Images and videos of cop cars, unmarked vehicles with blacked-out windows and no tags, and National Guard troops in full combat gear ooded the MEMernet last week. e one above was posted by u/scd73 saying, “[Drug Enforcement Agency] assists in the war zone that is Highpoint Terrace.”
{WEEK THAT WAS
By Flyer staff
Questions, Answers + Attitude
Edited by Toby Sells
Regional One, Airport, & National
Guard
Hospital team announced, Trump cuts NOAA, and reactions to troops in Memphis.
REGIONAL ONE
Leaders announced the development team that will build the new Regional One Health facility, expected to cost more than $1 billion.
Reddit user u/scd73 also spotted the Air Force plane, commonly used to carry American presidents, at Memphis International Airport last week. We now know that aboard were at least Pete Hegseth, United States secretary of war; Pam Bondi, United States attorney general; and Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of sta .
e three spoke to a gathering of law enforcement here last week. Miller gave chilling remarks to the crowd saying, “ ose with guns and badges in this room, you are unleashed,” and, “ e gangbangers that you deal with, they think that they’re ruthless. ey have no idea how ruthless we are.”
AMAZING POTHOLE is insane image of a pothole on Fairoaks Avenue does not do it justice. e 360 video posted by u/g713 is amazing, kinda beautiful, and a little scary.
e county-owned healthcare company is set to build a new hospital campus on the site of the former Commercial Appeal building at 495 Union. Shelby County will pay $500 million into the project. However, the state government announced late last week it would not allow the county to issue any more debt for now. It’s unknown how that may a ect the future of the new hospital project. e remainder of the money will be raised through philanthropy and other sources.
Covalus Allworld, a Covalus and Allworld Project Management joint venture, was selected to head the project a year ago. Leaders announced other team members Monday:
• HDR — an architecture and interior design rm based in Omaha, Nebraska, partnering with local rms Self+Tucker Architects, brg3s architects, Meticulous, and Cornerstone
• Memphis Healthcare Builders — construction management rm, Turner Construction, Flintco Construction, Nickson General Contractors, and Fifer & Associates joint venture
• Magnusson Klemencic Associates — structural engineering rm based in Seattle, Washington
• Salas O’Brien — mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and re protection engineering rm based in Irvine, California, partnering with local rm Innovative Engineering Services
e new facility will feature a bed tower, a trauma and burn unit, women and infants services, an expanded emergency department, and more.
TRUMP CUTS COULD HIT AIRPORT
President Donald Trump’s budget request would completely eliminate funding for ve National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) research laboratories in Tennessee, a new interactive map of the national weather and climate agency’s locations shows.
e map shows nine NOAA locations in Tennessee, including three National Weather Service o ces and a Center Weather Service Unit at the Federal Aviation Administra-
tion’s Memphis Air Route Tra c Control Center, in addition to the ve research laboratories housed under the O ce of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. ree of those research centers are based in Oak Ridge.
GUARD REACTIONS
News and sightings of federal agents and National Guard troops in Memphis began to emerge here late last week and so did reactions to them:
Conservative talk show host Todd Starnes:
“ e liberation of Memphis is under way. e National Guard has arrived and so has the national media. And God bless this great 901 Patriot who dropped a truth bomb on CNN! Welcome to my hometown!”
( e post came with a clip from CNN showing a man holding a sign that read, “Democrats destroyed Memphis.”)
State Representative Justin J. Pearson:
“[Stephen Miller’s] words and their actions don’t make me feel safer. I’m praying for our city and the over-policed Black and brown people in our community, particularly.”
U.S. Representative Steve Cohen (D-9):
“Memphians are not enemies; they are Americans. ey are entitled to constitutional rights, not their government working to ‘intimidate, demoralize, hunt and kill’ them.
“We are not a training ground or target practice. ‘Maximum lethality’ is no way to treat fellow Americans.”
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: MEMPHIS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT | FACEBOOK
e Center Weather Service Unit at the Memphis International Airport faces closure.
On Guard {
CITY REPORTER
By Toby Sells and Kailynn Johnson
Tennessee politicos wrangle over legal right in Tennessee State Constitution to allow National Guard troops in Memphis.
The Tennessee governor’s constitutional right to mobilize troops here took center stage last week, and that had state and county Democrats claiming the move was against the law and pointing to a now-missing Tennessee Attorney General opinion that agreed with them.
Early last week, Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris claimed Governor Bill Lee’s plan to send troops here violated the Tennessee State Constitution.
“Here’s what the Tennessee Constitution says about a Tennessee Governor sending National Guard troops into Tennessee communities this week,” Harris said in a Facebook post. “Let me summarize: He can’t do it. #FreeTennessee.”
e post carried a section from the Tennessee Constitution that reads: “ e militia shall not be called into service except in cases of rebellion or invasion, and then only when the General Assembly shall declare, by law, that the public safety requires it.” at full section of the state consti-
tution adds a layer of complexity to the issue, however. e sentence before what Lee shared says the governor, “shall be commanderin-chief of the Army and Navy of this state, and of the militia, except when they shall be called into the service of the United States …”
Another law, passed in 2024 by the Tennessee General Assembly, gave the governor rights to call the Guard in “at any time that public safety requires it …,” though, as we reported early last week, that law is not in harmony with the state constitution, either. at was the same conclusion of then-Tennessee AG Herbert Slatery in 2021. An opinion from him then said the 2024 law “does not appear to comport with … the Tennessee Constitution.” However, that opinion had been wiped from the AG’s website. is disharmony and the missing opinion were the centerpiece of a news conference held later in the week by the Tennessee Senate Democratic Caucus. Senator Je Yarbro (D-Nashville) said there was no date as to when the opin-
Troops are here, but should they be?
ion was removed or rationale as to why it was removed. “It’s just gone,” he said. However, another opinion, published in January 2024 by current Tennessee AG Jonathan Skrmetti, a rmed the 2021 opinion, acknowledging that the National Guard constituted a militia bound by state constitutional limits. at opinion has since been rewritten — without public announcement, legal rationale, or date of revision — to cast doubt on whether those limits apply.
Yarbro said the attorney general
did not issue a di erent opinion that said there is “constitutional validity” to deploying troops such as the National Guard. His o ce seemingly withdrew their previous guidance.
“ e reason that Americans are not used to seeing troops in combat fatigues patrolling American cities is not because nobody’s ever thought of it before — it’s because it’s illegal,” Yarbro said. “For 150 years the federal government clearly prohibited that — and in Tennessee that prohibition goes back even longer.” However, Skrmetti said the opinions were “not legally binding” and were withdrawn because they did not “re ect the state of the law.”
“If the folks at the press conference are insinuating my o ce withdrew the opinion six months before the election to pave the way for Trump policies a year and a half later, they have bigger problems than this legal question,” Skrmetti said. “If I could see the future like that, I’d be neck deep in Bitcoin and Pokémon cards.”
Join us for all the activities and cultural experiences geared toward youth which entertains us all. It is an allday, pay-what-you-can / FREE event with vendors, food trucks, drop-in classes, immersive experiences and unique performances that the entire family will love. Youthcentric, kids of all ages will be amazed by the talents of organizations and young performers alike.
Join us for all the activities and cultural experiences geared toward youth which entertains us all. It is an allday, pay-what-you-can / FREE event with vendors, food trucks, drop-in classes, immersive experiences and unique performances that the entire family will love. Youthcentric, kids of all ages will be amazed by the talents of organizations and young performers alike.
The Arthur F. and Alice E. Adams Foundation
PHOTO: TENN AIR GUARD MASTER SGT KENDRA OWENBY
Facts, Fancies, and Forebodings
Rumors and unresolved issues expand as the Memphis operation continues.
Early on in the advent of the ongoing occupation, opinions and hearsay — some from local ranking officials — are predominating over actual evidence about events per se.
County Trustee Regina Newman informed readers of her Facebook page thusly — “Attention: on Peabody between McLean & Cooper: 4 Fed vehicles and a trooper, men in full gear & guns on street. Pay attention folks.”
Newman followed that up with a somewhat fuller alert: “People harassed, beat up, apt complex raided in Midtown, family dog shot in front of kids, etc., etc. Summer Avenue a ghost town as to commerce at noon. This is what happens when you ‘unleash’ undisciplined cowboys with carte blanche.”
(Less apocalyptic accounts, it should be said, were flourishing on social media and in conversation documenting what
appeared to be a stepped-up number of traffic stops by unmarked vehicles as well as by state troopers in official cars.)
Besides serving as an unofficial Paul Revere of the emergency, the term-limited Newman seems also to be breaking with tradition by including a prominently displayed likeness of Joseph Lee, an office employee and a candidate to succeed his boss next year, in an official brochure containing facts and figures about the trustee’s office.
What’s next for Taylor? The United Nations?
• If your message doesn’t work with one legislative tribunal, try another. That would seem to be the modus operandi of Republican state Senator Brent Taylor, whose somewhat fevered crusade to remove Memphis District Attorney Steve Mulroy from office fizzled out in the GOP-dominated state Senate in this year’s
General Assembly.
Last week, Taylor took his vendetta against Mulroy before the Judiciary Committee of the U. S. Senate for a hearing entitled “Blue City Chaos and Tragedy.” The hearing was spearheaded by U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn, a candidate for Tennessee governor in 2026. Blackburn and Taylor were rivals for the 7th district congressional seat won by Blackburn in 2002, but they have long since settled into a close working relationship featuring an early endorsement of Blackburn’s gubernatorial candidacy by Taylor.
Focusing his remarks on the ongoing dispatch of National Guard and federal officials to Memphis, purportedly to deal with crime, Taylor told the senators, “The root of this crisis lies in part with our Soros-backed DA.”
Apprised of the development, Mulroy scoffed at Taylor’s claim, noting that violent crime had spiked under his Republican predecessor Amy Weirich and had eased during his tenure.
Fellow Democrats in Washington backed Mulroy — like New Jersey Senator
Cory Booker, who said, “The pretext for this hearing is a farce. It’s belied by the evidence.”
What’s next for Taylor? The United Nations?
• Local concern about the city’s predicament, whatever the evidence, was bolstered by an announcement last week by Governor Bill Lee of a forthcoming grant to Memphis for operations of the Memphis Safe Task Force, as the Memphis incursion has been dubbed by President Trump.
But this apparent serendipity comes with a thicket of complications: Is this amount different from an equivalently purposed sum promised the city at the time of Lee’s State of the State address in February? How much of that originally mentioned sum, totaling $275 million, is still forthcoming? And how will the state largesse, of whatever denomination, influence the city’s still-inconclusive negotiations to keep the NBA Grizzlies once the current operating agreement with the team expires in 2029?
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11 | 11AM – 10PM
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12 | 11AM – 8PM MONDAY, OCTOBER 13 | 11AM – 8PM
Time to Downsize?
ere are other options. Here are questions to consider.
s your lifestyle and circumstances change over time, so do your housing needs. If you nd yourself an empty nester still living in your large family home, you may begin to wonder whether it makes sense to downsize. Keep in mind that downsizing isn’t your only option. Based on your speci c needs, lifestyle goals, and nancial situation, you may decide it makes more sense to “rightsize” or make no change at all. Following are several considerations to keep in mind as you evaluate your options.
Downsizing
If you nd yourself dreading the upkeep and maintenance that come with a large home, downsizing may be a good option. A smaller home means fewer areas to clean, lower utility bills, and less upkeep. Even more importantly, a smaller footprint may allow you to accelerate your retirement goals by reducing the carrying costs of your residence. Downsizing may also be the right option if you plan to travel a lot or hope to purchase a second home in a di erent location. Before making a move to downsize, ask yourself:
• Will a smaller home accommodate my lifestyle, hobbies, entertaining needs, etc.?
• What furniture, décor, and other possessions will I need to get rid of to live comfortably in a smaller space?
• What type of community and home am I looking for?
• Am I looking for additional amenities, such as a pool, tennis courts, a golf course, etc.?
• How will my relationships be impacted by a move? Will I be able to maintain my current social and family connections in a new location?
• Will I still have convenient access to services and support?
• What new or di erent expenses will I face in a di erent home?
Rightsizing
Rightsizing refers to nding a new home that better aligns with your current and future needs and lifestyle goals. is
doesn’t necessarily mean moving to a smaller home but rather nding a new home that o ers features and/or amenities your current home doesn’t. Perhaps you’re experiencing mobility issues and would have an easier time getting around in a single-story home. Maybe you want to move to be closer to family. Or perhaps you’re hoping to live in a retirement or maintenance-provided community. As you’re considering your options, ask yourself the following questions:
• What lifestyle changes must my new home support?
• How will moving impact my current relationships, including friendships and time with family?
• What home features do I need?
• Will it continue to meet my needs in the next ve, 10, or 20 years?
• Will I still have convenient access to services and support?
• What new or di erent expenses will I face in a di erent home?
Staying Put
Rather than moving to a new home, it may make sense to stay where you are. As long as you’re happy, there’s no reason to force a move. e bene ts of remaining in your current home include maintaining familiar surroundings and established social networks. Staying in your home can also save you signi cantly on moving and transaction costs, and it may allow you to keep a more favorable mortgage rate than is currently available in the market. To determine if staying put is the right option for you, ask yourself:
• Will the layout of this home continue to meet my needs ve, 10, or 20 years into the future?
• Will my changing needs, such as mobility issues, impact my ability to stay in my home?
• Will I be able to keep up with the costs and physical requirements of maintaining my home?
• Does my current home have the amenities and features I need?
• Are there nancial bene ts to staying in my current home?
AJ Kratz, CFA®, CFP®, is a Private Wealth Manager and Partner with Creative Planning. Creative Planning is one of the nation’s largest registered investment advisory rms, providing comprehensive wealth management services to help ensure all elements of a client’s nancial life are working together, including investments, taxes, estate planning, and risk management. For more information, or to request a free, no-obligation consultation, visit creativeplanning.com.
PHOTO: MILENA TRIFONOVA | UNSPLASH
AT LARGE By Bruce VanWyngarden
THEATRE BY THE LAKE
Chump Change
Heads or tails? e buck starts here.
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
From the Federal Bureau of Inevitability comes news that the U.S. Treasury Department has dra ed a design for a $1 coin that will feature images of Donald Trump. Plans are for it to be minted and released in 2026 during the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.
nite inside BPACC.
FREE – One of Shakespeare’s best comedies! Victorious soldiers return thinking they are done with war. They come heart-to-heart with witty Beatrice & her women in the Italian countryside for a sun-dappled battle of romance which fi nds peace only when the village “Ass” is conscripted! 90 minutes without intermission. Outside on shores of Lake Appling at BPACC – 3663 Appling Rd – Bartlett Rain Plans –
According to a Treasury Department statement, the design of the coin was overseen by U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach. If that name seems vaguely familiar, it may be because Beach is a former Georgia state senator who was involved in the aborted attempt to overturn that state’s 2020 election results.
When Beach heard Trump say, “I just want to nd 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have. … Give me a break,” he thought that sounded like a great idea and tried to give Trump a break by creating some fake electors. As one does.
Beach is also semi-famous for shutting down the Georgia state Senate for two weeks by exposing that chamber’s members to Covid a er testing positive for the disease. Obviously, being nominated by the now-president to be the guy in charge of U.S. currency was the next logical career step.
Beach’s personally approved design for the Donald Buck features Trump’s pro le on one side of the coin, with the opposite side depicting him raising a clenched st in front of an American ag beneath the words, “FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT.” I guess “TRUMP WAS RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING” wouldn’t t. Oh well. It can wait for the Trump $1,000 bill, I guess.
e accompanying o cial statement from the Treasury Department o ered some more subtly nuanced words: “Despite the radical le ’s forced shutdown of our government, the facts are clear: Under the historic leadership of President Donald J. Trump, our nation is entering its 250th anniversary stronger, more prosperous, and better than ever before. While a nal $1 dollar coin design has not yet been selected to commemorate the United States’ semiquincentennial, this rst dra re ects well the enduring spirit of our country and democracy, even in the face of immense obstacles.”
Speaking of immense obstacles, I for one am greatly looking forward to watching the president attempt to pronounce “semiquincentennial.” But I digress.
Not content with his department’s o cial statement on the new coin, Beach posted on X that the adminis-
tration would share “more soon, once the obstructionist shutdown of the United States government is over.” So we’re clear on who the bad people are, right? Just checking. At least there was no mention of a Nobel Prize or Dear Leader’s club golf championships. is monumental piece of presidential chutzpah got its start quite innocently, way back in those halcyon days of 2020, when a bipartisan (what!?) motion passed through Congress authorizing the Treasury Department to issue special $1 coins during the 2026 calendar year, which I’m sure seemed eons away at the time. According to the language of the bill, the coins were to be “emblematic of the United States semiquincentennial.”
We’re going to have to get used to that word, since it’s less than three months away, and there’s no way in hell this coin doesn’t get produced, despite the fact that there’s been a ban on living presidents appearing on U.S. currency since 1866. In addition, the Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005 states that dollar coins can only feature former presidents who have been dead for at least two years. Oops.
However, as has become quite obvious with all things Trump, laws are merely suggestions, brie y considered, perhaps, then quickly ignored. Why should it be any di erent in this instance? e restrictions against putting living presidents on currency were enacted so the U.S. wouldn’t look like a monarchy, where kings place their own likenesses on coins of the realm. Such quaint niceties no longer apply, and an obeisant GOP Congress and Senate will roll over with a quickness to render this piece of silver to their Caesar.
When asked by reporters last week, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said she wasn’t sure if Trump was aware of the e orts to put his likeness on a coin. Right. en she added, “I’m not sure if he’s seen it, but I’m sure he’ll love it,” which was perhaps the truest thing she’s said in her 10 months on the job.
PHOTO: U.S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT e coin design revels in pugnacity.
Fall Arts Guide
WITH FEDERAL FUNDING CUTS LOOMING, NOW
IS THE TIME TO SUPPORT THE
ARTS.
The arts world in Memphis — and in the country — is facing a time of heightened uncertainty, witnessing federal funding cuts during the spring and summer and now awaiting the rami cations. Yet as Elizabeth Rouse, CEO and president of ARTSmemphis says, “In these times of uncertainty, turning to the arts as a space to have joyful experiences and think about things from di erent perspectives, it’s a great way to build community and come together” So we at the Flyer hope you look to this Arts Guide as a starting point — to nd that joy and that community, and to support the arts because we need them and they need us.
ON DISPLAY
“ARTober ’25”
Members of Artists’ Link exhibit over 40 original works.
WKNO Gallery 1091, through Oct. 29
“ e Scarcity of Sand”
New work by Sarah Elizabeth Cornejo. Clough Hanson Gallery, Rhodes College, through Nov. 1
“Altar of Earth”
David Onri Anderson’s rst solo exhibit.
Sheet Cake Gallery, through Nov. 8
Artist talk: Nov. 1, 1 p.m.
“Of Salt and Spirit: Black Quilters in the American South”
Illuminating the processes and practices of Black Southern quilters.
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, through Jan. 4
Art & Aperitifs: Nov. 6, 6 p.m.
Ideas Over Lunch: Nov. 7, 11:45 a.m.
Collage and Quilting Workshop: Nov. 16, 12:30 p.m.
“Mary K. VanGieson: Chasing the Ephemeral”
Prints, sculptures, and installations using alternative materials
Dixon Gallery & Gardens, through Jan. 4
“Master Metalsmith: James Viste | Let Me Tell You A Story”
Vibrant forms exploring humor, memories, and whimsy.
Metal Museum, through Feb. 1
Artist talk: Oct. 18, 4-5 p.m.
“Re ection+Ritual+Refuge”
A solo exhibition by Brantley Ellzey. Crosstown Arts, Oct. 10-Jan. 25
Opening reception: Oct. 10, 6-9 p.m.
“Too Beautiful to Break”
e second solo exhibition by Congolese artist Doudou Mbemba.
“Time Is a Hearer” Work by Sean Heiser. Beverly + Sam Ross Gallery, Christian Brothers University, Oct. 24-Dec. 19
Opening reception: Oct. 25, 5-8 p.m.
Memphis Germantown Art League: Star Artists Exhibition Featuring juried works. Germantown Performing Arts Center,
Oct. 22-Dec. 8
Opening reception: Oct. 26, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
“Her Star Is on the Rise” New works by Leanna Carey. Buckman Art Center’s Levy Gallery, Nov. 7-Dec. 15
Opening reception: Nov. 7, 5-7 p.m.
Wolf River Arts Show
A curated community of artists, collectors, and creatives.
St. George’s Independent School, Nov. 7-8
PHOTO: COURTESY DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Mary K. VanGieson, “Chasing the Ephemeral”
PHOTO: HOUSTON COFIELD
James Viste, Lily’s Stump, 2009. Die forged and fabricated steel, copper, patina. Courtesy of the artist.
“Jared Small”
Work by the artist.
David Lusk Gallery, Nov. 18-Dec. 20
“Drupe”
Work by Amelia Briggs. Sheet Cake Gallery, Nov. 11
ON STAGE
e 9th Annual FREE Autumn ShoutOut Shakespeare Series: Much Ado About Nothing Shakespeare’s comedy in 90 minutes. Various locations & dates, through Oct. 19
Concerts in the Grove
GPAC presents some of the area’s best musicians: e Kaleid with Josh relkeld (Oct. 9), Short in the Sleeve (Oct. 16), G3 (Oct. 23), and Magnolias (Oct. 30). GPAC, select ursdays, 6:30 p.m.
A Beautiful Noise: e Neil Diamond Musical
e untold story of an American icon. Orpheum eatre, Oct. 7-12
The Future of the Arts
The arts in Memphis are here to stay — that much is certain, as evidenced by all the exhibitions, markets, fairs, plays, musicals, ballets, and operas listed here. With so much to look forward to and appreciate, it’s hard to imagine a reality in which the arts could be under attack.
But now, due to the government shutdown, the future of National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) funding is in limbo as their budgets await congressional approval. President Donald Trump has threatened to eliminate both agencies altogether. Already, we’ve witnessed the abrupt cancellation of millions of dollars in funding for the NEA and NEH, the agencies citing a re-prioritization under the Trump administration to “not preference some groups at the expense of others” — or as Susie Surkamer, former president and CEO of South Arts, sees it: “a de-emphasis on inclusivity.”
South Arts, which funds artists and organizations throughout the region, lost around $5 million in NEA funding. e Blues City Cultural Center lost $25,000 in NEH funding for its Storied Place project to celebrate Orange Mound. University of Memphis’ historian Aram Goudsouzian and professor Josef Hanson lost their NEH and NEA grants, respectively; in progress were a book on the Civil Rights Movement and rise of televised sports, and research on local and regional BIPOC artist-entrepreneurs (Hanson says in an email the he was able to spend his funds before the nal accounting deadline a er his grant termination).
When Collage Dance Collective learned of the cancellation of its $25,000 NEA grant, executive director Marcellus Harper says, “ e short story was that basically the funding priorities had shi ed, and our project was not deemed in line with the new criteria. And they probably used a whole lot of other words, too, but that was the gist of it.”
Collage’s intended project was a ballet retelling of the story of Romeo and Juliet. “We wanted to make it more relatable,” Harper says. “We wanted to ground it in some topics that were relevant for our community, so we really wanted to explore colorism, which is something that is a big deal in not just the Black community, but also within ballet itself.”
WKNO, Memphis’ PBS member television station since 1956, also lost its CPB grant, totaling 21 percent of its budget. “It was promised two years ago that we would get it. en this was clawed back, and we’re already in this year,” says Sally Stover, corporate support manager.
Yet Stover adds, “We’re on the lucky side. Twenty-one percent is a substantial part of the budget, but it’s not going to stop us. … ere are some smaller rural stations out there that lost maybe 50 or more percent of their budget, and those are the stations that are having some real issues, and they could go away. We’re now trying to reassess and see how we can continue doing what we plan to do and to provide the services, the programs, everything to the community because our community here is wonderful. Community support has always been a large part of our funding.”
Likewise, ARTSmemphis relies on community funding for most of its budget; about 20 percent is from government sources. is most recent scal year the nonpro t received a $50,000 Tennessee Arts Commission grant through the NEA to distribute to arts organizations in Memphis. at grant has not been terminated.
PHOTO: COURTESY ARTSMEMPHIS
ARTSmemphis is preparing for the unknown.
On Stage with Iris Collective: Karen Slack
With songs from Slack’s recent Grammy-winning album. GPAC, Oct. 10, 7 p.m.
Let It Fall
A powerful program by Collage Dance. Playhouse on the Square, Oct. 10-12
Macbeth
Joshua L. Peugh’s take on the tragedy. Ballet Memphis, Oct. 10-19
Laser Live Featuring live bands with a laser light show: Cameron Bethany (Oct. 11) and Marcella Simien . In nity Stairs (Nov. 8).
Pink Palace Museum & Mansion, select dates, 7 p.m.
continued on page 14
While Harper and the dance company remain excited for the vision, the show itself, with the loss of funding, is “on the back-burner.” “We’re in a space where we’re very nervous about what the impact is on additional government funding, what that means for private donations,” Harper says. “Being ambitious with the art and taking risks, or being bold in that area, we’ve had to really pull back, for now at least.”
As Harper explains, receiving an NEA grant is “like a badge of honor” from one of the top arts agencies in the country. Losing it feels like losing more than just money.
For young organizations especially, these types of grants are paths to sustainability and legitimacy, a path WYXR has been on for the past ve years. For the Memphis-based public radio station, receiving a Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) grant has been a “North Star” over the years, says Jared “Jay B.” Boyd, WYXR’s program manager. is most recent scal year, the station nally got one: $85,000, amounting to 10 percent of its budget.
In mid-July, the funding was pulled. “Our immediate reaction was we went into a war room the next day to decide how we could get the word out about what we’ve been going through,” says. “We wanted to convey how serious what had just happened was.”
WYXR won’t shut its doors, but $85,000 is a lot of money.
“And it was already built into our budget. It was already promised to us,” Boyd says.
Even so, says Elizabeth Rouse, president and CEO of ARTSmemphis, “If the NEA budget is eliminated or changed as of the new federal scal year, it could impact ARTSmemphis, and it also could impact a lot of local arts organizations, and that’s why ARTSmemphis is working really hard to secure more dollars from private sources, so that we can grant out more to arts organizations and artists, some of whom have or potentially could experience greater impacts because of government cuts.”
“ ere’s so many unknowns, and that’s very hard for arts organizations to plan,” Rouse adds. “And the unknowns are about funding that, ultimately, helps create jobs. It’s about funding that helps strengthen communities. It’s about funding that helps kids have access to free and accessible arts programming every day a er school. It’s about access for seniors to opportunities in the arts that allow them to have social connections. It’s so much more than just a grant being cut.”
But there’s been a silver lining for many of these organizations. Within two weeks a er losing funding, WYXR raised around $25,000. People stepped up for Collage Dance, too. “It reminded me of the power of community,” Harper says. “It reminded me of the beautiful community that we have, and the many people who believe in the work that we do.”
So write and call your elected o cials, Rouse encourages, and support the arts — whether that’s by purchasing a painting, attending a play, or just popping by a gallery opening.
PHOTO: HALO Wizard of Oz at POTS
continued from page 13
Memphis Matters - Stories of Belonging
Unlock healing, transformation, and joy — one story at a time.
TheatreSouth at First Congo, Oct. 11, 7 p.m.
T. Graham Brown
This well-seasoned performer’s name has frequently topped the Billboard Hot Country charts.
Bartlett Performing Arts & Conference Center, Oct. 17, 7:30 p.m.
The Drowning Girls
Three ghostly brides surface from bathtubs full of water.
Vitamin String Quartet
The music of Taylor Swift, Bridgerton, and beyond.
GPAC, Nov. 1, 8 p.m.
Artrageous!
Combining music and dynamic choreography with painting.
BPACC, Nov. 1, 2 p.m.
Classical Comedies & Cocktails
Reading Series
A breezy, cocktail-enhanced experience of three of the world’s most enduring comedies.
A celebrated Edinburgh ensemble. Buckman Arts Center, Nov. 6, 7 p.m.
Celebrate the spirit of South Africa through music.
Buckman Arts Center, Oct. 18, 7 p.m.
Free community workshop: Oct. 18, 6 p.m.
I Hear America Singing
Opera Memphis’ celebration of American legends with two new commissions.
Crosstown Theater, Oct. 18, 7:30 p.m.
Jazz in the Box
Iris Fellows & Artists
An eclectic night of music. The Green Room at Crosstown Arts, Nov. 6, 7:30 p.m.
Junie B. Jones the Musical
Based on the popular children’s book. The Circuit Playhouse, Nov. 7-Dec. 20
The Thanksgiving Play
An attempt to create a politically correct school play about the first Thanksgiving. Theatre Memphis, Nov. 7-22
SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES
This dynamic, minimalistic, 80-minute world premiere uses contemporary dance to reveal how ambition corrupts and power isolates.
Get up close and personal with live jazz: Caity Gyorgy (Oct. 24) and Misha Piatigorsky (Nov. 7).
GPAC, select dates, 7 p.m.
Frankenstein
Adapted to the stage by Nick Dear. Germantown Community Theatre, Oct. 24-Nov. 2
Not Alone Unhappy
Booker T. Jones
A legend among legends. BPACC, Nov. 8, 7:30 p.m.
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
A blended “musical gumbo” from this Grammy Award-winning New Orleansbased band.
Halloran Centre, Nov. 8, 7:30 p.m.
Don’t miss the tension, backstabbing and spooky characters of one of the world’s greatest psychological thrillers brought to life in an intimate black box setting for the first time and set to an original score by Brandon Carson. Seating is limited.
A trio of interwoven short plays by Quark Theatre’s Adam Remsen. TheatreSouth in First Congo, Oct. 24Nov. 9
LaZer Divas vs. The Sky Pirates of Destiny
Symphonie Fantastique
With Bates’ Philharmonia fantastique and Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique
Opera Memphis presents a laser show with historic diva clones and space pirates.
Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m.
Pink Palace Museum & Mansion, Nov. 15, 7 p.m.
The Wizard of Oz
Visit balletmemphis.org/macbeth for tickets.
Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center, Oct. 26, 2:30 p.m.
The Notebook
Follow the Yellow Brick Road with Dorothy and friends.
Playhouse on the Square, Nov. 15-Dec. 22
A portrait of the enduring power of love. Orpheum Theatre, Oct. 28-Nov. 2
Memphis Symphony Chorus 60th Anniversary Encore Concert
An evening of timeless choral music. First Baptist Church, Oct. 30, 7:30 p.m.
Madagascar: A Musical Adventure Jr.
New York’s Central Park Zoo animals end up in Madagascar. Hattiloo Theatre, Oct. 31-Nov. 9
Memphis Songwriters Series Hosted by Mark Edgar Stuart
Featuring Bailey Bigger, Talibah Safiya, and Lina Beach.
Halloran Centre, Nov. 20, 7 p.m.
A Tuna Christmas
A satirical look at small-town life. Circuit Playhouse, Nov. 21-Dec. 21
continued on page 16
T. GRAHAM BROWN
continued from page 14
Catapult
A shadow-illusion performance. GPAC, Nov. 22, 8 p.m.
Art on Fire
With 13 studio albums, 300 Grand Ole Opry performances, a CMA Award, T. Graham Brown is the real deal! T’s collaborated with The Oak Ridge Boys, Tanya Tucker, Wynonna, George Jones, & more. Catch T. Graham Brown singing his songs like – Tell It Like It Used to Be –Hell & High Water – Don’t Need Your Rockin’ Chair – & music from his new album –From Memphis to Muscle Shoals. Don’t miss T. Graham Brown.
Bollinger
Modest Mouse to Widespread Panic to Norah Jones
Elisabeth von Trapp: Home for Christmas
Celebrate the holidays and the 60th anniversary of e Sound of Music with the granddaughter of Maria von Trapp. BPACC, Nov. 22, 7:30 p.m.
& Juliet
A ip on the script of the greatest love story ever told.
Orpheum eatre, Nov. 25-30
If Scrooge Was a Brother
Gather around a bon re for an evening of tastings, wine and beer, live music, re dancers, and a vibrant art sale.
Dixon Gallery & Gardens, Oct. 18, 7-11 p.m.
RiverArtsFest
e largest and longest-running ne arts festival in the Mid-South.
Riverside Drive, Oct. 18-19
Family Fun Day with an Iron Pour Hands-on activities, demonstrations, and kid-friendly games.
Metal Museum, Oct. 18, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
An urban spin on Dickens’ A Christmas Carol Hattiloo eatre, Nov. 28-Dec. 21
AROUND TOWN
Memphis Children’s eatre Festival
A community celebration of familyand youth-focused performances. eatre Memphis, Oct. 11, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
V&E Greenline Artwalk
Featuring more than 50 artists and cra speople from across the local area. V&E Greenline, Oct. 11, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Super Blues Sunday
A free celebration of the blues. Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art, Clarksdale, MS, Oct. 12, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Hot O the Wall Art Sale
Purchase works of art by nationally celebrated and emerging artists.
Dixon Gallery & Gardens, Oct. 14-19
Repair Days
Restore your metal items at the Metal Museum’s largest fundraiser. Metal Museum, Oct. 16-19
Tambourine Bash
Musical collaborations bene ting Music Export Memphis.
Overton Park Shell, Oct. 16, 7-10 p.m.
Chêne Film Festival
A celebration intertwining storytelling, artistry, and conservation.
Radians Amphitheater at Memphis Botanic Garden, Oct. 26
e Queen’s Regency Ball: A 19th Century Soulful Murder Mystery
Experience
Don your nest attire for a Regency Era murder mystery.
Halloran Centre, Oct. 25-26
Día de Los Muertos Parade & Festival
Celebrate the cycle of life and death with art, face painting, and music at this fest presented by the Brooks and Cazateatro Bilingual eatre Group.
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Nov. 1, 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Like Really Creative Junk Journal Jam with Yo Breezye
Vibe out to tunes while junk journaling.
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Nov. 13, 6-8 p.m.
Orpheum Soirée
Support the arts at this Back to the Future-themed night.
Orpheum eatre, Nov. 14, 7 p.m.
Memphis Zine Fest 10
Support local self-published poets, artists, comics, and more.
Haven Haus, Nov. 16, noon-4 p.m.
PHOTO: DYLAN LADDS Scotland’s Cantrip
Come to the Visit Clarksdale Tourism office to get a coupon for $5.00 off admission to the Delta Blues Museum for the week of 10/6-12/2025. Go to visitclarksdale.com for details
SPEND SUNDAY, OCTober 12TH
IN CLARKSDALE, MISSISSIPPI FOR...
SUPER BLUES SUNDAY!
(Just 27 miles from Cherry Street in Helena)
• Bluesberry Café (8:30am-5:30pm)
• Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art (9am-4pm)
• Ground Zero Blues Club (11am-2pm)
• Levon’s Bar & Grill (Noon)
• Hambone Gallery (1pm-3pm)
• Pinetop Perkins Homecoming, Hopson & Shack Up (3pm-8pm)
• Hooker Grocer + Eatery (6pm)
• Auberge Hostel (7pm)
• Red’s Juke Joint ( (7pm)
• AND MORE!
Clarksdale festival, club, and restaurant events at:
THIS 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.
steppin’ out
We Recommend: Culture, News + Reviews
Zen
By Abigail Morici
NatureZen Month returns to Overton Park this October, thanks to the Overton Park Conservancy (OPC), to celebrate how nature — and the park — can improve mental and physical health through educational, artistic, and wellness programming.
is will be the third year the Conservancy has hosted NatureZen, the rst lasting a week. “Last year we had, I think, 12 [events] on the schedule, and this year we have 21,” says Melissa McMasters, OPC director of communications. “Some of those are series, so it’s actually more.”
Every Wednesday, for instance, guests can participate in free yoga sessions near the Formal Gardens from 8:15 to 9:15 a.m., and later in the a ernoon at 4:15 p.m., the Conservancy will host Wednesday Walks starting near the Rainbow Lake parking lot.
“We’ve added a lot more of the guided nature walks,” McMasters adds. “We’re kind of exploring di erent topics. We have one [on October 18th at 2 p.m.] that is with a pollinator specialist [Jennifer Payne], and she is going to help people winterize their gardens, answering their questions and telling them how to create a good space for pollinators, even during the winter. … I am personally excited about all of our Songbird Strolls. We have several coming up this month, and it’s such a fun time of year to be even a beginning bird-watcher because all the birds are ying south for the winter.”
e Songbird Strolls, the next of which is Friday, October 10th, at 8 a.m., are led by Fields Falcone, OPC’s stewardship manager and local birding legend. “She’s also in rock band,” McMasters says, “so she is so tuned into the music of the birds that she can hear them from forever away, and it’s just so fun to go and experience the forest through her ears.”
Other NatureZen Month highlights include nature journaling on Tuesdays at 4:30 p.m., starting October 14th, and the annual Fall Fetch Fest at Overton Bark on Saturday, October 11th, which brings on the puppy love, with Hollywood Feed giveaways, a pet costume contest, a dog photo booth, a cartoonist, food trucks, adoptable dogs, and, for the rst time, weenie dog races.
“One of our main programming goals is to help people meet someone new,” says McMasters. “And it’s about connecting with nature and learning about this ecology that surrounds us that we might have just tuned out, but we want to do that in the presence of people that we may not know and really connect with other humans as well. … And so this is a really special time for us to meet new people and tell the story of why the park is so important to Memphis.”
Most of NatureZen Month’s events are free to attend or pay-what-you-can, with suggested donations between $3 and $5. For a full schedule of events, visit overtonpark.org/naturezenmonth.
NATUREZEN MONTH, OVERTON PARK, OCTOBER, OVERTONPARK.ORG/NATUREZENMONTH.
Brantley Ellzey: “Re ection + Ritual + Refuge”
Crosstown Arts Galleries, Crosstown Concourse, 1350 Concourse Avenue, Friday, October 10, 6-9 p.m.
An opening reception for an exhibit in which repetition becomes remembrance, where re ection fractures into beauty, and where the quiet, persistent act of making becomes a form of resistance.
Monster Market
e Medicine Factory, 90 West Virginia Avenue, Friday, October 10, 5-9 p.m. | Saturday- ursday, October 11-16, noon-8 p.m.
Memphis’ favorite spooky season pop-up is returning for its ninth year!
Memphis Bacon & Bourbon Festival
FedEx Event Center, Shelby Farms Park, 415 Great View Drive, Friday, October 10, 6-9 p.m.
Expect creative bacon-inspired dishes of all kinds from some great Memphis restaurants, plus a vast array of distilled spirits to tempt your taste buds.
Paint Memphis
Across media (including a short lm), Ellzey explores how we survive — by circling back, by touching what’s been lost, by naming what others ignore. Rolling, collecting, documenting, layering — these are his rituals. Some are personal. Some are political. All are acts of reckoning.
e spiral is his recurring form. It turns through the exhibition like a silent logic — natural, ancestral, unstoppable.
Visit the shop for unique wares you won’t nd anywhere else. e curated 2025 collection will feature art, decor, apparel, novelties, oddities, collectibles, and more from a carefully chosen list of makers and artists. Check out memphismonstermarket.com/2025 for a full schedule of accompanying free events, including movie nights, a collage party, a wake and bake, and more.
Summer and National, Saturday, October 11, noon-7 p.m. is year’s Paint Memphis takes on the theme of “Bloom Where You Are Planted,” as it partners with 50 amazing artists, local organizations, businesses, and the Summer Ave. Merchants Association to bring a free live painting event. e day will have community activities, kids cra s, vendors, food, and of course, live mural painting.
PHOTO: COURTESY OVERTON PARK CONSERVANCY
Greg Cravens draws pups at a previous Fall Fetch Fest.
MUSIC By
Alex Greene
Sweet Sweetheart
Carla omas reminisces about the record that almost never was.
“To this day, I don’t know why I cut that album!” Carla omas, “Queen of Memphis Soul,” is thinking back to a time 55 years ago, when she recorded something that de ed all expectations, her album Sweet Sweetheart. She’ll be discussing it at the Memphis Listening Lab with host Tonya Dyson and mastering engineer Je Powell this Friday, October 10th, at 6 p.m. When the U.K. label Ace nally dug it out of the vaults for a CD-only release in 2013, it was a revelation. Now, with Cra Recordings having put it out on vinyl for the rst time this April, it’s still turning heads. Yet Sweet Sweetheart stands out among omas’ other Stax albums in two ways: It was recorded at American Sound Studio, not Stax, and it was never released at the time. “And so,” re ects Carla, “I forgot all about it.” Decades went by. Now, with the Cra release out, she’s remembering. Album producer Chips Moman, who passed away in 2016, started at Stax in its early days when it was known as Satellite Records. “Chips cut ‘Gee Whiz’,” Carla notes, referring to the rst top 10 single she and the edgling label cut back in 1960, when she was only 17. “He was at Satellite, and he was so cute, little curly-headed
rare occurrence, with the exception of Stax sessions conducted at Ardent Studios at the time. Even then, frictions lingered. “ ere was just something between those two people, Chips and Jim,” says omas. “He thought Jim was kind of stupid. I said, ‘Jim is not stupid. Don’t say that! Jim is giving us a chance here to record!’”
And record they did, with Moman giving omas a free hand in picking her material. Today, she does a spot-on imitation of Moman’s rural Alabama accent as she recalls their rst day of working on Sweet Sweetheart: “He said to me, ‘Whatchoo wanna cuht?’ You know, he’s real country,” she laughs. But that single question took the album to a new place, distinct from all the work omas had previously done. It was to become arguably the most personal album of her career.
She was already forging her own path, distinct from others in the Stax orbit. By 1970, she notes, “I’m living in L.A. now! I was listening to Carole King, James Taylor, the Bee Gees. I covered everything! I just cut what I liked. I was just having fun!” She adds that Moman ultimately did bring material to her for the project, some cowritten by his wife. “He was married to Toni Wine, and she wrote a song on there — Lord, I cried the whole time I was learning it. At rst I didn’t want to cut it because it’s so sad.”
Chips! And he did not like [Stax/Satellite co-founder] Jim Stewart. I didn’t realize it. I’m getting ready to cut ‘Gee Whiz,’ not knowing anything that’s going on between these two producers, right? I love Chips, and I don’t want to say anything bad about him, but he couldn’t even get along with Ringo!” e famously amiable Beatle would end up working with Moman in the 1980s. A full 20 years earlier, Moman was already irascible and ended up leaving Stax for American in 1964. Somehow, though, Moman and Stewart came to an agreement in 1970 that omas would cut a solo album outside of the Stax house, a relatively
e nal product was an outlier in the Stax catalog at the time, perhaps explaining why only a single was released from those sessions, “Hi-
De-Ho ( at Old Sweet Roll),” a slowed-down King/Go n track, its pop elements enlivened by omas’ warm, soulful vocals. Elsewhere on the album, James Taylor’s earthy “Country Road” becomes a beat-driven celebration of freedom. And the Bee Gees’ “To Love Somebody” is a startlingly intimate testament to heartbreak — omas makes the song her own. Now, half a century later, omas is le wondering what might have been. A little wistfully, she sings a snippet of the lyrics, “Walking on a country road …” before adding, “If they had put that record out, I think it would have been a hit record. Because I knew all these people [in L.A.], I was where I was supposed to be. I was doing more pop. ey would have had a pop artist! Just think if I had done that!”
PHOTO: COURTESY CRAFT RECORDINGS
A long-lost treasure, nally on vinyl
CALENDAR of EVENTS: October 9 - 15
ART HAPPENINGS
Homeschool DayHispanic Heritage Month
Learn about Mexican tin art. Free. ursday, Oct. 9, 10
a.m.-noon.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Hot Off the Wall Art Sale
Discover and purchase works of art by local and regional artists. Tuesday, Oct. 14-Oct. 19.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Like Really Creative Presents Muse: Play — Unconventional Writing + Playful Art Workshop
Disrupt linguistic tyranny. Monday, Oct. 13, 7 p.m.
BAR DKDC
Like Really Creative Inspiration Salon: Experiments
Step into the unknown. Saturday, Oct. 11, 1-3 p.m.
ORANGE MOUND LIBRARY
Opening for “L’Estampe originale: A Graphic Treasure” is extremely rare portfolio features 95 works of graphic
A major solo exhibition by Ellzey. Spirals turn through the exhibition like a silent logic. Friday, Oct. 10, 6-9 p.m.
CROSSTOWN ARTS AT THE CONCOURSE
“Too Beautiful to Break” Exhibition
Opening
Art by Congolese artist Doudou Mbemba. Saturday, Oct. 11, 6-9 p.m.
UREVBU CONTEMPORARY
Tour: The It Girls of Modern and Contemporary Arts
Some of the best works created by women artists. $10/ GA. Sunday, Oct. 12, 2-3 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
V&E Greenline Art Walk
With live music, food, and drinks. Saturday, Oct. 11, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
V&E GREENLINE’S KIRBY STATION
HOUSE GROUNDS
PHOTO: COURTESY UREVBU GALLERY
Doudou Mbemba’s works speak to an inner beauty: self love, resilience, and the refusal to be diminished.
BOOK EVENTS
Tom Piazza: Living in the Present with John Prine Prine collaborated with Piazza on his memoir. Tuesday, Oct. 14, 6 p.m.
MEMPHIS LISTENING LAB
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.
Altar-Building Workshop
Crear tu propio altar. $20. Sunday, Oct. 12, 2-4 p.m.
ELMWOOD CEMETERY
Play Djembe! A West African drumming workshop. Saturday, Oct. 11, 1-3 p.m.
The untold true story of a Brooklyn kid who became a chart-busting, show-stopping, awardwinning American icon. $46.70-$151.60. Thursday, Oct. 9, 7:30-9:45 p.m. | Friday, Oct. 10, 7:30-9:45 p.m. | Saturday, Oct. 11, 2-4:15 p.m. | Saturday, Oct. 11, 7:30-9:45 p.m. | Sunday, Oct. 12, 1-3:15 p.m. | Sunday, Oct. 12, 6:30-8:45 p.m.
ORPHEUM THEATRE
Jaja’s African Hair Braiding Set in a bustling hair-braiding shop in Harlem, where a lively and eclectic group of West African immigrant hair-braiders create masterpieces on the heads of neighborhood women. Thursday, Oct. 9, 7:30 p.m. | Friday, Oct. 10, 7:30 p.m. | Saturday, Oct. 11, 2 p.m. | Saturday, Oct. 11, 7:30 p.m. | Sunday, Oct. 12, 2 p.m.
HATTILOO THEATRE
Memphis Children’s Theatre Festival A community celebration of family- and youthfocused performances that are sure to entertain and delight all. Free. Saturday, Oct. 11, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
THEATRE MEMPHIS
Shout-Out Shakespeare Series: Much Ado About Nothing Shakespeare’s romantic comedy plays gleefully in 90 minutes without intermission. Bring a chair and picnic. Free. Thursday, Oct. 9, 7-8:30 p.m.
WISEACRE BREWERY
Shout-Out Shakespeare Series: Much Ado About Nothing
A rare opportunity to enjoy Shakespeare’s romantic comedy. Free. Saturday, Oct. 11, 3-4:30 p.m.
RALEIGH LIBRARY
Shout-Out Shakespeare Series: Much Ado About Nothing
Bring a chair and picnic. Free. Sunday, Oct. 12, 4-5:30 p.m.
DAVIES MANOR HISTORIC SITE
Theatre by the Lake: Much Ado About Nothing
Tennessee Shakespeare Company performs the classic Shakespeare comedy on BPACC’s lawn. Free. Friday, Oct. 10, 7 p.m.
BARTLETT PERFORMING ARTS AND CONFERENCE CENTER
These 4 Walls
Behind closed doors, every family has a story — and this one will have you on the edge of your seat. Written, directed, and produced by Brandon McMillon. Saturday, Oct. 11, 7 p.m.
CANNON CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
TOURS
True Crimes of Bygone Times: A Tour of Elmwood
Who done it, and what went wrong, from arsenic-laced cookies to spouse-offing brides. $20. Friday, Oct. 10, 6-7:30 p.m.
ELMWOOD CEMETERY
Edited by Will Shortz No. 0518
1 Jets are found in it, for short 4 Rep
9 Photo framer’s offering
12 Tough person to get information from
Like southern Israel vis-à-vis northern Israel
15 Porter of note
16 Acclaimed 1942 film banned in Germany until after W.W. II 18 Alma mater of N.B.A. M.V.P. Russell Westbrook
19 It’s found just south of the White House’s South Lawn
20 Stadium divertissement
22 Often-braised cut of beef
24 Language of South Asia
25 Home of the Unesco World Heritage Site of Palmyra
26 “It’s futile”
28 Ending of eight U.S. presidents’ names
29 Quad bike, e.g.
31 Drawing
33 Measures taken to make golf courses tougher in the early 2000s
36 “Let me demonstrate”
37 Hard core
38 Sports star who once declared “I am America”
39 Like some barbecue
41 Guitar accessories
45 Arizona rival
47 Empathize with
49 Some guitar basics
51 Salt
52 Bryophytic growth
53 “What a jerk!”
55 NASA’s ___ Research Center
56 Walt Disney’s middle name
57 Singer of the song “Shadowland” in “The Lion King”
58 Subj. of the 2017 memoir “Working on the Dark Side of the Moon”
59 British weight 60 Something to build on
Ostentatious 3 ___ oil
4 Richard who composed the music for “Damn Yankees” and “The Pajama Game” 5 Cheesy crust 6 “___ feste
PUZZLE BY ANDY KRAVIS
We Saw You.
with MICHAEL DONAHUE
“Cooks and Collars”— as in chefs and priests — had their “best year yet,” says Jeany Barzizza Cochran, Catholic Charities development coordinator. e event was held September 25th at the FedEx Event Center in Shelby Farms Park.
A total of 408 people attended the fourth annual Cooks & Collars, a Catholic Charities fundraiser that feeds, clothes, and houses those in need, Cochran says. e chefs were Erling Jensen of Erling Jensen: e Restaurant, Chip Dunham of Magnolia & May, and Alex Boggs of Huey’s. Charvey Mac performed.
MICHAEL DONAHUE
above: Corbin and Caroline Peeper and Keith & Emily Scatamacchia below: (le to right) Jackson and Madison Lyons; Ward and Anna Belle Walthal; Billy and Jeany Barzizza Cochran; Noel and Jason Peck
bottom row: (le to right) Philip Spinosa Jr., Wes Kraker, Jonathan Lyons, and Clark Shi ani; George and Renee Nixon; John Wagnon and Jennifer Parra
PHOTOS:
right
and below) Jessica Scott, Father Mike Morgera, and Christy Kirchner; Brother Joel McGraw, Hope Dooner, and Father Ben Bradshaw below: (le to right) Pierre and Gay Landaiche; Stuart and Dana Webb; Andrew and Kiki Hall; Father Ben Bradshaw and Erling Jensen bottom le : Wes Parker and Peggy Killett
above: Alex Boggs, Judge Danielle Mitchell, Joe Barton circle: Mike Goughnour
row: (top
FOOD By Michael Donahue
The ‘Mane’ Man
Former Memphian creates line of spices.
Variety literally is the spice of Moreno McCalpin’s life.
McCalpin, 44, is the founder of Mane Street Seasonings, a line of spices and rubs that all have a touch of Memphis to them.
A Memphis native, McCalpin now lives in Los Angeles, where he works as a chemist as well as running his spice business. He lived in South Memphis until he moved in with his great-grandmother in Midtown when he was 5 years old. “She was the cook of the family. When it came to all the holidays or whatever it was, the central focus of our house was our greatgrandmother.”
McCalpin was into sports as a kid, but his bedroom was next to the kitchen, so he was always popping in to ask what his great-grandmother was cooking.
To spice up her food, his greatgrandmother used her four seasonings — seasoned salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and garlic salt. “Pepper akes every now and then. Peppers in the garden, she cut those up. She grew herbs every now and then. But those four were her staples. And I kept it in my mind.”
McCalpin worked as a server at Shoney’s when he was in high school. But, he says, “I got back there with the chef and I cooked a little bit.”
He got into cooking seriously at 19 while pursuing his biology and chemistry major at Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee. A tradition in his fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi, was for the new pledges to cook for the returning alumni during homecoming festivities. Remembering his rst time on the grill during one of those weekends, McCalpin says, “I failed miserably. I just served raw food, man.”
A er that, he was determined to cook something good. “My rst meal I ever made was a bowl of chili. It didn’t turn out that well, but it was edible. But, as college kids, we ate it.”
McCalpin began experimenting with di erent ingredients to keep his chili from being bland. He reached out to his great-grandmother for advice. Soon, McCalpin became the designated cook at his fraternity house.
“I wanted my food to stand out,” he says. “Being a young male, I’m trying to impress my girlfriend at the time. I started playing around with di erent avors and di erent seasonings. I still had the four basic seasonings at the house, but I wanted to expand on those things.”
About eight years ago, McCalpin came up with his own Cajun seasoning. “It tastes like New Orleans, but it’s still got that Blu City magic in it.”
Which is the common denominator for all of his spices. “ e rooted avors will always be Memphis.”
McCalpin’s original dream was to open a food truck, but his wife, Kelley L. Carter, encouraged him to make and sell some of his spices.
McCalpin, who found a manufacturer in Memphis, launched Mane Street Seasonings on September 1st — 901 Day — 2025. “I wanted everyone to know this is a Memphis thing.”
“Aye Mane, Say Mane” is his all-purpose seasoning. e name is an “allpurpose greeting for everything.” “Out Da Mud” is his Cajun seasoning. e name refers to rising from poverty to moving up in life. “Red Magic,” his apple bourbon seasoning and rub, is “smooth, a little sweet, but a little tangy.” e name harkens back to the apple tree in his backyard when he was growing up. And “Toss Junt” is his chicken seasoning.
McCalpin’s new spices, which are slated to come out in mid to late October, are “Peachy Mane,” a peach brandy seasoning and rub; “Smoky City,” a whiskey, maple,
and mesquite blend; and “You Hear Me!,” a tequila lime seasoning.
McCalpin’s background as a chemist helped him create his spices. “As a chemist, you experiment with things. And I experiment with food when I’m putting this together. It goes hand in hand for me.”
Currently, Mane Street Seasonings are available at Johnnie Mae’s restaurant at 969 East McLemore in South Memphis. McCalpin plans to have his spices in more stores by the end of October. His products also are available online at manestreetseasonings.com.
So the question begs to be asked: “Why don’t you move back to Memphis?”
“My wife won’t allow me,” McCalpin says with a laugh. eir plan is, for now, to stay in Los Angeles, where his wife is an entertainment journalist working for ABC News and ESPN Andscape. “Once we get her career where it needs to be, my plan is always to be back home in some way.”
PHOTO: LETA TAYLOR Moreno McCalpin
10a-4p
10a-8p
10a-4p
10a-5p*
11a-5p *Saturdays are free 10a - 12p
By the editors at Andrews McMeel Syndication
Recent Alarming Headlines
• Dan Burton, owner of Urban Trapping Wildlife Control in Salinas, California, alerted officials of Monterey County and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to a discovery he made while trapping wild pigs in early August. The Los Angeles Times reported that when Burton cut into one of the animals, he discovered that the flesh was … off-color. “I’m not talking about a little blue,” he said. “I’m talking about neon blue, blueberry blue.” Fish and wildlife officials say the blue flesh is probably caused by exposure to a poison popularly used by farmers to control rats, mice, squirrels, and other rodents. They are warning trappers and hunters not to consume the blue flesh, and some of the poison traps have been pulled from the fields because of pigs seeking them out. [LA Times, 8/5/2025]
• The Missouri Department of Health and Human Services is warning visitors to the Lake of the Ozarks about a rare “brain-eating” infection called Naegleria fowleri, KSHB-TV reported on Aug. 13. A man who had been water skiing in the lake was being treated in intensive care at a Missouri hospital, officials said. The infection enters the human body through the nose, then travels into the brain.
[KSHB, 8/13/2025]
Unclear on the Concept
In reference to what seems like an obvious enough policy, Starbucks Korea has posted signs in all its shops across the country, warning customers that they may no longer bring desktop computers and printers to the locations to work. United Press International reported on Aug. 11 that Starbucks has also banned setting up large partitions and leaving valuables at a table for long periods of time. The targeted customers are known as “cagongjok,” which combines the Korean words for “cafe,” “study,” and “tribe.”
Starbucks made the policy change after other customers complained about cafe squatters taking up too much space; laptops will still be welcomed.
[UPI, 8/11/2025]
Crime Report
Everyone should be trying to move to East Greenbush, New York, where police have been busy chasing down
the community’s hardened criminals, WNYT-TV reported on Aug. 11. Officers had received multiple reports of juveniles playing “ding-dong-ditch” during overnight hours, they said. They called such aberrant behavior disruptive and a violation of state law. Police said if the kids are caught, their antics could lead to charges of harassment, trespassing, and disorderly conduct. Zillow, here we come! [WNYT, 8/11/2025]
The Neighbors
Gary Boyadzhyan of Van Nuys, California, told KTLA-TV on Aug. 13 that he has a mysterious long-running grievance with the Los Angeles Police Department, and that’s why he’s been blasting home alarms and a train horn from his house for months. “He does this periodically several times during the day,” said neighbor Bob Donovan. “It has a range of 3.5 miles. It’s an actual train horn.” Boyadzhyan says the horns are his way of getting LAPD’s attention. “I do sincerely apologize to my neighbors,” he said, “but I don’t know what else to do.” Neighbors are unclear about what kind of help the man needs to solve his problem, but they’re at wits’ end about the noise. But maybe a solution is on the way: Boyadzhyan was arrested on Aug. 13 on unknown charges. [KTLA, 8/13/2025]
Bright Idea
There’s something in the water at Loch Ness in Scotland … but it’s not the famed monster. The Daily Record reported on Aug. 13 that Domino’s Pizza has launched a delivery submarine that can reach speeds of 45 mph and leap 5 meters out of the water. Pizza Delivery Innovation spokesperson Izzy Gardener said the company is “always looking for new and unexpected ways to deliver to our customers.” Loch Ness seemed like a “perfect place to test the waters,” Gardener said. [Daily Record, 8/13/2025]
Send your weird news items with subject line WEIRD NEWS to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): No relationship is like any other. The way we bond with another has a distinctive identity that embodies the idiosyncratic chemistry between us. So in my view, it’s wrong to compare any partnership to a supposedly ideal template. Fortunately you, Aries, are in a phase when you can summon extra wisdom about this and other relaxing truths concerning togetherness. I recommend you devote your full creativity and ingenuity to helping your key bonds ripen and deepen.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Poet Rainer Maria Rilke advised, “Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves.” These days, dear Taurus, that’s your power move: to stay in conversation with mystery without forcing premature answers. Not everything needs to be fixed or finalized. Your gift is to be a custodian of unfolding processes: to cherish and nourish what’s ripening. Trust that your questions are already generating the early blooms of a thorough healing.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): I am a great admirer of Bart Simpson, a fictional fourth-grade student on the animated TV show The Simpsons. He is a constant source of unruly affirmations that we could all benefit from incorporating into our own behavior when life gets comically weird. Since I think you’re in such a phase now, Gemini, I am offering a batch of Bart-style gems. For best results, use them to free yourself from the drone of the daily routine and scramble your habitual ways of understanding the world. Now here’s Bart: 1. “I will not invent a new religion based on bubble gum.” 2. “I will not sell bottled ‘invisible water.’” 3. “I will not try to hypnotize my friends, and I will not tell co-workers they are holograms.” 4. “I will not claim to be a licensed pyrotechnician.” 5. “I will not use the Pythagorean theorem to summon demons.” 6. “I will not declare war on Thursdays.”
CANCER (June 21-July 22): During its entire life, the desert plant Welwitschia mirabilis grows just two leaves. They never wither or fall off but continually grow, twist, split, and tatter for hundreds of years. They keep thriving even as their ends are worn or shredded by wind and sand. I love how wild and vigorous they look, and I love how their wildness is the result of their unfailing persistence and resilience. Let’s make Welwitschia mirabilis your inspirational symbol in the coming weeks, Cancerian. May it motivate you to nurture the quiet, enduring power in your depths that enables you to express yourself with maximum uniqueness and authenticity.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Have you been to Morocco? I love that so many houses
Rob Brezsny
there are built around spacious courtyards with intricate tilework and lush gardens. Sooner or later, of course, the gorgeous mosaic-like floors need renovations. The artisans who do the work honor the previous artistry. “In rebuilding,” one told me, “our goal is to create new magnificence that remembers the old splendor.” I hope you pursue an approach like that in the coming weeks, Leo. The mending and healing you undertake should nourish the soulfulness you have cultivated, even as you polish and refine.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Virgo novelist Agatha Christie often planned her elaborate plots while cleaning her house or washing dishes. She said such repetitive, physical tasks unlocked her creativity, allowing ideas to emerge without force. I suggest you draw inspiration from her method in the coming weeks. Seek your own form of productive distraction. Instead of wrestling with a problem in a heroic death match, lose yourself in simple, grounding actions that free your mind to wander. I am pretty sure that your most brilliant and lasting solutions will emerge when you’re not trying hard to come up with brilliant and lasting solutions.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Some medieval mystics claimed that angels spoke in paradoxes because the truth was too rich for simple logic. These days, I believe you Scorpios are extra fluent in paradox. You are raw yet powerful, aching and grateful, confounded but utterly clear. You are both dying and being reborn. My advice: Don’t try to resolve the contradictions. Immerse yourself in them, bask in them, and allow them to teach you all they have to teach. This may entail you sitting with your sadness as you laugh and letting your desire and doubt interweave. The contradictions you face with open-heartedness will gift you with sublime potency and authority.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The ancient city of Petra, built in sandstone cliffs in what’s now Jordan, was mostly hidden from the outside world for centuries. In 1812, Sagittarian Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt rediscovered it by disguising himself as a pilgrim. He trained extensively in the Arabic language, Islamic culture, and local customs so he could travel incognito. You Sagittarians can benefit from a similar strategy in the coming weeks. Life will conspire to bring you wonders if you thoroughly educate yourself about the people and situations you would like to influence. I invite you to hike your empathy up to a higher octave, cultivate respect for what’s unfamiliar, and make yourself extra available for exotic and inspiring treasures.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): During the 1800s, countless inventors chased the impossible dream of perpetual-motion
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
Libra architect Christopher Alexander developed a sixth sense about why some spaces feel comfortable while others are alienating. What was the source of his genius? He avoided abstract principles and studied how people actually used spaces. His best architecture soulfully coordinated the relationships between indoor and outdoor areas, private and public zones, and individual needs and community functions. The “quality without a name” was the term he used to identify the profound aliveness, wholeness, and harmony of spaces where people love to be. In the coming weeks, Libra, I hope you access your own natural gift for curating relationships and cultivating balance. Your solutions should serve multiple needs. Elegant approaches will arise as you focus on connections rather than isolated parts.
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 8 10a-4p CROSSTOWN CONCOURSE
It’s
machines: contraptions that would run endlessly without any fuel source. Every attempt failed; such devices bucked the fundamental laws of physics. But here’s good news, Capricorn: You are close to cracking the code on a metaphorical version of perpetual motion. You are cultivating habits and rhythms that could keep you steady and vital for a long time to come. I predict the energy you’re generating will be self-sustaining.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Octopuses have three hearts and blue blood. They taste with their skin, solve puzzles, and squeeze their entire bodies through coinsized holes. No wonder they are referred to as the aliens of Earth, just as you Aquarians are the aliens of the zodiac. According to my analysis, now is a perfect time for you to embrace your inner octopus. I authorize you to let your strangeness lead the way. You have the right and duty to fully activate your multidimensional mind. Yes, you may be misunderstood by some. But your suppleness, radical empathy, and nonlinear genius will be exactly what’s needed. Be the one who sees escape routes and paths to freedom that no one else perceives. Make the impossible look natural.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Dear Pisces, it’s like you’re in one of those dreams when you’re exploring the attic or basement of your home and discover secret rooms you didn’t realize existed. This is good! It means you are finding uncharted frontiers in what you assumed was familiar territory. It suggests you are ready to see truths you weren’t ready for before. Congrats! Keep wandering and wondering, and you will discover what you didn’t even know you needed to know.
the holiday shopping event
with
serious personality! Meet some of the Mid-South’s most creative makers, crafters, and artists - just in time to find the perfect holiday gifts.
FILM By Chris McCoy
The Smashing Machine
The Rock takes a swing at an Academy Award.
The only way to describe Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is “larger than life.” You can see it in every frame of The Smashing Machine Johnson plays Mark Kerr, a real-life mixed martial arts fighter who was the subject of an acclaimed documentary in 2002, just as the sport was gaining fans and a modicum of respectability. In one scene, Johnson rides in a Mercedes convertible with his onagain, off-again girlfriend Dawn (Emily Blunt). His hulking frame spills out of the passenger seat onto the center console. It looks for all the world like a toddler driving his electric toy car.
At this point, 23 years after The Scorpion King, The Rock has been famous for being an actor longer than he was for being a wrestler. His time as an up-and-coming faceman served as fodder for Young Rock, the biositcom whose third season was shot in Memphis, where Johnson cut his teeth in the squared circle. The Rock’s considerable charisma has always had
an undercurrent of limitless ambition. The man believes his own hype. Young Rock hinted at Johnson’s political ambitions, with its subplot of Johnson running for president in 2032. (At this point, I say sure, whatever. Anything is better than this.)
The Smashing Machine represents Johnson’s play for respectability. He’s a movie star, which is a rare and delicate thing. But that also means that Johnson is always playing some variation on The Rock, just as Cary Grant was always Cary Grant, no matter what movie he was in. Playing an MMA fighter is in Johnson’s wheelhouse, but Kerr was no Rock. He was a soft-spoken, modest person who battled self-doubt with opioid addiction. Johnson has never experienced self-doubt in his life. Could he stuff his huge personality into a smaller container?
In the role of Mark Kerr, Dwayne Johnson is always playing some variation on The Rock, just as Cary Grant was always Cary Grant, no matter what movie he was in.
Playing an MMA fighter is in Johnson’s wheelhouse, but Kerr was no Rock. He was a soft-spoken, modest person who battled self-doubt.
The film is directed by Benny Safdie, half of the brother duo who
brought us the tense thrillers Good Time and Uncut Gems. When he won the Silver Lion for Best Director at
this year’s Venice International Film Festival, it came as a bit of a shock. The film’s premiere was well-received,
By Chris McCoy
with a lengthy standing ovation, but the talk of the festival was the searing docudrama The Voice of Hind Rajab, which set the record for longest ovation in film festival history with the audience on their feet for 23 minutes.
I’m going to have to disagree with the Venice jury. Safdie’s instincts are to play it close to the original documentary. Shooting handheld, he recreates a memorable scene in the waiting room of a doctor’s office where Kerr tries to explain MMA to a perplexed mom. When Kerr is at home with Dawn, the camera is a fly on the wall to a profoundly dysfunctional relationship. Johnson and Blunt go round and round, bickering about everything from the type of milk to use in his morning protein shake (whole) to proper pruning
practices for the saguaro cactus. The fight sequences, of which there are many, never attain the visual poetry of Scorsese’s Raging Bull. They make MMA matches look squalid and brutal, which renders Kerr’s quest meaningless. For superstar vehicles like this, you want to see the actor disappear into the role. Even with an impressive wig covering his famously bald dome, Johnson never quite manages to do that. He’s always The Rock, trying real hard not to be The Rock. Emotionally stunted and repetitive to the point of tedium, The Smashing Machine never manages to get out of first gear.
The Smashing Machine Now playing Multiple locations
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26
SHELBY FARMS PARK | MEMPHIS, TN
Starts | 1 p.m.
FILM
Federal Troops in Memphis?
e line in the sand is looking faint.
e Posse Comitatus Act isn’t long. It’s not ashy. But it’s one of the few laws that draws a hard line between democracy and domestic militarization. Passed in 1878 and expanded in 1956, it says the Army and Air Force can’t be used to enforce civilian laws unless Congress explicitly says so. at’s it. One sentence. But in Memphis, that line is starting to blur. is fall, Governor Bill Lee green-lit National Guard troops to help “control crime” in Memphis. en came President Trump’s September 15th memo — “Restoring Law and Order in Memphis” — which federalized the Guard and launched a multi-agency crackdown. A Joint Operation Center was set up. Over 200 o cers were deputized with federal law enforcement authority. Arrests began almost immediately.
O cials say the Guard won’t be armed unless requested and won’t make arrests directly. But let’s be honest: When federalized troops are patrolling a majority-Black city under the banner of public safety, the optics aren’t subtle. And the legal footing isn’t solid either.
e Posse Comitatus Act wasn’t born out of libertarian purity — it was born out of backlash. A er the Civil War, federal troops were stationed across the South to enforce civil rights and suppress white supremacist violence. Southern lawmakers — eager to reclaim local control and end federal oversight — pushed for a legal barrier against military enforcement of domestic law. e act was their rewall. at origin story carries irony. A law designed to shield the postbellum South from federal intervention is now invoked by progressives to prevent federal overreach in majority-Black cities like Memphis. What was once a tool of retrenchment has become a shield for civil liberties.
e act’s language is blunt: “Whoever, except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress, willfully uses any part of the Army or the Air Force as a posse comitatus or otherwise to execute the laws shall be ned … or imprisoned.” — 18 U.S. Code § 1385
e National Guard isn’t named directly, but once federalized — under Title 10 — they’re treated like active-duty military. at means they’re subject to the same restrictions. And unless Congress gave the green light (it didn’t) or the president invoked the Insurrection Act (he hasn’t), their involvement in law enforcement is legally shaky.
is isn’t just a technicality. It’s a question of who gets to police Memphis — and under what authority. When military logic enters civilian policing, the consequences are rarely benign. Soldiers are trained to neutralize threats, not de-escalate con ict. eir mission is national defense, not neighborhood patrol. When that line blurs, democracy su ers.
Memphis has seen this before. In 2017, the city was sued for illegally surveilling activists, including Black Lives Matter organizers. e lawsuit revealed a pattern of monitoring and in ltration that felt more like the Cold War than community policing. No tanks rolled down Beale Street, but the spirit of posse comitatus — protecting civilians from military-style enforcement — was clearly violated.
Critics of the current deployment, including civil rights groups and local organizers, warn that this sets a dangerous precedent. e federalization of law enforcement in Memphis — without clear legal authority or community consent — risks normalizing military presence in civilian life. e Posse Comitatus Act was designed to prevent exactly this kind of dri . And if we don’t push back, the dri becomes doctrine.
Supporters argue that extraordinary crime demands extraordinary measures. But that misses the point. e Act isn’t about capability — it’s about accountability. Civilian law enforcement is governed by local oversight, public records, and electoral pressure. e military is not. When soldiers enforce laws, they operate outside the structures that keep police power in check.
e solution isn’t to repeal Posse Comitatus. It’s to rea rm it — and to extend its spirit to the broader trend of militarized policing. at means reining in federal equipment transfers, increasing transparency, and restoring community control over public safety. It means recognizing that not every crisis is a war, and not every protest is a battle eld.
In Memphis, that starts with local leadership. City o cials must resist the temptation to outsource public safety to federal agencies or military-style units. ey must invest in community-based policing, mental health response teams, and restorative justice programs. And they must demand clarity when federal forces operate within city limits — whether through surveillance, raids, or joint task forces.
e Posse Comitatus Act may be short, but its implications are vast. It’s a line in the sand — a legal boundary between democracy and force. And in Memphis, that line deserves defending. We don’t need more federal troops answerable to the president patrolling the streets of Memphis. We need more federal funds so Memphians, answerable to Memphians and elected by Memphians, can patrol our own streets.
Jack Richbourg is a retired lawyer turned freelance writer living in Memphis.
PHOTO: BRPHOTO | DREAMSTIME.COM
Extend the Posse Comitatus Act’s spirit to militarized policing.
