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State Report: Tennessee Ranks High for Child Gun Deaths

Photo by Tom Def on Unsplash

Tennessee has one of the highest overall rates of child homicide in the nation but ranks even higher for the rate of kids killed by guns: one out of every four children who died in 2021 was killed by a bullet. 

New data released Monday by the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth provides a comprehensive portrait of the lives and deaths of Tennessee’s children and the economic and social forces that shape their childhoods, from poverty to educational achievement, access to healthcare and housing.

While child deaths by firearms are on the rise — Tennessee ranks 7th in the nation for children murdered by guns — youth in Tennessee are much more likely to be the victim of a firearm crime than to perpetuate one, the “State of the Child in Tennessee 2023” report notes.

In 2022, kids were perpetrators of 1,561 crimes involving firearms; they were victims in 4,490 firearm-related crimes, according to the report.

At the same time, the state’s largest cities — Memphis, Chattanooga and Nashville — all experienced a decline in the under-18 crime rate. Nashville and Memphis experienced some of the largest declines in youth crime in Tennessee, according to the report. 

The report also noted that infant mortality from all causes has increased in Tennessee, after a slight decline between 2019 and 2022. Tennessee’s infant mortality rate of 6.6 per 1,000 surpasses the national average of 5.6 per 1,000.

“Our state does better when all children have access to the resources, supports and services they need to thrive,” said Richard Kennedy, executive director of the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth. “We hope this report can serve as a guidebook for where we as a state are getting things right and where we can focus our investment and attention to improve outcomes.”

Read the full report:

The State of the Child in Tennessee 2023

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.

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Report: Firearms Are Leading Cause of Death in Tennessee Kids

A day after the March 27th mass shooting at The Covenant School, a woman is overcome with emotion in front of an impromptu memorial. (Photo: John Partipilo)

Children are dying at higher rates from gun violence in Tennessee than in the rest of the nation, an ongoing geographic disparity that has only widened in recent years, and one that most gravely impacts the state’s Black families, whose children and teens are being killed by firearms at twice the rate as white kids.

The data tracking child deaths in Tennessee between 2017 and 2021 was released as part of an annual report compiled by the Tennessee Department of Health with the assistance of district attorneys, child welfare advocates, elected officials, and other experts who regularly meet in teams to review the deaths of Tennessee kids year-round.

The report this year was released just ahead of a special legislative session called to address public safety after a lone assailant fired 152 rounds inside a Nashville Christian school, killing three nine-year-old children and three adults in less than 15 minutes, according to police.

The report focuses on all causes of child deaths among kids 17 and younger, finding that the overall mortality rate from all causes — accidents, suicides, premature births, other medical conditions and murder — in Tennessee is nearly twice the national average.

Gun deaths among children, however, have increased by significant rates; by 2021, Tennessee’s rates of firearm deaths among children were more than 36 percent more than the national average.

In 2021, the latest year analyzed, 67 Tennessee children died by homicide. Fifty-three of the victims were Black, a rate four times as high as white children.

“Child health is a critical indicator of a society’s well-being,” the report noted. The burdens of homicide among Tennessee children is higher among Blacks, males, and children aged 15 to 17, with firearms being the leading means of lethality.

The racial disparity is reversed when it comes to children and teens who died by suicide, with white children six times as likely to take their own lives. Suicides accounted for the deaths of 32 white children and five Black children between 2017 and 2021. More than half of all suicide deaths among Tennessee children (54 percent) were a result of firearms.

The report does not make specific recommendations, instead noting two “prevention opportunities”: promoting safer firearms handling and storage and programs encouraging parental supervision.

The prevention opportunities mirror the current GOP-driven legislative agenda for the special session, set to begin August 21st. While advocates for gun safety laws, among them parents of children who attend The Covenant School, have called for stricter background checks and other gun regulations, Gov. Bill Lee has set an agenda that includes unspecified recommendations for firearm staff storage.

The governor’s agenda, set forth in a proclamation also makes mention of protective orders, but other elected GOP leaders have made clear they will not consider any measures that would remove guns from any individuals.

2023 CFR Annual Report with Promulgation Statement

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.

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News News Blog News Feature

Report: One in Five Tennessee Children Live in Poverty

Photo by Piron Guillaume on Unsplash

Nearly one in five Tennessee children live in poverty, a measure of well-being that varies sharply by geography.

In rural northeast Lake County, for example, the number of children living below the poverty line is double the state average; meanwhile in wealthy Williamson County, fewer than 4 percent of children are being raised under such economic strains.

The data, released Tuesday by the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, paints an uneven portrait of Tennessee’s children in county-by-county snapshots that also measure rates of low birth-weight babies, educational outcomes, childcare costs, child abuse and family circumstances.

County poverty rates coincide with other stressors facing families with children. The ten counties with the highest rates of poverty for kids also are among those with the greatest rates of low birth-weight babies, child care cost burdens and food insecurity, according to the agency’s annual 2023 County Profiles in Child Well-Being, which measured 52 different metrics that impact the states’ children.

The high poverty rates straddle both rural and urban areas. Among the top 10 counties for child poverty are Shelby and Davidson, which include Nashville and Memphis, the state’s largest cities. Small-population counties of Haywood, Hardeman and Madison Counties in west Tennessee and Campbell in eastern Tennessee also have outsized numbers of poor children.

The report also revealed wide educational disparities.

A child living in the lowest performing county was half as likely to be proficient in TCAP reading than the state average, the report found. A child in Perry County was far more likely — by a factor of nearly 10 — to be absent from school than a child in Blount County.

The disparities also extended to rates of child abuse and neglect, a data point that could signal either higher incidents of harm — or differing levels of investigations or enforcement actions by state child welfare officials or local law enforcement.

Clay County had the highest rate of substantiated abuse or neglect at nearly 34 per 1,000 children.  Moore County had the lowest at 0.8 per 1,000.

“These county profiles always serve as a reminder that the experience, opportunities, and access to positive outcomes can look vastly different for each child in Tennessee.” said Richard Kennedy, executive director of Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth.

The report is released annually by the commission, an independent state-funded entity responsible for providing objective analyses and serving as a watchdog for the Department of Children’s Services.

The commission earlier this year survived an effort backed by the administration of Gov. Bill Lee to dissolve it, after it released a critical report on the DCS’s work

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.

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Special Sections

Recreation

ATTRACTIONS

Family Fun

Children’s Museum of Memphis

Set up like a miniature city, with a bank, fire station, grocery store, and skyscraper. Newer exhibits include Going Places, which showcases an airplane cockpit and flight simulator, and Art Smart Gallery with its visual and performing arts. 2525 Central, 320-3170

The Fire Museum of Memphis

Features simulated fires, a teaching room of interactive exhibits, and a play area with full-sized trucks and a sliding pole. 118 Adams, 320-5650

Memphis Motorsports Park

Hosts 215 events a year, including the national NASCAR Busch Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series; boasts a dirt track and road course. 5500 Taylor Forge Dr., 358-7223

Memphis Zoo

Celebrating its 100th birthday and the opening of Northwest Passage — home to polar bears, bald eagles, and more — the Zoo also includes Cat Country, Primate Canyon, Dragon’s Lair, Animals of the Night, and CHINA, home to two giant pandas. 2000 Prentiss Place (Overton Park), 276-9453

Peabody Place Entertainment and Retail Center

Anchored by the historic Peabody Hotel, this is a one-stop destination for movies, music, shopping, and dining, including Encore, Texas de Brazil, Jillian’s, and Dan McGuinness Irish Pub. 150 Peabody Place. 261-PLAY (7529)

Memphis Music

Beale Street

World-renowned thoroughfare, home to Pat O’Brien’s, Hard Rock Cafe, B.B. King’s Blues Club, and other bars offering live music nightly. Also features A. Schwab’s, a century-old dry-goods store; W.C. Handy’s home; and gift and novelty shops.

Graceland Mansion

Elvis Presley’s home from 1957 until his death. Tours cover the house, racquetball building, Elvis’ vintage car collection, huge assortment of trophies and gold records, the “Lisa Marie” jet, and much more. 3734 Elvis Presley, 332-3322

Memphis Rock ‘N’ Soul Museum

Presents a history of Memphis music using rare film footage, old photos, vintage jukeboxes, stage costumes, and a customized tour of various musical eras. 191 Beale, Plaza at FedExForum, 205-2533

Soulsville USA and the Stax Museum of American Soul Music

A 17,000-square-foot soul-music museum on the site of the former Stax Records, where stars such as Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, and Wilson Pickett got their start. Showcases some 2,000 artifacts, including Hayes’ 1972 Cadillac El Dorado. 926 E. McLemore, 942-SOUL.

Sun Studio

Elvis rocked the world in 1954 at the studio founded by Sam Phillips. Displayed at Sun are memorabilia of Presley and other music legends, such as Carl Perkins, B.B. King, and Jerry Lee Lewis. 706 Union, 521-0664

Museums of Culture and History

Memphis Pink Palace Museum

Built as home to Piggly Wiggly founder Clarence Saunders, the pink stone mansion is now a regional museum of local history, culture, medicine, music, and natural science; also houses a state-of-the-art planetarium and an IMAX theater. 3050 Central, 320-6320

National Civil Rights Museum

Illustrates key moments in civil rights history, such as the March on Washington and the Montgomery bus boycott. Also includes the boarding house from which James Earl Ray allegedly shot King in 1968 and features an exhibit of previously classified documents and evidence. 450 Mulberry. 521-9699

The Great Outdoors

Lichterman Nature Center

Visitors can take a boardwalk tour around the lake and explore nature trails lined with native plants and trees. Among the center’s highlights are the backyard wildlife center, a native-plant greenhouse, and an amphitheater. 5992 Quince, 767-7322

Memphis Botanic Garden

Water lilies bloom in the Sensory Garden, one of many attractions at this suburban oasis. At the center is the Japanese Garden of Tranquility with its lake and arching red bridge. The Botanic Garden hosts summer concerts featuring such entertainers as Sugarland, Toni Braxton, and Bonnie Raitt. 750 Cherry, 685-1566

The Mississippi River

Major events are held on the river each year, including the Memphis in May Sunset Symphony. Winding above the Father of Waters is the Bluffwalk, a pedestrian walkway with panoramic views. Regular riverboat cruises are offered by the Memphis Queen Line.

Shelby Farms

Visitors can rent pavilions and paddleboats; fish in lakes stocked with catfish, crappie, bream, and bass; or simply enjoy walking, jogging, or biking. Also within the 4,500-acre park is Ducks Unlimited’s international headquarters, which boasts a scenic waterfowl propagation lake. 7161 Mullins Station, 382-2249

Tunica RiverPark

The Tunica RiverPark features a museum with exhibits on the Delta and four aquariums with river life. There’s also a nature trail and an observation deck that has a stunning view of the Mississippi River. In addition, guests can board the Delta Queen, which offers four cruises daily. One RiverPark Dr., Tunica, Mississippi, 866-51-RIVER

GAMING

Southland Park Gaming and Racing

The world’s largest greyhound racing facility, with “instant racing” machines and slot machines. 1550 Ingram, West Memphis, 735-3670

Tunica Casinos

The gambling center of the Mid-South, located just 30 miles from Memphis down Highway 61, Tunica County is home to several glitzy casinos, which boast hotels, restaurants, gift shops, dance pavilions, and big-name entertainment.

Bally’s Casino Tunica, 800-382-2559

Fitz Casino & Hotel, 800-766-5825

Gold Strike Casino Resort, 888-245-7829

Grand Casino Tunica, 800-946-4946

Hollywood Casino, 800-871-0711

Horseshoe Casino & Hotel, 800-303-7463

Resorts Tunica, 662-363-7777

Sam’s Town Casino, 800-456-0711

Sheraton Casino & Hotel, 800-391-3777

Only in Memphis

The Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange

Relates the story of the cotton industry and its influence on a city that remains the epicenter of worldwide cotton trading. Tour begins on the “members only” trading floor and shows cotton’s impact on everything from music to high society. 65 Union. 531-7826

The Elvis Suite at Lauderdale Courts

Home to Elvis Presley and his parents from 1949 to early 1953, now part of a new housing development known as Uptown Square. Decorated with period furniture and family photos. Available for overnight rental. Uptown Square, 521-8219, lauderdalecourts.com

Mud Island River Park

Special features are the River Walk, a five-block-long scale model of the Mississippi from Cairo, Illinois, to the Gulf of Mexico, and the 18-gallery River Museum, which showcases artifacts of life on the Mississippi. 125 N. Front, 576-7241

Woodruff-Fontaine House

Built in the 1870s with stunning architectural details, this French Victorian mansion displays period textiles, furnishings, and Victorian clothing. 680 Adams, 526-1469

SPORTS

Professional Sports

Memphis Grizzlies Basketball

888-HOOP, nba.com/grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies are an NBA team that plays at FedExForum.

Memphis Redbirds

721-6000, memphisredbirds.com

The Redbirds are a triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals and play home games at AutoZone Park in downtown Memphis.

Mississippi RiverKings

662-342-1755, riverkings.com

The RiverKings are members of the Central Hockey League and the affiliate team of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The season runs from October to April. The RiverKings play their home games at the DeSoto Civic Center.

College Sports

Christian Brothers University

321-3378

They’re the Buccaneers, with women’s and men’s teams in baseball, basketball, golf, soccer, and track.

LeMoyne-Owen College

942-7327

The LeMoyne-Owen Magicians compete in both women’s and men’s basketball.

Rhodes College

843-3940

The Lynx compete in soccer, field hockey, football, volleyball, swimming, basketball, baseball, softball, and more.

Southwest Tennessee Community College

333-5143

The Southwest Saliquis include women’s and men’s basketball, baseball, and softball.

University of Memphis

678-2461, gotigersgo.com

The Tigers compete in football, basketball, baseball, golf, tennis, track and field, and more.

A starter’s list of amateur sports.

compiled by Carson Irwin

Parks and Recreation Offices:

Memphis Division of Park Services (MDPS): 576-4200

North Zone: 2893 N. Watkins, 353-9532

North East Zone: 4575 Raleigh-LaGrange, 388-5911

East Zone: 4585 Willow, 767-4580

West Zone: 4376 Horn Lake, 789-5665

Germantown Parks and Recreation: 757-7375

Germantown Youth Athletic Association (GYAA): 754-4922

Germantown Centre: 757-7370

Collierville Parks and Recreation: 853-3225

Collierville Youth Athletic Association (CYAA): 853-2922

Shelby Youth Sports: 386-9700

Baseball: Youth (recreational) — MDPS offers recreational baseball for children ages 7-14. Coed T-ball has been added for 6 and under. GYAA recreational baseball is divided into age groups: T-ball (5-6), coach pitch (7-8) and youth pitch (9-10, 11-12 and 13-14). The season generally consists of 12-16 games and twice-weekly practices beginning in late February and running through mid-June. CYAA provides recreational baseball leagues for kids ages 7-18. Collierville Parks and Recreation’s T-ball program is for kids in Collierville ages 5 and 6. For more information contact Jay Porter at 853-3225.

Youth (competitive) — GYAA’s competitive baseball program is for boys ages 7-14. The Germantown Giants organization runs competitive baseball teams for ages 7 to 14 (7-year-olds play coach-pitch baseball while ages 8 and up are kid-pitch). In addition to the Germantown Giants, Sox and White Sox teams are formed when there are enough participants (generally ages 9 and up). CYAA also organizes competitive baseball for boys ages 7-14.

Germantown Parks and Recreation manages the Germantown Adult Baseball League (GABL), open to men ages 18 and older. The league runs from May through August at Cameron Brown Park.

Basketball: Youth (recreational) — MDPS youth recreational basketball programs are open to boys and girls 18 and under. Registration in September, play begins in November. Call MDPS zone office (see above). Germantown Parks and Recreation organizes leagues for boys (7-17) and girls (7-15).

Youth (competitive) — CYAA’s competitive basketball program provides competition for girls ages 12 and under and 14 and under. Four age groups are available for boys: 10 and under, 12 and under, 14 and under, 17 and under.

Adult — The Germantown Centre offers both A and B adult leagues for men ages 18 and older. Play begins in September and lasts through January. Cost: $475/team.

Cheerleading: The GYAA cheer season corresponds to the GYAA football season in the fall. Cheer divisions are by grade, not age, and are Flag (K-1st grade), Pee Wee (2nd-3rd grade) and Junior (4th, 5th, and 6th grades). Collierville Parks and Recreation has cheerleading teams open to boys and girls ages 4-15.

Football: MDPS offers flag football for both boys and girls, in six age groups (14 and under). Registration in August, play begins in late September. Contact your local zone office. GYAA recreational football is for ages 5 and up.  Divisions consist of Flag (5-7), Pee Wee (8-9) and Junior (10-11 plus 12-year-olds who are not 13 by Dec. 1st and are not in the 7th grade). Contact GYAA. CYAA offers football leagues in flag, peewee, and junior divisions. Visit cyaafootball.com for more info.

Golf: MDPS operates seven public courses: Audubon (4160 Park, 683-6941); Davy Crockett (4270 Range Line Rd., 358-3375); Fox Meadows (3064 Clarke Rd., 362-0232); Galloway (3815 Walnut Grove, 685-7805); Overton, 9 holes (2080 Poplar Ave., 725-9905); Pine Hill (1005 Alice Ave., 775-9434); M.L. King, Jr., 9 holes (465 South Parkway West, 774-4340). Contact the golf department of MDPS for more information (576-4260).

Hockey: Youth — The Memphis Youth Hockey League (MYHL) is composed of three divisions for kids ages 6 to 18. Competition from October through March. For information, call MYHL chairman Russ Beatse (861-3600) or go to memphisyouthhockey.com.

Lacrosse: Memphis Lacrosse runs a youth program in spring, summer, and winter for kids in K-8th grade. Registration for the spring is in January, and the season runs from February to May. The summer season runs from June through July. The winter indoor league holds registration in September, and plays in October and November. Contact Pat Demento (820-0145).

For kids in grades 8-12, clubs compete under the Tennessee Scholastic Lacrosse Association (there are currently 8 teams). Fees vary; call Ed Reynolds (277-2991).

Soccer: The MDPS runs a Youth Soccer League with three divisions (12 and under, 10 and under, 8 and under) during the spring. In the fall, MDPS offers a league for youths, ages 6 and under. Participants can pick up registration materials at any zone office in mid-July. Team roster deadline is early August. Play will begin in August and continue into the fall. For more information contact your local zone office.
The Germantown Soccer Club runs recreational and competitive soccer programs for boys and girls. Registration for the fall recreational league is from May to August, with the season running from September through November. Registration for the spring recreational league is from late December to February, with the season running from March through May. Teams are open for children ages 4 to 18, and there is a sign-up fee. Tryouts for the competitive league, which is split into two divisions (Arsenal and Fury), are held in May and June for ages 8 to 18. Please call the soccer office (755-6688) or go to gscfury.com for sign-up fees and more information. You can register online for recreational league.
Both competitive and recreational youth soccer are organized by the Collierville Soccer Association. Spring and fall leagues are offered. Call 854-8724 or visit colsoc.com for more info.

Adult — The Greater Memphis Soccer Association plays regulation seasons in the fall and spring and has a seven-on-seven summer league. Games are played at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex, and 50 to 55 teams are divided into four men’s and three coed divisions. Players ages 16 and up are welcome; individual registration will take place in July. The average cost is $90 per person per season. Access the GMSA at memphissoccer.com or call Curt Rogers (489-0553).

The Hispanic League, founded in 1997, is made up of around 50 teams of mostly Hispanic membership. They play every Sunday year-round in Memphis city parks; in the winter, games are held indoors. For more information about playing, contact Ivan Lopez (603-2982).

Softball: Youth (recreational) — MDPS offers four divisions that compete from May to July, with registration in early spring. Girls ages 18 and under create their own teams and play in the fall and spring leagues. For fees and more information, contact your local zone office.
GYAA recreational softball is for ages 5 to 18. Divisions are Fawns (5-7, coach pitch), Lassies (8-10), Juniors (11-13), and Seniors (14-18). Play from April to July. CYAA also provides recreational softball teams for girls ages 7 through 18.

Youth (competitive) — The Red Devils organization fields teams in all age divisions from 10U to 18U. CYYA organizes a softball league for girls under 18. Season runs from April to July.

Adult — MDPS organizes approximately 300 teams that compete from April through July, followed by a citywide tournament. Games are played every night except Saturday. The fall softball league starts registration in August. The cost is $250. The season begins in September and ends with a tournament. To register or get information about organizing a team, call the MDPS.

Special Olympics: The sports program for mentally handicapped youth is run by the Greater Memphis Special Olympics organization. It offers training and participation in regional, state, and national competition. Contact GMSO for more info (683-1271).

Swimming: Youth (ages 5-18) — Club teams swim competitively year-round and offer practices for novices through Olympic hopefuls. Fees vary. Memphis Thunder Aquatic Club, 1880 Wolf River Blvd., St. George’s High School, Collierville (memphisthunder.com). Germantown Swim Team, 1801 Exeter Rd., Germantown Centre (757-7390) (gstswimming.com). Memphis Tiger Swimming, 620 Echles, University of Memphis (678-2809) (memphistigerswimming.com). Bartlett Xtreme Swim Team (BXST), 7700 Flaherty Place, Bartlett Recreation Center (385-6470).

Adult — Memphis Thunder, Germantown Centre, Memphis Tigers, and Bartlett Xtreme offer master practices for adults ages 18 and over year-round. Fees vary. Contact coaches for information.

The MDPS (576-4200) operates several city pools, which are all free to the public. Each pool also offers swim lessons and teams for both children and adults. Sessions are 45 minutes for 2 weeks and cost $25 per session for children and $48 per session for adults. Contact the MDPS Aquatics Administration (547-8018).

MDPS pool locations: Bickford (indoor;
235 Henry); L.E. Brown (617 S. Orleans); Douglass (1616 Ash); Fox Meadows (3064 Clarke Rd.); Ed Rice (2907 N. Watkins); Gaisman (4223 Macon); Gooch (1974 Hunter); Hickory Hill (indoor; 3910 Ridgeway); Lester (Tillman at Mimosa); Tom Lee (328 Peach); Charlie Morris (1235 Brown); Orange Mound (2430 Carnes); Pine Hill (973 Alice); Raleigh (3678 Powers); Riverview (182 Joubert); Westwood (810 Western Park); Willow (4777 Willow).

Tennis: MDPS operates seven local tennis centers: Leftwich, 8 outdoor courts, 4 indoor (4145 Southern Ave.); Wolbrecht, 6 outdoor, 2 indoor (1645 Ridgeway); Roark/Whitehaven, 8 outdoor, 4 indoor (1500 Finley); Bellevue, 4 outdoor, 2 indoor (1310 S. Bellevue Blvd.); Frayser, 8 outdoor (2907 N. Watkins); Wooddale, 8 outdoor (3391 Castleman); Raleigh, 8 outdoor (3680 Powers).

Many parks contain tennis facilities as well: Bert Ferguson (8505 Trinity), Gaisman (4221 Macon), Glenview (1813 Southern), Hickory Hill (3910 Ridgeway), Martin Luther King, Jr. (South Parkway at Riverside), University (University at Edward).

The MDPS coordinates a variety of tennis-related activities including the Memphis Area League Tennis (MALT), a citywide adult program; adult and youth (ages 6-18) clinics; private lessons; and a Junior Development Program. For more information call the Tennis Center (374-0603).

Germantown also coordinates leagues, lessons, and camps. Contact Bryan Rogers, head tennis professional (212-5583), for more information.

Volleyball: In the spring, MDPS serves up volleyball to 18-and-under girls and boys. Registration starts in January, with play in April. Zone offices have more information. The Germantown Parks and Recreation Department also coordinates leagues for girls (ages 5-18) as well as adults. All matches are played at the Germantown Centre (757-7379). Contact Germantown Parks and Recreation for info.

Helpful Web Sites:

cityofmemphis.org

germantown-tn.gov

gyaa.org

colliervilleparks.org

cyaatn.com

cityofbartlett.org

shelbyyouthsports.com

Major Sporting Events

AutoZone Liberty Bowl Football Classic

274-4600, libertybowl.org

Post-season Conference USA game held on New Year’s Eve at the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.

Regions Morgan Keegan Tennis Championships

765-4400, regionsmorgankeeganchampionships.com

This annual tournament played at the Racquet Club of Memphis has drawn big names such as Jimmy Connors and Pete Sampras. Defending champ Venus Williams will return to the tournament, being held February 22-March 2, 2008.

Southern Heritage Football Classic

398-6655, summittmanagement.com

Held every September, the Southern Heritage Classic pits Jackson State University against Tennessee State University. But the game is only one part of a week of events including a golf tournament, a fashion show, concerts, and more.

Sam’s Town 250

358-7223, memphismotorsports.com

A 250-mile Busch series NASCAR event held in October, benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Stanford St. Jude Classic

748-0534, stanfordstjude.com

The Stanford St. Jude Classic celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2007 by drawing some big names, including Vijay Singh and Geoff Ogilvy. This year, the tournament is being held June 2nd through June 8th.

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The Magic 2008-Ball

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Categories
Theater Theater Feature

Warts and All

Talk about your odd couples: Frog likes his next-door neighbor Toad, even though he’s a neurotic wart-covered mess of complaints. And Toad likes Frog every bit as much, even though he’s preternaturally cheerful (even in the morning) and also covered in unsightly warts. The two old friends rake one another’s leaves and like to chat pleasantly over hot tea and homemade cookies. And no matter how much they fight, they always make up. Story-wise, that’s about all there is to A Year With Frog and Toad, the Tony-nominated musical based on Arnold Lobel’s beloved series of children’s books. There’s no big adventure. In fact, there’s very little plot at all. There’s just Frog, Toad, and all their woodland friends. And that’s enough.

The most frustrating aspect of most contemporary adaptations of children’s stories is the adaptor’s need to insert some level of irony, presumably aimed at the adults in the crowd. In recent years, film adaptations of Dr. Seuss classics like How the Grinch Stole Christmas and The Cat in the Hat have been pumped up with scatological humor and edgy sexual innuendo. Frog and Toad proves how unnecessary all of that is. Being merely charming, completely un-edgy, and rather smart, it manages to delight children and adults alike.

A Year With Frog and Toad plays out like a series of variety-show skits with songs and comedy routines based on the passing seasons. If the plot and dialogue are simplistic, the lyrics are delightfully clever and sophisticated in a way that is reminiscent of dry-wit lyricists from a bygone era or perhaps a recent episode of The Backyardigans.

“Three things you cannot dispute,” we’re told in the song “Get a Load of Toad.” “Bamboo comes from a bamboo shoot, rutabaga comes from a rutabaga root, and Toad looks funny in a bathing suit.” And he does.

More than anything else, A Year With Frog and Toad proves that children — even very young ones — can be entertained without technical wizardry. At a recent Saturday matinee, the youngsters sat mesmerized, and during intermission many tried to imitate the anthropomorphic movements of the actors playing animals.

Brian C. Gray and Kevin Todd Murphy are wonderful as Frog and Toad, respectively, but both are nearly eclipsed by an extraordinary chorus led by Amber Snyder and Corey Cochran in a variety of roles.

Did I say that there were no ironic winks and nudges for adults? Because there is one. Overwhelmed by his newfound success as a mailman, Snail (Cochran) strips down to a gold-lame-accented mail carrier’s uniform while singing, “I’m coming out — of my shell.” Although the gay allusions soared over the kiddies’ heads, the joke was out of place. That’s not to say it was anything short of fun or fabulous.

Chicago-based director/choreographer Scott Ferguson earned an excellent reputation in Memphis directing camp classics like The Rocky Horror Show and The Mystery of Irma Vep, but his more recent production of the Mark Twain musical Big River was something of a mess. Oddly enough, it’s Ferguson’s eye for kitsch that makes the completely sincere A Year With Frog and Toad such a winner. Who else might have imagined birds flying south for the winter as mid-20th-century flight attendants or transformed a pair of moles into fur-wearing Russian spies.

Laura E. Jordan’s costumes are exemplary, while Tim McMath’s set faithfully renders the look and feel of the original children’s books.

If there is serious complaint to be registered regarding Frog and Toad, it’s with the music direction. And even there, Renee Kemper, who pulls double duty as both musical director and keyboardist, does an excellent job. The problem stems from the fact that she’s the show’s only musician.

It’s a tragedy that when regional theaters stage smaller-scale musicals like A Year with Frog and Toad, they are often faced with the choice of using either a bare-bones band or prerecorded music. It’s unrealistic to say so, but neither choice is really acceptable.

Through December 23rd at Circuit
Playhouse

Categories
Sports Sports Feature

FROM MY SEAT: The Kingdom and I

I just
experienced my first sports-free week in as long as I can remember. (Memphis 55,
SMU 52??) The irony is that I came as close to the life of a Super Bowl MVP as I
ever will. I went, you see, to Walt Disney World.

If there
are Five Feats of Fatherhood that earn us our angel wings, I assure you one is
spending an hour in the Magic Kingdom — to say nothing of five days — without
losing our children. I’ve been to hundreds of sporting events, in arenas large,
small, and in-between, but until last week I had no idea what a crowd was. (When
I asked a ticket-taker how many people — ballpark — visit Disney World on an
average weekend day, I received some very un-Disney corporate speak: “They only
know that in upper management.”) Safe to say, that average figure would fill
more than one SEC football stadium.

A fine
sociology thesis could be written on the extraordinary crowd-control system
Disney utilizes from open to close every day. From its fleet of buses (between
the four theme parks and several hotel resorts), to each attraction’s entry and
exit, to the miracle of Fast Pass (an automated, authorized ticketing method for
cutting in line at specific times of day!), Disney long ago figured out that the
key to its business is herding people like sheep, but making them feel like
kings and queens as the lines move. A nice trick, Walt.

There
are three rules for thriving (and surviving) at Disney World. The first is to be
curious. If we must suspend disbelief when we go to the movies, a visit to
Disney World requires a more pro-active corollary: the energetic willingness to
believe, whether it be singing meerkats, flying elephants, or simply happily
ever after. When my daughters posed for pictures with Mickey (himself!), there
was no other creature — “real” or otherwise — I’d rather have in that frame.

The
second rule is to be patient. The lines and shuttles move, indeed, but they are
lines of people. Small, large, with strollers or wheelchairs, enthusiastic or
exhausted. If you remind yourself that you’ll reach your destination — be it
Splash Mountain or the restroom — you’ll find the mass movement to be working
with you. And this is part of the fun: when you finally reach Pirates of the
Caribbean . . . you made it!

The
third rule is to be in shape. I’d conservatively estimate that my family walked
five miles each day. (And hats off to my 5-year-old, Elena. Nary a whine or
walking gripe the entire trip. Again, there’s always a destination at Disney
World.) Nothing can prepare you for the geographic patch of central Florida upon
which Disney World has been built. While it was a sports-free week (Arkansas 50,
LSU 48??), it wasn’t without athleticism. Enjoy that midday brownie sundae.
You’ll have it walked off before sunset.

Dreams —
and wishes — do come true, just like Mickey tells us. They come true in the form
of our children. (Took me 38 years and two of my own to solve Walt’s riddle, but
I did it.) Last Thursday — Thanksgiving, remember — we started our day’s
adventure at the Animal Kingdom, and went first to Mickey’s greeting hut, to
meet the Mouse himself. Just before us in line was a young, mentally challenged
woman with her parents. When her turn came, she sprinted to this pop icon and
hugged him the way you would — if you could — a long-departed parent. But what
had me fighting a lump in my throat was the way Mickey Mouse simply wouldn’t let
her go. It was quite possibly — no, it was the most magical hug I’ve ever seen.
Mickey signed her autograph book — the young lady covering her eyes with her
hands in affectionate disbelief — and waved goodbye as she left with her
parents, the mother straining to remain composed herself.

And my
family was next. Still each shy of their 10th birthday, my daughters flanked
Mickey, who gestured for my wife and me to join the photo group. Only trouble
was, how do you smile with tears in your eyes?

Thanks
Mickey. See you again someday.

Categories
Food & Wine Food & Drink

The Kid Stays in the Picture

CREDIT: Justin Fox Burks

If you ask someone in Memphis to name a kid-friendly restaurant, they’re likely to mention a fast-food chain, perhaps one that features a singing mouse. While these restaurants clearly cater to kids, not all would agree that they are “kid-friendly.” Children need authentic restaurant experiences so that they don’t associate eating out with screaming, running, and playing video games.

There are a wide variety of kid-friendly restaurants in Memphis that offer excellent service, nutritious food, and a pleasant atmosphere. It is important for parents to dine out with their children in order to expand what kid-friendly means.

The Chicken or the Egg

The kids’ menu, the universal symbol for kid-friendly, is in desperate need of a makeover … or complete removal. Chicken McNuggets were introduced by McDonald’s in 1983, and judging by chicken nuggets’ domination of kids’ menus everywhere, it is hard to remember what kids ate prior to that. Are they on the menu of nearly every restaurant these days because that’s the only thing kids want to eat, or do kids only want to eat them because they are on every kids’ menu?

Stephanie Chockley, a 34-year-old mother of two, says, “My main problem with kids’ menus isn’t the entrée choice — if chicken nuggets can be considered an entrée — but the choice of side items. Why only fries?”

Shannon Dixon, 35, has a 5-year-old son who can read, which can pose another problem. “Max looks for the kids’ menu, and that makes it very difficult for us to get him to try more interesting and healthier things,” she says.

Colleen Couch-Smith, 30, is a mother of three and part owner of Tsunami with her husband Ben Smith. “[Ben and I] try to take our kids out often so that they know how to behave in restaurants and how to eat better food,” she says. “A selection from the kids’ menu can be a life saver, but we usually order an interesting appetizer for them instead.”

Many of today’s parents are not interested in a limited selection of fried and greasy foods for their kids but rather smaller portions of adult dishes. Angela Knipple, 34, the mother of one and a contributor to the local food blog Squirrel Squad Squeaks (squirrel-squad.blogspot.com), says, “Smaller portions allow you to give your child as good a meal as you are eating.”

Parents also need to make their desires known. John Bragg, owner and chef of Circa and father of two, says even though it isn’t written on the menu, smaller portions of adult entrées are available at Circa at reduced prices. Bragg is also more than happy to accommodate special requests. “If I know how to make it, I will,” he says.

Early Bird Gets the Worm

When taking the kids to a fine restaurant, it is important to be respectful of other diners. Do a little research, call ahead with questions, and make an early reservation.

“I don’t think that just because I had a child means I have to be barred from having dinner at a nice restaurant with her,” says longtime foodie and newbie parent Melissa Sweazy, 33. “However, I do believe it requires some etiquette on my part.”

Sweazy is taking a trip to New York next month, where she’ll be getting a chance to mind her and her 6-month-old daughter’s manners at Babbo, Mario Batali’s very nice flagship restaurant. Sweazy chose Babbo after doing research on internet forums and talking with the restaurant’s hostess on the phone. “They provide highchairs and did not hesitate to tell me so. I made a 5:30 p.m. reservation so as not to be there during the rush,” she says.

Couch-Smith agrees that avoiding the dinner rush can make a family’s dinner experience much more enjoyable for everyone. “At Tsunami, we have a family that comes in almost every Wednesday. They have three adorable children, and instead of insisting on plain pasta or chicken fingers, they get an order of risotto. We welcome families who are open-minded and intelligent enough to come in at precisely 5:45 p.m.,” she says.

Dining out on weeknights and during lunch is another way to expand a family’s fine-dining options. So don’t be afraid to try something new with your kids. With a little forethought, the sky’s the limit and the plate’s nuggetless.

A few kid-friendly spots in Memphis to try:

A-Tan, 3445 Poplar (452-4477)

Beauty Shop, 966 S. Cooper (272-7111)

Boscos Squared, 2120 Madison (432-2222)

Circa, 119 S. Main (522-1488)

Jasmine, 916 S. Cooper (725-0223)

Las Tortugas, 1215 S. Germantown Pkwy. (751-1200)

Pearl’s Oyster House, 299 S. Main (522-9070)

Sakura, 2060 West in Germantown (758-8181)

Sekisui, multiple locations (sekisuiusa.com)

Soul Fish, 862 S. Cooper (725-0722)

Spindini, 383 S. Main (578-2767)

Tsunami, 928 S. Cooper (274-2556)

Umai, 2015 Madison (405-4241)

Categories
News The Fly-By

Fly on the Wall

Meth for Kids!

Memphis has a lot of scary crime, and it’s not hard to put together a reasonably factual television news report that makes our blighted little bluff town sound like something out of Frank Miller’s Sin City. But for so many of our TV journalists, reporting the facts about bad guys and bloody murder just isn’t good enough.

In recent times, Memphis viewers have been treated to a variety of titillating untruths ranging from manufactured scandals about cross-dressing high school students to freakish erotic fantasies about gangs of hyperviolent lesbians. This week, Fox 13’s Jill Monier contributes to the growing catalog of unsubstantiated fear-mongering by passing along an urban myth about Strawberry Quik, an exciting, new kind of flavored methamphetamine intended for our precious children.

From Fox 13: “Strawberry, chocolate and cola, not soft drinks but a new version of meth aimed at children. The new meth is reportedly being found on the West Coast, but Memphis police are skeptical. … Around Halloween, a ‘strawberry meth’ e-mail started popping up in inboxes, warning parents that candy-flavored meth was being passed out in Arkansas schoolyards. … Some reports say drug-dealers are adding Strawberry Quik.”

Snopes.com, the internet’s ultimate resource for debunking urban myths, reports that while there are candy-colored, and perhaps scented, versions of the drug, there is no evidence that it’s being distributed to children. There are no actual reports indicating that flavored meth is being handed out in schoolyards or that children are being rushed to emergency rooms because they mistook the colored meth for candy. Snopes describes these claims as a product of the original e-mailer’s “imagination.” Thanks to Fox, they are now, also, the meat and potatoes of an actual news segment.

Monier’s report went on to note — factually, we suppose — that festive red and green meth would be available during the holiday season.

Categories
Letter From The Editor Opinion

Letter from the Editor: Free Advice For Parents

Signs your kid is watching too much television:

After he wins a game of Monopoly against his fifth-grade buddies, he throws all the play money he’s won into the air and declares he’s “making it rain.”

On a field trip to the zoo, he stops at the zebra enclosure and asks why “that horse is playing the race card.”

When you ask him for his report card, he says, “Give me six more months and then you’ll see real progress.”

When you ask him what he’s studying, he says, “the lessons of 9/11.”

When the crossing guard stops him and asks him to throw away his soft drink before coming onto campus, your son grabs the guard’s knees, lifts him up, and delivers a nifty pile-driver.

At his school’s choir practice, he asks why they can’t just lip-sync.

When he sees a surfer on television, he asks, “Is that guy water-boarding?”

His school principal calls and says he’s ignoring his teachers in class. When you ask him why, he says he’s “shakin’ dem haterz off.”

He sees a picture of the Statue of Liberty and says, “Hey, where’s the cross?”

He worries that he has a “wide stance” in the bathroom.

When you start to criticize him, he interrupts and says, “Just leave a comment on my blog.”

He asks if he can “pimp his bike.”

He spends hours on his PlayStation NBA game creating his “signature dunk.”

When you ask him to take out the trash, he asks if this is “on tape.” When you say no, he asks for a Rolex.

He can sing all the words to the Corey B. Trotz commercial jingle.

He says something homophobic, and when you correct him, he says he’s just practicing because he wants to be a preacher when he grows up.

Bruce VanWyngarden

brucev@memphisflyer.com