MemphisFlyer 01/15/2026 by Contemporary Media

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OUR 1925TH ISSUE 01.15.26

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The nation spent the past week replaying a killing in slow motion, reviewing each angle, analyzing movements as if they were dissecting a sports play — trying hard to justify an ICE agent’s shooting (that failed to follow the federal government’s own protocols) and ultimate death of a woman in Minnesota. Most of the U.S., it seems, have become referees, forensic analysts, judge, and jury. Those PHOTO: YURYZ | DREAMSTIME.COM who’ve waved “Don’t Tread On Me” flags have, bafflingly, joined the “Comply or Die” team. Or as I’ve seen recently, maybe they’ve always meant, “Tread on everyone but me.” I’m afraid all of them may come to find the treading will only get worse. The masked Gestapo has been welcomed in; an invitation that may be hard to retract now that their work is in motion. Many, many Americans are okay with law enforcement acting beyond their own authority, without oversight or accountability. Many are saying, “You deserve to die if you don’t follow orders.” I don’t have children, but if I did, I would try to keep this from them. I would want to shield them from the horrors of the world. Unfortunately, it’s too late for young eyes and minds who have been glued to screens since they were toddlers. It’s too late for the teen TikTokers and Instagram-ers. It’s too late for the college-agers who see what’s going on around them — social and economic collapse — and fear for their own futures. It’s too late for the brown children whose homes have been raided, their parents taken from them. It’s too late for any of us living in occupied cities who are witnessing these armed, masked men in undercover vehicles stalking our churches, schools, and businesses looking for their next prey. It’s too late for the rest of the country — and the world — who are watching this unfold in real time online and afraid for the United States, afraid for the freedoms being stripped from us, afraid that anyone could be next. Everything is at least half terrible, and I wish we could keep this from the innocent. If I stand in front of armed agents asking for a badge or warrant, taking video footage, or otherwise documenting this rogue operation, should I be killed? If I piss one them off in the process, am I a “fucking bitch” who deserves to die? I’m taking a breather from screaming into the void about false data, missing NEWS & OPINION arrest records, and made-up statistics. No THE FLY-BY - 4 one gives a damn. They will find some POLITICS - 7 path to explain away blatant lies, obfuscaAT LARGE - 8 tion, and yes, even murder. I’m not so sure FINANCE - 9 our home — and I don’t mean Memphis, VIEWPOINT - 10 but the country — has good bones. And COVER STORY it’s increasingly become a real shithole. “ROLLED INTO A MEMORY” BY ABIGAIL MORICI - 12 That’s in large part because of those who value “law” over life, or profit over people. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT WE RECOMMEND - 15 If you can’t think critically and understand MUSIC - 16 the scope of what is happening, I can’t help AFTER DARK - 17 you. But you may find out on your own CALENDAR - 19 soon enough if you don’t fix your hearts NY TIMES CROSSWORD - 21 and open your eyes. WE SAW YOU - 22 I’m not trying to sell you on anything. FOOD - 24 BOOKS - 25 But please take a moment to consider: NEWS OF THE WEIRD - 26 “This place could be beautiful, right?” ASTROLOGY - 27 United — and with care for every human TV - 28 life — we could make this place beautiful. NOW PLAYING - 29 Shara Clark CLASSIFIEDS - 30 shara@memphisflyer.com LAST WORD - 31

Your New Year’s Resolution Destination For Healthy Eating!

CONTENTS

SHARA CLARK Editor-in-Chief ABIGAIL MORICI Managing Editor JACKSON BAKER, BRUCE VANWYNGARDEN Senior Editors TOBY SELLS Associate Editor KAILYNN JOHNSON News Reporter CHRIS MCCOY Film and TV Editor ALEX GREENE Music Editor MICHAEL DONAHUE, JON W. SPARKS Staff Writers BRYCE W. ASHBY, JESSE DAVIS, EMILY GUENTHER, COCO JUNE, AJ KRATZ, MICHAEL J. LAROSA, PATRICIA LOCKHART, KARY LOVE, FRANK MURTAUGH Contributing Columnists SHARON BROWN, AIMEE STIEGEMEYER Grizzlies Reporters

OUR 1925TH ISSUE 01.15.26 Life is short, though I keep this from my children. Life is short, and I’ve shortened mine in a thousand delicious, ill-advised ways, a thousand deliciously ill-advised ways I’ll keep from my children. The world is at least fifty percent terrible, and that’s a conservative estimate, though I keep this from my children. For every bird there is a stone thrown at a bird. For every loved child, a child broken, bagged, sunk in a lake. Life is short and the world is at least half terrible, and for every kind stranger, there is one who would break you, though I keep this from my children. I am trying to sell them the world. Any decent realtor, walking you through a real shithole, chirps on about good bones: This place could be beautiful, right? You could make this place beautiful. — Maggie Smith, “Good Bones”

THE

fly-by

MEMernet

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

SUN Bucks, Sammich Spot, & Drag

#ICEOUT

Lee rejects food program funds, cops flood a restaurant, lawmakers target “adult cabaret,” again.

“State Troopers surrounded the ICE Out for Good protestors in Memphis,” posted @aisforafro, “and ran over a Marshal [seen with his hands up in the image above].” The scene brought comparisons to the Renee Nicole Good killing in Minneapolis. That killing sparked the Memphis protest.

January 15-21, 2026

Edited by Toby Sells

Memphis on the internet.

POSTED TO INSTAGRAM BY @AISFORAFRO

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Questions, Answers + Attitude

WHO TO FOLLOW Elves took to the corner of Union and McLean recently to show just how hard it is to cross the street. Those elves were from Street Fair, “a MemphisPOSTED TO INSTAGRAM BY based trans@STREETFAIRMEMPHIS portation advocacy initiative fighting for safer, more affordable, and more connected mobility options for all.” FOOTBALL TAXES University of Memphis football got in on the money meme going around college football teams recently. Touting POSTED TO X BY Tennessee’s @MEMPHISFB zero income tax, the meme hopes to recruit players to Memphis in the era of Name, Likeness, and Image. That is, since the players are paid, income taxes matter.

NO SUMMER MEALS HERE Despite the urging of county mayors, child advocates, clergy, and educators, Gov. Bill Lee declined to secure millions of dollars in federal funding to provide food to low-income kids by the government’s Jan. 1st deadline. Lee remained quiet about the apparent decision to forgo approximately $84 million from the federal government’s Summer EBT program, called SUN Bucks. That federal funding has helped feed 700,000 Tennessee kids during summer months when school is out. Last week, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of PHOTO: JUSTIN WILKENS | UNSPLASH; DA SAMMICH SPOT | FACEBOOK Agriculture confirmed that “Tennessee has not submitted Pulling out of the UNFCCC could put at risk the nearly $1 trillion worth of products transported on the Mississippi River each year; (insert) Da Sammich Spot their intent to participate in Summer EBT for 2026.” Last year, Lee established a $3 million Summer Nutrition Mississippi River, urged President Donald Trump to keep Initiative operating in 15 counties, providing 18,000 kids the America in a global climate change agreement, citing same per-child funding as the federal program: $120 for each implications for trade and shipping along the river. child. Shelby County kids were not eligible. Trump threatened to pull out of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). BODY CAMS IN PRISON It allows countries to favor cleaner, low-carbon products. Body-worn cameras are not used by guards inside Tennessee’s This could put at risk the nearly $1 trillion worth of prisons but a prosecutor made the case for them in a products transported on the river each year, the mayors Tennessee Senate hearing last week, though state corrections said. officials pushed back, citing cost. The hearing was prompted by several cases of inmate THE “ADULT CABARET BILL” violence from the Trousdale Turner Correctional Center in A controversial bill that could reclassify certain businesses Middle Tennessee. A major riot there in June injured one as “adult-oriented establishments” was slated to be heard by guard and three inmates. state lawmakers this week. Known as the “Adult Cabaret Bill,” it could broaden the DA SAMMICH SPOT state’s classification of “adult-oriented businesses” to include Community members demanded body-camera footage from those offering “adult cabaret entertainment.” local law enforcement after an incident involving the National The Tennessee Equality Project (TEP) condemned the Guard, Memphis Police Department, and others. bill as “vague” and “far-reaching” and urged lawmakers to A viral video showed a heavy presence of law enforcement vote against it. The group said this uncertainty could leave agents outside of Da Sammich Spot Restaurant and Resource performers and venues subject to arrests and penalties. Hub on Park Avenue recently. Some thought the law “If it is used to apply to drag performances, it is enforcement action was retaliation, as the restaurant has had important to know that drag is a long-standing artform and a “No ICE Access in this Business” sign displayed for the past not inherently ‘adult-oriented entertainment,’” TEP said. three months. Tennessee Lookout contributed to this report. Visit the News Blog at memphisflyer.com for fuller versions of RIVER TRADE AT RISK these stories and more local news. Memphis Mayor Paul Young, and other mayors along the

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A new report shows Tennessee voucher students scored lower on tests than public counterparts.

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espite participation growth trending upward for Tennessee’s voucher program, participants scored lower on state testing than public school students. Education Savings Account program (ESA) students in Memphis, Nashville, and Chattanooga reported increased competency, but the students did not score “as proficient or more proficient” than public school students statewide. The Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury’s Office of Research and Education Accountability (OREA) said students enrolled in the ESA showed growth in their performance scores, but still scored lower than the statewide average and public school attendees. “Analysis of Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) data showed that ESA students, on average, demonstrated less academic growth than students in public schools taking the same assessments, though results varied by school and location,” a comptroller report on the ESA program said. These findings were released as a part of the first evaluation of the ESA program from the comptroller’s office. This data is used to show the Tennessee General Assembly the efficiency of the program. Adopted in 2019, the ESA program allows eligible students to attend nonpublic schools through public funds. Approved students began enrolling for the 2022-2023 school year following a court injunction delay. The report offered insight into participation, academic outcomes, and more. According to OREA data, most ESA participants are from Memphis. Fifty-eight percent of Memphis’ ESA students identify as Black or African American. To collect data, OREA used data based on student applications, parental satisfaction surveys, and school-level proficiency rates from TCAP provided by the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE). While 96 percent of participating students were represented in the first year of parent satisfaction surveys, only 15 percent were represented by the third year. OREA recommended that TDOE make better efforts to collect data. The report noted that while the TCAP is used to measure student proficiency based on public school criteria, it may not correlate with public school coursework. English language arts (ELA) scores

grew by 2 to 3 percentage points at Memphis ESA schools — exceeding MemphisShelby County Schools proficiency scores in 2024-25 by 2.6 percentage points. Memphis ESA schools were the only ones to exceed public school scores in ELA. Memphis students also exceeded their public school counterparts by one half a percentage point in math for the 2024-25 year. While the TCAP measures “achievement of standards at one point in time” TVAAS measures “student growth over time.” ESA students overall scored lower than their public school peers on TVAAS. The highest TVAAS score is a level that signifies student growth exceeding expectations.

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The program is only for the state’s biggest cities. “Of the 27 schools with TVAAS data available for 2024-25, 22 schools received at least one rating of level 1 or level 2 on individual subject tests, evidence that students performed below growth expectations,” the report said. “One school in Memphis achieved the TVAAS score of level 5, and five ESA schools received scores of level 4. The level 4 scores come from two schools in Nashville and three schools in Memphis.” Fifty-seven percent of ESA TVAAS in Memphis were at a level 3 or higher, while 64 percent of MSCS students scored at the same level. OREA said TDOE has not developed a plan for what qualifies as “low academic performance” for ESA schools. The department relies on parental satisfaction and student participation to measure the effectiveness of the ESA program. TDOE should create and share metrics that would define low academic performance to ensure ESA students are receiving an adequate education based on TDOE’s specified parameters and available data, the report said.

With Morgan out, Republican options are slim.

It remains to be seen whether Shelby County Republicans can find someone to carry the parity banner in the county mayor’s race — or end up shifting their hopes to deposed schools superintendent Marie Feagins as their most acceptable Democrat, should the Democrats’ primary become this year’s “tantamount” election. That lingo is a throwback to the now long-gone years of a solid Democratic South when Democratic primary outcomes down in Dixie were regarded, in the realities and media vocabulary of the time, as being “tantamount to election.”

PHOTO: MEMPHIS CITY COUNCIL

Worth Morgan Shelby County, and the 9th Congressional District — overlapping electoral entities in the Venn diagram sense — are arguably the only political jurisdictions in Tennessee (and certainly among the few in the South) where a Democratic primary win could earn the “tantamount” label anymore. A reader might ask: Could not a well-credentialed and credibly financed Republican mount a serious challenge in the mayoral race? Well, that issue was conceivably tested in 2022 when incumbent Mayor Lee Harris, a Democrat, easily defeated Republican nominee Worth Morgan, who was well-liked across party lines, had been a prominent Memphis city councilman, and had money to burn,

much of it his own. Nevertheless, the name of Morgan, who subsequently became chairman of the GOP, was the main one being seriously floated in local Republican circles as a potential mayoral run again in 2026. But such a prospect was surely reduced to nought last week when Morgan tendered his resignation as GOP chair after explaining that he intended to focus on dealing with his wife’s serious battle with cancer and with the care of his infant child. (Rachel Wall will serve as interim Shelby County Republican Party chair, and the county GOP’s steering committee will choose a permanent successor as chair on January 20th.) As has been noted several times here and elsewhere, the Feagins bubble, if such it is, came into being via the intensity of the post-firing support she received from the normally disparate blocs of upscale and middle-class conservatives who normally vote Republican and inner-city citizens who dependably vote Democratic. Whoever wins the Democratic mayoral primary, whether Feagins or any of her more establishment-oriented opponents, will probably have an easy romp in the general election, demographics being what they are. The “tantamount” label still applies locally. There simply won’t be enough Republican votes, especially in the absence of a galvanizing and well-known GOP regular at the head of their ticket. That being the case, Republicans, on the basis of what they saw as Feagins’ austerity policies as superintendent, seem acquiescent to a victory by her in the Democratic primary. Alternately, some GOPers are girding for what many observers regard as an inevitable effort by Democratic Party regulars to purge Feagins from their primary contest on the basis of party bylaws requiring more past party votes than newcomer Feagins can show. In that event, Feagins would have to run as an independent, with at least an outside hope of putting together an outlier coalition of discontented Democrats, Republicans, and independents. At the moment, these alternatives appear to be the best outcomes devoted Republicans can hope for.

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The GOP’s Predicament

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POLITICS By Jackson Baker

A T L A R G E B y B r u c e Va n W y n g a r d e n

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WENDY MOTEN JAN. 24 / 7:30PM

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Huddled Masses One of Ours. All of Yours.

ollowing the killing of Minneapolis protestor Renee Good by an ICE agent named Jonathon Ross last week, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem stood at a podium in New York City and castigated the victim, calling her a “domestic terrorist” who “weaponized” her car and tried to run over Ross. The agent, Noem said, “feared for his life,” and was just protecting his fellow officers by shooting Good three times at point-blank range as she attempted to drive over him. Remarkably, despite being overwhelmed by fear, Ross managed to switch his phone from his right hand to his left, pull out his gun, and keep filming while shooting Good in the head and muttering “F—king bitch,” as the dead woman’s car rammed into another vehicle. Clearly Ross was terrified. Clearly this was excellent police work. Little noticed were the words emblazoned on the front of Noem’s podium in NYC: “One of Ours. All of Yours.” It’s a fascist slogan meaning, “if you kill one of ours, we’ll kill all of yours.” In World War II, it led to the executions of every man in one Czechoslovakian village as Nazi payback for the assassination of a German commander. The slogan was on-brand for what we’re witnessing with the proliferation of ICE agents nationwide. It’s not remotely subtle. The Nazi inflections are all out in the open. As the Washington Post reported last week, ICE officials are spending $100 million to recruit “gun rights supporters and military enthusiasts” through online influencers and a geo-targeted advertising campaign, part of what the agency calls a “wartime recruitment” strategy to hire thousands of new ICE officers. The theme of the ads is “Defend the Homeland.” Here’s a sample of the ad copy: “Murderers, rapists, terrorists, and child pedophiles — ICE is recruiting patriotic, brave Americans to remove these criminal illegal aliens!” The ads are sent to the social media feeds of those near military bases, NASCAR races, or gun and trade shows. There are $50,000 “signing bonuses.” One of the Instagram ads seen in the Memphis area features the song “We’ll Have Our Home Again,” also known as the “Männerbund,” a German term meaning “band of brothers.” The song, you won’t be surprised to learn, is a big favorite at Proud Boy rallies. Like I said, none of this is subtle. The administration is intentionally creating an army of white supremacists — masked, heavily armed, anonymous, and hurriedly “trained” to run “turn and burn” operations in

PHOTO: UNITED STATES IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT

It’s not subtle: ICE recruitment posters echo Nazi imagery. American cities. It’s a blatant perversion of the agency’s traditional jurisdiction. ICE officers have never had legal authority to arrest or interrogate anyone not suspected of breaking immigration laws. They didn’t wear masks and body armor and didn’t carry tactical weapons. They wore monogrammed nylon jackets and investigated immigration violations. The escalation of ICE into a private Homeland Security army with the power to block streets, break into homes without warrants, and rough up protestors — and apparently shoot them — is illegal. Or at least it was when we had administrations that believed in the rule of law. But it’s clear now that the response to the killing of Renee Good is a harbinger of things to come, especially since Vice President Vance has said ICE agents have “complete immunity” from prosecution — a legal fantasy, but one this administration thinks it can get away with. Vance’s statement was backed up by the fact that Ross, the movie-making shooter, was allowed to walk away from the scene and has been kept out of sight ever since. Noem, Vance, and Donald Trump proclaimed he was innocent, refused to share evidence of the incident with Minnesota police or investigative agencies, and that, apparently, is how it ends. No prosecution, and Ross walks off into right-wing hero status. What a proud boy. The incident in Minneapolis is just the first of many, I fear, as tension escalates and protests become more frequent and the federal cop army begins exercising its muscle with more impunity. No one in the GOP appears willing to stand up to the man responsible for all of this, the current president of the United States who believes laws and treaties and borders of other countries are meaningless, and that all that matters is what he wants. What’s next? ICE invades Greenland? Don’t laugh.

FINANCE By AJ Kratz

Social Security Timing How to get it right.

Portfolio value While taking Social Security early results in a reduced monthly benefit amount, doing so may help preserve the growth potential of your investment portfolio. For example, if you retire at age 62 but don’t start taking Social Security until age 68, you’ll need to rely on distributions from your retirement savings to pay for your lifestyle expenses during your first six years of retirement. That means those assets are no longer invested in the markets and can no longer grow to help keep up with inflation. A more severe risk arises if your investments drop in value during those first six years and you’re forced to sell more shares in order to receive the same monthly income. In addition to realizing a loss on those shares, you’re removing them from the market, which can result in a loss that’s impossible to recover from. Receiving Social Security benefits early can help minimize the amount you withdraw from your retirement accounts, allowing more assets to continue growing over time. Tax impact While taking Social Security early can help protect the value of your portfolio from market volatility, taking it late can help reduce tax exposure. Social Security payments could be subject to tax, based on your annual “combined income,” which is determined using the following calculation: Adjusted

Life expectancy Your life expectancy is also important to consider. If you suffer from a chronic illness or have a family history of health issues, you may want to begin receiving Social Security at a younger age, even if it means you receive less each month. On the other hand, if you’re healthy and have a family history of longevity, you may want to delay taking it in order to maximize your monthly payment amount. Spousal benefits and survivor considerations Social Security timing may impact the amount your spouse receives after you die, which is why it’s important to consider your spouse’s needs and benefits eligibility when determining optimal timing. Typically, a surviving spouse receives the higher of the two spouses’ benefits. This means the higher-earning spouse could maximize the surviving spouse’s benefits by waiting until after FRA to begin drawing Social Security. This commentary is provided for general information purposes only, should not be construed as investment, tax, or legal advice, and does not constitute an attorney/client relationship. Past performance of any market results is no assurance of future performance. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. 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 firms, providing comprehensive wealth management services to help align all elements of a client’s financial life, including investments, taxes, estate planning, and risk management. For more information, or to request a free, no-obligation consultation, visit creativeplanning.com.

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Age While you can start receiving Social Security benefits as early as age 62, you won’t be eligible to receive full retirement benefits until you reach your full retirement age (FRA), which is between age 66 and 67, depending on the year you were born. Your monthly benefit payment increases by approximately 8 percent each year after FRA that you delay taking benefits (up to age 70).

Gross Income (AGI) + Non-Taxable Interest + ½ of Social Security Benefit = Combined Income. If you face high taxes based on your combined income, it may make sense to delay Social Security and draw from your retirement savings during the first few years of retirement. By drawing down your taxable assets, you may be able to reduce your combined income enough to also reduce your Social Security tax exposure.

NEWS & OPINION

here are many important financial decisions to make as you plan for retirement. One of those decisions is determining the optimal timing to begin taking Social Security benefits. While you can start taking Social Security as early as age 62, there may be some advantages to waiting until you’re older. Following are several important considerations to keep in mind.

Holiday spending got you down?

VIEWPOINT By Kary Love

Justiﬁed The world is on a hair trigger, and everywhere I hear the same judgment.

January 15-21, 2026

This MLK Day, honor Dr. King’s legacy with the Spirit of Service. Donate blood on Monday, January 19th at the National Civil Rights Museum and save lives right here in Memphis. Help moms after childbirth, children with sickle cell, those battling cancer, and others in need. As a thank you, you’ll receive a free MLK Spirit of Service T-shirt and VIP passes to the National Civil Rights Museum. Sign up today at www.Vitalant.org/MLKSpiritofService. Be the Strength of Memphis.

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ne of my kids recommended to me that I watch the program titled Justified. I was prejudiced against it because it appeared to be one of those Clint Eastwood “cops as killers” programs that have so warped American culture into one celebrating violence and war while somehow pretending to preach the gospel of Jesus, though not living it. Turns out it was worse than I prejudged. The first episode reveals a U.S. Marshal, honorable law man that he is, giving a notorious “narco-terrorist” hit man a chance to leave Miami or be killed by a deadline. When the deadline approaches, the good Marshal meets the hit man at a table at a restaurant. Following the usual banter so beloved by American movie goers, the hit man draws, the Marshal is faster, and the hit man is the hittee, dead on the table. The shooting is “investigated” and is found to be, as the title of the series suggests, justified. Now, I was so horrified that in a kind of trance, or temporary insanity, I watched more episodes. As the story arc unfolded, the moral arc of the program revealed its forlorn judgment: Sometimes one must be evil to defeat evil. Soon the question of justified killing became confused. Was the killing by the bad guy of another bad guy to stay in business (drugs, protection, prostitution) justified? Was the killing to take over another bad guy’s territory justified? I watched in growing horror until I saw the epiphanic, truth-exposing episode, where all was revealed: The good Marshal had had enough and he went full-on bad guy to defeat the bad guys. The “good Marshal” had become the enemy of all he stood for, but it was justified to defeat the enemy. This was just before I watched the video of the ICE agent killing Renee Good. Soon enough it was claimed the agent had to kill Good because she had “weaponized her car” and she was a “domestic terrorist” deserving to die because of turning her car around. Having been fully brainwashed by Justified, I should have admitted it is a paragon of American narrative. I should have been happy. I should have stood up and sung the “Star-Spangled Banner”

while saluting the flag. Having dedicated my life to the rule of law, however, I was instead troubled. As a teenager I watched Vietnam vets return home having been tortured by their experience, suffering from moral injury, who morphed into Black Panthers. Besides providing breakfast to hungry kids, they took up arms to defend their neighborhoods against the violence Black people were subjected to by law enforcement and they claimed it was justified. I watched as the War on Drugs of Dick Nixon morphed into a War on the Bill of Rights, and violence and destruction used in that war spread while law retreated. The cops became robbers. And it was said to be justified.

PHOTO: 1000WORDS | DREAMSTIME.COM

It was claimed an ICE agent was “justified” in killing Renee Good. Now I watch as the Iraq/Wars of Choice vets morph into ICE agents along with testosterone-filled 18-year-old kids who want to pretend they are heroic warriors protecting America from the “worst of the worst.” As people are shot and killed in the streets of America, the Bully Pulpit thunders out “justified.” The last nuclear weapons treaty between the USA and Russia is set to expire in February 2026. No new negotiations are planned. Russia invades Ukraine. American invades Venezuela, threatens Greenland, Cuba, Mexico, and Columbia. China threatens Taiwan. The Mideast remains a tinderbox following America’s wars of invasion. The pandemic of violence spreads its oily, bloody miasma across the globe. The world is on a hair trigger seconds from extinction, and everywhere I hear the judgment: “Justified.” Kary Love, syndicated by PeaceVoice, is a Michigan attorney who has defended nuclear resisters and many others in court for decades.

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1/8/26 2:14 PM

COVER STORY By Abigail Morici

Rolled into a Memory Brantley Ellzey’s “Reflection+Ritual+Refuge” takes over the galleries at Crosstown Arts.

January 15-21, 2026

eventy-six years. That’s the average life span of a white male in Tennessee. Artist Brantley Ellzey has lived 63 of them, and he’s seen those years quantified into days in one of his latest pieces, Diary, on display in his current Crosstown Arts exhibit. For the 22,995 days lived, he rolled 22,995 small pieces of construction paper, dating them with vintage rubber stamps from his birthday on April 1, 1962, to March 31, 2024. These rolls, in turn, sit behind glass in 63 panels labeled by corresponding year. Another 13 panels remain empty — “because I haven’t lived that part of my life yet,” Ellzey says. “Of course, when March 31st rolls around, I will have another one to add to my wall here.” These rolls will be in black as the rest are, “not because it’s somber or funereal, but quite frankly, we do burn through our days. We live a day and go on to the next one.” Diary, he says, is about perspective, an opportunity to reflect, not just for Ellzey but for anyone who can project their own life onto the panels, their days, too, quantified in the black rolls. “What I’ve found is that when people look at this, they really do say, ‘Oh my goodness, I’ve been married that long?’ or ‘My child was born this year.’ It frees it up to be a universal monument to life.” Indeed, throughout his “Reflection+Ritual+Refuge,” Ellzey uncovers the universal in the personal 12 and, in other instances, the personal in the universal, through familiar

materials like magazines or wrapping paper or even rolls of crime scene tape. His work in each of the three gallery spaces and the screening room at Crosstown begs for connection, for a reckoning of the rituals and acts that help us survive in a time of discontent. “This show I knew was going to open after the Trump election,” Ellzey says. “Regardless of which side of the political spectrum you’re on, there’s this turmoil and constant kind of grinding and chaos, not only with the future of our country but things like AI and all the anxiety surrounding that. So I thought, ‘How do I do something where I can not only process this zeitgeist for myself, but also bring something to the world that helps other people?’ “I realized a lot of that is reflecting on the current problems, but also trying to remember that there have always been problems. When I was a little kid, there was Vietnam and that was dividing the country. There were horrible acts of violence surrounding that in addition to the AIDS crisis, which had a big impact on me at age 20.” And so came the idea of reflection. Then came the idea of ritual, where, as his artist statement says, “repetition becomes remembrance.” “And then the

PHOTOS: BRANTLEY ELLZEY

With “Reflection+Ritual+Refuge,” Ellzey turns to a contemplative tone, searching for answers in our reality while bearing witness to his most personal past. refuge,” Ellzey says, “it’s the product of those two. By making this personal, it would encourage other people to think about their own ways of dealing with trauma.”

The Architect

Prior to “Reflection+Ritual+Refuge,” Crosstown Arts hosted Ellzey’s “SWEET,” which opened in October 2016. “So it

was before the Hillary Clinton election, where she was running against Trump,” he says. “And we were in this news cycle of constant conflict.” Yet that show was optimistic. His signature rolls of paper were all brightly colored, drawing inspiration from children’s books and bold and fanciful works from the likes of Disney animation studios. Of the show then, Elle Perry wrote for the Flyer, “One gets the feeling immediately that he or she is being transported back in time to a vintage candy shop.” However, for this show, which opened in October 2025, also in a time of ongoing conflict, Ellzey takes a different approach, but rather than turning to pessimism, the total opposite of “SWEET,” he turns to a contemplative tone, searching for answers in our reality while bearing witness to the past. The three gallery spaces and screening room of “Reflection+Ritual+Refuge,” which take on titles of “Spiral Architectures” in the East Gallery, “Reflections” in the East Atrium, and “Special Projects” in the West Gallery, make room for this exploration on a scale Ellzey hasn’t been able to achieve before. More often than not, Crosstown Arts uses its gallery spaces at Crosstown Concourse to present multiple exhibits at

take ice cream buckets from ice cream parlors and then surround them with the rolled paper,” he says. “And when I was a little kid, I saw one of those, and I just thought it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. It was colorful, and my mom got me one for my birthday — she had her make me a little yellow garbage can. “And so I kept it in my room and I just thought it was so cool. “So I started thinking, it’d be interesting to use that rolled paper as sort of a finish, like on a tabletop, and either put it under glass or coat it with resin or something, but it’d be so colorful. And with wooden furniture, paper’s made out of wood, so it just seemed fitting.” With this idea, Ellzey began rolling magazine pages, but he never made anything of it. “I got really busy.” Fortunately, though, he was eventually invited to do an art show with the theme of shelter. Instead of doing a drawing of a house or a typical model as an architect might, he thought of that rolled paper put aside and decided to make a model from pages of Martha Stewart of Living.

PHOTOS: (TOP) BRANTLEY ELLZEY; (ABOVE) CHIP PANKEY

“I love that scale of taking the tiny module of the rolled paper piece, and then doing this giant piece out of the rolled paper,” Ellzey says of his approach; “It dawned on me that it wasn’t only a decorative thing, but in this process of rolling up the paper, I was archiving it,” the artist says. “I was creating this storage for all of this information, and, oh, I can use a specific publication for a specific piece thematically. “Part of the show [especially in ‘Spiral Architectures’ where the rolled paper dominates] was really trying to place the rolled paper in the context of bigger things and why I’m attracted to them, as a process and as an important material.”

The Auteur

Ellzey’s work — collecting, cutting, rolling, planning — is time-consuming and repetitive in nature. He tightly winds each

paper after paper around a wooden dowel so often that the process has become muscle-memory to the artist even as it requires a keen and active focus. It’s meditative and ritualistic, he says. “The entire time I’m doing it, I’m thinking about the piece and what it’s going to be.” “Everything Turns,” Ellzey’s first-ever experimental short film shown in the screening room, meditates further on the act of rolling, demonstrating its prevalence in nature, like in storms and galaxies. In the film, edited by Laura Jean Hocking with a score by the Flyer’s Alex Greene, rolling is seen as “a cosmology — a kinetic ritual that links body to world, past to present, and the personal to the planetary,” Ellzey’s artist statement reads. In that vein, for many of his pieces in “Spiral Architectures,” which are dedicated to people in his personal life who have impacted him, from his husband to his fourth-grade teacher, each roll takes on a special meaning, as he archives the memory of that person. For Paper Moon (For Mrs. Harrison), he rolled sheets of vintage music bequeathed to him by his childhood piano teacher, who, in addition to music, taught him about culture. “By the time I was in high school, my lessons were probably less about piano and more about her saying, ‘I want to talk to you about this show that just opened on Broadway.’” In his series The Male Gays, Coming of Age in the Shaow of AIDS, dedicated to four friends lost to AIDS, he uses pages from vintage Playgirl and men’s fashion magazines, which harken to his own coming of age in the ’70s in Arkansas. “When I hit adolescence, I had no idea what a gay person was. I had some frame of reference from people calling people names, disparaging that. But I didn’t continued on page 14

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

once, rather than having one artist occupy all of them, but Ellzey was ready to take on the opportunity. “Most of my practice is commission-based, or it has been,” he says. “I did a great big commission for a corporate client and I love that scale of taking the tiny module of the rolled paper piece, and then doing this giant piece out of the rolled paper. So that got me thinking that I would love to do a piece that’s my own, not a commission, and that is big in scale.” Of this vision, Ellzey then adds, “People say, ‘Oh, well, that’s a man’s ego,’ right? “But it’s like when I see bricks on a building, especially a massive building, and you think that building is made out of this tiny little component, all joined together. So I think that’s a good analogy for using these little rolls to do something big.” In making this comparison, Ellzey reveals a bit of his past: For the majority of his career, he worked as an architect, a job that demands precision, repetition, and structure — all of which appear in his work as an artist using rolled paper sculpturally. “It’s a lot of preplanning,” he says of his rolled paper work. In a piece like his Thought We Knew (For Martha Moore), which takes rolled pages and images from a set of 1962’s World Book Encyclopedia and layers them in a gridlike form, “essentially just building it up layer by layer,” he says. “These are very much like building models. I use white archival glue and triangles and things to try to keep things straight. … I got all this training when I was in architecture.” Ellzey experimented with rolled paper for the first time not as an artist, but as an architect in the ’90s, building furniture as part of his work. It was then he remembered a woman who made crafts of rolled magazine paper in his childhood hometown of Osceola, Arkansas. “She would

continued from page 13

January 15-21, 2026

really know, oh, there are actually gay people in the world that live their lives and fall in love. And when you’re in that environment, you don’t know really who you are. You know that you have to hide aspects of yourself. And when you’re in a little town like that, you really want to fit in. And I had wonderful parents and wonderful friends when I was growing up. But there was still that part of me that felt different.” “So these pieces are about that experience in a visual way. So my house, because of having the older brothers, the images I saw of men were primarily sports related. “And Sports Illustrated, baseball magazines, all of that. So I never really saw a representation of men [like me],” Ellzey says. “And these, in my mind, are a celebration, but they’re also a memorial.” Another aspect, Ellzey points out, is his use in this piece and others of rolled mylar, a polyester film with a reflective surface. “That is a very literal interpretation of the ‘Reflection’ theme of the show,” he says. His pieces in the “Reflections” space — a title that nods to the former Memphis gay bar of the same name — are entirely made of this mirrored mylar, rolled in a way that makes the surface ripple and fracture. “The mirrored mylar,” Ellzey’s artist statement reads, “refuses to offer a perfect reflection; instead, it bends the familiar into the uncanny, revealing how fragile and flexible our realities truly are.” The mylar also brings more movement to certain pieces, Ellzey adds. In Sissy (For Nita and Terri), skirtlike forms, made of Vogue magazine pages and mylar, seem to swing and vibrate across the background of more rolled pages and mylar. “It’s really about just dancing around and being yourself and being happy,” he says of the piece, a tribute to his cousins who welcomed him as a child into “girl world.” “And it’s called Sissy in an attempt to reclaim that word. I was terrified of it; that would be the last thing I would want anyone to call me. And now, when I see a little kid, whether it’s a little butch girl or a little feminine boy, I think to myself, ‘Be the best sissy you can be.’” Things have definitely changed in terms of LGBTQ-acceptance, Ellzey recognizes, yet he can’t ignore the reality of the United States where legislators are actively seeking to reverse any progress made. His 2025 Project series features rolled silhouette targets to represent those 14 at risk of systemic and systematic violence brought on by this regime. Ellzey’s

PHOTOS: CHIP PANKEY

Ellzey’s “Special Projects” exhibit is a space “where ritual meets curiosity and art becomes an act of noticing, collecting, and reshaping the world.”

sculptural pieces in his “Special Projects” exhibit also reflect on the current political climate of violence, offering commentary on the immigration detention center Alligator Alcatraz and the January 6th insurrection. “It would have been false to ignore the way I’m feeling [about this reality],” Ellzey says, “[but] to me, these memories [embedded throughout his work, in those rolled pieces and others] help me deal with that.”

The Archivist

While Ellzey’s rolled materials are his calling card, “Special Projects” brings in work outside of his rolling practice. It’s a space, as his artist statement says, “where ritual meets curiosity and art becomes an act of noticing, collecting, and reshaping the world.” Featured prominently in this space is his #thingsifindatmystudio series, a ritualistic practice of his where he photographs litter found around his studio on Summer Avenue. “The idea is preserving this sort of pregentrified neighborhood in a visually compelling way,” Ellzey says. Continuing that theme of preservation and archivation are his side-by-side photographs of him and his husband Jim Renfrow taken over the course of year at

various restaurants, as well as his Love List 2020, a project begun in 2020 as a sort of daily reflection on something — anything — that Ellzey could find positivity in, from his dog to beloved songs to the cashew nut. Within these acts of noticing, Ellzey reflects on being noticed, too. His Art. For the People. banner on display at the entrance at the “Special Projects” began as a billboard proposed to replace the one in front of his Summer Avenue studio, to draw attention to his studio. In the style of city lawyer billboards, it features Ellzey proudly posing beside a largely printed 774-ARTWORK phone number. “The line is fully functional, routes directly to my cellphone, and will now serve as the primary number for my practice — promoting my own work and events alongside other art happenings throughout Memphis,” Ellzey posted on Facebook. That post also shared that the project was initially to be funded by the city of Memphis’ agency “tasked with helping small businesses improve safety in high-risk areas.” The billboard, the artist said, would have improved the studio’s appearance while restoring internal illumination to increase safety, but funding was withdrawn for not meeting “modern standards.” “The project stalled not be-

cause it lacked clarity, purpose, or public benefit, but because of a bureaucratic system unwilling to recognize experimental art, or to acknowledge that an art studio is a small business with the same need for safety and infrastructure as any other,” Ellzey claims. While there is no billboard on Summer Avenue, just the banner canvas in Crosstown Arts’ gallery, Art. For the People., was and is about accessibility in art, Ellzey says. That mission of accessibility also is what drove him to partnering with Crosstown Arts. “Crosstown,” he says, “is such a big place and so many people are here. “I love the fact that people come back for repeated viewings.” While Ellzey has gotten messages and calls in praise of his work, it’s not about the attention for him. “It’s really great when you realize that your work has an impact on someone,” he says. “I did a commission at West Clinic several years ago, and I hate it that people are out there, but I get calls: ‘This is the worst day of my life that I’m looking at your art, and it’s making it so much better.’ You don’t really know how people are going to react to what you’re doing.” The hope, though, is to create something memorable, something worth reflecting on and connecting to, something worth noticing. Join Crosstown Arts for an artist talk with Brantley Ellzey on January 17, 2026, at 1 p.m. “Reflection+Ritual+Refuge” is on display through January 25th.

Beer Me

By Abigail Morici

The Pink Palace Museum & Mansion will host its annual Science of Beer this Friday. At the event, which typically sells out, guests will be treated to beer samples from the local and regional brewing scene, plus bites from Memphis restaurants. “When you come to the Science of Beer, you’ll get a commemorative glass and then you’ll make a personal necklace and put it around your neck, and when you go and see the different beer stations, in between them you can clean your palate with a pretzel,” John Wesley Mullikin said of the event. Those in attendance will vote on the best brew of the night, the award in recent years having gone to Hampline Brewing Company, which will return this Saturday. Other featured beer vendors include Bluff City Brewers, Boscos Squared, Cooper House Project, Creature Comforts Brewing Co., Crosstown Brewing Company, Flyway Brewing, Ghost River Brewing Co., Grind City Brewing Co., High Cotton Brewing Co., Hi-Wire Brewing, Maroon Brew Co., Meddlesome Brewing, Memphis Brewers Association, Memphis Filling Station (MFS Brewing), Memphis Made Brewing Co., Mississippi Ale House, Soul & Spirits Brewery, TailGate Brewery, Urban Artifact, Void Brewing Co., and Wiseacre Brewing Co. But you won’t just be drinking — you’ll be learning, too, with PHOTO: COURTESY PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION demonstrations and games from local groups. And there will be You won’t just be drinking at the Science of bites to eat from Aldo’s Pizza Pies, Boscos, Crave Sweets, Gus’ Beer — you’ll be learning, too. World Famous Fried Chicken, Hog Wild BBQ, J. Brooks Coffee Roasters, Leonard’s Pit Barbecue, Maciel’s Tacos & Tortas, Slider Inn, and Wolf River Popcorn. Purchase tickets at tinyurl.com/4f3za6nd. General admission is $60, and tickets for designated drivers are $25. VIP tickets have sold out as of press-time. All proceeds go to the Museum of Science & History education and community departments. SCIENCE OF BEER, PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION, 652 ADAMS AVENUE, FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 6:30-9 P.M.

VARIOUS DAYS & TIMES January 15 - 21st “Hoodoo and the Blues: Remembering the Voices That Kept Conjure Alive in the Music” A. Schwab, 163 Beale Street, Friday, January 16, 2 p.m., free The Beale Street Hoodoo History and Folklife Museum presents “Hoodoo and the Blues: Honoring the Voices That Kept Conjure alive in the Music.” This hour-long presentation features the artists and songs that conveyed the practices and customs associated with African-American Hoodoo. Learn about how Hoodoo affected the lives and lyrics of Blues legends such as W.C. Handy, Memphis Minnie, and Robert Johnson, plus the language of Hoodoo in the blues. Tours of the museum will be offered before and after the presentation, which will take place at A. Schwab on the top floor.

King Day 2026 National Civil Rights Museum, 450 Mulberry, Monday, January 19, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Join the National Civil Rights Museum for King Day, a daylong celebration marking the 40th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a federal holiday. This year holds special significance as the museum celebrates its 35th anniversary and prepares for the grand reopening of The Legacy Experience this spring. Attendees can expect free museum admission, extended hours, and vibrant programming throughout the day, including main-stage performances, arts and crafts, learning stations, a storytelling hub, and a Community Resource Pavilion. Give back at the Vitalant blood drive and Mid-South Food Bank’s food drive.

The Outsiders Orpheum Theatre, 203 South Main Street, Tuesday, January 20-25, $46.70-$169.10 The winner of four 2024 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, comes to Memphis. Adapted from S.E. Hinton’s novel and Francis Ford Coppola’s film, The Outsiders takes audiences to Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1967, where Ponyboy Curtis, his best friend Johnny Cade, and their Greaser family of “outsiders” battle with their affluent rivals, the Socs. Fun fact: Memphian and 2022 Harding Academy graduate Katie Riedel plays Marcia in this touring production. Purchase tickets at orpheummemphis.com/events/the-outsiders. The Outsiders is recommended for audiences 10 and up.

We’re always independent. We’re always free — we won’t ever charge you for a copy of the Flyer, or for access to our website. And we strive to keep you informed about and connected to our city. Whether you can help in the form of a few dollars a month or a larger one-time contribution, you’ll be making a difference. Think of this as an investment in our shared future. If you are not in a position to give financially, there are other ways you can support the Flyer — such as by patronizing and supporting our advertisers, by reading and sharing our work, and by passing along this message to others. Above all, thank you for being part of our community. We’re in this together.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

steppin’ out

MUSIC By Alex Greene

Where in the World is Brandon Taylor? The artist formerly known as Radio Ghost has discovered South America’s city of rock.

January 15-21, 2026

emphians who frequented music clubs in the pre-Covid days no doubt recall the wandering troubadour, Brandon Taylor, who could often be seen fronting the band Radio Ghost, but also as a solo artist, acoustic guitar always at the ready, often needing to couch surf after gigs. Like his peripatetic way of life, forever bouncing between here and Oxford and beyond, his songs had an undeniable scrappy charm, and he seemed to embody the “anything goes” spirit that was once more common in the early days of folk (e.g., Bob Dylan hitchhiking to New York) or punk (e.g., We Jam Econo). As it turns out, he embodied that ethos more than most of us ever knew, and since he left Memphis he’s wandered — literally — from Alaska to Brazil. And it was in the latter destination that he settled, more or less, swapping one rock-and-roll city, Memphis, for another: São Paulo. “Rock is deep here, man!” he explains as we chat over WhatsApp. “It’s like a São Paulo thing, though, because, you know, I couldn’t get enough gigs to be a musician in, say, Rio, because there they’ve got bossa nova, samba, all kinds of stuff. They’ve already got their own music, but São Paulo is the kind of place where you can book blues gigs or rock-and-roll gigs. And there’s a really rich tradition of Brazilian rock here, like with Rita Lee and Os Mutantes.” That’s one reason he had a drastic change of heart once he moved there, despite not speaking any Portuguese at the time. “When I was telling everybody I was leaving Memphis, you know, like sitting at the bar with Dave Cousar or whoever, I was like, ‘Hey, I’m gonna move to Brazil and write a book!’ Everyone was like, ‘That’s great.’ I didn’t write that book. You know, I was supposed to be here for six months, and on my second day here, I was just like, ‘Yeah, I’m gonna be here longer than that.’” Indeed, he soon found himself in the thick of the thriving indie rock scene there, and that kept pulling him back, even as he continued to wander. “Eventually I moved to this house that was kind of like a jam house on a street called Georgia, which is kind of funny,” he says. One thing led to another, and this week he’ll be releasing an album recorded with the Bandits, his all-Bra16 zilian band, titled Self Help Yourself. Listening to it, you would never

PHOTO: COURTESY BRANDON TAYLOR

Brandon Taylor and the Bandits playing in São Paulo know Taylor left Memphis, so steeped are all the tracks in the roots rock tradition. Taylor and his outfit perfectly capture a certain strain of late 20th century power pop, tinged with a generous helping of Americana, a la the Dwight Twilley Band. While that sound has gone in and out of favor here, it’s also spread across the globe, becoming a kind of universal language. Taylor’s songs were clearly built for that, and the players in São Paulo immediately recognized it. “You know, writing songs is almost like bait for the band that you want to play them with,” he observes. “You’ve gotta be good. You’re going fishing, in a way. But I’ve always been super lucky to play with people who are a lot better than me. So I’m just hoping I’m giving them songs that are worth their expertise. And the band on this record is super tight.” To be sure, this album rocks. Band members Tata Cruz (vocals, bass), Duca Cardoso (guitar), Henrique Cezarino (guitar, mandolin), Leo Mayer (guitar), and Thiago Alef (drums) could hold their own in any Memphis lineup, with a keen ear for ragged rock tone. It didn’t hurt that the album was recorded in true garage fashion, in a back house with mobile equipment. “The second time I came back here, I brought a 32-channel mixer in a suitcase, and a Silvertone amp,” says Taylor. “It was all this equipment that I bought with my pandemic money; I was just

trauma-buying music gear, like, ‘We’re all gonna die! I’m gonna record the best stuff I’ve ever done.’” Hearing the final product, soon to be available under Taylor’s name on Bandcamp, it appears he’s done just that. Aiming to get it perfect, Taylor did some audio cleanup and a few overdubs at Dial Back Sound in Water Valley, Mississippi, then had it mixed in Seattle by the veteran composer/engineer Chris Wilkey, who sprinkled in keyboards or percussion as needed. And perhaps the novelty of being fronted by a genuine native Memphian has helped boost the profile of Brandon Taylor and the Bandits in São Paulo. “I’m pushing as hard as I can, man,”

Taylor says. “We did a show on the Brazilian version of Tiny Desk. They actually started a Tiny Desk [series] here, and we did the OG Brazilian thing. And then we’re releasing the album on the street. There’s this main drag here that’s called Avenida Paulista, and every Sunday it shuts down to motorized traffic, and people can walk it. In certain parts of it, you’re allowed to have amplified music, with a generator and a full band — on the most popular street in the biggest city in South America! So this coming Sunday [January 18th], when we release the record, we’re going to do it on the street. It’s gonna be sick!”

AFTER DARK: Live Music Schedule January 15 - 21 Ashton Riker & The Memphis Royals Thursday, Jan. 15, 8 p.m. B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB

Baunie and Soul

Sunday, Jan. 18, 7-11 p.m. RUM BOOGIE CAFE

Eric Hughes

Thursday, Jan. 15, 7 p.m. RUM BOOGIE CAFE

Flic’s Pics Band

Led by the legendary Leroy “Flic” Hodges of Hi Rhythm. Saturday, Jan. 17, 4 p.m. | Sunday, Jan. 18, 2 p.m. B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB

FreeWorld

Friday, Jan. 16, 7 p.m. | Saturday, Jan. 17, 7 p.m. RUM BOOGIE CAFE

FreeWorld

Sunday, Jan. 18, 7 p.m. BLUES CITY CAFE PHOTO: JASON KRUPPA

Red Thomas

Luke Winslow-King

Monday, Jan. 19, 7-11 p.m. RUM BOOGIE CAFE

The B.B. King’s Blues Club Allstar Band

Friday, Jan. 16, 8 p.m. | Saturday, Jan. 17, 8 p.m. | Monday, Jan. 19, 7 p.m. B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB

A night of elegance and dance. DJ sets by Von FERB, Scotty B, B2B Delyrius, Andy Chance, Alpha Whiskey, Katie Loopz, Blazebunny. $15/Earlybird, $20/Presale, $25/Door. Saturday, Jan. 17, 8 p.m.-2 a.m. THE CADRE BUILDING

Memphis Songwriters Series Hosted by Mark Edgar Stuart

Host Mark Edgar Stuart passes the mic to Memphis’ finest singer-songwriters in a personal, conversational setting. This week’s installment will feature Doug MacLeod, Jad Tariq, and Singa B. $10. Thursday, Jan. 15, 7-9 p.m.

NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM

Van Duren

The singer-songwriter, a pioneer of indie pop in Memphis, performs solo. Thursday, Jan. 15, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 18, 3 p.m. HUEY’S DOWNTOWN

Wednesday, Jan. 21, 7 p.m. NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM

John Williams & the A440 Band

$10. Thursday, Jan. 15, 8 p.m. NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM

Pulse (Pink Floyd Tribute)

$10. Friday, Jan. 16, 8 p.m.

Bluegrass, roots, country, Delta, and skiffle. Thursday, Jan. 15, 9 p.m. B-SIDE

B-SIDE

Classic alternative/’80’s college rock straight from the cassette player in your first car. $15. Saturday, Jan. 17, 8 p.m. NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM

Zazerak Soul Jazz Trio Saturday, Jan. 17, 8:30 p.m. BOG & BARLEY

Sunday, Jan. 18, 9 p.m.

Gentry Blue

With the Smokin Jays, the Eastwoods. Thursday, Jan. 15, 8 p.m. GROWLERS

Basketcase

Friday, Jan. 16, 6 p.m. LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Bring coats, blankets, sweatshirts, and sweatpants to drop off at the door. Donors score exclusive tour merch while supplies last. $10. Saturday, Jan. 17, 8 p.m. HI TONE

Boiler Room TV

Tuesday, Jan. 20, 8 p.m. B-SIDE

Circle Birds

Saturday, Jan. 17, 10 p.m.

The Chaulkies

Codd Dubz

With Obiscuithead, DJ Dale, ASH. Friday, Jan. 16, 8 p.m. GROWLERS

Psycho Otis and His Roadkillers / San Pedro / Seize and Desist Saturday, Jan. 17, 11 p.m. HI TONE

Recent Future

A smorgasbord of synth innovators, also featuring Noir Walls, J. Robot, RussT. $10. Saturday, Jan. 17, 7 p.m.

Ryan Rock Egan

With San Salida. 21+. Thursday, Jan. 15, 8 p.m.

Songwriter Series

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Landslide (Fleetwood Mac Tribute) Saturday, Jan. 17, 5 p.m. LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Level Three

Wednesday, Jan. 21, 10 p.m. LOUIS CONNELLY’S BAR

Luke Winslow-King Duo A night of soulful, folky, and impactful music. With Jeremy Stanfill. $20, $25/At the door. Friday, Jan. 16, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 16, 9:30 p.m. LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Duane Cleveland Band Sunday, Jan. 18, 8 p.m. HUEY’S MILLINGTON

With Clay Ayers, Phillip Nye, Tessa Allen. Wednesday, Jan. 21, 9 p.m. B-SIDE

Tennessee Terror Corp., Chapter 2

With DJ Wholefoods, Aberrant, sveltedy, Kittykat B2B DJ Babychef, Charlie Conway B2B Splatterandy, DJ Standalone Complex. $20. Saturday, Jan. 17, 9 p.m.-3 a.m. GROWLERS

The Kickback

Radio jock Devin Steel’s annual throw-down and celebration of unexpected musical mash-ups, also with Hou Hefner and Big Sue. $24.50, $29.50. Sunday, Jan. 18, 10 p.m. HI TONE

Chicken S#!+ Bingo

Play the game of the century, pinning your fortune on where the special chicken goes, with live music by Hillbilly Mojo. Sunday, Jan. 18, 3 p.m. HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY

Dale Watson

Thursday, Jan. 15, 7 p.m. HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY

Dylan Earl

Friday, Jan. 16, 8 p.m. HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY

The Pretty Boys

Sunday, Jan. 18, 6 p.m. HUEY’S SOUTHAVEN

Bob Nelson & the Bobcats

THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS

The Latchkey Hustlers

Sunday, Jan. 18, 6 p.m.

Motel California (Eagles Tribute)

B-SIDE

El Ced & Groove Nation

Sunday, Jan. 18, 5 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Peanut Butter & Jam: Music for Aardvarks Party

Miss Michelle will be leading this music program designed for children aged 6 months to 5 years. Expect lots of singalongs, rhythm-making, freeform dance, and all-inclusive jams. Free. Saturday, Jan. 17, 10:30-11:15 a.m.

Richard Wilson

MEMPHIS LISTENING LAB

Saturday, Jan. 17, 9 p.m.

Twin Soul

HUEY’S OLIVE BRANCH

Smurf Diggity Listening Event

B-SIDE

Just Liyah (Aaliyah Tribute)

HUEY’S MIDTOWN

Sunday, Jan. 18, 6 p.m.

GERMANTOWN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Monday, Jan. 19, 10 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Sunday, Jan. 18, 3 p.m.

Five O’Clock Shadow

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Wednesday, Jan. 21, 6 p.m.

Guitarist Restivo leads one of the city’s finest jazz quartets. Sunday, Jan. 18, noon

The Parker/Tariq Experience

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

JD Westmoreland Band Joe Restivo 4

B-SIDE

HUEY’S POPLAR

Devil Train

Walrus

NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM

Sunday, Jan. 18, 3 p.m.

THE COVE

DJ Aberrant

Beneﬁt for Room in the Inn: Scott Ivey & the Filthy Fretts, Still Moves Elmo & the Shades ft. Eddie Harrison

Jazz and bossa nova. Thursday, Jan. 15, 6-9 p.m.

MORTIMER’S

HALLORAN CENTRE FOR PERFORMING ARTS & EDUCATION

Tequila Mockingbird

Deborah Swiney Duo

Friday, Jan. 16, 9 p.m.

HUEY’S GERMANTOWN

Sunday, Jan. 18, 6 p.m. HUEY’S COLLIERVILLE

Smooth, soulful, and relaxing jazz and bossa nova. Free. Saturday, Jan. 17, 9 a.m.-noon CARRINGTON OAKS COFFEEHOUSE AND BISTRO-LAKELAND

The Bugaloos

Sunday, Jan. 18, 8 p.m. HUEY’S CORDOVA

The Linda Ronstadt Experience

Vocal powerhouse Tristan McIntosh’s stunning portrayal of Linda Ronstadt in the prime of her career takes you back to a time where Ronstadt ruled the airwaves. Performing songs like “Blue Bayou,” “When Will I Be Loved,” and “You’re No Good,” this American Idol alumna and the talented band behind her will blow you away. A two night engagement! $40. Friday, Jan. 16, 7:30 p.m. | Saturday, Jan. 17, 7:30 p.m. BARTLETT PERFORMING ARTS AND CONFERENCE CENTER

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

Masquerave

Music of the British Invasion and other ‘60s styles. Sunday, Jan. 18, 4-4 p.m.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

The New Pacemakers

January 15-21, 2026

Mended Therapy

Combining mental health with a love of fashion, creativity, and sustainability, Mended Therapy was born. Ashley wants to show that although things may seem like they cannot get better, there is hope. Just like a mended piece of clothing is brought new life, the same can be said of us. She is here to walk with you through this journey with laughter, creativity, and challenging your beliefs about yourself. She is MENDED (and constantly mending). She hopes you will let her join you as you MEND. Ashley specializes in working with LGBTQ+ populations and mood disorders. For more information or to book an appointment, visit mendedtherapypllc.com. She currently accepts Aetna, Cigna, Quest Behavioral Health, All Savers (UHC), Health Plans Inc, Optum, Oscar, Oxford, Surest (Formerly Bind), UHC Student Resources, UMR, UnitedHealthcare, UnitedHealthcare Shared Services (UHSS), UnitedHealthcare Global, and UnitedHealthcare Exchange Plans (ONEX) insurance plans. She does provide a superbill for out-of-network clients if they want to submit to their insurance. Self-pay is $125 for individual sessions.

CALENDAR of EVENTS: January 15 - 21, 2026

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 EVENTS LISTING, VISIT EVENTS.MEMPHISFLYER.COM/CAL. Harvest Gardens will explain how to start seeds during the winter months. Healthy seedlings will be ready to plant in early spring. Supplies included. 16+. $25. Thursday, Jan. 15, 6-8 p.m.

ART AN D S P EC IA L E X H I B ITS

“Art of the Game”: Irvin Serenco & the MSCA

The arcade expressions of Irvin Serenco and the MidSouth Cartoonists Association. Free. Through Jan. 30.

THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS

Houseplant Clinic with Carmeon Hamilton

MEMPHIS JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER

Hamilton partners with Urban Earth’s resident plant doctors — the knowledgeable team members who care for plants daily and understand the nuances of seasonal stress, root health, light, and indoor environments. Saturday, Jan. 17, 10 a.m.

“Bettye’s Bin: The Personal Archives of Stax Songwriter Bettye Crutcher”

Discover the story of a woman who transformed poetry into platinum hits, whose words echoed from South Memphis to the world, and whose rediscovered archives now return home. Free. Through Feb. 22.

URBAN EARTH GARDENS, NURSERY & MARKET

Into the Framework: Technology in Art Intensive

STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC

In this two-day intensive workshop, artists and technology enthusiasts are invited to explore the intersection of art and embedded technology by creating interactive, sensordriven artworks. Saturday, Jan. 17, noon | Sunday, Jan. 18, 3 p.m.

Brantley Ellzey – “Reﬂection + Ritual + Refuge”

A major solo exhibition by Memphis-based artist Ellzey. The spiral is his recurring form. It turns through the exhibition like a silent logic— natural, ancestral, unstoppable. Through Jan. 25.

MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART

Intro to Watercolor Botanicals

Featuring detailed model boats and original steamboat artifacts, this exhibit rekindles the romance of the steamboat era while sharing stories and insights about their role in shaping the region. Through June 26. PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION

Master Metalsmith James Viste: “Let Me Tell You a Story”

This exhibit by the museum’s 39th Master Metalsmith is filled with whimsy, humor, memories, and anecdotes, underscoring the innovation found in smithing techniques of the past. Through Feb. 1. METAL MUSEUM

“Navigating Knowledge” This exhibition explores vessels and navigation as metaphors for the containment and transmission of knowledge. Through Oct. 31. MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART

Patrick McGee Exhibition

McGee’s painting styles range from realism and floral studies to abstract-surrealism and the avant-garde. Through Jan. 30. MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN

“Redemption of a Delta Bluesman: Robert Johnson”

A series of 29 paintings reimagining the story of the mythical crossroads where the bluesman purportedly made a deal. Through June 30. GALLERY ALBERTINE

Roger Allan Cleaves: “A World on Fire” Cleaves’ Forget Me Nots Land series is a complex Afrofuturist fantasy that resists easy explanations. “A World on Fire” is the most recent chapter of this ongoing epic narrative. Through April 12. THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS

“Seasons” - New Works by Melody Weintraub

Weintraub currently supervises art education candidates remotely for UT-Knoxville, and has written over 30 articles for SchoolArts Magazine. Free. Through Jan. 29. WKNO DIGITAL MEDIA CENTER

Shameka Carter Exhibition

“Winter Embrace” by Shameka Carter exhibits her earthly, etheral style designed to evoke warmth and comfort. Free. Through Jan. 31. MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN

Tributaries: Kat Cole’s “Meditations”

Cole captures ephemeral gestures in glass, enamel and steel, resulting in gleaming puddles of light and color. Through March 8. METAL MUSEUM

Veda Reed: “In Memoriam”

Reed’s painting life focused on West Tennessee landscapes, the Mississippi River,

PHOTO: COURTESY MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN

Painting botanicals in watercolors can be a great way to learn color theory, the uses of tracing paper, and how to detail with fine line pens. brief pilgrimages in Italy and England, the vast skies of New Mexico, and Granite Mountain. Through Feb. 7. DAVID LUSK GALLERY

ART HAPPE N I NGS

Art & Aperitifs: Paper Bullets and Queer Resistance

Discover the ultimate story of queer art, resistance, and love with Dr. Jeffrey H Jackson, author of Paper Bullets: Two Artists Who Risked Their Lives to Defy the Nazis. Sunday, Jan. 18, 2-4 p.m. MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART

Meet the Artist: Roger Allan Cleaves

Cleaves is a painter and writer whose current work centers on Forget Me Nots Land, a fictional multiverse of his own creation. Thursday, Jan. 15, 5:30-7:30 p.m. THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS

Open Late at the Dixon

Did you know that the Dixon is open late every Third Thurs-

day? Free. Thursday, Jan. 15, 5-8 p.m. THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS

Super Saturday - Shapes and Colors Inspired by Josef Albers’ iconic Homage to the Square — on view in the museum’s permanent collection — this hands-on activity invites young artists to create their own geometric compositions. Saturday, Jan. 17, 10 a.m.

MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART

Tour: The Evolution of Artistic Mediums

Take a guided walk through art history with docent Maria Kulma, focusing on how materials — from wood panels and tempera to canvas and mixed media — have shaped artistic practice across centuries. $5/ general admission. Thursday, Jan. 15, 6:30-7:15 p.m. MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART

Tour: The Life of Jesus Christ through Art

Join docent Kaitlyn Curry for a tour highlighting events in the life of Jesus Christ as they are portrayed in art. $5. Thursday, Jan. 15, 6:30-7:15 p.m. MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART

C LAS S / W O R KS H O P

Blacksmithing I: Grill Utensils, BBQ Fork, and Steak Turner In this two-day workshop,

students will explore the fundamentals of blacksmithing by forging a BBQ fork, a steak turner, and additional grill utensils if time allows. $450/Blacksmithing I: Grill Utensils, BBQ Fork, and Steak Turner. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. METAL MUSEUM

Country Swing Dance Lessons

It’s never too late to start, and a partner is not required to join the class. New moves taught weekly. Friday, Jan. 16, 7:30 p.m. WHISKEY JILL’S

Digital Photography “101” Workshop

Learn photography from a professional photographer in this hands-on workshop. $126.01/Digital Photography “101.” Saturday, Jan. 17, 8:30 a.m.-noon. COLLIERVILLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Figure Drawing (Clothed Model)

Join for figure drawing sessions. Artists of all levels can practice and increase their skills drawing the human form at Memphis’ art museum. $12. Saturday, Jan. 17, 10:15 a.m.12:15 p.m. MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART

Local artist and instructor Barrie Foster will lead you through lessons on color theory, using tracing paper, painting with watercolors, and detailing with fine line pens. Sunday, Jan. 18, 1-3 p.m. MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN

Lightroom Classic Processing Made Easy

Learn how to edit your images like a pro. $126.01/class. Saturday, Jan. 17, 1-4:30 p.m. COLLIERVILLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Memphis Mah Jongg Workshop with Michele Frizzell

Michele Frizzell, Mah Jongg expert, will be joining the group virtually for a focused workshop on The Power of Position in Mah Jongg, hosted by Pat Ford of Mahj Squad 901 and Linda McKnight of MS Mahj. $75/general admission. Sunday, Jan. 18, 12:30-4 p.m. ROUNDTABLE MEETINGS AND EVENTS

Rhythm & Roots

Presented by Memphis Youth Arts Initiative, this is a free community program offering high-energy music and dance lessons for youth ages 6-17. Each week, students explore drumming, dance, teamwork, and creative expression in a safe and inspiring environment led by experienced instructors and mentors. Wednesday, Jan. 21, 6 p.m. MEMPHIS YOUTH ARTS INITIATIVE CENTER

Hobby Kick-Start: Winter Seed Sowing

Pam Beasley and Tammy Hausmann of Germantown

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

“Last Whistle: Steamboat Stories of Memphis”

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

CROSSTOWN ARTS AT THE CONCOURSE

19 continued on page 20

C A L E N DA R: JA N UA RY 1 5 - 2 1 , 2 0 2 6 continued from page 19 Seed Library Presents: Colorcopia

Learn about what’s growing at the Dixon while getting creative with ever-changing, seasonally inspired crafts. No experience with art necessary; all supplies provided. Tuesday, Jan. 20, 1-2 p.m. BENJAMIN L. HOOKS CENTRAL LIBRARY

The Tingey Painting with Parkinson’s Program A free art therapy program that supports people living with Parkinson’s. The sessions encourage participants to freely explore art materials and work without interruption while listening to music. Wednesday, Jan. 21, 10 a.m.noon. THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS

C O M E DY

Tonight’s Conversation: Live & Uncut

A night of laughs, tears, and unforgettable moments where viral confessions, heart-pumping music, and life-changing advice collide. Saturday, Jan. 17, 5:30-10:30 p.m. RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER

Zack Fox

This comedian/rapper got his start with the alias “Bootymath.” Thursday, Jan. 15, 8 p.m. MINGLEWOOD HALL

C O M M U N I TY

Free Haircuts

Come get a line up, connect with the community, and step into 2026 looking and feeling your best. Children 18 and under will be prioritized. Thursday, Jan. 15, 5-7 p.m. ORANGE MOUND COMMUNITY GARDEN

Invasive Species Pull

Help keep our ecosystem healthy by identifying and removing non-native invasive species plants. Friday, Jan. 16, 9-11 a.m. OVERTON PARK

“Journey to the Temple of Knowledge” Student Rituals

You are invited to join the First Degree students of the Aquarian Tabernacle Church’s Fellowship of Avalon as they present their student rituals in groups, including a ritual honoring Thoth and Seshat. Sunday, Jan. 18, 7 p.m. THE BROOM CLOSET

MLK Day of Service 2026

Help with hiking trail restoration, playground surface renewal, and invasive species removal at the first state park open to African Americans east of the Mississippi River. Saturday, Jan. 17, 10 a.m.-noon. T.O. FULLER STATE PARK

Raleigh Library Community Photography Club

A monthly meet-up designed to connect aspiring and experienced photographers of all ages through themed photo challenges, skill-building sessions, and communityfocused storytelling. Saturday, Jan. 17, noon-2 p.m. RALEIGH LIBRARY

Teacher’s Night Out

An evening just for educators. Enjoy light refreshments, art making, and gallery tours. Connect with fellow teachers as you explore the museum after hours. Supplies included. Free. Tuesday, Jan. 20, 5-7 p.m. THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS

DA N C E

Force Dance Tour

A dance convention where

excellence meets inspiration. Discover the nation’s most coveted teachers and choreographers alongside emerging talent, all carefully curated to ignite your passion for dance. Thursday, Jan. 15-Jan. 17. RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER

E X PO / SA L E S

Southern Flea Market

A massive showcase for MidSouth vendors. $2. Saturday, Jan. 17, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. | Sunday, Jan. 18, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. LANDERS CENTER

Winter 2026 Memphis Bridal Show

FA M I LY

Junior Drawing Club with Jamie

A chance for kids, tweens, and teens to hang out, draw, have some snacks, and relax, with paper, markers, snacks provided. Friday, Jan. 16, 4-6 p.m. NOVEL

Kaleidoscope Club

Each week, participants aged 5-9 will enjoy an art or horticulture project that sparks creativity and critical thinking. $8. Wednesday, Jan. 21, 4-5 p.m. THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS

Mini Masters

Introduce your little ones to the arts and nature with crafts, movement, and more. $8. Tuesday, Jan. 20, 10:30 a.m. THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS

QualiTea Time

A delightful, hands-on tea experience just for 6-12 year olds. Thursday, Jan. 15, 4-6 p.m. RALEIGH LIBRARY

Story Time

Stories, songs, art activities, and creative play related to Collierville history. Ages 2-4. Friday, Jan. 16, 10:30 a.m. MORTON MUSEUM OF COLLIERVILLE HISTORY

FI LM

Apollo 11: First Steps Edition

A special edition of Todd Douglas MIller’s critically acclaimed Apollo 11 documentary, created exclusively for giant screen theaters. Thursday, Jan. 15, 1 p.m. | Friday, Jan. 16, 1 p.m. | Saturday, Jan. 17, 1 p.m. | Sunday, Jan. 18, 1 p.m. | Monday, Jan. 19, 1 p.m. | Tuesday, Jan. 20, 1 p.m. | Wednesday, Jan. 21, 1 p.m. CTI 3D GIANT THEATER

Crosstown Arts Film Series: All is Lost

Robert Redford delivers one of the most physically and emotionally demanding performances of his career as a lone sailor battling a relentless cascade of failures. Thursday, Jan. 15, 7 p.m. CROSSTOWN THEATER

Dark Side of Light

An exploration of light pollution and the impact it has not only on us, but on nature as a whole. Thursday, Jan. 15, 2 p.m. | Friday, Jan. 16, 2 p.m. | Saturday, Jan. 17, 2 p.m. | Sunday, Jan. 18, 2 p.m. | Monday, Jan. 19, 2 p.m. | Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2 p.m. | Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2 p.m. AUTOZONE DOME PLANETARIUM

Forward to the Moon

January 15-21, 2026

Story Time At Novel

Recommended for children up to 5 years, this features songs and stories, with brandnew books and well-loved favorites. Saturday, Jan. 17, 10:30 a.m. NOVEL

January Month of Wellness Film: Chariots of Fire

The story of two men who run, not just to run, but to prove something to the world. Saturday, Jan. 17, 1:30 p.m. CROSSTOWN THEATER

PHOTO: COURTESY DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS

Want to have some seedlings ready to plant outside in early spring? Pam Beasley and Tammy Hausmann of Germantown Harvest Gardens will explain how to start seeds during the winter months.

PHOTO: COURTESY MALCO PARADISO

Peter Jackson’s trilogy is showing on the big screen this week.

CTI 3D GIANT THEATER

Seasonal Stargazing: Memphis Skies

T. Rex: Greatest of All Tyrants

AUTOZONE DOME PLANETARIUM

CTI 3D GIANT THEATER

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Walking with Dinosaurs: Prehistoric Planet

Like You Film Club: Encanto Sing-Along

Follow the on-screen words as you sing along with your favorite songs from this tale of an extraordinary family, the Madrigals, who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia. Saturday, Jan. 17, 3 p.m.

Hop through constellations, learn cool star names, and groove to planetarium space music in this full-dome audiovisual experience. Thursday, Jan. 15, 4 p.m. | Friday, Jan. 16, 4 p.m. | Saturday, Jan. 17, 4 p.m. | Sunday, Jan. 18, 4 p.m. | Monday, Jan. 19, 4 p.m. | Tuesday, Jan. 20, 4 p.m. | Wednesday, Jan. 21, 4 p.m.

Gandalf and Aragorn battle Sauron’s army to draw his gaze from Frodo and Sam as they approach Mount Doom with the One Ring. Friday, Jan. 16, 7 p.m. MALCO PARADISO CINEMA GRILL & IMAX

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

The conclusion of Peter Jackson’s cinematic retelling of J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic trilogy. Sunday, Jan. 18, 1 p.m. MALCO PARADISO CINEMA GRILL & IMAX

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

While Frodo and Sam edge closer to Mordor with the help of the shifty Gollum, the divided fellowship makes a stand against Sauron’s new ally, Saruman, and his hordes of Isengard. Saturday, Jan. 17, 1 p.m. MALCO PARADISO CINEMA GRILL & IMAX

The Sun: Our Living Star

Discover the secrets of our star in this planetarium show and experience never-beforeseen images of the Sun’s violent surface in immersive full-dome format. Thursday, Jan. 15, 1 p.m. | Thursday, Jan. 15, 3 p.m. | Friday, Jan. 16, 1

AUTOZONE DOME PLANETARIUM

The most dazzling and accurate giant screen documentary ever made on this legendary predator—and its carnivorous Cretaceous cousins. Thursday, Jan. 15, 4 p.m. | Friday, Jan. 16, 4 p.m. | Saturday, Jan. 17, 4 p.m. | Sunday, Jan. 18, 4 p.m. | Monday, Jan. 19, 4 p.m. | Tuesday, Jan. 20, 4 p.m. | Wednesday, Jan. 21, 4 p.m.

The film follows Pachyrhinosaurus youngsters through the seasons and the challenges of growing up and establishing themselves in this prehistoric world. Thursday, Jan. 15, 2 p.m. | Friday, Jan. 16, 2 p.m. | Saturday, Jan. 17, 2 p.m. | Sunday, Jan. 18, 2 p.m. | Monday, Jan. 19, 2 p.m. | Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2 p.m. | Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2 p.m. CTI 3D GIANT THEATER

FO O D A N D D R I N K

“Papa Bear Trivia” with Shawn

Bring your brainpower and your crew for a night of free trivia, testing your knowledge across a variety of topics and competing for bragging rights. Thursday, Jan. 15, 7 p.m. DRU’S BAR

Science of Beer

Explore Memphis’ vibrant craft beer scene with tastings from local breweries, the best food in the city, and a night of fun. Proceeds benefit MoSH’s education and community engagement departments. $80/VIP, $60/general, $25/ designated driver. Friday, Jan. 16, 6:30-9 p.m. PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION

C A L E N DA R: JA N UA RY 1 5 - 2 1 , 2 0 2 6 P E R F O R M I N G A R TS

Dolly’s 80th Birthday with the Blue Suede Sisters

Memphis Magic Night starring Joe M. Turner with Gavin Yates

This year’s event will showcase seven rodeo events, including bull riding and barrel racing, featuring top cowboys and cowgirls, plus the hilarious Dusty Myers and Brian Patton, The Misfit Cowboy. Saturday, Jan. 17, 2 p.m. | Saturday, Jan. 17, 7:30 p.m. LANDERS CENTER

T H EAT E R

American Taekwondo Association Bluff City Regional Tournament

Dyna Divine’s Bingo Burlesque

After a ceremonial serving of cacao, opening the energetic heart and grounding the body in loving awareness, you’ll be guided into a deep sound immersion with crystal bowls and subtle frequencies. $37.15. Monday, Jan. 19, 6:30 p.m.

Rodeo of the Mid-South

S PO R TS

BAR DKDC

Cosmic Cacao Sound Bath

FEDEXFORUM

Sunday, Jan. 18, 5 p.m.

RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER

The Bluff City’s favorite evening of magic, mentalism, and comedy, at a rotating selection of Memphis performance venues. Saturday, Jan. 17, 7:30-9 p.m.

H EALT H AN D F I T N ES S

NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM

Celebrate the LeMoyne-Owen alumni community and its global network of members. Monday, Jan. 19, 7:30-11 a.m.

HI TONE

PHOTO: COURTESY ORPHEUM THEATRE

Memphis Tigers vs. UTSA

LeMoyne-Owen Memphis Alumni Breakfast

Featuring drag performances, team trivia, and a look-alike contest. 18+. $15. Sunday, Jan. 18, 1 p.m.

Vice President Kamala Harris presents a night of surprising and revealing insights inspired by her bestselling book, .

National Civil Rights Museum. Free. Monday, Jan. 19, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

sex/work

sex/work is an exploration of what happens when a young woman, desperate to forge a true connection that feels real, is forced to navigate a world built on transactions. Thursday, Jan. 15, 8 p.m. | Friday, Jan. 16, 8 p.m. | Saturday, Jan. 17, 8 p.m. | Sunday, Jan. 18, 2 p.m.

An official ATA Class A Tournament held in Memphis, hosted by Intensity Martial Arts. Join hundreds of martial artists from across the ATA for a high-energy, high-level event. Friday, Jan. 16-Jan. 17.

An afternoon of cheeky fun and high-energy entertainment. Sunday, Jan. 18, 3 p.m. DRU’S BAR

S P EC I A L E V E N TS

RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER

A Conversation with Kamala Harris

Live Point Play Tennis

Join former Vice President Kamala Harris for a night of surprising and revealing insights inspired by her #1 New York Times bestselling book, 107 Days. Thursday, Jan. 15, 7 p.m.

THEATREWORKS

Tennis Memphis presents this weekly series with coach Jon Bell. $30. Thursday, Jan. 15, 10-11:30 a.m.

The Outsiders

The story of Ponyboy Curtis, his best friend Johnny Cade, and their Greaser family of “outsiders” battling their affluent rivals, the Socs. Winner of four 2024 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. $46.70, $151.60. Tuesday, Jan. 20, 7:30-10 p.m. | Wednesday, Jan. 21, 7:30-10 p.m.

LEFTWICH TENNIS CENTER

ORPHEUM THEATRE

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Atlanta Hawks

King Day

Wednesday, Jan. 21, 7 p.m. A daylong celebration marking the 40th anFEDEXFORUM niversary of Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a ORPHEUM THEATRE federal holiday and the 35th anniversary ofThe the New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation

620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Monday, July 8, 2019

THE BROOM CLOSET

Taijiquan with Milan Vigil

This Chinese martial art promotes relaxation and improves balance. 16+. Free. Saturday, Jan. 17, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

A pleasant stroll through the park can work wonders. Free. Wednesday, Jan. 21, 4 p.m. OVERTON PARK

Yoga

Enjoy the health benefits of light exercise with instructor Laura Gray McCann. Yoga style adapts to the needs of each group. Free. Thursday, Jan. 15, 6-7 p.m. THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS

H O LI DAY EVE N TS

Lantern Festival

A one-of-a-kind holiday light experience featuring more than 60 larger-than-life illuminated fixtures. Through Feb. 1. MEMPHIS ZOO

L E CT U R E

Couture Collective Costume Closet with Ballet Memphis

Ever wondered what lives behind the curtain? Step inside Ballet Memphis’ costume closet for a rare behind-the-scenes visit with their costume director. Friday, Jan. 16, noon. MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART

Hoodoo and the Blues: Remembering the Voices that Kept Conjure Alive Complementing the International Blues Challenge, this hour-long presentation features the musical artists and songs that conveyed the practices and customs associated with African-American Hoodoo. Free. Friday, Jan. 16, 2 p.m. A. SCHWAB

Memphis Music History: A Presentation

Musician, historian, filmmaker, and author Willy Bearden will speak about big band legends, blues singers, horn players, producers, and many more individuals who captivated the world with their original Memphis sound, playing their music and exploring their incredible journeys and legacies. Refreshments will be served. Indoors. $15/general admission. Saturday, Jan. 17, 1-2 p.m. ELMWOOD CEMETERY

ACROSS 1 331/3 r.p.m. records 4 Cher or Adele, musically 8 Allude (to) 13 Annoy 14 Building for bovines 15 Mogadishu native 16 *Chief source of support 18 Self-centeredness 19 ___ fixe (preoccupation) 20 General Mills puffed corn cereal 21 Distances in Britain 22 *Chapel Hill athlete 24 Pyromaniacs’ pleasures 25 Monogram for Long John Silver’s creator 26 Cut (off)

27 Outbuilding for storage 30 Quarrel 33 Yankee great Yogi 35 Park or Madison, on an N.Y.C. map 36 Bouncy youngster in Pooh’s crowd 37 Praise after a proper response to the end of the answer to each starred clue 39 Kesey who wrote “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” 40 Vow sworn at the altar 41 Round Mongolian tents 42 Wary 44 Spot for a teacher’s apple or Apple 46 Virtuous conduct, in Confucianism 47 Dot follower in a website address

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

48 Pass, as a law 50 *“Why?” 54 Saudi city where Muhammad is buried 56 One running for office, informally 57 Noteworthy periods 58 First king of the Franks (A.D. 481) 59 *Tend an absent resident’s property 61 M.L.B. division that includes the Astros 62 Prefix with tasse meaning “half” 63 Word before “blastoff” 64 Uptight 65 Harmonious, after “in” 66 Originally named DOWN 1 Outer boundary 2 Devil’s fashion choice, in a Meryl Streep film 3 Person on a slippery slope 4 Midsection muscles, briefly 5 Potato treats for Hanukkah 6 Backpacker’s path 7 Black, banded gemstone 8 Radioer’s “Got it” 9 Is melodramatic 10 *Equitable treatment 11 Otherwise

Edited by Will Shortz 1

24 26

41 45 48

No. 0603

39 42

32 *Soft bedding material 33 Title character in a Sacha Baron Cohen mockumentary 34 Radiant 38 One rejected by a group 43 Roast host 45 Butchers’ tools 47 Op-ed offering 49 Plant seed with a licoricelike flavor 50 Poppycock

51 “Citizen Kane” star Welles

PUZZLE BY LYNN LEMPEL

12 Edges, as of craters 15 Athlete getting part-time pay 17 India’s first P.M. 23 Plaintive poem 24 Fiestas and Fusions 26 Resulted in 28 ___ and anon 29 Reject as false 30 Extremely dry 31 Went as a passenger

52 State that’s the largest U.S. producer of lobsters 53 Beauty mogul Lauder 54 Exam for a wannabe doc 55 Her: Fr. 56 Degrees after M.A.s 60 Error indicator in a quotation

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.

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Crossword

Wednesday Walks

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS

We Saw You. with MICHAEL DONAHUE

January 15-21, 2026

o see you, We Saw You visited restaurants, events, and holiday gatherings and snapped photos of men, women, and at least one dog for another special edition of “Man and Woman on the Street.” This collection includes photos taken at Hernando’s Hide-A-Way, Bar DKDC, Pete & Sam’s, The Cupboard, Meat Me in Memphis,Tops Bar-B-Q, a party with Delta Valet, and Southern Eatery in Holly Springs, Mississippi. See if you know any of these people. Or the dog.

PHOTOS: MICHAEL DONAHUE

above: Mona Sappenfield, Celine Nolan, Dan Nolan, Corrine Nolan, and Emma (the dog) circle: Katrina Washington below: (left to right) Devinn Schwarzman, Jacob Rickert, Mary Claire Smythe, and Lee Blankenship; Amos Vernon and Zoë Kahn; J. J. Joyner and Kallie Joyner bottom row: (left to right) Preston Fox, Nathan Fox, John Fox, Anna Fox, Ward Smythe, and Garner Smythe; Felicia Batchelor and Travicka Keaton

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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above: Evan Mojo, Clarity Argall, and Kenzie Campbell circle: David Self right row: (top and below) Tamia King and Latoya Jefferson; Ebet Roberts, Celine Lee, and Christine Bower below: (left to right) Joseph, Lea, Chris, and Charlie Valentine; Micah Joel Couch, Taylor William Simes, Mark Kevin Carder, Elijah Quin Carder, and Ethan Dawson Carder; John Fox and Andrew Mayo; Celine Lee bottom left: Tom Lonardo and Griffin Lonardo

FOOD By Michael Donahue

Fried Pie Fever A baker and an expert talk about the heavenly crescent creations.

January 15-21, 2026

raisin fried pie I ate back in the late 1950s was the beginning of my love for those unusual confections that don’t taste or look like a slice of pie. They’re usually half-moon shaped pieces of fried dough filled with cooked fruit and wrapped in waxed paper. This particular raisin fried pie was made by the old Famous Pies, Inc. in Memphis. You could buy them at Handy Pantry or other convenience stores back in the day. I loved apple, too, but the raisin ones were my favorite. I think I tried one other commercial raisin fried pie after Famous went out of business, but it wasn’t the same. I can still conjure up the taste of the Famous version. Over the years I’ve tried various home-made fried pies that were incredible. Like the ones made by the late Jessie Perino, which they used to sell at Payne’s Bar-B-Q. A&R Bar-B-Que sells fabulous fried pies made by Andrew Pollard, who founded A&R in 1983 with his wife Rose. They even have a fried pie that’s new to me: sweet potato. Then there were the fabulous fried pies at Alderson’s Cafe, a tiny eatery in the old town section of Olive Branch, Mississippi. I think they might have had four tables. The menu was on one legal pad, which customers passed to each other. I got the recipe for the peach filling from the woman who ran the place. I tried my first fried pie from Flick’s Local Express in Potts Camp, Mississippi, about 30 or so years ago. The pies, which are made in Flick’s kitchen, are about an inch thick and six inches or so long. The pies, usually peach or apple, are on the counter by the cash register. They’re delicious. And they don’t taste like other fried pies I’ve eaten. I can’t detect what it is about the crust, but it tastes fantastic. On the first day of January 2026, I decided to treat myself to a Flick’s fried pie. I hadn’t had one for a while. I walked in the door, afraid they might not have any since it was that slow time when the holidays were dragging down. But there they were, as usual, on the counter by the cash register. I selected the biggest peach pie they had. For years, I’d been wanting to interview whoever made the Flick’s fried pies. Employees knew I wanted to do that interview. So, during my recent 24 visit, I was told “Miss Doll,” who makes the pies, was in the kitchen.

Doll “Miss Doll” Porter agreed to sit down at a booth and talk about those incredible concoctions, which she’s been making for decades. “I’ve been here 35 years,” Porter says. “The second owner, Flick Ash, when he bought it, it was a service station. And the kitchen and dining room were from that door to right there. And he expanded it. When I came here, there were fried pies. But there was an older lady that was doing them. And we’ve been doing it ever since.” Porter uses the same recipe the other woman used. She uses dried fruits and sugar for the filling. “Every now and then I might do chocolate and coconut.” She uses just a little vegetable oil when she fries them on the stove. “I fry them in a skillet.” Making fried pies takes time. “I usually cook my fruits up a day ahead of time. Let them sit overnight.” It takes her over an hour to put the fried pies together. “That’s frying them and wrapping them,” she says. Porter only makes pies on certain days of the week. “I usually do like 20 on Monday. They might last. If not, I’ll do more that Thursday ’cause I’m off Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.” When I asked how often she eats fried pies, Porter says, “I don’t eat them. I used to eat them, but I don’t now. I guess ’cause I make them all the time.” But she does have a favorite. “I like the apple better. I like that cinnamon taste.” Porter makes other things at Flick’s, of course. “We make homemade vegetable soup in the wintertime. Homemade chili during the wintertime.” And, she says, “Our regular lunch. We have steak and gravy and roast beef every day.” Porter only cooks at home occasionally. “Me and my sister live together. And most of the time she gets home before I do. I cook on the weekend. We cook greens, peas, beans, smothered cabbage, meatloaf.” Does she ever make fried pies at home? “No. I’ve made them so long.” I called James Beard Award-winning author and chef Martha Hall Foose to get her thoughts on fried pies. Foose, who

lives in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and is the author of many cookbooks, including Screen Doors and Sweet Tea, is my go-to when I want to dive deeper into Southern food. Foose likes the personal aspect of a fried pie. “It’s all mine,” she says. “I’ll fold my wax paper down on the top of the bag. It’s like getting a little present.” She believes fried pies might have originated in the Middle East. “They had olive oils and processed oils you could use to make them. That’s my theory.” But, she says, “In a Southern sense, they were most probably made at lumber camps when ovens weren’t really a thing.” Fried pies were easy to make because they could be made over an open fire. “I think a lot of times people who are moving due to seasonality or displacement, for transient people, it’s easier to carry oil in a bucket or skillet of some sort, or kill something when you get there and render that instead of building an oven. Look at the Delta. We don’t have rocks. So what the fuck are you going to build it out of?” Foose remembers when elementary school cafeterias included home-made fried pies at lunch. Before food services came on the scene, “cafeteria ladies” made fried pies. “I don’t think that’s on the dance card anymore. Much to my dismay.”

Places where Foose tried fried pies include Tom’s Fried Pies in Richland, Mississippi. “He does savory ones and sweet ones.” He also makes a “Tex Mex” one, which has “beefy vegetable stew in the middle of it. And he does apricot, which I really enjoy.” Hubig’s Pies in New Orleans, Louisiana, makes good coconut and chocolate fried pies. “I’m never going to say no to one of those.” Then there’s The Original Fried Pie Shop near Lambert’s Cafe in Sikeston, Missouri. “They make a damn good fried pie there. We always go there after Lambert’s when we drive up to Wisconsin.” You can also find good fried pies from the concessions people at state fairs. “They have a quick turnover,” she says. But you need to be cautious. “Your oil can get really funky really quick if sugar leaks out and burns.” That’s when you get that burned oil taste in a fried pie. Also, she says, “Sometimes you run into old oil issues.” People can make their own fried pies using commercial refrigerated pie crust, Foose says. Krusteaz has a pie crust that’s “basically just add water. And it’s already got fat and everything cut into it. It makes a really good dough for frying. When you’re making pie crust, you want that marbleized look. Streaks of butter. That’s what gives you flaking. The steam from the butter puffs it like puff pastry, but in little streaks.” And, she says, “Crimping is key. Poke the top to let some steam escape after it’s fried to keep the crust from getting soggy.” Instead of dry fruits, people can use fresh fruit or frozen fruit for the filling. But making fried pies, which means making a bunch of them instead of just one pie at a time, isn’t for everybody. “They’re kind of a pain in the ass,” Foose says, adding, “If you’re making a batch of fried pies, you’ve got to be dedicated to eating a bunch of fried pies.”

PHOTOS: MICHAEL DONAHUE

(above) Peach fried pie at Flick’s Local Express (left) Doll “Miss Doll” Porter

BOOKS By Alexis McCarrens

Queer Resistance Author, historian discusses the subversive power of art.

The Morris and Mollye Fogelman

International

Jewish Film Jewis Festival

January 22–February 19

Get tickets at www.jccmemphis.org/FilmFest COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Managed by Jewish Jewish sh Community Partner s

Get6560 tickets Poplarat Avenue, Memphis, TN 38138

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under Nazi racial policies. Despite the dangers, the pair continued their resistance for years. Their activities eventually drew attention, and in 1944 they were betrayed, arrested by Nazi authorities, and subjected to a court-martial. Both were sentenced to death. They survived the war, both due to delays and the collapse of German control near the end of the conflict. During their imprisonment, they continued to encourage fellow prisoners and to share messages of resilience, according to Jackson’s research. Jackson is a professor of history at Rhodes College, where he teaches modern European and French history, cultural history, environmental history and interdisciplinary humanities. His scholarship focuses on how culture and ideas shape historical movements, particularly during times of crisis. “If you’re not writing about people, you’re not writing history,” Jackson says. “With humanities as a discipline, we’re trying to understand what it means to be human. To do that, we have to understand all of those stories. We have to think of the totality of it. We can’t just privilege some and erase others.” In Paper Bullets, Jackson draws on archival research, personal letters, and wartime records to reconstruct the story of Claude and Marcel. His work places their actions within a broader history of resistance while highlighting how unconventional methods, including art, humor, and ambiguity, could challenge authoritarian power. In the decades since the war, both Claude Cahun and Marcel Moore have gained recognition for their contributions to modern art. Cahun’s self-portraits, which often blurred gender boundaries, are now considered influential in discussions of identity and performance. Together, the pair are also recognized for their early articulation of sexual identity as fluid rather than fixed. Jackson connects their artistic legacy with their wartime actions, emphasizing that their resistance was not separate from their creative lives but deeply intertwined with it. Readers interested in history, art, and LGBTQ issues will enjoy the breadth of these stories, never before told as they are in Paper Bullets. Art & Aperitifs: Paper Bullets and Queer Resistance will be held at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art Sunday, January 18th, from 2-4 p.m. Admission is free; advance registration is required.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

his weekend, the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art will host “Art & Aperitifs: Paper Bullets and Queer Resistance,” examining LGBTQ artists during World War II, led by author, historian, and Rhodes College professor Jeffrey H. Jackson. The event is centered around Jackson’s book, Paper Bullets: Two Artists Who Risked Their Lives to Defy the Nazis, which tells the true story of two avantgarde photographers who carried out a psychological resistance campaign against Nazi occupation. The program will explore how art, identity, and political defiance intersected during one of the most dangerous periods of the 20th century. Through discussion and historical context, the event highlights how creative expression became a form of resistance when traditional means were not possible. Paper Bullets is a work of nonfiction recounting the stories of Lucy Schwob and Suzanne Malherbe, better known by their artist names Claude Cahun and Marcel Moore. The two queer, gender-nonconforming artists lived on the British Channel Island of Jersey, which was occupied by German forces during World War II. Isolated from the mainland and under constant surveillance, the island offered limited opportunities for organized resistance. Cahun and Moore responded by using what they knew best: language, art, and psychological provocation. Writing various anonymous notes filled with satire, anti-Hitler messages, and calls for rebellion, they covertly placed the messages in soldiers’ uniform pockets, cigarette packs, newspapers, and public spaces. Their goal was to undermine morale and plant seeds of doubt within the occupying forces. The notes were signed by a fictional persona they called “The Soldier With No Name,” giving the impression that resistance was widespread and possibly organized from within the German ranks. Over time, their efforts evolved into a sustained psychological campaign that unsettled authorities and increased suspicion among soldiers. The risks of their resistance were only amplified by Cahun and Moore being queer partners at a time when homosexuality was criminalized and heavily stigmatized. Their artistic work in Paris before the war was known for its gender-nonconforming imagery and themes of identity. Claude was also halfJewish, placing her at even greater risk

NEWS OF THE WEIRD By the editors at Andrews McMeel Syndication

Please save the date for the

Mid-South

Heart Ball February 7, 2026 The Peabody

Join us as we celebrate

Duncan Williams John & Leslie Daniel Living Heart Award Honoree

January 15-21, 2026

Locally sponsored by:

Johnny & Kim Pitts

Visit heart.org/midsouthhb or contact MidsouthTN@heart.org for more information or to reserve your table.

Government in Action Rankin, Pennsylvania, got its first snowfall last month, but it was less than prepared, KDKA-TV reported. Alas, Rankin has only one public works employee — and that employee isn’t licensed to operate a snowplow. Still, borough resident Marcus Clay cut them some slack: “They didn’t do too bad. It was better than it was last year.” Borough council member Walter Sewell hopefully noted, “We’re working through it.” The city subcontracted with some local businesses, and in the spirit of the season, even residents chipped in, shoveling and salting their own blocks. It takes a village. [KDKA, 12/2/2025] Workers’ Comp? • The perils of working … outside. On Dec. 2, as Jessica Tyson, 32, filmed a segment for a current affairs show in Auckland, New Zealand, a low-flying bird struck her in the face, United Press International reported. Tyson shared the clip to social media, commenting, “POV Just trying to do your job when nature has other plans. Everything is fine, just got a little scar above my eye.” She’s looking forward to indoor assignments from now on. [UPI, 12/3/2025] • Utility lineman Werner J. Neubauer responded to a prickly situation in Cochise County, Arizona, United Press International reported on Dec. 1. A bear was stuck at the top of a utility pole and was in danger of being electrocuted, Neubauer said. He shut off electricity to the pole and used a bucket truck to get to the bear’s level, where he poked at it with a fiberglass stick until it slid back down the pole. [UPI, 12/1/2025] Wait, What? We hope you got your Christmas order in before Dec. 11 for Mug Root Beer’s limited-edition cologne, “Daddy’s Home.” Fox5 Atlanta reported on Dec. 3 that the company was for the first time detouring into personal care with the scent, which includes aromas of cedar, sandalwood, vanilla, and caramel. “It’s the kind of scent that whispers ‘come to papa’ to dogs and dawgs alike,” the company said. The package was to include a 1.7-ounce cologne and a 10-pack of MUG Root Beer mini cans for the low, low price of $15. “Daddy’s Home by Mug Root Beer is for our die-hard MUG fans who believe root

beer rules every sense, not just taste,” a statement read. [Fox5, 12/3/2025] Nope Fox News reported that a sky-dining — that’s right, DINING, not DIVING — attraction in Kerala, India, froze at its full height with two adults, two children, and a staff member on deck on Nov 28. The dining experience involves a crane lifting a platform 120 feet in the air, allowing diners to enjoy a panoramic view. However, the hydraulic system powering the lift failed, leaving the riders with no way to get down. Instead, firefighters used ropes to climb to the platform, then put each person in a harness and lowered them to the ground. The whole operation took about four hours. No injuries were reported. [Fox News, 12/1/2025] Bright Idea Magician and molecular biologist Zi Teng Wang of St. Louis, Missouri, came up with a fun idea a few years ago: He implanted an RFID chip in his hand and used it to perform magic tricks, Yahoo! News reported on Nov. 28. But the tricks faded and other uses fizzled out, and Wang went on with his life. “When I went to rewrite the chip, I was horrified to realize I forgot the password that I had locked it with,” he said. “I’m still locked out of my own body’s tech, and that’s inconvenient but hilarious.” Ah, techie humor. [Yahoo! News, 11/28/2025] “Bright” Idea Officers stopped a speeding car on Dec. 5 in Door County, Wisconsin, WBAY-TV reported. The sheriff ’s office said the car was also missing a front headlight on the driver’s side, but no worries: A handheld flashlight had been jerry-rigged in the spot where the headlight should have been. “A flashlight is not a safe or legal replacement for proper headlights,” authorities said. [WBAY, 12/8/2025] Send your weird news items with subject line WEIRD NEWS to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com. NEWS OF THE WEIRD © 2026 Andrews McMeel Syndication. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In 1971, NASA’s Apollo 15 mission delivered a new asset to the moon: the Lunar Roving Vehicle. This battery-powered “moon buggy” enabled astronauts to explore farther from their landing site than ever before. They gathered a record haul of rock and soil samples and a deeper understanding of the lunar surface. I think you Bulls would be wise to get your own equivalent of that moon buggy. The apt metaphor here is enhancing your ability to extend your reach and explore beyond the familiar. In the coming weeks, I hope you will seek access to tools, allies, and freedoms that expand your range. Use them to push into new territory and scout around for intriguing valuables. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Are you ready to unveil the half-hidden, half-beautiful truths you have been keeping tucked away? I think you are. You might shake, sweat, and second-guess yourself right up until the moment the pivotal moment arrives. But then, I predict, you will zone in on how best to carry out your sublime assignment. The perilous blessings or radiant burdens you’ve been hoarding like secret treasures will finally spill out of you in just the right ways. CANCER (June 21-July 22): A hermit crab finds a new shell not because the old one was bad, but because the creature grew. A similar urge stirs in you now: an instinct to relocate your sensitivity and tenderness into roomier housing. You don’t have to abandon your favorite people or situations. Just ripen and update your containers so your emotional intelligence can flourish even more. Maybe revise your work rhythms. Dream up new bedtime stories. Be braver in declaring your needs. Your ongoing transformations could be a bit bumpy, but mostly healing and cherished. Give them the spaciousness they require. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Poet Jack Gilbert wrote, “We must risk delight. We can do without pleasure but not delight.” Here’s what I think he meant: Pleasure is easy

to access, available in many transactions. But delight requires courage. We must be undefended enough to be astonished and elated. Here’s the potential glitch for you Leos: You sometimes feel inclined to perform your joy; you make your happiness into entertainment for others to be inspired by. But true delight is riskier and more real. It comes when you forget to curate yourself because you’re too enchanted to remember you’re being watched. Your next assignment: Conjure up three moments of private delight that no one but you will see. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Many of you are renowned for your precision, but that’s just half the story. The more complete truth is that when you are most robust, you’re a connoisseur of refinement. Your careful edits can transmute muddles into medicines. Your subtle fixes may catalyze major corrections. Here’s my bold declaration: You are now at the height of your Virgo powers. I hope you wield them with utter flair and finesse. Make everything you touch better than it was before you touched it. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Some astrologers work without ever glancing at the night sky. Their bond with the planets lives mostly through abstract ideas. To balance that approach, Daniel Giamario developed a more hands-on approach to astrology. In his retreats, students trek into wild country, far from city lights, and spend the dark hours watching the dance of the heavenly bodies. He teaches that cosmic energies can be sensed through our beautiful bodies as much as they can be understood by our fine minds. In the weeks ahead, I invite you to infuse all your explorations with that spirit. Learn through direct encounters, not just through concepts and recycled reports. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): English is my first language. I love how its wild, hybrid, restless qualities enable me to express myself. I never grow weary of exploring its limits and discovering new ways to use it with flair and care. But I am also very grateful that my horoscopes are translated into Italian, French, Japanese, and Spanish. I am supremely blessed to have editors who turn my idiosyncratic prose into language that non-English speakers can enjoy. It’s one of the great gifts that life has given me. In the coming months, Scorpio, I will be wishing and expecting a similar bonus for you: help and support in expanding your ability to reach further in your self-expression. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Your intrepid spirit is most likely to find exciting adventures if it’s exquisitely prepared. While I love your daring spontaneity and experimental expansiveness, I hope that in the coming weeks, you will work hard

to support them with good planning and rigorous foresight. Be imaginative and disciplined, wild and calculating, irrepressible and solidly responsible. If you heed my advice, you could break your previous records for making marvelous discoveries in the frontiers. PS: Treat wonder like a muscle. Flex it daily — with gratitude.

LEGAL NOTICES PERSONAL PROPERTY PUBLIC NOTICE As required by Tennessee Code Annotated Section 67-5-903, the Shelby County Assessor will be mailing Tangible Personal Property Schedules to all active businesses Within Shelby County by Friday, January 9, 2026. The filing Deadline is March 2, 2026. Please call the Shelby County Assessor’s office at 901-222-7002, if you needassistance.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): During World War II, the United States faced a natural rubber shortage and funded research into synthetic substitutes. The effort was partly successful, but there were also failed experiments. Among these was a substance that later became a popular toy named Silly Putty. It sold millions of units and made its marketer wealthy. I suspect a metaphorically similar breakthrough is looming for you, Aquarius: an unplanned discovery that holds unforeseen value. You may soon have your own “Silly Putty moment” — an invention, idea, or situation that is technically a detour from your original goal but still delivers a gift. So keep your curiosity loose and your judgment soft. Don’t dismiss the byproducts of your efforts. Some diversions may reveal themselves to be the magic you didn’t realize you needed. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): I suggest you try an “as-if ” exercise, Pisces. Here’s what I propose: Enjoy a five-day period visualizing what your life would be like if you stopped saving yourself for a mythical future — including both the positive and negative aspects. Instead, envision yourself spending the coming months doing exactly what you yearn to do most, gleefully and intensely pursuing your sweetest dreams and prime mission. During this sabbatical, you will refrain from invoking excuses about why you can’t follow your bliss. You will assume that you are attuned with the heart of creation. You will act as if you are a joy specialist who adores your life.

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ARIES (March 21-April 19): Japanese Zen master Hakuin (1686–1769) painted with astonishing vigor well into his eighties. When asked his secret, he said he treated each brushstroke as if it were his first. He approached the ink and paper with a beginner’s inspired innocence. I propose that you adopt a version of Hakuin’s practice. Dive into your familiar routines with virgin eyes. Allow your expertise to be influenced by surprise. As for the mastery you have earned, may I suggest you use it as a launching pad for enthusiastic amateurism? Being skilled is wonderful. Being skilled and willing to experiment like a newcomer? That’s the high art of perpetual combustion, an Aries specialty.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Sandcastles are good reminders of how temporary everything is. We build them on the damp edge of the shore after the tide recedes, and then they crumble when the sea rolls back a few hours later. Let’s make the sandcastle your power symbol for the months ahead. In doing so, I don’t mean to imply that your certainties will be demolished. Rather, it’s my way of urging you to enjoy and capitalize on the ever-changing nature of all things. In fact, I believe that knack should be one of your specialties in the coming months. As the Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh told us, we should be grateful for impermanence because it keeps every possibility alive.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY By Rob Brezsny

TV By Chris McCoy

All Good Things … In its final season, Stranger Things cements its legacy as one of the greatest television shows of all time.

January 15-21, 2026

he series finale of Stranger Things represented the end of an era. When the series debuted on Netflix in July 2016, it was the last summer of the Obama presidency. The triumphant, sold-out theater screenings of the final episode happened in an entirely different world. Stranger Things has been rightly accused of being a giant nostalgia machine, but I think maybe the legions of fans who ponied up to watch a show they could have watched at home were nostalgic not for the 1980s, the period when the show is set, but for the good America they lived in before Trump. The visual language and thematic concerns of Stranger Things come from the giants of ’80s popular culture, all works which have, in their own way, stood the test of time. There are the rollicking, kids-on-bikes adventures like The Goonies, which was produced by Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment. The Stranger Things kids play Dungeons & Dragons because the kids in Spielberg’s E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial did. There’s the gory horror of Wes Craven, whose A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors was a major inspiration for the series’ later seasons. The screenwriter of that film was the legendary Frank Darabont, director of The Shawshank Redemption and creator of The Walking Dead. He came out of retirement to direct two episodes of the final season of Stranger Things because he was such a huge fan of the show. There’s the suburban paranoia of John Carpenter, an artist regarded as a hack in the ’80s, a decade when he was churning out classic after classic. In the final season, when archvillain Vecna, aka Henry Creel (Jamie Campbell Bower), finally emerges from the Upside Down, the shot echoes the chilling emergence of the Antichrist in Carpenter’s Prince of Darkness. The shot returns in the final episode, its meaning reversed when Eleven aka Jane Hopper (Millie Bobby Brown) seals the portal between worlds for the final time. And then, of course, there’s George Lucas, who even has a character named after him, played by Caleb McLaughlin. Without the mega-hit of Star Wars in 1977, the sci-fi fantasy boom of the 1980s 28 would never have happened, and Lucas’ friendship with Spielberg revolutionized

(top) Mike, Lucas, Nancy, Steve, Jonathan, and Dustin prepare a trap in Stranger Things; (above) Will confronts Vecna. the action/adventure genre with Raiders of the Lost Ark. In the last episode, set in 1989, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is playing at Hawkins, Indiana’s main street movie theater. But the Lucas project which Stranger Things most resembles is American Graffiti. Lucas’ breakout hit came in 1973, and was set in small-town Modesto, California, in the early 1960s. The film spawned a wave of nostalgia which only deepened when stars Ron Howard and Cindy Williams were cast in the poodle-skirt sitcom Happy Days. Thanks to Stranger Things, the ’80s occupy a similar place in our culture today. But Stranger Things has never been as starry-eyed about the ’80s as Happy Days was about the ’50s. As Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) says in his valedictorian speech at the Party’s high school graduation in the final episode, much of the decade sucked. Lesser shows would have portrayed the Reagan era as looking like Miami Vice, all pastel clothes and blobby,

impractical Memphis Milano Group furniture. (At one point, Hopper [David Harbour] reveals that Miami Vice is appointment viewing for him and Eleven.) In fact, the real 1980s were overwhelmingly brown, which Stranger Things’ secret weapon, production designer Chris Trujillo, never shied away from. Landing a series that is as acclaimed by critics as it is beloved by viewers is never easy. Witness the debacle of Lost, the supremely unsatisfying finale of Game of Thrones, or the long, meaningless twilight of The Walking Dead. Identical twin show runners Matt and Ross Duffer manage to get it pretty much right. After having their cast scattered from Hawkins to California to the Kamchatka Peninsula in season 4, season 5 begins with everyone back in Hawkins, whether they like it or not. The town’s secret government lab is not such a secret anymore since the alien hive mind known as the Mind Flayer and Vecna

split the ground asunder with rifts to the netherworld of the Upside Down, and now the whole town is under military lockdown. (Wow, so relatable in Trump’s America!) The military, led by Dr. Kay (Linda Hamilton, extremely intimidating) is up to no good in the Upside Down. Here in the Prime Material Plane, they’re looking everywhere for Eleven. Meanwhile, she has come to terms with her origin as a genetically modified psychic weapon, and is training to use her new head-exploding powers in the search for Vecna. The crew is staging “crawls,” where Hopper sneaks into the Upside Down and searches a grid square for signs of the lich. But so far, they’ve come up empty. When a botched crawl attempt goes awry, Eleven and Hopper are trapped in the Upside Down, just as Vecna’s plan to kidnap 12 more children like he did Will Byers (Noah Schnapp), beginning with Mike’s (Finn Wolfhard) sister Holly (Nell Fisher) is revealed. The Duffers and co-conspirator Sean Levy make sure every penny of their $400 million budget appears onscreen, but none of it would matter if they didn’t have one of the greatest casts ever assembled for a television show, anchored by the legend Winona Ryder as Will’s long-suffering mother Joyce. Maya Hawke, who still feels like the new girl in her third season, walks away with every scene she’s in. Nashvillian Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton, who became a couple in real life after playing Nancy Wheeler and Jonathon Byers, share a heartfelt scene in a melting Upside Down deathtrap, while Alpha nerd Dustin and Steve “The Hair” Harrington (Joe Keery) bicker instead of rescuing them. The season has its faults. The pandemic and the SAG/WGA strikes meant that the cast is a few years older than they should have been at this point in the story (Dyer is playing a college student at 30, and Brown now has a kid of her own), but the extra downtime seems to have enabled the Duffers to fully develop their scripts. The final episode, “The Rightside Up,” has a Return of the Kingsized denouement, but after nine years of excellence, I think the Hellfire Club has earned it. Stranger Things Season 5 is now streaming on Netflix.

N O W P L AY I N G B y C h r i s M c C o y

No Other Choice Park Chan-wook (Oldboy) writes and directs this cutting satire of late-stage capi-

Song Sung Blue Craig Brewer directs the story of Mike and Claire Sardina, a Minnesota couple known as Lightning & Thunder, who wowed audiences with their Neil Diamond Experience show in the ’90s and ’00s. The working-class heroes, played by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, face tragedy at home and find transcendence on stage.

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28 Years Later: The Bone Temple Hot on the heels of the long-awaited threequel, the saga continues. The British Isles are quarantined to keep the hordes of Rage virus zombies from infecting the rest of the world. Spike (Alfie Williams) has been separated from his Channel Islands safety zone and captured by Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell), a warlord who is as dangerous as the zombies. Meanwhile, Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) might be onto a cure. Director Nia DaCosta (Candyman) takes over for Danny Boyle directing Alex Garland’s script.

talism. When Yoo Man-su (Lee Byunghun) is laid off from his job as a master papermaker, his carefully constructed middle-class life is left in shambles. As the paper industry is bought up by American interests, his options dwindle, until he finds one job left in his field. To make sure he gets it, he decides to kill everyone else in South Korea who is qualified for the job. What could possibly go wrong?

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January 15-21, 2026

There are parties known and unknown and as prayed for in the Petition to Quiet Title filed on July 25, 2024, as to all previous owners of 4230 Germantown Rd., Arlington, TN 38002. It is therefore ordered that they make themselves appearance herein at the court House of Shelby County, in the city of Memphis, Shelby County, TN on March 26, 2026 and answer plaintiffs complaint for Petition to Quiet Title or the same will be taken for confessed as to defendant(s), and set for hearing ex parte, and that a copy of this order be published once a week for four successive weeks in the Memphis Flyer. This 15th day of January, 2026 A True Copy – Attest: W. Aaron Hall, Clerk & Master By Jocelyn V. Henderson Jocelyn V. Henderson

Attorney for Petitioner Jan. 22, 29, Feb. 5, 12, 2026

ORDER OF PUBLICATION In the CIRCUIT COURT of Shelby County, Tennessee No. CT-1972-25-1 ISABELLE LOUIS LONG Plaintiff(s) VS. TIMMY LAMAR SWOOPE Defendant(s) It is appearing from the complaint in this cause which is sworn to that THE WHEREABOUTS OF THE DEFENDANT, TIMMY LAMAR SWOOPE, CANNOT BE ASCERTAINED AFTER DILIGENT SEARCH AND INQUIRY. It is therefore ordered that HE make AN appearance herein at the Court House of Shelby County, in the city of Memphis, Shelby County, TN on March 9, 2026, and answer plaintiffs’ complaint for DIVORCE or the same will be taken for confessed as to defendant(s), and set for hearing ex parte, and that a copy of this order be published once a week for four successive weeks in the MEMPHIS FLYER. This 15th day of JANUARY, 2026. A True Copy - Attest: Jamita Swearengen, Clerk & Master

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The Great ICE Melt

THE LAST WORD

Shootings in Minnesota and in Oregon at the hands of ICE — Immigration and Customs Enforcement — have increased tensions between the federal government and local communities across the country where people were already on edge. Here in Memphis, where ICE has spread fear and unease in the Latino and immigrant communities, the question is not if but when that violence will come to our neighborhoods. Shortly after President Trump took office, he decided to wield the power of the executive branch and flood cities that typically have Democrat mayors with law enforcement to address a crime problem PHOTO: (ABOVE) CPENLER | DREAMSTIME.COM; (RIGHT) ALEX GREEENE that had already been trending downward across the country. Initially, much of the worry was about deploying the National Guard in ICE’s defiance of due process, including summary policing but the real danger was and is Trump’s use of ICE. executions of citizens, has triggered a backlash. Since July 2025, ICE has hired 12,000 new personnel under the Big [not so] Beautiful Bill passed by Congress last year. In doing so, ICE increased its workforce by 120 percent. These new agents received a $50,000 bonus upon sign-up and training modules have been compressed or reduced; the actual training has declined in order to process all of these new agents at roughly the same time. ICE has looked for, via patriotic pitches, “tough guys (and gals)” to keep America’s streets free of the “worst of the worst” — four words uttered repeatedly by the President. Put simply, Congress authorized the creation of an army for Trump to deploy with little or no restraint. Back on September 15th, Trump announced that his army would be coming to Memphis. This deployment came not at the request of Memphians or Memphis authorities, but at the suggestion of the multi-millionaire Nebraskan and CEO of Union Pacific Railroad, Jim Vena. Vena’s only tenuous connection to our city is that he is a FedEx board member and was upset about railway cargo theft. Since the creation of “the Memphis Safe Task Force,” 13 agencies and a much more prominent presence from the Tennessee Highway Patrol have been patrolling our streets. Crime has continued its previous trajectory trending downward, but the work of the Task Force has come at a major cost to the immigrant community. Of the reported 662 immigration-related arrests made by ICE in Memphis between October 1st and December 8, 2025, 580 were made through traffic stops. This isn’t a targeting of violent criminals. It is law enforcement engaging in pretextual traffic stops and looking for a reason for escalation and arrest — like civil immigration violations. Anyone traveling on Summer Avenue in the past few months has seen the state police followed by unmarked SUVs carrying ICE agents and can understand how this Task Force works. Locally, we have seen an anemic response from leadership. Our mayor decided to hold a victory celebration by touting the 40 percent drop in crime, a fouryear goal he’s achieved in two. Reduced crime is good for any city, but traffic stops, harassing people, and profiling does not help a city become safer — rather, it forces the people of Memphis to decide if they’ll go out or stay in. It leaves us all a little on edge, living in a state of fear in our own city, and if the mayor wants to own the 40 percent drop, then he also owns the terror felt in the Latino community. Likewise, Mayor Young and our chief of police will have to own the generational effect that collaboration between our police force and ICE will have. It wasn’t so long ago that Rev. Billy Kyles and former Executive Director of Latino Memphis, José Velázquez, held a series of meetings to close the blackbrown divide and promote trust between the Latino community and the MPD. Are undocumented immigrants or those with undocumented immigrants in their household willing to report crimes that they’ve witnessed or been victims of? Given the reports that ICE detains legal residents and U.S. citizens, should any of us voluntarily put ourselves in contact with federal agents or those with whom they collaborate? Any gains that Rev. Kyles and Mr. Velázquez achieved are likely gone. Here we are with a growing crisis in Minnesota where a woman was killed on January 7th by ICE and two more people were shot by ICE in Portland the following day. Should we wait for a similar fate for Memphis and Memphians? We can’t and we won’t. We’re not as bold as Mayor Jacob Frey of Minneapolis who publicly called for ICE to “get the fuck out of Minneapolis,” but we don’t think we need 13 federal agencies here. It’s time for Trump’s people to go. Bryce W. Ashby is an attorney at Donati Law, PLLC. Michael J. LaRosa is an associate professor of history at Rhodes College.

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It’s time for the masked Gestapo to go.

Looks like hell. Tastes like heaven. Just don’t eat the shucks. The Hot Tamale Capital of the World invites you to enjoy an eclectic collection of events and entertaining stops. » FEBRUARY « Mississippi River Marathon msrivermarathon.racesonline.com

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Lake Washington’s “Straight Off The Lake” Music Festival Snake Grabbin’ Rodeo

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Gumbo Nationals

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