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VOL. 133 | NO. 116 | Monday, June 11, 2018
Last Word
Bill Dries
Last Word: The Heat and The Memphis Identity and Stackhouse to Grizz
By Bill Dries
What is it that draws us to social events outside when it is this hot? This is a topic where the specifics counsel against generalities. So it could be argued that the beckoning of summer heat – pre-summer heat in this case – that smothers you after greeting you like a brick wall at any door opening is an indication of the degree to which you are of Memphis.
An ad in The Daily News from the summer of 1927.
Of course, there is the contrast of going from air conditioning to heat and the knowledge that at some point you will return to the air conditioned cocoons that are as much a part of the Memphis summer identity as the heat. It probably goes back even further as I discovered recently while looking for items for The Memphis News Almanac. I came across an ad in a August edition of The Daily News from 1927 when the local power company sold fans and another from the summer of 1945 advertising the “Gulf Breeze” – a wire cage fan illustrated in such a way that I immediately heard the whir of a fan and very distant memories of the time when all of Memphis and probably much of Frayser was not air conditioned.
Dustin Johnson claims the championship at the FedEx St. Jude Classic finishing Sunday at Southwind 16 under. And in the process he moves to the very top of the world wide golf rankings. And with that, the last FedEx St. Jude Classic is in the books with the event moving to August next year as part of the World Golf Championship set of events.
The global reach of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital includes new research spaces as well as a new approach to the sharing of research on a global basis.
ESPN reports 18-year NBA veteran Jerry Stackhouse is joining the Grizz coaching staff, coming to Memphis and the staff of head coach J.B. Bickerstaff from the NBA development league.
The cover story by Michael Waddell in our weekly, The Memphis News, looks at the global reach St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is attempting with a campus expansion as well as an approach to sharing research world wide.
Former U.S. Attorney Larry Laurenzi reflects on his 35 year career as a federal prosecutor including a few cases that have made some real changes outside the courtroom.
Hot rods, food trucks, a visit by former Vice President Joe Biden, current Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam in Collierville and lots of festivals and outdoors gatherings dominate The Week Ahead.
Changes coming across Cooper from the original Soulfish with a company making cider in Barretville for the last two years, expanding to include a Midtown location. Long Road Cider will also feature former Kwik Check chef Harry Reyna.
Our “Around Memphis” reading list includes Valerie June’s list of Memphis must dos, a Billboard feature on country records being made in Memphis and the city’s Arkansas suburbs aren’t growing across the river.
The Memphis News Almanac: Presidential hole in one at Colonial, Cash gets the job, Trolley shutdown and life in 1945 Memphis.