THE fly-by
{WEEK THAT WAS
By Flyer staff
Memphis on the internet.
YOUNG AVENUE DELI
e Young Avenue
Deli announced it will go 21 and up on Tuesdays and Wednesdays a er 10 p.m. in a nowdeleted Facebook post from the weekend. e CooperYoung stalwart said it will also o er free drink covers, increase security, train its sta on handling harassment and misconduct, and conduct a “full internal review on how we operate.”
“We’ve heard the concerns raised about how we’ve handled misconduct — especially involving the behavior of men in our space — and we recognize that our response has not been good enough,” the restaurant said.
XAI PROOF
“Local o cials claimed Elon Musk’s xAI facility was only running 15 of their 35 unpermitted gas turbines in South Memphis,” the Southern Environmental Law Center said. “We sent a plane with thermal imaging up to double-check and the thermal images showed that almost all of the polluting turbines are running.”
RIVERBEAT
RiverBeat Music Festival drew thousands to the Memphis riverfront last weekend for varied acts from headliner Missy Elliott to Benson Boone to Busta Rhymes and DJ Spli Star (above).
Questions, Answers + Attitude
Edited by Toby Sells
Clayborn, xAI, & Boys & Girls Club
A sacred site promises to rebuild, public comments on air permit, and nonpro t closes sites.
CLAYBORN TEMPLE
Shock, sadness, and a promise to persevere dominated reactions from community leaders and organizations last week on the overnight re that gutted Clayborn Temple in Downtown Memphis.
“We grieve deeply for what has been lost, but we also stand ready to honor Clayborn’s legacy the only way we know how: by coming together to restore, rebuild, and remember,” said Memphis Mayor Paul Young in a statement.
XAI TURBINE PERMITS
A decision from the Shelby County Health Department (SCHD) on air permits for xAI’s gas turbines could take weeks, o cials said last week.
A re began to blaze at the church early last Monday morning. e re was out before noon but le the sacred space completely gutted; (below) Boys & Girls Club class
Health department deputy director Kasia Smith-Alexander told the Shelby County Board of Commissioners that as the public comment period closes, the agency’s next step is to respond to the comments. A er a public hearing on the permits, she said the health department had received about 300 additional comments.
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB SITES TO CLOSE
Nine Boys & Girls Club of Greater Memphis high school sites will close at the end of the school year as the organization’s funds from the American Rescue Plan Act run out.
O cials said they got $9 million in federal funding through the city of Memphis in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. With these funds, the nonpro t was able to open 10 high school club sites and run them throughout the school year.
On May 24th, the sites at Booker T. Washington, Hamilton, Manassas, Raleigh Egypt, Ridgeway, She eld, Trezevant, Westwood, and Woodale will close. ese sites focused on workforce development and job readiness. is consisted of interview and application prep, workplace visits, and opportunities to become certi ed in welding, culinary arts, and forkli operation.
CROCKETT STATUE MOVES AHEAD
West Virginia sculptor Jamie Lester will create the sculpture of West Tennessee frontiersman and statesman David
Crockett for an iconic spot on the Tennessee State Capitol.
State lawmakers agreed to erect a statue of David Crockett on the capitol grounds in 2021. E orts to do so go back to at least the creation of the David Crockett Commission in 2012. Crockett’s statue will replace a statue of racist, segregationist, newspaper editor, and politician Edward Carmack. He was, among other things, the editor of the Memphis Commercial newspaper when he incited a mob against anti-lynching activist, journalist, editor, and businesswoman Ida B. Wells. e mob destroyed her newspaper o ce.
Carmack was shot and killed by political rivals in Nashville, near where his statue was erected in 1927. e statue was installed, however, by a prohibition group (Carmack was also a staunch prohibitionist) that thought his big-pro le death could further their cause.
Protesters tore down Carmack’s statue in 2020 during the turmoil following the police killing of George Floyd.
Lester and his company, Vandalia Bronze, were selected last week by the State Capitol Commission (SCC). e vote came a er several meetings of a group to nd sculptors, receive designs, and narrow down 28 proposals to the nalists for the SCC. at group of technical advisors included David Crockett experts, sculptors, legislators, state o cials, Tennessee Arts Commission members, architects, and historians. Visit the News Blog at memphis yer.com for fuller versions of these stories and more local news.
PHOTO: (ABOVE) RAYMOND CHIOZZA; (BELOW) BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF GREATER MEMPHIS | FACEBOOK
Answers on Trump {
CITY REPORTER
By Kailynn Johnson
University of Memphis faculty, students want to know how school leaders will handle “attacks” on academia, student safety.
letter signed by 42 University of Memphis faculty, sta , and students was delivered to the o ces of President Bill Hardgrave and Provost David J. Russomanno last week. It expressed concerns about federal “attacks” on academia, academic freedom, and student safety. e letter asked that university o cials “recommit publicly” to these issues.
“Academic freedom is essential to the United States’ system of higher education,” the letter said. “Yet the Trump administration has attacked academic freedom in countless ways, including withdrawing federal funding from subjects or universities they oppose ideologically, demanding dramatic overhauls of academic programs, and removing critical data from government websites.”
e sentiments reference a slew of executive orders and initiatives from President Donald Trump to defund colleges and universities and dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices.
In response to these actions, the American Association of Colleges and Univer-
sities released a statement signed by collegiate leaders that condemned these e orts, calling them “unprecedented government overreach.”
University of Memphis students have asked that Hardgrave sign the letter to show his commitment to protecting the integrity of the school.
e university has also been urged to protect international students. is call comes as ve students had their Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) records reinstated a er being terminated by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Students and sta voiced their concerns for those detained by ICE, specically for those who are involved in proPalestinian movements. ey went on to cite fear of deportation along with attacks on free speech and how some universities have assisted ICE in these actions.
“We deserve to know how the university will protect our students and faculty
from such actions,” the letter said.
e letter asked that the university deliver a response outlining how it will protect students from detention and deportation. It sought information about whether the administration has worked with ICE and if it plans to do so in the future, and it questioned how the administration will protect the U of M community from measures censoring free speech.
Lastly, the letter criticized the university for a “profound lack of transparency”
— speci cally about how they will respond to “federal directives.”
“Students cannot be successful if they live in fear of deportation or when faculty are prohibited from teaching freely within their areas of expertise,” the letter said.
While the letter noted that the university held a recent town hall, it asserts that questions from students and faculty were “censored and no questions were elded from the audience.” As a result, the signees have requested an “honest, open discussion about community concerns” to be attended by Hardgrave and Russomanno.
e writers said they see this as an opportunity for the administration to “recon rm their commitment to academic freedom and protecting students.” ey have requested a response to the letter by Wednesday, May 7th.
U of M o cials had not responded to the letter as of press time.
PHOTO: UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS Students and faculty ask leaders to “recommit publicly” to the issues.
By Katie Stephenson
Volatile Times
How to stay on course financially.
There’s no way around it — market volatility can be scary, especially if you are nearing retirement or have other major expenses on the horizon. Whenever you see your portfolio value drop by 10 percent to 20 percent over a short period of time, you may be tempted to sell out and stash a pile of cash. But as unnerving as volatile markets may be, they’re a normal part of investing. So, because volatility is inevitable, the following are tips to help you weather the storm as a long-term investor.
1. Stay invested.
Fear-driven selling may be the single biggest mistake investors make during periods of market volatility. These significant portfolio adjustments are typically driven from panic rather than sound investment principles. It’s very difficult (I’d dare go so far as to say it’s impossible) to time the market. Most investors who try doing so end up missing out on significant growth opportunities.
There has never been a time in history where the market has not eventually recovered from a downturn. Yes, sometimes it takes years for the recovery to occur — and the rebound may not coincide with your investment timeline — but history shows markets will eventually rise again. However, if you take your money out of the market altogether, you’ll realize any portfolio losses and miss out on an opportunity for future growth.
2. Maintain a diversified portfolio. Portfolios that are highly concentrated in a few investment types, sectors, or industries can be risky. The performance of various asset classes varies greatly from year to year, which is why it’s important to spread your risk out across multiple asset classes and investment types. Diversification typically helps avoid the severe downside of market fluctuations. To dampen volatility over time, diversify across asset classes, sectors, and geography.
3. Understand your risk tolerance. When navigating volatile market conditions, it’s important to commit to and maintain an appropriate level of portfolio risk. Consider your risk tolerance, current financial situation, future income needs, and long-term goals. Develop a financial plan and determine a level of portfolio risk you feel comfortable with in advance. And when volatility inevitably comes, hold true to this risk profile regardless of what the market is doing. Having a portfolio that’s too aggressive increases
the likelihood you’ll make an emotionally driven decision to sell at the wrong time. On the other hand, having a portfolio that’s too conservative reduces long-term returns and could make it more difficult to outpace inflation and accomplish your financial objectives.
4. Differentiate between long-term and short-term goals, and invest accordingly. I always stress the importance of maintaining a long-term, goals-based approach to investing. Market volatility is no fun. Not only can a market drop result in a steep decline in your portfolio’s value but many news outlets and other investors can make volatility feel like the end of the world.
One way to deal with short-term market volatility while remaining focused on your long-term goals is by following something called the five-year rule. Using this approach, any assets you plan to use within the next five years should be conservatively invested. So, if in the next five years you anticipate a large expense, such as retirement, a new car, college tuition for a child or grandchild, a wedding, etc., you should have a sum of money invested in a short-term, semiliquid account. Your other assets should remain invested in a diversified portfolio in order to support your long-term goals.
By using this strategy, you can solve the challenge of funding short-term obligations while also remaining focused on your long-term goals because:
• Short-term assets are sheltered from daily market fluctuations, which can provide you with peace of mind that you will be able to fulfill your upcoming financial obligations.
• Long-term assets remain invested in a diversified portfolio with the potential to outpace inflation, take advantage of market opportunities and grow to fund your long-term goals.
Ultimately, the best way to grow your wealth in a volatile marketplace is by having a financial plan in place to help keep you on track toward your specific financial goals, regardless of market volatility.
Katie Stephenson, JD, CFP, is a Private Wealth Manager and Partner with Creative Planning. Creative Planning is one of the nation’s largest registered investment advisory firms providing comprehensive wealth management services to ensure all elements of a client’s financial life are working together, including investments, taxes, estate planning, and risk management. For more information or to request a free, no-obligation consultation, visit CreativePlanning.com.
COVER STORY By Flyer
Sprung!
Flyer sta ers tell you what to drink (or not) this season.
The leaves are green. e bugs are back. Mowers whine at all hours. at can only mean one thing: It’s time to change what kind of beer you’re drinking.
Not hyperbole here: ere has never been a better time to drink beer in Memphis than now. Taprooms and store aisles are ooded with more beers from more breweries producing more styles than ever before. You like rosé? We got you. Pickles? Dern tootin’. Milkshake? You betcha. Beer- avored beer? Let’s get started.
To survey the Memphis beer selection this spring, I invited the Flyer newsroom homies to my house. Shopped for nacho bar xin’s. en, I embarked on an epic beer run.
I was a little surprised to see I was not the rst customer at Buster’s Liquors & Wines when it rst opened ursday. I asked the very nice lady in “the pit” (that’s what they call the big cash register situation by the doors), and she directed me to Alton Ford.
Ford’s job title? “Beer expert.” A er shopping with him for 10 minutes, I knew he’d earned that. He said Memphians love to drink local and the palate trends toward IPAs and sours. But just like most places, Memphis changes its beers with the weather.
“Drinking seasonally just ts with the temperature outside,” Ford said. “You’re going to get those darker beers in the winter and they’re going to get heavy, and you’re not going to be able to drink many
of them. [Now] you want something that you can be out in the heat with.”
At Joe’s Wines & Liquor, the alwaysgreat Sisco Larson pointed me to a panoply of new cra singles from Memphis breweries. He said, “Everybody drinks seasonally.” While there are some who drink Tiny Bomb as their go-to, “people love variety.” ere has never been such an abundance of variety in Memphis as now, he said.
“We’ve got better here — both brewed here and available here — than we ever have,” Larson said.
My last stop was the also always great South Point Grocery. No beer folks were on hand to help me through my selection, but I barely needed them.
eir shelves are always full of the best and newest beers — sporting a big, old, rocket-shaped neon sign with the word “beer” on it to guide you home. ey have a great selection of locals but they’re o en one of the rst to get new beers that have just entered the Memphis market.
Here’s how we make this guide: I get a bunch of seasonal beers. (We try to sample as many local breweries as we can but it’s impossible to cover them all.) We taste them. We write down what we think about them. We’re not beer experts. But we drink beer and support local beer. Our opinions aren’t technical, and beer folk may sco . But we are a sample of the Memphis market. I say all of this to temper expectations here. So instead of saying “high-gravity,” we’d probably say, “ is’ll get you fucked up.” Flyer-style.
For these tasting events, I enlist a guide. e best brewers in Memphis have sat around with the Flyer crew over the years explaining things like, “What’s the di erence between a sour and a gose?” and “is this supposed to taste like bananas?” is year, Bryan Berretta, a founder and brewer at Memphis Filling Station (MFS), plied us through the sometimes murky waters of beer styles and avors. MFS has been around since 2013 and opened its taproom doors this year. I
asked Berretta if Memphis was developing as a beer town. “Yes, and it gets better every year,” Berretta said, “the diversity of the breweries and the camaraderie between the breweries, as well.” — Toby Sells
Meddlesome Brewing Company
Dad Jeans German Pilsner Crisp. Super dry. Dad Jeans remains a perfect pilsner, and perfect for spring. — TS
is was my favorite beer to return to as a palate cleanser a er all the fruity, gimmicky beers. — Alex Greene
When people talk about a beer that’s good to have a er a hot day spent mowing the yard, this what they’re talking about. e German pilsner has a crisp, clean taste with just a hint of a bitter nish. It’ll bring a little avor to your sweaty Saturday. — Chris McCoy
It’s like sneaking the last sip of your grandpa’s beer while he piddles around in the backyard to get away from your grandma. You can’t tell if it’s just a bit of water from the garden hose or a dribble of grandpa sweat or condensation from the bottle, but you can stomach it, just with a bit of disappointment. — Abigail Morici
Hampline Brewing Company
Memphis Natch Lager
Another beer perfect for spring. It’s a bit
Memphis Filling Station’s Bryan Berretta and Toby Sells
maltier than Dad Jeans. But good as hell when the beer is cold as hell.— TS
It’s only 4.6 percent alcohol. I like that. It comes across light at first, but then reveals a deeper body as it lingers. — AG
This lager is probably my favorite Hampline product. It’s got a bit thicker mouthfeel than your average summer patio drink, and a fine, rich flavor. It’s a sturdy, balanced brew. — CM
Creature Comforts
Spring (Belgian-style white ale)
Spring (the beer) shows the continued excellence of this Athens-based brewery. Tons of oranges on the can. Perfect amount of orange in the beer. — TS
Citrusy, floral, and fresh, but it’s not tart like the Lemon Radler NA. It’s a different kind of citrusy. It’s a nice dry, basic beer. Very quaffable. — AG
I’ll be frank. This beer doesn’t have much flavor. The mouthfeel is minimal. But you know what? I could see myself drinking way too many of these at a spring or summer music festival. — CM
I kept wanting to drink this, not because I liked it necessarily, but because with every sip came a sort of fizz that tingled on my tongue in such an anticlimactic way that had me asking: Is that it? — AM
Athletic Brewing Company
Ripe Pursuit Lemon Radler (nonalcoholic)
It’s good. It feels like a beer in your mouth, not beer-flavored water. — TS
Nobody does NA beer better than Athletic, and this is no exception. It’s got a subtle citrus flavor that sets it apart. Yummy, and very refreshing. — CM
Super tart, sorta sour, and not too sweet. Flavor-wise, this reminds me of a Leinenkugel Summer Shandy. A sixer of those while porch swingin’ on a summer day in my 20s was perfection. As a newly old person in my 40s, this hits that nostalgic spot — but without the hangover. — Shara Clark
Memphis Filling Station
Crescent Wrench Rosé Farmhouse Ale (Saison)
Saisons are another rite of spring and the array of styles are wide. This one nails the rosé flavor. Bryan said if someone comes
into MFS and says they don’t like beer, they give them this one. I can see why. — TS
This is a new way to have fruitiness in a beer, with a profile almost like that of wine. Quite intriguing, but I would probably just have wine if I wanted wine. — AG
I’ve had beers that were supposedly inspired by wine before, and I’ve never been very impressed. This one is the exception. It brings complex, fruity flavors to the table, but its dry finish means it’s not overpowering. It’s the rare flavored beer that won’t outstay its welcome. — CM
“For people who don’t like beer,” said the drink’s creator. … I like this beverage. What does that say about me? What does that say about my beer reviews? This drink gives people existential crises. — AM
Flyway Brewing Company
Bluewing Blueberry Wheat
I fell in love with this beer on a rooftop bar in Hot Springs. Now that it’s moved to town … I still love it. I do. We’re just … in a routine now. (Srsly, tho. A tasty choice for that friend who’s not a big beer fan.) — TS
The color is an attractive purple haze. But blueberries and beer do not mix for me. This leans into its fruitiness like a stack of flapjacks and that’s not for me.
— AG
This blueberry beer is … blue. At least as blue as a wheat beer can get without adding food coloring. How does it taste? Not very blue. In fact, it’s kind of watery, with a distant suggestion of blueberries. It’s the LaCroix of beers. — CM
Southern Grist
‘Mosa (mimosa-inspired sour ale)
It smells like orange juice when you pour it. (In a great way.) If you close your eyes and squint while you taste it … I don’t know, dude. It tastes just like a mimosa. (In a great way.) — TS
Okay, 5.8 percent alcohol. Whoa. A definite mimosa flavor. This is hazier than hazy. It’s cloudy, murky with mango.
— AG
Another stunt beer that sticks the landing, this Nashville creation aims to taste like a mimosa and succeeds more completely than I could have imagined.
(Did I just compliment something from Nashville? I must be slipping.) Having said that, it seems kind of redundant. If you’re in the mood for a mimosa, why not just have a mimosa? Also, it looks like Tang. — CM
Wellness Brewing Company
Intentional IPA (non-alcoholic) IPA-flavored water. — TS
Do you drink beer for a buzz or for the taste? Neither, you say? Well, you’re in luck! This NA option is mild for an IPA, with only a light punch to the taste buds and back of the tongue (does this work as another way to say “mouthfeel”?). Typical IPAs are a hops overload for me — like spicy Pine-Sol — so this toned-down version was actually tolerable. — SC
Wiseacre Brewing Co.
Sky Dog Chelada Sky Dog is the best light beer in America. That’s according to the gold medal Wiseacre took home in the best American Light Lager category at the Great American Beer Festival. Boom! This is the chelada style. I went full michelada with a bottle of Clamato. As if this beer needed any more rizz … but dang! If that’s your kind of thing, this is your kind of thing. — TS
Pretty good for a pre-mixed version of the classic Mexican beer/lime wedge combination. But why? I like squeezing real lime into my favorite Mexican beers. And I avoid the salt. But if you were in a rush to slam back a beverage without pausing to squeeze a lime, I guess this makes sense? — AG
Wiseacre has a genuine hit on their hands with Sky Dog. It’s well-balanced perfection with only 99 calories per can. It guilds the lily with a touch of lime and salt. This was by far my favorite beer from our tasting. — CM
This is like making a salsa that has an overpowering taste of lime and salt and you’re wondering why no one likes it and you’re trying not to let your feelings get hurt but they are and now there’s a beer that tastes just like it so you feel validated because now you know that lime and salt are good flavors but also you’re confused because surely your salsa wasn’t that bad if people are willing to drink a drink that has an overpowering flavor of lime
and salt? And then it’s like do you need new friends? Can Sky Dog be your new friend? — AM
Grind City Brewing Company
Krispy Treat
It’s a fun one-off! While the motivation is perplexing, this beer smells and tastes like Rice Krispies Treats. Fun stuff. — TS
Maybe poured over a bowl of ice cream, or you could make a beer float with this. The marshmallow was enough to put me off. But marshmallow plus a hint of sulfur is really a losing combination. — AG
Nope. — CM
Ice cream wastewater that smells like a dog fart so bad that it would wake a dog up from the deepest of slumbers. — AM
Crosstown Brewing Company
Vision Board Mixed Berry Sour
It’s a solid sour. I’ll drink it in the winter for a spring-y pick-me-up as I watch snow fall outside the Young Avenue Deli. — TS
It’s a very grown-up mixed berry. It’s subtle, I’ll give it that. But it’s still berry. — AG
This beer smells like the beloved candy Smarties. It also tastes like Smarties, and I mean that in a good way. — CM
Picture Valentine’s Day from your childhood: candy hearts, Sweetarts, Smarties — all those chalky candies that made your stomach churn with delight. Now imagine that liquified, but also imagine the bitterness you felt when you were the only one in third grade who didn’t get the “You Are Pawsome” card with the holographic puppy from Jessica C. You’ll feel done dirty after this drink. Cue the stomach churning as the sugar rush fueled by resentment (for this drink? for memories of Jessica C.?) ushers in a pounding headache.— AM
Hampline Brewing Company
Cherry Bomb (sour)
“It’s like a sweet-sour cocktail with rock n roll sensibilities,” says Hampeline’s website. Yep. The cherry flavor was juuuuuuusssst right, too. — TS
Of all the fruity beers, I much prefer the cherry because of that sourness. It almost reminds me of the ‘Mosa one; it
continued on page 14
The Hot Tamale Capital of the World invites you to enjoy an eclectic collection of events and entertaining stops.
» MAY « Mississippi Wildlife Heritage Festival, including Frog Fest and Leland Craw sh Festival LelandChamber.com
Future Tour Golf Championship
» JUNE « Delta Soul & Celebrity Golf Event facebook.com/DeltaSoulGolf
Lake Washington’s “Straight O The Lake” Music Festival
Snake Grabbin’ Rodeo facebook.com/MississippiSnakeGrabbers
» JULY « WWISCAA Food Festival wwiscaa.com
» AUGUST « MS Delta Duck Boat Races at Lake Washington
» SEPTEMBER « Delta Blues & Heritage Festival deltabluesms.org
Gumbo Nationals greenvillespeedway.net
Sam Chatmon Blues Fest facebook.com/SamChatmonBlues
Stephone Hughes Old Time Gospel Fest
» OCTOBER « Delta Hot Tamale Fest facebook.com/ DeltaHotTamaleFestival
Highway 61 Blues Festival highway61blues.com
Monuments on Main Street Historic Greenville Cemetery Tour facebook.com/Monuments-on-Main-Street
YMCA Cotton Classic 10K/5K Run racesonline.com/ymca-cotton-classic
» NOVEMBER « Roll’n on the River Car Show facebook.com/redwinecarshow
» DECEMBER « Christmas on Deer Creek LelandChamber.com
CALENDAR of EVENTS: May 8 - 14
ART AND SPECIAL EXHIBITS
“2024 Accessions to the Permanent Collection” is series honors new additions to the museum’s permanent collection. rough Nov. 2.
METAL MUSEUM
“A Journey into the Shadows”: Nelson Gutierrez
Colombian-born artist Gutierrez confronts the realities of migration and displacement through a striking visual language of shadow and movement, using threedimensional cutout drawings. rough May 11.
CROSSTOWN ARTS AT THE CONCOURSE
“Artists’ Link Exhibition: Spring 2025”
Featuring works in oil, acrylic, watercolor, mixed media, woodcut, ber, weaving, ceramic materials, stained glass, and metals. rough May 30.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
ARTSmemphis: “GRANTEDTime Exhibition”
An exhibit curated by Brittney Boyd Bullock, a visual artist working ber, mixed media, and abstraction. rough Aug. 5.
ARTSMEMPHIS
“Art Speaks”: Visual Poetry Exhibition & Art
Inspired by Words is dynamic showcase explores the powerful intersection of language and visual expression, bringing together artists who draw inspiration from literature, poetry, music, and spoken word. rough May 31.
MEMPHIS ART SALON AT MINGLEWOOD HALL
“Celebrate AAPI Stories, Traditions, and Identity”
A student art exhibition celebrating Asian American & Paci c Islander Heritage Month. is exhibit showcases the creativity of K to 12 students
from Memphis and Shelby County. rough May 16.
COSSITT LIBRARY
Colleen Couch and Dolph Smith: “Walk in the Light”
“Walk in the Light” traces the arc of Smith’s work, presents new pieces by Couch inspired by Smith, and highlights recent collaborations between the two. rough June 29.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
“From the Ashes”:
Maritza Dávila-Irizarry
Featuring printmaking, mixed media, photography, video, and remnants from the re that destroyed the artist’s studio. rough May 11.
CROSSTOWN ARTS AT THE CONCOURSE
“Fur and Feathers, The Art of Gari Parisi”
Gary Parisi works in a variety of mediums such as graphite, watercolor, acrylics, ballpoint pen, and oils. His primary focus is creating animal portraiture, achieved with extraordinary detail. Free. rough May 29.
WKNO DIGITAL MEDIA CENTER
Jin Powell and John Powell: “Fusion”
A dynamic joint exhibition featuring the work of artists Jin Powell and John Powell, whose twenty new mixed-media pieces blend wood and metal in compelling and unexpected ways. Friday, May 9-June 6.
ANF ARCHITECTS
Kit Reuther: “Many Moons”
Anchored by an intuitive awareness of spatial order, Reuther employs her own brand of architectural abstraction to deconstruct representational forms in paintings and sculptures. rough May 10.
DAVID LUSK GALLERY
“Landshaping: The Origins of the Black Belt Prairie”
Learn about the geologic event known as the Mississippi Embayment and its e ect on this
region. Fossils and farm tools will be displayed alongside photographs by Houston Co eld. rough Oct. 12.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
“Light as Air”
Explore the beauty in tension: a balance of forms, the contrast between heavy and light, and the signi cance of negative space. rough Sept. 7.
METAL MUSEUM
“Opposites
Abstract”: A Mo Willems Exhibit
Giving children the opportunity to “make some silliness and take art seriously at the same time.” – Mo Willems. Free. rough May 18.
CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF MEMPHIS
Owen Westberg: “Thicket”
On ve-by-seven slices of aluminum ashing, and larger slabs of sanded birch, Westberg paints still lifes, views through a window, and landscapes captured in and around Pittsburgh. rough May 17.
TOPS GALLERY
“Speaking Truth to Power: The Life of Bayard Rustin”
Exhibition Exploring Rustin’s innovative use of the “medium” to communicate powerful messages of non-violence, activism, and authenticity. $20/adult, $18/ senior, college student, $17/children 5-17. rough Dec. 31.
NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM
“Supernatural
Telescope”: Danielle Sierra
A deeply personal and poetic re ection on memory, love, and spirituality, inspired by the passing of the artist’s father. rough May 11.
CROSSTOWN ARTS AT THE CONCOURSE
Send the date, time, place, cost, info, phone number, a brief description, and photos — two weeks in advance — to calendar@memphisflyer.com.
DUE TO SPACE LIMITATIONS, ONGOING WEEKLY EVENTS WILL APPEAR IN THE FLYER’S ONLINE CALENDAR ONLY. FOR COMPREHENSIVE EVENT LISTINGS, SCAN THE QR CODE OR VISIT EVENTS.MEMPHISFLYER.COM/CAL.
“The Colors of the Caribbean”: Juan Roberto Murat Salas Salas, a Cuban-born painter, brings the rich visual traditions of his homeland to life through bold colors and dynamic compositions. rough May 11.
CROSSTOWN ARTS AT THE CONCOURSE
“The Golden Age of Paper Dolls”
A private collection of paper dolls displayed throughout the historic house, including an area to try out paper dolls and make your own. rough May 28.
DAVIES MANOR HISTORIC SITE
Thomas Dambo’s “Trolls: Save the Humans”
International Paper presents this larger-than-life fairy tale, in which art and nature intertwine. rough May 21.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Jin and John Powell’s new mixed-media pieces blend wood and metal in unexpected ways.
Tributaries: Rachel David’s “Engorging Eden”
“Engorging Eden,” a solo exhibition by Rachel David that transforms everyday furniture into fragmented expressions of life’s chaos, joy, and loss. rough May 11.
METAL MUSEUM
ART HAPPENINGS
Cocktails with the Curator - Black Dandyism
Join C. Rose Smith, assistant
curator of photography at MBMA, for an engaging evening of cocktails and conversation. Free. Saturday, May 10, 3-5 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
“Fusion”: Featuring New Works by Jin & John Powell
Live traditional Chinese music will captivate you as you view the pieces. Friday, May 9, 5-7 p.m.
ANF ARCHITECTS
Planet Luminarus: An Immersive Art Odyssey
Explore new worlds at the grand opening of Planet Luminarus — a community-built immersive art installation and performing arts space. Also see the exhibit “Celestial Visions.” With live theremin music. Friday, May 9, 6-10 p.m.
OFF THE WALLS ARTS
Runway at the Museum! Buckle up for the week’s most anticipated event at Memphis Art and Fashion Week. $27. Friday, May 9, 6-10 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Super SaturdayFabulous Fashion Design
Join the Brooks for an exciting opportunity to design your own couture piece on paper using a variety of collage materials and markers. Free. Saturday, May 10, 10 a.m.noon.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
The Decorative Arts Trust Presents: An Evening with Mieke ten Have — Reception, Book Signing, & Talk e renowned interiors stylist celebrates the launch of her new book, Interiors: Styled by Mieke. Books will be available for purchase. Free. Wednesday, May 14, 6-8 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
PHOTO: COURTESY ANF ARCHITECTS
Zack Orsborn’s “Mio Elory” Exhibition Opening
A multimedia art exhibition opening. Saturday, May 10, 6-9 p.m.
THE UGLY ART COMPANY
BOOK EVENTS
Book Signing and Reading – Carey Baker’s Down on the Corner: Adventures in Busking and Street
Music
The author discusses his acclaimed new work with Robert Gordon. Friday, May 9, 6 p.m.
MEMPHIS LISTENING LAB
Gwendolyn J. Tucker: Called to Lead
The author discusses her latest work with Dotty Summerfield Giusti and Shelley Kemp. Monday, May 12, 6 p.m.
NOVEL
COMEDY
Danae Hays
The renowned comedian brings The First Time Tour to Memphis. $55.25/general admission. Saturday, May 10, 8-9:30 p.m.
MINGLEWOOD HALL
COMMUNITY
Mother’s Day Garden Party
Celebrate Mom with bottomless Momosas, live music, and a DIY Bloom Bar at a fun Mother’s Day Garden Party! Saturday, May 10, 3 p.m.
CROSSTOWN BREWING COMPANY
Oakhaven Festival - Spring 2025
With music, food, and good vibes. Free. Saturday, May 10, noon-4 p.m.
OAKHAVEN MIDDLE SCHOOL
River Cleanup
This cleanup targets a 6.4 mile stretch between the cities of Rossville and Piperton. Aboveaverage skills required to maneuver a boat near obstructions. Saturday, May 10, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
WILLIAM B. CLARK STATE NATURAL AREA
Teacher Appreciation Night
A special evening to celebrate the amazing teachers in our community, with local artist Khara Woods. Thursday, May 8, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
DANCE
Buckman Dance Conservatory’s Spring Celebration of Dance
Lively and fresh on the stage. $15/students, $20/ adults. Friday, May 9, 6 p.m.
BUCKMAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
YBM Presents The Wizard of Oz
Follow four unlikely heroes as they embark on a magical journey of courage, friendship, and discovery. $15. Friday, May 9, 7:30-9:30 p.m. | Saturday, May 10, 2-4 p.m. | Saturday, May 10, 7:30-9:30 p.m. | Sunday, May 11, 2-4 p.m.
BALLET MEMPHIS
EXPO/SALES
Punk Rock Flea Market
Shop from unique punk/alternative/DIY vendors. Live music by Pezz, Wicker, Punk$oul, Molly Possum starts at 6 p.m. Saturday, May 10, 5 p.m.
HI TONE
Raise Your Paddle: A Kink Auction
Sample kinky fantasy products via this show, demo, and auction, and support Mid-South Pride. Hosted by Polly PopJoy. $19.50-$24.50. Friday, May 9, 7 p.m.
HI TONE
FAMILY
Baby Day
Celebrate Baby Day and meet the newest zoo family members. There will be special keeper chats and fun activities throughout the day. Saturday, May 10, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
MEMPHIS ZOO
Cup of C.A.R.E. Tea Day
A Sri Lankan-inspired tea party for the whole family. Get ready to sip handcrafted teas and enjoy an extensive menu of savory bites and sweet treats. Saturday, May 10, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. |
Sunday, May 11, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
MEMPHIS ZOO
Jr. Fishing Rodeo
Catch ’Em Lakes will be stocked with 4,000 pounds of catfish for this exciting event. $10.
Saturday, May 10, 7-10 a.m.
AGRICENTER INTERNATIONAL
FILM
Bluff City Chinese Documentary Film
Screening
Film and discussion about AANHPI Identity in Memphis. Thursday, May 8, 6-8:15 p.m.
NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM
LECTURE
Backstage with Korto Momolu
Step into the bold and vibrant world of acclaimed Project Runway designer Korto Momolu during Memphis Art and Fashion Week. $10. Thursday, May 8, 6-7:30 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Live Interview: 9/11 Firefighter Tim Brown & Coach Bill Courtney 9/11 firefighter Tim Brown helped save lives that day, but he also lost 100 friends. Free. Thursday, May 8, 6:30-8 p.m.
GRIND CITY BREWING CO.
WYXR Stereo Sessions: Human Radio
The new WYXR Stereo Sessions focuses on Human Radio’s 1990 debut with guests Ross Rice, Steve Ebe, and Peter Hyrka. Wednesday, May 14, 6 p.m.
MEMPHIS LISTENING LAB
PERFORMING ARTS
Like Really Creative Muse: Stanza — A Mixed Media Poetry Workshop + Open Mic
Creativity + curiosity + community. $5. Monday, May 12, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
BAR DKDC
SPECIAL EVENTS
Blues Music Awards
The 46th Blues Music Awards will follow the format of the critically acclaimed shows of recent years. Close to 100 nominees attend and the night is filled with their appearances and performances. Thursday, May 8, 7 p.m.
RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER
THEATER
Cabaret
A fierce, meaty musical that holds “the mirror up to nature.” $26/adult, $21/senior 60+, $16/ student/teacher, $16/military, $16/wheelchair space, $10/sensory-friendly performance, $50/ VIP immersive seating. Friday, May 9, 7:30-10 p.m. | Saturday, May 10, 7:30-10 p.m. | Sunday, May 11, 2:30-5 p.m.
GERMANTOWN COMMUNITY THEATRE
Caroline, or Change
In 1963, a Black maid for a Jewish family, is trying to take care of her own family as the world around her is taking steps towards progress and equality. But change doesn’t come easy. Thursday, May 8, 8 p.m. | Friday, May 9, 8 p.m. | Saturday, May 10, 8 p.m. | Sunday, May 11, 2 p.m.
PLAYHOUSE ON THE SQUARE
Rumors
Neil Simon’s farce about a 10th anniversary wedding celebration that turns into chaos. Friday, May 9, 7:30-9:30 p.m. | Saturday, May 10, 7:309:30 p.m. | Sunday, May 11, 2-4 p.m.
LOHREY THEATRE
The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition A full-scale outdoor musical production complete with costumes, sets, and unforgettable performances. Bring your own chair. Thursday, May 8, 4:30 p.m. | Friday, May 9, 4:30 p.m. | Saturday, May 10, 4:30 p.m.
FIREFLY CREATIVE
Crossword
ACROSS
1 Sound that a sound-absorbing chamber should eliminate
5 Mars candy bar with caramel and milk chocolate
9 Shrek’s wife
14 “___ she blows!”
15 Go backpacking
16 Leader of the singing Chipmunks
17 One who may have a mortgage
19 Traction aid on a shoe
20 Race loser
21 Lipstick mishap
23 After all expenses
24 Nile reptile, for short
26 End result
29 Mine extractions
31 Twins
33 “___ Theme” from “Doctor Zhivago”
35 Indian flatbread 36 Your: Fr. 37 Liquid supply for body art 41 “Eww!”
44 Bird that usually mates for life
45 Word before fairy or decay 49 Message between two arrows on a shipping container 53 Prefix with phobia
Popular European comic book hero
Old Russian ruler
Fryer contents
One who’s doomed
Digitally endorsed
62 How a pirouette is done
64 Beach Boys album with the hit “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” … or things hidden in 17-, 31-, 37- and 49-Across
66 Pharmacy stock
67 Get quickly, as lunch
68 Explorer Hernando de ___
69 7/4/1776 and 6/6/1944, e.g.
70 Alluring
71 Futuristic movie of 1982
Edited by Will Shortz No.
FOOD By Michael Donahue
Beloved Downtown restaurant opens in new spot on South Main.
Aer a three-year wait, Felicia Suzanne’s restaurant at 383 South Main Street is now open. And the restaurant, owned by Felicia Willett-Schuchardt and her husband, Clay Schuchardt, is every bit as fabulous as people thought it would be.
She and Clay began looking for a new location in 2019, Felicia says. ey previously were down the street on North Main Street. “We’d been there on that pedestrian mall 20 years,” she says.
“We wanted to stay Downtown,” Clay says. ey live in the South Main district. “We are trying to bring back Downtown and bring people to this area again.”
ey originally planned to open the new Felicia Suzanne’s in seven or eight months. But, Felicia says, “We were so invested in it we wanted to open it when it was right.”
e new space is a lot di erent from their old location, which used to house the old Lowenstein’s department store. “It was really one large main room,” Clay says.
With the new building, they were able to create several rooms, each with its own personality. Felicia wanted to get back to the original idea she had for her restaurant when she opened it. “Over the years we became the rehearsal dinners spot because of the patio. And a special occasion spot.”
She wanted the new restaurant to have “more of a neighborly bistro feel. Approachable.” e old Felicia Suzanne’s had white tablecloths, but now, she says, “We have these beautiful oak tabletops that were made by Old City Millwork Inc.”
“ e building needed more love than we anticipated. We had to completely gut it and rip out all the plumbing and electrical. at’s another reason it took a little longer for us to open.”
ey put in a walk-in cooler, an o ce, and a dish room. In addition to private dining rooms, the restaurant includes the main dining room, a bar area with table seating, a side porch with seating, and a back patio with seating.
ey’ll continue to host special occasions at the new restaurant, Felicia says. “We’ve got a wedding booked in October. We’ve got rehearsal dinners coming up, graduation dinners, business dinners.”
Her new menu includes her low country and Creole classics, but will evolve into more bistro-type fare. “We’ve even purchased a pasta machine. We’re going to include homemade pastas in the future.”
e current menu features favorites from her old location, including the Sunday Sugo, a dish described on the menu as “Rich Red Gravy featuring Home Place Pastures Beef & Pork, Parmesan Risotto.”
“ is is an opening menu. ese are signature items people have not had in three years,” Felicia says.
Over the next several months, Felicia will introduce new dishes, including a chilled seafood platter, steak frites, and West Indies crab salad, which is a dish Clay’s mother is known for. It includes fresh lump crabmeat, olive oil, vinegar, salt, black pepper, Vidalia onions, and hot sauce, and you eat it with saltine crackers.
She also will include a library of different recipes she collected over 23 years “that will rotate seasonally.”
In the next couple of weeks, they will introduce a “small bites menu,” featuring some of Felicia’s classics like her deviled eggs, which already are on the main menu, and her short rib grilled cheese, a country loaf lled with braised short ribs and white cheddar cheese, topped with béchamel sauce and “baked until golden and bubbly.”
en there’s Flo’s, which is slated to open in time for the holidays. e space on the north side will feature seating for 32 and will include their old “Friday lunch favorites,” including gumbo, chicken enchiladas, po’boys, and grilled cheeses. People also can get grab-and-go meals for the week at Flo’s. “Flo is my nickname in New Orleans [where she worked for chef Emeril Lagasse for eight years]. And Flo’s is the product line that’s our pickled jalapeños, our tomato jam, and our green tomato chow chow.”
Felicia never stopped cooking a er her old restaurant closed. “We were catering and doing private events the whole three years.”
When the old Spindini spot became available, Clay and their business partners urged her to open the restaurant there. It was a perfect t for Felicia Suzanne’s and Flo’s. “ ey didn’t have to twist my arm too much,” she says. “ is is in my blood. is is what I’m supposed to do.”
PHOTO: MICHAEL DONAHUE Felicia Willett-Schuchardt and husband Clay Schuchardt
ARTS By Abigail Morici
‘Writhe and Grind’
Joel Parsons invites you to revel in his “Club Rapture” at Sheet Cake Gallery even as the world is on re.
Joel Parsons’ show at Sheet Cake Gallery wasn’t supposed to be this relevant. When he started creating his pieces for “Club Rapture and the Ecstasy A ers,” he wanted to recall the memories of queer protests and movements, of queer dance spaces, and the connections between them. From the beginning, he knew he’d incorporate protest signs to talk about the intersection of politics and pleasure, but he thought the signs would look “quaint,” maybe “out of step.” At least, he hoped.
“I didn’t know that it would also be showing up in the streets,” he says. “I thought it would kind of feel historical. … I really didn’t think that this would be the current political situation.”
As his process deepened and the new presidential administration took over, Parsons, absorbed in the history through which he planned to view queer pleasure and politics — from Stonewall in 1969 to the Pulse nightclub shooting in 2016 to Memphis’ own queer dance scene — saw, un inchingly, past and present colliding in a mirroring timeline. He saw how pleasure and joy always existed even in the most dire of circumstances. “Part of what the show became for me as I was working on it, and what I hope people get out of it, is that even though the world is sort of on re, it’s still okay to nd pleasure and to love other people, and to have all of the goodness in the world, even as so much of the world is hurting and there’s so much that needs to change.”
Parsons thought back to queer activists in the ’90s. “ ey would say, ‘We would go to a funeral in the morning to bury our friends who had died of AIDS. We’d go to a protest in the a ernoon, and then we’d go out dancing at night, and that was a typical Saturday.’”
Rapture” leads to “Ecstasy A ers,” where the party is over and the confetti has fallen.
seeing those shapes or forms or ideas duplicated in these dance oor photos, so it made a lot of sense to kind of bring those in an explicit way.”
Stained glass, too, with all its religious connotations, appears in the show, making it Parsons’ rst show in Memphis to contain the form. “I just started combining [enamel] with stained glass [about a year ago],” Parsons says. “I’m slowly working my way through di erent glass techniques and seeing what I can do. And I always like to do it wrong, like I do it all incorrectly. I teach myself. I watch all these videos and people say, ‘Oh, you can’t do this.’ And I’m like, ‘Well, let me try it.’ ere’s all kinds of stu in the show that shouldn’t really work, that I just didn’t know better than to not try it, which is also, to me, a way of being queer in the process. …
a lover … con ating the political and the intimate.”
With that in mind, the artist created a ctitious “Club Rapture” in the gallery space for such a scene — or, really, any club experience — to take place. Tucked away in the corner are those protest signs the club-goers have put aside to party — these with lyrics from the unofcial AIDS anthem “Don’t Leave Me is Way” by elma Houston. With messages like “Set Me Free” and “I Can’t Exist,” Parsons says, “ e idea is that the signs could be directed at the country or
For another moment of con ating the intimate with the political, Parsons created State of Union, a clouded restroom mirror with “for a good time call” scrawled on with bright red lipstick or marker. A phone number when dialled leads to a voice message that could be le for the state or a lover: “I don’t think we want the same things. … I revolt. It’s still love.” Meanwhile, “Don’t Leave Me is Way” plays in the background as if the voice on the phone is lost at Club Rapture, the music blaring.
e name Club Rapture, Parson says, is a nod to the “rapturous experience
of being with people on the dance oor and being in community and nding pleasure.” It’s also tied to the religious symbolism and language he employs throughout the show. “I was thinking about those clubs as a kind of sacred space,” he says. “I’m thinking about how these clubs are almost like cathedrals. It’s a place where people nd communion.”
Some of his works are direct references to religious works, like Rubens’ Descent from the Cross and da Vinci’s Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian. “I started to see these sort of visual rhymes between these religious images that were o en about these moments of intensity, like grief or death or rebirth, and then
“And I like how it’s so beautiful, but it’s also really fragile. It’s super archival; it will last pretty much forever. But then one wrong move, and it could shatter on the oor. I like all those tensions.”
ese tensions, Parsons adds, also carry in a motif of roses — a symbol of love and a ection, but also of memorials. In Parsons’ work, the rose o en takes the place of the gure, and in this show, a line of glass roses wait under a “no cover” banner to get into Club Rapture. “It’s also like a memorial that reminds you of images of Pulse nightclub a er the shooting. And so I’m trying to combine those images of love and a ection and exuberance with grief and mourning, trying to layer those things together as much as I can because that’s my experience with the world right now.”
As these tensions and more are revealed, what’s le is what Parsons calls the “Ecstasy A ers” — “the idea of what happens when you leave the club, that kind of cold blue light of morning coming in as you stumble out [and] head back out into the world.”
“We all feel, on some level, tired and defeated and scared, but then, what we have is each other, and we have a moment where we can dance and look each other in the eyes and experience joy in a communal way. Maybe that’ll get us through, and maybe that’s worth ghting for. But yeah, there’s a lot of ambivalence.”
“Club Rapture and the Ecstasy A ers” is on display at Sheet Cake Gallery through May 17th.
PHOTO: COURTESY JOEL PARSONS “Club
The
Tailored pilates classes and privates for all levels from friendly, certified instructors in our beautiful new Ballet Memphis midtown location. balletmemphis.org/pilates-wellness
NEWS OF THE WEIRD
By the editors at Andrews McMeel Syndication
Spring Breakers
One spring breaker got more than he bargained for when he got into a fight with Jack Turner, 18, of Fort Myers, Florida. The Smoking Gun reported that on March 17, a sheriff’s deputy was patrolling Fort Myers Beach when he was “flagged down” about an altercation. As Turner and Juwan Black tussled in the sand, police said, Turner “pulled Black’s head upward as he brought his face toward the left side of Black’s head.” That’s when Turner bit off Black’s ear. Black was taken to the hospital for treatment; Turner was arrested for felony battery and posted $50,000 bond. Turner applied for a public defender, saying he has no income and that his bond was posted by his family. His home is a three-bedroom house in Fort Myers purchased by his parents in 2018.
Least Competent Criminal
On March 18, as Ellen Schapps Richman, 76, drove her Mercedes SUV to a golf lesson at Palm Beach Country Club, she had a vague sense that she had hit something — maybe a piece of “debris” in the road. The Palm Beach Daily News reported that actually, Richman allegedly hit a bicyclist, 63, and then continued on, dragging him and his bike a short distance down the road. When Richman arrived at the club, she handed her car keys to a valet and told him she thought the damage to her car was from something she hit, police said. The cyclist, meanwhile, had “massive” injuries to his left leg and was transported to a hospital. Richman, an area philanthropist and adjunct professor of business at Columbia Business School, has been ordered by Circuit Judge Donald Hafele not to drive. She faces a charge of leaving the scene of a crash involving death or injuries.
Don’t Try This at Home
The Daily Express reported that a couple in Jilin, China, were forced to visit a hospital on March 18 after the woman’s hand became stuck in her boyfriend’s mouth. They were testing whether her hand would fit in his mouth when the muscles in his mouth spasmed, preventing her from pulling her hand out. The man’s face turned red and he began salivating,
and his teeth were clamped down on her hand. “It felt like my hand was stuck in a meat grinder,” she said. At the hospital, doctors administered muscle relaxants to the man, and after about 20 minutes, the woman was able to remove her hand.
Awesome!
Paul Broome, 55, of Bognor, England, specified in his will that he wanted to be buried in a Snickers bar-themed coffin, NDTV reported on March 24. So when he passed on, his family got to work. Broome was a care assistant for adults with learning disabilities and a big fan of the chocolate bar and the Crystal Palace FC. His coffin, which was painted to look like a half-unwrapped Snickers, also said “I’m nuts” on the side and featured the football club’s logo. “Paul’s family informed us that he was one of life’s true characters, and his farewell needed to reflect that,” said Ali Leggo of FA Holland Funeralcare.
Latest Religious Message
Senior adviser to the White House Faith Office Paula White-Cain had a Passover deal for you, Raw Story reported on March 24, but only if you sent her $1,000 before Easter. With that donation, she promised, you’d receive seven “Blessings of Passover,” which included an angel assigned to you by God, long life, “an increase for inheritance,” and a special year of blessing. “You’re not doing this to get something,” she clarified on a video, “but you’re doing it in honor of God, realizing what you can receive.” One featured gift was a 10-inch-tall Waterford crystal cross (retail, $100, but on sale at Waterford.com for 30 percent off). Nine years ago, WhiteCain sold a rock for $1,144 that she billed as a “resurrection seed.”
Send your weird news items with subject line WEIRD NEWS to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com.
NEWS OF THE WEIRD © 2025 Andrews McMeel Syndication. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Just for now, you might benefit from moderating your intensity. I am pleased to see how much good stuff you have generated lately, but it may be time to scale back a bit. At least consider the possibility of pursuing modest, sustainable production rather than daring to indulge in spectacular bursts of energy. In conclusion, dear Aries, the coming days will be a favorable time for finding the sweet spot between driving ambition and practical self-care. Your natural radiance won’t have to burn at maximum brightness to be effective.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini photographer Margaret Bourke-White (1904–1971) was a trailblazer. She was the first American woman war photojournalist, the first professional photographer permitted into the Soviet Union, and among the first to photograph a Nazi concentration camp. She was consistently at the right place at the right time to record key historical moments. She’s your role model in the coming months. You, too, will have a knack for being in the right place and time to experience weighty turning points. Be vigilant for such opportunities. Be alert and ready to gracefully pounce.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): “Each negative word in a news headline increases click-through rates,” writes Joan Westenberg. “Negative political posts on social media get twice the engagement. The system rewards pessimism.” She wants to be clear: “Doomsayers aren’t necessarily wrong. Many concerns are valid. But they’ve built an attention economy that profits from perpetual panic. It’s a challenge to distinguish between actionable information and algorithmic amplification, genuine concern and manufactured outrage.” Westenberg’s excellent points are true for all of us. But it’s especially important that you Cancerians take measures to protect yourself now. For the sake of your mental and physical health, you need extra high doses of optimism, hope, and compassion. Seek out tales of triumph, liberation, pleasure, and ingenuity far more than tales of affliction, mayhem, and corruption.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Bees are smart. The robust and lightweight honeycombs they create for their homes are designed with high efficiency, maximizing storage space while using the least amount of resources. Let’s make the bees’ genius your inspirational role model for the coming weeks, Leo. It will be a favorable time to optimize your own routines and systems. Where can you reduce unnecessary effort and create more efficiency? Whether it’s refining your schedule, streamlining a project, or organizing your workspace, small adjustments will yield pleasing rewards.
By Rob Brezsny
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In 1971, Virgo poet Kay Ryan began teaching English at a small community college. Though she wrote steadily, working hard to improve her craft and publish books, she never promoted herself. For years, she was virtually unknown. Finally, in 2008, she flamed into prominence. In quick succession, she served as the U.S. Poet Laureate, won a Pulitzer Prize, and received a $500,000 “genius grant” as a MacArthur Fellow. Why am I telling you about her long toil before getting her rightful honors? Because I believe that if you are ever going to receive the acclaim, recognition, appreciation, and full respect you deserve, it will happen in the coming months.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Libran author Diane Ackerman combines an elegant poetic sensibility and a deft skill at scientific observation. She is lyrical and precise, imaginative and logical, inventive and factual. I would love for you to be inspired by her example in the coming weeks. Your greatest success and pleasure will arise as you blend creativity with pragmatism. You will make good decisions as you focus on both the big picture and the intimate details. PS: If you immerse yourself in the natural world and seek out sensory-rich experiences, I bet you will inspire a smart solution to an achy dilemma.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scorpioborn Sabina Spielrein (1885–1942) was one of the earliest woman psychoanalysts. In the 21st century, she is increasingly recognized as a great thinker who got marginalized because of her feminist approach to psychology. Several of her big contributions were Scorpionic to the core: She observed how breakdown can lead to breakthrough, how most transformations require the death of an old form, and how dissolution often serves creation. These will be useful themes for you to ruminate about in the coming weeks. For best results, be your deep, true, Scorpio self.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In the middle of his art career, Sagittarian painter Paul Klee (1879–1940) was drafted into the German army as a soldier in World War I. Rather than fighting on the front lines, he managed to get a job painting camouflage on military airplanes. This enabled him to conduct artistic explorations and experiments. The metal hulls became his canvases. I am predicting a comparable opportunity disguised as an obstacle for you, Sagittarius. Just as the apparent constraint on Klee actually advanced his artistic development, you will discover luck in unexpected places.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “To live is so startling it leaves little time for anything else,” wrote poet Emily Dickinson. I often feel that truth. As much as I would love to devote 70-plus hours a week
TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
Classical ballet dancers often seek to convey the illusion of weightlessness through highly stylized movements. Innovative Taurus choreographer Martha Graham had a different aim, emphasizing groundedness. Emotional depth and rooted physicality were crucial to her art of movement. “The body never lies” is a motto attributed to her, along with “Don’t be nice; be real.” I recommend you make those themes your guides for now, Taurus. Ask your body to reveal truths unavailable to your rational mind. Value raw honesty and unembellished authenticity over mere decorum.
to creative writing and making music, I am continually diverted by the endless surprises of the daily rhythm. One of these weeks, maybe I’ll be brave enough to simply give myself unconditionally to ordinary life’s startling flow and forget about trying to accomplish anything great. If you have ever felt a similar pull, Capricorn, the coming days will be prime time to indulge. There will be no karmic cost incurred.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): David Bowie was a brilliant musical composer and performer. His artistry extended to how he crafted his persona. He was constantly revising and reshaping his identity, his appearance, and his style. The Ziggy Stardust character he portrayed on stage, for example, had little in common with his later phase as the Thin White Duke. “I’ve always collected personalities,” he quipped. If you have ever felt an inclination to experiment with your image and identity, Aquarius, the coming weeks will be an excellent time. Shape-shifting could be fun and productive. Transforming your outer style may generate interesting inner growth. What would be interesting ways to play with your self-expression?
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The Voynich manuscript is a famous text written in an unfamiliar script filled with bizarre illustrations. Carbon-dated to the early 15th century, it has resisted all attempts at deciphering its content. Even artificial intelligence has not penetrated its meaning. I propose we make this enigmatic document an iconic metaphor for your life in the coming weeks. It will symbolize the power you can generate by celebrating and honoring mystery. It will affirm the fact that you don’t necessarily require logical explanations but can instead appreciate the beauty of the unknown. Your natural comfort with ambiguity will be a potent asset, enabling you to work effectively with situations others find too uncertain.
STAY IN THE LOOP
THE LAST WORD By Dana
Fuchs
Turn Away No More
We need to prioritize animal welfare.
e most grueling aspect of writing about animal cruelty is having to watch haunting videos of creatures who possess unconditional love being tormented by human beings who do not appear to have a conscience. (Trigger warning: is piece describes one of said videos.)
Last month, a distressing video — that nearly all media outlets wrongly refused to show in its entirety due to its disturbing content — showed a terri ed dog in Memphis being dragged like old furniture, beat, and then thrown o a bridge. e perpetrator was unsuccessful in killing the dog during his rst attempt, so he repeated his actions. e second time, the helpless creature nose-dived from the bridge to the pavement and died. e coward ran away.
Christopher Triplett was arrested and charged with aggravated animal cruelty for allegedly committing this crime. According to animal advocate and social media in uencer Paul Mueller, the precious canine’s body was not picked up for ve days. Five days.
is may seem like a trivial detail. Yet it is the nuances in how city ofcials and/or police o cers handle a traumatic event which reveal their level of compassion or detachment. And it gives people a glimpse of the level of advocacy or apathy of its citizens — by how they react.
is, coupled with the high kill rate of adoptable pets at Memphis Animal Services (MAS) — where, in March, 88 dogs aged 0 to 5 months were killed, according to their own statistics — indicates that those in power in Memphis do not prioritize animal welfare.
Animal cruelty is on the rise in many states. In Tennessee, there was a 40 percent increase in animal cruelty from 2020 to 2022, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, as covered by WKRN. One of the reasons for this animal abuse crime wave in the Volunteer State (and others) is because people who torture animals rarely receive a sentence that directly correlates to the level of cruelty they in ict.
An outlier to this enabling of animal abuse — by lawmakers and judges across our country — happened in a small Texas town, as reported by CBS News. A truly honorable judge and two juries sentenced a man who tortured and/or killed kittens to a 40-year prison sentence.
Christopher Triplett is presumed innocent. But if a court of law convicts him of the aggravated animal cruelty that he is alleged to have committed, he needs to receive the maximum sentence and intensive rehabilitation for the entire length of his sentence, and should never be permitted to own an animal for the rest of his life. e maverick Texas judge and juries in the kitten abuse cases had something within themselves that far too many lawmakers and judges lack — empathy for animal victims. ey also understood that animals feel a mental and physical anguish similar to what human torture victims experience.
Animal cruelty is a “co-occurring crime with violence against
Memphis politicians can improve animal welfare in Tennessee with three interventions. First, by increasing the six-year maximum penalty for aggravated animal cruelty. Next, by implementing a no-kill animal shelter system. Last, by creating an animal cruelty task force. Doing so would not only protect defenseless animals but human beings as well. How so?
In an article on the FBI’s website regarding the connection between animal abuse and crimes against people, the author states, “Historically, animal cruelty has been considered an isolated issue, but recent research shows a well-documented link that it is a predictive or co-occurring crime with violence against humans.”
Dogs are forced to put their lives in danger (willingly) to protect the lives of police o cers, soldiers, and citizens. ey also help countless Americans heal or nd some semblance of closure in tragedy. Yet when canines need these same people to have their back, the two-leggeds o en turn away.
I take great care when writing about a speci c animal cruelty case to use the pet’s name o en to honor their life. It saddened me that I couldn’t nd out the name of the dog who was twice thrown over a bridge. Yet I realized that is a painful metaphor for the plight of so many Memphis dogs. Memphis, turn away no more.
Dana Fuchs is a writer and animal advocate living in New York. She can be reached at animalwriter25@mail.com.
PHOTO: STEPHANIE ZIEBER | DREAMSTIME.COM
humans.”