphasizing the buttocks!), before initiating a vocoder-steeped chant in English of “Kinetic! Repetitive! Ass! Flexing!”
Clearly the group was onto something, and the video above, from Detroit circa 1981, reveals how their trademark dance craze was soon being adopted internationally.
And it still is overwhelmingly popular in Germany and across the world to this day, as seen in this video with nearly 848.5 million views:
Yet there was little evidence of twerking at Kraftwerk’s triumphant Shell appearance. That’s not say it wasn’t going on at all, however. The dance is fully incorporated into the band’s method, just as surely as cycling, programming, and 3D projections. As Hütter himself revealed in a rare interview with Der Spiegel, “Diese Tanzmethode ist entscheidend für unsere künstlerische Praxis” (This dance method is crucial to our artistic practice). “Wir twerken immer still hinter unseren Podien” (We’re always twerking silently behind our podiums).
Kraftwerk behind their podiums (Photo: Alex Greene)
The city of West Memphis has petitioned President Donald Trump to rename a portion of the Mississippi River, West Memphis River.
“We’re tired of Mississippi getting all the credit,” said Mayor [Marco] McClendon. “It’s time to put West Memphis on the map — literally.”
McClendon said the rebranding would come with new signage, tourism campaigns, and possibly a West Memphis River cruise port.
NAH! Those West Memphis folks were just having a laugh on April Fool’s Day. And they weren’t alone. The MEMernet was filled with all kinds of people, businesses, and organizations having a good time on social media Tuesday.
Here are a few:
Akbari what?!
Credit: Sen. Raumesh Akbari via Facebook
Zoo what?!
Posted to Facebook by Memphis Zoo
“ANNOUNCEMENT: We’re expanding our Memphis identity in a bold new way.
“Memphis Zoo. Memphis, Egypt. Memphis, Tennessee. A pyramid at our entrance. It only made sense. We’re (very unofficially) launching Bass Pro at the Zoo. A concept that would bring a satellite Bass Pro Shops location right into our front plaza.
The idea? A one-of-a-kind experience. Guests could grab a camping stove, pick out the perfect tackle box, and then stroll straight into the heart of the Zoo. Maybe even roll a few frames in a tiny bowling alley near the tortoises.
“We mentioned the idea to Bass Pro. They haven’t responded. At all. So, for now, it remains a vision. But we’re putting it out into the world… because it’s April 1, and that’s what visionaries do.”
Nacho what?!
Posted to Facebook by Memphis Made Brewing Co.
“You know we had to do it big for BBQ season! 🐷 Introducing “If You Smoke It, They Will Come.” A one-of-a-kind Imperial BBQ Nacho Stout, this is a creation that could only be Memphis Made!
“Brewed with corn chip malt and smoky pork shoulder puree, this porker of a stout packs a punch at 11.3 percent ABV (Be careful over the pit when you’re smashing these bad boys!) Available on tap every Tuesday at The Ravine and in 4-packs at all Memphis Publix locations, this conversation piece is sure to make a splash at one or both of our local May BBQ Competitions!
#memphisinmay #smokeslam #bbqfest #memphismade”
Sausage what?!
Posted to Instagram by Crosstown Concourse
“Before Monogram Foods even unpacks at Crosstown Concourse, they’re already bringing the heat — literally. To celebrate their upcoming move, they’ve teamed up with us to introduce a Circle B Smoked Sausage-Scented Candle inspired by the bold flavors of Memphis and the vibrant energy of Crosstown.
“Founded in Memphis in 2004, Monogram Foods is a leading producer of meat snacks, hot dogs, bacon, and other packaged foods, supplying some of America’s most beloved brands. Their move to Crosstown Concourse will bring their innovative spirit and hometown pride to the heart of our community.
Posted to Instagram by Crosstown Concourse
“🔥 The Circle B Smoked Sausage Candle – Smoky, savory, and guaranteed to make you crave a classic smoked sausage.
“This limited-edition candle will be available for purchase throughout Crosstown Concourse, including at @milisflowersandgifts
”Stay tuned for more updates as Monogram Foods settles into Crosstown!”
GTA what?!
Posted to Reddit by u/Legpistons
”Super pumped about the new GTA!”
Comment by u/readforhealth
“Side Quest Southaven Rendezvous
“Rico heads south of the border to grab 12kilos from the Chesteridge apartment complex. Little does he know, Brunnie B is also en route; and he hasn’t forgotten about the mess you made of his shop during the bust up. Meanwhile, Kitty Lee preps and wraps freshly packed powder for your arrival. This could get messy.
“Car 2018 Dodge Challenger Gauntlet
“Weapons Two Sig 365Ls and a sawed-off 12
”Objective Grab cargo and get back above the line by 5 O’clock”
Duck tour what?!
Posted to Facebook by Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park
“Special April 1st Tour!
“Plunge into the silliness this April Fool’s Day with Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park’s one-of-a-kind, one day only, Submarine Tour of Poplar Tree Lake!
“Hop aboard with Ranger Chuckles as he steers through the stump-filled shallows in our cutting-edge, pedal-driven submarine — equipped with snorkels for quick getaways and a periscope that moonlights as a selfie stick.
“Be amazed by underwater spectacles like the rare migration of freshwater rubber ducks and the mysterious Poplar Tree Lake Kraken (spoiler alert: it’s just a giant bass).
“Secure your pretend tickets today for a laugh-out-loud journey that’ll leave you soaked in fun — metaphorically speaking!
“Stay tuned for more April Fool’s Day events that don’t really exist! 😂 “
River what?!
Credit: City of West Memphis via Facebook
“🚨 BIG ANNOUNCEMENT FROM MAYOR MCCLENDON 🚨
“Mayor McClendon has officially requested federal approval to rename a portion of the Mississippi River to…The West Memphis River.
“’We’re tired of Mississippi getting all the credit,’ said Mayor McClendon. ‘It’s time to put West Memphis on the map — literally.’”
The proposed section would span from the I-55 Bridge to the I-40 Bridge.
Posted to Facebook by City of West Memphis
“‘We’re not trying to take the whole river,’” Mayor McClendon said. “’Just the best part.’”
“The rebranding would come with new signage, tourism campaigns, and possibly West Memphis may soon be home to a West Memphis River cruise port! Passengers can board for scenic tours newly renamed West Memphis River, taking in the sights, and sounds of the Delta in style.
”The petition has been submitted to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names and is now in the hands of President Trump. Stay tuned.”
Sauce what?!
Posted to Facebook by Rotolo’s Craft & Crust – East Memphis, TN
“B.Y.O.B 🪣
“What’s the elite pizza dipping sauce? 🍕
Ranch lovers, this is your moment! For ONE DAY ONLY we’re filling up your bucket with our creamy ranch. No limits.”
Elwood’s what?!
Posted to Facebook by Elwood’s Shack
“All sandwiches buy one get 3 free. One day April special. Today Only.”
Elon Musk. Photo by Trevor Cokley / Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons
A resolution for the Shelby County Health Department to host a public hearing regarding xAI’s air permits has been passed by the Shelby County Board of Commissioners.
The resolution, sponsored by Commissioner Britney Thornton, urged the Shelby County Health Department to host a public meeting “prior to the approval or denial of the permit submitted by CTC Property LLC, an affiliate of xAI for the long-term operations of 15 methane gas turbines in South Memphis.”
Keshaun Pearson, executive director of Memphis Community Against Pollution, said this resolution would suspend the air-permitting process as the permit is not for the “current pollution” but “more pollution,” as xAI intends to bring more turbines in.
Groups such as Young, Gifted, and Green, MCAP, and Black Voters Matter along with several community members have openly condemned the project — with the news of the turbines operating for almost a year further amplifying outrage.
“Elon Musk holds nothing but malice for the people of Memphis [and] Shelby County,” Brandy Price said during the public comment section of the meeting. “To vote in favor of anything that aids Elon Musk will be a stain on yourself.”
Several people have spoken about the environmental risks that the project poses. Jonathan Reid, a resident of South Memphis, urged the commission to not only vote in favor of public hearings, but to “bring science to the table” when evaluating the project.
“I would like to know down the road when Elon Musk do[es] all this gas stuff what’s going to happen to the health of South Memphians?” Barbara Denton, a 72-year resident of South Memphis said. “Health is not being considered. All y’all want is money. It’s all about politics and money when it comes to South Memphis. Why does South Memphis have to get the neglect of being Black – mostly 90 percent? If y’all want to move something, move it Downtown. Let’s move it Downtown and see how it works for you.”
Dr. Michelle Taylor, director of the Shelby County Department of Health, acknowledged the community’s comments and said the public comment period is open now through April 30th. Residents can review xAI’s permit application and leave comments through the department’s website.
“We only can do as much as current legislation allows us to do,” Taylor said. “We did request an EPA community assessment. We requested, twice, in two letters to the EPA in August. We received a response on November 1 of 2024 saying they could not do the report.”
Taylor assured that the Health Department is committed to being held accountable by both the commission and the community.
The resolution passed 8-3 with one abstaining from voting.
