Memphis Flyer 1/21/2021

FRESH STORIES DAILY AT MEMPHISFLYER.COM END OF THE DARK AGE P3 • DAVID PORTER’S MIME P19 • NEWS OF THE WORLD P27

OUR 1665TH ISSUE • 01.21.21

KAREN PULFER FOCHT

EXCEPTIONAL WOMEN IN MEDICINE

FREE

Must be 21+. Play responsibly; for help quitting call 800-522-4700.

January 21-27, 2021

NOT QUITE BUSINESS AS USUAL. BUT WE’RE CLOSER.

We’ve reopened Bourbon Street Steakhouse. We’ve safely spaced out your favorite slots and table games. And the people who make Southland special are back on the floor. All of that, and we’re still the closest casino to Memphis. So make the short drive, spread out and feel a little closer to normal.

SouthlandCasino.com | West Memphis, AR

2 11899_ClosertoNormal_9.35x12.4.indd 6

1/5/21 1:42 PM

CARRIE BEASLEY Senior Art Director CHRISTOPHER MYERS Advertising Art Director BRYAN ROLLINS Graphic Designer CARRIE O’GUIN Advertising Operations Manager/ Distribution Manager JERRY D. SWIFT Advertising Director Emeritus KELLI DEWITT, CHIP GOOGE Senior Account Executives MICHELLE MUSOLF Account Executive DESHAUNE MCGHEE Classified Advertising Manager ROBBIE FRENCH Warehouse and Delivery Manager JANICE GRISSOM ELLISON, KAREN MILAM, DON MYNATT, TAMMY NASH, RANDY ROTZ, LEWIS TAYLOR, WILLIAM WIDEMAN Distribution THE MEMPHIS FLYER is published weekly by Contemporary Media, Inc., P.O. Box 1738, Memphis, TN 38101 Phone: (901) 521-9000 Fax: (901) 521-0129 memphisflyer.com CONTEMPORARY MEDIA, INC. ANNA TRAVERSE FOGLE Chief Executive Officer ASHLEY HAEGER Controller JEFFREY GOLDBERG Chief Revenue Officer BRUCE VANWYNGARDEN Editorial Director MARGIE NEAL Production Operations Director KRISTIN PAWLOWSKI Digital Services Director MOLLY WILLMOTT Special Events Director LYNN SPARAGOWSKI Circulation and Accounting Manager KALENA MATTHEWS Marketing Coordinator

National Newspaper Association

Association of Alternative Newsmedia

As I write this, it’s the day after the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, 24 hours after politicians like 8th District Congressman David Kustoff and Senator Marsha Blackburn release their annual pious MLK quotes on Twitter. Because if anyone exemplifies the ideals of Dr. King, it’s Republicans who supported the overturning of a presidential election in order to appease the deluded, hateful supporters of a narcissistic would-be autocrat.

Kustoff had the utter audacity to cite this King quote: “Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that.” Are you kidding me? Tell it to your friends who were at the Capitol last week, David. Tell it to the president whose boots you licked. I expect this kind of stuff from Blackburn, who’s been a lightweight and sellout for years. But Kustoff is smarter than Blackburn. He knows better. His cynical embrace of Trump’s corruption and lies is appalling.

Today is also the day before President-elect Joe Biden gets inaugurated in front of — what? — 300 people? Thanks to Kustoff ’s and Blackburn’s pals, the ignorant yahoos who destroyed the Capitol a couple weeks ago, this year’s inauguration will feature a “crowd” made up of 25,000 troops. Trump won’t be there, having pardoned a bunch of sleazos before hopping a jet to Mar-a-Lago for some welldeserved R&R before his Senate impeachment trial. But there will be some good news for him: His only inaugural crowd will no doubt have been larger than Biden’s. Sean Spicer, wherefore art thou?

This new administration and this new Congress and Senate take over a country in chaos. Millions of Americans are unemployed, facing eviction, a lack of food and money, and an epidemic that will have killed half-a-million of us by the end of February, roughly a year after we were told by President Trump that it would “just go away.”

It’s a country in which more than 70 million people bought into the Trump fever-dream, a twisted vision that tapped into fear and latent anger more effectively than most of us imagined was possible. Take a minute to think about what Trump (and his political and media enablers) convinced his base to fear and/or distrust: any Democrat, any liberal, immigrants of color, journalists and most major media outlets, Black people, Mexicans, Antifa, “cancel culture,” mail-in voting, the American electoral system, scientists and medical experts, the Justice department, military leaders … I could go on.

Joe Biden says he wants to unite the country. I wish him luck. Maybe start with bringing back some iteration of the Fairness Doctrine, some sort of legislation that will ensure that knowingly broadcasting lies and disinformation on public airways or providing a place for it on the internet won’t be tolerated. It’s not just Fox News or OANN. It’s Facebook, Twitter, Google, Instagram, you name it. There has to be some sort of recalibration, some way to monitor this stuff. Too many people are being radicalized by lies and false conspiracies. The fact that millions of people actually bought into the insanity of QAnon is itself astounding and terrifying.

Similarly, the Big Lie about Trump “winning in a landslide” was allowed to be spread unchecked in too many places by too many people, without pushback or fact-checking. We’ll be dealing with the fallout from it for quite some time. Thanks, David and Marsha. Good work.

Now that we have some vaccines that work, we have to figure out how to get the medicine into as many Americans as quickly as possible. The Trump administration’s “plan” of leaving it up to the states has resulted in an ineffective, spread-shot system without consistency or logic. Over the weekend, I saw several posts on social media from folks who’d gotten the vaccine. Only one was over 75 years old. They were all from out of state. Lots of folks were asking, understandably, “How did you do that?”

N E WS & O P I N I O N THE FLY-BY - 4 I went to the Shelby County Health NY TIMES CROSSWORD - 6 Department website on Monday and POLITICS - 8 learned nothing about how to schedule SPORTS - 9 a shot. I followed a link to the state of COVER STORY Tennessee COVID site, where I could “EXCEPTIONAL WOMEN IN fill out a multi-page survey (outdated) MEDICINE” - 10 to see if I was eligible for a shot, but WE RECOMMEND - 16 MUSIC - 19 there was no mechanism for signing up, CALENDAR - 20 and no indication of when I’d be able BOOKS - 23 to do so. We’re still stumbling around.

FOOD - 24 Hopefully, when the feds take over, BREWS - 25 they’ll flip on a light switch. We’ve been FILM - 27 in this little dark age for too long.

C L AS S I F I E D S - 29 Bruce VanWyngarden LAST WORD - 31 brucev@memphisflyer.com

CONTENTS

BRUCE VANWYNGARDEN Editor SHARA CLARK Managing Editor JACKSON BAKER Senior Editor TOBY SELLS Associate Editor CHRIS MCCOY Film and TV Editor ALEX GREENE Music Editor SAMUEL X. CICCI, MICHAEL DONAHUE, CHRISTEN HILL, JON W. SPARKS Staff Writers JESSE DAVIS Copy Editor, Staff Writer JULIE RAY Calendar Editor MATTHEW J. HARRIS Editorial Assistant LORNA FIELD, RANDY HASPEL, RICHARD MURFF, FRANK MURTAUGH, MEGHAN STUTHARD Contributing Columnists AIMEE STIEGEMEYER, SHARON BROWN Grizzlies Reporters ANDREA FENISE Fashion Editor KENNETH NEILL Founding Publisher

m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

OUR 1665TH ISSUE 01.21.21 “If we are to have another contest in the near future of our national existence, I predict that the dividing line will not be Mason and Dixon’s but between patriotism and intelligence on the one side, and superstition, ambition, and ignorance on the other.”

— Ulysses S. Grant.

3

THE

fly-by

MEMernet

W E E K T H AT W A S

By Flyer staff

Murder, Camping, and COVID-19

LET IT S N OW

A Memphis cop charged in killing, parks set records, and case numbers flatten.

BREWERY

Instagram was predictably hot with the cold stuff last week. Snow flurries dusted Memphis without disrupting school or work, leaving behind only some pretty pictures.

F LE X Last week, Memphis Reddit user u/ benefit_ of_mrkite shared this image of “Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson after wrestling at a flea market in Memphis for $40 (early 1990s).”

C R OS S WALK I N’

January 21-27, 2021

Edited by Toby Sells

A roundup of Memphis on the World Wide Web.

POSTED TO INSTAGRAM BY THE TENNESSEE

4

{

Questions, Answers + Attitude

POSTED TO NEXTDOOR BY BOBI MCBRATNEY

Overton Square is set to get two new crosswalks soon close to the corners of Cooper and Monroe (yes, corners) in front of Hattiloo Theatre.

One will feature the colors of the gay pride flag that now also features colors supporting transgender, Black, and brown people.

The other will read Black Lives Matter.

C OVI D -1 9 N U M B E R S Monday: new, 691; total, 74,508; deaths, 1,036 Tuesday: new, 508; total, 75,016; deaths, 1,046 Wednesday: new, 479; total, 75,495; deaths, 1,062 Thursday: new, 548; total, 76,043; deaths, 1,093 Friday: new, 491; total, 76,534; deaths, 1,102 MPD OFFICER C HAR G E D A Memphis Police Department (MPD) officer was arrested last week and charged with first degree murder following the onduty kidnapping and killing of a Memphis man.

Former MPD officer Patric Ferguson was charged with Clockwise from top left: Downtown Memphis Commission’s 2021 Projects, first-degree murder, first-degree Patric Ferguson charged, and Tennessee tops U-Haul’s list murder in perpetration of aggravated kidnapping, abuse of a the first time. But that doesn’t necessarily mean Memphis. corpse, and fabricating and tampering with evidence. He has The biggest gains in the state went to East and Middle been employed by the MPD since 2018. Ferguson is alleged Tennessee. U-Haul’s top growth cities included Knoxto have killed Robert Howard, 30, who was reported missing ville, the Tri-Cities (Kingsport, Johnson City, and Bristol), by his girlfriend.

Cleveland, and Maryville in East Tennessee, and Cookeville, Clarksville, and Murfreesboro in Middle Tennessee.

R EC O R D CA M P I N G A new report from the Tennessee Department of EnvironF I G HTI N G B LI G HT WITH ART ment and Conservation (TDEC) said Tennessee State Parks For the next several months, the space at 55 South Main will set camping records, recorded 34.7 million park visits, and be the home of 2021 Projects, a temporary gallery featuring had an economic impact of $1.84 billion in 2020. Camping the work of established and up-and-coming artists from the volume at state parks last year recorded four of the top 10 region. It’s part of the Downtown Memphis Commission’s months in history.

(DMC) Open on Main initiative to energize and bring atten“Tennesseans should be proud of the way the parks tion to available spaces. responded to public demand,” said TDEC Commissioner David Salyers. “The last year has been trying for TennesNAM I N G IT seans, but we are confident the reliance on our state parks Public things in Memphis — buildings, parks, and more — throughout this period bodes well for the coming year and will be named for dead people, if a Memphis City Council beyond.” committee has its way.

The report found $1.7 billion in economic impact from A commission on renaming approved this idea last week operations and visitor spending, $126.7 million from capital after much discussion. Anything renamed should “promote projects, and $11.4 million from facilities and land manageimportant citywide community values such as respect, unity, ment maintenance projects. and diversity,” according to Thelma Crivens.

However, streets, parks, and buildings can be named U-HAU LI N’ TO TE N N ES S E E after living people if they make a philanthropic donation in U-Haul, the do-it-yourself moving company, said the numhonor of that place. ber of people using their trucks to move to Tennessee last The city council will have the final say-so on any method year put the state at the top of the heap. used to rename public things here.

Visit the News Blog at memphisflyer.com for fuller versions of The state had the largest net gain of trucks crossing its these stories and more local news. borders, making Tennessee U-Haul’s No. 1 growth state for

goldstrike.com ©2020 MGM Resorts International.® All rights reserved. Must be 21. Gambling problem? Call 1.888.777.9696.

m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

NEWS & OPINION

ENOUGH TO FEED A GRIZZLY

5

For Release Monday, September 10, 2018

{

The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Thursday, September 13, 2018

ACROSS 1 Sounds of surrender 6 1922-91 initials 10 Extra inches 14 A patriarch of the Israelites 15 S O S, basically 16 Film treasure hunter Croft 17 Q: “Can I write both a poem and an essay?”

A: “___” 20 Meet stick 21 Tight hold 22 What Alabama cheerleaders often request?

24 Matt’s replacement on “Today” 26 Candymaker H. B. ___ 27 Yearned (for) 29 Tracy Marrow’s stage name 32 German article

ACROSS

33 Author of the line “It means Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes” 34 Actualities 36 Q: “Is that snack bar known for good burgers?”

A: “___” 41 Common place for a car’s name, once 42 Hunchbacked film character 44 Night that “77 Sunset Strip” aired for most of its run: Abbr.

47 Popular game console 48 Skill on display in the “Kill Bill” movies 50 Synopsis 52 Conspirator’s agreement 54 Part of a pickup line?

55 Name on both sides of the Equator

by Will Shortz and Charged Crossword ChargedEdited

58 Pledge 60 Q: “Should you call that stopover between Liverpool and Belfast a peninsula?”

A: “___” 64 Fiddler on the reef?

65 Duds 66 Jokester 67 Lacking 68 Detail, in brief 69 Auguries

Edited by Will Shortz 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

31 Magical drink that gets 1 “Let’s take it from someone smitten the ___” 35 Use shears 4 Kind of exam that’s not written 36 Impersonators

8 Seafood often served on a toothpick

O M I T S

4 Anaconda, e.g.

5 Lopsided wins

6 Mess up

O I L

W H I P

25

28

29

33

M A G E

T S L D I C E N E S A T E I R O N E N G S S E S

I C A N A L H T B U D A M M I N H A T I I M T A B L A I T A R M O M B O D O E M A B E L A L I

30

34

36

37

46

50

47

51

55

52

56

57

60 64

65

67

68

S O L I D S

L U B E S

30 Brink

31 Verb ending in old verse

35 Exterior

37 Fad teddy bear name of the 1980s

48

53

58 61

40 Loose change “collector” 43 Steak coating 44 Swiss money 45 Sea sucker 46 Metaphor for death in a Eugene O’Neill play

40 Less fortunate

E D A A P M B

38 Retreat

48 Small relative of an elephant bird

42 Word on a wine label 39 Holder of dozens upon dozens

32

39

39 Hamilton’s bills 34 Hard or soft menu item

59 Like a diet that allows only fats and protein 60 Creative thoughts 61 Bear’s home 62 Posts, as a letter 63 What children should be, and not heard, they say 64 High trains in Chicago 40

42

PUZZLE BY PATRICK MERRELL

28 Van ___

Criminal justice costs can be big, even if you’re found not guilty.

13

January 21-27, 2021

2

3

4

5

6

7

13

14

49 World Heritage Site grp.

43

16

17

49

54

59

62

19

20

63

66 69

22

51 Sultans and sheiks, usually

27

53 News inits. since 1996

28

56 Camels, e.g., for short 57 Rush-rush

59 Diploma displayer, for short

31

32

33

34

61 Live

62 Wimple wearer 63 Some inning enders, in brief

Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 7,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year).

Read about and comment on each puzzle: nytimes.com/wordplay.

36

29

37

Earlier this week, the Sycamore those convicted can find themselves Institute, an independent and nonreleased with a hefty bill. Even when partisan public policy research not charged with standard 39 center 40court for Tennessee, released a report in charges, document filing fees and even which they broke down the fees and courtroom security costs all end up fines within the criminal 42 justice system compiling into 43 sometimes ludicrous of Tennessee. amounts.

In their findings, they reported that For the taxpayers, as well as state 45 fees and 46governments, fees are 47 there were nearly 360 public and local fines authorized in Tennessee state law, supposed to take some of the burdens a number that is higher if private acts off their community and to fund 52also 53 are factored in. The number of fines is public 51 safety initiatives. They are something that Josh Spickler from Just supposed to be deterrents for crime.

City found concerning.

But Sycamore’s report says these 54 findings 55 56 “I mean, one of the biggest fines end up causing more harm57 than for me from that Sycamore Institute good. For those without the ability report was how many, which is to pay, fines and fees from previous 59a long time convictions or court appearances 60can something we’ve known for has been an issue,” says Spickler. “As cause significant difficulty, the group an attorney, or as anyone who’s been says.

62you, just 63 through that system can tell “Court fees are some of the biggest the sheer number of individual charges disqualifying factors of the thousands is really difficult to quantify. And so, of and thousands of people we talk to course, it also depends on what you’re every year at Just City,” says Spickler.

PUZZLE BY ANDREA CARLA MICHAELS AND M charged with.”

“The biggest disqualifying factor is The fee and fine system that exists that ‘Yes, you qualify. Yes, it has been within the Tennessee criminal justice 10 years since you were convicted. Yes, system is not limited to those found you have finished your sentence, you’ve guilty of a crime. Tennessee has one of gotten in no other trouble anywhere the most robust fees and fines systems in the world. But you still owe $700 in in the country, according to the Hope core debt from that 12-year-old case, Policy Institute. Due to the sheer we can’t get you expunged.’ So, the fines number of fees and fines, racking up and fees are a leverage point there. And a significant debt during the criminal then several years ago, [Tennessee] justice process is likely. doubled down on it by saying if A daily fee for any jail time you owe that criminal court debt, associated with a misdemeanor specifically, in Tennessee, we’re going to conviction, copays for medical care suspend your license.” received while incarcerated, and The institute report does not fees and costs associated with courtrecommend changes for the fees and ordered treatment for mental health fines system but says the report is for or substance use disorders mean that policymakers in decision-making.

DOWN 43 Calligrapher’s 1 Overflows (with) 8 President elected collection with the slogan 2 The “O” of “Yes we can” 44 Bill’s “excellent O magazine adventure” 9 “Hurry up!”

3 Ski jacket partner 4 “Almost finished!”

2 It can get you 45 Give a hard time into a lather 5 Dustin Hoffman’s 47 Walk drunkenly role in “Midnight 3 ___ Shriver, sister Cowboy” of J.F.K. and 51 L.B.J. campaign founder of the to help the poor 6 Comparable (to) Special Olympics 54 Midrange golf 7 “Game of 7 Computer glitch club Thrones” actress Headey 8 “Watch your 57 Velvet-voiced Mel ___!”

8 Prevent from 58 “So that’s your falling, perhaps 0 Electrical unit game!”

9 English rocker Hitchcock ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE 10 Simon & H I V E P R O P E R1636 Union T RAvenue A Garfunkel’s “I ___ Memphis, TN 38104 Rock” A H E M R O X A N E W E T OPEN DAILY N E R O E V E 901-276-6321 R Y S O• ArtCenterMemphis.com O F T 11 Typist’s stat, in brief D A M6 U S E S A T M F E E B R E A K S L E A R N 12 Hush-hush grp.

R Y E B E E R S F E N C E D 14 Boo-boos

7 Open the door for

I L L E K E

1

35

38

41

45

12

26

31

38 Actor/director Eastwood

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE C A L A L L U A P

27

44

DOWN 1 Consideration at the Pearly Gates 2 Prefix with -bar 3 Chickpea 4 “Made you look!”

5 Haying tool 6 Topple 7 ___-pitch 8 Member of a Macedonia minority 9 Like signatures of William Shakespeare 10 Certain S O S 11 Whipped 12 Provoke 13 British sausage 18 It might be set with candles 19 Kitt who played Catwoman 22 Tour de France high point 23 Something drawn when landing on a yellow square in Pictionary 25 On-demand flier

24

11

19

21

23

10

16

18

20

22

9

15

17

37 Frequently, to Frost

3 Clean Air Act org.

G R E A T M I A M I C O R P S S C A L C U I N A H E G A T E P E R I M O R I O T H I N K A W A R T E L E P A L T S S L O A

14

No. 0809

KOSTYANTINE PANKIN | DREAMSTIME.COM

Crossword

CITY REPORTER

By Matthew Harris

28 Painstakingly sorts (through) 29 Tykes 31 Door fastener 32 “The Magic Flute,” for one 33 Planet between Mercury and Earth 34 Bugs Bunny or Wile E. Coyote

41 Cushioned footstool

43 Alternatives case things work out

46 Swashbuckl weapon

47 Wild shoppi expedition 48 A+ or C–

Learn more about vaccines and slowing the spread at cdc.gov/coronavirus

Brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

NEWS & OPINION

It’s our reality right now. But it won’t be if we do what it takes to beat COVID-19. Vaccines are coming, but until enough of us are vaccinated, we all still need to wear our masks, stay at least six feet from others, and avoid indoor social gatherings. The more we slow the spread, the faster we’ll return to normal hellos … and fewer goodbyes.

m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

This shouldn’t be how we say hello...or goodbye.

7

POLITICS By Jackson Baker

New Times, New Actors

We are seeking blood and

Qualified donors are

cell donors to support

compensated for their time —

important medical research

from $50 to several hundred

focused on fighting life-

dollars depending on the

threatening diseases.

time required.

901-252-3434

January 21-27, 2021

researchchampions.com

8

Crosstown Arts: Against the Grain — an online platform where viewers can watch new, made-at-home performance videos by Memphis musicians — now features more than 150 local musicians. View their videos for free, or show your support with a donation. 100% of donations on an artist’s page will go directly to the artist.

crosstownar ts.org/againstthegrain

In American popular music history, there is a long-established tradition whereby individuals with talent begin their rise to prominence in Memphis, a “roots” city in every sense, and extend their careers in Nashville, site of a monolithic music and broadcast industry. Among those who have made this journey are such titans as Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, and Johnny Cash, and lesser-known but influential studio and club mainstays like Cowboy Jack Clement and Paul Craft.

For somewhat obvious reasons, this kind of odyssey also occurs in politics, where Nashville’s prominence as the state capital is the attraction. One Hendrell Remus, ex-Memphian, could turn out to be a case in point.

Remus’ name may ring a bill for Memphians who are close students of local politics. A former security professional here and, for the last year or two, at Tennessee State University in Nashville, Remus opposed incumbent state Representative Joe Towns in the Democratic primary for District 84 in 2012, and two years later ran in a multi-candidate field for the Shelby County Commission seat won that year by Eddie Jones, now the commission chairman.

In both races, Remus finished far behind the winner.

As a resident of Nashville, the earnest young man has had better success, having just won, as of last weekend, the chairmanship of the state Democratic Party in a field of 10 candidates. Remus, who also becomes the state party’s first Black chairman, has been vice chair of the Tennessee Young Democrats.

Among the factors contributing to his success with the 68 voting members of the party’s executive committee on Saturday were Remus’ sterling performances both in published questionnaires arranged for candidates by consultant Christy Pruitt Hayes and in a candidate forum held by The Tennessee Holler, a digital media company that closely follows Democratic Party issues.

Also telling in Remus’ favor was the enthusiastic support given him by Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris, who personal-

ly lobbied for Remus with several Shelby County and West Tennessee members of the state committee, a majority of whom sided with the ex-Memphian.

The election, held via the electronic platform Maestro, was a two-ballot affair, with 35 votes required for the winner.

On the first ballot, Remus trailed former party official and Democratic National Committee member Wade Munday, also of Nashville, by 24 votes to 30. On the second ballot, aided by endorsements from two other candidates who dropped out of the running, Remus finished ahead of Munday, 36 votes to 32. Elected party vice chairs for West Tennessee were David Cambron and Jasmine Boyd.

• Steve, meet Lauren. One of the national Democratic Party’s leading progressive lights is 9th District Congressman Steve Cohen, who last week connected — sort of — with a new U.S. House member of dramatically opposite leanings.

In a news item featured prominently

by CNN and other media, Cohen named Representative Lauren Boebert (R-CO) as one of the House members rumored to have conducted a “reconnaisHendrell sance” tour of the U.S. Remus Capitol for a group in the day or two before the Capitol was besieged by a violent mob.

Cohen said he could not address either Boebert’s motives nor those of the group she guided through the building, but he had a specific memory of seeing the tour in progress “sometime after the 3rd and before the 6th.” Boebert, who was elected in November, has been publicly identified with QAnon, the extremist group known for its fanatical support of outgoing President Donald Trump and for encouraging conspiracy theories at the expense of Democrats and liberals.

Boebert has denied leading any insurrectionists through the Capitol, but she has made a point of what she says is her right to pack a pistol in the Capitol complex, and attracted attention last week by refusing to abide by a new rule requiring members to pass through a metal detector on their way to the floor.

Several Democratic members of Congress have, in the wake of the January 6th riots, expressed concern that they may become targets of violence by extremists among their Republican counterparts.

TENNESSEE DEMOCRATIC PARTY

PAY IT FORWARD & GET PAID

Former Memphian named state Democratic Party chair; Cohen outs Lauren Boebert.

The MLK game, Penny Hardaway, and Tom Brady.

T

LARRY KUZNIEWSKI

he Memphis Grizzlies’ annual Martin Luther King Day game is the most important sporting event in this city. It provides Memphis — and not just our beloved NBA franchise — a national platform, one from which the powerful and inspiring work of the National Civil Rights Museum (NCRM) is on full display. It’s the rare sporting event that feels bigger. Because it is.

Ja Morant

And this year’s game felt especially right, even with FedExForum empty of fans, even with pandemic conditions still heavy worldwide, even with our nation’s Capitol becoming, yes, a fortress for the upcoming inauguration of our 46th president. In the game’s closing seconds, a dynamic Black player (Ja Morant) found a sharp-shooting white teammate (Grayson Allen) who buried a game-winning threepointer to beat one of the league’s best young teams. If you looked west shortly before Allen’s game-winner, you saw the new year’s most beautiful sunset, a lovely metaphor for the Grizzlies’ comeback victory against, of course, the Phoenix Suns. It felt … just right.

The TNT studio hosts were especially sentimental, Kenny Smith being one of this year’s three NCRM Sports Legacy Honorees. A two-time NBA champion (as a Houston Rocket), Smith and his more-provocative colleague — Hall of Famer Charles Barkley — were effusive

in their gratitude for the platform the NBA has provided them, as Black men, to speak about topics more important than James Harden taking his talents to Brooklyn.

Best of all, Smith, Barkley, and friends see what is rising in Memphis (on the hardwood): Morant, one of the league’s top two or three players under the age of 25, and Jaren Jackson Jr. — a future All-Star himself — soon to return from knee surgery. The Grizzlies keep Memphis proud, one year to the next, but particularly on MLK Day. I’m choosing to see their win this week as an omen for a year we all rise, as Memphians and as human beings.

• Memphis Tiger coach Penny Hardaway is a past recipient of the NCRM Sports Legacy Award. That was an especially happy day at FedExForum, a packed crowd — it was 2018 — saluting a past hero, one already rumored to be returning to the college program where he played a generation ago.

Hardaway is surely calling on days like that right now, as his current Tiger team tries to find its way through a season already damaged by COVID-19 (three January games postponed) and the Tulsa Golden Hurricane (two losses after the Tigers led at halftime).

Now 6-5, the Tigers face four games in eight days before the calendar turns to February. And a coach with top-five aspirations for his program now must wonder if 20 wins are within reach, let alone an NCAA tournament bid.

Hardaway was philosophical last week during a virtual press conference, identifying the same cloud the rest of us do these days when things turn sour: “We’re trying to play through a pandemic. It’s not the worst thing. We have to be mindful, continue to be safe.

You just have to work through the rigors of what’s happening.”

• I’ve written in this space about Tom Brady being the first one-man dynasty in the history of American team sports.

The 43-year-old quarterback has now proven that a New England Patriots uniform wasn’t required for this “dynasty” to happen, having led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the NFC Championship in his first season with the franchise.

The game will be Brady’s 14th(!) conference title game. Perspective? You’ve heard of Joe Montana, John Elway, and Dan Marino. That trio played in 16 conference championships combined.

A COST PLUS FOOD OUTLET

WOW! GET IT NOW! WE’RE KNOWN BY THE MONEY YOU KEEP!

SANDERSON FARMS

THIGHS OR DRUMSTICKS

64 100% Natural

¢

per lb

PLUS 10% ADDED AT CHECKOUT

FRESH GREEN CABBAGE

29

¢

per lb

PLUS 10% ADDED AT CHECKOUT

CERTIFIED ANGUS BEEF

SHOULDER ROAST

2

USDA Choice or Better

$

72 per lb

PLUS 10% ADDED AT CHECKOUT

Be a

CASHSAVER A COST PLUS FOOD OUTLET

LOCALLY OWNED WHITEHAVEN MIDTOWN 4049 Elvis Presley Blvd.

1620 Madison Ave. SOUTH MEMPHIS 1977 S. Third St.

MEMPHISCASHSAVER.COM @CASH_SAVER

@MEMPHISCASHSAVER

@MEMPHISCASHSAVER

WEEKLY ADVERTISED SPECIALS ON-LINE AT MEMPHISCASHSAVER.COM OR IN-STORE

m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

Dreams and Ja

CASHSAVER

NEWS & OPINION

S P O R TS B y Fr a n k M u r t a u g h

9

HOW THE EXCEPTIONAL WOMEN IN MEDICINE ARE CHOSEN

January 21-27, 2021

EXCEPTIONAL WOMEN IN MEDICINE

SORIN CIPRIAN SUCIU | DREAMSTIME.COM

Castle Connolly Top Doctors is a healthcare research company and the official source for Top Doctors for the past 25 years. Castle Connolly’s established nomination survey, research, screening, and selection process, under the direction of an MD, involves many hundreds of thousands of physicians as well as academic medical centers, specialty hospitals, and regional and community hospitals all across the nation.

The online nominations process — located at castleconnolly.com/ nominations — is open to all licensed physicians in America who are able to nominate physicians in any medical specialty and in any part of the country, as well as indicate whether the nominated physician is, in their opinion, among the best in their region in their medical specialty or among the best in the nation in their medical specialty. Once nominated, Castle Connolly’s physician-led team of researchers follow a rigorous screening process to select top doctors on both the national and regional levels.

Careful screening of doctors’ educational and professional experience is essential before final selection is made among those physicians most highly regarded by their peers. The result — we identify the top doctors in America and provide you, the consumer, with detailed information about their education, training, and special expertise in our paperback guides, national and regional magazine “Top Doctors” features, and online directories.

Doctors do not and cannot pay to be selected and profiled as Castle Connolly Top Doctors.

Physicians selected for inclusion in this magazine’s “Top Doctors” feature also appear online at castleconnolly.com, or in conjunction with other Castle Connolly Top Doctors databases online on other sites and/or in print.

Castle Connolly was acquired by Everyday Health Group (EHG), one of the world’s most prominent digital healthcare companies, in late 2018. EHG, a recognized leader in patient and provider education, attracts an engaged audience of over 53 million health consumers and over 780,000 U.S. practicing physicians and clinicians to its premier health and wellness websites. EHG combines social listening data and analytics expertise to deliver highly personalized healthcare consumer content and effective patient engagement solutions. EHG’s vision is to drive better clinical and health outcomes through decision-making informed by highly relevant data and analytics. Healthcare professionals and consumers are empowered with trusted content and services through the Everyday Health Group’s flagship brands including Everyday Health®, What to Expect®, MedPage Today®, Health eCareers®, PRIME® Education, and our exclusive partnership with MayoClinic.org® and The Mayo Clinic Diet.® Everyday Health Group is a division of J2 Global Inc. (NASDAQ: JCOM), and is headquartered in New York City.

The Exceptional Women in Medicine (EWIM) award was created by Castle Connolly in order to recognize female physicians who are often underrepresented among award recipients from various aspects of medicine.

EWIM physicians have greatly contributed to healthcare through clinical care, research, community service, education, and/or leadership EWIM physicians have made significant outreach efforts to underserved communities.

EWIM physicians improved health outcomes for issues specific to women, 10 such as increased childbirth options, better diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, heart disease in women, gender specific hip and knee replacements, etc.

COVER STORY

G

ood health is the baseline. For everything. How we work, how we play, what we choose to eat, where (and how often) we travel. The Mid-South has an abundance of hospitals and clinics that exist for the shared mission of a thriving community: wellness. Within those institutions, though, are women who have made it their own life mission to heal the sick and keep those blessed with good health on the right path, regardless of life stage.

Let this year’s list of Exceptional Women in Medicine be your first resource should you be in need of care, be it a sprained wrist or lingering stomach discomfort. These specialists have been chosen among peers as the best in their field. Your good health is their baseline.

ALLERGY & IMMUNOLOGY

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

DR. CHRISTIE F. MICHAEL UT Le Bonheur Pediatric Specialists 51 N. Dunlap St., Ste. 400 Memphis, TN 38105

DR. MAUREEN A. SMITHERS Sutherland Cardiology Clinic 7460 Wolf River Blvd.

Germantown, TN 38138

DR. D BETTY LEW UT Le Bonheur Pediatric Specialists 51 N. Dunlap St., Ste. 400 Memphis, TN 38105

CHILD NEUROLOGY

DR. NORA DAHER Daher Asthma & Allergy Clinic 2136 Exeter Rd. Germantown, TN 38138

DR. ROBIN L. MORGAN Le Bonheur Outpatient Center 848 Adams Ave., Ste. 400 Memphis, TN 38103

DR. NAMRATA S. SHAH UT Le Bonheur Pediatric Specialists Neurology Clinic Memphis, TN 38103 CLINICAL GENETICS DR. JEWELL C. WARD UT Le Bonheur Pediatric Specialists 51 N. Dunlap St., Ste. 400 Memphis, TN 38105

KAREN PULFER FOCHT

DERMATOLOGY DR. PURVISHA J. PATEL Advanced Dermatology & Skin Cancer Associates 7658 Poplar Pike Germantown, TN 38138 DR. F. GWEN BEARD Memphis Dermatology Clinic 1455 Union Ave. Memphis, TN 38104 DR. MALIKA TULI Mid-South Dermatology 6605 Stage Rd., Ste. 2 Barlett, TN 38134 DR. LUELLA G. CHURCHWELL Dermatology East 1335 Cordova Cv. Germantown, TN 38138 DR. ROBIN H. FRIEDMAN-MUSICANTE Memphis Dermatology Clinic 1455 Union Ave. Memphis, TN 38104 DR. TERESA S. WRIGHT Le Bonheur Outpatient Center 848 Adams Ave., Ste. 400 Memphis, TN 38103 DR. FRANCES K. LAWHEAD Memphis Dermatology Clinic 1455 Union Ave. Memphis, TN 38104 DEVELOPMENTAL BEHAVIORAL PEDIATRICS DR. TONI M. WHITAKER UT Le Bonheur Pediatric Specialists Boling Center for Developmental Disabilities Memphis, TN 38105

DIAGNOSTIC RADIOLOGY DR. SUE C. KASTE St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Department of Diagnostic Imaging Memphis, TN 38105 FAMILY MEDICINE DR. ERICKA L. GUNN-HILL Jackson-Randle Family Healthcare 5142 Stage Rd., Ste. 100 Memphis, TN 38134 DR. APARNA K. MURTI Methodist Medical Group 2589 Appling Rd., Ste. 101 Bartlett, TN 38133 GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY DR. LINDA M. SMILEY West Cancer Center 7945 Wolf River Blvd.

Memphis, TN 38138 HEMATOLOGY DR. PATRICIA E. ADAMS-GRAVES Regional One Health Outpatient Center Memphis, TN 38103 INTERNAL MEDICINE DR. JOAN MICHELLE ALLMON Aim Allmon Internal Medicine 526 Halle Park Dr. Collierville, TN 38017 DR. NATASCHA S. THOMPSON UT Methodist Physicians Primary Care Cordova, TN 38018 DR. MARTHA N. TAYLOR Methodist Medical Group 7690 Wolf River Cir. Germantown, TN 38138 DR. CATHERINE R. WOMACK UT Methodist Physicians Primary Care Cordova, TN 38018 MEDICAL ONCOLOGY DR. SYVLIA S. RICHEY West Cancer Center 7945 Wolf River Blvd.

Germantown, TN 38138 continued on page 12

DR. PURVISHA J. PATEL, M.D.

B

DERMATOLOGY — ADVANCED DERMATOLOGY AND SKIN CANCER ASSOCIATES

orn in London, Dr. Purvisha Patel spent most of her first 12 years in Wales before her parents — refugees from Uganda — seized an opportunity to run a motel in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.

She spent her formative years in Ashland, Virginia, and attended the University of Virginia as both an undergraduate and medical student. She completed her dermatology training at the UT Health Science Center in Memphis, where she served her residency under Dr. William Rosenberg. (“Dr. Rosenberg was an amazing thinker,” says Patel. “He had skin-care lines and patents, which inspired my own career.”)

“As an immigrant family, [my parents] thought being a doctor was the ultimate career choice,” she says. “Seeing my parents work so hard, never having a vacation … you want to do whatever it takes to make them happy.

I loved science, and I was good at it. I often took care of our grandparents, who would come and live with us. I was a caregiver, so doing medicine flowed naturally from that.”

Patel describes her decision to specialize in dermatology as a “eureka moment,” one that came with a serious dose of heartache.

“My parents were thinking cardiology or neurosurgery, maybe pediatrics,” she says.

“Nobody [in my family] really knew what dermatology was. But skin is the largest organ in the body. I feel like a Sherlock Holmes of medicine. I can tell if a patient is vitamindeficient, if they have thyroid disease, diabetes, if they’re taking their medicine. I can see what people are doing for hobbies, if they’re swimming in a pool, what kind of pets they have. Before we had lab tests, this was medicine. Looking at a person’s body for

signs and symptoms of disease.”

Patel’s father died at age 57 from skin cancer, just as she was choosing her specialty.

“I chose to be a skin-cancer surgeon,” she reflects, “when my dad looked at me and asked, ‘You could have gotten rid of this before it spread?’ That’s how I knew. It was an easy decision.”

Dermatology offers about the closest thing a doctor can find to instant results. An ailment can be diagnosed, addressed, and often removed in a single visit. “A patient gets to see a disease go away,” Patel emphasizes, “and that’s really gratifying. We get to see the progress of treatment. It’s super fun.”

Reflecting on two decades as a dermatologist, Patel notes advances in technology — as with any field of medicine — but stands by the same general approach she studied at the turn of the century. "When it comes to skin cancer," she explains, "the answer is to still take it out. The procedure I do most — micrographic surgery — is considered cutting-edge, but it hasn't changed much since I left my training. When it comes to medicine, we’re using immunotherapies now for melanoma treatment. Science has changed the field, but it’s still kind of ancient in its roots."

The coronavirus pandemic has and will impact dermatology, but Patel already sees progress in the area of remote treatment. “We’ve been utilizing telemedicine throughout the lockdown,” says Patel. “It has a good place in dermatology when it comes to follow-up visits, acne and rashes, or refilling prescriptions. Still, when doing a full skin exam — looking for skin cancer — seeing the person [in the same room] is the gold standard.” — Frank Murtaugh

COVER STORY m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

DR. AMY L. MCGREGOR UT Le Bonheur Pediatric Specialists 848 Adams Ave., Ste. L400 Memphis, TN 38103

11

continued from page 11

OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY

DR. MOON J. FENTON West Cancer Center Midtown Memphis Campus Memphis, TN 38104

DR. VANESSA M. GIVENS Women’s Health Specialists 7800 Wolf Trail Cv. Germantown, TN 38138

DR. CARMEL S. VERRIER West Cancer Center 7945 Wolf River Blvd.

Germantown, TN 38138

DR. LANETTA ANDERSON Womens Physicians Group 7705 Poplar Ave., B Bldg. - Ste. 110 Memphis, TN 38138

NEPHROLOGY

DR. CLAUDETTE J. SHEPHARD Regional One Health Outpatient Center Memphis, TN 38103

DR. LYNN EBAUGH East Memphis Nephrology 7640 Wolf River Cir., Fl. 2 Germantown, TN 38138 NEUROLOGY DR. BARBARA CAPE O’BRIEN Neurology Clinic 8000 Centerview Pkwy., Ste. 300 Cordova, TN 38018 DR. ROHINI BHOLE UT Medical Group 1331 Union Ave., Fl. 11 Memphis, TN 38104

DR. HEATHER PEARSON CHAUHAN Exceed Hormone Specialists 7512 Second St. Germantown, TN 38138 OPHTHALMOLOGY DR. MARY E. HOEHN Hamilton Eye Institute 930 Madison Ave., Ste. 400 Memphis, TN 38103

DR. M CATHLEEN SCHANZER VRF Eye Specialty Group 5350 Poplar Ave., Ste. 950 Memphis, TN 38119 DR. PENNY A. ASBELL Hamilton Eye Institute 930 Madison Ave., Ste. 400 Memphis, TN 38103 DR. NATALIE C. KERR Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital 49 N. Dunlap St., Fl. 3 Memphis, TN 38103 Hamilton Eye Institute 930 Madison Ave., Ste. 400 Memphis, TN 38103

PEDIATRIC ENDOCRINOLOGY DR. JOAN C. HAN UT Le Bonheur Pediatric Specialists 51 N. Dunlap St., Ste. 100 Memphis, TN 38105 DR. ALICIA M. DIAZ-THOMAS UT Le Bonheur Pediatric Specialists 51 N. Dunlap St., Ste. 100 Memphis, TN 38105 Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital 49 N. Dunlap St., Fl. 3 Memphis, TN 38103 PEDIATRIC HEMATOLOGYONCOLOGY

DR. LAUREN C. DITTA Hamilton Eye Institute 930 Madison Ave., Ste. 400 Memphis, TN 38103

DR. MELODY J. CUNNINGHAM Le Bonheur Outpatient Center 848 Adams Ave., Ste. 400 Memphis, TN 38103

OTOLARYNGOLOGY

PEDIATRIC NEPHROLOGY

DR. VICTORIA L. LIM Shea Clinic 6133 Poplar Pike Memphis, TN 38119

DR. MARGARET C. HASTINGS UT Le Bonheur Pediatric Specialists 51 N. Dunlap St., Ste. 400 Memphis, TN 38105 continued on page 14

2020

EXCEPTIONAL WOMAN IN MEDICINE

January 21-27, 2021

★★★★★

VICTORIA L. LIM, M.D. Otolayngology/Head and Neck Surgery Adult and Pediatric ENT

6133 Poplar Pike Memphis, TN 38119 800-477-SHEA

12

sheaclinic.com

DR. SYLVIA S. RICHEY, M.D. MEDICAL ONCOLOGY — WEST CANCER CENTER

Richey has also witnessed many technological advances in her field, such as improvements in imaging, CT scans, and other diagnostic equipment. “We can find things earlier, which is great,” she says, “and surgeries have become less invasive, which is always better for the patient.”

In 2017, she took on a new role as director of the center’s Integrative Oncology Division, which is designed to address what patients can do for themselves during treatment. She likes this analogy: “If you think of cancer in someone’s body as a weed in their garden, the doctor is focusing on how to get rid of that weed, and we have to decide what weed killer to use,” she says. “But in the bigger picture, the patient has to take care of the whole garden, to make it as inhospitable as possible to that weed, so it won’t come back.”

The program addresses a patient’s spiritual and religious needs, shows them how to handle the psychological stress of a cancer diagnosis, and emphasizes the importance of nutrition, diet, and exercise. A new component is art therapy, where an artist works with patients during their “cancer journey.”

An integrated approach to therapy is key to the future of cancer treatment, says Richey. Also important is what she calls “survivorship” — how to get cancer patients back into society after they have recovered.

That wasn’t always a concern years ago.

“When I first started practicing,” she says, “our whole patient population would turn over every couple of years because patients were not long-term survivors. But now they are living longer, and I think that’s fantastic.”

— Michael Finger

Does your patient have multiple sclerosis spasticity?

CONSIDER OUR STUDY TESTING AN ORAL SPRAY FOR SPASTICITY IN PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS. The RELEASE MSS3 study is currently enrolling patients who: • Are at least 18 years old • Were diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) more than a year ago • Have tried at least 1 oral antispasticity therapy which was either oral baclofen or oral tizanidine • Are on a stable optimized dose of oral antispasticity drug(s), but continue to have muscle spasms If you are eligible and choose to participate in the RELEASE MSS3 study, it will last 4-5 months and will require 7 visits to the research clinic. The study drug, clinic visits, laboratory tests, and study procedures will be provided at no cost. You may also be compensated for your study-related travel expenses.

Date of Preparation: September 2019 VV-MED-07558 GWSP18023 - Poster - Global - English - 18-Jun-2020 - Version 2.0

For more information, please contact:

Neurology Clinic, PC Dr. Barbara O’Brien 8000 Centerview Parkway, Ste 500 Cordova, TN 38018 • 901-747-1111

Materials prepared by GW Pharmaceuticals/Greenwich Biosciences

COVER STORY m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

COURTESY WEST CANCER CENTER

A

s a young girl growing up in Birmingham, Dr. Sylvia Richey always knew she wanted to be a doctor.

“Ever since I can remember, I was fixing and repairing my dolls,” she says, “and since my mother didn’t like the sight of blood, whenever anyone in the family needed a bandage, I took care of them. It seemed a natural path for me to take.”

A love of art history led her to a bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University, but she used her elective classes there to prepare her for study at the University of Alabama School of Medicine in Birmingham. Although she originally planned to specialize in pediatrics, a fellowship in medical oncology brought her to UT-Memphis. After additional training at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, she returned here and joined the staff of West Cancer Center in 2005, where today she also serves as the associate medical director.

“What attracted me to oncology is that you are taking care of the whole patient and not just focusing on one organ,” she says. “To be effective, you have to treat cancer in the context of the rest of the body.”

In the 15 years since she’s been practicing, the most dramatic improvement in cancer treatment has been targeted therapy. “The sophistication of the molecular testing that we can do now really individualizes a patient’s treatment,” says Richey. “That approach didn’t exist years ago, but now it absolutely dictates how we treat every patient we see.” In the past, she explains, “Breast cancer was breast cancer. Now we know that not all breast cancers are the same, and so the treatment options are different for every patient.”

13

continued from page 13

PLASTIC SURGERY

PEDIATRIC OTOLARYNGOLOGY

DR. PATRICIA L. EBY Cosmetic Surgery Specialists of Memphis 6401 Poplar Ave., Ste. 360 Memphis, TN 38119

DR. JENNIFER D. MCLEVY UT Le Bonheur Pediatric Specialists 51 N. Dunlap St., Ste. G10 Memphis, TN 38105 PEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGY DR. PATRICIA J. DUBIN UT Le Bonheur Pediatric Specialists 51 N. Dunlap St., Ste. 400 Memphis, TN 38105

Our treatment works when Viagra, Cialis & Levitra don’t!

Erectile dysfunction will no longer be a problem after you visit Mid-South Wellness Clinic for Men!

PEDIATRIC RHEUMATOLOGY

No pain or surgery • Licensed physicians Effective FDA approved medications

DR. LINDA K. MYERS UT Le Bonheur Pediatric Specialists 51 N. Dunlap St., Ste. 100 Memphis, TN 38105

6005 Park Ave, Suite 704, Memphis, TN 38119 (901) 761-8100 • www.midsouthwellnessclinicformen.com

Uncommon women.

January 21-27, 2021

Uncommon care.

DR. TONIA E. GARDNER UT Le Bonheur Pediatric Specialists 51 N. Dunlap St., Fl. 4 Memphis, TN 38105

PEDIATRIC SURGERY DR. EUNICE Y. HUANG UT Le Bonheur Pediatric Specialists 51 N. Dunlap St., Fl. 2 Memphis, TN 38105 PEDIATRIC UROLOGY DR. DANA W. GIEL UT Le Bonheur Pediatric Specialists 51 N. Dunlap St., Ste. 100 Memphis, TN 38105 PEDIATRICS

We’re proud to honor our Exceptional Women in Medicine nominees for being recognized among the best in medicine.

DR. JANET D. GEIGER River City Pediatrics 6401 Poplar Ave., Ste. 610 Memphis, TN 38119 DR. ELLEN J. STECKER River City Pediatrics 6401 Poplar Ave., Ste. 610 Memphis, TN 38119

The exceptional women named on this year’s list embody our dedication to doing all we can to improve every life we touch. Thank you for your leadership and service during times of uncertainty. Crises don’t last. Commitment does.

14

21-MLB-002ExceptWomen4-575x6-1_r1.indd 1

DR. ELISHA M. MCCOY UT Le Bonheur Pediatric Specialists 51 N. Dunlap St., Fl. 4 Memphis, TN 38105 DR. DAWN H. SCOTT Pediatric Consultants 51 N. Dunlap St., Ste. 310 Memphis, TN 38105

methodisthealth.org

1/15/21 9:31 AM

PULMONARY DISEASE DR. AMIK SODHI UT Methodist Physicians Pulmonology Memphis, TN 38104 RADIATION ONCOLOGY DR. JENNY TIBBS Saint Francis Hospital Dept. of Radiation Oncology Memphis, TN 38119 REPRODUCTIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY/INFERTILITY DR. AMELIA BAILEY Fertility Associates of Memphis 80 Humphreys Ctr., Ste. 307 Memphis, TN 38120 SURGERY DR. LINDI HANNA VANDERWALDE Baptist Medical Group Memphis Breast Care Memphis, TN 38120 DR. ALYSSA D. THROCKMORTON Baptist Medical Group Memphis Breast Care Memphis, TN 38120 UROGYNECOLOGY/FEMALE PELVIC MEDICINE & RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY DR. VAL Y. VOGT The Conrad Pearson Clinic 1325 Wolf Park Dr., Ste. 102 Germantown, TN 38138

Exceptional Care by Exceptional Women Baptist congratulates Dr. Alyssa Throckmorton and Dr. Lindi VanderWalde at Baptist Medical Group-Memphis Breast Care for being recognized as 2020 Exceptional Women in Medicine.

These highly respected breast surgeons offer comprehensive breast care services with groundbreaking treatments and innovative surgical options, available exclusively at Baptist.

We thank them for their commitment to an unwavering mission of providing personalized, compassionate and exceptional care for women in the Mid-South.

Get Better.

Congratulations, Dr. J. Michelle Allmon from your patients, staff and colleagues for being recognized as one of our nation’s Exceptional Women in Medicine

by Castle Connolly.

526 Halle Park Drive Collierville, TN 38017 (901) 910-3246 facebook.com/DrMichelleAllmon www.allmonmedicine.com

COVER STORY m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

baptistdoctors.org

15

steppin’ out (& stayin’ in)

We Recommend: Culture, News + Reviews

Carson McCullers

By Julie Ray

Tennessee Shakespeare Company will explore the popular Southern Gothic/realism writer Carson McCullers (19171967). A rare multi-form fiction writer, she penned characters who were usually in physical, psychological, and spiritual isolation. Feelings, no doubt, within her own life.

Her music studies were abandoned after losing Juilliard tuition money on the subway. Her romantic life was tragic, complicated by physical pain, addiction, and illnesses. Plagued by strokes, she was ultimately confined to a wheelchair due to partial paralysis. She described her writing as “a search for God.” The performance will be directed by Stephanie Shine who will be joined on stage by fellow TSC actors Cara McHugh Geissler, Jasmine Robertson, John Ross Graham, Michael Khanlarian, and Irene Keeney.

“Carson writes with all of her questions about life and love guiding her pen,” says Shine. “Her singular ability to conjure characters of rich complexity, and sometimes surprising duplicity, makes her a great humanist. Her people breathe, and we breathe with them because of their haunting humanity. Rarely has a writer been able to capture detail that both clarifies and entices as she does. Even more inviting, Carson’s words are thrilling when spoken out loud.”

Excerpts will be featured from McCullers’ play, A Member of the Wedding, and major works, including The Ballad of the Sad Café and The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. Excerpts will also be read from her first published work when she was 19 years old — the short story “Wunderkind” — as well as two of her poems.

COURTESY DAVID PORTER

CHANSAK AROONMANAKUL | DREAMSTIME.COM

THE HUNTING HEART: CARSON MCCULLERS, ONLINE FROM TENNESSEE SHAKESPEARE COMPANY, TNSHAKESPEARE.ORG, SUNDAY, JAN. 24, 3 P.M., $15.

David Porter’s Made in Memphis Entertainment Music, p. 19

Dry January? Beck’s N/A is not bad — for non-alcoholic near-beer.

Brews, p. 25

January 21-27, 2021

VARIOUS DAYS & TIMES January 21st - 27th

16

Lit Fest Live: Elayne Klasson Online from Memphis Jewish Community Center, jccmemphis.org, Thursday, Jan. 21, 7 p.m., free with registration The author will read and discuss Love Is a Rebellious Bird, a book of fiction about what it means to sacrifice everything you’ve ever known for a chance at happiness.

Opening Reception for “From Folk to Fine” Buckman Arts Center at St. Mary's School, 60 N. Perkins Ext., Friday, Jan. 22, 5-7 p.m., free Exhibition of new works by Billy Moore featuring traditional art pieces incorporating new canvas abstracts.

The Sporkful Podcast Live Buckman Arts Center, 60 N. Perkins Ext., Friday, Jan. 22, 7 p.m., $30 Food podcast featuring Dan Pashman and special guest using humor and humanity to approach food from many angles, including science, history, and more.

Inspiring Artists Conference and Training Glenview Community Center, 1141 S. Barksdale, Saturday, Jan. 23, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., free This conference is for new artists who would like to learn different techniques to strengthen their craft.

Learn through workshops and hands-on applications.

COURTESY TENNESSEE SHAKESPEARE COMPANY

Real Goth

Closing Reception for “In Conversation” David Lusk Gallery, 97 Tillman, Saturday, Jan. 23, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., free Last chance to view the exhibition of woodcuts from 1960-1975 by modernist Ted Faiers. The works are in remembrance of a time before COVID. A Step Ahead Foundation 10th Anniversary Step Off Online from A Step Ahead Foundation, astepaheadfoundation.org, Saturday, Jan. 23, 5 p.m.

Learn about the foundation’s programs and services during this virtual presentation while enjoying performances from local dancers, step teams, and supporters.

Ambrose Jones: You Don’t Know Me The Comedy Junt, 4330 American Way, Saturday, Jan. 23, 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., $20 The laconic, self-deprecating comedian performs Southern humor from a unique point of view. This performance will be filmed.

Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier Malco Summer Drive-In, 5310 Summer, Saturday, Jan. 23, 9 p.m., $69 per car Ultimate Fighting Championship rematch between McGregor and Poirier. This historic fight will be live-streamed from Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates.

Breaking Bread will screen at the festival.

Break Bread International film fans will be pleased to know that the Memphis International Jewish Film Festival will go on this year — virtually. The festival is in its eighth year and will feature nine films ranging from features to documentaries and comedy to drama. The films are diverse and engaging.

There is something for everyone.

Sharon Fox O’Guin, deputy film commissioner/project specialist for the Memphis and Shelby County Film and Television Commission, says, “The Morris and Mollye Fogelman International Jewish Film Festival has added a much-enjoyed aspect to the Memphis film scene. This festival stands out in its unique celebration of Jewish culture.”

And celebrate, we will. The opening film is Breaking Bread, the perfect film to kick off the festival. It features a menu of exotic cuisine with a side of politics as Dr. Nof Atamna-Ismaeel, the first Muslim Arab to win Israel’s Master Chef television competition, cooks up social change through food. In an effort to affect change, she founded the A-sham Arabic Food Festival in Haifa, Israel, where pairs of Arab and Jewish chefs collaborate on local dishes. This film is about hope, synergy, and mouthwatering fare, illustrating what can happen when people focus on the person, rather than religion; on the public, rather than the politicians.

We might just want to try this in America. Who’s up for breaking bread with the other side? I’ll give it some time.

Meanwhile, look for more films, Q&A opportunities, and panel discussions through Saturday, February 13th.

Mazeltov.

Tom Hanks (above) is Captain Kidd in the Paul Greengrass-directed Western, News of the World.

Film, p. 27

“Anticipating a Revolution: The Preconditions of American Impressionism” Online from dixon.org, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2 p.m., free with registration Explore the “perfect storm” of circumstances that enabled impressionism to flourish in the U.S. Amanda C. Burdan of Brandywine River Museum of Art will speak on topic.

Teach 901 Virtual Job Fair Online from jobs.teach901.com, starts Monday, Jan. 25, and continues through Friday, Jan. 29, free with registration Connect with over 30 school networks who are hiring for the 202122 school year. Peruse jobs from principal to support staff at public, private, or charter schools.

Winter Spotlight Series Episode 5: Playhouse Game Night Online from Playhouse on the Square, playhouseonthesquare.org, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 6 p.m., free Join the Playhouse family for a version of some of the most popular TV game shows in history. Register through Zoom or watch on Facebook.

The Maltese Falcon: 80th Anniversary Malco Paradiso, 584 S. Mendenhall and Malco Collierville Grill, 380 Market, Sunday, Jan. 24, 3 p.m., and Wednesday, Jan. 27, 7 p.m., $15 A 1941 film about a private detective who takes on a case that involves three eccentric criminals, a gorgeous liar, and their quest for a priceless statuette.

A Zoom Conversation with Paul Mabon Online from Hattiloo Theatre, hattiloo.org, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 6 p.m., free For over 20 years, actor and poet Paul Mabon has done all things poetry in Chicago, Memphis, and Los Angeles. Join him in conversation with Hattiloo Theatre.

Memphis Flyer 20<30 Online from Memphis Flyer, memphisflyer.com, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 4 p.m., free with registration Celebrate the next generation of Memphis movers and shakers. A link will be sent the day of the event after registration.

DO GOOD. BETTER.

901.726.5725 momentumnonprofit.org

We help Mid-South nonprofits succeed.

m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

INTERNATIONAL JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL: BREAKING BREAD, ONLINE FROM MEMPHIS JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER, JCCMEMPHIS.ORG, WEDNESDAY, JAN. 27, $12 MEMBERS, $15 NONMEMBERS.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

FACEBOOK/RUTGERS JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL

By Julie Ray

17

CORDOVA I N T E R N A T I O N A L

FARMER’S MARKET

THE BEST PRICES January 21-27, 2021

in PRODUCE, MEAT and SEAFOOD in the Mid-South!

18

Open everyday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

1150 N. Germantown Parkway, Cordova, TN 38016 901.417.8407 •

D

r. Martin Luther King Jr. championed civil rights, but he also had a proactive message for Black businesses: Build your own economic power. That’s why, in the last speech he gave before his assassination, he advised his audience “to take your money out of the banks downtown and deposit your money in Tri-State Bank,” a Black-owned institution. He also exhorted listeners to support Memphis’ Black-owned insurance companies. In this way, he suggested, “we begin the process of building a greater economic base.”

This message was echoed by Al Bell, the onetime chairman and owner of Stax Records, who marched with King. And the success of Stax and its investment in the local community put that message into practice. So it’s only fitting that that tradition is being carried forward by one of the label’s most active alums, David Porter. Co-writing so many hits with Isaac Hayes helped Porter learn the ropes of music publishing very early on, and nowadays he’s putting that knowledge to work as the CEO of Made in Memphis Entertainment (MIME). Porter co-founded MIME in 2015 with the business and legal veteran Tony Alexander (president and managing director), hoping to re-establish Memphis as a global music industry hub. And

as the numbers from last year are being crunched, it’s clear that they’re well on their way.

Key to this success is MIME’s diversification. It’s David Porter actually a family of companies that includes MIME Records, an independent record label; MIME Publishing, which handles Porter’s songwriting catalog, as well as young producers in hip-hop and R&B; Heavy Hitters Music, a film, TV, and ad sync company with an allfemale creative team and Emmy-winning music catalog; Beatroot Music, the only Black-owned music distributor in the U.S. (not to mention Beatroot Africa, a strong presence on that continent); and 4U Recording, a state-of-theart recording studio in Downtown Memphis.

Walking into MIME’s headquarters on Union Avenue, home to both its studio and offices, feels like you’ve timewarped into the future, or at least into Los Angeles. 4U is actually a complex of large and small studios, all interconnected and themed with ambient lighting and decor.

Meanwhile, the offices bustle with MIME’s global business. The feeling of accomplishment in the air is palpable.

The numbers MIME reported on January 14th

MIDTOWN’S LARGEST SMOKE & GIFT SHOP! ALTERNATIVE SMOKING ACCESSORIES NEW MEMPHIS MEMORABILIA • CBD & KRATOM • DELTA-8 • JEWELRY INCENSE • CANDLES • TAROT CARDS • GIFTS & MORE!

ALWAYS SUPERIOR QUALITY & LOWER PRICES

901-726-6800 | 1999 MADISON AVE. MEMPHIS, TN 38104 OPEN EVERYDAY 10A - 10P WWW.WIZARDSMEMPHIS.COM | FOLLOW US

COURTESY DAVID PORTER

David Porter’s MIME is a 2020 success story.

m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

Made in Memphis

confirm that impression. Beatroot Music racked up over a million streams each across all major services for 14 of their artists, resulting in over 100 million total streams across its roster. Meanwhile, 4U Recording achieved its first gold-certified album with Moneybagg Yo’s Time Served, recorded at the studio. Two of the record’s singles, “All Dat” featuring Megan Thee Stallion and “Said Sum,” were both platinum-certified. Heavy Hitters Music also landed several major placements for its catalog of tracks, including placing “Said Sum” in multiple spots for the NFL and NBA. As Porter observes, “In a challenging year for everyone, we maintained our mission of raising up not only artists but also our home city itself.”

And that last point may be MIME’s most impressive achievement yet: its commitment to raising the profiles of local artists. That’s been part of MIME’s mission from the start, and one reason they’ve remained grounded in Memphis.

Even as MIME works with a global roster of artists, Alexander notes that Memphis brings a unique flavor to the table. “It’s the vernacular,” he says. “There’s an accent to a Memphis singer, or rapper. You can just tell by how they pronounce words that that’s Memphis. Also Memphis is known on the hip-hop side for the beats, the trap-type music. It’s very noticeable. It has a signature, just like the horns of the Memphis Sound before.”

But MIME’s support of the local economy goes beyond the artists, he says. “At MIME, we put our money where our mouth is, hiring people who may not get a chance elsewhere in the music industry and helping them gain skill and confidence. It is hard work, but it is also necessary to attain true diversity in the music industry. When you look at our successes in 2020, you can see that it is doable, worthwhile, and important.”

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

MUSIC By Alex Greene

19

CALENDAR of EVENTS:

January 21 - 27

Send the date, time, place, cost, info, phone number, a brief description, and photos — two weeks in advance — to calendar@memphisflyer.com or P.O. Box 1738, Memphis, TN 38101.

DUE TO SPACE LIMITATIONS, ONGOING WEEKLY EVENTS WILL APPEAR IN THE FLYER’S ONLINE CALENDAR ONLY.

Winter Spotlight Series Episode 5: Playhouse Game Night

T H EAT E R

Germantown Community Theatre

Join the Playhouse family for a version of some of the most popular TV game shows in history. Register through Zoom or watch on Facebook.

Wed., Jan. 27, 6 p.m.

Wit, a renowned professor of English spent years studying and teaching the sonnets of John Donne. Diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer she comes to reassess her life and her work. Through Jan. 31.

PLAYHOUSE ON THE SQUARE, 66 S. COOPER (726-4656), PLAYHOUSEONTHESQUARE.ORG.

3037 FOREST HILL-IRENE (453-7447).

Hattiloo Theatre

O N G O I N G ART

From the Frontlines of COVID-19, online series that spotlights healthcare workers who share emotional insight of their critical work as they care for those who have been impacted by the virus. hattiloo.org. Free. Ongoing.

Art Museum at the University of Memphis (AMUM)

“Africa: Art of a Continent,” exhibition of African art from the Martha and Robert Fogelman collection. Ongoing.

“IEAA Ancient Egyptian Collection,” exhibition of Egyptian antiquities ranging from 3800 B.C.E. to 700 C.E. from the Institute of Egyptian Art and Archaeology collection. Ongoing.

37 S. COOPER (502-3486).

Kudzu Playhouse

Kudzu Playhouse Virtual, join Kudzu social media for donation-based classes, games, scholarship opportunities, and more. Download the app for more fun theater activities and information. Ongoing.

142 COMMUNICATION & FINE ARTS BUILDING (678-2224).

P.O. BOX 47 (888-429-7871).

The Orpheum

Orpheum Virtual Engagement, join Orpheum staff, artists, and students for activities, interviews, and more on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Visit website for more information. Ongoing.

203 S. MAIN (525-3000).

Playhouse on the Square

Registration for Winter Adult Theatre School, a fun and challenging experience, inperson or online, for both the beginner and the experienced performer. Visit website for more information and registration. $150. Through March 1.

Playhouse on the Square at Home, a series of digital content through POTS website and social media platforms.

View past performances, engage in quizzes, enjoy digital playwriting, and more. Free.

Ongoing.

The Hunting Heart: Carson McCullers, salon curated by Stephanie Shine. tnshakespeare.org.

Sun., Jan. 24, 3 p.m.

Theatre Memphis

Online on Stage, a Theatre Memphis Facebook group that serves as a clearinghouse for performers wanting to share their talents. Featuring storytime, readings, or performance art. Ongoing.

630 PERKINS EXT. (682-8323).

A R TI S T R EC E P TI O N S

Buckman Arts Center at St. Mary’s School

Opening reception for “From Folk to Fine,” exhibition of new works by Billy Moore featuring traditional art pieces incorporating new canvas abstracts. Fri., Jan. 22, 5-7 p.m.

60 N. PERKINS EXT. (537-1483).

PINK PALACE WWW.MEMPHISMUSEUMS.ORG

20

“Listening to the Earth”

by Jeni Stallings at L Ross Gallery, through Saturday, February 6th

7950 TRINITY (759-0604).

January 21-27, 2021

66 S. COOPER (726-4656).

Tennessee Shakespeare Company

David Lusk Gallery

Closing reception for “In Conversation,” exhibition of woodcuts by modernist Ted Faiers. Sat., Jan. 23, 11 a.m.3 p.m.

97 TILLMAN (767-3800).

OT H E R A R T HAPPE N I NGS

3rd Space Online

Visit Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn for exciting activities and relief efforts from the local creative community.

Ongoing.

3RDSPACEARTS.ORG.

“Anticipating a Revolution: The Preconditions of American Impressionism”

Memphis Flyer Coloring Book Order your book today benefiting local artists and journalism. $35. Ongoing.

Explore the “perfect storm” of circumstances in place that enabled impressionism to take root and flourish in the United States. Amanda C. Burdan of Brandywine River Museum of Art will speak on topic. Free with registration. Sun., Jan. 24, 2 p.m.

MEMPHISMAGAZINESTORE.COM.

THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS, 4339 PARK (761-5250), DIXON.ORG.

METAL MUSEUM, 374 METAL MUSEUM DR. (774-6380).

Inspiring Artists Conference and Training This conference is for new artists who would like to learn different techniques to strengthen their craft. Learn through workshops and hands-on applications. Sat., Jan. 23, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

GLENVIEW COMMUNITY CENTER, 1141 S. BARKSDALE, TAC4ARTS.ORG.

Peruse the art and craft of fine metalwork digitally. Featuring past gallery talks from previous exhibitions, interviews with artists, and demonstrations. Free. Ongoing.

MEMPHISRIVERPARKS.ORG.

Buckman Arts Center at St. Mary’s School “From Folk to Fine,” exhibition of new works by Billy Moore featuring traditional art pieces incorporating new canvas abstracts. Through March 1.

60 N. PERKINS EXT. (537-1483).

Hear the peace offerings made up of artists voices, instruments, ambient noises, and reverberations in a healing space featuring work by Hank Willis Thomas. Ongoing, 6 a.m.-6 p.m.

MEMPHIS PARK (FOURTH BLUFF), FRONT AND MADISON,

“Unfolding: The Next Chapter in Memphis,” exhibition of visual art by local Memphis artists, curated by Kenneth Wayne Alexander. artsmemphis.org. Ongoing.

575 S. MENDENHALL (578-2787).

Metal Museum Online

The Peace Project

ArtsMemphis

Clough-Hanson Gallery

“Art 260: Curation in Context,” exhibition of work by student artists in partnership with seasoned artist curators. rhodes.edu. Ongoing.

RHODES COLLEGE, 2000 N. PARKWAY (843-3000).

Crosstown Concourse

“Nightlife,” exhibition of an outdoor light installation

DINOSAURS IN MOTION New Exhibit Opens January 30, 2021 sponsored by

C A L E N DA R: JA N UA RY 2 1 - 2 7

David Lusk Gallery

“In Conversation,” exhibition of woodcuts by modernist Ted Faiers. Through Feb. 6.

97 TILLMAN (767-3800).

The Dixon Gallery & Gardens

“Learning to be Astonished,” exhibition of impressionistic landscapes created during the COVID-19 pandemic

by Jimpsie Ayres. Through April 4.

“America’s Impressionism: Echoes of a Revolution,” exhibition of work by late 19th century to World War II American impressionism painters. Jan. 23-May 9.

4339 PARK (761-5250).

Fratelli’s

“Rawlinson Atelier Studies,” exhibition of watercolors from demonstration studies.

Through Jan. 21.

750 CHERRY (766-9900).

Gallery 1091

“The Elements,” exhibition of work by the Tennessee Craft: Southwest Fine Craft Showcase. wkno.org. Free.

Through Jan. 31.

WKNO STUDIO, 7151 CHERRY FARMS (729-8722).

Jay Etkin Gallery

Jeff Scott, exhibition of multimedia works. Through Feb. 8.

Permanent Collection: “The Flow Museum of Art & Culture.” Ongoing.

2282 MADISON (272-2727).

Metal Museum

“Tributaries: Ben Dory,” exhibition of works paying homage to traditional granulation, a technique of fusing primarily gold spheres. Through April 3.

374 METAL MUSEUM DR. (774-6380).

Mid-South Artist Gallery

Jean Wu, ongoing.

Sandra Horton, exhibition of works by featured artist. Free.

Ongoing.

Pat Turner, ongoing.

Becky McRae, exhibition of works by featured artist. midsouthartist-gallery.pixels.com.

Ongoing.

Jon Woodhams, ongoing.

Michelle Lemaster, exhibition of works by local featured artist.

Ongoing.

Marina Wirtz, ongoing.

2945 SHELBY (409-8705)

OPERA

“Opera Speed-Runs” Series by Jake Stamatis

Tales of Hoffman on YouTube

by Handorf Company artist.

Free. Ongoing.

942 COOPER (550-0064).

OPERA MEMPHIS, 6745 WOLF RIVER (257-3100).

L Ross Gallery

Sing2Me

“Listening to the Earth,” exhibition of work pairing the encaustic paintings of Jeni Stallings with porcelain sculptures by Laurel Lukaszewski. lrossgallery.com.

Saturdays, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., and Wednesdays-Fridays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Through Feb. 6.

5040 SANDERLIN (767-2200).

Memphis Brooks Museum of Art

“Arts of Global Africa,” exhibition of historic and contemporary works in a range of different media presenting an expansive vision of Africa’s artistry. Through June 21.

“Power and Absence: Women in Europe,” exhibition explores the representation of women in Europe from around 1500 to 1680, known as the Renaissance and Early Baroque period. brooksmuseum.org.

Ongoing.

“Drawing Memory: Essence of Memphis,” exhibition of works inspired by nsibidi, a sacred means of communication among male secret societies in southeastern Nigeria by Victor Ekpuk. Ongoing.

1934 POPLAR (544-6209).

Memphis College of Art

“Intrepidly Yours,” exhibition of Spring 2020 BFA work by last graduating class. mca2020bfa.com. Through Feb. 28.

1930 POPLAR (272-5100).

Memphis Heritage

“Newman to Now” Virtual Exhibit, exhibition of historic

Mobile operas will come to your neighborhood or place of work to perform a themed concert. Visit website for details. Ongoing.

OPERA MEMPHIS, 6745 WOLF RIVER (257-3100).

Wednesday Opera Time

Join Opera Memphis every Wednesday on Facebook for an assortment of live events including “Opera for Animals,” Bingo Opera, and more. Free.

Wednesdays, 7 p.m.

OPERA MEMPHIS, 6745 WOLF RIVER (257-3100).

C O M E DY

Chuckles Comedy Club

Oscar P, memphis.chucklescomedyhouse.com. $20-$35.

Fri.-Sun., Jan.. 22-24, 6:45 p.m. and 8:45 p.m.

1700 DEXTER.

state of Tennessee to submit an original and unpublished poem related to Janet Qually’s artwork. $25 to the winner and publication in Tennessee Voices. poetrytennessee.org. $1.

Through March 1.

P.O. BOX 770688 (264-7532).

B O O KS I G N I N G S

Lit Fest Live: Elayne Klasson

Author reads and discusses Love Is a Rebellious Bird online. Free with registration.

Thurs., Jan. 21, 7 p.m.

MEMPHIS JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER, 6560 POPLAR (761-0810), MJCC.ORG.

L E CT U R E / S P E A K E R

A Zoom Conversation with Paul Mabon

For over 20 years, actor and poet Paul Mabon has done all things poetry in Chicago, Memphis, and Los Angeles.

Join him in conversation with Hattiloo Theatre. Free. Tues., Jan. 26, 6 p.m.

HATTILOO THEATRE, 37 S. COOPER (502-3486), HATTILOO.ORG.

Implementing your Brand on Canva with Brooke Ballard

Learn how to implement your branding into various layout options using Canva. All experience levels are welcome. $28. Sat., Jan. 23, 10 a.m.

ARROW CREATIVE, 2535 BROAD, ARROWCREATIVE.ORG.

TO U R S

Elvis Presley’s Graceland Virtual Live VIP Tours Enjoy behind-the-scenes and never-before-seen highlights of the mansion, presented live through a private, closed Facebook Group. $100. Wed., Jan. 27.

GRACELAND MANSION, TICKET OFFICE PAVILION ON ELVIS PRESLEY BLVD. (332-3322), GRACELAND.COM.

Metal Museum Audio Tour

Explore the Sculpture Garden and accompanying audio tour while adhering to safe social distancing. PWYC. Ongoing, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

4330 AMERICAN WAY (249-4052).

JOBS.TEACH901.COM.

Live Weekly Comedy with John Miller, open micstyle. Free. Tuesdays, 8-10 p.m.

282 N. CLEVELAND (278-TONE).

P O ETRY / S P O K E N WOR D

The Poetry Society of Tennessee

Tennessee-Resident Challenge invites anyone residing in the

Get in on the action with over 1,000 slots and all your favorite table games. Enjoy an amazing getaway in a clean, safe environment where you’re treated like family.

Make your reservations by March 30.

USE OFFER CODE: VACA21 Call 1-800-871-0711 to reserve.

E X PO S/ SA L E S

Teach 901 Virtual Job Fair

Hi Tone

Hollywood Casino Tunica is your place to stay, play and win! Break away from the everyday with this great hotel offer. Book your room today for just $120 Sunday through Thursday, or $149 Friday & Saturday — and score a 2-night stay plus $50 Free SlotPlay®!

METAL MUSEUM, 374 METAL MUSEUM DR. (774-6380).

The Comedy Junt

Ambrose Jones: You Don’t Know Me, thecomedyjunt.com. $20.

Sat., Jan. 23, 5 & 7:30 p.m.

Stay, Play & Win.

Connect with over 30 school networks who are hiring for the 2021-22 school year.

Mon.-Fri., Jan. 25-29.

S PO R TS / F IT N E S S

Encore Drive-In Nights: Conor McGregor vs.

Dustin Poirier Live-streamed UFC fight. $69 per car. Sat., Jan. 23, 9 p.m.

MALCO SUMMER 4 DRIVE-IN, 5310 SUMMER (681-2020), MALCO.COM.

continued on page 22

HollywoodCasinoTunica.com

Resort fee & taxes not included. Offer subject to availability. Blackout dates apply, including holidays and other dates. Call 1-800-871-0711 to reserve. Must make reservations by March 30, 2021.

Valid through November 30, 2021. Offer not valid for self-exclusion program enrollees in jurisdictions which Penn National Gaming, Inc. operates or who have been otherwise excluded from the participating property. Must be 21 or older. Gambling Problem? Call 1-888-777-9696. ©2021 Penn National Gaming, Inc. All rights reserved.

m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

1350 CONCOURSE.

photographs taken by Don Newman between the 1940s and ’60s and contemporary photographs of the same sites taken by photographer Gary Walpole to explore continuity and change in Memphis’ built environment. memphisheritage.org.

Ongoing.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

by Lake Roberson Newton.

Ongoing.

21

[ P U B L I C

N O T I C E ]

C A L E N DA R: JA N UA RY 2 1 - 2 7

SHELBY COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING

FISCAL YEAR 2021 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN PUBLIC HEARING Shelby County Department of Housing will hold a virtual public hearing to discuss Shelby County housing, community development, and public service needs in preparation of the Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Action Plan (HUD Program Year 2021) at 5:30 PM on Monday, February 15, 2021.

To join the virtual public hearing from a computer, tablet, or smartphone, follow this link: https://global.gotomeeting.com/ join/263730605 or, dial into the meeting using a phone with the following details: +1 (312) 757-3121, access code 263-730-605.

If you plan to attend the public hearing and have special needs, please contact the Department of Housing at (901) 222-7600 by 4:30 p.m.

Monday, February 8, 2021 and we will work to accommodate you.

Citizen input and public participation is strongly encouraged.

The FY 2021 Annual Action Plan establishes the basis for the use of entitlement funds for the period of July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022. The primary purpose of this hearing is to receive comments on community development needs for the FY 2022 Annual Action Plan which is the entitlement grant application to HUD for the Community Development Block Grant and HOME Investment Partnership Grant. Shelby County anticipates receiving $1,197,084 in CDBG and $417,723 in HOME funds in Program Year 2021.

Shelby County expects to submit the Annual Plan to HUD on or before May 15, 2021 following a 30 day review and comment period.

January 21-27, 2021

The hearing will also provide an update on current activities under the CDBG and HOME Programs, information on Section 3 contracting opportunities; and will provide information on other programs operated by the Department of Housing.

Persons wishing to comment on the above subject but who are unable to attend the meeting may do so by writing to Mr. Scott Walkup (scott.walkup@shelbycountytn.gov), Shelby County Department of Housing, 1075 Mullins Station Road, Memphis, TN 38134. Shelby County will schedule an additional public hearing in April 2020 to present the proposed Annual Action Plan for FY 2022 for public comment before it is submitted to HUD. For additional information contact the Department of Housing at 901-222-7600 or TTY at 901222-2300.

The Shelby County Department of Housing does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age or disability in employment or the provision of services. Equal opportunity/ equal access provider.

Lee Harris Mayor

continued from page 21 Horseback Riding Lessons

Private lessons available for ages 6-adult, beginner to intermediate. English, Western, and pleasure/trail. $50 per lesson. Ongoing.

S P EC IA L EVE NTS

PONY DREAM FARMS RIDING SCHOOL, 11241 HOLLY SPRINGS, HERNANDO, MS (827-2429).

Ladies Night and Mechanical Bull Party

Memphis Grizzlies vs.

Portland Trail Blazers

Featuring free bull rides and drink specials. $5. Fridays, 7 p.m. Through May 7.

FEDEXFORUM, 191 BEALE.

BRINSON’S, 341 MADISON (524-0104).

Fri., Jan. 22, 9 p.m.

Memphis Healthy Quiz

Memphis magazine, along with the YMCA developed some questions to run in the month of January. Take the quiz, learn more about your health, and win prizes. Free.

Through Jan. 31.

MEMPHISMAGAZINE.COM.

Our Virtual Yoga Downtown

Join Charlie Baxter Hayden for yoga on IG Live, @downtownmemphis. Tues., 6 p.m.

DOWNTOWNMEMPHIS.COM.

Virtual Training & Group Fitness

YMCA of Memphis & the Mid-South offers workouts for anyone to try at home.

Workouts include yoga, barre, boot camp, exercises for active older adults, and Les Mills training. Visit website to join. Free. Ongoing.

YMCAMEMPHIS.ORG.

Wolf River Group Run

All Paces welcome. Run 3-5 miles along the Germantown Greenway or the Wolf River Trails. Free. Wednesdays, 6 p.m. Through Feb. 10.

22

LITE Memphis Pitch Night

Memphis high school students pitch their ventures to the public for the first time.

Audience members will help in selecting additional funds for student ideas by texting to vote. Winners will be announced live. Free. Thurs., Jan. 21, 5-6:30 p.m.

(209-9119), LITEMEMPHIS.ORG.

Lunchtime Meditations with Amy Balentine

Explore a variety of meditation practices designed to help you find balance and reduce stress. Join live or enjoy past meditations online.

Fridays, noon.

DIXON.ORG.

Memphis Flyer 20<30

Celebrate the next generation of Memphis movers and shakers. A link will be sent the day of the event. Free with registration. Wed., Jan. 27, 4 p.m.

MEMPHISFLYER.COM.

River Garden Bingo

BREAKAWAY RUNNING GERMANTOWN, 1223 S GERMANTOWN (7548254), BREAKAWAYMEMPHIS.COM.

Download a bingo card or make your own for a fun game while enjoying Mississippi River Park. Free.

Ongoing.

M E ETI NGS

MISSISSIPPI RIVER PARK, OFF RIVERSIDE DRIVE, MEMPHISRIVERPARKS.ORG.

United Way of the MidSouth’s Annual Business Meeting Opportunity to learn more about the work of United Way. Tues., Jan. 26, 9 a.m.

UWMIDSOUTH.ORG.

Scott Walkup, Administrator Shelby County Department of Housing

The Maltese Falcon at Malco Paradiso Sunday, January 24th, and Wednesday, January 27th

River Garden Guides

Download River Garden Field and Bird Guides and explore Mississippi River Park. Ongoing.

MISSISSIPPI RIVER PARK, OFF RIVERSIDE DRIVE, MEMPHISRIVERPARKS.ORG.

A Step Ahead Foundation 10th Anniversary Step Off

Learn about ASAF programs and services during this virtual presentation while enjoying performances from local dancers, step teams, and supporters. Free with registration. Sat., Jan. 23, 5 p.m.

ASTEPAHEADFOUNDATION.ORG.

FO O D & D R I N K EVE NTS

Science of Beer Pick 6

Pick up a card from participating breweries or download from the museum website.

Visit breweries and get your card stamped to enjoy free museum admission between January 16 and February 28.

Through Feb. 28.

MEMPHIS PINK PALACE MUSEUM, 3050 CENTRAL (636-2362), MEMPHISMUSEUMS.ORG.

The Sporkful Podcast Live

Food podcast featuring Dan Pashman and special guest using humor and humanity to approach food from many angles, including science, history, and more. $30. Fri., Jan. 22, 7 p.m.

BUCKMAN ARTS CENTER AT ST. MARY’S SCHOOL, 60 N. PERKINS EXT. (537-1483), SPORKFUL.COM.

F I LM

The Maltese Falcon: 80th Anniversary

Also screening at Collierville Grill & MXT. $15. Sun., Jan. 24, 3 p.m., and Wed., Jan. 27, 7 p.m.

MALCO PARADISO CINEMA, 584 S. MENDENHALL (682-1754), MALCO.COM.

Morris and Mollye Fogelman International Jewish Film Festival Features nine films ranging from feature films, to documentaries, to comedy. Some films include Q&A or panel discussion. Visit website for full schedule. $12 members, $15 nonmembers. Jan. 27-March 3.

MEMPHIS JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER, 6560 POPLAR (761-0810), JCCMEMPHIS.ORG/FILM.

Sam Tschida’s Siri, Who Am I? is a charming debut.

T

hough it rarely works like it does in books and movies, amnesia can be a useful storytelling trope. Like quicksand (remember the old Tarzan show?), it seemed to pop up with alarming frequency, until, presumably, audiences tired of it and it faded from the zeitgeist. Of course, everything comes back in vogue eventually, and memory loss makes for the ideal vehicle to explore ideas about identity in the digital age. Such is the case in the debut novel from Sam Tschida (pronounced “cheetah,” her website explains), Siri, Who Am I? (Quirk Books).

In Tschida’s novel, Mia comes to in a California hospital with a recently stapled-together head wound, a cracked phone, and no memory of who she is. Mia’s amnesia provides the central mystery of the book, the question of the protagonist’s identity, but the memory loss trope performs another useful function. Tschida’s novel is a mystery — maybe equal parts romance, mystery, and comedy — and with amnesia casting Mia in the role of the detective, Tschida neatly sidesteps the problem of providing a believable private eye. Those Sam Spade/ Philip Marlowe types are a bit anachronistic in the 21st century, but a befuddled Millennial Californian trying to find herself in the places where her online persona

and her instincts meet is a wholly plausible set of circumstances.

Mia’s social media presence is her best bet at figuring out who she is — and who might be responsible for the near-fatal wound on the back of her head. Her phone itself is little help — Mia’s contacts offer few leads, and her messages and emails are scrupulously deleted.

Though that could be a cause for concern, Mia thinks (hopes?) she’s just something of a neat freak.

After she tracks down what she thinks might be her house, Mia begins to see reason to hope she’s won the just-woke-up-from-acoma lottery. The little bungalow seems to belong to the fabulously wealthy (and handsome) French chocolate magnate, JP Howard. Or so says the housesitter, a neuroscience grad student named Max. And every indication is that JP and Mia are dating. (After all, she has a key to the place.)

Each new piece of information Mia learns offers a

NEW YEAR, NEW YOU! Kick start the new year with the FECA Premiere VISA Card.

Start the new year off right with no annual fee and with cash back rewards, exclusively for qualified FedEx Employee Credit Association members.

Apply today at fecca.com

fecca.com | 901.344.2500

m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

The Talented Ms. Mia

glimmer of hope — or another crack in the facade of the life Mia thinks she built. “Most likely I’m going to find credit card debt and a mountain of student loans the minute I figure out my social security number,” Mia muses. “I mean, I woke up in America.”

As the primary puzzle pieces begin to materialize, answers beget more questions. But who is the real Mia? Is she the arm candy of a French chocolatier or a scam artist? Is she an Instagram influencer? Are all social media influencers essentially scam artists? Is she a successful entrepreneur, or does she actually run an escort service? And who is Kobra, the man with the massive python tattoo who won’t stop texting her?

Of course, front and center in the lineup of questions to be answered is who tried to murder her?

The whodunnit of it all provides stakes, and Tschida keeps the one-liners coming, leaving the audience to wonder if Mia is using humor as a coping mechanism or if she is, in fact, just a little unhinged. “The question of murder will have to wait,” Mia quips at one point. And: “I look pretty good except for the bloodstains.”

Like Christopher Nolan’s Memento by way of Ingrid Goes West, Tschida’s Siri, Who Am I? examines issues of identity, albeit with an irreverent comedic bent. It’s a quick read, and if it’s a little light on weighty considerations or poignant prose, so are most murder (or almost-murder) mysteries.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

BOOKS By Jesse Davis

23

FOOD By Michael Donahue

Pastry Dance

Treats from Pearl’s Delights make you want to shimmy.

P

earl’s Delights was named after her paternal grandmother, says Vinicia Murrell, owner of the online pastry business.

The late Pearl Marian Bumpus Reed, was a great cook, she says. “She made homemade biscuits every morning for my granddad.” But her maternal grandmother, Thelma Howell, was the biggest influence on her baking. “She is the one who really is the inspiration for me baking all of my goodies. I’d be in the kitchen with her when she’d be baking cheesecakes, pound cakes, rum cakes.

“The base of my recipes comes from my grandmother Thelma. I add a little bit, do my own little flavors and spices.”

But she didn’t think about naming her business after Howell at the time. “I was trying to pay homage to my grandma who passed away,” she says, but Howell was the “foundation” for her love of baking.

January 21-27, 2021

CEDRIC MURRELL

Vinicia Murrell

24

As a child, Murrell helped Howell make banana pudding. She placed the vanilla wafers in the bowl and her grandmother poured batter over it. As she got older, Murrell graduated to peeling potatoes and, later, making complete dinners for the family. “I observed everyone in the kitchen — my uncles seasoning barbecue ribs and marinating them, or making homemade spaghetti sauce in large pots.”

Murrell went to the University of Central Arkansas with the intention of becoming a pediatrician, but she then decided to become a nutritionist. “I took food science and nutrition courses.”

She worked at a restaurant for about a year while she was in Arkansas. “I began doing pastries there … They really inspired me.” That’s when she thought, “I can become a chef.”

Murrell moved back to Memphis and enrolled at L’Ecole Culinaire, which had just opened. “That school opened my eyes to a world of food that I had never experienced.”

She learned an important lesson there about how people should feel when they taste something you make. “Once you taste it, if it exceeds your expectations or does something to you — you know how you get the happy shimmy? When something’s really good, it makes your shoulders move to the side. It kind of touches your soul and makes you smile from within.”

After she graduated, Murrell did her externship at Chez Philippe at The Peabody. She later asked to move to the pastry department, where she worked under chef Konrad Spitzbart.

While at The Peabody, Murrell did everything from help make the gingerbread houses at Christmas to doing cookies, cupcakes, cakes, and other pastries.

After more than five years there, Murrell thought it was time to move on. “It was just time for me to experience a different level in my career and in my personal life.”

She began Pearl’s Delights, which she describes as a “home-based business,” in 2016. It began after she served some of her pastries to family members. “I have a large family and, to an extent, they have a sweet tooth.”

Murrell began making “treats for people’s birthdays. And word got around.” She took photos of her pound cakes, cheesecakes, and birthday cakes and posted them on Facebook. She told her customers, “The flavors are open. I would like for you to tell me what you have a taste for …

I want to bring your vision to life.”

Her repertoire now includes wedding cakes, cupcakes, mini banana puddings, brownies, macaroons, and macarons.

Two of her most popular creations are her strawberry shortcake and her Italian coconut cream cake.

Murrell made her first “celebrity cake” last November for Memphis rapper Big Boogie. “He did not cut the cake [that day]. He cut it the next day because he just wanted to look at it. He said it was so pretty.”

She knew she’d made it when her sister, who hates icing, asked if she could take home half of an Italian coconut cream cake she’d made for her mother’s birthday.

“It made my heart smile. For her to love the icing and the cake, I needed to shimmy myself. And I wasn’t even eating.”

To order, go to Pearl’s Delights or search for Vinicia Murrell on Facebook.

BREWS By Richard Murff

Nay to NA

CHANSAK AROONMANAKUL | DREAMSTIME.COM

after his ouster, there was no push to repeal it — or a government to do the repealing, for that matter. Boredom at the reception was starting to set in when I felt an excited poke on the arm. Lisle was an Afrikaner, originally, but had moved to Amsterdam to be a perfusionist — the person who runs the heart/lung bypass machine — and found herself attached to the same medical mission as me. “Lök, es dat a bier?” Lisle’s English was technically flawless, but her accent made her sound like a Katzenjammer Kid. But there they were, cold green longnecks peeking out of the ice, along with plastic bottles of water and sealed cups of fruit juice.

I’d had my last cocktail in Istanbul a couple of weeks earlier, and on deplaning in-country I’d been detained for having a bottle of Famous Grouse in my luggage. It was a misunderstanding I blame on a blonde Turkish woman in the duty-free shop, but also explains my detailed knowledge of Libyan blue laws. Granted, Libya didn’t really have a government at the time (still doesn’t), but this sure felt like a governmentsanctioned event. Besides, I wasn’t smuggling anything, this beer was already in the country. Don’t sneer, nothing brings out the booze-hound in you like a civil war. We were on the bottles like a pair of deranged chimps.

Which is why I can’t stress enough that there are several good nonalcoholic beers on the market, but it’s crucial that you manage your expectations. You won’t fool yourself. After that first pull, and it was pretty vulgar considering where we were, Lisle and I looked at each other. “Awh, dees is non-alcoholic.” She looked at the bottle with a profound sadness, “Dat’s juss kruel …”

I finished mine — a Beck’s N/A — because it seemed rude not to at the time.

Remember, a conflict zone is no excuse for bad manners. Being genetically Dutch, Lisle wasn’t used to watered-down American beer, so she was more offended than I was. On further reflection, the only thing really wrong with it — it wasn’t any thinner than a Miller Lite — was that it had been malted with a special varietal called disappointment.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

I

haven’t heard much about New Year’s resolutions, but there has been a lot of talk about “cleansing diets.” It’s hard to blame anyone for wanting to rid themselves of the taint of 2020. The charming Mrs. M has put us both on something called a Whole 30 diet that’s supposed to — well, she’s explained it to me twice and I still can’t tell you.

Given the way we started drinking in lockdown, though, it probably wouldn’t kill any of us to give our livers a breather. To that end, if you are looking for a non-alcoholic beer to give you the taste and feel of a beer without your put-upon system begging for mercy, your best option is Beck’s N/A. There isn’t really anything remarkable about it other than it does taste very close to its excellent boozy sibling, just a little weaker. Not a glowing review, but it is about the best you’re going to get with near-beer: pretty good.

There are other good ones out there — Heineken, for instance — and most are German or Dutch. I’ve never seen a truly alcohol-free ale, and I’m not sure I want to. Which is not to say that you can’t enjoy a cold Beck’s N/A while you’re on the wagon. The trick to getting the most out of them, however, is managing expectations. Do not try to fool yourself or anyone else that you’ve got the real thing.

About 10 years ago, I was at a ceremony at the Benghazi Medical Center hosted by what was left of the Libyan Ministry of Health. When Muammar Gaddafi took power in 1969, he introduced national prohibition, and

m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

Non-alcoholic beers? Temper your expectations.

25

20 30 January 21-27, 2021

Join us Wednesday, January 27th at 4 p.m.

for a virtual celebration to honor 20 of the city’s best and brightest young people — those who are shaping our city’s present and future!

We will be streaming live on our Facebook page as well as Zoom to meet and converse with this year’s honorees. We hope you’ll join us (beverage and snack of choice in hand!) as they share a little about themselves and their thoughts on Memphis.

To register through Zoom, please visit tinyurl.com/20under30

26

THIS YEAR’S CAMPAIGN IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY

FILM By Chris McCoy

News of the World

Tom Hanks stars in a wistful Western throwback.

Once upon a time in the West — Tom Hanks (above) stars as Captain Jefferson Kidd in News of the World; (below) Hanks and Helena Zengel drag? The Mandalorian freely recycles plots from Have Gun - Will Travel, only in space. So it’s rare to see a pure Western like News of the World succeed on its own terms.

Tom Hanks stars as Captain Jefferson Kidd who ekes out a living roaming the wilds of 1870 Texas by reading newspapers and Eastern magazines to marginally literate cowpokes for a dime a pop. While leaving Wichita Falls, he encounters an overturned wagon on the road. He follows a blood trail to find a hanged Black man with a white supremacist message tacked to his body. Hiding in the woods nearby is a young white girl dressed in Native American clothing. Johanna (Helena Zengel) speaks no English.

She was taken as an infant by the Kiowa and raised as one of their own until her tribe was wiped out by a U.S. Cavalry raid. According to papers he finds in the wreckage, she was being taken to her surviving family, an aunt and uncle who live 400 miles to the south. The rootless captain is instructed by occupying Union soldiers to help her complete the journey — despite the fact that, as he says, “I do not have a clue as to the keeping of a child.”

Director Paul Greengrass takes the opportunity of this episodic road movie to quote from some classics. Their entry into the dusty streets of Dallas amid a crushing herd of cattle echoes Montgomery Clift’s continued on page 28

GET ONE 2 PC DARK DINNER

FREE W/ PURCHASE OF ONE 2PC DARK DINNER & 2 MED DRINKS.

A Very Tasteful Food Blog Dishing it out at .com.

G R E A T W E E K LY & M O N T H LY R A T E S

A PA R T M E N T

STYLE LIVING

901.245.2672

7380 Stage Rd. Bartlett, TN 38133 | www.siegelselect.com

WITH THIS COUPON. EXPIRES 2/28/21.

Dine In & Drive Thru 3571 Lamar Ave. 2520 Mt. Moriah Drive Thru / Carry Out 1217 S. Bellevue 4349 Elvis Presley 811 S. Highland 2484 Jackson Ave. 1370 Poplar Ave. • 890 Thomas NO PHOTOCOPIES ACCEPTED!

m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

office. The Western splintered into dozens of sub-genres.

Gene Autry sang songs as he battled rustlers, Apaches, and, in 1935’s The Phantom Empire, atomic robots from beneath the hollow earth. By the time John Ford increased the scope to epic and introduced John Wayne in 1939’s Stagecoach, he had been directing Westerns for 15 years.

The Western’s influence spread globally. In Japan, Akira Kurosawa translated Ford’s basic techniques of filming action and building suspense to tell stories from his country’s history. When Seven Samurai was remade as The Magnificent Seven, it translated seamlessly to the frontier. Italian director Sergio Leone perfected the art of feeding American culture back to us by transforming Kurosawa’s Yojimbo into A Fistful of Dollars, making Clint Eastwood a movie star. The Western waned in the 1970s as science-fiction took over as the dominant genre — but not before directors like George Lucas had strip-mined it for gags.

Nowadays, Westerns are a hard sell, mostly because the game of cowboys and Indians now looks like cosplaying genocide. But the imprint of the Western is everywhere. What are Paul Walker and Vin Diesel in The Fast and the Furious but a lawman and rustler in street racer

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

W

hither the Western?

As a literary genre, the Western emerged around the same time film technology came of age. In the mid 1890s, as the Lumière brothers were working out the kinks in their cinématographe, American readers were thrilling to tales of Buffalo Bill Cody’s adventures as a cavalry scout. In 1902, Owen Wister wrote The Virginian, probably still the greatest Western novel, codifying the cowboy as a laconic man of few words and decisive action who lives by his own code of ethics in a lawless land. The next year, The Great Train Robbery became the first real action film blockbuster.

If there’s one thing film producers have always been good at, it’s copying money-making properties. American audiences had proved they were mad for horseback chases, broad-brimmed hats, and six-shooters, and that’s what they got. By the end of the silent era, the “horse opera” dominated the box

27

FILM By Chris McCoy continued from page 27 arrival at Aberdeen in Red River. Most significantly, the kidnapped white girl embracing her Native American captors’ identity comes straight from Natalie Wood in The Searchers. Captain Kidd is, like John Wayne’s Ethan, a defeated Confederate veteran. But where Ethan is a racist maniac determined to kill his niece to preserve the family honor, Captain Kidd is a broken man who finds solace in sharing the written word. He wants more than anything to connect with Johanna, to pull the “orphan twice over” out of her shell and help her reconnect with the world.

News of the World does not flinch at the horrors of the American frontier.

Ulysses S. Grant’s name draws boos

January 21-27, 2021

Presented by

Enter for a chance to win one of three prizes: A six month membership to the YMCA or one of two personal training packages.

QUIZ 1: JAN 11 - 16

28

QUIZ 2: JAN 18 - 23

QUIZ 3: JAN 25 - 31

For more information visit memphismagazine.com/get-healthy

from a crowd when Kidd reads about the 13th Amendment. The first danger Kidd defends Johanna from is a group of men who want to buy her for sex slavery. In the film’s most memorable set piece, Kidd foments a rebellion against a white supremacist warlord named Mr. Farley (Thomas Francis Murphy).

Hanks is, predictably, magnificent as Kidd, but the big discovery here is 12-year-old Zengel, a German TV actress who doesn’t have to fake not speaking English. Between her mostly wordless performance and Hanks’ brooding mug, News of the World proves there’s a little life left in the horse opera yet.

News of the World is now playing at multiple locations and streaming on demand online.

901-575-9400 classifieds@memphisflyer.com

EMPLOYMENT • REAL ESTATE • SERVICES LEGAL NOTICES

EDUCATION

AUTO AUCTION 2/7 @ 9am - 2SiK Customs 4640 Damascus Rd, Mphs, TN.’86 Monte Carlo VIN 1G1GZ11G6HP146467

ATTENTION ACTIVE DUTY & MILITARY VETERANS! Begin a new career and earn your Degree at CTI! Online Computer & Medical training available for Veterans & Families! To learn more, call 855541-6634 (AAN CAN)

HOSPITALITY/ RESTAURANT

EMPLOYMENT COPELAND SERVICES, L.L.C. Hiring Armed State Licensed Officers/ Unarmed Officers Three Shifts Available

RAFFERTY’S We are looking for service minded individuals, that don’t mind working hard. We work hard, but make $.

Apply in the store. 505 N Gtown Pkwy

Laurie Stark • 28 Years of Experience

• Life Member of the Multi Million Dollar Club

IT/COMPUTER

• From Downtown to Germantown

SR. SOFTW. ENGINEER CORP. SYS: Apply tech. skills to maintain & enhance sys., methods, products & tech. Dev. softw. to meet user needs & deliver enhancement for softw. Assist w/ unit testing, analyze & oversee integrity of test plan. Provide supp. throughout Agile Devlpmt. Process.

Must have exp. w/ app. devlpmt., soln. devlpmt., softw. devlpmt., jQuery, Batch & Power ShellScripts, MS SQL, & .NET frmwrks. Job in Memphis, TN. Mail ltr./CV to S.Keye, Hilton Domestic Operating Co., 7930 Jones Branch Dr., McLean, VA 22102.

• Call me for your Real Estate Needs

www.hobsonrealtors.com

(901)761-1622 • Cell (901)486-1464

HELP WANTED

Person needed for house cleaning company. Experience a plus.

Mondays-Wednesday only.

Background check, Driver’s License & References required. Collierville area.

901-494-8598 PAID DAILY

AUDI-VW-PORSCHE Factory Trained Experience Independent Prices

FINANCIAL OVER $10K IN DEBT? Be debt free in 24-48 months. Pay a fraction of what you owe. A+ BBB rated. Call National Debt Relief 877590-1202. (AAN CAN) SAVE YOUR HOME! Are you behind paying your MORTGAGE? Denied a Loan Modification? Is the bank threatening foreclosure? CALL Homeowners Relief Line NOW for Help 1-855-439-5853 Mon-Fri : 8:00 am to 8:00 pm Sat: 8:00 am to 1:00 pm(all times Pacific) (AAN CAN)

MIDTOWN APT EVERGREEN HIST. DIST. 1BR/1BA: Great neighborhood, CH/A, totally remodeled, hardwood floors, off-street parking. Pet friendly. $595-$635/mo + $25 cc fee. 901.452.3945

MIDTOWN DUPLEX 1BR DUPLEX FOR RENT. Cooper-Young, nice hrdwd flrs, quaint. $600/mo., 1 yr. lease+$600 dep. 901-569-8754

SHARED HOUSING FURNISHED ROOMS Bellevue/McLemore, Park Airways, Jackson/Watkins. W/D, Cable TV/ Phone. 901-485-0897 MIDTOWN: LG. ROOM FOR RENT furnished, w/fridge, microwave, wifi, utilities, bus line. Safe, clean $125/wk + dep. 901-654-3053.

NICE ROOMS FOR RENT 8 locations throughout Memphis.

Some close U of M. Utilities and Cable included. Fridge in your room.

Cooking and free laundry privileges.

Some locations w/sec. sys. Starting at $435/mo. + dep. 901.922.9089

SERVICES 4G LTE HOME INTERNET Now Available! Get GotW3 with lightning fast speeds plus take your service with you when you travel! As low as $109.99/mo! 1-888-519-0171 (AAN CAN) GUARANTEED LIFE INSURANCE! (Ages 50 to 80). No medical exam.

Affordable premiums never increase.

Benefits never decrease. Policy will only be cancelled for non-payment.

HOURS: M-F 9a-10p & Sat 11a-2p EST 1-888-386-0113 (Void NY) (AAN CAN)

HUGHESNET SATELLITE INTERNET Finally, no hard data limits! Call Today for speeds up to 25mbps as low as $59.99/mo! $75 gift card, terms apply. 1-844-416-7147 (AAN CAN) INTERNATIONALLY BECOME A PUBLISHED AUTHOR! We edit, print and distribute your work. We do the work... You reap the Rewards! Call for a FREE Author’s Submission Kit: 844-511-1836. (AAN CAN) SAVE BIG on HOME INSURANCE! Compare 20 A-rated insurances companies. Get a quote within minutes. Average savings of $444/year! Call 844-712-6153!

(M-F 8am-8pm Central) (AAN CAN)

MASSAGE TOM PITMAN, LMT Massage The Way You Like It. Swedish/Deep Tissue - Relaxation, Hot Stones. Credit Cards. Call 3377977. tompitmanmassage.com, tom@ tompitmanmassage.com

MIND, BODY, SPIRIT HEARING AIDS!!

Buy one/get one FREE! High-quality rechargeable Nano hearing aids priced 90% less than competitors.

Nearly invisible! 45-day money back guarantee! 1-833-585-1117 (AAN CAN) MEDICINAL CANNABIS AVAILABLE NOW! BePainFreeGlobal.com Call (888) 4203848 for a private consultation. Ask how to receive 10% off your first order.

3707 Macon Rd. 272-9028 lecorealty.com

5331 Summer Ave. Memphis, TN 38122

(901) 761-3443 www.WolfsburgAuto.com

Call today for an appointment!

HOUSES & DUPLEXES FOR RENT ALL AREAS

m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

Visit us online, call, or office for free list.

AUDI-VWPORSCHE

Specializing in

SOFTWARE ENGINEER needed at HR Work Cycles, LLC in Memphis, TN. Must have Bach degree in Comp. Sci or related & 5 yrs exp, including: Development exp using Java EE, JDBC, Apache Tomcat, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, & AJAX frontends; Optimizing queries & database design using Oracle Database & PLSQL language; Linux development/management exp; Utilizing JSP, FTP/SFTP, SSH, SOAP, REST, SMTP, HTTP, XML, & JSON; Working in a Kanban &/or Agile environment. Will accept a Masters & 2 yrs exp in lieu of Bach plus 5. Fax resumes to Darin at 901-758-1597.

EOE

CLASSIFIEDS

LOST TITLE 2007 Chevrolet Express Passenger vanVIN: 1GAHG39U571162807Contact 901650-2731

Same Day Interview 2165 Spicer Cove, Suite 1 Memphis, Tennessee 38134.

Call 901-258-5872 or 901-818-3187 Interview in Professional Attire

29

901-575-9400 classifieds@memphisflyer.com

REAL ESTATE • SERVICES FREE RENT ASK US HOW

Become a Published Author with Dorrance.

We want to read your book!

Trusted by authors for nearly 100 years, Dorrance has made countless authors’ dreams come true.

· Apartment Style Living

· No Long Term Lease

· Fully Furnished

· We’re Pet Friendly

· FREE Utilities & Cable TV

· Siegel Rewards Program

W E E K LY

&

M O N T H LY

R AT E S

901.245.2672

7380 Stage Rd. Bartlett, TN 38133

| www.siegelselect.com

Our staff is made up of writers, just like you. We are dedicated to making publishing dreams come true.

Complete Book Publishing Services FIVE EASY STEPS TO PUBLICATION: 1. Consultation

4. Distribution

2. Book Production

5. Merchandising and Fulfillment

3. Promotion

PAY IT FORWARD & GET PAID January 21-27, 2021

Help Support Lifesaving Cures We are seeking blood and cell donors to support important medical research focused on fighting life-threatening diseases.

You can make a big difference for patients seeking new hope.

Qualified donors are compensated for their time — from $50 to several hundred dollars depending on the study.

30

901-252-3434

researchchampions.com

Call now to receive your FREE Author’s Guide

855-675-5709

or www.dorranceinfo.com/memphis

THE LAST WORD By Andy Cohen

COVID, Kroger, and History

m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

I live in Midtown, Memphis. There’s a Kroger a few blocks away, where I shop. The parking lot is very tight and people know to go slowly. As far as I know, nobody’s gotten run over or much bunged-up. Going there, you slow way down. You have to slow way down to keep a little space between you and the people you pass among, an array of Midtowners. Everybody wears a mask.

Nobody’s in a hurry and there are six feet between you and everybody else at the checkout. Kids hang onto their moms. People in motorized carts beep as they back up. There’s an occasional traffic jam, but in slow-mo, so everybody can see to back up a little. People look at one another. It’s better than being crushed up against each other.

Of course, people in the aisles have to pass one another closely — close enough to speak and not too close to feel closed-in on. So they’re polite and they get a good look at each other, and nobody’s mad at anybody. There’s just enough institution about the place to suggest decorum, but no real supervision. People are being adults. Even the kids.

If you go in the afternoon you can expect a crowd, rain or shine. Bring a book for when you stand in line at the checkout; it’ll take a while. I use the queue time to assemble my checkbook and license — and to people-watch. I like what I see, folks tending to their business but not frenetic about it. An attitude of patience prevails. I haven’t ever heard anyone get loud in there.

There will be immense relief once the vaccine gets around. Until it does, People wore masks for protection during the Spanish flu pandemic, as well. we’re going to be in an open-air concentration camp. Anybody can get the virus, which is itself innocent, just a piece of self-reproducing dust. It’s not evil, but it is a problem. Centuries ago, a number of people would have died, but it wouldn’t have caused the kind of dislocation it has today because such a bug couldn’t travel on nonexistent trade routes. Smallpox brought from Europe killed much of the post-contact North American population along just such trade routes from the Atlantic into the country. Descendants of third-wave migrants were virtually wiped out, all the way to Ohio.

The so-called Spanish flu, which originally spread from an army barracks in Olathe, Kansas, took six million people worldwide 100 years ago. Among the people it took were blues guitarist Lonnie Johnson’s mom and pop, and nine of his 10 brothers and sisters. He was on his way back to New Orleans from playing in a jazz orchestra in France during World War I when it struck. He and one brother were the only survivors from the family.

My Uncle Julius was a volunteer emergency medic during that time — 1919 — going around giving people alcohol rubs to bring their fever down, always smoking a cigar. For reasons unknown to me, the docs of the time thought smoking cigars would protect you from the flu. It didn’t, but the flu didn’t get everybody either. Julius told me people were crying out of windows for someone to take the dead bodies away. He said he heard a story of an undertaker called to undertake a pile of corpses, who, upon seeing the pile, had a heart attack. The medics just threw him on top.

The Spanish flu killed as many world citizens as the Nazis killed Jews. For a short time after the initial pandemic, people were mandated to mask up, wash their hands, shy away from crowds, quarantine if they felt sick, and so forth, no different than what we’re doing now, 100 years later. And for a while the curve got flattened until some Libertarian types thought their rights were being stepped on. So just to commemorate the “conquering” of the disease, a bunch of anti-maskers held a parade to celebrate, which kicked off a second wave in the U.S. that got spread by train.

We do know it’s spiking all over Tennessee and all over Memphis because our governor didn’t have the intestinal fortitude to order mandatory masking. Some of the people at the Kroger might be carrying the COVID; it’s impossible to know. They may not know they have it, or be truly asymptomatic and not show it at all but for the antibodies they make. Bless their toughness, they can still transmit it. But so far, so good. It’s been 10 months and I haven’t caught it, even though I’ve been a little casual about it.

Avoiding COVID is not rocket science, but the disease can be lethal, especially if you are poor, already sick with something or immunocompromised, or living with a large number of people in a small space. Or just if you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or if you’re foolish enough to ignore factual history and distrust the reported science for whatever reason. If that’s you, you are playing Russian roulette with a fully loaded gun and issuing a compulsory invitation to the game to your family and friends.

Andy Cohen is a musician who lives in Midtown.

THE LAST WORD

SATORI13 | DREAMSTIME.COM

What we’re going through isn’t new. The past offers some perspective.

31

YOUNGAVENUEDELI.COM 2119 Young Ave • 278-0034

Inside Dining Now Open Following Strict Safety Guidelines Full Menu - Beer - Wine - Booze ToGo Delivery 10am - 10pm Takeout & Curbside Pickup Available.

Call 901-278-0034 - Support Local

Coco & Lola’s MidTown Lingerie

NEW VALENTINES ARRIVALS Checkout and Shop at our

NEW ONLINE STORE www.cocoandlolas.com

Curbside pick up available

MEMPHIS MADE BREWING CO.

NOW OPEN

Wednesdays: 4-7 p.m.

Thursdays: 4-7 p.m.

Fridays: 4-10 p.m.

Saturdays: 1-10 p.m.

Sundays: 1-7 p.m 768 S. Cooper • 901.207.5343

WE ARE OPEN!

Come enjoy our wide open spaces where you and your friends can spread out, relax and enjoy. We are taking precautions, as recommended by the city and the CDC, because your safety is our highest priority.

Pick up our delicious alcoholic drinks right alongside your to-go meal or have them available for curbside pickup! Don’t want to leave the house, that’s okay - www.twobrokebartenders.com will be happy to deliver it to you. Gift cards also available online. We look forward to seeing you!

We are following all safety guidelines for your next visit !

Be safe Memphis ! We  You SERVING ALL SIZE DIVAS SMALL - 4X

Follow us on

IG/FB/TW @cocoandlolas Memphis’ Top Lingerie Shop 710 S. Cox|901-425-5912|Mon-Sat 11:30-7

Open for dine-in service, curbside pickup and delivery through DoorDash.

Hours are Tues -Thur 3-10 p.m.; Fri 3 p.m.- midnight; Sat 11 a.m. - midnight; Sun 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

See menus online at: celticcrossingmemphis.com

GO GLOBAL! @

Address: 320 Monroe Ave • Entrance on Floyd Alley • Park in Stop345 Lot on Madison • West of Danny Thomas • 901.730.0290 • Take Sally to the Alley..

GONER RECORDS

New/Used LPs, 45s & CDs. Shopping By Appointment.

We Buy Records!

2152 Young Ave - 901-722-0095 Goner-Records.com

LEGAL CANNABIS MADE EASY, SAFE AND AFFORDABLE. BePainFreeGlobal.com Call (888) 420-3848 for a private consultation. Ask how to receive 10% off your first order.

www.xm7digital.com Advertise ONLINE * WEBSITE * MOBILE PHONE

call us @ (877)-879-9XM7

ALL ABOUT FEET $35-$55

Mobile foot care service, traveling to you for men & women, ages 50+. Over 25 years of experience. Traveling hours M-F, 9a-6p. Call now 901-270-6060

*TEAM CLEAN*

All natural cleaning for your home • office • studio environment Contact Candace @ 901-262-6610 or teamcleanmemphis@gmail.com

Keeping our community healthy and safe is our top priority. We are thrilled to have a large outdoor space where our friends can have some socially-distanced fun. Be sure to visit our hand sanitizing stations, bring your mask, and support your community!!

ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES 21,000 sq ft. 100 + booths • 5855 Summer Ave. (corner of Summer and Sycamore View ) exit 12 off I-40 | 901.213.9343 Mon-Sat 10a-6p | Sun 1p-6p

WE BUY RECORDS 45’S, 78’S, LP’S

Don’t “give them away” at a yard sale We Pay More Than Anyone Large Quantities No Problem Also Buying Old Windup Phonographs Call Paul 901-734-6111

SIMPLY HEMP SHOP

We carry a variety of CBD products.

Full Spectrum oil, sprays, skin care, and even CBD for Pets. Find us at Oothones at 410 N Cleveland St or online at simplyhemp.shop 901-443-7157