Local News
in Memphis, TN

11 teams tour nation&039s ethanol production chain following Global Ethanol Summit

The investment supports Syngenta goal of delivering at least 2 technological breakthroughs to market each year

Survey for Oct. 14-20 shows Iowa soybean harvest is now 48 complete.

The Memphis Grizzlies picked up the contract options on a couple of their young players right before the season tips off this week.The Grizzlies exercised third-year 2020-21 contract options on forward/center Jaren Jackson Jr. and guard Grayson Allen. The 6-foot-11, Jackson, who selected fourth overall in the 2018 NBA Draft, earned 2018-19 NBA All-Rookie First Team honors by averaging 13.8 points and 4.7 rebounds in an injury-shortened 58 games for the Grizzlies.The 21-year-old Jackson is in

There is now about $2.7 billion worth of proposed or ongoing development onMBJs interactive map of local projects not counting 30 projects of unknown cost, the $7 billion St. Jude has said it is investing, or the $1.45 billion FedEx said its investing at the airport.New this month are Adam Underwoods proposed Park Avenue apartments, Amazons Project Iris, and Carvanas $40 million West Memphis investment.MBJs Crane Watch map is updated regularly, to add new projects and remove ones

Publications that come out with lists arent always favorable to Memphis. In 2016, USA Today ranked Memphis as one of the worst cities to live in in America. The Tennessean, Nashvilles primary newspaper, then shared it on social media with the caption: Weve got some bad news for our neighbors in Memphis. Fox News, a few years ago, named Memphis one of the five cites in the world you should never travel to alone in part due to arson, apparently. And, Travel Leisure, in a 2014 list, named

Even as members of Shelby Countys political community, Democrats and Republicans alike, were mourning the death on Sunday of one former legislator, Rufus Jones, a member of the state House of Representatives from 1980 to 1996, they found themselves having to deal with the loss of another on Monday, former state Senator Reginald Tate, whose tenure in the state Senate ran from 2006 to 2018. Both Jones and Tate served as Democrats Jones during a period in which his party commanded a comfortable majority in his chamber and in the legislature at large, Tate during an era of Republican control of both the Senate and the General Assembly. Both Jones and Tate had business backgrounds, Jones as a member of a South Memphis family with grocery interests, Tate as president/CEO of an architectural firm. Each of them was personally popular on both sides of the aisle, and each served during period of political controversy that tested their commitment to pure partisanship. Jones case was less demanding in that regard. Along with a majority of other legislative Democrats, he found himself working in harmony with Republican Governor Don Sundquist in an effort, ultimately unsuccessful, to pass a state income tax. Representative G.A. Hardaway, chair of the Legislative Black Caucus and often a Democratic spokesman at large, sized things up this way: Rufus E. Jones served as a ready and willing source of reliable and sound advice for myself and other legislators. Our families were close, and that allowed me to personally witness and learn from an excellent exemplar of personal conduct, professional success and civic leadership. Tates situation was different. Lacking any party background as such, he had the support of his neighbor Sidney Chism, an influential Democrat and sometime party chairman, when the county Democratic Committee had to find a substitute nominee in 2006 for the Senate seat vacated by incumbent Kathryn Bowers, who would be tried as a suspect in the FBIs Tennessee Waltz corruption sting. Tate was nominated and won. He entered the Senate during a time when control of that body was swinging from Democrats to Republicans, and he seems to have perceived his duty, both to himself and to his district, as that of maintaining good relations with the soon-to-be dominant GOP. Legislative Republicans, for their part, made sure to get him aboard key committees. Increasingly, he was seen by fellow Democrats to be over-stepping political boundaries even to the point of becoming a board member of the American Legislative Exchange Council ALEC a right-wing mill for ultra-conservative state legislation. Matters came to a head in 2018, when Tate was up for reelection to a fourth four-year term. Not only had he aroused the ire of his party mates with his ever-increasing number of conservative votes, he was overheard on a hot microphone apparently uttering profane criticism of his fellow Democrats.It was less a judgment on his part than a sign of frustration as he saw one after another member of his party caucus side openly with his Democratic primary opponent in 2018, Katrina Robinson, an accomplished newcomer and proprietor of a nursing school. It cost him Tate would go down to defeat by a 2 to 1 margin, Robinson polling 14,140 votes to his 6,464, and she would go on to serve effectively as a member of the Senate Democratic minority. Still, there was little rejoicing in party ranks at Tates defeat. Even those who were opposed to his politics remained personally fond of the man whose people skills were of the highest order. Karen Camper, the Democrats House Leader, was a particular friend, as was Democratic caucus chair Raumesh Akbari, who said, No matter what the legislative issue was, he found a way to work with folks from both sides of the aisle and always thought of Memphis first. Senator Tate had a way of always making you smile and I know hes smiling down on all of us today. Shelby delegation chair Antonio Parkinson noted, Senator Tate left an indelible mark on the state of Tennessee and its citizens through legislation that he sponsored and cosponsored over his many years at the Tennessee Legislature. Senator Sara Kyle, who had been an explicit critic of Tate, said Senator Tate did many good things for the citizens of Shelby County during his time in the General Assembly and I was shocked and saddened to learn of his passing. We will all miss his smile and good sense of humor. And Robinson, his electoral conqueror, also weighed in: This is a sad day for Shelby County and our entire state. Thanks for 12 years of service to District 33. Funeral arrangements had not been announced at press time.

Before this past weekend, the last time I listened to Valerie June was in a tiny art shop in Paparoa, New Zealand at the end of May with my wife and sister.The Memphis-raised alt-folk star was playing on the stereo, and the shops owner excitedly described herself as a big fan. We were just as thrilled to let her know that June was from our neck of the woods.She was back there yesterday, playing what was arguably the finest set of Memphos second day at Shelby Farms Park. Wearing a blue-purple frock and sparkling pants, June came armed with her famously unmatchable sense of positivity and the ability to show her hometown audience why people like Bob Dylan think shes absolutely the bees knees.From Shakedown to Astral Plane, June played all her big hits, but it was her heartfelt tribute to Mary Burnsthat really put the hook in. Burns, thebeloved owner of Cooper-Youngs Java Cabana who died this month after battling lung cancer, played a major role in Junes life. June played her first ever gig at the cafe, was close with Burns until the end and last night, played the 2013 track Somebody to Love on banjo to honor her friend.You look around the world and you find your people, June told the crowd. You find your heart people - your soul people. Mary was one of those for me. Im not going to cry, she continued, instead Im going to think about her spirit. That Memphis spirit. That pull yourself up by your own bootstraps spirit. That if the world dont believe in you, believe in yourself spirit.Her sets conclusion - which saw her joined by iconic local musician Hope Clayburn for Working Woman Blues was the perfect cork for her hour on stage.Before June performed, local favorites The MDs, paying tribute to Booker T & the MGs, were the pick of the afternoon acts. Afterwards, it was alt-country headliner Brandi Carlile that deserves the plaudits. At nearly an hour and a half, Carlile nominated this year for six Grammys delivered a sharp, impressive performance to wrap up the festival, pulling numbers from throughout a long career in alt-country. Like the Wu-Tang Clan the night before, Carlile flanked, as always, by long-time collaborators Tim and Phil Hanserothruminated on Memphis musical history how iconic is this town as well as recalling a gig she played in a dive bar near the University of Memphis that saw crawfish heads lying on the floor by the end of the performance.Earlier, the Revivalists provided a spirited set, though lead singer David Shaw was perhaps asked to do too much by his largely immobile band mates, gamely providing the only stage presence. Still, their crowd rivaled that of The Raconteurs the night before. Californian indie popsters lovelytheband disappointed, with lead singer Mitchy Collins seeming to spend more time talking about the band than playing their tunes. Show, dont tell, brother.For me however, June was the needle that really hit the groove. Watching one of Memphis finest recent musical imports doing her thing as the last few rays of weekend light yawned across the festival, its hard to think of a better lasting memory of this years Mempho.

Get carried away by Music Video Monday. Louise Page is back with a screamer. Harpy swings with big horns, cabaret attitude, and a predatory energy. It finds Weezy at her most self-aware.Art is only heartbreak. Preach it, sister. The animated video is an instant classic by Nathan Parten, remixing imagery from Greek pottery andfrieze. Poor Odysseus never stood a chance. If you would like to see your music video featured on Music Video Monday, email cmccoymemphisflyer.com.

The local taco truck finds a permanent home.

At one time, this was one of the regions most popular airlines.

Harris singlehandedly kept the bank open during the yellow fever epidemic of 1878.

Commissioners have voiced several ideas for changing the plan to fund the Memphis Area Transit Authority, but what they could vote on in February is uncertain.

Zach Kleiman might be young, but his NBA front-office aspirations are not, and the Memphis Grizzlies are reaping the benefits.

The hourlong interactive theater event makes space for reflection, both by student performers and audience members.

A new business venture by former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen takes on global warming by helping companies fund solar panels in communities with dirty-power electric grids.

If getting the cast ofThe Facts of Lifeis on your Christmas list, youre in luck.

A Milan man has been indicted in the murder and aggravated rape of a 14-year-old Cayce Lynn McDaniel more than 20 years ago.