Can another year really have flown by so fast? Seems like only yesterday we were counting hundreds of ballots and trying to squeeze a bajillion dollars worth of ads into a single week’s issue. Oh wait, that was yesterday. Still, you get the idea. This is one
lollapalooza of an issue and it’s the result of a lot of work on the part of a lot of people — from ad sales to design and production to editorial.
This year, we’ve come up with a political theme. Where on earth did we get that idea, you
ask. Hard to say, though it could be a result of the approximately 100 letters and phone calls we
get every day sounding off about the candidates and the
Flyer’s (brilliant or demented, pick one) political views.
When it comes to putting this fat monster together, managing editor Susan Ellis deserves
most of the editorial kudos, along with intrepid copy editors Leonard Gill and Pamela Denney. If
you go to our Best of Memphis party, you’ll recognize them by their glazed eyeballs and the
empty cocktail glasses scattered on the floor nearby.
Come to think of it, that would describe any number
of folks. But onward …
Thanks also go to art director Carrie Beasley and
her staff, Amy Mathews and Tara McKenzie, whose
computers are still sizzling from all those ads and stories that had to
be laid out.
Kudos as well to the ad sales staff for their fine
and renumerative efforts and in particular to advertising
traffic manager Carrie O’Guin, who had to track all the
material and get it into the paper. No easy task.
And a special nod goes to staff writer Chris Davis,
who wrote, oh, maybe 14,000 words of copy for this issue.
It wasn’t assigned. He apparently couldn’t stop himself.
— Bruce VanWyngarden
The Best of Memphis Readers’ Poll
Buttoned Up: A look at state senator Steve Cohen’s political-button collection. By Bruce VanWyngarden.
Being Blogged Is the Sincerest Form of Flattery: Taking a look at HalfBakered. By Jackson Baker.
A Man of God’s Country: Getting to know the mayor of Frayser. By Bianca Phillips.
Thanks, Nixon: The day I learned to love politics. By Bruce VanWyngarden.
He’s Got Drive: A Q&A with the mayor of Covington Pike. By Susan Ellis.
Rock the Vote: How to be the Best of Memphis. By Mary Cashiola.
Cheats: Or, how to stuff a wild ballot box. By Susan Ellis.
Your Permit, Please: One of the weirdest laws on the Memphis record books. By Janel Davis.
Believe It or Not: The best of local government. By John Branston.
Mid-South Fair & Balanced: A Fly’s-eye view of contemporary American political discourse. By Chris Davis.
See Hear: When politics and art collide. By Chris Herrington.
Best Reason To Vote Republican: Does Kelly Jacobs give Democrats a bad name? By Chris Davis.
Elephants in the Room: A gay old dinner party with the area’s leading Log Cabin Republican. By Chris Davis.
What’d I Say?: Can you match the mangled quote by the Republican who did the mangling? A quiz by Chris Davis.
