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At Large Opinion

Haunted by Waters

A view of the Mississippi from Loosahatchie Bar in October 2022 (Photo: Bruce VanWyngarden)

“The Mississippi River will always have its own way; no engineering skill can persuade it to do otherwise; it has always torn down the petty basketwork of the engineers and poured its giant floods withersoever it chose, and it will continue to do this.” — Mark Twain

The Mississippi River has long defined the city of Memphis, literally marking its border on the west, and shaping its commerce and its soul throughout its history. But for a city framed by one of the world’s largest rivers, Memphis is woefully underserved when it comes to vehicular bridges.

We have two: The Memphis and Arkansas Bridge, which is traversed by I-55 and perennially under repair. It was constructed in 1949 and is locally known as the “old bridge.” And then there is the Hernando DeSoto Bridge (aka the “new bridge”; aka the “M bridge”), which opened in 1973 and carries vehicular traffic for I-40. It was closed for months a couple years back because of a large crack that developed in one of its I-beams.

The Memphis and Arkansas Bridge is not built to withstand earthquakes, and I wouldn’t put house money on the “new bridge” surviving one either. If we’re being candid, Memphis is one earthquake away from being without a Mississippi River crossing, which would absolutely decimate the city’s economy by diverting 100,000 vehicles a day to other bridges north or south of here. For comparison’s sake, the city of St. Louis, also on the Mississippi River, has 11 bridges.

But Memphis got some good news last week. It was overshadowed by another minor news event involving a presidential candidate’s ear, but, hey, we’re getting a new bridge! A $393.7 million federal grant for a replacement span over the big river was announced for the states of Tennessee and Arkansas. The new “new bridge” will replace the old “old bridge,” and will be designed to meet current seismic standards.

The news was greeted with great rejoicing by GOP Governor Bill Lee: “This unprecedented investment in Memphis marks the single-largest transportation investment in Tennessee state history and will be transformative for our infrastructure.” It goes without saying that almost all Republicans, including Tennessee’s congressional delegation, voted against the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which is funding the construction. Memphis Congressman Steve Cohen was the only Tennessee representative to vote for the act. It will take a few years for Memphis’ newest bridge to be completed, but at least we’re making progress.

Our river was in the news for other reasons last week, as well. Mississippi River cruises, long a financial boon for Memphis and other river cities, have taken a major hit due to drastic river-flow fluctuations caused by climate change. Flooding and drought have led to the cancellation of millions of dollars worth of cruises, according to a New York Times article:

“While operators are building new ships, and towns and cities are investing in infrastructure to welcome boat traffic, cruises on the Mississippi face mounting challenges from an increasing number of droughts and floods. … Memphis made its $40 million Beale Street Landing the centerpiece of a larger redevelopment of parks and trails snaking along six miles of Mississippi shoreline. Last year, more than half of the 128 scheduled cruise ship landings there were canceled, mostly because of low water levels that made it impossible for the boats to reach the dock.”

Forest and wetland destruction, new dams, and dredging have exacerbated the Mississippi’s natural flow fluctuations. And climate change has caused even more dramatic shifts in water levels. It was only two Octobers ago that you could basically walk across the Mississippi at Memphis. River traffic was down to one lane, with barges stacked up single file for miles and miles, awaiting their turn. And it was only last month that the Mississippi River at St. Paul had the eighth-highest crest ever recorded.

No one knows what the future holds, a situation for which the novelist Norman Maclean had wise words: “Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world’s great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of those rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs. I am haunted by waters.” 

Categories
Letter From The Editor Opinion

Staycation Daydreams 

Lilies bloom (Photo: Shara Clark)

Welcome to our annual Staycation issue! This year our team chose to revisit (or visit for the first time) some Memphis mainstays — the Peabody, Stax, Beale, and more — places that consistently draw tourists, and, to some degree, mark (to outsiders, at least) the major beats of our city’s pulse. In years past, we’ve highlighted lesser-known locales to encourage deeper exploration of what makes the Bluff City tick. This edition, though, serves as a reminder of just a few of the landmarks that can’t be missed — even if you drive by them every day on your work commute without a second thought — if for no other reason than to knock them off your Memphis bucket list. Maybe this is the summer to leave the “I’ve never been to Graceland” choir and join the “I’ve been there — I loved it!” crew. (I have been to Graceland once, thank you very much.)

Although my healing bones aren’t quite ready to go on any museum tours or Downtown jaunts, I’ve had a lot of daydreams about future excursions. After three months of limited mobility — wheelchairs and walkers and orthopedic boots — I’ve never looked more forward to venturing out beyond the doctor’s office or grocery store. Scanning the Flyer’s weekly calendar of upcoming events, there’s always a handful of things that catch my eye. Speaking of which, while some weeks — such as this one — our calendar is cut short due to available print space, there is always an extensive list of local happenings on our website. Check our calendar page or bookmark events.memphisflyer.com and plan your next adventure!  

Halladay visits. (Photo: Shara Clark)

The first thing on my “once I can walk again” to-do list is just that — walking. I so miss my beloved neighborhood walks, even this time of year. Hot or not, I love admiring the saturated summer colors, the well-kept flower beds, the squirrels busy doing squirrel things. The sun beating down, forcing sweat from my brow and body. It just feels good (but damn the humidity!) — alive with heat and light and movement. Bonus points if I’m able to cool off in a neighbors’ sprinkler on my path. In the meantime, I’m staycationing, literally, at home. But I’ve made some new backyard friends to keep me company. Thanks to my boyfriend Chris, who picked up a giant bag of birdseed a few weeks back on a whim, I now have daily visitors: blue jays, cardinals, robins, finches, doves, the occasional hummingbird, and a curious crow we’re trying to attract that hasn’t done more than circle overhead thus far. The birds are familiar with his morning routine now — first a scoop of seed, then a fist full of peanuts in the shell. The blue jays come out en masse to beat the squirrels to the nuts. The smaller birds swoop in throughout the day to peck at the feed or soak under the spinning sprinkler (cut on just for the wildlife), sometimes offering a low flyover or a long, cocked-head look and a song from the power line above, what we take as a “thank you.” I watch from my little side-yard stoop as (the regulars have been given names) Roberto, Gibson, Rudy, Halladay, and friends make their rounds, cawing and flapping at one another or patiently taking turns at the food pile. 

Oh, and my lilies have bloomed! They shot up, thick-stalked and tall, within the last few days. The lush pink blossoms are always a welcomed return. Originally uprooted from my previous home and replanted here, they come back every year, somehow each time more beautiful, hardy and requiring no work on my part. Like those lilies in the offseason, I lie dormant for now, but will burst forth soon, stronger and more resilient. Bending toward the light and looking forward to experiencing all the city has to offer once more.

Categories
News News Blog News Feature

Lawmakers Irked For State Failure On Gun Safe Storage Campaign

Tennessee lawmakers express frustration the state Department of Safety is failing to follow through with gun-safety ads for which the legislature approved funding. (Photo: Karen Pulfer Focht)

Tennessee’s Department of Safety is failing to follow through on a $1.6 million campaign for safe gun storage in vehicles, despite a major increase in weapon thefts from cars and trucks, lawmakers say.

Lawmakers approved the funding in an August 2023 special session on public safety for a firearms public awareness drive that was supposed to target vehicle break-ins. Gov. Bill Lee called lawmakers into that special session but was unable to pass any consequential gun-related bills in response to the Covenant School shooting in which six people were killed, including three children.

Since then, the Department of Safety has produced a weapon safe-storage commercial for homes but nothing dealing with vehicles, where lawmakers say the problem is the worst.

The state’s public service spot shows a man overseeing his son using a shotgun to fire at aluminum cans. Meanwhile, in the house, the man’s daughter pulls a rifle from a closet and appears to be on the verge of firing it, before the video shows the rifle is equipped with a safety lock designed to keep children from loading it and pulling the trigger.

Rep. Caleb Hemmer (D-Nashville) supports that commercial but is “frustrated” with the state’s refusal to target safe gun storage in vehicles. Hemmer and Sen. Jeff Yarbro (D-Nashville) ran into opposition from Republicans when they sponsored a bill requiring, then encouraging, people to lock weapons in vehicles.

“We have this problem, and we put money to deal with it and they’re only dealing with 10 percent of the problem, not 90 percent of it,” Hemmer says. 

He notes the department is not even “thinking about addressing it,” after public and private “prodding.”

Critics of Tennessee’s gun law argue that weapon thefts from vehicles increase dramatically after the Legislature passed the permit-less carry law five years ago. State law, based on the Attorney General’s interpretation of a court decision, now allows people 18 and above to carry without a permit. Yet they are not allowed to take their weapons into many businesses and leave them in vehicles unsecured.

Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake circulated statistics immediately after the Covenant School shooting in 2023 showing vehicle thefts jumped to 1,378 in Nashville in 2022 from 848 in 2019 and to 2,740 in Memphis from 1,159 in the same time frame. 

I’m very adamant that we need to inform the public that when you get out of your vehicle you have it safely stored if you can’t take it with you.

– Rep. Mark White, R-Memphis

The state’s two largest urban areas saw a downtick last year. Metro Nashville reported 984 weapons stolen from cars in 2023, while Shelby had 2,113, according to information from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

Many weapons are stolen from vehicles by teens and wind up being used in violent crimes, such as the 9mm pistol juveniles pulled on a Belmont graduate and musician Kyle Yorlets when he was shot to death in February 2019.

Republican state Rep. Mark White (R-Memphis), who carried the measure for a safe storage campaign in the 2023 special session, said Monday he had spoken with Hemmer and the Department of Safety and plans to keep pushing the message.

“I’m very adamant that we need to inform the public that when you get out of your vehicle you have it safely stored if you can’t take it with you,” White says.

White, whose efforts to pass safe gun storage laws failed several times, says the Department of Safety told him it was just starting to get “ramped up” on the safe gun storage campaign.

Safety Department spokesman Wes Moster did not respond to Tennessee Lookout questions about the public service spots and why they don’t deal with vehicles.

Instead, he said there has been “no delay” in the advertisements, which are being distributed statewide across radio, television and movie theaters. In addition, spots on streaming services, social media, newspapers and billboards will be sent out this summer.

“The department will strategically determine whether additional advertisements will be made,” Moster said in an email response to Lookout questions.

Tennessee Lookout is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network 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 X.

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News News Blog News Feature

Flood Waters, Beryl Elevate Mississippi River Levels

Levee Trail by the Mississippi River (Credit: Big River Park).

A glug of flood water was predicted to elevate Mississippi River levels here over the next two or three days, though officials said that some of the excess water was good news for the region. 

Last week, mayors with the Mississippi River Towns and Cities Initiative (MRCTI) explained how seasonal flooding and rains from Hurricane Beryl affected their areas. La Crosse, Wisconsin, for example “pushed right up to major flooding” before waters receded. However, Hastings, Minnesota saw the river crest at more than 19 feet at the beginning of the month, only about five feet below the city’s record, according to the Hastings Journal. But it wasn’t all bad news.

“In some ways, the rain, the precipitation, is welcome,” said La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds. “We just pulled out of a 60-month drought that cost our nation $26 billion. And for the first time since 2022, there is no drought along the Mississippi River corridor.

“June brought record heat and well-below-normal precipitation. July reversed that trend and gave us a recharge and then some. The third thing is this new water has — in some ways — secured our Louisiana cities from additional saltwater intrusion for at least several months.”

Grafton, Illinois, Mayor Michael Morrow. Credit: MRCTI

Grafton, Illinois, Mayor Michael Morrow appeared live at the MRCTI news conference last week with the Mississippi River behind him, encroaching on a city street. At 23.5 feet, the flood level was below the record 31 feet set in 1931, he said. So, “Grafton is open,” Morrow said.

“We like to say that because we don’t have levees, we are right on the river,” Morrow said. “Our tourists, they can some and put their toes in the river. We just had a group of people getting out of a car over here a minute ago. … The little kids came up and touched the river, and off they went.” 

 The coming high water expected for Memphis began as a wet pattern over Minnesota and Wisconsin in April and May, according to Anna Wolverton, a National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist who also works for the Army Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley Division. In June, an “extreme rainfall event” poured over southern Minnesota and South Dakota, she said, and “that’s what officially kicked this flood wave off and it’s still traveling down the Big River and that was three to four weeks ago now.”

As the mayors spoke during a press event, Thursday, the crest was moving though southern Iowa and into central Illinois and northern Missouri. The “really elongated crest“ lasted a few days at each river gauge, Wolverton said.

Predicted Mississippi River levels. Credit: National Weather Service
Credit: National Weather Service

River levels at Memphis began to rise early this month, according to NWS data. On June 6th, the observed river stage was at nine feet. It continued to rise, reaching 16 feet on Thursday. Data from the United States Geological Survey’s (USGS) WaterWatch app said the river stage was at nearly 17 feet (well below the flood stage of 34 feet). The river is expected to crest at 18 feet Tuesday before falling again.

The Mississippi was 10.75 feet below normal in October 2022. (Photo: Bruce VanWyngarden)

Anyone who remembers the bone-dry moonscapes of October 2022’s record-low river levels might wonder what else we can expect this year.  Wolverton said it was nearly impossible to predict. But water levels had already begun to fall in early June last year, putting the river at least one month ahead of 2023. 

“I expect at least another month or so before we’re talking about low water again,” Wolverton said. 

“I expect at least another month or so before we’re talking about low water again.

Anna Wolverton, a National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist who also works for the Army Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley Division

But record-warm sea surface temperatures throughout The Atlantic Basin could draw more tropical storms. Federal agencies have already predicted a higher-than-normal hurricane season. Those could bring even more water to the Mississippi River.  

So far, the Mississippi River system is prepared for excess water, according to Carl Winters, the USGS National Flood Coordinator. He said two big contributors for Mississippi River flows are waters from the Missouri River and the Ohio River. 

While flows on the Missouri River are elevated (at about 90th percentile for historic flows), they are receding. However, flows from the Ohio are low, at about the 30th percentile for known flows. The flow for the Mississippi at Memphis was at 80 percent and rising last week, Winters said. 

Categories
Film Features Film/TV

Music Video Monday: “TGIF” by GloRilla

Sure, it’s Monday, but it’s never too early to Thank God It’s Friday. That’s the message from GloRilla with the latest single “TGIF” off her album Ehhthang Ehhthang. She’s been barnstorming the country with Megan Thee Stallion’s Hot Girl Summer tour, and it’s been super hot.

The new video, directed by Jerry Morka and produced by Diesel Filmz is a classic tour video. Glo and her girls show off her tour bus, party in some swank locales, and dazzle enormous audiences. And they twerk. A lot.

The video is already a smash hit, currently #3 on YouTube’s music video charts with 13.4 million views and counting. Go Glo!

If you would like to see your music video featured on Music Video Monday, email cmccoy@memphisflyer.com.

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News News Blog News Feature

U of M Tuition Increase Prompts Mixed Emotions From Students

Photo Credit: University of Memphis via Facebook

The University of Memphis recently announced their largest tuition increase in the last eight years after approval from the university’s board of trustees in June. However, current students have mixed emotions about this hike, as they don’t believe the student experience will improve as a result.

According to the university’s finance and audit committee, this recommendation was made off of a number of factors including student affordability, financial aid, inflation and more. The university said they have policies and structures in place to minimize the cost of attendance for in-state students, however they “must remain competitive with their national peers.”

“The University of Memphis has taken numerous steps over the past several years to contain costs and to keep tuition as low as possible,” the university said in a statement. “This resulted in the UofM having the lowest average tuition increase in the State of Tennessee of 1.3% over the past eight years, including 0% tuition and fee increases in three of the past eight years.”

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) has a binding range of zero to five point five percent to which colleges and universities can increase undergraduate in-state tuition and mandatory fees. As a result, the university was faced with the decision to either increase tuition within that range or eliminate the guaranteed tuition plan, which is available to first-time and first-year students and guarantees “locked-in rates for eight consecutive semesters.

The board decided to raise full-time undergraduate in-state tuition by 3.71 percent, and out-of-state tuition by 4.1 percent. In-state graduate tuition increased by 3.69 percent, while law tuition for Tennessee residents increased by 3.78 percent. Out of state students will see a 4.02 percent increase for graduate programs and 4.03 percent for law school.

Redding Johnson is an in-state transfer student who is a senior at the university studying journalism and feels that the decision to increase tuition without student input is “deceptive.” She also feels that the students don’t have a concrete understanding as to where this money is going and have no say in where it should go.

“We did get a new STEM building this past year so I’m sure some of the money went to that, but we don’t see the money going to programs that actually need it like journalism and architecture programs,” Johnson said. “The money doesn’t seem like it’s going to campus security either, which is a huge problem at U of M. I personally think they are trying to make up for the loss of students enrolling over the last decade.”

For Fall 2023, the university reported 21,731 students enrolled in their programs, a 0.83 percent decrease from Fall 2022 (21,912.) Enrollment increased in 2022 following the decline in enrollment in Fall 2021 from Fall 2020 (2.63 percent.)

On the other hand, students like Ashleigh Porter, a senior from Memphis, says they’re “amongst the few people” that feel the tuition increases have been worth it, as she has noticed building upgrades and improvements in her communications program.

“Things are really starting to be more polished and the campus offers a lot of new things that it didn’t when I first started two years ago,” P added.

Chadai Jones, an out-of state nursing student from Atlanta, Georgia going into her sophomore year said she understands the shock and “disbelief” that her fellow students are experiencing due to the tuition percentage increase, but she’s hopeful that it will benefit students with more funding for campus events and other additions to student life.

“It’s not like they’re just taking more money and we don’t benefit from it,” Jones said. “We would be getting our money’s worth, but it does suck that out of the blue tuition is being raised. I personally just hope they stick to their word and make sure it does benefit all students.”

Categories
Politics Politics Beat Blog

Cohen Announces Money for New I-55 Bridge

I-55 Bridge. Photo by Jon W. Sparks

Ninth District Congressman Steve Cohen (D-Memphis), a senior member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, announced Friday that the Tennessee and Arkansas Departments of Transportation were successful in securing $393,750,000 for a new Interstate 55 Bridge over the Mississippi River at Memphis to be known as America’s River Crossing.

Cohen has worked with the Biden-Harris Administration to secure funding for this project, inviting Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to Memphis when the Hernando DeSoto Bridge was out of commission in May of 2021 to see how critical the Mid-South transportation corridor is to interstate commerce. Cohen also joined Administrator Shailen Bhatt of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) during his trip to Memphis in May to talk about the need to replace the I-55 Bridge and his concerns that it would be vulnerable to serious damage in an earthquake and is far out of date.

In addition to writing a letter of support, Cohen has discussed the regional and national significance of this project in Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearings, most recently with Buttigieg on June 28. See his recent committee hearing exchanges with Buttigieg here and with Bhatt in May here. 

Cohen was the only member of the current Tennessee and Arkansas Congressional delegations to vote for the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the source of major funding for the project.

Cohen made the following statement:

“I’m proud to have worked with the President, the U.S. Department of Transportation, as well as the outstanding team in Memphis and the governor’s office in successfully getting this extremely large and necessary grant for the construction of the new bridge. As President Biden would say, ‘This is a big … deal!’ And it sure is: Probably the biggest investment made in Memphis by the federal government ever. 

“I was proud to vote for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that created this Bridge Program and allow these funds to be available for Memphis. Mine was the only vote for the bill in either the Tennessee or the Arkansas Congressional delegations. We are two red states. This shows how President Biden works for the best interest of the country. It is important to America and not politically good for a red or a blue state. It’s the United States of America and that’s what this bridge is for. Transportation across America creates jobs and improves our economy — America’s River Crossing.”

Memphis Mayor Paul Young made the following statement:

“This historic investment in Memphis will help further connect our community with the region and the world. Memphis’ prominence as a logistics hub is made stronger by the investment in this key piece of infrastructure and we are honored by the grant.”

Greater Memphis Chamber President and CEO Ted Townsend made the following statement:

“For over two decades, the Greater Memphis Chamber has led local efforts to ensure a new bridge would be built further solidifying Memphis as a global logistics leader. Over those 20 years, Congressman Steve Cohen has remained a constant advocate with us. We want to appreciate the leadership of the Tennessee Department of Transportation for helping to initiate and convene this most recent effort, the Mayor’s office — both Jim Strickland and Paul Young — for being local advocates, and the Chamber’s Transportation Committee for being persistent and never taking their eye off of the ball.”

The Tennessee and Arkansas Departments of Transportation submitted a joint application through the Bridge Investment Program (BIP) Large Bridge Projects Program. The Federal Highway Administration announced today that the project will move forward.

Categories
Film Features Film/TV

Now Playing July 12-18: Nic Cage Kills

Maika Monroe wonders what it all means in Longlegs. (Courtesy Neon)

Looks like a busy weekend at the movies — which is good, because it’s gonna be a hot one.

Longlegs

The great Nicholas Cage stars as a serial killer motivated by his devotion to Satan. Maika Monroe (of It Follows fame) is Lee Harker, an FBI agent assigned to catch him. Blair Underwood (of Krush Groove fame) is her partner, and Alicia Witt (of Dune and Twin Peaks fame) is her mom. Writer/director Osgood Perkins is not super famous yet, but his dad is Anthony Perkins of Psycho fame. 

Fly Me To The Moon 

Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum star as NASA’s PR director and launch director for the Apollo 11 mission. His job is to get the astronauts to the moon. Her job is to fake the moon landing if the astronauts fail. This film probably sounded like a good idea at the time. 

MaXXXine

Ti West and Mia Goth’s trilogy of twentieth century terror concludes with a slam-bang finale. Read my full review.

A Quiet Place: Day One

Lupita Nyong’o leads this hit prequel to 2018’s alien invasion movie. She plays Sam, a terminally ill cancer patient who witnesses the silent alien invasion in New York City. Can Sam and her cat Frodo survive the mass slaughter? Djimon Housou reprises his role as Henri from A Quiet Place Part II. 

Despicable Me 4

You know those oval yellow Minons your batty aunty and drunk uncle are always sharing memes about? They’re from the Despicable Me franchise. And guess what? They made another one!

Kinds of Kindness

Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone follow the Academy Award-winning Poor Things with a triptych of stories about debasing yourself for the benefit of others. Read my full review.

Inside Out 2

The movie of the summer is all about anxiety, and it couldn’t be more timely. Amy Poehler reprises her voice role as Joy, whose hold on the mind of her 13-year-old charge Riley (Kensington Tallman) is jarred loose by Anxiety (Maya Hawke), just a a pivotal hockey game threatens her self image.  

The Bikeriders

Director Jeff Nichols’ gritty portrait of Midwestern biker gangs stars Austin Butler and Tom Hardy looking mighty manly. Read my full review.

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On the Fly We Recommend We Recommend

On the Fly: Week of 7/12/24

Imbibe summer fun at the Summer Cocktail Festival this Friday. (Photo: Courtesy Willmott Events)

Memphis Summer Cocktail Festival
The Kent
Friday, July 12, 6-9 p.m.
Get your drink on at the hottest festival of the summer featuring seasonal sips, tasty eats, and throwback vibes. Your ticket includes 12 fun-size summer cocktails, plus access to all the fun and entertainment. Put on your freshest throwback threads and chillax this event supporting Volunteer Memphis. Tickets can be purchased here in advance for $54/general admission and $85/early entry (which gets you early admission and a welcome cocktail). General admission tickets will be sold at the door for $65 if they are not sold out. Check social media for the sold-out notification.

Two-Day Pickleball 901 Party at Wiseacre
Wiseacre Brewing Company HQ – Little Bettie
Saturday, July 13, noon-8 p.m. | Sunday, July 14, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Don’t get yourself in a pickle when it comes to your weekend plans. Just go and play pickleball (and enjoy food and beer and music and vendors and friends and family). Wiseacre hosts two days of pickleball and more, including four premium pickleball courts and beginner clinics if you are new to the game. Free pickleball will be happening in the Wiseacre back lot from noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. 

Goo Goo Dolls
Radians Amphitheater At Memphis Botanic Garden
Friday, July 12, 8 p.m.
I don’t care if you go goo goo or ga ga for the Goo Goo Dolls this weekend. But I’m here to inform you that they’ll be playing at The Live at the Garden Summer Concert Series. Lawn tickets are $84.35 and can be purchased here. The lawn is always first come, first served; there are no assigned seats on the lawn. Chairs are not provided but guests can bring their own. Food and drinks will be available for purchase, and attendees are also allowed to bring their own outside food and beverages including coolers. For more information, go here.

Puppy Gala
Crosstown Brewing Company
Saturday, July 13, 2-5 p.m.
The dog days are here! It’s time for Crosstown Brewing’s second annual Puppy Gala, where dogs of all ages can walk the red carpet and strut their stuff. Categories will include: Best Dressed, Most Like Owner, Best Pet Trick, Cutest Puppy, Best Senior Dog, and Best in Show. There will be plenty of water to drink and play in as well as small treats for the puppies who participate. The event will coincide with the return of the brewery’s pink lemonade shandy, Dog Days (we see what they did there). 

Puppy Yoga
Sana Yoga Downtown
Saturday, July 13, 3:30 p.m.
I will never pass up an opportunity to talk about puppy yoga. So lemme tell you about puppy yoga. It’s happening. Be there this Saturday. Admission is $30. Sign up here.

Always Sunny in Philadelphia Brunch
Black Lodge
Sunday, July 14, 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
Black Lodge brings what you’ve all been waiting for: Always Sunny Brunch, a monthly brunch screening the best of the best episodes of your favorite gang of dysfunctional degenerates. The theme for this first one is the Best of the Gang, so think: any episodes that revolve around all five characters. Next month Lodge will screen the best of Dennis. Audience suggestions will be taken for episodes screened after 1 p.m. The day will feature $3 mimosas/$20 mimosa pitchers and the food special will be Mac’s Breakfast Chimichanga, a large fried flour tortilla stuffed with chorizo, eggs, shredded cheese, and potatoes, topped with fresh pico de gallo and sour cream, served on a plate with a side of crispy tater tots.

V&E Greenline’s Ice Cream Social
Idlewild Sun Garden at V&E Greenline
Sunday, July 14, 2-4 p.m.
I scream, you scream, the V&E screams, we all scream for ICE CREAM! Head to the V&E Greenline for a sundae funday with ice cream galore. Chill out in our kiddie pools, make your own sundae, and cone-plete with games for all ages. There will be toppings available, but feel free to BYOT (bring your own toppings). The cherry on top: All proceeds go towards the development and maintenance of our community trail. Admission is free, ice cream is $2 per scoop.

There’s always something happening in Memphis. See a full calendar of events here.

Submit events here or by emailing calendar@memphisflyer.com.

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News News Blog News Feature

CannaBeat: “Legal High” Products Still at Risk in Tennessee

Photo: Budding | Unsplash

Smokeable THCA and CBD products are wildly popular in Tennessee, according to industry advocates, but they remain at risk of disappearing from store shelves under new state rules. 

State lawmakers passed new laws last year to regulate the growing cannabis industry in Tennessee. For example, cannabis products were moved behind shelves of stores that aren’t 21 and up. A new 6-percent tax on cannabis products was levied, too. A single serving of a cannabis product cannot exceed a dosage of 25 milligrams in the state.

The new law also made the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) responsible for regulating the cannabis industry here. Late last year, the department issued new rules for cannabis producers and products. 

The department updated those rules at the beginning of this month after a public comment period. Tennessee Growers Coalition (TGC) executive director Kelley Mathis Hess said nearly 19,000 comments were submitted to the agency. But officials must not have listened, she said.

The new rules still include new THC standards for THCA and CBD flower. New limits could see those products removed completely. The new rules would also allow police to arrest manufacturers, retailers, and consumers for selling or possessing these smokable products, according to Cultivate Tennessee, another hemp advocacy group.

The new state rules redefine THC to include a product’s total THC. This includes a lot of THCA — the cannabinoid that produces a “high” — smokeable products.

“They’re trying to redefine it by combining two different cannabinoids,” Hess said, “two different things when it should just be Delta 9, and Delta 9 only. They’re trying to put a limit on [THCA] but the limit would, basically, ban a lot of it.” 

Hess said these products are probably the most popular products on the market right now. Many small businesses have built their business around sales of these products, she said. Removing them could prove fatal to them. 

TGC and Cultivate Tennessee have promised to fight. 

“We will fight to keep smokable hemp products, such as THCA flower, concentrates, and vapes legal in Tennessee,” Cultivate Tennessee says on its website. “We will defend against the TDA attempting to rewrite laws through the rules. We assert that the TDA rules are potentially illegal and unconstitutional.”

The new rules, though, are considered “emergency rules,” meaning they are not the final rules. So, they’re not set in stone. Hess said she hopes agency officials will reconsider the new rules for cannabis flower. If they don’t, TGC will file a lawsuit for legal clarification, she said.

These particular products were likely targeted by the agency, Hess said, for one big open secret.

 “These products get you high,” she said. “That’s not a secret anymore. That’s the whole reason [Rep. William Lamberth (R-Portland)] and [Sen. Richard Briggs (R-Knoxville)] brought a bill, because it gets you high and they wanted it regulated.”  

The new rules won’t affect edible products, like gummies, Hess said. Those products are made with cannabis oils that can be measured, fine-tuned all along the production process, and remain stable on the shelf. Cannabinoid profiles in flower products, however, can change. 

No state official has made any public comment on the new rules. However, when the Biden administration announced new rules not approved by Congress in a different matter, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti led a multi-state revolt against them (and temporarily won). The U.S. Department of Education added “gender identity” to Title IX. Skrmetti said only Congress could change rules and that the government agency “has no authority to let boys into girls’ locker rooms.”