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Weird Elon
Posted to YouTube my Elon Musk
Memphis businessman Elon Musk tweeted something just so weird last week, earning him millions of ughs and boos from every corner of the internet.
Underground, indie singer/songwriter Taylor Swift endorsed Kamala Harris for president with a picture of her cat (iykyk). This prompted Memphis businessman Elon Musk to tweet, “Fine Taylor … you win … I will give you a child and guard your cats with my life.”
Propers
Posted to Reddit by u/AlfofMelmac
Reddit user AlfofMelmac gave propers where they were due last week with a post titled, “Good job, MLGW!” The remnants of Hurricane Francine blustered through Memphis last week and the Redditor was “pleasantly surprised to see that there weren’t a whole lot of lights out on my commute, and not a ton of outages compared to prior big storms!”
Jaslyn Banks and her family got adorably into the rock, paper, scissors challenge on Nextdoor.
MLGW
Posted to Facebook by MLGW
Head over to Memphis Light, Gas & Water’s (MLGW) Facebook page for a ton of news you can use. There you’ll find the newest water quality report, which is aces once again. The Memphis Sands Aquifer, it says, “contains more than 100 trillion gallons of rainwater that some experts believe fell more than 2,000 years ago.” Whoa.
The utility also wants to hire you, buy stuff from you or your business, and let you use a new mobile app to make appointments for in-office visits. Also, a new survey asks how you get (and want to get) information from MLGW.
Southern Roll
Posted to YouTube by SkateLyfe TV
SkateLyfe TV posted a new video last week from May’s Southern Roll Memphis 2024. The 8th annual epic skate party brought some of the best on wheels to the city. SkateLyfe’s video makes the rolling, dancing, grooving, and showing out all look effortless and fluid. It’s worth a watch.
Memphis Light, Gas and Water’s (MLGW) 2024 Comparative Rates Survey concluded that the company’s combined rates remain to be among the lowest in the United States. The agency has also marked 10 years among “lowest winter utility bills.”
“We want to earn our customers’ business every day by providing great value,” MLGW president and CEO Doug McGowen said in a statement. “Reliability and the best possible rates are what we strive to deliver to our customers.”
According to MLGW, this survey compares Memphis’ combined electric, gas, and water utility rates to 39 other cities in the country that were “geographically close to Memphis, as well as utilities that are similar in size to MLGW.” Among those cities were Atlanta, Georgia; Jackson, Mississippi; Nashville, Tennessee; and Houston, Texas.
The costs measured in the survey are those that are effective as of January 2024. The rankings include “what a homeowner would pay for 1,000 kilo-watt-hours (kWh) of electricity, 200 hundred cubic feet (CCF) of gas, and 10 CCF of water.”
Some of the guidelines included calculations based on monthly consumption and applicable seasonal rates. Components such as special early payment discounts, time differentiated rates, and “taxes not booked as revenue by the utility” are excluded.
Memphis ranked lowest on the list of “typical residential winter bills,” with its combined electricity, natural gas, and water bill totaling to $246.42. The city with the second lowest total was Omaha, Nebraska, averaging at $272.43, with Springfield, Missouri, coming in third at $307.19.
MLGW ranked 10th among residential electric bills. This is measured in kilowatts per hour (kWh).
“One kilowatt-hour equals ten 100-watt light bulbs staying on for an hour,” the report said.
For 500 kWh the city averaged $69.22. Springfield, Missouri, ranked number-one at $54.70 for 500 kWH.
The city ranked number-one for low residential gas bills — measured in one hundred cubic feet (Ccf) — with an average of $15.28 for 10 CCF. MLGW also came in first in low general service gas bills at $113.24 for 200 CCF.
Memphis ranked second for low residential water bills at $11.97 for five CCF, and third in low general service water bills averaging $273.18 for 100 CCF.
Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) will listen to customers in a series of community workshops planned for March and April to look at opportunities and problems the community might face in the next 20 years.
The workshops are planned from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at locations across Memphis. The utility also launched an online survey for those unable to attend in person.
Find a workshop here:
• March 5
Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, 3030 Poplar Ave.
• March 7
Hickory Hill Community Center, 3910 Ridgeway Rd.
• March 18
Bartlett Performing Arts and Conference Center, 3663 Appling Rd.
• March 21
Orange Mound Community Center, 2572 Park Ave.
• March 26
Gaston Community Center, 1048 S. Third St.
• April 1
Whitehaven Community Center, 4318 Graceland Dr.
• April 2
Ed Rice Community Center, 2907 N. Watkins
• April 11
Raleigh Community Center, 3678 Powers Rd.
• April 16
Gaisman Community Center, 4221 Macon Rd.
• April 25
Bert Ferguson Community Center, 8505 Trinity Rd.
• April 30
Lucius E. & Elsie C. Burch Jr. Library, 501 Poplar View Pkwy.
The original “One Memphis” logo on a vintage souvenir umbrella from an A C Wharton mayoral campaign. (Photo: Jackson Baker)
Talk about déjà vu!
When Memphis Mayor Paul Young — still, some 50-odd days into his new administration, working on organizational matters — brought forth his latest innovation, involving the slogan “One Memphis” to denote a series of community meetings to come, echoes were generated in the minds and memories of numerous Memphians.
After all, it was only 15 years ago that A C Wharton used the identical phrase “One Memphis” as a campaign slogan in the 2009 special election that first landed Wharton in the mayor’s office to succeed the retiring Willie Herenton.
“There is absolutely nothing we cannot overcome if we work toward that goal as One Memphis,” Wharton would intone in his speeches, reinforcing the idea in an ad campaign that would sign off with the initials “A C” (familiar to his audiences then and later as the preferred shorthand for his uniquely accessible persona), followed by the words “One Memphis.”
It was Wharton’s way of distinguishing himself from the more volatile and divisive 16-year tenure of his predecessor.
No doubt Paul Young means something similarly comforting, coupling the two-word slogan with the phrase “Empowering Voices/Building Bridges” in a published logo announcing his forthcoming “One Memphis Tour,” which was to have its inaugural session at Whitehaven High School this week.
Another new venture by Young was embodied in his recent announcement of his intent to appoint someone to a newly created office, that of public safety director, which would have hierarchical dibs over that of police chief.
Overall, the idea was greeted with a positive public reaction, particularly in those circles where there is a desire to locate the duties of law enforcement within a larger, more holistic context of social reform.
That would seem to be Young’s purpose, though this is one of those cases where the devil (the angel, rather?) will be in the details.
Young, who has experienced some difficulty in getting off the mark, might have fared even better, reception-wise, had he been able to make the announcement of the new office in January, when his cabinet was first being assembled, and better still if he could have had the appointment in hand of some credibly credentialed appointee.
That might well have obviated the awkwardness and still unresolved discord which arose from his reappointment of C.J. Davis as police chief (as of now an interim position). Her continuation in office as a clear subordinate would have raised fewer hackles, if any at all, with the city council and with the general public.
Better late than never, even if the sequence seems a bit backwards.
• Gale Jones Carson, a longtime presence in the community as spokesperson for MLGW, was named last week as interim CEO of the local chapter of Urban League.
Carson’s successor as MLGW’S vice president of corporate communications, Ursula Madden Lund, meanwhile is having to wait for a reluctant city council to approve her $200,000 salary. The matter is up for discussion again next week.
• A proposed measure to provide lifetime healthcare benefits to veterans of at least two city council terms took an abrupt nosedive last week, being rejected on third reading virtually unanimously by the new city council after the previous council had approved it without a dissenting vote.
Kyle Delk tweeted some must-see drone footage of the city at sunset last week. He said the clip had “movie-opener vibes.” He’s right.
Truly Scary
Posted to Facebook by Memphis Memes 901
Imagine your Memphis Light, Gas & Water bill showed up to your door on Halloween demanding candy and to be paid. Memphis nightmare fuel.
Fly Wiseacre
Posted to Facebook by Memphis International Airport
“There’s a new watering hole open at MEM!” Memphis International Airport officials announced on Facebook last week. “Passengers can now enjoy Wiseacre Brewing Co. beers for the first time at The Wise Omega Bodega, a new bar at MEM located between gates 21 and 23.”
The new 17-seat location opened last week and serves craft beer (natch), wine, and spirits. There’s also a takeout counter for salads, sandwiches, snacks, and — oh, hell yeah — to-go beverages to take to your gate.
While driving through the city in recent weeks, I’ve found myself being re-routed around fallen trees and/or limbs several times. There were at least four big ones restricting access to streets within 10 blocks of my Midtown home. Out east, and up north in the Bartlett area, things were much worse.
It’s becoming the new normal. Over the course of several storm systems this summer, the number of Memphians without power at various times was well over 100,000, often for days.
And if it’s not wind turning off our lights, it’s ice, as heavily coated trees and limbs fall on power lines and leave us in the cold and dark. After February’s ice storm, thousands of people were without power, some for up to 10 days. The winter before, it was the same thing — with the added bonus of making our water undrinkable for several days.
MLGW says its infrastructure is outdated and being upgraded, but there’s no getting around the fact that the magnificent trees that shade us through Memphis’ asphalt-melting summers also shut off our air conditioners (and furnaces). If you add up the number of people in the city who’ve lost power just this year as a result of various weather incidents, it’s well into six figures, certainly well above the 100,000 number I cited above.
This was a tweet from MLGW in response to criticism from city council members during the 2022 ice storm: “It took three years to get our budget with a rate increase to fund our five-year improvement plan approved by City Council. We are in the third year of the five-year plan, which has been hampered considerably by the pandemic.”
So, now they’re in the fourth year of the plan. Forgive me if I remain skeptical — and not because I don’t think they’re trying. MLGW workers have been magnificent, working long hours, doing their best to fix a system not built for the increasing frequency of severe weather. They’re trying to play Whac-A-Mole and the moles are winning — with a big assist from global climate change.
The outcry always arises that we need to put our power lines underground. The utility’s response, and I think it’s legitimate, is that it would take decades and cost several billion dollars. So maybe let’s think outside the Whac-A-Mole box.
Some people are already doing it, of course. This has mostly taken the form of buying a gas generator to provide power when storms strike. I get the appeal, but let me suggest another option that came to me when I drove through the back roads of Arkansas last week. I couldn’t help but notice the surprising number of solar panels on rural houses and businesses, many of them new, some even being installed as I drove by. These folks are likely taking advantage of the Inflation Reduction Act’s solar Investment Tax Credit, which reduces tax liability on solar installation by 30 percent of the cost. In addition, taxpayers will be able to claim a 30 percent bonus credit based on emission measurements, which requires zero or net-negative carbon emissions.
So, instead of getting a generator, maybe consider installing solar panels. The initial cost is higher, but the long-term advantage is significant. In addition to a tax credit, you can even get paid for selling electricity back to the grid. Not to mention, solar panels are quiet and don’t pollute.
And here’s another thought: Maybe the city and/or MLGW could divert some of those theoretical funds for burying power lines into incentives to Memphis home and business owners for going solar.
I’m under no illusion that thousands of Memphians will immediately begin installing solar panels, but some will, especially if the benefits are publicized. It beats snarky tweets between city council and MLGW. And there are similar federal tax incentives for businesses that have solar technology installed, so why not sweeten the pot with local funds? Maybe we could get solar panels on our grocery stores. Or our 10,000 Walgreens.
We have to start somewhere. Continuing to chainsaw ourselves out from under fallen debris and wait to be reattached to the grid after every major weather event is not a plan. It’s time to re-route our approach to keeping the lights on.
Memphis Light, Gas, & Water just can’t get a break.
On Friday morning, crews had restored power to 131,000 of the 141,000 customers affected by Tuesday’s storm. Then, a Friday-morning storm cut power to an additional 16,000 customers. And the utility is eyeing a thunderstorm that could develop this afternoon.
Here’s how MLGW is handling the situation:
MLGW has a full complement of MLGW and contract crews working today through the weekend. There are 98 repair crews, 89 tree crews, 23 troubleshooters, and 34 damage assessment teams identifying damage and repairing the system. They are supported by hundreds of logistics, administrative, safety and system operations personnel.
Full restoration is expected Sunday night to customers who can take power.
Downtown Mobility Center
(Credit: Downtown Memphis Commission)
The Downtown Mobility Center is set to open for vehicle traffic on August 3rd.
The $42-million project at Beale Street and Main Street will have a 960-stall parking garage, an area for ride share pickup and drop-off, and space for bicycle storage, showers, lockers, and electric scooter stalls.
Help is (finally) on the way
Anna Traverse Fogle
Remember the ice storm? Not that one. The one from February…2022.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency just announced it will give the state of Tennessee $12.1 million for costs incurred by the Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) to deal with the situation. The state is expected to reimburse the utility for repairs to transmission lines and distribution facilities and the replacement of 119 wooden utility poles and 89 transformers.
After the storm, U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen said he wrote to Governor Bill Lee asking that he formally request FEMA assistance. President Joe Biden granted a Major Disaster Declaration for the storm on March 11.
Help is (finally) on the way
(Credit: MLGW via Facebook)
Remember the wind storm? Not that one. The one from June 25th.
After the storm, Shellby County Mayor Lee Harris declared a local state of emergency. Harris said Friday he expects the Biden Administration to declare it a federal disaster. If so, (and if the pace of the ice storm funding is an indication) the county should expect to get reimbursed around Christmas next year.
To request a pick up, call the Shelby County Roads, Bridges, and Engineering Department at 901-222-7705.
Marsha Beefin’ With Biden
Senator Marsha Blackburn is, like, super mad at Joe Biden.
First off, she was super glad the U.S. Supreme Court struck down his decision to forgive a bunch of student loans. But then she got super mad that Biden sidestepped the decision with some executive maneuver to wipe out about $31 billion in debt to more than 800,000 people.
On that move, Blackburn tweeted:
Joe Biden is pushing back on the Supreme Court’s recent ruling by forgiving $39 billion of student loan debt.
This administration has no respect for our institutions.
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) July 14, 2023
Then, the White House tweeted back:
16,970 of Senator Blackburn’s constituents are eligible for automatic loan relief under this Administration’s fixes to the Income-Driven Repayment plan.https://t.co/UGIzHQf2bS
Blackburn hit back with the old socialism haymaker and then finished the thing with a sick pivot burn:
Tennesseans do not support socialism and do not want to pay for their neighbors debt.
What they do support is Biden coming clean about how he allegedly used his power as Vice President to help his family make millions. https://t.co/FeP3ve9nQk
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) July 21, 2023
Here’s one response to her tweet:
Classic far right politician response:
"If you support this program, 17,000 of your constituents will have a better life and be able to make ends meet"
"I refuse to support this! What we should talk about is the conspiracies we've been unable to prove for 3 years!"
The National Association for Gun Rights (with the unfortunate and probably-should-change-that acronym NAGR) called on Tennessee Republicans Thursday to oppose any gun control in a special session called by Lee next month.
Colorado-based NAGR claims “Lee and Republican lawmakers are working secretly behind the scenes to attempt to cut a deal on a gun control bill with the establishment gun lobby.” Which makes total sense if you think about it.
State Capitol (Credit: Tennessee State Government)
“Gun owners want to know, what are they hiding?” NAGR president Dudley Brown said in a statement. “We have seen this song and dance before. Republican politicians get so caught up with ‘doing something’ for political points, they completely sell out the Second Amendment and gun owners who voted for them.”
“We expect Tennessee Republicans to stand firm in their defense of the Second Amendment and vote to adjourn the special session upon its start in August. Gun owners will be well informed of any members that vote against gun rights during Lee’s special session on gun control,” concluded Brown.
NAGR claims it is the nation’s largest “no compromise” pro-gun organization, with 4.5 million members nationwide.
“I don’t know about y’all but my number one election issue is going to be that everyone loses power if there’s a stiff breeze in Memphis,” Allie Mounce said on Twitter.
Thousands here were left in the dark last week after a storm pushed through the county. Mounce’s tweet brought a discussion on the issue of power, what Memphis Light, Gas & Water (MLGW) could and should do when bad weather hits, and what political candidate could best solve the issue.
For the problem, some pointed to MLGW’s outsourcing of cutting trees and such. For a solution, some suggested burying power lines. As for politics, one suggested asking the current mayoral and Memphis City Council candidates how they’d handle the situation and who they’d put on the MLGW board.
Thirst Trap
Posted to Facebook by MLGW
Hot, bored, and powerless MLGW customers might have paused a bit on the utility’s Facebook post last week for the truest object of their desire: a row of electric repair trucks.
Power is back, but …
Posted to Reddit by u/NotFeelingItOrThat
Lots of frustration and hilarity about the outages on the Memphis subreddit, including the meme above. A video over there shows just how strong the storm’s winds were. Another shows what happens when He-Man turns the power back on.
Memphis Light, Gas and Water’s (MLGW) “Comparative Rates Survey” showed that the company’s combined rates are among the lowest in the country.
“Providing our customers great value through affordable rates, along with immediate improvements to reliability and customer service are important parts of earning our customers’ business.” said MLGW president and CEO Doug McGowen
According to MLGW, this survey compares Memphis’ combined electric, gas, and water utility rates to 39 other cities in the country that were “geographically close to Memphis, as well as utilities that are similar in size to MLGW.” Among those cities were Atlanta, Georgia, Jackson, Mississippi, Nashville, Tennessee, and Houston, Texas.
The survey stated that some of the guidelines used in providing utility figures were calculations based on monthly consumption and seasonal rates when applicable. Factors such as special early payment discounts and time differentiated rates were excluded.
Memphis ranked number-one in “typical residential winter bills,” which measured what a homeowner would pay for 1,000 kWh of electricity, 200 CCF of natural gas, and 10 CCF, which came in at $253.83. The second ranked city, St. Louis, Missouri had a cost of $356.49.
For residential electric bills, MLGW ranked eighth among the other cities surveyed. This was measured in kilowatts per hour, which equals ten 100-watt light bulbs staying on for an hour. The cost of 1,000 kWh for MLGW was totaled at $115.98, with the number-one ranking, St. Louis’ Ameren Missouri costing $95.96.
In terms of natural gas, Memphis and MLGW ranked first in residential gas bills and general service gas bills. The company ranked third for residential water bills.
