RIVER OF TRASH
Plastic chokes the Mississippi and the Gulf, but work is underway by the U.N., along the river, and in
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4
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We saw two murders last week. It was inescapable for those of us online. The unprovoked stabbing attack on 23-year-old Ukranian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a light rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the shooting on a Utah college campus of right-wing personality Charlie Kirk came across our screens unannounced. You can’t unsee the confused despair on the face of the young woman in her last moments; the blood gushing from the Kirk’s neck as an audience looked on. I did not want to see that. I’m sure you did not want to see that. And I can’t help but think of the youth who watched these public executions on their phones. According to the Pew Research Center, nearly all teens today (95 percent) report having access to a smartphone, up from 73 percent in 2014-15. And 96 percent of U.S. teens say they use the internet every day. Not only are these youth exposed to potential harmful content on a regular basis, horrifying and numbing them perhaps in equal parts; they’ve lived through some of the most chaotic and bleak times in recent history. These children grew up during the Covid pandemic — lockdowns, remote schooling, little-to-no socialization for over a year — and alongside the ever-changing technology landscape that keeps them glued to one device or another, almost entirely disconnecting them from nature and societal norms. Besides the fact that our minds were not made to evolve to such rapid change so quickly — an unendening onslaught of information and notifications and apps and scroll, scroll, scroll — they’ve not experienced the now-lost essence of humanity. Before we celebrated murder. When we took care of — or at least cared about — our communities and neighbors. When we didn’t stare at screens all day. When we went outside.
These damn phones, and the proliferation of AI, have also created a phenomenon called “brain rot.” Of course this somehow was dubbed The Oxford University Press 2024 Word of the Year — sigh — and means, essentially, that we’re all getting dumber from overconsuming useless online content. You either have brain rot or are viewing brain rot material. (But we love those cute kitten videos! Watching someone clean a rug is so satisfying! Did you see that guy give a stranger $100 — totally not staged!)
It’s worth mentioning, too, that according to the Nation’s Report Card from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) released this month, only 35 percent of U.S. 12th graders met the proficient level in reading. The most recent Memphis-Shelby County Schools data showed the reading proficiency for 12th graders here was 17 percent in 2022-2023. We’ve shown them murder, police violence, political unrest, war — an increasingly dysfunctional world on view at their fingertips — and on top of that, we’re not even sending them into adulthood fully literate.
A recent Atlantic story: “College Students Have Already Changed Forever: Members of the class of 2026 have had access to AI since they were freshmen. Almost all of them are using it to do their work.” Another from Economist: “The middle-aged are no longer the most miserable —Youth used to be cheerful. No more.”
Somehow this all fits together. We have poorly educated and confused youth who have never been set up for success. It’s nearly impossible for those venturing off to college to do it on their own. Education, food, and housing costs have skyrocketed beyond feasibility. Jobs aren’t paying, or even hiring in some cases. Wages are so low and cost of living is so high, it’s becoming impossible to live a balanced life. And so, here are our future leaders, damaged from isolation and being constantly online, disheartened by our heartless and hard society. A mostly miserable generation, with anxiety and depression among youth higher than it’s ever been.
Maybe one of these kids’ Hispanic classmates hasn’t been to school in a while. Maybe they heard their parents praising the assassination of a person who believed differently than them. Maybe they’ve seen their gay uncle endure hate. Maybe they’re not taught the difference between right and wrong. Maybe they haven’t the first clue how to make it in this broken world. Maybe they are afraid.
And soon they’ll see the troops come into our city, armed guards and military tanks on our streets — for good or bad — another historic event they didn’t ask for, another potential upending. The kids are not alright, it seems. And I ache for the “normal” lives that have been stripped from them.
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THE fly-by
MEM ernet
Memphis on the internet.
NATIONAL GUARD
e MEMernet braced for impact last week a er President Donald Trump announced he would send in the National Guard to ght crime here.
e arrival time of troops to Memphis was not public as of press time. But Trump took a preemptive victory lap Saturday in a Truth Social post that was tweeted by the White House Rapid Response team.
“ e only reason crime is somewhat down in Memphis is because the FBI, and others in the federal government, at my direction, have been working there for 5 months - on the absolutely terrible crime numbers,” Trump posted.
“Memphis is ready to support the troops!” u/ DaveLambert said in the Memphis subreddit.
e widely shared sign for e Pony read, “National Guard get in 4 free.”
CHARLIE KIRK
“Some 2,000 turned out tonight in Collierville, Tennessee, to honor Charlie [Kirk],” conservative commentator Todd Starnes tweeted Sunday.
Questions, Answers + Attitude
Edited by Toby Sells
{WEEK THAT WAS
By Flyer staff
National Guard, Pride, & Wetlands
Troops headed here, Pride turns 50, and the state protects habitat along the Hatchie River.
PRIDE AT 50
Mid-South Pride celebrated the 50th Memphis Pride Festival last weekend at Overton Park.
e festival was originally scheduled for June but was canceled due to weather conditions. Initially slated for Downtown Memphis, organizers said the new location was “rooted in community spirit and surrounded by the heart of Memphis.”
WETLANDS PROTECTED
e Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is potentially a few months away from purchasing about 7,500 acres of land along the Hatchie River for conservation and outdoor recreation.
e property spans Haywood, Hardeman, and Madison counties in West Tennessee and includes ecologically valuable wetlands marked as a priority for conservation.
“ is acquisition will secure the protection of sensitive wetlands and unique wildlife habitat while adding a large amount of huntable land,” according to information presented to the State Building Commissions’ executive subcommittee.
NATIONAL GUARD
President Donald Trump and Tennessee Governor Bill Lee con rmed last week they plan to send National Guard troops to Memphis to ght crime.
Memphis Mayor Paul Young said in a news conference last week that he does not think the National Guard’s presence in Memphis will drive down crime. However, he said he is committed to utilizing the resources to “strengthen the community.”
“I did not ask for the National Guard,” Young said last week. “However, that decision has been made, and as mayor of the city that I love, my commitment is to make sure we work strategically to ensure that this happens in a way that truly bene ts and strengthens our community.”
Young also said Trump’s comments to Fox News that the mayor was “happy” about the decision were an “overstatement.”
e mayor said the city is not sure how long the guard
will be deployed, how many individuals will come, or how long they will be stationed in Memphis. But Young did say that their presence would be “short-term.”
“ is is not happening tomorrow,” Young said.
City o cials were also unsure how troops will be used and where the they will be dispersed.
“Today, President Trump answered my call to do whatever it takes to Make Memphis Safe Again,” U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) said of the news.
State Senator London Lamar (D-Memphis) condemned the decision, calling it a “Band-Aid.”
“When the troops leave, crime issues will come right back because Trump is choosing cheap political theater over the hard work of strengthening a community. Memphis is not a war zone — it’s a city making progress,” she said.
U.S. Representative Steve Cohen (D-9) said D.C. has been his second home for 19 years.
“I do not perceive any change in the level of safety since Trump’s deployment of the National Guard in D.C.,” Cohen said.
Instead of troops, Cohen pushed for “consistent federal investment in police protection with additional, permanent patrols and community policing to establish relationships.” Also, he pushed for programs like the Minority Business Development Center to help families out of poverty.
Tennessee Lookout contributed to this report.
Visit the News Blog at memphis yer.com for fuller versions of these stories and more local news.
PHOTO: KAILYNN JOHNSON
Memphis Mayor Paul Young said at a press conference last Friday that the Guard’s deployment is part of a decision by Bill Lee and Donald Trump in hopes of reducing crime.
FRIDAY OCT 10
FedEx Event Center at Shelby Farms
Join us for a fantastic evening of great tastes and great fun, bringing together bourbon and whiskey distillers from around the region PLUS great bites from some of your favorite local restaurants! VIP Admission starts at 5pm, GA at 6pm.
from
TICKETS AND MORE INFO
Fair Streets { Q&A
Jackson McNeil, Street Fair
Street Fair now steers Innovate Memphis’ former Commute Options agency with an eye on improving transit.
new transportation advocacy initiative seeks to expand knowledge and access to mobility options in Memphis.
Street Fair, a program of Innovate Memphis, advocates for safe streets, connected neighborhoods, and reliable and a ordable transportation options for everyone Jackson McNeil, transportation and mobility director at Innovate Memphis, said the group operated a program for the last 10 years called Commute Options. e program encouraged citizens to make “behavioral changes regarding their transportation choices” such as carpooling, biking, walking, and more.
COURTESY STREET FAIR
PHOTO:
e group urges Memphians to think beyond cars.
“What we quickly realized is that it’s really hard to convince people to take some of those other options if they don’t feel like it’s safe and convenient,” McNeil said. “Folks are stuck with typically one good option if they’re fortunate, and that’s driving a car.”
“[It’s] hard to convince people to take some of those other options if they don’t feel like it’s safe and convenient.”
Memphis Flyer: How do you plan on engaging communities in conversations to see what they need?
But driving a car comes with its own risks, McNeil said; it’s one of the most dangerous activities that people do on a regular basis. Memphis’ high fatal crash rate further complicates this option, along with the city’s poverty rate and the increasing average cost of owning a vehicle.
e Flyer spoke with McNeil about transportation options, community outreach, and more. — Kailynn Johnson
Jackson McNeil: We have a steering committee made up of lots of folks from the nonpro t sector that represent lots of di erent communities — the disability community and di erent neighborhood organizations. We don’t plan or intend to walk into any neighborhood in Memphis and claim to have all the answers. We want to be someone that listens, understands, and can also connect people to the resources and education and let folks know about
things they may not have access to or awareness of.
Could you talk a bit more about how having better transportation can help remedy other issues in the city? Solving some of our big transportation issues could have an impact on lots of the challenges we experience in Memphis. e irony in Memphis is that we’re home to FedEx, this incredible Fortune 500 company that can put a package in Hong Kong in less than 24 hours, but we struggle to get people to that facility to work and get that pack-
age to Hong Kong in less than a day.
We have a lot of knowledge and resources here — I think it’s really about aligning those resources, trying to build a strong message and voice for transportation that serves people and not just cars and getting boxes across the region.
Do you all foresee working with other advocacy groups that deal with MATA (Memphis Area Transit Authority) to improve the bus transit system?
For sure. I’m actually one of the board members who just recently resigned. I am excited to pursue new opportunities to improve public transit. I have worked with advocates over the past few years on transit-related issues and so they’re a part of this ongoing conversation.
Frankly, I think our work has been more on safety, partly because we have existing advocacy organizations that have been doing the Lord’s work for transit for a while, and we don’t claim to be introducing that to the city. We feel like there is a gap in the ecosystem for advocating for safer and more a ordable transportation options, but transit plays a huge role in that.
If we don’t have a strong public transit system in Memphis, we don’t have a strong transportation ecosystem in the city. Not everyone is going to ride the bus, but it has to be an option for those who want it or need it.
THE BUFFALO RUN
5K + 15K
PRESENTE D B Y
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
S C AN TO RE G IS T ER !
POLITICS By Jackson Baker
Anticipation
We all want to know how this National Guard thing comes out.
So we are settling in for an invasion: a real old-fashioned invasion with boots on the ground, ri es at the ready, heavy weapons, barricades in the streets, all of that. Courtesy of both the state and the feds, and the main quali ers are — what?
mentioned, too: Memphis Mayor Young, who keeps looking, in his wellintentioned way, for a policy balance that may not be there, and County Mayor Harris, who is building on the earlier bold bids of his second term to organize resistance to what he and others see as a brazen occupation and a potentially lethal challenge to home rule.
Justin J. Pearson, he of the golden tongue, is in that choir, as are county mayor candidate JB Smiley Jr. and Councilwoman/Tennessee gubernatorial candidate Jerri Green, and many more are tuning up for a resistance chorus, even as we speak.
at we are a crime-ridden city — as declared by whom and how? ere is a well-known dichotomy on the matter, reminiscent of the one that prevailed in the nation last year, regarding in ation. Various o cialdoms provide us with stats that show reassuring rates of decline in major crimes, while the streets themselves, stoked with both urban legends and outright horrors, still seethe with fear and foreboding.
That we are a “blue” city in a “red” state and ripe for picking thereby? Just how does this work when Mayor Paul Young, like Mayor Jim Strickland before him, like Mayor AC Wharton before him — minimal Democrats at best — earned their offices with across-the-board constituencies in nonpartisan elections?
( at issue, to be sure, is complicated by the fact of Shelby County’s dual governmental system, which these days has generated partisan elections and produces overtly Democratic county mayors, Lee Harris being the current one.)
Whatever. Trump and the state GOP majority are undeterred by nuance. ere’s enough of a red-versus-blue scenario here to suit the president’s Memphis Justice Task Force. Just dandy. e president will get his show of virtue, the governor will get his vengeance against local-option sco aws, and state Senator Brent Taylor will get one more opportunity to beat on the bass drum of his Make Memphis Matter project. Maybe this time in tandem with Marsha, Marsha, his new comrade-at-arms. e other guys should be
Others, like city council chair Ford Canale and the venerable Congressman Steve Cohen are looking, not passively but cautiously, into their crystal balls and envisioning more Gandhi-like strategies that can generate unexpected outcomes, more of use to the occupied than to the occupier.
And me, too.
I am just now undergoing a term in the hospital which, all evidence suggests, will reach its conclusion at just about the time that things come to a head out there in greater Mempho. And I, too, am trying to anticipate the particulars and guess at the various outcomes.
Foot patrols on Beale Street? Reveille at Tom Lee? Hikes down Union Avenue? Anything happening at the Liberty Bowl? And what’s the plan for that sprawling collective of underserved neighborhoods all around and about us that we call the ’Hood?
Francis Scott Key wants to know. And, if it comes down to bombs bursting in air, God help us.
PHOTO: OASISAMUEL | DREAMSTIME.COM A real, old-fashioned invasion with boots on the ground
Kabuki Theater
Tin soldiers and Nixon’s
Donald Trump had been threatening to send National Guard troops into Chicago for weeks, but got sti resistance from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and from that city’s elected ofcials. Pritzker refused to cede control of the Illinois National Guard, and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order that banned masks for any law enforcement operating in the city. e order also required badges and “identifying information” on uniforms.
Deciding discretion was the better part of, well, something, Trump looked around and saw Governor Bill Lee jumping up and down in the middle of the country, waving his hand and going, “Pick me! Pick me!! Let’s send troops to Memphis!”
If there’s anything Trump knows, it’s a good yes-man when he sees one, and a blue city in a red state was an attractive lure. He’d get cooperation from the governor and could screw over a Democratic leader and his blue city in the process. Memphis Mayor Paul Young, who also chose discretion over, well, something, said that since the decision had been made, he would work with the president and governor, “to strategize on how [the Guard] can engage in this community.”
And so here we are.
What will a National Guard presence in Memphis mean? In the long run, not much, if Los Angeles’ and Washington, D.C.’s experiences are any guide. In D.C., for example, the National Guard stood around 10 Metrorail stations, patrolled the National Mall and other tourist sites, and eventually, some of them were put to work doing park maintenance and lawn care. It was mulch ado about nothing. Most didn’t carry rearms and they were not empow-
ered to make arrests, though the Guard did detain some individuals for police.
I expect in Memphis we will see National Guardsmen patrolling Beale Street and Downtown, Overton Square, CooperYoung, and other high-visibility tourist areas. I don’t think they’ll be walking the streets of Klondike, Orange Mound, Parkway Village, or Frayser, where they’re more likely to encounter crime. And I think they’ll be here for 29 days, just as they were in D.C. and Los Angeles. at’s so the federal government can avoid paying certain bene ts that go into e ect a er 30 days, such as full housing allowances and health insurance — because Trump is all about supporting the troops, right?
Maybe it will help if we think of the National Guard presence in Memphis as a 29-day run for a play at e Orpheum. It’s theater. It’s a diversion. It’s something to keep people in the media from saying or writing the words “Je rey Epstein.”
On a more ominous note, the National Guard presence here will also likely serve as cover for increased ICE operations, meaning a larger presence of masked, badge-less “o cers” racially pro ling Hispanics and pulling them o the street and from their jobs, schools, and houses. Chicago o cials had the right idea about prohibiting police from wearing masks. Masks make it easier for law enforcement o cers to act with impunity and make them less likely to be held accountable for their actions. Masks undermine trust between police and the people they’re supposed to serve, especially those in vulnerable communities. Masks are a tool of a secret police, not a legitimate law enforcement operation. It’s another show — a tragic farce, in this case — put on for the MAGA believers.
And none of this Trump theater — the National Guard or the masked ICE o cers — is about “ ghting crime.” Yes, Memphis has a crime problem. It’s not a secret. Most metrics have the city ranked in the top- ve worst crime cities in America. But it’s not going to go away because some poor schmucks from around the country wearing National Guard uniforms stroll the streets for a month, or because a large force of masked men starts kidnapping people, without making arrests. When this is all over, when the interlopers leave, Memphis will still be here, and it will still be a city with too many people living in poverty and su ering from all the fallout that comes with that: inferior housing, poor education, lack of job skills, hunger, and, yes, crime. In the meantime, try to avoid the theater because that’s all it is.
PHOTO: FEDECANDONIPHOTO | DREAMSTIME.COM National Mall in Washington, D.C.
coming …
COVER STORY By Toby Sells
RIVER OF TRASH
Plastic chokes the Mississippi and the Gulf, but work is underway by the U.N., along the river, and in Memphis.
“Filthy” best described this Memphis bank of the Mississippi River.
Potato chip bags, Gatorade bottles, cigar wrappers, Solo cups, airplane bottles of every liquor conceivable, a bright-orange Whataburger cup and straw, crushed water bottles, empty containers of Bill Dance live red worms, tires, and scores of empty beer cans — all of that and more choked the roots of a reedy stand of bamboo along the boat ramp.
Litter like this is nothing new for the Riverside Marina at the very edge of Martin Luther King Jr. Riverside Park. e marina on McKellar Lake has looked like this for years.
e best imaginations would be hardpressed to conjure the site as a boating playground paradise for Memphians, as it was in the ’50s and ’60s. Elvis skied in the waters there. e Memphis Ski Club hosted the Miss McKellar Lake contest, a beauty pageant. Memphis Magazine called the “lake” an ”important part of Memphis’ social life.”
Last week, though, the trail of litter followed the boat ramp down into the murky, brown waters of the inlet. e muddy bank past the ramp was a landmine of trash that gave pause for caution, not knowing exactly what you might step on and to wonder if you wore the right shoes.
Rubber gloves, rubber hoses, empty jugs of antifreeze, dried and browned sh corpses, and those ubiquitous clear water bottles carpeted the bank. It wasn’t enough, though, to discourage two women from lugging chairs, coolers, poles, and tackle down there for a morning of shing.
Trash — especially plastic trash — is commonplace up and down the Mississippi. It’s not just a McKellar Lake problem or Memphis problem. Plastic trash is not even just a Mississippi River or America problem. Plastic trash in rivers is a global problem big enough to capture the time and attention of a committee from the United Nations (U.N.).
Litter along the Riverside Marina
e stakes are high. Plastic trash is more than just an eyesore. It can leach chemicals into the water, possibly fouling drinking water. It can destroy freshwater habitats of wildlife. It can end up in the bellies of sh and other aquatic animals and, possibly, reach humans. Trash can most certainly end up on the banks and beaches where humans might want to play or relax.
So much of that trash, too, ows into oceans around the world. e U.N. projects that the Mississippi alone dumps one
PHOTO: TOBY SELLS
NOAA/NATIONAL CENTERS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION Microplastics along the tail end of the Mississippi River as it ows through Baton Rouge, through New Orleans, and into the Gulf of Mexico.
THE MISSISSIPPI ALONE DUMPS ONE GARBAGE-TRUCK-LOAD OF PLASTIC INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO EVERY SINGLE MINUTE.
garbage-truck-load of plastic into the Gulf of Mexico every single minute.
Global talks continue on a formal agreement on the plastic problem from the U.N., which could shape the future of plastic everywhere. Along the Mississippi, a group of mayors from up and down the river are pushing for a solution that could help clean up our trashstrewn banks. Here, Clean Memphis just nished up a three-year project to reduce consumer reliance on those ubiquitous plastic water bottles.
Scope of the Mississippi
Imagine the middle part of America as a bathroom sink. e top of the sink extends from the Rockies in western Montana to the Alleghenies in western New York. Inside the sink, water ows from rivers and tributaries from 31 states and two Canadian provinces — an area of about 1.2 million square miles, according to the National Park Service.
Anytime a deckhand tosses a cigarette butt, a sherman leaves a Coke bottle, or a picnicker leaves a grocery bag of trash along the river, it can end up in the sink. Anytime a Memphian icks a butt from their car or tosses a water bottle to the curb — even in Midtown and beyond — rain-
water washes it into a storm drain where it eventually ends up in the river. is is part of the reason why Memphis storm drains have that warning depicting a sh that reads: “No dumping. Drains to river.” For all of it, though, rainwater or a rising river level can simply pick the trash up and oat it right into the sink.
By the time the Mississippi ows by Memphis, the enormous Missouri and Ohio Rivers have owed into it. at’s already a lot of cigarette butts, Coke bottles, and grocery bags from thousands of tiny acts of littering or even larger acts of dumping. en, the sink really narrows to a drain near Memphis, before collecting the massive Arkansas River south of us.
e drain narrows further and drains more water and trash through Louisiana. At New Orleans, 166 semi-truck trailers of water — and the piles of trash it has collected along the way — pass Algiers Point each second. e Mississippi nally empties into the Gulf about 100 miles south of New Orleans at Venice. at’s the very bottom of that huge sink, which drains about 40 percent of the continental United States. It’s worth repeating that one garbage-truck-load of plastic trash enters that water into the Gulf every minute, according to the U.N.
The micro-plastic problem
Larger pieces of plastics certainly damage marine environments. ey can ood beaches where tourists swim. ey can choke and destroy habitats where wildlife nest, mate, spawn, and eat.
But if you stand at Algiers Point and watch the Mississippi, you won’t see a river of Gatorade bottles or cigarette butts owing by. By then, most of these plastic products have degraded into ne particles — microplastics.
ese particles range in size from 1 micrometer, which you can’t see with the naked eye, to about 5 millimeters, about the size of a sesame seed. So while small sh and birds can’t eat that Bill Dance worm container, they can — and o en do — eat microplastics, sometimes on purpose and sometimes not.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) researchers collected 557 specimens from 35 di erent species from the Gulf in deepwater cruises recently. ey found — again in the deep parts of the Gulf, not around the Mississippi — that 29 percent of crustaceans and 26 percent of sh collected had eaten at least one microplastic particle.
e primary types of microplastics found in their stomachs were small frag-
ments of cellophane, or clear plastic lm o en used in food and cosmetic packaging. Eating plastic particles with sharp edges can tear tissue in animals. ey can also su er chemical contamination from plastic. is can all lead to reduced swimming speed, impaired reproduction rates, increased stress levels, reduced absorption of nutrients, and death, NOAA said.
Back at the Mississippi, another research team found that “river-sourced [microplastics] emerge as dominant contributors to pollution” in the Gulf, according to a study published in the journal Nature last month. In it, researchers with the EuroMediterranean Center on Climate Change (CMCC) pointed speci cally to a spot in the Gulf just west of the Mississippi River Delta as a “prominent accumulation zone.”
Reporter’s note
is may sound similar to the massive “Dead Zone” in the Gulf. In it, most sea life (except jelly sh) cannot survive. is year, NOAA scientists found that the Dead Zone shrunk. It’s now only about the size of Jamaica.
e Dead Zone is directly related to pollution in the Mississippi, too. But it is related to other pollutants in the water, like agricultural chemicals. Microplastics and this nutrient pollution are separate environmental hazards concerning the Mississippi River.
While researchers continue to study microplastic impacts in the Gulf, they’re very sure about the Dead Zone. It has a direct impact on the seafood and tourism industries at a cost of $82 million per year, according to NOAA. e waters in it are also directly toxic to humans and wildlife.
e CMCC researchers said the huge microplastics zone in the Gulf overlaps with “ecologically and economically important marine habitats, including Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, red snapper, and bottlenose dolphins.”
But before you say, “I don’t have time to worry about sea turtles! I don’t even have time to throw my Takis bag into a trash can!,” one researcher warned of a boomerang e ect. Plastics in the ocean pose a threat to human health and food security.
“ e fact that plastic impacts regions of intense shery [which means we’re ingesting some] is o en the best way to activate a policy response or gain public interest,” said Annalisa Bracco, a scientist with the CMCC.
Neither food regulators, researchers, nor the seafood industry have published any hard conclusions about threats posed to humans by microplastics in the ocean or the environment at large. A 2024 report by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said there is “evidence of a widespread occurrence of microplastics” and that the pathways to human consumption are many.
“Understanding if or when environmental exposures [to microplastics] pose a
continued on page 12
PHOTO:
health risk is complicated” by all of the different kinds of microplastics, how they are made, and what they contain, the report says. But the USGS said nding answers to human impacts of consuming microplastics “has become a priority of the federal government, state governments, tribes, stakeholders, and the public.”
Global e orts
Leaders from across the world convened in Geneva last month for the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC). It was the seventh time the group had met since talks began in Senegal in 2022. Since then, sessions have spanned the globe from Uruguay, France, Kenya, Canada, and South Korea.
Each time, the leaders have failed to reach a formal agreement. Last month, the 1,400 delegates from 183 countries once again le the talks without an agreement.
Inger Andersen, executive director of the U.N. Environment Programme, said the group will continue to work against plastic pollution that is in “our groundwater, in our soil, in our rivers, in our oceans and, yes, in our bodies.”
e talks stalled on the issues of limiting plastic production, phasing out toxic chemical additives, and ending the global waste trade, according to the American nonpro t Center for Biological Diversity (CBD). e group said much of the pushback came from oil-producing countries.
Work along the river
e Geneva negotiations included mayors from the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI). at group rst came together in 2012 to harmonize on issues from 124 Mississippi River towns and cities. Since then, the group has grown in power and harmonized louder on issues before state, federal, and international decision-makers.
In Geneva, Bob Gallagher, mayor of Bettendorf, Iowa, suggested making those who make plastic products responsible for cleaning them up, instead of taxpayers.
“Right now, taxpayers are being burdened with managing the cost of recycling and disposal of plastics,” Gallagher said in a statement. “Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy levels the playing eld, reduces local government and taxpayer costs, and drives innovation for streamlined product design and recycling.
“Businesses like Unilever, Nestle, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, SC Johnson, and many others want EPR. is all comes back to saving money and helping people.”
EPR policies have been around for years. U.N. committees have discussed it at length as one possible solution to ght plastic pollution. It’s already at work on other products. In 23 states, manufacturers now pay for the costs of recycling e-waste like televisions, laptops, and tablets, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). In 10 states and
the District of Columbia, manufacturers pay for the cost of paint disposal, according to the NCSL.
Large corporations, like the ones named by Gallagher in his statement, have committed publicly to EPR. However, smaller companies and the industry advocate groups that lobby for them have pushed back against the idea on cost concerns.
Work in Memphis
In 2022, Clean Memphis received a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a campaign called Trash Free Waters. e main aim was to reduce the city’s reliance on one-time-use plastic water bottles by changing consumer behavior. To do this, Clean Memphis’ Choose to Reuse campaign put water bottle re ll stations in Memphis-area schools, parks, and community centers.
e campaign wrapped up in last year.
Nefertiti Orrin, Clean Memphis’ president and CEO, said the group installed 49 water bottle re ll stations across six school campuses, 10 public parks, and ve city of Memphis community centers. Counters on the stations reported that 102,000 plastic water bottles had been saved in one year at the schools alone.
Another part of the Choose to Reuse campaign was an app called Fill It
Forward. It was meant as a sort of social network where members could log bottle re lls and challenge each other. As of last week, users in the Clean Memphis campaign logged 1,583 bottle re lls. at use diverted 44 pounds of waste from waters, nearly nine pounds of waste diverted from oceans, and about 1,430 pounds of CO2 emissions from the air.
Orrin said another important part of the campaign was education and in-school engagement. More than 500 students in Memphis learned why it’s important to reduce the use of singleuse plastics and how plastics can pollute storm water here, then ocean waters via the Mississippi River. is, she said, is an important takeaway for all Memphians.
“[It’s important] to just really understand the impact of the trash at the point of collection and where it actually ends up,” Orrin said. “It’s not just in our community; it ends up in waterways. It gets carried and ends up in our oceans. It’s really harming our marine life and we’re losing biodiversity because of the habits of us as humans.”
Back to the River Bank
In a way, it’s a relief to look at our o enlittered river banks and think that the errant water bottle or cigarette butt may not have come from some disrespectful Memphian. As much as the Mississippi
PHOTO: THE PEW CHARITABLE TRUSTS Pew researchers predict that even with current commitments to reduce plastic waste, about 27 million metric tons will end up in oceans in the year 2040.
has already drained by the time it gets here, that trash could have come from a span of nearly a million miles.
It’s also frustrating to look at that trash and know that it’s not going anywhere soon. e problem is being studied by the U.N. at U.N. ose wheels turn slowly and so many of their resolutions are nonbinding. Another solution is to ask those ultra-wealthy companies that use plastic to clean up a er themselves for millions of dollars they aren’t paying now. at could be an uphill battle.
Alarm bells ring persistently along the Mississippi River and into the Gulf of Mexico. But they go mostly unheeded, it seems.
Take for example that for 40 years now, those NOAA scientists have oated out and studied the Gulf’s Dead Zone. e government even admits the problem puts an $82 million hole in the vital shing and tourism industries each year. But for the last 40 years, the biggest change in the situation has only been the formation of that group of scientists that oat out and study the Dead Zone.
steppin’ out
We Recommend: Culture, News + Reviews
The Fungus Among Us
Jessica Shea’s parents are hippies, she says, so it was only natural for her to dip her toes in the world of psychedelic mushrooms and foraging when she was a teenager. As an adult, she would go on to found Forward Counseling as a licensed clinical and psychedelic assisted therapist, and she’d found the Memphis Mushroom Festival, which a er a year’s hiatus returns this weekend.
“ e purpose of Mushroom Fest is to unite the Mid-South and teach about self-sustainability and health through nature,” Shea says. Historically, the event’s been a ticketed camp-style festival, lasting four nights and three days, but this year, for its fourth annual celebration, it’ll be a free, one-day community extravaganza in Overton Park, done in collaboration with Overton Park Conservancy.
As for the change, Shea says, “ e economy right now is really a problem for a lot of people, and the urgent burden of food costs is really weighing on folks, so our team got together and thought: e purpose of a festival is to educate the public; what is the public need this year? And I did not think they needed to pay ticket fees.”
By Abigail Morici
And so this go-around, the festival, with its mission to establish inclusion and access, will focus on beginner-level classes and workshops led by regional speakers “to teach people the basics of backyard gardening, beekeeping, foraging, and growing their own mushrooms,” Shea says. “Our goals, for this year, are to teach people how to grow their own food, how to forage safely and identify edible plants, how to make herbal medicine at home, and how to build gardens that support pollinators.”
e day will also have a vendors and makers market featuring regional artisans, cooking demos, and eco and wellness activities. Festival-goers are encouraged to bring water bottles, something to sit on, and most importantly, an open mind.
“Just come try it. See how it feels,” Shea says. “A lot of the experiences that we o er are meant to change the way you may feel pretty immediately. So I really just want people to come in and experience what we’re o ering. All they have to do is show up. e experiences, from Reiki to sound baths to chef demos to music, are all going to be there.”
And if you’re in for even more mushroom fun a er the Mushroom Festival, organizers host events, like mycology classes, throughout the year. Visit memphismushroomfest.com for more information and to see a full schedule of the festival’s day.
Memphis Totally Rad Vintage Fest Agricenter International, 7777 Walnut Grove Road, Saturday, September 20, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., $8/ advance, $12/day of, $25/early entry Step into a time warp of style and nostalgia at Totally Rad Vintage Fest. e fest’s totally radical vendors specialize in iconic clothing and accessories from the ’80s, ’90s, and Y2K eras, while also o ering a diverse selection of records, toys, video games, home goods, and more to complete your ultimate nostalgic shopping experience. Unleash your inner gamer at the FreePlay Vintage Arcade, and explore the Rad Rewind Museum with relics from the past. Strike rad poses at the throwback photo ops. Share the memories on social media and let the world know you’re experiencing the raddest event of the year. Get tickets at totallyradvf.com.
Mid-South Balloon Festival Corner of TN-57 and Frazier Road, Rossville, TN, Saturday-Sunday, September 20-21, 3-10 p.m., $15/ adult (advance), $7/children 4-12 years old (advance), $20/adult (day of), $10/children 4-12 years old (day of), free/child under 3 Formerly known as the Collierville Balloon Festival, the Mid-South Balloon Festival features more than 20 vibrant hot air balloons, live entertainment, games, carnival rides, local food, arts and cra s vendors, and fun for the whole family. Enjoy live music, delicious eats from food trucks and local vendors, a kids’ zone, arts and cra s, and fun for all ages.
e Mid-South Balloon Festival will have a limited number of balloon ights available for sale in the early morning around sunrise and early evening.
On both evenings, see the bal-
loon glow, featuring the festival’s balloons lighting the evening sky. Proceeds from the event will support educational programs in the local community. Get ticket at midsouthballoonfest.com.
e Memphis Flyer Best of Memphis 2025
Lo in Yard, 7 West Carolina Avenue, Wednesday, September 24, 5:30-8:30 p.m., $40
Join us for the Best of Memphis 2025 party! Expect live music from Amy Lavere, Will Sexton, and Walrus. Food and drinks will be included. Stop by our sponsor booths for some great giveaways.
Purchase tickets at tinyurl. com/5n8bnamu.
Our Best of Memphis issue comes out next week! Look for it on newsstands and on our website.
MEMPHIS MUSHROOM FESTIVAL, OVERTON PARK, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 9 A.M.-4 P.M., FREE.
PHOTO: COURTESY MEMPHIS MUSHROOM FESTIVAL
At the Memphis Mushroom Festival, you can learn how to forage and identify mushrooms in the wild.
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 18
CHILDREN OF MEN
7:00 PM | CROSSTOWN THEATER
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 19
SAVANNAH
with TONY FISHER
BRISTER
7:30 PM | THE GREEN ROOM
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 21
LARRY & JOE
7:30 PM | THE GREEN ROOM
CROSSTOWN ARTS
1350 CONCOURSE AVE | CROSSTOWNARTS ORG
MUSIC By Michael Donahue
Head Over HEELS
The band is pumped about their new album — and their new bass player.
HEELS has a new album.
And a new set of heels in the band.
The album is We Look Happy Here. And the heels belong to the band’s new bass player Buddy Forbess.
HEELS, which includes Josh McLane on drums and vocals and Brennan Whalen on guitar and vocals, released the album on their Altercation Records label.
“It’s the first time we’ve ever done something and we stepped away and said, ‘This is the best thing we ever did,’” McLane says. “We started out wanting to make the best record we could, and that’s what we did.”
And, he says, “This is, by far, the most fun we ever had in the studio and the least stress we ever had. We actually went in and had a good time. We went in and knocked it down.”
They recorded the album last March at High/Low Recording with Toby Vest producing. “He’s done every record we’ve done.”
This album has an upbeat title compared to some of their other albums. “Every record title we have is a reference to how we are at the time. Good People Even Do Bad Things was a joke in case the record sucked.”
Their new album title was a reference a fellow comedian made about a picture of him and McLane taken at a comedy festival. He said, “We look happy here.”
the ultimate dad theme to cut grass to.”
McLane thought, “Boom! Album title. Right there.”
“I really wanted to lock down the joy Brennan and I had writing this.”
And, he says, “Even with some of the songs being dark and kind of heavy, the overall feel to the whole thing — even Brennan’s slow, sad songs — is this very overarching happiness.”
Some people think “Goldsmith’s,” which talks about Whalen looking for his mother at the mall, is “super sad,” while others think it “denotes a happier time.”
And Whalen is “the only songwriter in the world to write a slow, sad song with ‘tapenade’ in it. Brennan is bringing in all cylinders on this record.”
As for himself, McLane says, “I’m very happy how my drums turned out.”
He also wrote the music and lyrics for “Ass or Grass.” “I wanted to write
McLane also came up with the title for “Fellabug.” Or, maybe to be more accurate, it was his 4-year-old son, Gideon. “When my son picked up a ladybug that he thought was a boy, [he said,] ‘That’s a fellabug.’ That’s where that came from. I have no idea what the fucking song is about. I don’t care.”
Their song titles aren’t necessarily clues to what the song is about. “We almost never say the name of the song in the song.”
The album includes two of their older songs, “Brazil” and “Christ of the Ozarks.” But, McLane says, We Look Happy Here is their first album with “the least amount of old songs on it. This is almost all completely new shit.”
“I feel like this record was a real completed body of work,” Whalen says. “It’s an album as opposed to a collection of songs.”
Also, he says, “Songwriting-wise I’ve been in a more literal place. I like metaphor and waxing poetic as much as the next guy. But with this record, I’ve been
more comfortable saying exactly what I mean. Which makes me nervous when I’m writing, but ultimately it feels very therapeutic.”
As for adding a new member to the duo, McLane says they wanted a bass player on their last record, Pop Songs for a Dying Planet, but that didn’t work out. “Last time, Brennan had to play bass on the whole record. Which is fine, but not what we wanted to do.”
After Forbess played on the new album, McLane and Whalen said to each other, “What if we ask him to stick around?”
“We’ve both been doing this for 10 years. We both wanted a change, but not a giant change.”
Forbess was perfect. “We wouldn’t have a bass player if it wasn’t for Buddy. We both know him, love him, respect him. He’s a genius guitar player.
“The first thing, he’s not a bass
player. He’s a guitar player and drummer. So we’re getting a bass player that plays like a guitar player.”
“Buddy being in the band has completely reinvigorated my love for HEELS,” Whalen says. “Josh and I needed the breath of fresh air that he’s brought to the band.”
“There’s nothing that Buddy doesn’t touch that doesn’t come out gold,” McLane says. “I’m finally in my supergroup. Brennan and Buddy are my absolute two favorite people I’ve been in bands with. And now I have them in my band.”
“My favorite thing about HEELS as a listener and a contributor is there are no rules musically,” Forbess adds. “You’ll hear references of multiple genres throughout a performance, but they have this through line that ties it all together seamlessly.”
McLane and Whalen, who met 20 years ago, named the band “HEELS” after what people call “a bad guy in wrestling,” he says. It also means when you “hinge on your heels in boxing. You’re about to fall down, but you’ve got a little bit left in the tank. You’re on your heels and try to put back what you got left for that last punch.”
He and Whalen no longer live in the same neighborhood.
“Because of life and stuff, we don’t get to hang out as much,” McLane says. “But we still talk four times a day. We still practice as much as we can. Sometimes after 20 minutes we realize we got what we got and we hang out the rest of the hour.”
McLane still does stand-up comedy, but, he says, “I mainly do standup at all our shows.”
And he still creates sandwiches at South Point Grocery, which, by the way, is slated to open a second location in November, he says. This store will be in Southaven, Mississippi.
His HEELS sandwich is still going strong, McLane says. “A take on something I’ve been eating my entire life. Frank’s RedHot sauce and I mix it with crunchy peanut butter. And I add that on bread with a strawberry jalapeño jam that I make. I top it with provolone cheese and bacon. It is fire.”
And, McLane says, “It’s really good when you’re sober. But it’s really good when you’re fucked up. Just like our new record.”
PHOTO: COURTESY JOSH MCLANE
Brennan Whalen, Josh McLane, Buddy Forbess of HEELS
AFTER DARK: Live Music Schedule September 18 - 24
DJ Spinna presents Wonder-Full
Brooklyn legend DJ Spinna will bring his signature Stevie Wonder–themed party, Wonder-Full, to Memphis. Expect deep cuts, timeless grooves, and a soulful house energy.
Friday, Sept. 19, 9 p.m.
EIGHT & SAND
Live Music on the Porch featuring Jeff Hulett
Local musician Je Hulett will be playing on the SPG stage.
Saturday, Sept. 20, noon-2 p.m.
SOUTH POINT GROCERY
Richard Wilson
Smooth, soulful original jazz and blues. ursday, Sept. 18, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
BUTTERIFIC BAKERY & CAFE
Songwriter Night with Mary Hatley and Davis
Coen
A third, mystery songwriter will also perform. Friday, Sept. 19, 7 p.m.
SOUTH MAIN SOUNDS
The Magic of Motown
A journey through Motown’s best. Saturday, Sept. 20, 7:30 p.m.
CANNON CENTER FOR THE PER-
FORMING ARTS
The Queens! Featuring Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight, Stephanie Mills
Produced by the Black Promoters Collective (BPC), this once-in-a-lifetime event unites four Grammy-winning and nominated icons who have shaped the sound of generations. Sunday, Sept. 21, 7 p.m.
FEDEXFORUM
Wendell Wells Songwriter Show Sunday, Sept. 21, 1:30 p.m.
MFS BREWING
Elmo & the Shades
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 7 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
Jay Pride
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 5:30 p.m.
HUEY’S POPLAR
John Williams & the A440 Band
ursday, Sept. 18, 8 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
Live at the Garden: The Isley Brothers eir “Shout!” was a massive hit. From that point on, the Isley Brothers cra ed a legendary discography. $91.65/ general admission. Friday, Sept. 19, 8-11 p.m.
RADIANS AMPHITHEATER AT MEM-
PHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Memphis Rhythm Revue
Sunday, Sept. 21, 3 p.m.
HUEY’S POPLAR
The Deb Jam Band
Tuesday, Sept. 23, 6 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
Twin Soul
Friday, Sept. 19, 8 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
Van Duren
e singer-songwriter performs solo. ursday, Sept. 18, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
MORTIMER’S
Be Your Own Pet
All ages. Sunday, Sept. 21, 8 p.m.
MINGLEWOOD HALL
Black Magnet
With Fall yfeet, Entrenched, Cel Shade [Small RoomDownstairs]. ursday, Sept. 18, 8 p.m.
HI TONE
Deborah Swiney Duo ursday, Sept. 18, 6-9 p.m.
THE COVE
Devil Train
ursday, Sept. 18, 9 p.m.
B-SIDE
DJ A.D. & the Vibe Tribe
Free. Friday, Sept. 19, 7 p.m.
OVERTON PARK SHELL
El Ced & Groove Nation
Sunday, Sept. 21, 3 p.m.
HUEY’S MIDTOWN
Emery With As Cities Burn, e Classic Crime, Good Terms.
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 6:30 p.m.
MINGLEWOOD HALL
Equinox Wavelength Consortium
Sunday, Sept. 21, 10 p.m. B-SIDE
Formerly Known As Friday, Sept. 19, 6 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Frank McLallan & Walt
Phelan – Listening Event
ursday, Sept. 18, 6 p.m.
MEMPHIS LISTENING LAB
Geoff Tate’s Operation: Mindcrime - The Final Chapter
All ages. Tuesday, Sept. 23, 7:30 p.m.
MINGLEWOOD HALL
Instrumental Soul: Live with Darryl Evan Jones
e kind of utist who makes you feel every note. $14.
ursday, Sept. 18, 6-8 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Jazz Jam with the Cove Quartet
Jazz musicians are welcome to sit in. Sunday, Sept. 21, 6-9 p.m.
THE COVE
Joe Restivo 4
One of the city’s nest jazz quartets. Sunday, Sept. 21, noon.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Larry and Joe is duo performs a fusion of Venezuelan and Appalachian folk music on harp, banjo, cuatro, ddle, maracas, guitar, upright bass, and more. $20/ advance, $25/at the door. Sunday, Sept. 21, 7:30-9:30 p.m.
THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS
Laundrey Bats
With Turnt. Friday, Sept. 19, 9 p.m.
LAMPLIGHTER LOUNGE
Leander Star: “Arcana” French horn player Leander Star (City of Tomorrow) will present a solo horn concert, a ritualized communal tarot reading, and a whimsical lecture on the tarot. $15/advance, $20/at the door. Tuesday, Sept. 23, 7:30 p.m.
THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS
Level Three
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 10 p.m.
LOUIS CONNELLY’S BAR
Liv’s Birthday Bash
With General Labor, DJ Nate P, DJ Rhinestonee. Visuals by In nity Stairs. Saturday, Sept. 20, 9 p.m.
BAR DKDC
Mark Allen
Acoustic guitar by an accomplished amenco player.
Tuesday, Sept. 23, 4 p.m.
CROSSTOWN BREWING CO.
Mary Hatley Album
Release Show
With Shorty & the Grooves, Speaker Girl. Saturday, Sept. 20, 9 p.m.
B-SIDE
Motel California
Saturday, Sept. 20, 5 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Pony Bradshaw
All ages. Friday, Sept. 19, 8 p.m.
MINGLEWOOD HALL
Princeton James Productions Backyard
Experience
A powerful blend of live music, theater, lm, poetry, and performances from the Kooler Kids and Kooler Grands, showcasing talent that spans generations. Free. Saturday, Sept. 20, 7 p.m.
OVERTON PARK SHELL
Sarah Mootz
With In e Company of Wolves, Flirting With Sincerity [Small Room-Downstairs].
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 8 p.m.
HI TONE
Savannah Brister
A night of raw emotion and masterful songwriting. Hot o the release of her debut album
So , Savannah invites you into her world, where country roots meet jazz sophistication. $15/ GA advance (plus fees), $20/GA door. Friday, Sept. 19, 5 p.m.
THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS
Shara’s Songwriter Showcase
Sunday, Sept. 21, 5 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Shell Yeah! Benefit Series: Big K.R.I.T.
With his unique blend of southern hip-hop, trap, and conscious rap, K.R.I.T. resurrects the rich heritage of Southern music that de ned an entire era throughout the ’90s. ursday, Sept. 18, 7 p.m.
OVERTON PARK SHELL
Snörkler
Premiere of Little Baby Tendencies’ “Stupid Game” video. Also featuring Spoonful and debut show by Tüth. Friday, Sept. 19, 9 p.m.
B-SIDE
Sunday Tea Dance
With DJ Dancealone. Sunday, Sept. 21, 3 p.m.
BAR DKDC
Taylor Hollingsworth e one-man folk-and-roll sensation. With the Tennessee Screamers. Friday, Sept. 19, 9 p.m.
BAR DKDC
This Is How We Do It: An R&B/Hip-Hop Party
Featuring music of the ’80s and ’90s. Saturday, Sept. 20, 10 p.m. MINGLEWOOD HALL
Tony Thomas Three: Album Release Concert is Memphis organ trio celebrates the release of their debut album, Get With is! $25/GA advance (plus fees), $35/GA door, $55/VIP (plus fees). Saturday, Sept. 20, 7:309:30 p.m.
THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS
Tony Thomas Three Vinyl Release – with Southern Grooves e musicians share insights into the making of their latest album. Also, an exclusive advance preview of Sessions, a new lm series. Friday, Sept. 19, 6 p.m.
MEMPHIS LISTENING LAB
Hollywood Undead
A group whose infectious music has incited a global cult audience. $59.75/general admission. Saturday, Sept. 20, 7 p.m.
GRACELAND SOUNDSTAGE
Rick Springfield
A rocker with a air for a hardened pop hook, Springeld became a sensation with “Jessie’s Girl,” a 1981 smash. $65.50/reserved seating (all-in pricing). ursday, Sept. 18, 7:30-10 p.m.
GRACELAND SOUNDSTAGE
Sky King Friday, Sept. 19, 8 p.m.
HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY
Three Dog Night & Little River Band at BankPlus Amphitheater
Vermin Fate Farewell Show
Free. Saturday, Sept. 20, 8 p.m.
HI TONE
We Rappin’ Beat Exhibition
With Pyu, Mahptah, Hollow Rhymin’ . Trees Tarantino, Jay Devon, Duwu Blackface, Mydes, Eillo, CBeyohn. $13.50. Sunday, Sept. 21, 7 p.m.
HI TONE
Wheatus
A rare acoustic show. All ages. Tuesday, Sept. 23, 8 p.m.
MINGLEWOOD HALL
WiMM presents: Jupitor Jones & Pyre Blues
Two incredible artists, one amazing night. Born and raised in Memphis, Jupitor Jones started her music journey in 2023 and has quickly made waves with her heartfelt songs and full band energy.
$10/WiMM presents. Wednesday, Sept. 24, 7-10 p.m. BSIDE
Wyatt Putman Friday, Sept. 19, 9:30 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Chicken S#IT Bingo with Dale Watson and His Lonestars
Sunday, Sept. 21, 3 p.m.
HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY
Dale Watson Big Band Night Swang Thang with Twang
A sultry, swingin’ evening inspired by Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, reimagined through Dale Watson’s signature twang. ursday, Sept. 18, 8 p.m.
HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY
David Duchovny
“I wouldn’t go about imitating anyone,” says Duchovny.
“But for me it’s about classic rock, the British Invasion, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Aimee Mann — you fall in love with certain sounds.” $52.25/ standing GA. Friday, Sept. 19, 8 p.m.
GRACELAND SOUNDSTAGE
Witness ree Dog Night & Little River Band live and experience their catchiest hits in person. ursday, Sept. 18, 7:30-9:30 p.m.
BANKPLUS AMPHITHEATER
Three Mississippi Sunday, Sept. 21, 6 p.m.
HUEY’S SOUTHAVEN
Concerts in The Grove: Alexis Grace Memphis-born singersongwriter and actress Alexis Grace’s voice is as rich as the city that raised her, with technically sharp yet emotionally raw vocals that move between genres with ease. $9/general admission. ursday, Sept. 18, 6:30-8 p.m.
THE GROVE AT GERMANTOWN
PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Ethan Smith Trio
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 5:30 p.m.
HUEY’S OLIVE BRANCH
Gerry Finney Group
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 6 p.m.
HUEY’S GERMANTOWN
Jad Tariq Trio
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 5:30 p.m.
HUEY’S MILLINGTON
Memphis Symphony Big Band
e MSO Big Band returns to e Grove with featured vocalist Patrice Williamson. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets for a night of music and dancing under the trees. Kids under 8 are free! $35/ general admission. Saturday, Sept. 20, 7-8 p.m.
THE GROVE AT GERMANTOWN
PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Memphis Wind Symphony Concert on the Garth
Outdoor performance by the Memphis Wind Symphony. Enjoy an evening of live music featuring everything from marches to pop, jazz, favorites, and classical. Free. Sunday, Sept. 21, 5:30-7 p.m.
ST. GEORGE’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Wendell Wells & The Big Americans
Saturday, Sept. 20, 6 p.m.
EL MEZCAL MEXICAN RESTAURANT
PHOTO: DYLAN WRIGHT DJ Spinna presents Wonder-Full
CALENDAR of EVENTS: September 18 - 24
ART AND SPECIAL EXHIBITS
“2024 Accessions to the Permanent Collection” is series honors the new additions to the museum’s permanent collection each calendar year. rough Nov. 2.
METAL MUSEUM
Arnold Thompson Exhibition
ompson is a multimedia artist whose vision de es genre classi cation. He dubs his work “Synthesism,” to indicate hybrid expressions of diverse experiences he has lived and observed. Free. rough Sept. 30.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Artiful Adventure -
Works by Phyllis Boger, Suzanne Evans, and Barrie Skoda Foster Gallery Ten Ninety-One is pleased to present original paintings by Phyllis Boger, Suzanne Evans, and Barrie Skoda Foster. Free. rough Sept. 26.
WKNO DIGITAL MEDIA CENTER
“B.B. King in Memphis” Exhibit
1982, B.B. King performed at the Mud Island Amphitheater. Photographer Alan Copeland documented the moment in these stunning black and white photographs. Free. rough Oct. 19.
STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC
Beth Edwards: “Quietude”
Detailed images that convey a sense of silence and calm, in vibrant colors. Free. rough Oct. 11.
DAVID LUSK GALLERY
Cat Lenke: “Wild Light, Urban Lines: A Watercolor Journey Through the City & Forest” rough the uid and expressive medium of watercolor, the artist captures the quiet majesty of forests and the bold geometry of cities — each rendered with luminous detail and reverence for light. rough Sept. 26.
ANF ARCHITECTS
“CREATE | CREA”
A dynamic space designed to spark creativity, curiosity, and hands-on exploration. is vibrant environment invites guests of all ages to dive into the creative process. rough Sept. 21.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Dezmond Gipson:
“Generally Digital”
As a self-professed “digital generalist,” Gipson explores multiple modes of expression through digital media, blurring the line between personal and commercial output. rough Oct. 10.
BEVERLY + SAM ROSS GALLERY
Ernest Withers: “I AM A MAN”
Ernest Withers’ famous photographs of the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Workers Strike illustrate the dignity of workers’ activism, which still feels inspirational decades later. rough Oct. 12.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
“Horizon Lines”:
Anthony Lee, Matthew Lee, and Sowgand
Sheikholeslami
Working independently west of Memphis in Arkansas, along the corridor of US Highway 61, these artists have each created bodies of work showcasing the unique characteristics of the region. rough Sept. 21.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Kristi Duckworth Exhibition
Duckworth majored in graphic design at the University of Memphis but gravitated towards the more hands-on mediums of pottery and mosaics a er technology took over in graphic art. Free. rough Sept. 30.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
“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 are displayed alongside photographs by Houston Co eld. rough Oct. 12.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
“Last Whistle: Steamboat Stories of Memphis”
Featuring detailed model boats and original steamboat artifacts, this exhibit rekindles the romance of the steamboat era while sharing stories and insights about their role in shaping the region. rough June 26.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
“Layers”: New Works by Carolyn Cates
Meet the artist at an opening reception for “Layers: New Works by Carolyn Cates.” rough Sept. 22.
BUCKMAN ARTS CENTER AT ST.
MARY’S SCHOOL
“Navigating Knowledge” is exhibition explores vessels and navigation as metaphors for the containment and transmission of knowledge. rough Oct. 31.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
“Overcoming Hateful Things”
e exhibition contains over 150 items from the late 19th century to the present, including items from popular culture and images of violence against African American activists. rough Oct. 19.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
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.
DAVID LUSK GALLERY
COURTESY
e vibrant colors of Beth Edwards’ detailed work in “Quietude” radiate a sense of silence and calm.
Poonam Kumar
Exhibition
e artist notes: “Watercolor is my preferred medium; however, I indulge in other mediums such as pencil, ink, pastel, and acrylic.” Free. rough Sept. 30.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Sarah Elizabeth Cornejo: “The Scarcity of Sand” ese works explore the living grief of contending with our own mortality, questioning how a person chooses to act in the present in response to faith and fear. rough Nov. 1.
CLOUGH-HANSON GALLERY
“Speaking Truth to Power: The Life of Bayard Rustin”
Exhibition
“Speaking Truth to Power” explores Bayard Rustin’s innovative use of the “medium” to communicate powerful messages of nonviolence, activism, and authenticity. $20/adult, $18/senior, college student, $17/children 5-17. rough Dec. 31.
NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM
Steve Nelson Exhibition
Having studied acrylic painting with Marilyn Wannamaker and Judy Nocifora, Nelson’s style is loose and impressionistic. Free. rough Sept. 30.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Summer Art Garden: “A Flash of Sun” Immerse yourself in the radiant spirit of summer with these geometric sculptures that cast vibrant hues in the shi ing sunlight. rough Oct. 20.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
“Summer Vibes” Art Gallery Exhibit
Local artists Carol Adamec, Phyllis Boger, Dana DeLarme, Nancy Jehl, David Rawlinson, Michael Somers have a combined exhibit. rough Sept. 24.
ST. GEORGE’S ART GALLERY AT ST. GEORGE’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
“Susan Watkins and Women Artists of the Progressive Era” Centered on the career of Susan Watkins (1875–1913), the exhibition explores the environment in which Watkins and other female artists of the time forged their professional identities. rough Sept. 28.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
ART HAPPENINGS
Art Tour: The Evolution of Artistic Mediums
A guided walk through art history with docent Maria Kulma, focused on how materials — from wood panels and tempera to canvas and mixed media — have shaped artistic practice across centuries. $5/ general admission. ursday, Sept. 18, 6:30-7:15 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Artist Talk with Kurt Meer
e artist will speak about his Endless Skies collection. Saturday, Sept. 20, 11 a.m.
GOETZE ART & DESIGN
Like Really Creative Inspiration Salon: A Genealogy of Community
Trace your family history, record your cultural heritage story, ip through tons of art
will highlight canon events in the life of Jesus Christ, as they are portrayed in art. $5/ general admission. ursday, Sept. 18, 6:30-7:15 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
BOOK EVENTS
Book Breakdown: The Summer I Turned Pretty Culture writer Sarah Hunter Simanson leads a “book breakdown” to discuss the Prime Video series’ adaptation and how the nale compares to Jenny Han’s trilogy. 18+. $12. Sunday, Sept. 21, 2-4 p.m. NOVEL
Friends of the Morton Museum Book Club
Join fellow Friends of the Museum to discuss Willy Bearden’s Mississippi Hippie Free. Wednesday, Sept. 24, 1-2:30 p.m.
MORTON MUSEUM OF COLLIERVILLE HISTORY
books, and vibe to a DJ all under one roof. With fashion runway shows on screen and experimental lms. Saturday, Sept. 20, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
ORANGE MOUND LIBRARY
Opening Reception: “Riding Nostalgia: The Wonder Horse’s Legacy from Wood to Icon”
A special opening reception debuting a playful and heartfelt tribute to a beloved Collierville-made toy that galloped into the hearts of children nationwide. Free.
ursday, Sept. 18, 5:30-7 p.m.
MORTON MUSEUM OF COLLIERVILLE HISTORY
Super SaturdayHispanic Heritage Month: Hojalata
Cra vibrant memories while exploring Mexican tin art through embossing, in an experience that celebrates culture and creativity. Free. Saturday, Sept. 20, 10 a.m.-noon.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Teen Arts Fest 2025
Step into a world of vibrant imagination and raw talent, proudly hosted by Memphis Public Libraries. Saturday, Sept. 20, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
BENJAMIN L. HOOKS CENTRAL LIBRARY
Thursday Open Late at the Dixon e Dixon is open late every third ursday. Free. ursday, Sept. 18, 5-8 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Tour: The Life of Jesus Christ through Art
Join docent Kaitlyn Curry for a tour of the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. Curry’s tour
Marie Bostwick: The Book Club For Troublesome Women McKrell Baier will speak with the author about her new novel, concerning a housewife who “has it all” yet remains dissatis ed. Wednesday, Sept. 24, 6 p.m. NOVEL
Michele Ehrhart: Crisis Compass: How To Communicate When It Matters Most Ehrhart delivers a practical, no-nonsense road map for leaders, PR professionals, and executives who want to stay ahead of the storm when crisis strikes. ursday, Sept. 18, 6 p.m. NOVEL
Our City, Our Story MIFA welcomes acclaimed journalist Andrea Elliott and Dasani Coates, the young woman featured in Elliott’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book Invisible Child: Poverty, Survival & Hope in an American City. $125/general. ursday, Sept. 18, 11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m. HILTON MEMPHIS
The Book Mixer Get ready for a lit night at e Book Mixer! $10/general admission. Sunday, Sept. 21, 5 p.m. THE COVE
CLASS / WORKSHOP
Acrylic Painting with Gay Rhodes Join Instructor Gay Rhodes for this four-session painting series where students will gain new skills from the instructor’s 20-plus years of teaching experience. $185/general admission. Wednesday, Sept. 24, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
PHOTO:
Art History 101
A survey of Western art led by Dr. William C. McKeown, associate professor of art history at the University of Memphis. $12. Thursday, Sept. 18, 6-7:30 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Hobby Kick-Start:
Mixing Your Soil with Kyle McLane (ages 16+)
In this workshop for beginners, Kyle McLane, manager of grounds horticulture, will teach how to mix the perfect soil. $15/Dixon member, $25/ nonmember. Thursday, Sept. 18, 6-8 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Mah-Jongg Lessons
In three lessons, learn all the essentials to play with confidence. Soon you’ll be calling mah-jongg! $65/ general admission for three lessons. Monday, Sept. 22, 5:30-8 p.m.
LOST PIZZA CO. SOUTHAVEN
Oil Painting for Adults: Masterpiece Series
A class offering step-bystep guidance, time to experiment, and plenty of encouragement. All materials provided. $375. Thursday, Sept. 18, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Photo Editing Basics
Learn about cropping, exposure adjustments,
color correction, and simple retouching techniques using beginner-friendly editing software. Saturday, Sept. 20, noon-2 p.m.
RALEIGH LIBRARY
Professional Development and Expanding Resources, with Danielle Sierra A workshop for artists to learn how to expand their resources from an established artist’s perspective. Saturday, Sept. 20, 1-2:30 p.m.
URBAN ART COMMISSION
Saturday Free Seminar: Backyard Composting
Richard from Old World Farms, an expert in the field, will teach the basics of backyard composting. Saturday, Sept. 20, 10 a.m.
URBAN EARTH GARDENS, NURSERY & MARKET
Crafting Your Brand Story: Unlocking the Power of Connection
In this workshop, you’ll explore the essential elements of a compelling brand story and learn why it is a cornerstone of successful businesses. Thursday, Sept. 18, 6-7:30 p.m.
BENJAMIN L. HOOKS CENTRAL LIBRARY
Teen Workshop: Glow Party (ages 14-18)
Explore the effects of glowin-the-dark color. Activities will include painting, sculpt-
CALENDAR: SEPTEMBER 18 - 24
PHOTO: COURTESY LIKE REALLY CREATIVE
Inspiration Salon offers a chance to imagine artistic and genealogical mash-ups of every stripe during this multimedia event at the Orange Mound Library.
ing, and creating fun experiences that glow in the dark. $10/Dixon member, $15/ nonmember. Friday, Sept. 19, 5-7 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Urban Forestry Advisor’s Class 2025 Instruction and outdoor learning will cover tree physiology, tree species identification, tree care, champion trees, and more. $120/general admission. Wednesday, Sept. 24, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
COMEDY
Comedy Night with Ben Pierce
Freewheeling hilarity on the open mic. Thursday, Sept. 18, 7 p.m.
BAR DKDC
Gianmarco Soresi
Comedian Gianmarco Soresi brings his international Drama King tour to Memphis. Hosted by Charlie Vergos. $25/limited early bird tickets, $30/general admission. Tuesday, Sept. 23, 7 p.m. HI TONE
Jo Koy: Just Being Koy Tour
As one of today’s premier stand-up comedians, Jo Koy has risen from his modest beginnings performing in a coffee house thanks to his continued on page 20
continued from page 19
relatable comedy inspired by his vibrant, multicultural family. Saturday, Sept. 20, 8 p.m.
ORPHEUM THEATRE
Open-Mic Comedy
Hosted by John Miller. Free to attend and sign up. See hitonecafe.com for more info. Free. Tuesday, Sept. 23, 7 p.m.
HI TONE
Roast Battle Memphis
With Lyndsie Davis vs. Ross Turner; Jeremy Roach vs. Angela Garrone; David Boyd vs. Alexandria Taelor; Dezzy vs. Allison McArthur. Friday, Sept. 19, 8 p.m.
HI TONE
COMMUNITY
50th Anniversary
Banquet
Come and celebrate the 50th anniversary of DeafConnect of the Mid-South Inc. Saturday, Sept. 20, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
KIRBY WOODS BAPTIST CHURCH
Cuban Aid Alliance
Presents: Un Plato Más
With a silent auction, bands, a DJ, and Cuban food and cocktails. All proceeds go to helping open a soup kitchen in Havana, Cuba. Saturday, Sept. 20, 8 p.m.
HI TONE
Free Wash Week!
Wash and dry for free all week. rough Sept. 19.
BEST WASH LAUNDROMATS
Greensward Games
Connect with other Memphians and unleash your competitive spirit in a relaxed and friendly environment. Some games will be provided, but feel free to bring yours to share. Sunday, Sept. 21, noon-4 p.m.
OVERTON PARK
Like Really Creative September Collage Party with Charm Creatives & Black MajesTEA Collage with community to curated tunes. Wednesday, Sept. 24, 6-9 p.m.
THE UGLY ART COMPANY
Link Up and Sync
A mix of business, culture, vision sharing, collaboration, and a celebration of eight years of e Link Up. Take part in powerful conversations, engaging panels, and social experiences. Friday, Sept. 19, 7-9:30 p.m. | Saturday, Sept. 20, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | Saturday, Sept. 20, 7-9:30 p.m.
COSSITT LIBRARY
Mabon Celebration with The Fellowship of Avalon
Celebrate Mabon, the Wiccan festival of the second harvest and a time to honor balance, gratitude, and the turning of the Wheel. Bring a drinking vessel, food to donate, and menstrual supplies. Sunday, Sept. 21, 7 p.m.
THE BROOM CLOSET
Memphis 101
Join New Memphis for a high-energy deep dive into the 901 and learn about what makes Memphis … well, Memphis. Tuesday, Sept. 23, 5:30-7 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
September Hymn Beer
2025 | A Beer and Hymns Event
A free dinner with $5 beer specials. All ages are welcome! BYO nonalcoholic beverages and your singing voice. Free. Friday, Sept. 19, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
HAMPLINE BREWING
Whatcha See is Whatcha Get:
Educators Open House
An evening mixer designed exclusively for teachers, educators, and youth-serving community organizations. Free. Monday, Sept. 22, 4-5:30 p.m.
STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC
DANCE
Line Dancing with “Q”
Whether you’re a seasoned dancer or just learning the steps, “Q” will guide you through the moves and make it a night to remember. Tuesday, Sept. 23, 6 p.m.
DRU’S BAR
EXPO/SALES
College & Career Fair
Come check out the College & Career Fair! Find your path to success with schools and other postsecondary options ready to meet you. Free. Tuesday, Sept. 23, 4:30-6 p.m.
STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN
SOUL MUSIC
Southern Flea Market
Starts at 8 a.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. on Sunday. Saturday, Sept. 20-Sept. 21.
LANDERS CENTER
Tennessee Volunteer Ranch Horse
Association
e premier place to show ranch and cattle horses east of the Mississippi River. All shows are approved by NRCHA, AQHA VRH, and have jackpot club classes, with newly added novice divisions. Friday, Sept. 19-Sept. 21.
AGRICENTER INTERNATIONAL Totally Rad Vintage Fest
Vendors specializing in clothing and accessories from the ’80s, ’90s, and Y2K eras, also o ering a selection of toys, home goods, and more to complete your nostalgic shopping experience. Saturday, Sept. 20, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
AGRICENTER INTERNATIONAL
FAMILY
First Day of Fall
Crafternoon
Kids 12 and under can use so pastel chalk to create window art with leaf patterns. Monday, Sept. 22, 4-5 p.m.
ORANGE MOUND LIBRARY
CALENDAR: SEPTEMBER 18 - 24
Ah, the possibilities of glow-in-the-dark color! Try painting, sculpting, and simply creating fun experiences with stu that glows in the dark.
Junior Drawing Club with Jamie
A chance for kids, tweens, and teens to hang out, draw, have some snacks, and relax. Novel will provide the paper, markers, snacks, and tunes. Friday, Sept. 19, 4-6 p.m.
NOVEL
National Hispanic Heritage Month at CMOM
From pinatas to castanets, we’re delving into the culture of Mexico, El Salvador, Colombia, and Puerto Rico with daily hands-on activities during National Hispanic Heritage Month. rough October 12.
CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF MEMPHIS
Pre-School Story Time
Enjoy stories, songs, art activities, and creative play that connect with Collierville history. Friday, Sept. 19, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
MORTON MUSEUM OF COLLIERVILLE HISTORY
Story Time at Novel
Recommended for children up to 5 years, Story Time at Novel includes songs and stories, featuring brand-new books in addition to wellloved favorites. Saturday, Sept. 20, 10:30 a.m. | Wednesday, Sept. 24, 10:30 a.m.
NOVEL
FESTIVAL
Fall Bash e event of the season, with seven in atables, two face painters, and vendors. Free. Saturday, Sept. 20, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER
Memphis Mushroom Festival
A joyful, hands-on celebration of fungi, food, and community. Saturday, Sept. 20, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
OVERTON PARK
Mid-South Balloon Festival
A weekend of fun, food and hot air balloons! $15/ Saturday (adult), $8/Saturday (child), $15/Sunday (adult), $8/Sunday (child), $25/weekend pass (adult), $15/weekend pass (child). Saturday, Sept. 20-21, 3 p.m.-10 p.m.
MID-SOUTH BALLOON FESTIVAL
Soul Food R&B Vibes Festival
A place where R&B classics, soulful vibes, and vibrant energy come together to create an unforgettable experience. Saturday, Sept. 20, 2-10 p.m.
SHELBY FARMS PARK
The Luxury PinkNiq For the socialite who likes to dress up and have a good time. Live entertainment, DJs, food trucks, vendor shopping, and premium cocktails. Saturday, Sept. 20, 2-7 p.m.
MARTYR PARK
FILM
Black Holes is planetarium show gives an overview of black holes. ursday, Sept. 18-Sept. 24, 2 p.m.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
Charting New Pathways with Professor Emerita Valeria Nollan: Dreams Eight striking vignettes in the style of magical realism. In Japanese with English sub-
Superman e rst feature lm in the newly imagined DC universe. ursday, Sept. 18Sept. 24, 3 p.m.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
T. Rex: Greatest of All Tyrants e most dazzling and accurate giant screen documentary ever made on this legendary predator. ursday, Sept. 18-Sept. 24, 1 p.m.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
FOOD AND DRINK Canoes + Cocktails
A guided sunset paddle on the lake followed by specialty cocktails. $35-$80. Friday, Sept. 19, 6 p.m.
SHELBY FARMS PARK
Chef Dinner Series: Italy in the Fall
A special seasonal chef dinner celebrating the avors of fall. Experience the rich cuisine of Italy with this exclusive dinner series event. $90/ ticket. Wednesday, Sept. 24, 6:30-9 p.m.
AMERIGO ITALIAN RESTAURANT
Cooper-Young Community Farmers Market
titles. An information sheet will be provided. $40. Monday, Sept. 22, 5:30-7 p.m.
DOROTHY C. KING HALL AT RHODES COLLEGE
Children of Men
A heart-pounding journey through a world on the brink, this modern classic blends science- ction, political thriller, and human drama. $5. ursday, Sept. 18, 7 p.m.
CROSSTOWN THEATER
Forward to the Moon
A planetarium show about the Artemis program, NASA’s project to return to the moon. ursday, Sept. 18-Sept. 24, 3 p.m.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
Memphis Skies: What’s That in Our Night Sky? Hop through constellations, learn cool star names in this full dome planetarium experience. ursday, Sept. 18-Sept. 24, 4 p.m.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
Neptune Cinema 53Hour Film Challenge
Twenty lmmaking teams will have 53 hours to write, shoot, edit, and score an original short lm (up to seven minutes). Friday, Sept. 19, 7 p.m.-Sept. 21, midnight.
FLYWAY BREWING COMPANY
Oceans: Our Blue Planet
New ocean science and technology has allowed us to go further into the unknown than we ever thought possible. ursday, Sept. 18Sept. 24, 1 p.m.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
A weekly outdoor market featuring local farmers (no resellers), artisans, and live music. Saturday, Sept. 20, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH Duckhorn Wine Dinner at Char Memphis
A four-course pairing dinner exploring a selection of wines from the Napa Valley winery’s portfolio. $100/ ticket. Tuesday, Sept. 23, 6 p.m.
CHAR RESTAURANT
Memphis Farmers Market
A weekly outdoor market featuring local farmers and artisans, live music, and fun activities. Saturday, Sept. 20, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
MEMPHIS FARMERS MARKET
Memphis Tequila Festival
Celebrate the art of agave! $59/general admission, $99/ VIP, $89/VIP party pack. Friday, Sept. 19, 6-9 p.m. THE KENT
Slider Sunday Sessions
Delay your Sunday scaries for a few more hours with curated DJ sets and drinks. Sunday, Sept. 21, 6-9 p.m.
SLIDER INN - DOWNTOWN
HEALTH AND FITNESS
Hike Above The Ghost Follow guide Ryan Pudwell up large sand hills to a savannah-like setting; approximately two miles. Saturday, Sept. 20, 10 a.m. WOLF RIVER CONSERVANCY
The Marriage of the Sun & the Moon: New Moon Eclipse Sound Bath rough crystal bowls,
PHOTO: COURTESY DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
gongs, and deep waves of healing sound, open a sonic portal. Monday, Sept. 22, 6:30 p.m.
THE BROOM CLOSET
Wednesday Walks
A casual stroll around the Old Forest paved road. Wednesday, Sept. 24, 4-5 p.m.
OVERTON PARK
Yoga
Light exercise with yoga instructor Laura Gray McCann. All levels welcome. Free. Thursday, Sept. 18, 6 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
LECTURE
250 Years of Our Declaration of Independence
Harvard’s Danielle Allen will discuss the legacy of 1776 in this free public lecture at Rhodes. Free. Thursday, Sept. 18, 6-8 p.m.
MCNEILL CONCERT HALL AT RHODES COLLEGE
How Hair Changed Memphis: A Musicology Colloqium
Students used the university’s Special Collection to research Memphis State University’s production of Hair, the musical. Fifty-five years ago, this event changed Memphis. Friday, Sept. 19, 3:30 p.m.
UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS
In Conversation With Martha Kelly
An interview with Willy Bearden. $10/general admission. Friday, Sept. 19, noon-1 p.m.
ELMWOOD CEMETERY
Munch and Learn: My Back is to the River: Culture and Society in the Ancient Egyptian Sahara
A presentation by Laurel Darcy Hackley, curator of Egyptian art and assistant professor of practice, department of art and design, University of Memphis. Wednesday, Sept. 24, noon-1 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Then & Now: Public Spaces
A discussion with Mayor Paul Young and Carol Coletta surrounding the repercussions of the Jim Crow Era on our community today. $21/ Then & Now: Public Spaces. Thursday, Sept. 18, 5-6 p.m.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
Third Thursday Treks
Join Overton Park Conservancy staff on a walk while learning about a specific ecological concept for the month. Thursday, Sept. 18, 4-5 p.m. OVERTON PARK
PERFORMING ARTS
30 Days of Opera
A powerhouse roster of Memphis singers joined by Opera Memphis’ own Handorf Company Artists, who perform in every zip code in the city of Memphis. Visit operamemphis.org for details. Through Sept. 30.
VARIOUS LOCATIONS
A King’s Kabaret: A Night in the Caribbean
With Mariah Da Goat, Kyng Coco, Lady Pluto, Zoloft, Kayla Dickerson, Zoe Adams, Wednesday Moss, Ashton Opulence, and Camelot Grandeur Valentino. Presented by Mid-South Pride. Sunday, Sept. 21, 7 p.m.
HI TONE
“B*tch, I’m Disco” Lip Sync Battle Contestants will draw a disco song from a hat/ bucket, then have one minute to grab props to help bring their performance to life. Proceeds benefit the Memphis Child Advocacy Center. Saturday, Sept. 20, 6 p.m.
DRU’S BAR
Memphis Magic Night starring Joe M. Turner with Sanjay Manaktala
The Bluff City’s favorite evening of magic, mentalism, and comedy. $20/advance tickets, $25/ door. Tuesday, Sept. 23, 7:30-9 p.m.
COLETTA’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT
Open Stage: A Talent Showcase for All
A supportive and fun environment for showcasing your talent. Sunday, Sept. 21, 6 p.m.
DRU’S BAR
Thee Supreme Show: Freaky Friday
A cross-dressing twist, hosted by India Taco. Friday, Sept. 19, 9 p.m.
HI TONE
SPORTS
Empower the Exceptional Superhero 5K and Fun Run
A timed 5K or untimed one-mile fun run (both accessible courses), plus a T-shirt, costume and team prizes, door prizes, race/fun run buddies, and medals with handmade lanyards from Kenya. Saturday, Sept. 20, 8 a.m.
SHELBY FARMS PARK
Memphis Redbirds vs. St. Paul Saints
Thursday, Sept. 18, 11 a.m. | Friday, Sept. 19, 7 p.m. | Saturday, Sept. 20, 3 p.m. | Sunday, Sept. 21, 1 p.m.
AUTOZONE PARK
Memphis Youth Athletics Weekly
Elementary School Cross Country Meet Course route includes the Wolf River Trail. Monday, Sept. 22, 5 p.m.
SHELBY FARMS PARK
Memphis Youth Athletics Weekly High School Cross Country Meet
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 5 p.m.
SHELBY FARMS PARK
Angst-ridden music genre
Platform for 5-Down 23 Art Deco icon
Forum greeting
All chief justices of the United States, so far
Sub system
Rhodes College Cross Country Invitational Meet
Multiple institutions of higher education will participate. Saturday, Sept. 20, 7 a.m.
SHELBY FARMS PARK
THEATER
Hamlet
In Shakespeare’s masterpiece, Prince Hamlet attempts to undermine his uncle, Claudius, who has murdered Hamlet’s father. Friday, Sept. 19, 7:30 p.m. | Saturday, Sept. 20, 7:30 p.m. | Sunday, Sept. 21, 2 p.m.
NEXT STAGE
Jaja’s African Hair Braiding
In a bustling hair-braiding shop in Harlem, a lively and eclectic group of West African immigrant hair-braiders create masterpieces. Friday, Sept. 19, 7:30 p.m. | Saturday, Sept. 20, 7:30 p.m. | Sunday, Sept. 21, 2:30 p.m.
HATTILOO THEATRE
Murder on the Orient Express
Ken Ludwig showcases the suspense and quickened pace of this classic murder mystery ride. Thursday, Sept. 18, 8 p.m. | Friday, Sept. 19, 8 p.m. | Saturday, Sept. 20, 8 p.m. | Sunday, Sept. 21, 2 p.m.
CIRCUIT PLAYHOUSE
Nunsense: The Musical
This habit-forming show has gained such popularity that it has spawned six sequels, two television adaptations, and is translated into 26 languages around the world. Friday, Sept. 19, 7:30 p.m. | Saturday, Sept. 20, 7:30 p.m. | Sunday, Sept. 21, 2:30 p.m.
GERMANTOWN COMMUNITY THEATRE
The Fantasticks
A funny, romantic story about a boy, a girl, and their two fathers who try to keep them apart. $25/adult, $20/senior, student, military, fire, teacher, police. Friday, Sept. 19, 7:30-9:30 p.m. | Saturday, Sept. 20, 7:30-9:30 p.m. | Sunday, Sept. 21, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
HARRELL THEATRE
TOURS
Tram Tours
Take a ride through the garden. Free. Thursday, Sept. 18-Sept. 24, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Twilight Tours at the Zoo
Ever wonder what the animals are up to once the sun starts to set? Join this after dark ed-venture at the Memphis Zoo to find out. Saturday, Sept. 20, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
MEMPHIS ZOO
Crossword
Disheartened
Vacation spot for city slickers
Canadian stadium renamed Rogers Centre in 2005
Humana competitor
___ Joaquin Valley
Gangster group in “Eastern Promises”
Handled
Booker, for one: Abbr.
Have obligations
2003 film starring Mark Wahlberg and Charlize Theron
Unwraps impatiently
First-aid antiseptic
61 Building up 62 More malevolent
63 Vicious of punk rock
64 Avoided elimination in musical chairs
65 Bone/muscle connectors
1 Like a professor emerita: Abbr.
2 Slice of history 3 Link
4 Blues singer James
5 Voice-activated assistant
6 Rehnquist’s successor on the bench
7 Mrs., in Münster
8 Sawbucks
9 Violin holder
10 “Just play along, please”
11 Put up, as a building
12 L’Oréal hair care brand 14 “Mrs. Doubtfire” plot device — or what the letters in this clue’s answer do
Edited
by Will Shortz No. 0515
PUZZLE BY ZHOUQIN BURNIKEL
We Saw You.
with MICHAEL DONAHUE
The folks from Villa Castrioti in Lakeland, Tennessee, went all out with Dorothy, Tin (Wo)Man, Toto, and others at this year’s Zoo Rendezvous.
“In the M-Rald City” was the theme of the event, which was held September 5th at the Memphis Zoo.
About 2,500 attended, says Amanda Moses, Memphis Zoo marketing and communications manager. And, she says, more than 75 food/beverage stations were on hand.
This year’s event definitely was a success, Moses says: “Rendezvous was such a win this year. Guests and sponsors gave us so much positive feedback, especially about the new layout and entertainment.”
She adds, “Beyond the party, Zoo Rendezvous matters because it brings people together, builds stronger ties with our community, and helps raise the support the zoo depends on.”
Breanna Russo, Dalton Nutting, and Sean
and Lt. Tina Halfacre; Ashley Swearingen, John Swearingen, Chase Peeler, and Anna Marie Peeler
bottom row: (le to right) Erich DeWane, James Smythe, Sarah Pepperman, Ishtey Amminger, and Josh Springer; Ronnie Jones and Bruno omassiny
PHOTOS: MICHAEL DONAHUE
above: Alan Martinez, Jose Martinez Sr., Robert Cox, Jose Martinez Jr., and Robert Smith circle: Elizabeth and Adam Langley below: (le to right) Gretta Esmond, Alaina Brown, Nichole Galindez,
McCausland; Arturo Azcarate
above: Scott Manes, Brian Brady, and John May circle: Mark Strausser
right row: (top and below) Lisa Street, William Wooten, and Elizabeth Sullivan; Carissa Bacon, Alexis Davis, and Sheena Brooks below: (le to right) Stephanie O’Dell and Leslie Lee; McFerrin and Ryan Berryhill; Paula Raiford; Courtney Allen and Elizabeth Ennis bottom le : Dinah Mitchell, Heather Holliday, and Rachel Brooks
FOOD By Michael Donahue
The Steaks Are High
Chef Tom Hughes nds his dream job at Folk’s Folly.
Tom Hughes moved from ower pots to pots and pans, from ower stakes to grilled steaks.
Hughes, 46, who is executive chef at Folk’s Folly Prime Steak House, grew up in upstate New York. “I had worked — my father owned a garden center — since I was 4, lling ats with dirt and transplanting, so to this day I hate owers.”
He also enjoyed helping his mother and grandmother in the kitchen.
“When I was 16 I got a job at what used to be a Dairy Queen. e Adirondack Ice Cream Co. Just doing burgers on the grill, milkshakes, and making ice cream cones.”
But something clicked. “I had a blast. I did it through the summer. And then I got a job at Renee’s restaurant, a small family-owned restaurant that summer.”
Hughes washed dishes, but he also worked on the line. He then studied culinary arts at Paul Smith’s College in Lake Placid. He thought, “Cooking will never go out of style. It’s good job security.”
Hughes did his externship at the Iguana Cantina, a Mexican-Caribbean fusion restaurant outside of Boston.
He then began the next almost eight years moving to di erent kitchens, where he’d usually stay for a year and a half or so. ese included e Balsams Resort in New Hampshire; e Sagamore Resort on Lake George in Bolton Landing, New York, where he worked as a cook in Mr. Brown’s Pub; and e Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, where he cooked during the MCI/WorldCom Heritage golf tournament. “We worked 16, 18 hours a day and knocked out bu ets for the club house.”
He also loaded up steaks and lobster tails in a golf cart and cooked dinner for executives in their private villas.
Hughes remembered one occasion when he was “ ipping burgers on the side of the 18th fairway for the governor and his buddies.”
In the beginning, Hughes just wanted to work somewhere other than where he lived. “I was just kind of looking for a way to get out of my small town. And a er that, I was just kind of along for the ride. When somebody o ered me a position, if I wasn’t tied down, I’d just go for it.”
His career moved along quickly. “I think I was just in the right place at the right time.”
Hughes recalled instructors in
PHOTOS: MICHAEL DONAHUE
Tom Hughes at Folk’s Folly Prime Steak House; bone-in let with baked potato and spinach casserole
the beverage classes.”
He stayed at the school for four years, where he worked with chefs Spencer McMillin, Jimmy Gentry, Derek and Kim Buchanan, and Jordan Buchanan. “I can still count all those guys as friends.”
Hughes then worked at Chickasaw Country Club for ve years and landed his rst executive chef position, then TPC Southwind, and the short-lived Tenero butcher shop.
culinary school telling students, “Don’t think you’re going to be a chef the minute you graduate from culinary school. You’ve got a long way to go.”
ey’d say students might get a sous-chef job in ve years and become an executive chef in 10 years. Hughes was a sous-chef two and a half years a er he graduated.
He ended up in the Memphis area when he got a job at Gold Strike Casino Resort in Tunica Resorts, Mississippi, and, later, Bonne Terre in Nesbit, Mississippi.
But he was on the go again a er a year. He took a job at e Griswold Inn in Essex, Connecticut. Hughes was the chef de cuisine over the new wine bar. en it was on to Copper Beech Inn in Ivoryton, Connecticut, where he was “interim head chef.”
“When opportunity presented itself, it seemed like a better o er, I went for it.”
Hughes and his wife, who he met when he was working at Bonne Terre, thought about buying a house in Connecticut, but this was during the housing market crash in 2009. ey couldn’t even “buy a two bedroom condo up there.”
So they moved to Southaven, Mississippi, where his wife’s family lives. He worked as a line cook at the old Mesquite Chop House before taking a job at the old L’Ecole Culinaire culinary school. “I was able to teach international cuisines, which included
One day a friend from O the Dock Seafood told him, “Call Folk’s Folly. ey just created this executive souschef position.”
On October 4, 2022, Hughes began working with then-executive chef Max Hussey at Folk’s Folly. “He had the ability of someone I was wanting to work with. Super creative. We had a lot of things in common. Both had young children. He knew the importance of working hard as well as being home and having family time.”
About ve months later, Hussey le to open the Mad Grocer & Deli in Crosstown Concourse. “I was promoted to executive chef.”
Hughes loved Folk’s Folly from the beginning. He liked the “stable environment” of the restaurant. “The bones of the operation were already in place.”
For instance, he says, “The food costs were there. I didn’t have to create my own inventory sheets. That was very enjoyable for me because I want to cook. I don’t want a clipboard in my hand.”
And, he says, “I haven’t changed the menu at all.” But Hughes does create a couple of appetizers, entrees, and dessert specials each week.
en there are the famous Folk’s Folly steaks. “ ere are four ingredients to our steaks: salt, pepper, the steak, and then clari ed butter that we squirt on the hot plate.”
Over the years, Folk’s Folly has served several types of steaks, including bison, wild boar, and elk. eir popular hamburger is served in the bar on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. “We hand cut our let mignons, New York strips, and rib eyes six days a week. And every day that beef is ground fresh. at’s what we use to form our half-pound burgers.” e late Humphrey Folk opened Folk’s Folly in 1977. Folk, who was in the construction business, “felt that Memphis needed a family-owned prime steakhouse. Everyone said, ‘You’re crazy.’ So he decided to open it anyway and call it ‘Folk’s Folly.’” e Folk’s Folly menu was “created decades before I got there,” Hughes says. “It’s just a big machine. I’m just trying to keep it rolling along.”
Hughes loves working at Folk’s Folly, which is owned by the Boggs and Folk families. It all boils down to “the people that we work for. I’ve got dozens of examples of them going to bat for their long-term employees.”
“I’m not sure how many people have worked there over 12 to 10 years, but it’s got to be a few dozen.”
He says, “We get to use the nest products available, put our creative spin on specials, and just keep making friends.”
Folk’s Folly is represented at several charity functions during the year. Hughes believes in giving back. He also believes in getting out in the dining room and meeting the customers.
“Honestly, my dad taught me hard work. And that’s what’s carried me through my career.”
Hughes is approaching his Folk’s Folly anniversary. “In a month, it will be three years,” he says.
e day he started working at Folk’s Folly has a special signi cance for Hughes. “I told everybody it was going to be my last rst day.”
Emily Guenther
Keep gratitude at the forefront as we cozy in to
abon is the most wonderful time of the year for me. Some might hear the phrase and think of Christmas or October. ose are wonderful times, too. But everyone has their favorite, and for some reason, mine has always been Mabon.
Living in the South, summer is generally not my favorite, and most Southerners impatiently wait for the autumn coolness a er the heat and humidity. Autumn also brings on warm and fuzzy feelings for many people. e changing of leaves from green to the warmer autumn colors triggers feelings of comfort in our brains. For us witches and Pagans, autumn means we are even closer to Samhain and Halloween, which typically makes us very excited.
Mabon is a modern Wiccan and Pagan celebration of the autumnal equinox. It’s one of the eight sabbats on the Wheel of the Year and marks the second harvest, a time of balance, gratitude, and preparation for the darker half of the year. e idea of Mabon being the witch’s thanksgiving has always appealed to me. e anksgiving Americans culturally celebrate in late November has never sat well with me — although I do participate in it with my family. I’m not going to attempt to explain the true origins behind anksgiving; I would not do it justice. I think many people have learned that the stories we were taught as children are not always the truth. Spending time with loved ones and showing appreciation for the bounties and gi s provided is a posi-
tive aspect of the national holiday.
While the anksgiving celebrated today may not have complete, factual roots, Native Americans, Europeans, and other cultures across the world have held festivals and special meals in gratitude for bountiful harvests and to re ect on the past year. is concept of giving thanks is something I can get behind. And if I can tie this season of thanksgiving to something more meaningful, such as Mabon, even better.
We each have so much to be grateful for, even if they feel like little things. And with the dark half of the year fully in swing now, many of us may feel like we are slowing down. I am grateful for electricity, air conditioning, and heating, but things like this take us away from being as in-tune with the cycles of the world as our ancestors were. Most of us have jobs and responsibilities that don’t change or slow down just because it’s getting darker earlier.
Yet there is something about the fall and winter that speaks to our collective unconsciousness. It calls for us to stay home more, where it’s warm and dry and comfortable. Many of us feel like we have more time to delve into our hobbies or even our to-do list. I encourage you, as you feel the pull of the dark part of the year keeping you closer to home, nd ways to express your gratitude about the good things in your life. Give your home a deep cleaning as the weather cools o . Try to do it intentionally, and show your home your appreciation for it protecting you, sheltering you, and being a safe space for you.
Drag out your half- nished cra s and honey-do lists, and spend a little time each night working on them. Be grateful that you have these things to do, and the time, space, and need to do them. We take so much for granted that others do not have, and we don’t even realize it. I want to spend this winter honing my gratitude practice, and I highly encourage you all to join me in this endeavor. is Mabon, I am grateful — for the wonderful things in my life and my experiences. As the wheel turns, life changes. I don’t know what the next turning of the wheel will bring. But I am grateful to have made it this far and I am grateful for the blessings, gi s, and lessons. Blessed Mabon to you! May your harvest season be amazing and bring all the blessings you could ask for.
Emily Guenther is a co-owner of e Broom Closet metaphysical shop. She is a Memphis native, professional tarot reader, ordained Pagan clergy, and dog mom.
PHOTO: VALERIIA HARBUZ | PEXELS Use Mabon as a time to give thanks.
Mended Therapy
Combining mental health with a love of fashion, creativity, and sustainability, Mended Therapy was born. Ashley wants to show that although things may seem like they cannot get better, there is hope. Just like a mended piece of clothing is brought new life, the same can be said of us. She is here to walk with you through this journey with laughter, creativity, and challenging your beliefs about yourself. She is MENDED (and constantly mending). She hopes you will let her join you as you MEND.
Ashley specializes in working with LGBTQ+ populations and mood disorders.
For more information or to book an appointment, visit mendedtherapypllc.com.
She currently accepts Aetna, BCBS, Cigna, and Quest Behavioral Health insurance plans. She does provide a superbill for out-ofnetwork clients if they want to submit to their insurance. Self-pay is $125 for individual sessions.
NEWS OF THE WEIRD
By the editors at Andrews McMeel Syndication
The Bear Jar
For more than a week, residents of northwest Wisconsin had been riveted by sightings of a hapless yet elusive bear with a jar stuck on her head.
“The bear had been identified plenty of times ... but by the time anyone got there that could help, she was gone,” said Erik Donley of Duluth. Donley and his nieces were arriving at their family cabin when the bear came out of the woods near them. Understandably scared, the youngest niece locked the cabin doors — briefly leaving her poor uncle outside. The family called wildlife authorities, then Donley went back outside to follow the bear from a safe distance and prevent her from disappearing again. The USDA soon arrived, tranquilized the bear, and — finally — removed that stubborn jar. Authorities said the creature was underweight for this time of year, but has been safely relocated and is expected to recover. [Northern News Now, 8/4/2025]
Bright Idea
In the Hautes-Vosges region of France, farmers have become discouraged with the lack of help from the law regarding squatters who appear in camping vans and park illegally on private property. So, The Economic Times reported on Aug. 4, the farmers unleashed the power of the poo on the interlopers. Six tractors circled around the campers and released slurry — a mixture of manure and water — that’s used to fertilize the soil. “We’ve had enough,” one farmer said. “If no one listens, we make ourselves heard another way.” [Economic Times, 8/4/2025]
No Fans of Drama
Farmers near Yellowstone National Park, struggling with wolves attacking their livestock but prohibited from harming the protected animals, have turned to technology — and Hollywood — for help in keeping the predators away. Yahoo News reported on Aug. 4 that quadcopter drones equipped with speakers blaring AC/ DC songs and audio from a Scarlett Johansson movie had been dispatched in the ongoing fight. Per the USDA, “people arguing is a distressing sound for wolves, and so the fight scene between Johansson and Adam Driver
in the 2019 movie Marriage Story is a perfect deterrent.” The music and film clips seem to be working: Since their deployment, the number of cows killed by wolves in southern Oregon has fallen from 11 over a 20-day period to two over the next 85 days.
[Yahoo, 8/4/2025]
Easy There, Leadfoot
A driver on Germany’s famed Autobahn was issued a $1,000 fine and had his license suspended for three months, CNN reported, after he exceeded the speed limit by 124 mph on July 28. Speed limit? On the Autobahn? Yes, while the motorway is known worldwide as a de facto raceway where drivers can go as fast as they please, it has stretches where speed limits are posted and enforced. German police said the motorist was clocked at over 199 mph on the A2 highway near Burg, a portion of the Autobahn where the limit is 74.5 mph.
[CNN, 8/8/2025]
Climb Every Mountain
To be awarded a scholarship for college, most prospective students must write a killer essay, but South Korean students with the right lofty aspirations can take a hike. Literally. According to UPI, Seoul National University offers a scholarship of up to $540 to students who climb any six mountains in the Blackyak Alpine Club’s 100 Famous Mountains and 100+ Famous Mountains lists, excluding those traversed by cable car or gondola. Students must use the Blackyak app to prove they hiked the mountains. The Misan Mountain Hiking Scholarship, which is funded by alumnus Kwon Jun-ha, 81, is highly competitive — only 70 spots are available, but 1,400 students applied for it during the open period from July 8 to 18. “The scholarship reflects the donor’s desire to foster healthy individuals with a spirit of challenge and community spirit,” the school said.
[UPI, 8/4/2025]
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): Hindu goddess Durga rides a tiger and carries weapons in her 10 hands, including a sword, axe, and thunderbolt. Yet she wears a pleasant smile. Her mandate to aid the triumph of good over evil is not fueled by hate but by luminous clarity and loving ferocity. I suggest you adopt her attitude, Aries. Can you imagine yourself as a storm of joy and benevolence? Will you work to bring more justice and fairness into the situations you engage with? I imagine you speaking complex and rugged truths with warmth and charm. I see you summoning a generous flair as you help people climb up out of their sadness and suffering. If all goes well, you will magnetize others to participate in shared visions of delight and dignity.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Born under the sign of Taurus, Maya Deren first expressed her extravagant creative urges as a writer, poet, photographer, clothes designer, and dancer. But then she made a radical change, embarking on a new path as experimental filmmaker. She said she had “finally found a glove that fits.” Her movies were highly influential among the avant-garde in the 1940s and 1950s. I bring Deren to your attention, Taurus, because I suspect that in the coming months, you, too, will find a glove that fits. And it all starts soon.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In medieval times, alchemists believed mercury was a sacred substance and divine intermediary. They knew that it’s the only metal that’s liquid at room temperature. This quality, along with its silvery sheen (why it’s called “quicksilver”), made it seem like a bridge between solid and liquid, earth and water, heaven and earth, life and death. I nominate mercury as your power object, Gemini. You’re extra well-suited to navigate liminal zones and transitional states. You may be the only person in your circle who can navigate paradox and speak in riddles and still make sense. It’s not just cleverness. It’s wisdom wrapped in whimsy. So please offer your in-between insights freely. PS: You have another superpower, too: You can activate dormant understandings in both other people’s hearts and your own.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): In the western Pacific Ocean, there’s a species of octopus that builds its lair from coconut shells. The creature gathers together husks, dragging them across the seafloor, and fits them together. According to scientists, this use of tools by an invertebrate is unique. Let’s make the coconut octopus your power creature for now, Cancerian. You will have extra power to forge a new sanctuary or renovate an existing one, either metaphorically or literally. You will be wise to draw on what’s nearby and readily available, maybe even using un-
Rob Brezsny
usual or unexpected building materials.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): I invite you to contemplate the meaning of the phrase “invisible architecture.” My dream told me it will be a theme for you in the coming weeks. What does it mean? What does it entail? Here are my thoughts: Structures are taking shape within you that may not yet be visible from the outside. Bridges are forming between once-disconnected parts of your psyche and life. You may not need to do much except consent to the slow emergence of these new semi-amazing expressions of integrity. Be patient and take notes. Intuitions arriving soon may be blueprints for future greatness. Here’s the kicker: You’re not just building for yourself. You’re working on behalf of your soul-kin, too.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The ancient Mesopotamian goddess Inanna was called “the Queen of Heaven.” Her domains were politics, divine law, love, and fertility. She was a powerhouse. One chapter of her mythic story tells of her descent into the underworld. She was stripped of everything — clothes, titles, weapons — before she could be reborn. Why did she do it? Scholars say she was on a quest for greater knowledge and an expansion of her authority. And she was successful! I propose we make her your guide and companion in the coming weeks, Libra. You are at the tail-end of your own descent. The stripping is almost complete. Soon you will feel the first tremors of return — not loud, not triumphant, but sure. I have faith that your adventures will make you stronger and wiser, as Inanna’s did for her.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In ancient Rome, the dye called Tyrian purple was used exclusively for garments worn by royalty and top officials. It had a humble origin: murex snails. Their glands yielded a pale liquid that darkened into an aristocratic violet only after sun, air, and time worked upon it. I’m predicting you will be the beneficiary of comparable alchemical transformations in the coming weeks. A modest curiosity could lead to a major breakthrough. A passing fancy might ripen into a rich blessing. Seemingly nondescript encounters may evolve into precious connections.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Bees can see ultraviolet patterns in flowers that are invisible to humans. These “nectar guides” direct bees to the flower’s nectar and pollen, functioning like landing strips. Let’s apply these fun facts as metaphors for your life, Sagittarius. I suspect that life is offering you subtle yet radiant cues leading you to sources you will be glad to connect with. To be fully alert for them, you may need to shift and expand the ways you use your five senses. The
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): A supple clarity is crystallizing within you. Congratulations! It’s not a brittle or rigid certainty, but a knack for limber discernment. I predict you will have an extra potent gift for knowing what truly matters, even amidst chaos or complication. As this superpower reaches full ripeness, you can aid the process by clearing out clutter and refining your foundational values. Make these words your magic spells: quintessence, core, crux, gist, lifeblood, root. PS: Be alert for divine messages in seemingly mundane circumstances.
universe is in a sense flirting with you, sending you clues through dream-logic and nonrational phenomena. Follow the shimmering glimmers.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): At the height of her powers, Egyptian pharaoh Hatshepsut declared, “I have restored what had been ruined. I have raised up what had dissolved.” You now have a similar gift at your disposal, Capricorn. If you harness it, you will gain an enhanced capacity to unify what has been scattered, to reforge what was broken, and to resurrect neglected dreams. To fulfill this potential, you must believe in your own sovereignty — not as a form of domination, but of devotion. Start with your own world. Make beauty where there was noise. Evoke dignity where there was confusion.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In the high Himalayas, there’s a flower called Saussurea obvallata — the Brahma Kamal. It blooms only at night and for a short time, releasing a scent that legend says can heal grief. This will be your flower of power for the coming weeks, Aquarius. It signifies that a rare and time-sensitive gift will be available, and that you must be alert to gather it in. My advice: Don’t schedule ev ery waking hour. Leave space for mystery to arrive unannounced. You could receive a visitation, an inspiration, or a fleeting insight that can change everything. It may assuage and even heal sadness, confusion, aimlessness, or demoralization.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The human heart beats 100,000 times per day, 35 mil lion times per year, and 2.5 billion times in an average lifetime. It’s the most reliable “machine” ever created, working continu ously and mostly without special maintenance for decades. Although you Pisceans aren’t renowned for your stability and steadiness, I predict that in the coming weeks, you will be as staunch, constant, and secure as a human heart. What do you plan to do with this grace period? What marvels can you accomplish?
FILM By Chris McCoy
Legacy Act
Spinal Tap II: e End Continues is fun but doesn’t go to 11.
Three weeks ago, I wrote in my weekly lm column that we were in a golden age of music documentaries. Now I can add that we are also in some kind of age for music mockumentaries, but whether it’s a golden age or a dark age remains to be seen.
e mockumentary itself emerged not too long a er the invention of lm, as lmmakers soon discovered the line between what is “real” and “fake” on screen is not nearly as clear-cut as we might like to believe. e surrealist genius Luis Buñuel toyed with the concept of fake documentary footage presented as real in the early 1930s. In 1939, Orson Welles’ Mercury eatre presented H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds as a fake radio newscast and caused a sensation still talked about to this day. As TV ownership spread in the 1950s, the ubiquity of TV news inspired many people to mock it. e Beatles lm debut, A Hard Day’s Night, plays on the Fab Four’s saturation level presence on TV to show what “really” went on behind the scenes. Monty Python’s fake BBC presentations inspired Saturday Night Live’s fake newscast Weekend Update. In the 1980s, Special Bulletin, a TV movie about a group of terrorists who build an atomic bomb in Charleston, South Carolina, presented in War of the Worlds fashion, caused consternation and won awards. And I take every opportunity to plug one of my all time favorite movies, Man Bites Dog, a Belgian mockumentary about a lm crew following a serial killer, which is di cult to nd today, but oh so worth it. e king daddy of all mockumentaries is is Is Spinal Tap. e 1984 lm was the brainchild of Michael McKean and Christopher Guest, friends and bandmates who met in the 1960s while pursuing their comedy careers. McKean was a breakout star of Happy Days spin-o Laverne & Shirley, and met SCTV’s Harry Shearer and fellow TV comedy star Rob Reiner while lming a failed sketch comedy pilot in the late 1970s. Spinal Tap was the essence of a pretentious, late-’70s rock band. e key to the comedy magic was saying very stupid things in an oblivious deadpan. Little did they know that the characters they came up with for the pilot would reverberate for the next ve decades when made into a lm.
is Is Spinal Tap did not do great at the box o ce during its initial run, but it hit a nerve on home video. Coming in the wake of a wave of music
Elton John joins Spinal Tap to deliver the climactic “Stonehenge.”
The mockumentary emerged not too long after the invention of film, as filmmakers soon discovered the line between what is “real” and “fake” on-screen is not nearly as clear-cut as we
documentaries that began with Festival in 1967 and Woodstock in 1970, and including Martin Scorsese’s classic e Last Waltz and the frankly bizarre Led Zeppelin concert lm e Song Remains the Same, there were a lot of ripe targets for satire. Ironically, it was people in the music industry who loved Spinal Tap the most, even though the lm ruthlessly exposed the shallowness and stupidity of the industry. U2’s e Edge called it “chillingly accurate.”
Everyone involved with the original lm went on to have stellar careers. Reiner had a string of great lms in the ’80s and ’90s, and got a Best Picture nomination for A Few Good Men. Michael McKean recently wowed on Better Call Saul. Harry Shearer has been integral to the epochal success of e Simpsons. In addition to being married to Jamie Lee Curtis, Christopher Guest made the improvisational techniques pioneered in Spinal Tap into his calling card, resulting in some of the funniest movies of the last 30 years, such as Best in Show. Even bit players like Billy Crystal and Fran Drescher — who was president of SAG during the 2023 strike — went on to greatness. So what took so long to get the band back together? e short answer
might like to believe.
is, litigation, and lots of it. e nest of lawsuits which were recently resolved in the creative team’s favor didn’t stop them from making some memorable live appearances as Tap over the years, some of which is used as B-roll in Spinal Tap II: e End Continues Reiner reprises his role as Marty DiBergi, the documentarian whose fascination with Spinal Tap led to the demise of both the band and, we learn, his own directorial career. Reiner’s Marty is the source of one of my all time favorite sight gags. He wears a Navy cap from the USS Ooral Sea Hope Faith (Kerry Godliman), the daughter of Tap’s deceased manager, notices the band was contractually obligated to play a farewell show, which they hadn’t done during any of their numerous comebacks over the decades since the rst movie. Marty tracks down the lads so he can lm them receiving the news. Nigel Tufnel (Guest) manages a cheese and guitar shop in rural England, and plays gigs with the Celtic band down at the local pub. David St. Hubbins (McKean) makes a decent living composing music for podcasts. Derek Smalls got rich o of crypto and now runs a glue museum.
e gig is in New Orleans, and the
rst order of business is nding a new drummer, a er No. 11 sneezed himself to death. A clutch of famous drummers cycle through Zoom calls with the lads, including Chad Smith from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lars Ulrich from Metallica, and Questlove, who turns down the gig because “I don’t want to die.” ey settle on Didi Crockett, played by Valerie Franco, a fantastic drummer in real life who brings a jolt of energy every time she’s on-screen. Everyone is generally on their game. Drescher slays her one scene, as does Paul Sha er. e big celebrity cameos are all fun. Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood covering “Big Bottom” is a slam dunk. Paul McCartney plays an extended studio scene with the lads and e ortlessly gets the better of them. Most game of all is Elton John, who delivers the climactic “Stonehenge.” is Is Spinal Tap was lightning in a bottle, so it’s no surprise that the legacy act version lacks a certain je ne sais quoi. e sequel is fun for fans, but if you’re new to Tap, do yourself a favor and go watch the original. It goes to 11.
Spinal Tap II: e End Continues Now playing Multiple locations
Our critic picks the best films in theaters.
Him
Marlon Wayans stars as Isaiah White, an NFL quarterback who spends retirement mentoring new players at an elite camp. He’s married to a social media influencer named Elsie (Julia Fox), who burnishes his brand. Isaiah’s latest find is Cam Cade (Tyriq Withers), a wild talent with limitless potential. But something is off in camp, and violence and tragedy are on the horizon. Jordan Peele produces an acclaimed Black List script by Skip Bronkie and Zack Akers, directed by Justin Tipping.
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle
Anime continues to put asses in seats as this adaptation of Kimetsu no Yaiba manga has chalked up $390 million worldwide
on a $20 million budget. After its fourth season, Demon Slayer has transitioned to a theatrical film trilogy, and it seems to have captured the scale of the story.
The Long Walk
This Stephen King (writing under his sci-fi pen name Richard Bachman) adaptation is chalking up acclaim for the performances by Judy Greer and Mark Hamill, and the brutal staging by director Francis Lawrence. In a future (heh) dystopian America, a game show recruits 50 young men to walk a prescribed route escorted by a squad of soldiers. Anyone who can’t keep up with the 3 mph pace is summarily executed. The winner gets money and a wish granted. Think of it as a preamble to Edgar Wright’s King/Bachman adaptation The Running Man.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26
SHELBY FARMS PARK | MEMPHIS, TN
Starts | 1 p.m.
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AUTOS
AUTO AUCTION
Collins AutoBody at 1863 Lenow Rd., Cordova, TN, will auction off the following vehicles on 9/26/2025 at 9am.
15 Mercedes: WDDUG8CB5FA078419
13 Lexus: JTHBK1GG1D2021346
12 Kia: KNAFT4A29C5635859
17 Hyundai: 5NPD74LFXHH171843
16 Chevy: 1G1FB3DS6G0156211
07 Freightliner: 1FUJA6DE65LV63076
13 Dodge: 1C3CDZAB1DN581365
97 Chevy: 1GCGG25R4V1011873
17 Kia: KNDMA5C16H627884
74 Ford: FOYNV2222
05 Harley: 1HDIJDB1557071796
20 Nissan: 1N4BL4BV2KC243204
01 Chevy: 2G1FP32G012132802
THE LAST WORD By Jesse Davis
Time to Terminate the Terminator
ink before you click; that AI-generated ad might not be o ering you the best deal.
e Memphis Flyer lives and dies by the support of local advertisers. Flip through these pages and take note of the names in the margins; those are primarily locally owned businesses who are providing goods and services they’re proud of, and they’re doing their best to get the word out. ey’re the ones who keep the Flyer free because they know the value of the Flyer brand and what it means to readers. ey have seen the support at Flyer events; they know the Flyer is a trusted source of news, entertainment, criticism, and a healthy dose of snark and humor for the people of Memphis, and they want the paper’s readers to know about the goods and services they have on o er. at, to the mind of this cranky columnist at large, is the way it should be. Lately, however, whenever I scroll through social media, watch television, or peruse YouTube to search for a video of birds for my cats to watch (yes, I’m one of those people), I nd myself slogging through a morass of AI-generated advertisements selling … well, to be perfectly honest, I’m not even always sure what they’re selling.
What happens when ads aren’t written by humans?
I’ve seen real estate being advertised by dead-eyed “businessmen” with a set of 49 chompers that would make a great white shark envious. It should be noted that the average adult human being has 32 teeth. How did that sharply dressed man with the robotic movements and the strangely frozen face get so many teeth, one might ask. I’ve seen septuagenarians who are muscled like a Marvel movie lead in a shirtless scene slinging weight loss programs all about breath control. e ads are so blatantly AI-generated as to be insulting. Call me crazy, call me an old man screaming at clouds, call me a Luddite, but I think if you’re going to sell me a tness regimen, you should at least hire a human actor to be the face of the product.
e better ads simply feature oating text, generic Muzak, and maybe a shot or two of the product on o er — no tricky human faces or hands to try to emulate!
Is this the brave new world we’re all agreeing to inhabit? Are we all content with a system in which the superrich and the occasional enterprising scammer will use computer-generated simulacra to sell us bland and technically legally distinct versions of products that already exist, while we use Klarna and other buynow-pay-later programs to purchase this trash with money we don’t even have?
It’s worth mentioning that, less than a month ago, a federal appeals court ruled in favor of the administration of President Donald Trump’s planned “reduction in force” (read: laying o 1,400 employees, to leave around 200) of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Former deputy assistant director of the CFPB Mike Pierce said the following in a statement, “ e CFPB is the last line of defense for working families and honest businesses against the relentless wave of fraud and abuse by Wall Street and Big Tech.” ere may yet be another appeal at the full D.C. Circuit Court, and even the Supreme Court. If public and political sentiment toward so-called overspending remains unchanged, though, then the writing is on the wall for the CFPB.
In other words, it seems clear that the unwritten rule of the land will amount to, “buyer beware,” so now is a better time than any to avoid any shy advertisements and keep a rm conviction to shop local.
e pocketbook of regular working Americans might not be the hardest hit by the rush to adopt AI-generated content, especially in the realm of advertising. Let’s set aside the valid concerns of job loss and potential environmental impact, and consider that as consumers, readers, and viewers, we are exposed to upwards of 10,000 advertisements a day. As an editor, I have seen the e ects of that exposure rate. In younger and less experienced writers, an “advertorial” tone o en creeps into their prose. What happens when these advertisements aren’t even written by human beings, but are the bland average of content some Large Language Model (the more accurate name for so-called Arti cial Intelligence, which can no more think than a box of sand) scraped from the internet? Read that again, from the internet. at place is terrifying!
Where is the outrage and fear that came with the advent of SMS messaging? e (in retrospect, absolutely valid) concern that avored every op-ed about the ubiquitousness of social media? Do we really, truly want ourselves and our children exposed to a Frankenstein’s monster of equal parts predictive text algorithms and whatever was free to steal from the world wide web? Do we want that happening 10,000 times a day?
Let’s all pretend we learned something from the collective wisdom of 2001: A Space Odyssey, e Terminator franchise, e Matrix franchise, and two Blade Runner lms. Let’s pull the plug. Jesse Davis is a former Flyer sta er; he writes a monthly Books feature for Memphis Magazine. His opinions, such as they are, are not even remotely computer-generated.
PHOTO: RUBIDIUM BEACH | UNSPLASH
