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SHARA CLARK Editor-in-Chief
ALEX GREENE Managing Editor, Music Editor
BRUCE VANWYNGARDEN Senior Editor
TOBY SELLS Associate Editor
KAILYNN JOHNSON News Reporter
CHRIS MCCOY Film and TV Editor
MICHAEL DONAHUE, JON W. SPARKS Staff Writers
KIMBERLY HAM Calendar Editor, Copy Editor
JESSE DAVIS, EMILY GUENTHER, COCO JUNE, AJ KRATZ, PATRICIA LOCKHART, MELANIE MORTON, FRANK MURTAUGH Contributing Columnists
Focus and forward momentum lead this Lunar New Year.
PHOTO: REFGHIK | DREAMSTIME.COM ‘We Must Interfere’ Now is the time to speak up for what is right. p31
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Memphis on the internet.
BASS PRO SLOPES
Some dude snowboarded down the Pyramid last week. Not really. But the Facebook video (obviously AI-generated) posted by Jamar Hayes is totally convincing. An orangejacketed daredevil jumps from the peak, hits the slope with a spray of snow, rides the side straight down, jumps at the bottom, and lands in the parking lot. Totally fake. But totally cool. Memphis fantasy stu .
WEEK THAT WAS
By Flyer staff
Questions, Answers + Attitude
Edited by Toby Sells
Ice Storm, ICE, & Council
Memphis dodges outages, mayor claims no collab, and new rules on public speaking.
DEMOCRAT AGENDA
State Democrats said they want to end the grocery tax, expand health coverage, raise minimum wage, and more, as Tennessee families continue to face economic pressure.
Senate Democratic Leader Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis) set this agenda in a prebuttal video ahead of Gov. Bill Lee’s State of the State speech, which was set for Monday.
COUNCIL MEMBERS THINK
SNOW IS FAKE
Memphis City Council members Pearl Walker and Yolanda Cooper Sutton both said publicly last week that the snow from the storm was arti cial in di ering Facebook posts and comments. Claims of fake snow were rampant on social media during the storm, especially on TikTok.
SNOW BLAZE
Shelby County Fire Department posted a haunting image of a house re set against the snow last week. Even on ice-covered roads, Engine 65 arrived on the scene in 12 minutes, the department said.
POSTED TO FACEBOOK BY SHELBY COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT
WHO TO FOLLOW
Follow Memphis comedian
Latoya Tennille for daily doses of positivity, fun, hot takes, and superspeci c Memphis jokes. e one above clowns on a misstep last week by Memphis City Council hopeful Jerred Price.
Cooper Sutton posted a video showing who she says is her husband attempting to melt a chunk of snow with a lighter. In the video, Cooper Sutton says, “ is is not melting. is is re. OMG. What is falling from the sky hitting the ground? Oh my God. We can’t make this up.” Walker commented on the post, simply, “man made.” She also posted a link to another Facebook video from Angela Sunshyne acker. In it, acker says that when she rst picked up the snow, “it was di erent,” and that she would not use it to make snow cream.
STATE FAILS ON TOBACCO
Tennessee got an F on controlling tobacco use last year, according to the latest annual report from the American Lung Association (ALA).
Tobacco use claims the lives of more than about 11,380 Tennesseans each year, the group said. Nearly 17 percent of adults in Tennessee use at least one tobacco or nicotine product like cigarettes, e-cigarettes, or nicotine pouches, according to December data. Around 20 percent of Tennessee high school students use a tobacco product. e state earned failing or near-failing grades across nearly every category measured by the ALA. It grades states in ve policy areas the group says are proven to reduce tobacco use and save lives.
COUNCIL SHIFTS SPEAKING RULES
Memphis City Council members passed a rule change last week that would allow citizens to show their IDs to speak at council instead of giving their home address out loud. Council attorney Allan Wade said while this a way to “keep control” over those speaking at council meetings, it also provides a layer of protection for residents who don’t want their addresses shared publicly.
MAYOR YOUNG: NO ICE COLLAB
e city of Memphis has not collaborated with Immigration
and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on immigration, Memphis Mayor Paul Young said on Facebook last week.
It came in response to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s public comments in the wake of the ICE killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Noem said Young “worked with us.”
“But I want to be very clear,” Young said. “ ere has been no collaboration with ICE on immigration.”
WINTER STORM FERN
e threat of storm-related power outages passed early last week for the Memphis area, according to Memphis Light, Gas & Water (MLGW). e city’s mix of precipitation did not bring the widespread outages seen in other cities, though icy roads made travel treacherous for much of the week. Visit the News Blog at memphis yer.com for fuller versions of these stories and more local news.
POSTED TO FACEBOOK BY JAMAR HAYES
POSTED TO FACEBOOK BY LATOYA TENNILLE
PHOTO: (TOP) CITY OF MEMPHIS; (ABOVE) TENNESSEE SENATE DEMOCRATS; (BELOW) PAUL YOUNG | FACEBOOK (top) Pearl Walker and Yolanda Cooper Sutton; (above) Raumesh Akbari; (below) Mayor Paul Young
Valentine’s Dinn
{CITY REPORTER
By Kailynn Johnson
SATURDAY
FEBRUARY 28TH 11AM-2PM
Colossus and the Aquifer
A wastewater treatment plant could save millions of gallons of water, but some don’t want it in South Memphis.
Aproject to save 13 million gallons of water from the Memphis Sand Aquifer per day moved a step closer to completion last week.
State o cials issued an operating permit for the Colossus Water Recycling Plant to be located in South Memphis.
e permit was issued to CTC Property LLC by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s Division of Water Resources (TDEC). e plant will allow treated wastewater from Memphis that ows into the Mississippi River to be treated and used for “industrial cooling,” allowing the plant to save up to 13 million gallons of aquifer water per day, TDEC said.
“Memphis is becoming [a] posterchild for how to pro t from the health decline of its Black population,” one comment read. “Stop using our Black and brown communities as dump sites.”
In response to these claims the division said they heard the concerns around environmental pollution, but since the water treatment plant had not been built, it could not be the cause of “area-wide health issues.”
ey also said the permit was not related to “locating a data center” in the city, or xAI’s use of gas turbines. e division noted that xAI’s operations are at the discretion of the city of Memphis and Shelby County government.
“Issuing an operating permit to CTC Property LLC to authorize and regulate treatment of wastewater from the T.E. Maxson sewage treatment plant for industrial cooling to reduce use of Memphis Sand Aquifer Water is facilitating a positive change in industrial behavior,” TDEC said.
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A notice of determination from the department said the division granted the permit a er reviewing public comments made prior to the division.
CTC applied for the permit in February of last year. A er the public became aware of the proposed construction site via a public notice sign, several people requested the division host a public hearing.
“ e CTC Property LLC is a separate legal entity from the xAI data center,” the document said.
Many also spoke up in the name of environmental justice on behalf of those living in the 38109 zip code. Commenters urged TDEC not to approve the project and to intervene in any future “industrial permitting decisions.”
“[ e requests] were in response to the sign posting and the division’s public notice on April 15, 2025, of its intent to issue the company an operating permit for a proposed reuse system,” the document said.
e division held a virtual public hearing on June 25, 2025, and an inperson hearing on June 26th.
Several comments were made on activity and health concerns, with many questioning why Memphis was chosen as home to the plant, and saying the community had been “overburdened by toxic pollution by private industry and public utilities.
TDEC said the water treatment plant would not be a source of water or air pollution.
While several concerns were noted in the notice of determination, the department did receive comments of support for the treatment plant.
“Our community is very interested in preserving our drinking water and this reuse approach helps that,” a comment read.
TDEC said state law allows for a petition for permit appeal to be led by anyone who participated in the public comment period or gave public testimony at a hearing.
PHOTO: TERRANCE RAPER | UNSPLASH Treated wastewater now ows straight into the Mississippi River.
Robert C. Koehler
Crossing the Border
Here I am, an American, staring at the border again … and slowly coming to realize the paradox of it. Borders don’t actually exist. They’re invisible lies. They’re also virtually everywhere.
Consider the border Alex Pretti crossed on Jan. 24th, on a street in Minneapolis, as he stepped between U.S. Border Patrol agents and the woman they had just pushed down. He crossed the border that separates ordinary people from the federal Proud Boys (or whoever they are), the masked invaders who were occupying the city to enforce The Law. Pretti interfered with them! He dared to try to protect the fallen woman, who herself had just crossed the same border. In so doing, they both went from being ordinary citizens to “domestic terrorists.”
“Yet our greatest threat isn’t the outsiders among us, but those among us who never look within.”
The words are those of poet Amanda Gorman, who wrote a poem honoring Alex Pretti after the agents shot him 10 times. Another killing! Oh my God! Another cut to the American soul — a cut, by the way, that comes with complete immunity, according to Team Trump. They’re waging civil war against those who cross the border that separates right from wrong. “Fear not those without papers,” Gorman’s poem continues, “but those without conscience.”
You know what? As terrifying as the idea of a new civil war sounds, I prefer it to something worse: a great national shrug and acquiescence to the Trump agenda. ICE, as so many people have pointed out, is acting like the Trump Gestapo, as his administration rids sacred (white) America of the brown-skinned other, who may or may not be immigrants. What matters is that they’re different from “real” Americans. Right?
Regarding the whole concept of the border: It seems so real and viable until you start questioning it, which includes looking into its history.
As Elisa Wong and Raymond Wei write: “The way that we think of borders today, as firm boundaries that are violently enforced, is a relatively new thing, and we would argue it doesn’t serve humanity’s best interests. While ‘strong borders’ are often argued as a necessity for our security, we think they limit humanity’s potential as a global community.
“In ancient times, rivers, oceans, and mountains marked the boundaries of territory. … As humans began building kingdoms and empires, more walls began to form, thus more firmly delineating borders.”
In Medieval times, from around 1000 to 1700 AD, European kingdoms engaged with each other in a state of unending warfare, violently squabbling over the limits of their territory. And plunk! Global borders were created, and whole contents started getting divided almost randomly into European territorial possessions.
“At the Berlin Conference in 1884,” Wong and Wei write, “European leaders met to carve up Africa for themselves, which split local tribes across arbitrary lines and laid the groundwork for ethnic conflicts that still rage today.”
Oh, let us evolve toward a trans-border world! This is the core of the American civil war that is now, seemingly, getting underway. This is why protesters are flooding the streets in Minneapolis and across the country. This is why they’re enduring pepper spray and tear gas and flash bang grenades. This is why some people are being killed. But the rational — effective — response to violent aggression is not counter-violence.
“Anger and hatred are natural in response to such atrocities,” David Cortright writes, “but it is essential to avoid causing physical harm, to maintain a nonviolent intention and commitment despite increasing government provocation. A major outburst of protester violence would be disastrous, diverting attention from the message of support for victimized communities. That’s exactly what the White House is hoping for — to cover up ICE abuses, reinforce their lies about violent protesters, and justify additional domestic militarization.”
And he quotes — who else? — Martin Luther King Jr.: “Hatred multiplies hate. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Violence multiplies violence.”
Yeah, that’s the world as we know it: endless war. But America’s new civil war must not — will not — go that way. “Loving ICE” doesn’t mean accepting their actions or their purpose, but rather, challenging it head on, courageously and nonviolently. What we choose to love fully and unconditionally is Planet Earth itself — a planet without borders — and all who live within it. Yes, that includes ICE agents. It includes Donald Trump. But loving them also means standing up to them — and handing them their conscience.
Robert Koehler, syndicated by PeaceVoice, is a Chicago award-winning journalist and author of Courage Grows Strong at the Wound and an album of recorded poetry and artwork, Soul Fragments … into sanity.
BARTLETT PERFORMNG ARTS CENTER presents WENDY MOTEN on February 6th.
song COME IN OUT OF THE RAIN topped the charts. Wendy’s a native Memphian, Memphis’ Hall Of Famer, & was #2 on THE VOICE. She’s sung with superstars like Faith Hill – Julio Iglesias – Tim McGraw. Blake Shelton said, “Wendy’s the best voice
Mid-South Heart Ball
veryone in Memphis is aware of the absolute destruction wreaked 10 days ago in northern Mississippi and central Tennessee by the ice storm connected to Winter Storm Fern. e images of broken and fallen trees and massive limbs that destroyed power lines, crushed roofs, and trapped people in their homes for days were unavoidable on local television and in social media feeds. e ice impacted hundreds of thousands of people; I-55 and I-22 in Mississippi were closed for days.
But what was big news in this area wasn’t on the radar for most of the country, so Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves got himself on Fox News to spread the word about the dire situation in his state. Unfortunately, he got, er, distracted.
Here’s what the governor said about his television appearance in a social media post: “Went on Fox this morning to discuss the historic winter storms in our state, but breaking news on the chaos and disorder caused by lawless hordes in Minneapolis pulled the focus. e mobs of anarchists and radicals who are terrorizing American cities need to go home, whether that’s just back to their mother’s basements or back to Mogadishu. … And let’s be grateful it’s just sleet and snow — and not Antifa — closing our streets.”
I’m sure the 300,000 people without power in Mississippi were truly grateful that their pandering clown of a governor was more concerned with ICE in Minnesota than with the ice paralyzing his own state. Sure, thousands of Mississippians were freezing and without shelter, food, and water but at least they could be reassured that ol’ Tater had the state’s rampant Antifa problem under control.
Reeves went on to disparage Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who’d called out his state’s National Guard to assist in controlling the situation there. (Just for fun, maybe Reeves should compare his state’s rankings for education, healthcare, income, and poverty level with those of Minnesota.)
direction of HHS Secretary Kristi Noem, is itself, well, a disaster area. e New York Times recently reported that more than $17 billion in federal disaster funds are being held up because of a June directive by Noem that any FEMA funding of $100,000 or more must be approved by her o ce to root out “waste, fraud, and abuse.” Much of that delayed funding had already been approved by regional FEMA o ces for things such as debris removal and repairs to roads, bridges, and water and sewer systems, but now it’s backlogged in Noem-ville.
You’d think such delays in getting FEMA aid to his state would trouble Reeves, especially at a time when his constituents were in such distress, but his focus was “pulled” farther north and he had to get his MAGA licks in on Fox. ICE, ICE, baby.
Not to be outdone, one of Tennessee’s own pandering clowns — Senator Marsha Blackburn — also took the opportunity to politicize Fern’s horri c ice damage in a written statement criticizing Nashville electric utility (NES) and that city’s Democratic mayor: “ e failure to adequately prepare for Winter Storm Fern is precisely the reason line crews are working overtime and citizens are clearing limbs and debris at great risk to their own safety to help friends and neighbors. … is disruption [the linemen] are working to correct re ects a failure of leadership and planning, one that could have been mitigated with thoughtful preparation ahead of the storm.”
Hmm. I wonder where this “concerned” Marsha was last year, when her beloved Trump turned his pal Elon Musk loose on FEMA, giving him free rein to cut thousands of jobs and regional o ces. I also wonder why Blackburn wasn’t complaining to Noem about the lack of help from FEMA for her state. Seems like maybe it was “a failure of leadership and planning.” But that’s just me.
But it’s not like Reeves did nothing. He did declare a state of emergency in advance of the storm and FEMA delivered $6.4 million to the state last week, which may seem like an amazingly quick response until you learn that it was funding allocated for debris removal in Walthall County for tornadoes that hit the area a year ago. Oops.
Anyone paying attention won’t be surprised to learn that the Federal Emergency Management Agency, under the
Blackburn has set her sights on becoming Tennessee’s next governor. If she wins, it appears she’ll get along swimmingly with her cohort to the south. Tate and Marsha, what a combo. What a clown show.
PHOTO: CARMEN ROCKETT | DREAMSTIME.COM
Locally sponsored by:
Johnny & Kim Pitts
IVY K. ARNOLD
Video Producer, Youth Villages
During her time at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Arnold was involved with the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, and served as International ird Vice President of the organization. A er school, Arnold started working for Higher Ground News and We Are Memphis. “I was making these creative stories about the love for corner stores and all these di erent things, because Memphis is a very cinematic place. It’s always been colorful. You never know what you’re going to see or experience, and we just have so much soul here.”
In 2021, she moved to Youth Villages, the Memphis nonpro t o ering emotional, mental, and behavioral health services to at-risk young people. “One of many things that I love about the culture here at Youth Villages is that they truly support their sta ,” Arnold says.
“My big love is for the arts,” Arnold says. With lmmaking, “You can combine all those loves for arts because every piece of the crew, whether it’s the actors or in front of or behind the camera, there’s a skilled art for it, and you can do all these creative things.”
The class of 2026
Each year, the Memphis Flyer asks our readers to nominate the best and brightest young Memphians, so you can meet our future leaders. It’s always hard to sort through the many worthy nominees to pick the top 20. But that di culty is balanced by the joy of meeting so many talented and caring young people. Without further ado, here is your 20<30 class of 2026.
ALANA DENT
ISABELLE DILLARD
Media Strategist, Red Deluxe Brand Development
When she’s not working at one of Memphis’ premier marketing rms, Dent is winning Miss Shelby County 2025 and Miss Petite Tennessee 2026. She uses her platform to advocate for domestic abuse victims. “I no longer say I’m a ‘survivor.’
I say I’m an ‘overcomer’ of domestic abuse. When I was younger, I made a lot of wrong decisions and decided to hang around the wrong people. I lost who I was and just would allow the man in my life to do anything. at really shaped how I thought of myself at that time. I thought I wasn’t worthy of love. I thought that I wasn’t good enough. I thought I wasn’t pretty. Coming out of that is what really shi ed me towards working with survivors and victims, because some people don’t leave until it’s too late.”
She recently published her second book, e Choice Architect. “I went through a lot of trauma, and of course, I did not make the right decisions. is book will walk them through steps to help them gure out how to make the right decisions for themselves and their future.”
Coordinator of Community Life, First Congregational Church
“I am a preacher’s kid,” says Dillard. “My mom is an ordained pastor in the United Methodist Church, so I really grew up with church almost feeling like a family business. You’re always the rst one on site on a Sunday morning, or staying late, cleaning up. A lot of preachers’ kids end up resenting that over time, but I loved it. I love the atmosphere of church. At its best it can genuinely be a place where people live their lives together in a way that is grounding, truly supportive, and loving.”
She says the past year at her CooperYoung congregation has been “kind of been a one-two punch of the military occupation of Memphis, and then SNAP bene ts being put on hold and the federal government cutting funding. e need is rising, but the will of the community to help each other is also rising at an equal or even higher rate. We’ve seen a beautiful response to hunger issues from people.
“I’m certainly not the rst person to say this, but if you pour your life into Memphis, it pours back into you, and I have really found that to be true.”
PATRICK GREENE Architect, archimania
Greene’s architectural journey started at a Memphis College of Art summer camp, where he met his mentor, Tim Michael. “He took the time to speak with me, asked me how I was doing, and handed me his business card. en I followed up on that conversation later on, when I was in high school, and archimania was nice enough to take me in and let me shadow them.”
Now, he’s designing new buildings in Memphis for the same rm. “ at’s one of the most rewarding aspects about architecture, or any design discipline: You can witness the direct impact of your work on your community in real time. One of my favorite projects here was for Collage Dance Collective. Before I was on that project, I wasn’t familiar with them as an organization, but seeing how they’ve gone from such a small and compacted space in the Binghampton area, to giving them a space to where they can, no pun intended, dance and spread their wings and have more outreach with the youth in their community — it’s been so rewarding.”
continued on page 10
COVER STORY BY CHRIS M c COY PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAMIE HARMON
continued from page 9
JULIA LE
Nurse, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital
“My parents immigrated here from Vietnam back in the eighties and the nineties,” says Le. “Growing up, I was the certi ed translator for my family. I went on a lot of di erent doctor visits and some hospital visits with my parents and my grandparents. I saw good healthcare workers. I saw the bad ones. I saw the ones that were bad on their bad days, and a lot of them did motivate me and inspired me into becoming one of the people who they would see on a good day. And I wanted to become a good nurse and then become a good provider for people to see in their healthcare journey.
“I’m also very proud to be a member of the Vietnamese American community here in West Tennessee. I love that we were able to create the Asian Night Market. I really am proud to be Vietnamese, and I very much appreciate and am grateful for my grandma and my parents for helping me learn the culture, the heritage, and the language. And I really want to introduce our culture to Memphis.”
CAITLIN LLOYD Communications and Outreach, Choices
Lloyd was a Bridge Builder when she was young, so she knew she wanted to work at Bridges a er college. “ at organization put a lot into me as a young person that helped develop my love for the city. I had this mindset of, I need to give back to this organization that gave so much to me.”
As the AmeriCorps Team Lead at Bridges, Lloyd led an annual summer conference where “…youth were challenged to invest in civic engagement, diversity, appreciation, and their relationship with Memphis, as well as the relationship with each other, which was really incredible.”
When Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, Lloyd decided it was time for a change. “In college, I became a peer health educator, interned with Planned Parenthood, and got really passionate about sexual and reproductive health education,” she says. “I just knew that I needed to get into this work in some capacity.”
Not only does Choices o er birth full reproductive health services, “We’re the only freestanding birth center in the MidSouth, and we have a hundred percent success rate, which means no one has died in our care while giving birth — baby or birthing person. And that’s something to behold, because Tennessee has the highest maternal mortality rate in the country.”
KEILI MORRIS Teacher, Macon-Hall Elementary School
“I like to tell people my mom was pregnant with me her rst year of teaching. I think I was naturally born to do this, because I mean, there I was!”
Glover-Morris got her baptism by re when she started at Hickory Ridge just before the pandemic made schooling virtual. “I drove all around Hickory Ridge and dropped o school supplies. It was a lot of gas, but it was worth it, because also getting to meet my kids in person was a really big deal, since all they saw of me was behind the camera screen. ey got to meet me and I got to give them a hug.”
At Macon-Hall, she started the school’s rst cheer squad. “I just wanted something for the girls to have what I call a safe space. I’ve been cheering since I was ve. I know for me, cheer really brought a lot of my friends. It taught me independence. It taught me a work ethic.
“I don’t do stu to get honored or recognized. I do it because I want to see children, especially children of color, get to see someone like me and think, ‘Oh, I can do that too!’”
DR. RACHEL PERKINS
Cancer Researcher, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital
“I am very young in my position as an assistant professor,” she says. “I got this really cool opportunity to skip past the postdoc role and jump straight into being an assistant professor, doing my work, which was my passion, on cancer stem cells. So I guess I’d just like to say I’m really grateful, one, for this honor, and two, that UT Health Science Center took that chance on me and gave me the platform to take my passion and run with it.”
Her research on stem cells which appear to promote the growth and spread of malignant tumors holds the promise of new, more e ective treatments. “If you can pull out these minor populations of cells from the whole tumor across many types of cancers, then maybe you can come up with a more broad treatment for patients who have already had drug-resistant disease.”
When she’s not in the lab, her volunteer work with Crosspointe Church in Olive Branch has led to painting murals in schools. “We would paint happy, motivational murals on each bathroom stall for underserved schools in our area, and it just kind of started growing and growing.
“For me, faith, family, and science is everything. I think that faith enhances science and science enhances faith.”
BRIANA
MASSEY
President’s Ambassador, Christian Brothers University
As a graduating senior at CBU, Massey is the School of Arts representative with the Student Government Association. “With student government, I get a chance to be a player. I get to work with di erent groups of a council full of very in uential people who have decided that they wanted to see a change. As the president of the new Epsilon chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, I get to be the front runner, the one who’s out in the community making decisions and bringing that back to my chapter. So I try to play the head role every time because it’s important to be a great leader. You must also be the best follower.” e psychology major, who plans on becoming a school counselor, learned leadership from her rst job behind the concessions counter at Malco eaters. Nowadays, she is the supervisor for the Paradiso and Powerhouse. “I love the movie theaters!” she says. Somehow, she also nds time to intern at the Memphis International Airport. “ ere are some times where I’m like, ‘ is is crazy!’ But more than anything, I am passionate about what I’m doing, so I’m not signing up for things without the knowledge that I’m ready to give 110 percent.”
TYARA MOORE Health O cer, Shelby County Health Department
e Special Assistant to the Division Director of SCHS is originally from Kansas. In school, she studied health and anthropology. “I had kind of a worldview of how to understand people, cultures and how to appropriately treat people in di erent cultures in the healthcare space.”
She was volunteering at a hospital when the pandemic hit. “ ey said, ‘We’re about to start navigating what it looks like to distribute vaccines to people in their cars.’ It really kind of opened my eyes up. What is this thing that I had never heard of that allows popups like this to happen and the community to come together and be able to provide resources to those that might not have been able to have ‘em upfront?”
The class of 2026 20 30
CLAIR MULVIHILL
Vice President, Slingshot Memphis
When this Kansas City, Missouri, native rst came to Memphis, she was looking for the kind of teaching position she had experience with. But her background in math led her to Slingshot Memphis. “We understand what is e ective at ghting poverty, so we help increase resources towards what’s already working, and then we help improve areas or e orts that could be more e ective,” she says. “Moving from teaching students to being in more of a managerial role, o en I think a lot of that was transferable. In some ways I thought I was unprepared, and I’ve been surprised at how much teaching prepared me for this role and this type of work.”
Slingshot partners with 50 Memphis nonpro ts to optimize their anti-poverty operations. “We do program evaluation and technical assistance for those organizations,” Mulvihill says.
How do you li people out of poverty? “I would say one of the things that we see is a more integrated approach. So o entimes people don’t just need one thing. I saw that closely rsthand in the education space and saw students have all kinds of needs that bleed into the classroom.
“If you’re on the cusp of poverty, where you don’t fall into what quali es as ‘poverty level,’ it could take one thing that gets you there. It’s also really hard to come out of that. Economic mobility is di cult. Not only do we have one of the highest poverty rates, we also have one of the lowest economic mobility rates. People say it’s hard to pull yourself up by your bootstraps when somebody else has cemented your boots to the ground.”
Now, she’s the one organizing health fairs all over the county. “We just recently launched a podcast for the health department, which is funny because I feel like even though I work here, it’s been a way for me to even learn more about what we do.” continued on page 12
continued from page 11
DYLAN PATEL
Real Estate Broker
PRAGNA RAJASHEKAR Editor In Chief, e Pulse Reports
JULIAN ROME
Memphis Inner City Rugby
SYNG SAIKOU Musician
“I’ve always been very entrepreneurial, and I’ve always had a fascination with buildings,” says Patel. “I gured it was just the right level of ful llment and challenge to get into the real estate eld.”
Patel started o in residential real estate, but found his niche when he moved into commercial.“I help a lot of local investors keep their money local. Memphis is like 50 percent investor owned, and a lot of those people are from out of state. I like to keep people locally owning properties that are local because I’ve seen the way some of these properties get treated when it’s an owner from out of country or out of state. It makes the city look bad. ey don’t take care of it. No one’s happy about it. at’s not been something I really put out there that much, but it is a really big personal initiative for me to get regular people in Memphis to own their real estate again.
“Real estate is like a living organism. You can’t put it on a spreadsheet and expect that to tell the whole narrative. I want to build a city where Memphians own Memphis.”
is senior at White Station High School is working to keep journalism alive. “I founded e Pulse Reports, an international newspaper. It’s a joint organization with a parent company called e Caring Hands of Tennessee, which I also founded, that works to increase healthcare in Tennessee and Memphis speci cally. When I was working in healthcare, I realized that a lot of the people we were helping were super interested in educational opportunities. ey were reading anything they could get their hands on, studying it. Me and my friends were discussing ways to get educational opportunities out there. So we decided to create e Pulse, which is student-led and student-run. It’s free for anyone to read and we cover topics such as business, anything that you need to survive in our world.
“We are a Memphis organization, so at rst we just stayed within the Memphis community. We were showcasing their artistic abilities and writing skills, and then we started getting submissions from people around the world. We got submissions from Texas, California, and then we got some from India and the U.K. e more that people started to discover us, the more inspired we got, because we were showing so many perspectives.”
How does a philosophy major end up bringing rugby to Memphis kids? “I went to the University of Memphis for undergrad. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, starting as an English major just because I liked books. en I took a freshman intro to philosophy class that changed my life. I like grappling with deep questions. I think I came into college like a lot of 18-year-olds, not really knowing what life was about. I met some of the best friends I’ve had in my life in the philosophy community at Memphis.”
He discovered rugby when he was a tutor at the U of M. “I love the fast pace of it. Honestly, I’ve always been a big college sports fan, but I have ethical concerns about football. And one of the things that really impressed me when I started working at Memphis Inner City Rugby and being more involved with the middle school and the high school programs is the emphasis on safety with the coaches.
“I mentor people who have really di erent backgrounds from me. Most of them are student athletes, when I wasn’t. I feel like, as a mentor, what I get out of it is a great relationship. I get to learn something about some other part of life, get to help somebody through struggles that they might be having, and share my experiences and what I’ve learned.”
Syng Saikou’s singing career started when her kindergarten teacher asked her to sing a solo at her graduation. “My mom, she just used to sing around the house. She was real popular for singing. Most of my cousins and things like that, they play di erent instruments. Some of them rap, some of them act and things like that. So it’s in the bloodline.”
e R&B artist released Saikou Vol. 1 last summer. She is currently prepping her second album. Not content to stay behind the microphone, she recently branched out into acting. “I always was a part of the performing arts, whether that was singing, being on the step team, acting, stu like that. I was never in a real full-blown production until this past year. So it’s kind of opened up a new path for me.”
In addition to starring in the upcoming lm Emily’s Hand, she will be making her stage debut at the Hattiloo eatre in March. “I feel honored to be a part of Memphis legacy, being a part of the lineup of people that are currently shaping Memphis culture.”
CHARLES SEATON
Artist Services Coordinator, Crosstown Arts
“It is pretty cliché to say I like music, but I really love the ability to connect with people, and I’ve never found a better medium than music to learn about a person, how they think and how they view the world,” says Seaton.
“In 2020 I was brought on at Crosstown Arts and essentially the goal of myself and our other teammates was to create some programs and initiatives that would bene t the music community.”
e rst program Seaton tackled helped Memphis musicians get health insurance through the Church Health Center. e second was an education program. “I help artists understand what it means to own their music catalogs and how to take advantage of that ownership. So assistance with paperwork, registering their music for royalty collection, and then organizing that music in a way that would put them in a good position to license. Crosstown Sync is the baby of all three. We license music from Memphis-a liated creatives to TV shows and movies, video games, you name it. Over the past about ve or six years now, we’ve really been developing this musician and artist services team.”
Seaton doesn’t just work behind the scenes. You can catch him in the Hattiloo eatre production of Dreamgirls through March 8th. “I think I want to build, or at least contribute to building, a Memphis that people want to stay in.”
TIERRA “STAR” STARKS
Operations Support Specialist, YMCA of Memphis and the Mid-South
“Memphis was such a pivotal place for me. While it did have its experience on the ends of me growing up in more troubled areas, I grew up to learn and love the struggle of Memphis in a sense of being a contributor and a change agent to my community.”
At the YMCA, “What we really focus on is enhancing and creating programs that service the teen population. ey kind of consider me somewhat like a computer because I think very strategically about how to make things more e cient and e ective, in the sense of how we can optimize our resources as a nonpro t organization o ering services on such a large scale.
RANDY TRUONG
Community Impact Program
“Being from Memphis, I mean, it is a unique experience indeed, but I truly do believe this city really built me di erently in ways that I can’t imagine. I’ve seen so many walks of life, so many experiences, and it is my goal and my mission to be a part of translating those experiences into real learned experiences that really reform the mind. I think mental health is so important and I think that that is a real struggle that people my age all face. e type of city I want to build is authentic and genuine.”
Associate, Community Foundation of Greater Memphis
Growing up, Truong never felt much a ection for Memphis.
en she interned with Seeding Success, where an anti-poverty project called More for Memphis opened her eyes. “I saw these folks on the ground talking about how they don’t have public transportation to get to work, school, or doctor’s appointments. eir home is moldy. ey have a third grade reading level, they haven’t nished high school, and there’s no way for them to get out of that situation. As a person who thought, ‘I don’t like Memphis,’ I was like, ‘Oh my God, somebody has to love Memphis!’”
Now she works for the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis. “Our mission is to make Memphis thrive with the power of philanthropy,” she says. “We have an endowment called the Forever Funds that we’re fundraising for, raising up to $50 million. We’re about at $25 million right now. rough that endowment, we’ll be able to continue grantmaking for years to come without soliciting donors or fundraising. We’ll just have investments coming out of that endowment to give grants to Memphis nonpro ts forever.
“I felt like I needed to stay here because I know my value. I know what I can bring, and I’m not afraid to push back. I want Memphis to get out of the small-think tank.”
continued on page 14
The class of 2026 20 30
KYNNEDY TUGGLE
Policy and Advocacy Associate, First 8 Memphis
Education is Tuggle’s passion. e Rhodes College graduate did time in the classroom as an ESL teacher before moving on to public policy roles, where she’s shaping the future of the classroom. “First 8 Memphis is an early care and education systems-level organization working to strengthen high-quality early learning opportunities and supports for children and families from prenatal through age eight in Memphis and Shelby County,” she says.
Her passion for education is not just academic. “As a single mom of two little ones, motherhood shapes how I see the world and truly informs everything I do. ough it can be challenging at times, it is important to me to actively participate in the community where my children are growing up. Being a mom has made me more passionate about my work, helping me understand how systems and policies can sometimes operate in silos, further reinforcing barriers for families.
“ e Memphis I’m actively creating is one that truly prioritizes children and families — one in which dedicated funding and meaningful investments support families from the moment they are expecting children, ensuring access to high-quality early learning, healthcare, and resources that give every child a strong start in life.”
KORI VAN DER BIJL Nonpro t Consultant, MKDM
“I am a writer by trade,” says van der Bijl. “Storytelling is at the heart of everything I do and will always be at the center of what I do.”
But when she moved to Memphis with her boyfriend, “I was looking for a bit of a stretch.”
She got married at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens, which led unexpectedly to a position as Membership Coordinator there. “I jumped right in feet rst, and learned so much. I think one of the best ways to get to know Memphis was from being a part of the Dixon team.”
Eventually, she moved on to consulting and fundraising for nonpro ts nationwide. “I think at the end of the day, most people don’t want you to look at them and see a number. Most people in the position to make philanthropic gi s, no matter large or small, have their own set of values. ey have a ‘why,’ whether it’s a tax bene t or something more altruistic. Everyone has their own reasons. Finding that reason, understanding that reason, and making them feel seen and heard is always going to be more important than getting across what dollar amount you need on the front end.”
She admits that she’s fallen in love with her adoptive city. “I feel that it’s the type of place that catches you by surprise. It kind of creeps up on you. I love a good underdog story, and I think that’s exactly what Memphis is.”
The class of 2026 20 30
steppin’ out
We Recommend: Culture, News + Reviews
Pandas Get Handy
By Kimberly Ham
If you’re looking for a children’s book that’s equal parts giggles and gentle life lessons, e Handy Pandas deserves a spot on the nightstand. Local author and illustrator Jamie McMahon brings her debut children’s book to life during a Storytime event at Novel on Saturday, February 7th, at 10:30 a.m., complete with a full reading, Q&A, coloring pages for kids, and signed copies.
e book’s charm starts with its playful irony. “ e book is playful and ironic because pandas are probably the least handy,” McMahon says. e idea sparked while watching videos of panda bears tumbling, climbing, and bouncing back up again. “I love how curious and resilient they are. Pandas are lovable and funny, so I knew they would make great characters for a children’s book.” at resilience becomes the heart of the story. In e Handy Pandas, four panda friends pride themselves on being problem-solvers. When they wake from a nap to nd the sun gone from the sky, each bear tries a di erent solution — with humorous results. “ e story models how teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving can be fun and rewarding,” McMahon says. Even when the solution isn’t what they expect, the joy is in the trying.
Written for children of all ages, the book is deeply inspired by McMahon’s own kids. “I have three little ones — 6, 4, and 1,” McMahon says. “ ere are vocabulary words that a 6- or 7-year-old hasn’t seen yet, and the critical thinking aspect is great for that age range.” In uences like Shel Silverstein, Dr. Seuss, and Sandra Boynton shine through in the rhyming text and playful unpredictability. “On its face, it’s silly and fun, but there are solid meanings underneath,” McMahon says. McMahon also illustrated the book herself — a rst for her, despite an art background that includes teaching and gallery work. “Creating the illustrations was a learning experience for sure,” McMahon says. With encouragement from her publisher, Mama Bear Books, she embraced bold, bright colors that match the book’s upbeat tone without overpowering the words.
Ultimately, the goal is simple and heartfelt. “If kids just giggle while enjoying the book, that’s a win for me,” McMahon says. “But I also hope they walk away thinking, ‘I can do it. We can gure this out.’” e Handy Pandas is available at mamabears.com and Amazon. Jamie’s Storytime event at Novel will be a perfect outing for young readers and the grown-ups who love reading with them.
Forged with Love: Eternal Copper Roses for Valentine’s Day
Metal Museum, Saturday, February 7, noon-4 p.m., $150
Skip the wilting owers this Valentine’s Day and make something that lasts. In this hands-on metalworking class, you’ll create a bouquet of copper roses for your favorite person (or yourself). Forge steel stems, shape pre-cut copper petals using cold-forming techniques, and use an oxyacetylene torch to heat and quench one rose for a rich red patina. It’s a perfect date-night experience or creative outing with a friend — and the roses will never fade. ey are designed for students of all levels.
Popovich Comedy Pet eater Buckman Arts Center at St. Mary’s School, ursday, February 5, 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
e world-famous Popovich Comedy Pet eater brings Moscow-born clown Gregory Popovich and his scene-stealing animal co-stars to the stage for a joyful spectacle. All of Popovich’s remarkably talented pets were rescued from animal shelters, and they shine in a whirlwind of European-style clowning, juggling, balancing acts, and irresistible fourlegged performances. Seen on e Tonight Show, e Late Show with David Letterman, and America’s Got Talent, this feel-good extravaganza delights audiences of all ages.
Super Saturday – Black History Month: Chakaia Booker
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art Saturday, February 7, 10 a.m.-noon. Meet renowned Black American artist Chakaia Booker at this week’s Super Saturday. Famous for her monumental sculptures made from reclaimed tires, Booker transforms industrial materials into powerful works of art. Get hands-on by creating your own abstract minisculpture using black paper, then head into the galleries to see a work by Booker on view in the museum’s permanent collection.
THE HANDY PANDAS STORYTIME WITH JAMIE MCMAHON, NOVEL, 387 PERKINS EXTD., SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 10:30 A.M., FREE.
PHOTO: JULIE CLEM
Jamie McMahon
FISCAL YEAR 2027 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN PUBLIC HEARING
Shelby County Department of Housing (SCDH) will hold two public hearings to discuss Shelby County housing and community development needs in preparation for the Fiscal Year 2027 Annual Action Plan (HUD Program Year 2026, Annual Planning Year 3 (AP3)) on Wednesday, February 25, 2026 at 12:00pm and 5:30 pm and provide both in-person and virtual attendance options.
In Person Attendance Option: Shelby County Code Enforcement, Conference Room, 6465 Mullins Station Road Memphis, TN 38134. Attendees should enter the Code Enforcement Building through the north entrance facing the Greenline. Follow the posted signs to the meeting room.
Virtual Attendance Option: A virtual option to join is also provided, and participants can join the meeting with a computer, tablet, or smartphone at:
If you plan to attend the public hearing and have special needs, please contact the Department of Housing at (901) 222-7600 by 4:30 p.m. Friday, February 20, 2026 and we will work to accommodate you. Resident input and public participation are strongly encouraged.
The consolidated planning process for FY 2025-2029 serves as the framework for a communitywide dialogue to identify housing and community development priorities that align and focus funding from the Community Planning and Development (CPD) formula grant programs Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program. The FY 2027 Annual Action Plan establishes within this broader Consolidated Plan (FY 2025-2029) the basis for the use of these formula funds for the period of July 1, 2026 –June 30, 2027. The primary purpose of this hearing is to receive comments on community development needs to consider them in the FY 2027 Annual Action Plan. Shelby County anticipates receiving level funding for the upcoming program year. Shelby County expects to submit the Annual Plan for FY 2027 to HUD on or before May 15, 2026 following a 30-day review and comment period, provided HUD has announced allocations prior to that time.
Shelby County Department of Housing has also prepared an Allocation Plan to utilize HOME American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds intended to assist individuals and households that are experiencing homelessness, at risk of homelessness, and address the needs of other vulnerable populations. SCDH will provide an update and share work with community agencies conducting eligible activities outlined in the HOME-ARP notice CPD-21-10 published September 2021.
The hearing will also provide an update on current activities under the CDBG and HOME Programs, information on Section 3 contracting opportunities, and will provide information on other programs operated by SCDH.
Persons wishing to comment on the FY 2027 Annual Action Plan (AP3) or HOME-ARP Allocation Plan may do so by writing to Dana Sjostrom via email (dana.sjostrom@shelbycountytn.gov), or written comment to Shelby County Department of Housing, 6465 Mullins Station Road, Memphis, TN 38134. Shelby County will schedule an additional public hearing in April 2026 to present the proposed Annual Action Plan for FY 2027 for public comment before it is submitted to HUD. For additional information contact the Department of Housing at 901-222-7600 or TTY at 901-222-2300.
The Shelby County Department of Housing does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age or disability in employment or the provision of services. Equal opportunity/equal access provider.
Para mas información en Español, por favor llame Dana Sjostrom al 901-222-7601.
Lee Harris
Mayor
MUSIC By Michael Donahue
Still in the Game
Carl
f you’re a certain age, you remember Uncle Jungle, the band of high schoolers that played lots of shows at the New Daisy in the mid-2000s.
Now, about 17 years later and a er three years in law school at Washington & Lee University, Uncle Jungle’s guitarist/ principal songwriter Carl Krausnick has released his rst solo album.
He never stopped making music.
On January 30th, Krausnick released Dining Companion, about 15 years a er Uncle Jungle released its album, e Medicine Man & His Medicine Band. e new album contains 12 tracks, some of which have their roots in music Krausnick wrote in college.
As a child growing up in Memphis, Krausnick was more interested in visual arts than music. “I loved drawing and messing around with my hands,” he says. “I won some competition and [one of my drawings] ended up on a Christmas card when I was in elementary school at PDS (Presbyterian Day School). It was some incarnation of e Berenstain Bears family. I think it was a Berenstain Bears nuclear family.”
By his freshman year of high school, Krausnick, who grew up in a family that listened to a lot of music, was “really engrossed in the guitar. I was listening and developing my own taste in music alongside my friends, growing up. At the time we were all into jam bands.” ey listened to a lot of music by groups like Phish. “I found it all to be so incredibly musical and diverse.”
Krausnick formed Uncle Jungle, which included Gabe Ruby, Sam Ferguson, Mikey Rose, and Harrison Martin.
In 2024, “more melodic ideas were pouring out of me than at any time in my life.”
“I shared guitar duties with Gabe. And Harrison and I sang vocals. Sam Ferguson, bass. Mikey, drums.”
e Medicine Man & His Medicine Band was recorded at Young Avenue Sound. “‘Diamond Cave’ was a stand alone single and the last thing we recorded,” Krausnick says. “Death of Funk” was another popular song.
Krausnick also played lacrosse, but he stopped sports when Uncle Jungle started gaining traction and playing more gigs, so he could focus on the band.
“Aside from house parties, we had a pretty regular gig at the New Daisy. at’s
where the majority of our live performances took place.”
Uncle Jungle only played about three years, but, Krausnick says, “I did know that I would maintain a musical relationship with all those guys moving forward. I just didn’t know in what capacity.”
ey broke up a er Krausnick, who was a year ahead of the other members, went to Southern Methodist University (SMU), where he formed another band, Lil’ Buddha & the Packrats.
ey played a lot of Grateful Dead, Phish, Talking Heads, and Allman Brothers songs at fraternity parties and football tailgate parties. “We played in di erent capacities with somewhat of a revolving lineup all four years of college. But we never recorded anything. I don’t want to overstate it as being anything more than a party band.”
But, he says, “I would say, most importantly, I found it to be fun. Namely, performing with a band.”
While in that party band, Krausnick knew he wanted to put out a solo release at some point. He began writing “decidedly non-jam band-centric music.”
“ ere were a lot of voice memos on the phone. And then I recorded a lot of stu directly through a laptop with microphones, backed vocals. And the vast majority of those recordings are acoustic with vocals.”
A er he graduated from SMU, Krausnick took a year o and moved to Alaska, where he worked in a shing lodge, and then to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where he
“did the whole transient ski bum thing.”
He didn’t put a band together, but he continued writing and recording at Washington & Lee University. “Just completely solo acoustic guitar and vocals. And I wrote a lot of songs then. So, there was a lot of developing in terms of songcra that took place during the three years of law school. I improved my production chops quite a lot.”
A er he graduated from law school, Krausnick moved back to Memphis, where he had accepted a job with a law rm. But, he says, “One of the rst things I did was get re-acquainted with old musician friends of mine that were still in Memphis. A lot of jams at people’s houses.”
Krausnick kept his songs private, for the most part. “Not sharing it outside of a few select friends.”
During that time, he just wanted to play music and create. “Keep my hands on a guitar.”
Finally, in 2024, Krausnick began seriously working on his solo album. “I decided to make this record a er some health issues forced me to slow down and reevaluate things.”
He realized music was “becoming essential. Around that same time, I was settling into life as a father, with more responsibility and a di erent sense of time.”
Krausnick bought a lot more gear, including a violin, an analog synthesizer, and drums — all of which, in addition to piano, he played himself. “I play everything. One hundred percent,” he says. “ is whole album was born out of
having hot microphones on every single time I went into my space. I was really intentional about recording as I was playing, even if it was under the guise of practicing.”
Some of the melodies he wrote in law school appear on the album. “ ere was, quite frankly, a lot of this stu . ese songs are pastiches. ey’re cobbled together from di erent disparate ideas.”
And, he says, “I knew how easy it was to forget a really good idea if you’re not recording everything.”
roughout the spring and summer of 2024, Krausnick recorded his songs. “And this might sound cheesy, but more melodic ideas were pouring out of me than at any time in my life,” he says.
“Memphis Fireworks,” his rst single from the album, was “born out of several occasions in which I was putting my daughter to sleep or tending to her late at night and I could hear gun shots.”
He describes the song, which includes the words “pop, pop, pop” throughout, as “a love letter to my daughter that acknowledges some of the realities of the city we live in.”
As far as an overall theme to his new album, Krausnick says, “I would tend to think on the whole it’s supposed to be upli ing. But, melodically, I think a lot of the stu is really dense. And I think it’s just very charged.”
And so is Krausnick. He’s planning to do with his new album what he’s been doing most of his life. “ e next step is to bring it to life with a band.”
Get ready for an electric performance by Timothy James with their signature high-energy style and fun-
Will Tucker Band Friday, Feb. 6, 8 p.m. | Saturday, Feb. 7, 8 p.m.
BLUES CITY CAFE
Alexis Jade, Josh Green, Carter Wenger
Enjoy a bit of Outlaw Country as Jade, Green, and Wenger play a night of original music. Saturday, Feb. 7, 7 p.m.
SOUTH MAIN SOUNDS
Tennessee Songwriters Week Qualifier
e annual competition sponsored by TN Vacation returns with 15 songwriters vying for three spots to move on to the regional nals. Friday, Feb. 6, 7 p.m.
SOUTH MAIN SOUNDS
Elmo & the Shades ft.
Eddie Harrison
Wednesday, Feb. 11, 7 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
Landslide (Fleetwood Mac Tribute)
Experience a powerful live music performance featuring the songs of Fleetwood Mac & Stevie Nicks performed by some of the city’s nest musicians. Saturday, Feb. 7, 8 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
John Williams & the A440 Band
$10. ursday, Feb. 5, 8 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
The Debbie Jamison Band
Tuesday, Feb. 10, 6-10 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
Van Duren
e singer-songwriter, a pioneer of indie pop in Memphis, performs solo. ursday, Feb. 5, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
MORTIMER’S
Buried Beneath
e debut show for Buried Beneath. With Hooves, Grave Lurker. 21+. $10. Saturday, Feb. 7, 9 p.m.
HI TONE
Datura
Listen to Datura with special guests Shorty and the Grooves. Saturday, Feb. 7, 6 p.m.
GROWLERS
Deborah Swiney Duo
Jazz and bossa nova. ursday, Feb. 5, 6-9 p.m.
THE COVE
Devil Train
Bluegrass, roots, country, Delta, and ski e. ursday, Feb. 5, 9 p.m.
B-SIDE
Doll’s Playlist
Aaliyah Tribute
Just Liyah & Maxwell ’90s tribute, with special guest DJ
A.D 901. Saturday, Feb. 7, 8:30 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
All FERB All Night
A DJ with one of the most eclectic music catalogs around town. 21+. $5/Doors. Friday, Feb. 6, 10 p.m.-2 a.m.
CANVAS
Amber McCain Duo
ursday, Feb. 5, 6 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Basketcase
Friday, Feb. 6, 9:30 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Baunie and Soul
Saturday, Feb. 7, 4 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Doll’s Playlist is a live music experience centered around connection and discovery.
Saturday, Feb. 7, 7:30 p.m.
THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS
Echelon Nine
Echelon Nine presents Initiation Night — an industry gathering for artists, creatives, and visionaries ready to connect, build, and elevate. Friday, Feb. 6, 8 p.m.
HI TONE
Echoes of Reflection: Spatial Polyphony and Antiphony
Inspired by the Moss Gallery’s medieval art, this all-instrumental program explores the ancient practices of polyphony and antiphony—sonic techniques that originated in sacred spaces and shaped Western music profoundly.
ursday, Feb. 5, 6 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Iron Mic Coalition
Known throughout hip hop circles by the moniker IMC, the group is appreciated for its conscious rap and underground boom bap music, reminiscent of golden era hip hop. Friday, Feb. 6, 7:30 p.m.
THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS
James McMurtry
e Black Dog and the Wandering Boy Tour brings you James McMurtry and e Martial Law Review. Friday, Feb. 6, 8 p.m.
MINGLEWOOD HALL
Jazz Jam with the Cove Quartet
All musicians are welcome to sit in with this loose yet sophisticated ensemble. Sunday, Feb. 8, 6-9 p.m.
THE COVE
Joe Restivo 4
Guitarist Restivo leads one of the city’s nest jazz quartets.
Sunday, Feb. 8, noon
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Landslide (Fleetwood Mac Tribute)
Friday, Feb. 6, 6 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Level Three
Wednesday, Feb. 11, 10 p.m.
LOUIS CONNELLY’S BAR
Mama’s Broke
Mama’s Broke is a powerful duo delivering a compelling performance with heart and raw energy. With opener fosterfalls, who cra s ethereal folk music that envelops the listener in fantastical world. In
Unapologetically Unplugged: An R&B Experience | Valentine’s Day Special
Celebrate one full year of Memphis R&B excellence as Unapologetically Unplugged returns for its 1-year anniversary show. Free, $35/seated VIP. Friday, Feb. 6, 7 p.m. GROWLERS
Uncl Aunti “EgoDeathin Inna Driveway” EP release party. With Gill Yum, Spek, Ash Leon. $13.50. Friday, Feb. 6, 8 p.m. HI TONE
Tennessee Songwriters Week Qualifier
A quali er show for an annual statewide celebration of the songwriters and the cra that shaped Tennessee’s rich musical history. Free. ursday, Feb. 5, 6 p.m.
STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC
Chicken S#!+ Bingo
Play the game of the century with live music by Dale Watson. Free. Sunday, Feb. 8, 3 p.m.
HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY
Service Industry Night Open Jam
Hosted by JD Westmoreland. Bring your instruments and jam. Wednesday, Feb. 11, 7 p.m.
HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY
their enchanting live performances, the Memphis-born bard guides the audience on a quest through a mythic forest of swelling harmonies and entrancing looper arrangements. ursday, Feb. 5, 7:30 p.m. THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS
Mary Hatley With the Stupid Reasons, Deer elds. ursday, Feb. 5, 8 p.m.
GROWLERS
Pestilence Presents With Phony, Rules of Engagement, Aversive Control, Slip to Dust. $13.50. Wednesday, Feb. 11, 7 p.m.
HI TONE
Pulse (Pink Floyd Tribute)
Pink Floyd Tribute by Pulse. Sunday, Feb. 8, 5 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Robert Taylor Smith
Robert Taylor Smith with Gia Welch and Drew Hutson Rogers. Friday, Feb. 6, 9 p.m.
LAMPLIGHTER LOUNGE
Sean Murphy: “Sound Meditation Journey” & Album Release
Breathe, relax, and listen deeply as you immerse yourself in a vibrational soundscape created by this multi-instrumentalist, who will be joined by saxophonist Bhakti Lam-Mu (Art Edmaiston). Murphy’s new LP, Ambient Light, will be available. Sunday, Feb. 8, 6 p.m.
THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS
The Wild Hideaway e Wild Hideaway with sounds by Lil Wild Bill. $10 entry. $10. Saturday, Feb. 7, 8 p.m.
HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY
Jazz in the Box: Bryan Eng Trio Jazz pianist, singer, composer, and arranger Bryan Eng is a New York star in ascension. $45. Friday, Feb. 6, 7-8:30 p.m.
GERMANTOWN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Memphis Jazz Workshop School Matinee
A free- owing, interactive exploration of hip-hop and jazz presented by the Memphis Jazz Workshop. Wednesday, Feb. 11, 10 a.m.
GERMANTOWN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Richard Wilson
Smooth, soulful, and relaxing. Saturday, Feb. 7, 9 a.m.-noon.
CARRINGTON OAKS COFFEEHOUSE AND BISTRO-LAKELAND
Wendy Moten is newest inductee to the Memphis Music Hall of Fame garnered national attention with ’90s hits like “Come In Out of the Rain,” and more recently with her powerhouse vocals and incredible range on Season 21 of e Voice. $40. Friday, Feb. 6, 7:30 p.m.
BARTLETT PERFORMING ARTS AND CONFERENCE CENTER
PHOTO: COURTESY CROSSTOWN ARTS GREEN ROOM Doll’s Playlist
CALENDAR of EVENTS: February 5 - 11, 2026
ART AND SPECIAL EXHIBITS
“A Memphis of Hope” Art Show
An exhibit of art evoking what is “right” about where we live. Free. rough Feb. 26.
WKNO DIGITAL MEDIA CENTER
Ann Brown Thomason Art Exhibition is retired physician is also an artist. On view in the Grand Hallway. Monday, Feb. 9-Feb. 27.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
“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. rough March 31.
STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC
Black Artists in America: “From the Bicentennial to September 11” e nal installment of the Dixon’s Black Artists in America series showcases African American art during the last quarter of the 20th century. rough March 25.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
“Food: Science, Culture, and Cuisine”
A multi-sensory feast of an exhibition that engages you in new ways to think about food through sight, taste, smell, touch, and sound. $21/general admission. rough May 24.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
“From 200 to 250: America’s Bicentennial Bash of 1976”
Explore Bicentennial memorabilia, local re ections, and the sights and sounds of 1976 as the Americans of Collierville came together to honor the past. Free. rough April 18.
MORTON MUSEUM OF COLLIERVILLE HISTORY
“Last Whistle: Steamboat Stories of Memphis” Featuring detailed model boats and original steamboat artifacts. rough June 26.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
“Meet the Dixons”
Learn how the Dixon Gallery & Gardens began with Margaret and Hugo Dixon’s vision of creating a place to celebrate art, nature, and beauty, which became a reality in 1976. rough May 31.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
MGAL 2026 Winter Juried Exhibition
Memphis/Germantown Art League juried exhibit includes a variety of paintings in oil,
acrylic, watercolor, oil on silk, and mixed media by over 40 area artists. rough Feb. 27.
ST. GEORGE’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
“Navigating Knowledge” is exhibition explores vessels and navigation as metaphors for the containment and transmission of knowledge. rough Oct. 31.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
“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. rough June 30.
GALLERY ALBERTINE
“River Coral”: New Works by Anthony Lee Depictions of fantastic, uid gures and shapes. rough March 30.
BUCKMAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
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. rough April 12.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Town Beautiful Commission’s “Unofficial Town Flower” is community-inspired exhibition invited residents and students to imagine and depict which ower they would nominate as Collierville’s uno cial town ower. rough March 14.
MORTON MUSEUM OF COLLIERVILLE HISTORY
Tributaries: Kat Cole’s “Meditations” Cole captures ephemeral gestures in glass, enamel and steel, resulting in gleaming puddles of light and color. rough March 8.
METAL MUSEUM
Veda Reed: “In Memoriam” Reed’s painting life focused on West Tennessee landscapes, the Mississippi River, brief pilgrimages in Italy and England, the vast skies of New Mexico, and Granite Mountain that loomed over her town. rough Feb. 7.
DAVID LUSK GALLERY
ART HAPPENINGS
“A Memphis of Hope” Art Show Opening Celebrate a show that shares messages of what is “right” about where we live. Free.
Saturday, Feb. 7, 2-5 p.m.
WKNO DIGITAL MEDIA CENTER
PHOTO: COURTESY MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN e Ann Brown omason Art Exhibition reveals the physician’s fruitful retirement.
Carol Roark Artist Reception
An artist reception for Roark at the Patrick Lawton Lobby. Free. Friday, Feb. 6, 5:30 p.m.
GERMANTOWN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Keiko Gonzalez and Leanna Hicks Carey Art Opening
A double opening for Gonzalez’s “Indoor Games” and Hicks Carey’s “ e Dark Country.” ursday, Feb. 5, 5 p.m.
SHEET CAKE
Super Saturday - Black History Month: Chakaia Booker
Use black paper to construct an abstract mini-creation.
A erwards, see Booker’s piece on view in the museum’s permanent collection. Saturday, Feb. 7, 10 a.m.-noon.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Works of Heart
Gallery-quality, heart-themed artwork by leading artists, all to bene t the Memphis Child Advocacy Center. $100/ general admission, $225/Big Heart Lounge. Saturday, Feb. 7, 7-10 p.m.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
BOOK EVENTS
Decorative Arts
Trust presents Alexa Hampton Book Signing, Reception, and Talk Hampton is an associate member of the American Society
of Interior Designers and a recipient of Cosmopolitan’s Fun Fearless Female Award. Wednesday, Feb. 11, 5:30-8 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Special Story Time
At Novel: The Handy Pandas with Jamie McMahon
With lovable characters and a playful storyline, e Handy Pandas is a delightful read for home or the classroom. Saturday, Feb. 7, 10:30 a.m. NOVEL
The New Romantics Book Club: Conform is book club will discuss Conform by Ariel Sullivan. Saturday, Feb. 7, 2 p.m. NOVEL
CLASS
/ WORKSHOP
Adult Tap Class No experience needed, just bring tap shoes! $20. Tuesday, Feb. 10, 10-11 a.m.
PHOTO: COURTESY DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
“Meet the Dixons” celebrates Margaret and Hugo Dixon’s vision, made a reality in 1976.
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.
GERMANTOWN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Forged with Love: Eternal Copper Roses for Valentine’s Day Classes in the Smithy o er the opportunity to learn blacksmithing techniques from our resident artists and apprentices. ey are designed for students of all levels. $150. Saturday, Feb. 7, noon-4 p.m.
METAL MUSEUM
Music Production Programs at Music Box
Music production programs for kids and adults. Access to professional gear and tech, knowledgeable instructors, who are actively and successfully producing music. Monday, Feb. 9-May 5 MUSIC BOX INC.
One Day Assemblage Workshop Assemblage is de ned as “a work of art made by grouping found or unrelated objects.” It can also mean a gathering of people. is workshop incorporates both. Saturday, Feb. 7, 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
SHAPESHIFTER ARTSCHOOL AND GALLERY
Orchid Care for Beginners
Learn from Alan Jaslow, Vice President of the Memphis Orchid Society, with over 50 years of orchid care experience. $30/members. $35/ non-members. Sunday, Feb. 8, 1-3 p.m.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Rhythm & Roots
Presented by Memphis Youth Arts Initiative, this is a free community program o ering high-energy music and dance lessons for youth ages 6–17. Wednesday, Feb. 11, 6 p.m.
MEMPHIS YOUTH ARTS INITIATIVE CENTER
Studio Courses with Creative Aging: Mixed Media Collage
Cheeto Ryan leads this 6-week beginner-friendly course will use mixed media collage techniques to explore the artists featured in the “Black Artists in America” exhibition. 65+. Tuesday, Feb. 10, 1:30-3 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Wine Series - Wines of France
Learn all about European vineyards without leaving your seat. Wednesday, Feb. 11, 6 p.m.
GREYS FINE CHEESE AND ENTERTAINING
COMEDY
Open Mic Comedy Night Open mic hilarity reigns in the small room downstairs. Free show. Tuesday, Feb. 10, 8 p.m.
HI TONE
COMMUNITY
2026 Founders Day Gala e DeSoto County (MS) Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma eta Sorority celebrates the sorority’s history. $125. Saturday, Feb. 7, 6 p.m. LANDERS CENTER
Cirque du CMOM: Absurdly Campy
For one night only, adults take over the Children’s Museum of Memphis at Cirque du CMOM: Absurdly Campy. Saturday, Feb. 7, 7-11 p.m.
CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF MEMPHIS
Echelon Nine
Echelon Nine presents Initiation Night — an industry gathering for artists, creatives, and visionaries. Friday, Feb. 6, 8 p.m. HI TONE
Made With Love Market
A Valentine-inspired market lled with local cra ers, bakers, and makers. Saturday, Feb. 7, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. LANDERS CENTER
Transit Equity Day 2026
Share your transit story, advocate for better transit, and have your voice heard on this holiday that honors the legacy of Rosa Parks and Memphis’ 40,000+ daily transit riders. Free. Saturday, Feb. 7, 10 a.m.12:45 p.m.
ORANGE MOUND COMMUNITY CENTER
FILM
Apollo 11: First Steps Edition
A special edition of Todd Douglas MIller’s critically acclaimed Apollo 11 documentary, created exclusively for giant screen theaters. ursday, Feb. 5-Feb. 11, 1 p.m. Closed Mondays.
CTI 3D GIANT THEATER
Butterfly in the Sky
Like You Film Club presents a special screening of this 2024 documentary. Saturday, Feb. 7, 3 p.m.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
Dark Side of Light
An exploration of light pollution and the impact it has not only on us, but on nature as a whole. ursday, Feb. 5-Feb. 11, 2 p.m. Closed Mondays.
AUTOZONE DOME PLANETARIUM
Forward to the Moon
A planetarium show about the Artemis program, NASA’s project to return to the moon, from landing humans on the surface, to building a space station in lunar orbit, to establishing a human lunar base. ursday, Feb. 5-Feb. 11, 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. Closed Mondays.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
Macbeth 1971
Roman Polanski’s Macbeth
is one of the most brutal and unflinching adaptations of Shakespeare’s tragedy ever put to film. Thursday, Feb. 5, 7 p.m.
CROSSTOWN THEATER
Oceans: Our Blue Planet
Embark on a global odyssey film to discover the largest and least explored habitat on earth. Thursday, Feb. 5-Feb. 11, 3 p.m. Closed Mondays.
CTI 3D GIANT THEATER
Seasonal Stargazing: Memphis Skies Hop through constellations, learn cool star names, and groove to planetarium space music in this full dome audiovisual experience. Thursday, Feb. 5,-Feb. 11, 4 p.m. Closed Mondays.
AUTOZONE DOME PLANETARIUM
Stitchless in Seattle: Sleepless in Seattle
Bring your needlepoint, knitting, crochet, or embroidery and enjoy a classic film surrounded by fellow creatives. Relax, stitch, and snack as we turn movie night into a crafty community experience. Tuesday, Feb. 10, 6 p.m.
CTI 3D GIANT THEATER
The Morris and Mollye Fogelman
International Jewish Film Festival
A festival featuring eight films from all over the world in a diverse mix of genres. $10/ Community Movie Ticket, $8/MJCC Memphis Movie Ticket, $56/Community Series Pass - All 8 Movies, $45/MJCC Member Series Pass - All 8 Movies. Thursday, Feb. 5, 7 p.m. | Tuesday, Feb. 10, 7 p.m.
MEMPHIS JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER
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, Feb. 5-Feb. 11, 1 p.m., 3 p.m. Closed Mondays.
AUTOZONE DOME PLANETARIUM
T. Rex: Greatest of All Tyrants
The most dazzling and accurate giant screen documentary ever made on this legendary predator—and its carnivorous Cretaceous cousins. Thursday, Feb. 5-Feb. 11, 4 p.m. Closed Mondays.
CTI 3D GIANT THEATER
Walking with Dinosaurs: Prehistoric Planet
The film follows Pachyrhinosaurus youngsters through the seasons and the challenges of growing up and establishing themselves in this prehistoric world. Thursday, Feb. 5-Feb. 11, 2 p.m. Closed Mondays.
CTI 3D GIANT THEATER
LECTURE
African American Artists in Memphis: Documenting Their Histories
This lecture will discuss how the Black Artists in America exhibition series enriched research about African American artists in Memphis. Free. Sunday, Feb. 8, 2-3 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
“How to Be a Music Director” Panel
An interactive panel open to 6th-12th graders designed to introduce young musicians to the world of musical direction and leadership. Friday, Feb. 6, 4 p.m.
STAX MUSIC ACADEMY
Ideas Over Lunch: Arts Education in Memphis
What does the future of art education look like in Memphis? This dynamic and thoughtprovoking Ideas Over Lunch panel will explore issues in art education. $5/general admission. Friday, Feb. 6, 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m.
THE MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Munch and Learn: “1976 | LACMA’s Two Centuries of Black American Art” Exhibition
Featuring Ellen Daughterty, Associate Curator, Dixon Gallery and Gardens. Free. Wednesday, Feb. 11, noon-1 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
PERFORMING ARTS
Popovich Comedy Pet Theater
This show merges the theatrics of Moscowborn Gregory Popovich with the extraordinary talents of his furry all-stars. Thursday, Feb. 5, 5 p.m. | Thursday, Feb. 5, 7:30 p.m.
BUCKMAN ARTS CENTER AT ST. MARY’S SCHOOL
SHEN YUN 2026 in Memphis
Shen Yun’s unique artistic vision expands theatrical experience into a multi-dimensional, deeply moving journey. Tuesday, Feb. 10, 7:30-10 p.m.
CANNON CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
SPECIAL EVENTS
Libration 2026
A Library Lovers Month celebration honoring the Memphis Public Libraries staff. $20/non MPL staff. Saturday, Feb. 7, 2-5 p.m.
SOUL & SPIRITS BREWERY
SPORTS
First Saturday Paddle - Lost Swamp Canoe through a beautiful section of the urban Wolf River. Saturday, Feb. 7, 9 a.m.
WOLF RIVER CONSERVANCY
Memphis Hustle vs. San Diego Clilppers
Friday, Feb. 6, 7 p.m. | Sunday, Feb. 8, 1 p.m.
LANDERS CENTER
Memphis Hustle vs. Santa Cruz Warriors Wednesday, Feb. 11, 10:30 a.m.
LANDERS CENTER
Memphis Tigers vs. Charlotte Sunday, Feb. 8, 1 p.m.
FEDEXFORUM
THEATER
Always a Bridesmaid
Four friends have sworn to keep the promise they made on their Senior Prom night: to be in each other’s weddings, no matter what. Thursday, Feb. 5, 7:30-9:30 p.m. | Friday, Feb. 6, 7:30-9:30 p.m. | Saturday, Feb. 7, 7:30-9:30 p.m. | Sunday, Feb. 8, 2-4 p.m.
THEATRE MEMPHIS
Dreamgirls
Follow an all-girl Motown singing group from obscurity to superstardom. Thursday, Feb. 5, 7:30 p.m. | Friday, Feb. 6, 7:30 p.m. | Saturday, Feb. 7, 7:30 p.m. | Sunday, Feb. 8, 2 p.m.
HATTILOO THEATRE
Jagged Little Pill
A musical inspired by Alanis Morisette’s 1995 album, this show navigates the difficulties establishing one’s identity. Thursday, Feb. 5, 8
A psychological thriller that delves into mental health, social media, and generational divides. Thursday, Feb. 5, 8 p.m. | Friday, Feb. 6, 8 p.m. | Saturday, Feb. 7, 8 p.m. | Sunday, Feb. 8, 2 p.m. CIRCUIT PLAYHOUSE
The Revolutionists
Playwright Olympe de Gouges, assassin Charlotte Corday, former queen Marie Antoinette, and Haitian rebel Marianne Angelle hang out, murder Marat, and try to beat back the insanity. $20-$25. Friday, Feb. 6, 8 p.m. | Saturday, Feb. 7, 8 p.m. | Sunday, Feb. 8, 2 p.m. THEATREWORKS
The Taming of the Shrew Shakespeare’s story reimagined as a radio play, featuring Rodgers and Hart, Sinatra, and Crosby. Friday, Friday, Feb. 6, 7:30 p.m. | Saturday, Feb. 7, 7:30 p.m. | Sunday, Feb. 8, 3 p.m. TENNESSEE SHAKESPEARE COMPANY
This Dry Spell
Developed in the Voices of the South writers’ workshop. Thursday, Feb. 5, 8 p.m. | Friday, Feb. 6, 8 p.m. | Saturday, Feb. 7, 8 p.m. | Sunday, Feb. 8, 2 p.m. VOICES OF THE SOUTH THEATER
Edited by Will Shortz No. 0606
___ Bell (Emily Brontë pen name)
16 Word with single or fair 17 Direct-tocustomer beef retailer
19 1952 and 1994 Olympics locale: Abbr.
20 Cover over, as a wall
21 Remove, as a name tag 23 Busy beaver
Spirited horse
Upscale hotel amenity
Now and for always
Demolition aid
Calaverite or sylvanite
Coated, in a way
City NE of Manchester
Rejections 26 Go one better than 27 Place to buy paint
Hawaiian entree, for short
Ones playing the numbers?
Big brand with an oval logo 54 Ticket datum 55 Something you might write an article on 59 More daft 63 Field a kickoff
65 Subject of the 1962 Nobel Prize in Medicine
66 Performer with a weapon
68 Samuel Beckett’s “Endgame” has one
69 Mailing category for reduced postage
70 Very little
71 “___-haw!”
72 Name on a “Citizen Kane” poster
73 Things to run or pass
1 Set of keys, maybe 2 Beau 3 Slack-jawed 4 Hot and dry
5 Lose one’s cool
6 Underground networks
7 Cry repeated at the start of the 1987 dance hit “Hot Hot Hot”
8 Keep time with the beat, maybe
9 Jack up
10 Land, building or machine
11 NASA spacecraft orbiting Jupiter 12 Beginning 13 ___ ball
18 Text message status
22 Good soil
25 Labrador retriever or Alaskan malamute, notably
28 Lose one’s
Individually
Agrees to “make things interesting”
Visitor to King Mongkut
The Aggies of the N.C.A.A.
Discontinued
Abstract Expressionist Krasner
Helpful thing to have on hand?
Perfumer’s extract
River to the Dead Sea
Going “Wow, wow, wow!”
___ clam (mollusk found off the coast of California) 56 Typesetters’ measures
PUZZLE BY FRED PISCOP
We Saw You.
with MICHAEL DONAHUE
Local musicians kicked o FolkAlliance International with the Music Export Memphis “Memphis As Folk Preview Party.” e event, which was held January 15th at Lauren Kennedy’s Sheet Cake Gallery, featured local performers Frank McLallen, Aybil, and Mary Hatley, all of whom took part in the FolkAlliance International conference held January 21st through January 25th in New Orleans. e Memphis event was presented by Music Export Memphis, which sent the Memphis performers to New Orleans. Elizabeth Cawein, Music Export Memphis founder, and Morgan Massey hosted the preview party.
PHOTOS: MICHAEL DONAHUE above: Morgan Massey, Addison Hare, SJ Smith, Brian Jones circle: Ladarryl Winsley below: (le to right) Amanda Dent, Frank McLallen, Sara Moseley; Jonathan Ciaramitaro, Lorette Velvette; Gwen Holley
bottom row: (le to right) Marcella Simien, Dustin Reynolds; Aybil
below:
Blake Lichterman
bottom le : Mary Hatley, Ann Hatley
above: Lauren Woods, Jimmy Randall, Keshia Williams, James Williams circle: Beverly Davis
right row: (top and below) Elizabeth Cawein, Jon Hornyak; Rychetta Watkins, Lara Brumback, Jay Ho man
(le to right) Emma Jones, Logan Schaal; Dick Cockrell, Kathy McLallen; Justin Williams; Ruthie and
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.
HELP
HELP
Empower Deaf Children to Listen, Learn, and Talk.
Empower Deaf Children to Listen, Learn, and Talk.
FOOD By Michael Donahue
Long Live the King Cake
Time for those Mardi Gras desserts.
When I interviewed Martha Hall Foose recently for a story on fried pies, the conversation turned to king cakes, those delectable seasonal desserts with purple, yellow, and green frosting. ey’re o en festooned with medallions and Mardi Gras beads.
As soon as the holidays are over, I order a king cake from Kay Bakery at 667 Avon Road. I love their cakes, which are made of sweet dough and are frosted with the traditional three colors.
ere’s just something special about king cakes, which are traditionally eaten between Epiphany (January 6th) and Fat Tuesday, which falls on February 17th this year.
“It’s not like they’re dancing around all year round,” Foose says. “It’s something to look forward to: the joy of eating a king cake.”
Foose, whose Screen Doors and Sweet Tea: Recipes and Tales from a Southern Cook won the 2009 James Beard Foundation Award for American Cooking, knows a thing or two about king cakes. She even taught a course on them.
Plus, she lives in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where her husband, Donald Bender, is head baker at Loblolly Bakery, which makes king cakes, including blueberry cream cheese, Deep South Praline, and Crescent City Cinnamon.
www.mosdkids.org
www.mosdkids.org
www.mosdkids.org
King cakes are said to have originated in Epiphany celebrations of the Magi (“We three kings of Orient are …”) in France and Spain sometime in the 12th century. French settlers then brought the tradition to Louisiana sometime in the 1870s.
e cakes are made in di erent ways, but the most familiar varieties are made of brioche, a yeast-enriched bread, with the aforementioned three colors of frosting. Purple customarily represents justice, green, faith, and gold (yellow), power, but they also represent the gi s the Magi bestowed on baby Jesus. us, most of these cakes have a plastic baby hidden inside or placed outside of the cake.
Plastic babies began showing up at McKenzie’s Bakery in New Orleans a er World War II, Foose says. But over the years, other things besides plastic babies were hidden in the cakes. ese include fava beans, fruits, and jewelry.
Up until the late 1800s, little clay gures, which potters used to test the temperature of kilns, were used by bakers in king cakes.
Later, porcelain “Pillar dolls” or “frozen Charlotte dolls” were hidden in cakes. ey were named a er a little girl in a folk song who froze to death on a sleigh ride
“because she wouldn’t cover up her pretty dress,” Foose explains.
King cakes are made globally, with a variety of di erent ingredients. “You see coconut ones and guava jelly in the Caribbean and Latin America.”
In the United States, the cakes began showing up during Mardi Gras in New Orleans and Mobile. “You had the spice trade coming in, so you’d see them heavily spiced,” says Foose.
e classic king cakes, like the ones at Kay Bakery, are my favorite type. But Foose has seen all kinds, including one made with wedding cake and another with “cream cheese and strawberry pie lling.” Savory versions of king cake are sometimes lled with rice and boudin sausage.
Le over king cake — and there will be le over king cake — can be sliced and used as French toast. An easy method is to just pour melted vanilla ice cream over the cake and fry it in a skillet, Foose says. Or it can be made with frozen monkey bread or frozen cinnamon roll dough. “Just cut it into quarters and put it in a pan. And throw it in the oven.”
Here are more places to nd king cakes:
Daniel Blanchard, owner of Blanchard’s Organic Breads, makes two types of king cake: the New Orleans type and the galette des rois.
e New Orleans variety is made with a bread enriched with tangzhong, a bread so ener made of our and milk. “It thickens your dough and makes it extremely so ,” Blanchard says.
He lls the king cake with Creole cream cheese, which is sweet, and adds cinnamon, cardamom, and a vanilla bean icing on top. “I hand-dye my sugars myself,” he says.
e galette des rois, French for “cake of the kings,” is made of hand-laminated pu pastry and lled with almond French frangipane paste.
Blanchard takes orders with 24 hours notice. His cakes can be picked up on his front porch at 470 South Prescott Street between 8:30 a.m. and noon on Wednesdays and from his cart at Joe’s Wines & Liquor at 1681 Poplar Avenue.
King cake slices from his cart at Joe’s are available until Fat Tuesday. People are more than welcome to purchase any half cakes he might have on hand. To order, call Blanchard at (971) 284-2705.
e cut-o date to order home-made king cakes from St. Michael Catholic Church has passed, but they have extra king cakes that can be purchased, says Father Ben Bradshaw, pastor.
“We do four di erent kinds every year,” Bradshaw says. “We have two avors we keep every year: Nutella and cherry. And we also have one avor we change every year.” Creme brûlée is this year’s avor of the year.
ey also make a galette des rois with pu pastry and with frangipane or almond paste cream inside.
All the cakes are made by Bradshaw and three teams of 20 parishioners each: the bakers, the decorators, and the packagers.
For information on St. Michael’s king cakes, call Gwen Co ey at the parish o ce at (901) 323-0896.
Ounce of Hope, a leading local purveyor of THC, CBD, delta-8 THC, and other hemp-derived cannabinoid products, launched its THC-infused king cake this year. According to its news release, “ is limited-edition seasonal treat blends the rich tradition of Louisiana’s famous Mardi Gras dessert with a modern cannabis twist. It contains 250 mg of hemp-derived delta-9 THC per cake and is only available through mid-February.”
e cake is made in a Lafayette, Louisiana, bakery that Ounce of Hope partnered with. e cakes are available in praline, pecan, and cream cheese; traditional cinnamon; cream cheese; and wedding cake avors. Cakes are shipped Mondays through ursdays.
According to the release, Ounce of Hope founder Collin Bercier, a Lafayette native, “saw an opportunity to merge his Louisiana roots with his Memphis-based cannabis brand, creating a one-of-a-kind edible.” ( ese products are not for use by or sale to persons under the age of 21.)
e cakes are available through midFebruary on the Ounce of Hope website, ounceo ope.com.
PHOTO: MICHAEL DONAHUE King Cake from Kay Bakery
By Emily Guenther
Year of the Fire Horse
The Lunar New Year is February 17th, and 2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse in Chinese astrology. is is a traditional classi cation system based on the Chinese calendar that assigns an animal and its attributes to each year. e 12-part cycle corresponds to lunar years, rather than months, with years represented by 12 animals and their elements in the Chinese zodiac. In their mythology, the Jade Emperor set up a running race for all animals to take part in. e rst 12 to reach the nish line were rewarded with a position in the lunar calendar.
In Chinese astrology, the 12 zodiac animals are each a liated with an element — metal, wood, water, re, earth — as they move around the zodiac cycle. When an animal reappears a er 12 years, its elemental a liation will shi to a new element.
As we leave behind the introspective and intuitive Year of the Snake, the Year of the Horse gallops in with vibrant and ery energy, symbolizing adventure, vitality, and momentum. Having a Fire Horse year is thought to be a dynamic and rare combination, as these two elements only sync up every 60 years.
e Year of the Wood Snake felt like a small snake in a tree: cautious and watchful. In 2026, those speed bumps begin to disappear. ere is little restraining the Fire Horse from galloping forward. When you have a clear goal, you can make rapid progress.
e Horse is a popular, people-oriented sign. is could be a year in which you’ll be able to connect even more with others, potentially making new friends and feeling connected to a community of like-minded people. e Horse’s ery, social vibe will propel relationships of all kinds into their next chapter this year. is syncs up with the fact that in Western astrology, the giant outer planets will be harmonizing with one another while in re and air signs, setting an action-oriented, buzzy tone. Jupiter will enter Leo in summer while Neptune and Saturn travel through Aries and Pluto moves ahead in Aquarius. Horse energy is strong and resilient, known for its innate ability to overcome obstacles. But to make the most of opportunities that arise this year, you’ll want to train your focus and lean into areas of strength. Pushing forward down the path you’re most aligned with will only serve to bolster your results.
2026 is a yang year in Chinese astrology. e yang and yin energies
alternate years. Yin energy (in years and other realms) leads to retreat and hibernation, whereas yang energy is all about pushing forward and taking action.
Picture a horse made of re, galloping as fast as it can go. When this horse has a goal, it reaches its destination quickly and can nd success. But if the horse is fearful and running from something, it can just as easily run o a cli . is year, it matters where you are headed. Have a clear vision for what you want. Set a goal and keep moving toward it, and you can accomplish a great deal.
In general, when it comes to big life decisions, you might nd yourself ustered and unsure of how to proceed. It can be tough to just go for it. But this year, you’ll do best to lean into the Horse’s optimistic and energetic disposition. Take hold of the moment and ride the energy to get the greatest return. Pay attention to where your e ort truly belongs and place it there. is year o ers more strength and endurance than usual, especially when you are moving in the right direction.
Much like the Western zodiac sign Sagittarius, symbolized by the Archer, the sign of the Horse is associated with higher education and knowledge. So, taking in more information, in a conscious way, can work to your bene t this year. Be intentional about what you are learning. Choose your in uences carefully, and do not accept training or information automatically. Especially if it’s something you see on social media.
If we combine the ery energy of the Horse with the numerology and tarot card for 2026 (the number 10 and e Wheel card), we can get a solid picture of what to expect from 2026. I suspect this year will be a year of change since we are beginning a new cycle, as well as a year of rede ning and prioritizing our focus. If you want to manifest something, 2026 may just be the year to do it.
Emily Guenther is a co-owner of e Broom Closet metaphysical shop. She is a Memphis native, professional tarot reader, ordained Pagan clergy, and dog mom.
“ONE
TIME”
NEWS OF THE WEIRD
By the editors at Andrews McMeel Syndication
Lost & Found
Residents of Ogmore-by-Sea, Wales, were understandably puzzled when hundreds of small, hobnailed shoes began washing up on the local beach, the BBC reported on Dec. 23. The mystery only grew deeper when expert analysis revealed that the shoes were from the Victorian era. The working theory is that an Italian cargo ship from that time, known to have sunk just off the coast, has finally decayed enough to release some of its valuables to the ocean currents. The small size of the footwear is likely due to the fact that “people had much smaller feet in those days,” said local mudlarker Lara Maiklem. (The hobby of mudlarking involves scouring riverbanks for historical artifacts.)
[BBC, 12/23/2025]
Mixed Messages
After denying requests for a number of vanity license plates on the grounds that the requested tags were obscene or inflammatory, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias created a YouTube video in which he read off some of his favorites, including “IBPOOPN,” “SNDNUDZ,” “BDASMOM,” and “ICUP.” WBEZ Chicago reported that while Giannoulias and his staff appreciate the creativity of the state’s drivers, he advises them to “keep it clean and avoid ending up on the naughty list.”
[WBEZ, 12/22/2025]
It Takes a Village
It’s not a baby boom, but it’s a start: Lara Bussi Trabucco is the first baby to have been born in the tiny rural Italian town of Pagliara dei Marsi in almost 30 years, The Guardian reported on Dec. 26. Lara’s arrival bumped the village’s population to roughly 20. “Pagliara dei Marsi has been suffering from drastic depopulation, exacerbated by the loss of many elderly people, without any generational turnover,” said Mayor Giuseppina Perozzi. Lara’s mother, Cinzia Trabucco, 42, lived in Rome for years before moving to her grandfather’s hometown for a quieter lifestyle. Birth rates in Italy have been falling for 16 years, reaching a record low in 2024, per the country’s statistics agency. Government incentives and “baby bonuses” can only do so much, leaving parents and communities struggling as nurseries, schools, and even maternity wards close down. In this landscape, little Lara has become a
symbol of hope — and a tourist attraction, says her mom: “People who didn’t even know Pagliara dei Marsi existed have come, only because they had heard about Lara. At just 9 months old, she’s famous.” [The Guardian, 12/26/2025]
Animal Antics
Ken Johnson has been living with a 550-pound black bear under his home in Altadena, California, since November, reported Fox 12 Oregon on Dec. 22. After weeks of attempting to scare the ursine squatter off with loud noises and fake dog barks, Johnson got a little help from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, which set up a cage trap near the crawl space and sprayed it with caramel and cherry scents to lure the bear inside. In a classic case of “good news, bad news,” the cage was successful, in that it captured a bear, but unsuccessful, in that it was not THE bear, but rather a different bear that had wandered onto Johnson’s property. That bear was relocated and released, but Johnson’s unwanted guest remains. “I thought this would be over by now,” Johnson said. “It’s still going on, and there’s no sign of him leaving.” [KCAL, 12/22/2025]
Face the Music
At least he left an entertaining note. Buzzy Levine, owner of Lark Street Music in New Jersey, enlisted the help of the public by posting surveillance video of a theft that took place in his store on Dec. 22, but it turns out, he needn’t have bothered. WABC-7 NY reported on Dec. 29 that the shoplifter, seen in the video stuffing two mandolins (worth about $4,000 apiece) into his parka and exiting the store, returned the instruments four days later, along with a box of chocolates and a handwritten note that read, “SORRY, I BEEN DRUNK, MERRY CHRISTMAS You are a good man.” “I suspect that a friend of his or his mom said, ‘Hey,’” Levine said. Police are looking for the suspect and still plan to press charges. [WABC-7, 12/29/2025]
Send your weird news items with subject line WEIRD NEWS to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): I’m thrilled by your genius for initiating what others only dream about. I celebrate your holy impatience with fakery and your refusal to waste precious life-force on enterprises that have gone stale. I’m in awe of how you make fire your ally rather than your enemy, wielding it not to destroy but to forge new realities from the raw materials of possibility. Everything I just described will be in your wheelhouse during the coming weeks.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): How do I love you? Let me count some of the ways. 1. Your patience is masterful. You understand that some treasures can’t be rushed and that many beautiful things require slow nurturing through your devoted attention. 2. You have a knack for inducing the mundane world to reveal its small miracles and spiritual secrets. 3. You practice lucid loyalty without being in bondage to the past. You honor your history even as you make room for the future. 4. You know when to cling tightly to what needs to be protected and preserved, and you know when to gracefully loosen your grip to let everything breathe. In the coming weeks, all these superpowers of yours will be especially available to you and the people you care for.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In carpentry, there’s a technique called “kerf bending.” It involves making a series of small cuts in wood so it can curve without breaking. The cuts weaken the material in one sense, but they make it flexible enough to create shapes that would otherwise be impossible. I suspect you’re being kerf-bent right now, Gemini. Life is making small nicks in your certainties, your plans, and your self-image. It might feel like you’re being diminished, but you’re actually being made flexible enough to bend into a new form. Don’t interpret the nicks as damage. They’re preparation for adjustments you can’t see yet. Let yourself be shaped.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): In Irish folklore, “thin places” are situations or areas where the material and spiritual worlds overlap. They aren’t always geographical. A thin place may be a moment: like the pre-dawn hour between sleeping and waking, or the silence after someone says “I love you” for the first time. I believe you’re living in a thin place right now, Cancer. The boundary between your inner world and outer circumstances is more porous than usual. This means your emotions may affect your environment more directly. Your intuitions will be even more accurate than usual, and your nightly dreams will provide you with practical clues. Be alert. Magic will be available if you notice it.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In traditional Korean jogakbo, scraps of fabric too small to be useful alone are stitched together into a piece that’s both functional and beautiful. Every fragment contributes to the whole. I encourage you to treat your current life this way, Leo. Don’t dismiss iffy or unfinished experiences as “wasted time.” Instead, see if you can weave all the bits and scraps together into a valuable lesson or asset. Prediction: I foresee a lovely jogakbo in your future.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The Maori people of New Zealand practice mirimiri, a form of healing that works not by fighting disease but by restoring flow. The technique involves removing blockages so life force can move freely again. I think you need the equivalent of mirimiri, Virgo. There’s a small but nontrivial obstruction in your life. The good news is that you now have the power to figure out where the flow got stuck and then gently coax it back into motion. Let the healing begin! Here’s a good way to begin: Vow that you won’t hold yourself back from enjoying your life to the max.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In the coming weeks, I encourage you to prioritize mirth, revelry, and gratification. For starters, you could invite kindred spirits to join you in pursuing experimental forms of pleasure. Have fun riffing and brainstorming about feeling good in ways you’ve never tried or even imagined before. Seek out stories from other explorers of bliss and delight who can inspire you to expand your sense of wonder. Then, with your mind as open as your heart, give yourself the freedom to enjoy as many playful adventures and evocative amusements as you dare.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In the Inuktitut language of the Inuit people, the word ajurnarmat is translated as “it can’t be helped.” It acknowledges forces at work beyond human control. Rather than pure resignation, it reflects an attitude of accepting what can’t be changed, which helps people conserve energy and adapt creatively to challenging circumstances. So for example, when hunters encounter impossible ice conditions, ajurnarmat allows them to refrain from forcing the situation and notice what may actually be possible. I suspect you’re facing your own ajurnarmat, Scorpio. Your breakthrough will emerge as soon as you admit the truth of what’s happening and allow your perception to shift. What looks unnavigable from one angle may reveal a solution if you approach it from another direction. Practice strategic surrender.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Your hunger for meaning is admirable! I love it. I never want you to mute your drive
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The coming weeks will challenge you to think with tenderness and feel with clarity. You’ll be called on to stay sharply alert even as you remain loose, kind, and at ease. Your good fortune will expand as you open your awareness wider, while also firming up the boundaries that keep mean people from bothering you. The really good news is that cosmic forces are lining up to guide you and coach you in exactly these skills. You are primed to explore intriguing paradoxes and contradictions that have valuable lessons.
to discover what’s interesting and useful. But now and then, the hot intensity of your quest can make you feel that nothing is ever enough. You get into the habit of always looking past what’s actually here and being obsessed with what you imagine should be or could be there. In the coming days, dear Sagittarius, I invite you to avoid that tendency. Rather than compulsively pursuing high adventure and vast vistas, focus on the sweet, intimate details. The wisdom you yearn for might be embedded in ordinariness.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In architecture, a “flying buttress” is an external support system that allows a massive building like a cathedral to reach greater heights without collapsing under its own weight. Because the buttress is partly open to the air rather than solidly built against the wall from top to bottom, it appears to “fly,” which is where the name comes from. In the coming weeks, I encourage you Capri corns to acquire your own equivalent of at least one new flying buttress. Who or what could this be? A collaborator who shares the load? A new form of discipline that provides scaffolding? A truth you finally speak aloud that lets others help you? To get the process started, shed any belief you have that strength means carrying everything all by yourself.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In alchemy, solve et coagula is a Latin phrase translated as “dissolve and coagulate.” It means that transformation must begin with the process of breaking down be fore any building begins. You can’t skip over the dissolving phase and jump straight into creating the new structure. I mention this, dear Pisces, because I believe you’re now in the dissolving phase. It might feel destabilizing, even a bit unnerving, but I urge you to stick with it. When the moment comes to construct the beautiful new forms, you will know. But that time isn’t yet. Keep dissolving a while longer.
TV By Chris McCoy
The Revolution, Televised
Ken Burns’ e American Revolution is the most important TV show of the decade.
The last few weeks, I’ve had people say to me “I can’t wait to read your review of Melania!” Presumably, they want me to tear it to shreds in an entertaining manner. at’s my job as a movie critic, a er all.
But I am not going to write about Melania, for a variety of reasons. First o , I’ve been iced in my house for the last eight days, thanks to the monster winter storm that has devastated the Southeast. So I couldn’t have made it to a movie theater even if I wanted to. Which brings me to the second reason: I don’t want to watch Melania. e Trump family has managed to inject itself into every facet of American life for a freakin’ decade. Why would I spend money to watch those evil freaks on the big screen? ird, I have done my time in the Brett Ratner salt mines. Rush Hour 3 and X-Men: e Last Stand were hot garbage. Ratner, who went to “director jail” in 2017 a er being credibly accused of sexual assault and harassment by several of his female co-workers, including Olivia Munn and pre-transition Elliot Page, has never even directed a documentary before. But that doesn’t matter to Amazon, because, fourth reason, this isn’t even a movie in the conventional sense. It’s a money laundering operation for a bribe, wrapped up in a big propaganda bow.
Instead, I will be reviewing the most important television series of the decade: Ken Burns’ e American Revolution. Burns is our greatest living documentary lmmaker, and has been for a long time. Nobody has the depth of material that Burns has produced over the 35 years since e Civil War became a national phenomenon in 1990. Alongside epics about World War II and the Vietnam War, there are the superbly researched musical series Jazz and
Country Music. He’s the master painter of the big picture, but I’m partial to his more focused work like e Roosevelts and Prohibition. Burns’ biggest strength is his clarity, which sounds easy, but is in fact devilishly di cult.
Coming just in time for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, e American Revolution aims to bring into focus the whole sweep of the war the participants called the most signi cant historical event since the birth of Jesus Christ. Burns, along with co-directors David Schmidt and longtime collaborator Sarah Botstein, are on a mission to look at our founding mythology with clear eyes and exhaustive scholarship. e team cuts through centuries of Founding Fathers hagiography without diminishing their achievements. e story begins during the French and Indian War, when George Washington was the leader of the Virginia Regiment. At Fort Necessity in what is now Pennsylvania, he su ered his rst military defeat. It would not be his last. Washington’s greatest talent as a general, it turns out, was his ability to lead his troops in an orderly retreat.
Time and again, the Continental Army absorbed blows that would have
ILLUSTRATION: COURTESY PBS
Burns cuts through the hagiography
destroyed any other ghting force. Washington’s key insight during the ght against the British was that he didn’t have to win — he just had to lose more slowly than the enemy. at’s because the Americans lived here, and the British soldiers charged with oppressing them were tourists dependent on a long, expensive supply line. Two centuries later, Ho Chi Minh would teach the lesson of Washington to Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon.
e event that put the colonies on the road to revolution was the Boston Massacre. In 1770, British troops were occupying the city and making a general nuisance of themselves. Citizens banded together to taunt the hated redcoats, and one day, a crowd throwing snowballs was met with musket re, killing eight people. From there, trust in the British government was shattered; instead of bending the knee to the monarch, Americans banded together for mutual aid. Five years later, Paul Revere, who had witnessed the massacre, was a part of a ring of citizens called the Sons of Liberty, who kept watch over the British
troops. When the British moved by night to secure an outpost in Concord, Revere and his compatriots rode ahead of the army, warning citizens along the way that the British were coming. e American militias assembled and ambushed the redcoats, kicking o the Revolution proper.
e irony of slaveholders adopting “all men are created equal” as their motto is not lost on Burns. But the Revolution had a way of changing people. As one historian puts it, every decision Washington made early on bene tted him personally; it just so happened that those decisions made him George Washington. To a certain extent, the Enlightenment values of the Revolution were propaganda to get people to ght. But the ght made people think deeply about the concept of “freedom,” and how to make, as Lincoln said, a more perfect Union. e Founders’ words outstripped their deeds, and we’ve been trying to catch up ever since.
It’s hard not to see parallels between the early days of the Revolution and what has been happening in Minneapolis since Renée Good and Alex Pretti were shot by ICE. Once again, a leaderless group of natives are pitted against an occupying force ravaging the community in the name of “order.” In 1775, resistance to the king was spurred by Revere’s woodcuts of the Boston Massacre. In 2026, we have short form videos shared on social media. e Washington Post reported that 34,000 people signed up for ICE Watch in the weeks since Good’s killing. ere are only about 3,000 federal agents in the state of Minnesota. George Washington would like those odds.
e American Revolution is now showing on WKNO-TV and streaming on PBS+.
Our critic picks the best films in theaters.
A Private Life
Jodie Foster became the first American to be nominated for a Lumière Award for Best Actress in this French-made black comedy. She plays therapist Dr. Lilian Steiner. One of her patients has finally quit smoking without her help, and is now threatening to sue her for fraud. Her son Julien (Vincent Lacoste) is over her, and she’s having unexplained crying jags. Will psychedelic hypnotherapy help?
The Strangers — Chapter 3
The third Renny Harlin-directed installment of the franchise concludes the story of the weirdo home invasion crew who hide behind masks. Madelaine Petsch returns as Maya, the final girl who has
survived The Strangers’ onslaught for two movies. Can she make it to the end?
Dracula
Director Luc Besson and actor Caleb Landry Jones reunite. Zoë Bleu (Rosanna Arquette’s daughter) is Mina, the innocent maiden who attracts Drac’s attention, and Christoph Waltz co-stars as the priest looking to stake the vamp for good. The French subtitle is “A Love Tale”, so make of that what you will.
The Voice of Hind Rajab
This Best International Film Academy Award nominee is based on a true story of a Palestinian girl who is trapped inside a car after her family was killed by an Israeli Defense Force drone strike. The film uses the real audio of Rajab’s call.
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
ORDER OF PUBLICATION
In the CHANCERY COURT of Shelby County, Tennessee No. CH-24-0964-2
ROBERT BELDSOE, ET AL
Plaintiff(s) VS. BONNIE WILSON, ET AL
Defendant(s)
It appearing from the complaint in this cause which is sworn to that:
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
By Jocelyn V. Henderson
Jocelyn V. Henderson
Attorney for Petitioner Jan. 22, 29, Feb. 5, 12, 2026
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Docket: PR034086
In Re the Matter of: Major Hodges, Sr. Notice is hereby give that on the 21st day of Oct., 2025, Letters of Administration in respect of Major Hodges, Sr., who died Aug. 29, 2025, were issued to the undersigned by the Probate Court of Shelby County, Tennessee.
All persons, resident and non-resident, having claims, matured or unmatured, against the estate are required to file the same with the Clerk of the above named Court or on before the earlier of the dates prescribed in (1) or (2), otherwise their claims will be forever barred.
(1)(A) Four (4) months from the date of the first publication (or posting, as the case may be) of this notice if the creditor received an actual copy of this Notice to Creditors at least sixty (60) days before the date that is four (4) months from the date of the first publication (or posting); or
(B) Sixty (60) days from the date the creditor received an actual copy of the Notice to Creditors, if the creditor received the copy of the notice less than sixty (60) days prior to the date that is four (4) months from the date of first publication (or posting) as described in (1)(A); or (2) Twelve (12) months from the decedent’s date of death.
This 15th day of Jan., 2026.
Major Hodges, Jr. Administrator Attorney for the Estate:
Jocelyn V. Henderson New/Used
THE
LAST WORD
By Melanie Morton
‘We Must Interfere’
Now is the time to speak up for what is right.
I am writing this on the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, on Holocaust Remembrance Day. A er seeing all the posts today quoting Dietrich Bonhoe er and Elie Wiesel, I can no longer remain silent. I had originally written the rst part of this to address the “Christian” response to LGBTQ inclusion in the church. I’ve sat on it for a few years, but unfortunately it resonates all too loudly with our current situation. I can no longer ignore it. Let me make clear — I am a Christian. Hence my complete confusion as to what some of the Christian community is supporting. Perhaps I am a Christian who has taken Jesus’ teachings too literally. I was instructed to care for the widow, the orphan, the foreigner. (Matthew 25:35-40)
My rst uncomfortable experience with my beliefs and my people’s response was back in 2001. I remember sitting in the rst night of my Holocaust studies class in graduate school with Dr. David Patterson, the Bornblum Chair of Excellence in Judaic Studies at the University of Memphis. He discussed how the church stood by as the Nazis began to target Jews and their supporters. I was horri ed … angry. I knew my people would never behave that way or stand by and watch as those atrocities occurred.
Dr. Patterson was kind. He could have made a fool out of me like some in the world of academia seem to enjoy. He could have shown me the evidence in front of the whole class and have everyone laughing at my ignorance, but he did not. He simply stated the truth and continued with the lesson. By the end of the semester, the evidence spoke for itself. It wasn’t anything I would ever want to admit or even consider, but it was there, staring me in the face. Christians stood by watching or conveniently denying what was taking place as Jews were led to the slaughter.
I thought, “Not my people! NEVER my people!” But yes. My people did not want to get involved, didn’t think it was a real threat, didn’t know what to do, didn’t see it as their problem, or didn’t care. ere is a reason the Nazis did not target the Christian church, though some individuals stood up for what was right and paid with their lives. Dietrich Bonhoe er is one such example.
I learned something invaluable that semester. Whatever thing you may believe in your heart and soul that you or your people would never do, is completely possible. We want to believe our people would never fall on the wrong side of history, but it is possible. It has happened repeatedly throughout history, and it is happening again.
We all want to think our history, our people, our religion, etc., would not have gotten it wrong. e problem is we did, and we continue to. e best thing we can do at this point is own up to it and seek to do better. Do not settle for complacency when you know in your heart they are wrong.
When Renée Good was murdered by ICE, I was horri ed. I couldn’t believe this was happening in the “land of the free.” I felt sick to my stomach, but I carried on with work and life as usual because surely it was an isolated event, a horrible mistake. Now we have witnessed the murder of Alex Pretti. I cannot stay silent. I should have spoken up sooner. Now is the time for us to join together. We have the news at our ngertips, a modern luxury that our counterparts did not have during the Holocaust. We know in real time what is happening. All people of faith must come together and defend our neighbors to ght for what is right.
I will leave you with quotes from those who have fought this ght in some form or another, before us.
Dietrich Bonhoe er, the German preacher who was murdered by the Nazis for speaking against their atrocities:
“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”
And from his Sermon on II Corinthians 12:9, “Christianity stands or falls with its revolutionary protest against violence, arbitrariness, and pride of power and with its plea for the weak. Christians are doing too little to make these points clear rather than too much. Christendom adjusts itself far too easily to the worship of power. Christians should give more o ense, shock the world far more, than they are doing now. Christians should take a stronger stand in favor of the weak rather than considering rst the possible right of the strong.”
From writer and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel:
“We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant. Wherever men or women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must — at that moment — become the center of the universe,” he said in his Nobel Prize acceptance speech on Dec. 10, 1986. And, “Action is the only remedy to indi erence: the most insidious danger of all,” from the same speech.
Melanie Winstead Morton is a Spanish teacher originally from Memphis.
PHOTO: KRISTIN SMITH | DREAMSTIME.COM
The Hot Tamale Capital of the World invites you to enjoy an eclectic collection
» FEBRUARY « Mississippi River Marathon msrivermarathon.racesonline.com
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Future Tour Golf Championship
» JUNE « Delta Soul & Celebrity Golf Event facebook.com/DeltaSoulGolf
Lake Washington’s “Straight O The Lake” Music Festival
