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LOSING FOOD HELP P5 THE SHELL’S SONIC SAGA P13 MURDER FOR TWO P17 OUR 1957TH ISSUE 08.27.26

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MISSION: GAP REDUCTION Charles Huff takes over Memphis football with a sizable challenge.

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OUR 1957TH ISSUE 08.27.26

MISSION: GAP REDUCTION

Charles Huff takes over Memphis football with a sizable challenge. PHOTO: WES HALE

Mended Therapy

KELLI DEWITT, CHIP GOOGE, SHAUNE MCGHEE Senior Account Executives JANICE GRISSOM ELLISON, KAREN MILAM, DON MYNATT, TAMMY NASH, RANDY ROTZ, LEWIS TAYLOR, WILLIAM WIDEMAN Distribution KENNETH NEILL Founding Publisher THE MEMPHIS FLYER is published weekly by Contemporary Media, Inc., P.O. Box 1738, Memphis, TN 38101 Phone: (901) 521-9000 Fax: (901) 521-0129 memphisflyer.com CONTEMPORARY MEDIA, INC. ANNA TRAVERSE Chief Executive Officer LYNN SPARAGOWSKI Controller/Circulation Manager JEFFREY GOLDBERG Chief Revenue Officer MARGIE NEAL Chief Operating Officer KRISTIN PAWLOWSKI Digital Services Director

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Wild Horses

Where’s the beef … from?

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The Shell’s Sonic Saga

David Less assembles the city’s best musos to evoke the Overton Park Shell’s history.

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NEWS & OPINION THE FLY-BY - 4 AT LARGE - 6 FINANCE - 7 COVER STORY “MISSION: GAP REDUCTION” BY FRANK MURTAUGH - 8 COMMUNITY - 11 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT WE RECOMMEND - 12 MUSIC - 13

CALENDAR - 14 NY TIMES CROSSWORD - 14 WE SAW YOU - 15 FOOD - 16 THEATER - 17 NEWS OF THE WEIRD - 18 ASTROLOGY - 19 FILM - 20 CLASSIFIEDS - 22 LAST WORD - 23

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CARRIE BEASLEY Senior Art Director CHRISTOPHER MYERS Advertising Art Director NEIL WILLIAMS Graphic Designer

CONTENTS

SHARA CLARK Editor-in-Chief ALEX GREENE Managing Editor, Music Editor BRUCE VANWYNGARDEN Senior Editor TOBY SELLS Associate Editor KAILYNN JOHNSON News Reporter CHRIS MCCOY Film and TV Editor MICHAEL DONAHUE, JON W. SPARKS Staff Writers KIMBERLY HAM Calendar Editor, Copy Editor JESSE DAVIS, EMILY GUENTHER, BUDDY JONES, COCO JUNE, PATRICIA LOCKHART, FRANK MURTAUGH, LINDSEY D. RHEA, WILLIAM SMYTHE Contributing Columnists SHARON BROWN, AIMEE STIEGEMEYER Grizzlies Reporters GRACIE DRIVER, ALLIE MAURY Editorial Interns

THE

fly-by

MEMernet Memphis on the internet.

August 27-September 2, 2026

P R I VA T E PA R T S Evan Hurst, the Wonkette managing editor with deep ties to Memphis, posted bluntly POSTED TO FACEBOOK BY EVAN HURST about the Natalie Harp/Donald Trump situation last week on Facebook. “People do not think Trump and Natalie Harp are fucking each other with their privates. For one thing, at 37, she’s way too old for him. “What people think about Natalie Harp is that she is Donald Trump’s diarrhea nurse and personal clown, and that he needs her, and that she needs therapy, but in the absence of that, she needs him. They think she is his 24/7 babysitter, and that for some bizarre reason, she lives for nothing but to touch the hem of his garment.”

D ATA C E N T E R S If you need a primer on the data center politics of Memphis right now, go read the more POSTED TO FACEBOOK than 200 comBY THE GREATER MEMPHIS CHAMBER ments on the Greater Memphis Chamber’s post against the proposed moratorium. Few jobs. Bad for the air. Sucks up millions of gallons of that sweet, sweet aquifer every day. Few benefits to the community. Then it turns to the process. Who invited Elon in? Oh, it was the Chamber. They’re not elected. How do we get rid of the Chamber’s leadership? BOW ECHO Google “Memphis bow echo” POSTED TO X BY THE this week and you’ll NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS get a mashup of CREDIT: WISEACRE BREWING CO. the terrible storm that knocked out power to more than 100,000 and the Bow Echo hazy IPA from Wiseacre Brewing Co.

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Questions, Answers + Attitude Edited by Toby Sells

W E E K T H AT WA S By Flyer staff

Data Centers, MATA, & an Airport Lounge Memphis moves toward moratorium, riders call for change, and a new place to escape at MEM. D ATA C E N T E R M O R AT O R I U M Memphis City Council members advanced a proposed 12-month moratorium on new data centers last week, saying the pause would give the city time to develop rules for an industry that has expanded rapidly in Memphis. The proposal comes nearly two years after Elon Musk’s thencalled xAI arrived at the former Electrolux facility in South Memphis. The company, now SpaceXAI, operates three data centers in the Memphis area, amid continuPHOTO: COURTESY SPACEX | SEC FILING ing concerns over air A Memphis City Council member described the move as a pause — not an outright ban pollution, noise, and — to give officials time to address a number of issues around data centers. water consumption. Council Chair Jana Swearengen-Washington said the They pointed specifically to an on-time performance rate of proposal was a pause rather than a ban and could give ofabout 60 percent. ficials time to address issues including proximity to neighA city spokesperson said Mayor Paul Young plans to reborhoods and schools, noise, hiring commitments, and appoint the MATA board by September. Advocates called on community benefits. Young and the city council to follow through and demanded Similar moratoria have been adopted elsewhere in Tennew leadership focused on reliable service, bus shelters, acnessee, including Davidson and Knox counties. countability, and communication with riders. The Greater Memphis Chamber opposed the proposal, arguing Memphis has the power, infrastructure, water ESCAPE LOUNGE TO MEM capacity, and logistical footprint needed to compete for data A $2.9 million passenger lounge is coming to Frederick centers and that a moratorium could weaken that advantage. W. Smith International Airport after officials approved a The ordinance cleared a council committee and moved deal last week with global airport-services company CAVU forward in the city hall approval process. Experiences. The Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority apG R O U P S C A L L F O R M ATA C H A N G E proved a 12-year lease for an Escape Lounge in the airport’s Two Memphis transit advocacy groups called last week for main rotunda. The lounge is expected to occupy about 3,200 Memphis Area Transit Authority interim CEO and trustee square feet, with the potential to expand to 4,900 square feet Rodrick Holmes to resign and for city officials to restore depending on usage. MATA’s governing board. Escape Lounges offer seating, complimentary hot and The Memphis Bus Riders Union and Citizens for Better cold food, alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, Wi-Fi, Service said Holmes’ appointment was intended as a temcharging ports, printers, and other amenities. Unlike airline porary measure to stabilize the troubled transit agency, not lounges such as Delta Sky Clubs, Escape Lounges are open a replacement for its board. Holmes was appointed trustee to the public without a membership or qualifying credit and interim CEO by city government in 2025 as the board card. Admission currently starts at $45 when booked in was interviewing candidates for a permanent CEO. Those advance and $60 for walk-ups. interviews were canceled and several board members later The agreement calls for a Memphis-focused food and resigned. beverage program featuring local producers and vendors. The groups criticized Holmes’ lack of public transportation experience and said taxpayers are paying $75,000 per Visit the News Blog at memphisflyer.com for fuller versions of month for his leadership while MATA continues to struggle. these stories and more local news.

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CITY REPORTER B y To b y S e l l s

Losing Food Help

Thousands lost SNAP in Shelby County in a trend advocates call a “crisis in Tennessee.”

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Shelby County lost $4.1 million in benefits over the last year.

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providers reported sharply higher demand. Panelists participating in the TJC’s webinar Thursday said families are increasingly turning to food banks and pantries for help. Tammy Deiter, senior manager of government relations and programs at Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, said her group has seen a 51-percent rise in those visiting their food banks since January 2025. She said she does not expect this to stop soon. “It’s almost an acceptance now that this is kind of how things are, and it’s just more difficult to make the dollar stretch — a more sustained, continuing new reality that we’re facing,” Deiter said. Laura Eckersley, director of programs for Inspiritus, said its North Nashville pantry has seen twice as many people over the last year. The pantry now serves an average of 1,450 people monthly, while its spending has risen sharply, she said. “Last year, we were spending somewhere in the region of $1,500 to $2,500 per week on food,” Eckersley said. “Now we’re averaging about $6,000 a week.” Emmalyn Troupe, a community health coordinator at River Valley Health in Knoxville, described consequences for families she’s spoken with. “I’ve heard of parents skipping meals so their kids can eat,” she said. “I’ve heard of people skipping meals so they can afford gas to go to work.” The federal government currently pays the full cost of SNAP benefits, while Tennessee and Washington divide the program’s administrative expenses evenly, according to the Sycamore Institute, a nonpartisan Nashville think tank. That arrangement is changing under President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Beginning October 1st, Tennessee’s share of administrative expenses will rise from 50 percent to 75 percent. In October 2027, the state could also be required to pay as much as 15 percent of benefit costs, depending on its payment-error rate. The error rate measures how accurately the state determines eligibility and benefit amounts. It includes both overpayments and underpayments and does not necessarily indicate fraud.

NEWS & OPINION

helby County had 17,905 fewer food-assistance participants in July 2026 than July 2025, an 11.7 percent decline in a statewide trend anti-hunger advocates call a “crisis in Tennessee.” Even with the sharp decline, Shelby County now has — and has historically had — the state’s most participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), what was once called food stamps. Enrollment numbers here were more than double No. 2 Davidson County over the last year. In July 2025, 153,635 people from Shelby County got SNAP. The latest numbers from the Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) show that number fell to 135,730 in July 2026. Caseloads here fell from 72,829 to 65,222. Monthly benefits declined from $33.8 million to $29.7 million — a loss of $4.1 million in the last year. Every Tennessee county lost SNAP participants from July to July, according to state data. Overall, Tennessee had 87,275 fewer SNAP participants in July 2026 than in July 2025, a 12.5 percent decline, from 696,791 to 609,516 people. Anti-hunger advocates at the Tennessee Justice Center (TJC) said Thursday that stricter federal eligibility rules and administrative problems are driving the decline. The group outlined the decline in a webinar titled “Plummeting SNAP Participation: Crisis in Tennessee.” Crys Riles, the center’s anti-hunger advocate, cited expanded work requirements, eligibility changes, paperwork problems, and agency errors as reasons for the decline. “These are all ways that we’ve identified that are causing people to lose their SNAP, even if they are eligible,” Riles said. “Paperwork is always the number one that we hear from people.” As SNAP enrollment fell, food-aid

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Wild Horses Where’s the beef … from?

f you’ve always wanted to hit the Appalachian Trail but never had the time, I’ve got some good news for you. Three letters: ATV! That’s right, friends. With the Trump administration’s new “drivable national parks” policy, you’re good to go. And don’t worry, if you don’t have an ATV, just take a motocross bike, or heck, if you’re feeling manly, see if that big-ass four-wheel truck cousin Cletus bought last year can make it. Drive on over to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and let her rip. You’ll be in scenic New Hampshire in no time. Hiking is for woke communist losers. I wish I were joking, but I’m merely exaggerating — slightly. In 2001, President Bill Clinton signed the federal Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which banned new road construction and most commercial logging on 58 million acres of national forest land in 39 states. The purpose was to preserve public land and protect its water and wildlife habitat. The Trump administration has moved to overturn that rule by executive order and opened national forest land to mining, logging, and other commercial development. In brief, Trump is turning over our public property to his corporate pals. But it gets worse. Trump and his greed-fueled goons are also overturning the “Travel Management Rule” that impacts 40 million acres in national forests and parks. That rule designated usage areas for skiers, hikers, hunters, snowmobilers, and ATV users. Now, it’s out the window. Want to hike a pristine wilderness trail unmarred by motorcycle noise? Sorry, hippie. In July, Trump signed an executive order reducing the size of Bears Ears National Monument in Utah by 90 percent and opened it up to development and mining. Trump also disbanded the Bears Ears Commission, made up of members of five Native American tribes, and ordered the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to remove all tribal seals and boundary signs. Too woke, I guess. Bulldozers working under a no-bid contract have spent the past couple of weeks ravaging the beautiful and fragile ecology of Big Bend National Park in Texas in order to build a border wall where no one crosses the border due to the mountainous terrain. The administration ignored (“waived”) all environmental, cultural, and historical preservation laws without any input

PHOTO: © RANDY HARRIS | DREAMSTIME

from the public or Congress. And if you think the company doing the destruction didn’t make a nice sevenfigure contribution to Fearless Leader for the privilege of doing so, I have some public land to sell you. Sensing a pattern here? The bottom line (literally) is that under Trump our public lands and their resources are for sale to the highest no-bidder. And we haven’t even gotten to the wild horses yet. In 1971, Congress declared wild horses “living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West” and passed a law placing them in the government’s care. There was not one dissenting vote. The BLM’s official policy is “not to sell or send any wild horses or burros to slaughter.” They are sold or destroyed only as a last resort — if a horse gets too old, for example — but even then they aren’t supposed to be sold for meat. That policy is now being ignored. The New York Times reported last week that under Trump, wild horses sold by the government are turning up at slaughter auctions still wearing the government’s brand. In 2025 alone, according to the Times, the BLM sold around 3,700 horses, most of them to slaughterhouses, where the meat is then sent to China. Oddly enough, it was just last Friday that Trump announced a big “beef ” deal that would “allow up to 300,000 metric tons of ground beef to be imported … and sold at 25 percent below current market prices.” When asked who the deal was with and where the beef would come from, Trump refused to answer. Surely, you don’t think … China? Nah. You’d need a lot more than 3,700 horses to come up with 300,000 tons of ground meat. So it’s probably beef, right? And surely it’s been inspected to USDA standards. Trump wouldn’t bend regulations just to make a buck, would he? Ehh. When you bite into a Trump Mystery Burger, you’ll just have to trust that the president of the United States has your best interests at heart. Like he always does.

Tips for women to build financial independence.

o you ever ask yourself if you’re enough? I know I do, of myself. Are we enough at work, with families and friends, or as caregivers to those we love? Are we investing enough in our careers, relationships, ourselves? Do we have enough saved for the future? The questions go on and on. Although women are increasingly questioning their futures — and taking control of their finances — we’re still asking ourselves if we’re enough. If it’s enough. Will we have enough to take care of ourselves when we’re 60? When we’re 80? The numbers tell us so. • 55 percent of women are overwhelmed when it comes to their finances • 48 percent are embarrassed they don’t know more about investing • 31 percent regret not saving enough for retirement

PHOTO: SASUN BUGHDARYAN | UNSPLASH

It can all be a little daunting, especially given how women are known to live longer yet earn less than their male counterparts. The good news is that women, though they question, aren’t stuck in a sea of uncertainty. We’re jumping in and taking control of our finances. Ninety-four percent of women surveyed in a study by HerMoney and the Alliance for Lifetime Income said they helped manage their household finances, investments, and retirement planning. Despite inflation and other economic issues that cause us to question, 92 percent of women say they plan to maintain or increase their retirement account contributions. Whether you’re single and loving it, running a household, or managing a corporation, here are some tips to help you stay the course.

For Young Women Decide that you rule the money. It doesn’t rule you. Be proactive and set monthly budgets so you can save, set up an emergency fund, and start investing in your future (read: retirement planning). By the way, it’s never too early to begin retirement planning. Consider this scenario: You’re 25, working at a full-time job with benefits, including a retirement savings plan. You begin investing $3,600 a year in the S&P 500. You stay at just that amount (you don’t up it despite future raises, promotions, or job changes) for 20 years. At the end of those 20 years, the total investment of $72,000 would be worth about $180,000. For Single Women Avoid tapping into your retirement accounts. Fight the urge to tap into retirement accounts for an infusion of cash to buy a car or pay off debt, for example. Of the nearly half (49 percent) of investors under the age of 34 who said they have withdrawn from an IRA or 401(k) early, 20 percent said it was to pay for education, followed closely by a medical emergency (19 percent) and other reasons, according to Advisor Magazine. Early withdrawals from retirement accounts may trigger penalties and taxes, among other disadvantages. Save for a rainy day or days. Some suggest a six- to nine-month savings pot; others recommend 12 to 18 months. While more is always better when it comes to savings, the goal here is to do what you can with what you have. Even if it’s $100 a month, you’ll soon start to see a cushion grow, which will provide a soft landing if ever you find yourself without steady, reliable income. For the Leading (Boss) Ladies Create a goal-based financial plan. Women tend to be more goal-oriented when investing and building wealth — a great strength. When financial goals are defined and mean something personally, we’re motivated to reach our financial goals. Bring in an advisory team to be your right-hand man, er, woman with your finances. As your net worth increases, so does your need for more professional advice. Working with a trusted team ensures that your holistic financial vision and endgame (goals) stay on track and become reality. Lindsey D. Rhea, CFP, is owner and wealth strategist at Alia Wealth Partners, connect@aliawealth.com.

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Invest in Yourself

NEWS & OPINION

FINANCE By Lindsey D. Rhea

C OV E R S T O R Y B y Fr a n k M u r t a u g h

or the fifth time in 17 years, University of Memphis football will open its season with a new head coach. Late of Southern Miss (and before that, Marshall), Charles Huff arrives at a pivot point in the program’s history. With kickoff looming — Saturday at UNLV — we have some questions.

P H O T O G R A P H S B y We s H a l e

WHO IS HEAD COACH CHARLES HUFF?

August 27-September 2, 2026

Coach Charles Huff

MISSION: GAP REDUCTION Charles Huff takes over Memphis football with a sizable challenge.

University of Memphis athletic director Ed Scott hired Huff last December to succeed Ryan Silverfield, who departed for Arkansas and SEC riches after six seasons (and 50 wins) at the Tiger helm. Huff coached one season at Southern Miss, leading a dramatic turnaround for the Golden Eagles, from a 1-11 record in 2024 to 7-5 under Huff last fall. Prior to his year in Hattiesburg, Huff coached four years at Marshall, leading the Thundering Herd to a record of 32-20 and a 2024 Sun Belt championship. Just as attractive to Scott were Huff’s credentials as an assistant, particularly years spent at Penn State (2014-17) and Alabama (2019-20). He’s witnessed the upper echelons of college football, and what they require to stay on top. Huff earned a national championship ring in his final season with the Crimson Tide where he was in charge of running backs. During his introductory press conference at the Tiger football practice facility, Huff emphasized “closing the gap” between the Memphis program and those of the four so-called “power conferences” (SEC, Big 10, Big XII, and ACC). You’ll see “Close the Gap” in various promotional formats this season, somewhat ironically next to the logo for the American Conference, the league on one side of the gap Memphis aims to reduce. You can say Charles Huff’s mission is the Tiger football program’s mission. There’s a shared sense of urgency. At his third program in three years, Huff is climbing the coaching ladder, but he can’t be described as a “young coach.” At 43, he’s more than a college generation older than predecessors Justin Fuente (36) or Mike Norvell (34) when they arrived in Memphis. There is no getting-to-knowyou period for Huff. He must win in 2026, then even bigger in 2027. “Why not Memphis?” asked Huff at his introductory presser. “This is the first time in my career that I’m taking over a program that’s not broken. I’m taking over a program where long-term goals match my long-term goals. I’m taking over a program that has elite support. I’m taking over a program that has elite resources. My mission: Close the gap. We’ve been good and won a lot of games. It’s time to win a championship.”

WHAT DOES THE NEW COACH THINK OF MEMPHIS?

Huff had plenty to say about his new home at a preseason press conference.

DO THE LAST 12 YEARS MATTER?

Yes and no. They certainly do if you happen to remember the dozen years prior to 2014, and the ongoing success since. Bowl-eligible every season. Five 10-win campaigns and conference championships in 2014 and 2019. A first-team AllAmerica here (receiver Anthony Miller), another first-team All-America there (running back Darrell Henderson). The day ESPN’s College GameDay came to Beale Street (2019)? It was even better than the Tigers’ appearance in that year’s Cotton Bowl. On the other hand, the Memphis program has been left behind by the likes of Houston, UCF, and Cincinnati as the power-conference landscape shifts from one era into another. (The program Memphis beat on that GameDay night, SMU, now plays in the ACC.) If all the success Memphis has enjoyed on the field hasn’t translated, yet, to a conference promotion, what will make the difference? Will we see evidence of that variable in 2026? Turns out this question only leads to more.

CAN THE GAP BE CLOSED BY 2028?

If you were scrolling for Tiger football info over the summer, you likely stopped when alerted to comments the new coach made suggesting Memphis could be positioned to join a power league as early as 2028. Really? “I truly believe that we’re in a vehicle moving forward,” said Huff at that preseason presser. “We have the resources, we

have the facilities, we have the city, we have the right people. This university is moving forward. I’m always going to be honest. When I stand in front of that team, I tell them, ‘This program is moving forward.’ So the expectations are higher. They earned a 3.57 GPA. Awesome. Broke records. It’s not good enough. You gotta go higher, because the program is moving higher.” Marcus Stokes (2) and Air Nowland (3), both newcomers to the Memphis program, are competing for the quarterback position.

WHAT CAN $226 MILLION BUY YOU?

It will buy you a new stadium experience, to say the least. One look at the new west tower at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium and any longtime fan of the program will know fall Saturdays are different now. An infusion of high-end video technology will further bring the 61-year-old stadium into the 21st century. Be it football, baseball, or basketball, it’s not just what you see on the field of play, but how your senses are stimulated as you see it. Here’s the catch, though: If the Tigers play poorly, the tech and glitter will just be a greater contrast, feed social media snark, and make fans

wonder if the $226 million might have been better spent elsewhere. Win big and the Tigers will be able to promote and sell the program like never before to recruits, transfers, and the college presidents who will help determine if Memphis is worthy of a new, bigger league.

CAN A STADIUM BE THE STAR ATTRACTION?

For the 2026 home opener (September 5th)? Absolutely. Perhaps for an entire sixgame home schedule. But not long-term. Baseball stadiums are the equivalent of a favorite picnic spot: Being outdoors with sights and sounds that comfort you is the primary mission. Not so with football. So who will be the stars for the 2026 Memphis Tigers? Five Tigers earned first-team allconference honors in 2025, but not one of them will be in blue and gray this season. A few current players getting preseason buzz: defensive linemen J’Mond Tapp and Jaden McKinney, linebacker Mike Montgomery, and defensive back Ian Foster. Defensive stars rarely sell tickets. Which brings us to our next question.

WHO WILL QUARTERBACK THE 2026 TIGERS?

When asked about the difference between quarterbacks Marcus Stokes and Air Noland, offensive coordinator Kevin Decker has a clever answer: “The ball spins one way when one of them throws it and the opposite way for the other.” Noland (a lefty) spent a season at Ohio State and another at South Carolina but has thrown a grand total of three passes. Stokes starred at West Florida, passing for 3,297 yards in 2025 with 30 touchdowns through the air and 10 more with his legs … but continued on page 10

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

“The one thing I’ve learned since December,” said Huff, “is that Memphis is a place where you can be yourself and you’ll be accepted. You don’t have to act one way on this side of town, or if you’re meeting with this group. You can be yourself. That’s the only thing I know how to do. There’s also an unbelievable blending in Memphis. Wherever you go, you’ll see a blend. It’s not like east and west are totally different. That is what makes this place really special. “People are real, and they take you for who you are. Penny Hardaway told me, when I first got here, if you love the city, it’ll love you back. That’s true. As long as you stay who you are. Now, I haven’t lost a game yet. But I truly think that if things don’t go well, they’ll voice their opinions, love you, and move on. There will be some rough articles, some barking, if things don’t go well. When you support a team wholeheartedly, you deserve to be upset, you deserve to be excited. This city truly is immersed in this university, and vice versa.”

Friday, August 28

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Linebacker Mike Montgomery, a transfer from Southern Miss, is expected to be among the Tiger leaders on defense. continued from page 9 all against Division II competition. Not since Seth Henigan took the field as a freshman in 2021 have the Tigers opened a season with so little FBS experience at the quarterback position.

CAN THE TIGER DEFENSE WIN GAMES?

August 27-September 2, 2026

With the likes of Tapp, Montgomery, and Foster, you’d like to think so. Defensive coordinator Lance Guidry is entering his 33rd season as a football coach. It will be hard for an opposing offense to surprise him. Guidry feels like the Memphis defensive line has depth, an important factor when quarterback-hunting is a priority. And I liked something Guidry said at that preseason presser: “We earn the right to rush the passer by stopping the run.” Winning first down, as they say, often means forcing a second-andlong at the line of scrimmage. And that’s muscle work, effort, grind. If the Tigers’ DC is emphasizing that from the get-go, a healthy culture will be established.

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST HOME GAME?

A systemic problem for Memphis Tiger football: no top rival. There is no Ohio State for the Mid-South’s “Michigan.” No Auburn for “Alabama.” Semi-regular meetings with Ole Miss don’t count (the Rebels have Mississippi State). UCF was growing into something special, but then the Knights bolted for the Big XII. Which games do Tiger fans circle when the schedule is released? Tulane is a preseason favorite to win the American Conference, but the Tigers will face them in New Orleans. The “Battle for the Bones” with UAB tries desperately to be that rivalry game but the programs went a decade without playing, and Memphis reached new heights. You might circle October 22nd on this year’s calendar (it’s a Thursday). East Carolina visits for the Tigers’ eighth game, and we

should know if Memphis is competing for a conference title by then. The Pirates won nine games last year, including a 31-27 victory over the Tigers, their third straight win in the series. For good or ill, a Memphis win over ECU this fall would be memorable.

CAN THE TIGERS WIN THE AMERICAN CONFERENCE?

This might be a question for Tulane. The Green Wave has played in each of the last four American championship games, winning in 2022 and 2025. The Tigers’ Friday-night tilt at Tulane (October 16th) could yield a front-runner to host this year’s championship. For all their success under coach Ryan Silverfield, the Tigers never reached the title game on his watch (2020-25). Memphis beat Cincinnati at the Liberty Bowl to win the 2019 championship, the last of three consecutive appearances in the event under coach Mike Norvell. Can the 2026 Memphis Tigers be conference champions? I like one of Huff’s go-to expressions: “Spot the ball,” and we’ll find out.

HOW ABOUT A PREDICTION FOR THE 2026 SEASON?

New coach and almost an entirely new roster? No thanks on the prediction business. Wait, here’s one, big-picture: Charles Huff will be the first coach to lead the Tigers in power-conference competition, or he’ll be the last Tiger coach with a chance to do so. Close that gap, Coach.

2026 TIGER FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Aug. 29th — at UNLV Sept. 5th — ARKANSAS STATE Sept. 12th — at Boise State Sept. 19th — UT-MARTIN Oct. 3rd — at Charlotte Oct. 10th — UAB Oct. 16th (Fri.) — at Tulane Oct. 22nd (Thu.) — EAST CAROLINA Oct. 31st — ARMY Nov. 12th (Thu.) — at South Florida Nov. 21st — at Navy Nov. 27th (Fri.) — TEMPLE

C O M M U N I T Y B y N a t a l i e Wa l l i n g t o n

In the Dark Memphis has one of the highest utility cutoff rates in the nation — but it doesn’t have to. Reducing rates and fees could increase repayment There is currently no way to bypass MLGW’s fees or access lower prices for utility services. But these tactics have reduced utility cutoff rates elsewhere in the U.S., and can even increase customers’ rate of bill payment. MLGW’s current fees include $30 for returned checks, $58 to reconnect services after a cutoff, and a 5 percent late fee on bills not paid within 12 business days. Kim explained that eliminating some of these fees could actually enable MLGW to recoup more money. “You want to make these payments reasonable so that low-income families are able to meet them without having to scale back spending on food and medicine and other necessities,” he said. “Eliminating junk fees is counterintuitive because you’re asking (customers) for less money, but that can be a method to lower the hurdle and get folks to pay into their uncollected debts.” Research shows that creating discounted rate programs can have a similar effect. MLGW recently released a study stating that its rates for utility service are the lowest in Tennessee. But selectively lowering rates for vulnerable groups, like seniors and low-income families, can both reduce cutoffs and help prevent everyone else’s bills from going up. “The ultimate goal of utilities … is to avoid bills becoming uncollectible,” Kim

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: ANDREA MORALES | MLK50

said. “If [utility companies] are not able to collect money from certain subsets of their ratepayers, then the money’s got to come from somewhere, and that’s a burden that lands on other customers.” Discounted rate programs for those least able to pay have already been adopted in at least 10 states, including New York, Indiana, and California. The nonprofit clean energy think tank RMI has found that these programs benefit all customers, not just those struggling to pay their bills. “Evidence from multiple state programs shows that when [utility] commissions adopt affordability policies, they support vulnerable customers, reduce system-wide debt, improve payment behavior, and lower collection costs,” RMI researchers Carina Rosenbach and Joe Daniel wrote in an October 2025 analysis. Assistance over punishment The most effective approaches to reducing utility cutoffs typically involve working with customers who are struggling to pay their bills, instead of punishing them for their failure to do so. In one of the nation’s largest cities, this has meant ending disconnections for vulnerable customers, even if they fall behind on payments. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power adopted a motion in 2022 that ended utility cutoffs for customers enrolled in its low-income and senior discount programs. Since then, disconnections have plummeted: In 2025, the utility performed just 4,133 water disconnections in the entire city, where it provides water to over 740,000 households. There’s currently no indication that MLGW plans to adjust its cutoff policies anytime soon. Without significant policy change in sight, Brownlee is taking matters into her own hands. She’s currently raising funds for a new project called the Dream at Home Foundation, which would provide direct cash assistance to help families pay their bills. “It’s like, ‘I put it in God’s hands,’” Brownlee said. “Memphis is a praying city. [But] sometimes you can’t put it in God’s hands. You’ve got to act.” This story was produced by MLK50: Justice Through Journalism as part of Next City’s Local Reporting Hub, with funding from the Kresge Foundation. Check out MLK50’s full series on utility cutoffs in 11 Memphis. m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

had the most disconnections of any in the country in 2024,” Kim said of the report’s findings. That’s not including cities served by privately-owned utility companies, but Kim’s organization has found that public utilities like MLGW cut off customers at a higher rate than those for-profit giants. Since leaving her job in the Memphis nonprofit sector last year, Nancy Brownlee has been using her extensive network to crowdfund for friends and strangers alike through Facebook. She says the most common struggle Memphians message her about is utility debt. “One [woman] that I’m actively trying to raise money for, she’s 79 years old. There are six people who live in her house, and three of them are children,” she told MLK50: Justice Through Journalism in late July. The family was facing a cutoff from MLGW and had nearly $570 in utility debt when they reached out to her for help. After a series of posts to bring in donations, Brownlee was able to get the family’s balance below its cutoff threshold. But she said it’s a challenge to raise funds when so many Memphians are struggling financially. “I have to tell myself not to get discouraged about it, because people just don’t have the extra [money to donate],” she said. Over a dozen families have reached out to her for help with their utilities. She estimates that their combined debt totals around $4,000.

NEWS & OPINION

early one in five Memphis households experienced at least one utility cutoff for nonpayment in 2025, according to data obtained by MLK50: Justice Through Journalism through a public records request. Memphis Light, Gas and Water is a nationwide leader in utility cutoffs, with household disconnections rising by nearly 40 percent over the last decade. According to MLGW, 75,378 households in Memphis experienced at least one utility disconnection for nonpayment last year. As of December 31st, the company served 379,420 households. That’s a household cutoff rate of 19.9 percent. “That is not a normal number,” said Jonathan Kim, a researcher with the nonprofit Energy and Policy Institute, which monitors the business decisions of fossil fuel and utility companies nationwide. “That is a lot.” Utility cutoffs have well-documented health and safety impacts on lowincome families, including increased risks of hunger from cutting back on food to pay bills, heatstroke from lack of air conditioning, and house fires from the candles, cookstoves, and extension cords families rely on to meet their basic needs. But experts say it doesn’t have to be this way. Municipalities across the U.S. have adopted a variety of tactics to help residents avoid utility cutoffs while also benefiting utility providers. They include reducing fines and fees, offering payment plans with extended deadlines, creating discount programs for marginalized groups, and even calculating utility bills as a portion of household income. “They’ve decided that disconnection is no longer an appropriate tool to try and coerce low-income families to cough up money,” Kim said. “There are proven ways to recoup customer [debts] that don’t involve disconnection.” In an emailed response to questions, MLGW spokesperson Stacey Greenberg called disconnection “a last resort,” adding, “we work with our customers when they struggle to make utility payments.” (Read MLK50’s examination of MLGW’s cutoff policies and assistance programs in “MLGW utility cutoffs hit low-income Memphians the hardest. How do they work?” on mlk50.com.) Last year wasn’t an anomaly: A firstof-its-kind report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration released in April also identifies Memphis as a nationwide leader in utility cutoffs. “Of municipal utilities, Memphis

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Memphis Goes Immersive By Kimberly Ham DKTV², an immersive music video showcase, will bring more than 20 music videos by Memphis PHOTO: COURTESY musicians and videographers into the Midtown venue Bar DKDC, with live visuals from Memphis KOLBY TIPLER immersive-experience studio Infinity Stairs. There will also be performances by a variety of bands, Kolby Tipler and such as Aquarian Blood and Recent Future. Kierstyn Laird The event is the capstone project for Kolby Tipler and photographer Kierstyn Laird, who are completing their internships at Bar DKDC through the National Independent Venue Foundation’s VOX program. For Tipler, who has also been working at Bar DKDC during the summer, the project grew from a desire to create an event that puts music, video, and visual art on equal footing. “We are looking to involve more musicians and creatives, rather than just be band-focused or DJ-focused,” Tipler says. “We want to make [DKTV²] more inclusive.” Infinity Stairs’ Graham Burks Jr. and Corbin Linebarier will transform the room with projections, original visuals, and oldschool CRT televisions (aka box TVs), creating what Burks describes as a chance to be “right inside” the video. The result is a night of music, screening, and installations built around local Memphis musicians and the work surrounding them. Infinity Stairs’ relationship with Bar DKDC goes back to some of their earliest shows, including late-night dance parties. They’re bringing their history with the intimate venue together with ideas developed through larger projects. “We have, through the years, called Bar DKDC home base,” Burks says. “When we do this immersive experience at Bar DKDC the whole room will glow.” The CRT aesthetic is intentional. Burks and Linebarier draw inspiration from the MTV and VH1 era, when music videos were experienced on glowing television screens rather than phones. Linebarier says the setup is meant to evoke that nostalgic feeling while surrounding the audience with visuals. At the center of the night is Memphis’ creative community. Tipler hopes the showcase gives both newcomers and longtime musicians a chance to be seen, while also spotlighting the videographers, filmmakers, directors, and editors behind the work of the music videos. “This is an event with more than 20 of your favorite bands playing with music videos,” Burks says, calling the event a crosssection of an active, thriving Memphis music scene. For Tipler, the goal is to leave audiences surprised by how much local creativity is happening around them — and get inspired to create and collaborate themselves. DKTV2, BAR DKDC, 964 SOUTH COOPER ST., FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 8 P.M., $15.

August 27-September 2, 2026

VARIOUS DAYS & TIMES August 27th - September 2nd

If you stutter or know someone who does, visit us online or call toll-free for help and information.

THE

STUTTERING FOUNDATION

A Nonprofit Organization Since 1947—Helping Those Who Stutter

800-992-9392 12

www.StutteringHelp.org

Tim Disney in Conversation with Toby Sells: The A.R.C. Novel, Saturday, August 29, 6 p.m Tim Disney joins Memphis journalist Toby Sells for a conversation celebrating the release of The A.R.C.: A Virus That Kills You When You Lie, a satirical sci-fi graphic novel about a deadly virus activated by lies. Blending dark humor, political satire and environmental themes, the story follows an unlikely group of survivors navigating a world where honesty becomes a matter of life and death. Building a Buzz: Community Science for Mason Bee Health and Diversity Abe Goodman Golf Clubhouse, Tuesday, September 1, 5:30 p.m. Explore the fascinating diversity and importance of bees in this encore Science Café featuring Dr.

Kate LeCroy of Rhodes College. The program will examine the challenges facing bee populations, with a special focus on mason bees and the factors contributing to declines among native species. Participants will also learn how community scientists can help monitor bee health and diversity and contribute to research efforts throughout the Mid-South. Acrylic Painting with Gay Rhodes Memphis Botanic Garden, Wednesday, September 2, 9:30 a.m. Join instructor Gay Rhodes for a four-session acrylic painting series starting on September 2nd. Drawing on more than 20 years of teaching experience, Rhodes will guide students through planning and sketching a painting, mixing and applying paint, and exploring a variety of acrylic techniques. Each class

begins with a demonstration, and most students will complete at least two paintings during the series. All skill levels are welcome. Disco Detective: A 1970s Soulful Murder Mystery Experience Halloran Centre, Saturday, August 29, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Step into the groovy world of the 1970s for a soulful murder mystery filled with music, laughter, fashion, and audience interaction. As BBB Station (Big, Bold, and Beautiful) celebrates its 10th anniversary with a live televised special watched by millions, the station’s biggest stars gather for one unforgettable night. But behind the glitz and glamour, a mystery unfolds, and it’s up to you to follow the clues, interact with the characters, and see if you can solve the crime before the final reveal.

MUSIC By Alex Greene

The Shell’s Sonic Saga David Less assembles the city’s best musos to evoke the Overton Park Shell’s history.

2026

Including Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance may surprise some folks, but that was quite typical of productions at the Shell after it was built in 1936, wasn’t it? Such shows were billed as the Memphis Open Air Theater (MOAT). We had to start with The Pirates of Penzance, because those were our grandparents. That was their music, and the crowds there at the time enjoyed that music. If we left that out, we wouldn’t be accurately reflecting what happened there. It wouldn’t be an anniversary, because it’s not just the Allman Brothers [to be represented by Al Gamble singing “Whipping Post”], or the ’60s Country Blues festivals

[represented by Jimmy Crosthwait and Michael Graber], or Jimmie Lunceford and the big bands that played there. It’s all of it. If we didn’t cover the full spectrum of all the music that went on there, then we would be disingenuous. We’ve tried to present the full range of music that went on there to audiences that would have included our parents and our grandparents and our kids. How perfect to have Opera Memphis perform the Gilbert and Sullivan section. And then the next segment evokes the big bands. Yes, and Gary Topper helped me assemble a dynamite big band for the Jimmie Lunceford era, and Kelley Hurt will sing. But my real problem was the ’50s, because we can’t just ape Elvis. That would be stupid. So Will Sexton’s going to do “Little Sister” and “Baby, Let’s Play House,” and Amy LaVere’s gonna do [Johnny Cash’s] “Get Rhythm,” but in their own way. Then we have Jimmy and Michael representing the ’60s, which is perfect because Jimmy was the emcee at those blues festivals, and for the ’70s we have Amy singing Bonnie Raitt’s “Angel from Montgomery” and Jacob Church singing Little Feat’s “Dixie Chicken” — two artists who played the Shell in those years. Finally, representing the Levitt Shell years, we have songs by Jason Isbell and Lake Street Dive. And then, we just have to end it in Memphis. We’ll feature the Staple Singers’ “Respect Yourself” with Chris Barnes taking Pops Staples’ part and Kelley Hurt taking Mavis Staples’ part. And then we’ll finish with “Take Me to the River,” with Chris Barnes on lead. Because for me, this is not just about the history of performances of the Shell, and it’s not the history of the concrete and steel. It’s the history of the community.

PARTYWITH THE BEST Wednesday, September 23rd, 2026 5:30pm - 8:30pm ■ Loflin Yard

MUSIC BY:

SPONSORED BY

BLACK CREAM STAR & MICEY Tickets Available Now-Sep 22! 21+. Ticket includes entry, live entertainment, food, & drinks. For more info and to purchase tickets, visit bit.ly/BOM26 today!

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

Memphis Flyer: What exactly have you set out to do with this “90th Shellebration” revue? What was your brief in creating this event? David Less: Well, they asked me to represent the nine decades of the Shell, which of course is virtually impossible, but I’ve done the best I can. And so we go from The Pirates of Penzance all the way through the Levitt Shell era. And we do it Memphis style. I’ve got the very best musicians.

PHOTO: TODD WOLFSON

Will Sexton and Amy LaVere are among the featured performers.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

t’s hard to keep up with someone as committed to Memphis music as David Less. First, there are his decades of writing for Rolling Stone, DownBeat, and others, or his tour de force from 2020, Memphis Mayhem, a deep history of the city’s music. Then there are the recording projects he oversees, as when Less handpicked some of today’s best young jazz players to create the 2024 album Playing in the Yard. Clearly, Less regularly checks the pulse of Memphis music, always making connections between what’s going on now and what came before. That skill set in turn makes him the ideal person to curate one centerpiece of Overton Park Shell’s upcoming 90th anniversary celebrations, which run from September 10th to 13th, and include everything from Booker T. Jones (a ticketed event), to a 90th Birthday Picnic featuring the Memphis Youth Symphony Program, to a “Memphis Studio Superset” honoring the city’s great recording facilities. Right in the middle of that will be a revue that has occupied Less’ mind for months now, the “90th Shellebration: Sounds of the Shell (Nine Decades of Delight)” on Saturday, September 12th, at 7 p.m. To get a sense of what to expect from that ambitious presentation featuring 23 musicians, I spoke with Less about making it happen.

CALENDAR of EVENTS:

ARTS A N D S P EC I A L E X HI BI TS

COM M U N I T Y

Justin Bowles: “L’Esprit”

Moonwalk to the Canvas: Celebrate Michael Jackson Through Art

Paintings, works on paper, and acrylic box assemblages by Justin Bowles. Her latest work culminates in this show entitled “L’Esprit,” a French word used not only for “spirit” but also for a certain vivaciousness or capacity for joy. Through Oct. 17.

Aug. 27 - Sep. 2

Paint a Michael Jackson-inspired work of art while enjoying the soundtrack of an unforgettable career. Friday, Aug. 28, 5 p.m. | Saturday, Aug. 29, 2 p.m. | Saturday, Aug. 29, 6 p.m. TADA! MEMPHIS

SHAPESHIFTER ART SCHOOL & GALLERY

C LASS/ WOR KSH OP

Summer Exhibition

Send the date, time, place, cost, info, phone number, a brief description, and photos — two weeks in advance — to calendar@memphisflyer.com.

Featuring works by Barbara Penn, George Edward Walker, and Romain Collin in collaboration with filmmaker Matthew Palmer. Through Sept. 6.

Acrylic Painting with Gay Rhodes

Join Instructor Gay Rhodes for this painting series where students gain new skills from the instructor’s 20-plus years of teaching experience. Wednesday, Sept. 2, 9:30 a.m.

CROSSTOWN ARTS GALLERIES

DUE TO SPACE LIMITATIONS, ONGOING WEEKLY EVENTS WILL APPEAR IN THE FLYER’S ONLINE CALENDAR ONLY. FOR COMPREHENSIVE EVENTS LISTING, VISIT EVENTS.MEMPHISFLYER.COM/CAL.

MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN

ART HA P P E N I N G S

FAM I LY

Exhibiting Artist Talk

Exhibiting artists Barbara Penn and George Edward Walker will discuss the ideas, experiences, and creative processes behind their work. Thursday, Aug. 27, 6 p.m.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF JUSTIN BOWLES

Adventure Birds, by artist Justin Bowles in her show “L’Esprit” at ShapeShifter Art School & Gallery

CROSSTOWN ARTS GALLERIES

B O O K E V E N TS

Reading Rhythms with Orpheum Theatre Group

Memphis River Parks is excited to bring early literacy and joyful movement together with this program for families with children ages 2 to 5, all on the beautiful riverfront. Free. Friday, Aug. 28, 10 a.m. BEALE STREET LANDING

Club de lectura (Spanish Book Club) Este club de lectura del Dixon les invita a compartir sus experiencias de lectura en español a través del título seleccionado del mes. Tuesday, Sept. 1, 6 p.m.

Tim Disney in Conversation with Toby Sells: The A.R.C.

A satirical sci-fi graphic novel about a virus that kills when you lie. Saturday, Aug. 29, 6 p.m. The NewDIXON York Times Syndication Sales Corporation GALLERY AND GARDENS

620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 NOVEL For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Wednesday, August 14, 2019

FEST I VAL

901 Day on Beale

Enjoy 901 Day as Beale Street is turned into a vibrant block party full of the best the city has to offer. Sunday, Aug. 30, 11 a.m. BEALE STREET

FI LM

Crossword ACROSS

29 Do a little

stretching? 1 One’s marriage or graduation 32 Under control 7 Ring punch 33 Ricotta cheese source 10 Operate smoothly 13 Charm City baseballer

34 Get an ___ effort 35 Come to nothing

14 Be shown up

August 27-September 2, 2026

36 Subject of this puzzle (191716 ___ City Hall, 2019) 36-Acrossdesigned building 38 Runner’s space (1978) 39 Script unit 17 Sites of some 40 Land in the strikes ocean 18 “The Winding 41 Claymation pal Stair” poet of Wallace

19 Ballerina’s hairdo

43 It’s a big stretch

20 Omnipotent and all-merciful one, in Islam

44 Portmanteau for 36-Across

21 Chicken ___ 23 Place for an Atlas 24 With 10-Down, 36-Acrossdesigned museum (1995)

46 Help for the disabled? 48 On ___ (running by itself) 49 Sicilia and Sardegna 51 Jack (up)

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE A S Y E T B E B O P E S T S E E M E O T O E S N T H P A S T H I S T O R Y D E I E C O E N S U E I W I N C O R D E D R A T F I N K T O N I Y I N M A S S E S S K O S H N O Y E S E M O C A S H M O N E Y B O T V E D A Y S E G A R I N A F O G D O G A R I E T A X I C A B E S H A R P E L S E Y U B A N B T U S I C B U N N Y R A B B I T A N A I S O U T F R A M E T E M N E W M E U R G E D

52 Classic opera in which every leading character dies 57 Asian capital designed by British urban planners 59 With 26-Down, 36-Acrossdesigned Hong Kong skyscraper (1990) 60 Warty arboreal creature 61 Mystical and puzzling 62 Stick in a boat 63 Stand in (for) 64 Places

Edited by Will Shortz 1

18 21 24

LEC T U R E

Moving between wonder, terror, memory, and apocalypse, the film reflects on humanity’s relationship with nature, war, art, and the subconscious through a series of unforgettable surreal visions. Thursday, Aug. 27, 7 p.m. CROSSTOWN THEATER

38 41

Building a Buzz: Community Science for Mason Bee Health and Diversity

Participants will explore the broader diversity of bees in North America and all over the world, the roles bees have in shaping life on earth as we know it, including mason bees, and how we can promote bee health and diversity. Tuesday, Sept. 1, 5:30 p.m. ABE GOODMAN GOLF CLUBHOUSE

44 46

51 58

60 62

PER FOR M I N G AR TS

DOWN 1 Soul mate? 2 “Dies ___” (hymn) 3 River to the Colorado 4 Noodlehead 5 One who calls Nome home 6 “Thumbs up!” 7 Enroll in 8 “Talking” with one’s hands, for short 9 Bawl over 10 See 24-Across 11 Sch. near Hollywood 12 Fit well 14 36-Acrossdesigned Paris landmark (1989) 15 Cut down 19 Sack, so to speak 22 Legally charges

No. 0710

Crosstown Arts Film Series Presents: Dreams

59 61

24 Rummage (through) 25 TV booth alert 26 See 59-Across 27 Moolah 28 Be shy 30 Kind of column 31 George with a .390 batting average in 1980 34 Gazillions 37 Goat’s bleat

Happy Accident is back in Memphis for another electrifyingly eccentric puppet show! Belching forth from the glorified backwater village of Portland, Oregon, Happy Accident’s work explores the exponential pace of overwhelming absurdity in our world. Saturday, Aug. 29, 8 p.m. OFF THE WALLS ARTS

PUZZLE BY DAVID J. KAHN

23 Magician’s skill

Happy Accident Puppet Theater

42 Lecturer’s reading? 44 Word that rhymes with treats, appropriately 45 Trophy 47 Shoppe description 49 Excited about 50 Some hospital supplies 51 Fictional captain whose nickname is “Old Thunder” 53 Back in the day

54 Arctic seabird 55 Nowhere near the target, in a children’s guessing game 56 When soap operas usually air, informally 58 Bud’s bud in old comedy 59 Winner of four World Series in this century, on scoreboards

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

SPEC I AL EVEN TS

DKTV²

Featuring Memphis artists, videographers, music, and audio-visual art by Infinity Stairs. Kierstyn Laird and Kolby Tipler, co-producers, are celebrating the end of their time with the National Independent Venue Foundation’s VOX program. $15. Friday, Aug. 28, 8 p.m. BAR DKDC

T H EAT ER

Disco Detective: A 1970s Soulful Murder Mystery Experience

Get ready for an evening filled with soul, laughter, music, audience interaction, and a mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end. Saturday, Aug. 29, 3 p.m. | Saturday, Aug. 29, 7 p.m. HALLORAN CENTRE

We Saw You. with michael donahue

PHOTOS: MICHAEL DONAHUE

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

above: (left to right) Henry Marrs; Deyreon Demby below: (left to right) Casey Phillips; Bailey Patterson; Eli Berry circle: Daphne Morris bottom row: (left to right) Finley O’Brien and his dad, Schuyler O’Brien; Jacob Thompson

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

obody worried about cushioned high-impact socks or heavy-duty shoes with reinforced toes for better gripping at Summer Slam, which was held August 9th at Flyway Memphis. These athletes were using their bare index and middle fingers to propel the three-and-a-half-inch or so “fingerboards” on miniature ramps. “It’s basically miniature skateboarding,” says fingerboarder Henry Marrs, 15. It’s all about finger placement. “It’s like ballet or learning how to sing. You learn different positions and tweak your voice or feet.” Placing your fingers on different parts of the fingerboards “helps you learn new tricks.” “There are big pockets of the fingerboard community on the West Coast and on the East Coast [and] throughout the country,” says Flyway Memphis owner Schuyler O’Brien. “But we realized the last couple of years there’s a big community here.” They plan to hold more fingerboard events about every two months. “It’s just a very cool little hobby.”

FOOD By Michael Donahue

They Sell Hamburgers? Finding burgers in unexpected places.

August 27-September 2, 2026

love to find hamburgers in places I don’t expect to find them. Like at Pete & Sam’s: For a long time, I had no idea they sold hamburgers. Their sirloin strips were all I ever got there for years, before venturing to try their Italian food. I now seek out hamburgers at other restaurants. My most recent find was the burger on the menu at Coletta’s Italian Restaurant. Right between the “Trojan (Italian Sub)” and the chicken filet. “People are surprised to learn we have good hamburgers because they always try the Italian food,” says Jerry Coletta, owner of Coletta’s Italian Restaurant at 1063 South Parkway East. They say, “I didn’t know you had such good hamburgers,” he says, adding, “It’s kind of a hidden feature on our menu.” Hamburgers aren’t a new thing at Coletta’s. “My granddad had hamburgers on the menu going back to the ’30s. We have a menu from back then and hamburgers were five cents. And barbecue sandwiches were quite expensive. They were 10 cents.” They don’t have any set way of making them, Coletta says. “We use a quality ground beef that’s not real fatty.” They don’t cook them the way his grandfather did. “Way back in the day it was on a grill. But now we use a broiler.” They’ve been broiling them for at least 40 years, he says. The patty is a third of a pound, lightly salted and peppered. Hamburgers are a staple at Pete & Sam’s at 3886 Park Avenue. My server, Megan Schuchardt, a big fan of them, says, “It’s just one of those burgers, you know?” “We’ve always had the burger on the menu,” says Sammy Bomarito, one of the owners of the restaurant. “It’s been on there as long as I can remember.” Their half pound hamburgers are cooked on a “flat top cast iron grill, which is probably 60 years old.” They’re made with steak trimmings and ground beef, Bomarito says. They changed to a brioche bun a few years back. But the hamburger seasoning hasn’t changed. “It’s the same seasoning we use on our steaks.” I usually order the ravioli or spaghetti when I visit Dino’s Grill at 645 North McLean Boulevard, but I recently tried one of their cheeseburgers for the first time. They sell a quarter pounder hamburger and a third of a pounder, says Rudy Grisanti, whose son, Mario Grisanti, owns the restaurant. “We cook them on a flat grill,” Rudy says. “And that kind of sears the sides so that the juices stay inside the

burger instead of dripping out like on a chargrill.” And, he adds, “We’ve been doing them like that ever since we’ve been in business. Basically, all the way back to the State Cafe (which opened in 1942). “We’re more of a family-style restaurant,” Rudy further explains. “And that gives them a choice of different things. Like we have a hamburger steak on there. We have a hot roast beef sandwich on there. The only thing that really surprises them are the hot tamales.” Their hamburger is “not the number one seller,” Mario adds. “But everyone that gets it is surprised how good it is.” A hamburger on the menu at Jack Pirtle’s Chicken still surprises people. Cordell and Tawanda Pirtle shared information about their burger, which is available at all five of their locations. According to Cordell, Jack Pirtle’s started selling hamburgers “at the very beginning” in 1957 when the original 1217 South Bellevue Boulevard store opened. His parents, Jack and Ovra Pirtle, came up with the seasoning at that time. It’s still the seasoning they use today.

PHOTO: MICHAEL DONAHUE

Hamburger at Jack Pirtle’s Chicken “It’s just a good little old-fashioned burger,” Cordell says. “Many folks that went to school at Memphis State [now University of Memphis] lived off them daily.” They had a store on Highland Street, Tawanda says. “We would serve way over 100 at lunchtime every day.” Their burgers, which are cooked on a flat iron, are “that other thing,” Tawanda says, adding, “Someone might not like chicken and they want something else. That’s why we have smoked sausage, and the steak sandwich. That’s where all that came from. To give customers a little extra something. Some customers eat with us every day. “Of course, today everyone wants everything fast, but to get the really good taste of the older days, just slow down,” Cordell goes on. “Let the cooking process be done right.”

T H E AT E R B y C o c o J u n e

Murder for Two

CALENDAR

Nathan McHenry and Eileen Kuo star in this Quark production.

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DREAMS

directed by AKIRA KUROSAWA + ISHIRO HONDA | 1990 | PG | 119 MINUTES

7:00PM | CROSSTOWN THEATER | $5

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Both performers sing and play piano, among other instruments. co-directed by Kuo and McHenry, and this makes a lot of sense. I’m awestruck at them for taking on such a Herculean task. The two had close chemistry onstage, both with the show itself and each other, and Murder for Two was wonderfully entertaining to watch, but it also seems like the type of show that takes a gargantuan amount of work to pull off. Farces call for constant action, endless entrances and exits, and, in this particular production, quite a few musical numbers. They’re all performed entirely by Kuo and McHenry, who both sing and play the piano, among other instruments, throughout the show. It’s a play filled to the brim with minutiae, from a production standpoint, but I believe the audience felt that the payoff was well worth the effort. (I overheard one person remarking upon exiting the show that their face hurt from laughing so much.) I can tell you, without having read the script, that the writing by Kellen Blair and Joe Kinosian is superb. Everything is set up perfectly for a gifted comedian, and Nathan McHenry showed the extent of his prowess onstage by running absolutely wild with the material, in the best possible way. Eileen Kuo, as the more “straight” side of the duo, played her character, Marcus, on the opposite side of the spectrum of campy. It put me in mind of a bygone era, the type of deliberately “overdone” performance one would see in The Three Stooges, and it worked as a perfect balance to the madness of McHenry’s company of characters. Murder for Two makes a joke, midway through the production, about the slow demise of American theater. But as long as cities like Memphis keep giving space to companies like Quark Theatre and performances like this one, I would argue that American theater remains alive and well. Murder for Two runs at TheatreWorks through August 30th.

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ERNEST COLE: LOST & FOUND directed by R AOUL PECK | 2024 | N/R | 105 MINUTES

7:00PM | CROSSTOWN THEATER | $5

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his play was originally developed by Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. This little tidbit makes sense once you’ve seen the show, as it’s a perfect example of a farce, a theatrical style much favored by Shakespeare. The thing about a production like Murder for Two is that it absolutely will not work if the performers aren’t supremely talented. After all, as Edmund Gwenn supposedly said, “Dying is easy, comedy is hard.” A play like this pays high tribute to the spirit of that alleged quote, but thankfully for Memphis audiences and Quark Theatre fans, the cast and crew were more than up to the task. Murder for Two is simple, as far as plot goes. A closed-room “whodunnit” that puts me in mind of Agatha Christie, complete with the requisite deceased nonentity, the aspiring and not-so-intrepid detective, and a slew of eccentric potential suspects. The comparison stops there, however, as this is a play that knows it’s a play. The fourth wall is more like a fourth screen door between the audience and the actors (and at one point the audience briefly becomes the cast). Speaking of the cast, as the name of the show implies, there are only two performers onstage. My above list of stock characters contained within this musical means one performer plays many parts. Such a trick is meticulous, requiring overtly punctilious character development, so that the constant switching between props, accents, vocal qualities, and mannerisms can be obvious and immediately recognizable. This feat fell to Nathan McHenry, who played a multitude of characters. The other role in the play went to Eileen Kuo, who obliquely, in a way, clued the audience in on the presence of an invisible (to us) character named Lou. When writing about the theatrical goings-on in Memphis, it’s not often I find myself wishing for a look at the text. I would love to get my hands on the script for Murder for Two just to see what in this production was written as stage directions and what the purview of the directors was. Yes, directors, plural. This show was

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 3

NEWS OF THE WEIRD By the editors at Andrews McMeel Syndication

August 27-September 2, 2026

Precocious It was all hands on deck when a kitten was discovered stuck behind a Honda owner’s front grille in Ames, Iowa. The car’s driver was in the drive-thru at a Scooter’s Coffee when she heard the kitten crying. Other drivers quickly gathered around, and the coffee shop manager called Ames Animal Shelter for help. “You could hear the cat crying,” animal services officer Kathy Pike said. “We didn’t know how to get it out.” She then contacted a towing company for more assistance. Jordan McKnight and Cole Denning from Central Iowa Towing and Recovery came over and had to dismantle the front part of the car enough for Pike to reach through and remove the kitten, who was showing signs of distress on a hot, humid day that felt like 118 degrees. The kitten — whom Pike named “Fika,” a Swedish word for “coffee” — was put up for adoption, and in an adorable plot twist, McKnight, who helped rescue her, ended up taking her home with him, much to the delight of his wife and daughter. [Washington Post, 8/5/26]

Outfoxed After bottles of milk kept disappearing from outside his door, a man in Glasgow, Scotland, set up cameras to catch the culprit. On Aug. 2nd, Fox News reported that Gordon Campbell, 42, suspected a “vegan militant” was to blame for the stolen milk. “I didn’t really know exactly who would be doing it,” Campbell said. “I thought it was a person or an animal.” Campbell soon captured images of a fox scampering up the front steps, using its mouth to grab the bottle of milk, knocking it over, and carrying it away. “All was forgiven when I saw its big ears and wee face,” Campbell said. As to whether he’ll be getting milk delivered in the future, Campbell’s not certain, but if he does, he says he plans to put a protective box on his front step for safekeeping of the bottles. [Fox News, 8/2/26] There’s a Horse in the Helicopter UPI reported on Aug. 3rd that a horse and its rider became separated early in the Tevis Cup 100-mile high-altitude endurance race in California. After locating the uninjured rider, search crews spent two hours looking for the horse

without any luck. The Butte County Sheriff ’s Office Helicopter Unit joined the search and located the equine in the Granite Chief Wilderness, which is nearly 7,200 feet above sea level and difficult to reach. The horse was assessed, sedated, and secured in a lift before being extracted. After being airlifted to the French Meadows Reservoir, the horse stood up and walked on its own to a trailer that was waiting to take it home. [UPI, 08/3/26] There’s a Plane on the Highway A 21-year-old pilot is credited with a cool head and quick thinking after landing a small plane on Interstate 10 in Pensacola, Fox 10 News reported on Aug. 4th. Flight instructor Emily Shelton was on a training flight with a student pilot when the smell of burning oil permeated the cockpit. With the engine failing, Shelton radioed air traffic control to alert them of the emergency. “I don’t know if we’re gonna make it to the airport,” she said, informing them of her plan to land on the interstate instead. “Roger. It’s at your discretion, safe spot as possible,” controllers said. “We’ll get the vehicles out for you.” Shelton was able to maneuver the plane to safety while avoiding cars and even a highway sign that was in her flight path. Escambia County deputies were on hand as soon as Shelton and her passenger touched down. No one was hurt. [Fox 10 News, 08/4/26] It’s a Mystery An Australian family made an unusual discovery during a home renovation project in New South Wales: a book in a desk that was bricked into the fireplace. UPI reported on July 31st that the book, The Antiquities of Athens, was published in 1858 and checked out from the Kiama Public Library 150 years ago. The library has done away with fines for overdue materials, which is a good thing, because otherwise the late fees would have totaled $20,000. The library says that the book will not be put into circulation but into a public display of a collection of significant items. [UPI, 7/31/26] NEWS OF THE WEIRD © 2026 Andrews McMeel Syndication. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): During one of my visits to the annual Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert, I encountered a prankster named Mother Very Superior. This nonbinary performer was dressed like a nun and wore a prominent chastity belt. Wielding a toy whip, they gently lashed me on my shoulders and prayed over me, saying, “I absolve you of all your sins. Therefore, you are now free to commit a raucous slew of new sins.” I hope you get a similar dispensation, Taurus. To be fully available for the rollicking delights you’re eligible for, it would be wise to reduce your karmic debt. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Archaeologists studying ancient Roman shipwrecks found that sailors deliberately made their vessels heavier by stowing rocks in the hull. This reduced the profitability of their voyages, since it reduced their cargo capacity. On the other hand, it meant they wouldn’t capsize during storms. An excellent trade-off! Let’s use this scenario as a metaphor for your life right now, Gemini. I’m going to suggest that you will benefit from adding more ballast. Seemingly burdensome elements could keep you steady if conditions become unruly. Consider this: Not everything heavy is holding you back. Some of it’s keeping you strong and stable. CANCER (June 21-July 22): During the Baroque era, Cancerian artist Artemisia Gentileschi painted powerful biblical and historical women who killed tyrants and delivered their people from violent domination. By channeling her creative passion into figures of righteous fury, she transformed her personal trauma into psychological power. I invite you to be inspired by Gentileschi as you reconfigure your own story in the coming weeks, Cancerian. Wouldn’t it be fun and potent to transform the way you imagine both the past and future plot threads of your destiny? LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In traditional sourdough baking, a small portion of

fermented dough called a starter is saved and refreshed regularly. Some bakeries maintain the same lineage for years. The starter is a living culture of wild yeasts and lactic acid bacteria that feed on flour and water, producing acids and gases that leaven the dough and create bread with complex flavor, aroma, and texture. Let’s use this as a metaphor for your life, Leo. What long-running resource can you use to help create situations that will empower you to thrive in interesting ways during the coming months? LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Some of my most useful revelations arrive in the dark. Once, while hiking in a wooded canyon at dusk, I lost the trail and had to feel my way forward by the sound of the creek. In that blind descent, an insight about a personal riddle I’d been pondering for months appeared unbidden, as if it had been waiting in the shadows for me. As I followed the stream bank to safety, I celebrated by singing Leonard Cohen’s song “Hallelujah.” The moral of the story is that some lessons can be best learned by going down: into the body, into confusing feelings, into the rich compost of mysteries we may be hesitant to explore. How about you, Libra? In my professional opinion, your next pivotal breakthroughs are lurking in the fertile darkness rather than the brilliant heights. I hope you’re brave enough to descend. The treasure is buried, as treasure often is. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In 1912, Scorpio meteorologist Alfred Wegener proposed the theory of continental drift. It’s the idea that Earth’s continents were once joined in a single supercontinent and have gradually drifted apart to their present positions over millions of years. Most scientists initially rejected his hypothesis because he couldn’t explain how the movement occurred. He didn’t live long enough to receive vindication, but decades later, his novel hypothesis was fully accepted. I’m pleased to report that your wait will be far shorter, Scorpio. Please keep your faith in the novel ideas and perceptions that others don’t understand yet. The world’s almost ready for your innovations. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): There is a kind of lightning called a “sprite.” It’s a ghostly red discharge that blossoms high above thunderstorms. I suspect you may soon experience your own personal versions of this wonder. Fleeting insights may appear in unexpected places. Emotionally rich revelations could arrive out of nowhere. Because the moments could pass quickly, it will be crucial to notice them when they arrive. They could stimulate major shifts in your understanding. Keep your perceptive powers highly attuned.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Fertility clinics store frozen human embryos. Numbering in the hundreds of thousands, they are suspended in a long, chilly pause, awaiting instructions from the people who created them. This accumulation of potential life on hold makes me think of you. If you would thaw and reclaim the neglected, untouched regions of your own imagination, you would become an even more formidable generator of focused creative power. The encouraging news is that the coming weeks will be an unusually favorable phase to expedite this process. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Some earthquakes unleash energy in violent bursts, but others are incremental commotions that unfold gradually over days or even weeks. The way they reorganize the Earth’s crust is kinder and gentler. Let’s regard these slow quakes as an apt metaphor for the initially disruptive but ultimately constructive transformations underway in your beautiful life, Aquarius. You may not see spectacular evidence that change is percolating, but I guarantee that it is. Old structures are in a transitional phase of subtle disarray, creating conditions for new dispensations you can’t imagine yet. My prediction: The rearrangement of your landscape will be healing. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The Sargasso Sea is the only sea on Earth without a land boundary. It’s defined entirely by four strong Atlantic Ocean currents that circle it. Its edges aren’t solid walls but slowly shifting rivers of water. I think this anomalous body of water is always a vivid symbol of your world, Pisces, and even more so these days. Your boundaries are currents, not coastlines. You hold your shape through movement, not through rigid definition. This is more challenging to maintain than solid borders, but it’s also a great potential strength. Use it with aplomb!

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ARIES (March 21-April 19): On the sci-fi TV show Stargate SG‑1, benevolent aliens known as the Asgard visit Earth to seek assistance from a secret U.S. government team. The ultra-advanced, hyper-intelligent Asgard have been unable to defeat their great nemesis, another alien species called the Replicators. Their hope is that their primitive partners, the humans, might stumble onto some basic, straightforward answer that their own sophisticated minds can’t see. The gamble pays off. One of Earth’s leading physicists, who’s a naive amateur by Asgard standards, devises a rough, unsophisticated strategy that works wonderfully. Treat this as your parable, Aries: Put your faith in simple, uncluttered approaches, and don’t underestimate “beginner-level” fixes.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The coming months could be a legendary turning point you will celebrate in the future: a pivotal time when you finally outsmart an old adversary and untangle a knotted inheritance, clearing the way to pursue your true calling with undiluted devotion. Or, on the other hand, the days ahead could be another round in the long saga of “almost”: a decisive phase when you avoid a challenge that has been begging for your full brilliance, leaving your future without shining clues for how to further decode the ancient riddle. Which destiny will you accomplish, dear Virgo? Will you answer the call to adventure? Or ignore it until it fades away?

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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY By Rob Brezsny

FILM By Chris McCoy

Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma Jane Schoenbrun blends fantasy and reality in artsy horror flick.

August 27-September 2, 2026

ane Schoenbrun comes to filmmaking from the perspective of a fan. The same was said about the generation of filmmakers who came of age in the early 1970s, when directors like George Lucas and Brian De Palma, armed with an encyclopedic knowledge of old movies gathered mostly from watching TV, were making films that self-consciously mirrored earlier works. For these film brats, there was no difference between high-class pictures and trash cinema. It all went into the same mental melting pot. But Schoenbrun is a different kind of fan, one forged by late-night posts on internet forums and the ubiquity of streaming. Their three feature films, We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, I Saw the TV Glow, and now Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, are all about the shifting line between fantasy and reality, filtered through Schoenbrun’s identity as a trans woman. Of the three, Camp Miasma is the most overtly autobiographical. Kris (Hannah Einbinder) is a young filmmaker who was

just hired by a major studio to write and direct an “elevated — you know, woke” reboot of a late-1970s horror film called Camp Miasma. It’s a classic slasher flick in the mold of Friday the 13th, where a summer camp full of counselors who love sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll are stalked by a masked serial killer. In this case, the serial killer is Little Death (Jack Haven), who wears a hazmat suit with a square institutional air vent as headgear. Every good slasher villain worth his salt needs a signature weapon; Little Death’s is a spear, all the better to emphasize the penetrative nature of the sexualized violence endemic to the genre. Camp Miasma was a big hit in the horror-mad VHS era, so naturally it got a slew of sequels. Schoenbrun deftly uses the opening credits montage to tell the story of the franchise’s increasingly ridiculous attempts to stay relevant, punctuated by fun details like a cash-in CD called The Little Death Raps! and a Party City knockoff costume called “Vent Face.” But Kris isn’t as interested in Little Death as she is the final girl. Ever since Ja-

mie Lee Curtis survived Halloween, genre conventions stipulate that everyone in the movie must die except one resourceful co-ed, who delivers a gruesome comeuppance to the killer. In the original Camp Miasma, that was Billy Presley (Gillian Anderson). Kris becomes obsessed with Billy’s performance, but when she tracks her down to set up a meeting, she finds the former movie star is living in a cabin at the camp where the original film was made. In fact, the entire town seems to be a tribute to the films, as Kris discovers when the clerk at her hotel is the actor who played the doomed sheriff in the

PHOTO: COURTESY MUBI

Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder get bloody in Teenage Sex and Death in Camp Miasma. original film — who is, in turn, played by comedy legend Kevin McDonald. Anderson understood Schoenbrun’s assignment and played it to the hilt. My reaction when Billy first speaks went something like this: “That’s a good Southern accent. She sounds like she’s from Tennessee. OMG, Gillian Anderson is doing a Dolly Parton impression!” Over KFC, Kris immediately opens up

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FILM By Chris McCoy across as both a horror film and an essay about horror films. Schoenbrun keeps things from getting too academic with a self-deprecating sense of humor and some genuinely gorgeous photography. And blood. Don’t forget the blood. Lots of blood. I’m not sure any other director in the world could have pulled off the delicate balance of splatter and self-awareness that makes Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma work, because I’m not sure anyone else shares the same matrix of technical skill, obsessions, and hangups that make Schoenbrun such a unique talent.

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