Jan. 5 Germantown Weekly

16
PHOTOS BY BRANDON DILL/SPECIAL TO THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL Park construction is incomplete but visitors such as 5-year-old Joy Hunt — climbing on playground equipment as her father Sean Hunt and grandmother Jenny Hunt look on — are already using it. Inside the Edition SPREADING CHEER Santa makes trip from the North Pole to visit children at Memphis Oral School for the Deaf. COMMUNITY, 6 Germantown Weekly WHAT’S HAPPENING Whether you’re looking for a date-night idea or entertainment for the kids, check out our local event listings. CALENDAR, 12 Look inside for your Lowe’s insert *SELECT ZIP CODES © Copyright 2016 The Commercial Appeal FREE MG HH Tuesday, January 5, 2016 Special to The Weekly Collierville is the sub- ject of the irst installment of a new series of exhibits in the lobby of the Shelby County Administration Building at 160 N. Main in Memphis. The exhibits will feature area munici- palities and will focus on the history that makes each area unique. The irst cases in the exhibit focuses on Col- lierville’s history in dairy farming. Tools of the trade, such as a three-legged stool, a milk surger and milk bottles are on dis- play, along with pictures of Cheese Queens from the Collierville Cheese Carnivals of 1935-1940. Three cow trophies are on display. The second case con- tains several Native Amer- ican tools, a Civil War era cannonball fragment and bullets and several other Civil War items. There are relics from other chapters in Col- lierville’s history, as well, including a cap from the Civilian Conservation Corporation of the 1930s, a McGinnis Hardware apron and wrench and a toy rock- ing horse from the Wonder Horse Company. Main Street Collierville, a non-proit organization whose purpose is to pre- serve the town’s history, has its own case at the exhibit. It contains items such as the 2014 Parade Magazine “Best Main Street” honor. Ashley Carver, direc- tor of Collierville’s Mor- ton Museum, Collierville Mayor Stan Joyner and Memphis Mayor Mark Luttrell were at the open- ing of the exhibit. They were joined by Collier- ville’s Town Administra- tor James Lewellen, Assis- tant Town Administrator Josh Suddath and public information oicer Mark Heuberger. The Collierville exhibit at the Shelby County Ad- ministration Building in Memphis will be on dis- play through May. COMMUNITY Collierville history on full display Morton Museum director, Ashley Carver (left), and Shelby County Mayor, Mark Luttrell (right), view several items in the Collierville dairy history case. Exhibit focuses on farming, Civil War By Daniel Connolly [email protected] 901-5296 S ounds drifted across Hinton Park in Col- lierville on a recent morning. A small boy banged a big xylo- phone installed by the playground, producing pleasant notes. A few cars hummed past the signs that said “Speed Limit 17” — the parks director had picked the unusual number on the theory it would make people pay attention. As workers installed a wooden pillar in the parking lot, a shovel scraped. The town of Collierville inaugu- rated its latest park with a ceremony in early November, but construction continues. Parks Director Chip Pe- tersen said in mid-December crews still have a list of small tasks to in- ish, like putting up signs that iden- tify features such as the “King of the Hill.” The park covers more than 100 acres. Unlike other parks in Collier- ville, it doesn’t have tennis courts or other formal, designated places for playing sports. It does have a big open space conducive for ly- COMMUNITY Wide open spaces Hinton Park ofers a change of scenery in Collierville Collierville Parks em- ployees Brian Donaldson (right) and Lereal Harville plant tulip bulbs that will provide spring color. See HINTON, 2 By Jennifer Pignolet [email protected] 901-529-2372 Every morning before he left his house, Ron Spiel- berger called out to his fam- ily, “I’m of to teach the boys and the girls!” And for nearly ive de- cades, Spielberger did just that. The University of Mem- phis journalism professor and former executive direc- tor of the College Media As- sociation, who helped launch generations of Memphis ad- vertising executives, died suddenly Dec. 26. He was 74. Robin Spielberger said her father had a massive stroke and heart attack at home fol- lowing surgery a week prior. News of his death traveled quickly through the univer- sity and advertising commu- nities. “The outpouring for my dad has been phenomenal,” Robin Spielberger said. “I can’t keep up.” The elder Spielberger graduated from what was then called Memphis State in 1964, returning to the univer- sity to teach in 1968. He was still teaching full-time before his death. David Arant, chairman of the Department of Journal- ism at University of Mem- phis, said Spielberger’s in- stitutional knowledge of the department was rivaled only by his knowledge of the ad- vertising industry. “He’s trained a large percentage of the advertis- ing practitioners who have worked here,” Arant said. “Many of them have started agencies.” Spielberger taught classes in advertising, public rela- tions and news, including IN MEMORIAM U of M journalism professor dies at 74 Spielberger taught many local professionals See PROFESSOR, 2 AN END AND A NEW BEGINNING Chris Herrington looks at ive events from 2015 that may shape the city’s 2016. Page 2

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Transcript of Jan. 5 Germantown Weekly

  • PHOTOS BY BRANDON DILL/SPECIAL TO THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL

    Park construction is incomplete but visitors such as 5-year-old Joy Hunt climbing on playground equipment as her father Sean Hunt and grandmother Jenny Hunt look on are already using it.

    Inside the Edition

    SPREADING CHEERSanta makes trip from the North Pole to visit children at Memphis Oral School for the Deaf. COMMUNITY, 6

    Germantown Weekly

    WHATS HAPPENING Whether youre looking for a date-night idea or entertainment for the kids, check out our local event listings. CALENDAR, 12

    Look inside for your Lowes insert

    *SELECT ZIP CODES

    Copyright

    2016

    The Commercial Appeal

    FREEMG HHTuesday, January 5, 2016

    Special to The Weekly

    Collierville is the sub-ject of the irst installment of a new series of exhibits in the lobby of the Shelby County Administration Building at 160 N. Main in Memphis. The exhibits will feature area munici-palities and will focus on the history that makes each area unique.

    The irst cases in the exhibit focuses on Col-liervilles history in dairy farming. Tools of the trade, such as a three-legged stool, a milk surger and

    milk bottles are on dis-play, along with pictures of Cheese Queens from the Collierville Cheese Carnivals of 1935-1940. Three cow trophies are on display.

    The second case con-tains several Native Amer-ican tools, a Civil War era cannonball fragment and bullets and several other Civil War items.

    There are relics from other chapters in Col-liervilles history, as well, including a cap from the Civilian Conservation Corporation of the 1930s, a McGinnis Hardware apron and wrench and a toy rock-ing horse from the Wonder Horse Company.

    Main Street Collierville, a non-proit organization whose purpose is to pre-serve the towns history, has its own case at the exhibit. It contains items such as the 2014 Parade Magazine Best Main Street honor.

    Ashley Carver, direc-tor of Colliervilles Mor-ton Museum, Collierville Mayor Stan Joyner and Memphis Mayor Mark

    Luttrell were at the open-ing of the exhibit. They were joined by Collier-villes Town Administra-tor James Lewellen, Assis-tant Town Administrator Josh Suddath and public information oicer Mark Heuberger.

    The Collierville exhibit at the Shelby County Ad-ministration Building in Memphis will be on dis-play through May.

    COMMUNITY

    Collierville history on full display

    Morton Museum director, Ashley Carver (left), and Shelby County Mayor, Mark Luttrell (right), view several items in the Collierville dairy history case.

    Exhibit focuses on farming, Civil War

    By Daniel [email protected]

    901-5296

    Sounds drifted across Hinton Park in Col-lierville on a recent

    morning.

    A small boy banged a big xylo-phone installed by the playground, producing pleasant notes. A few cars hummed past the signs that said Speed Limit 17 the parks director had picked the unusual number on the theory it would make people pay attention.

    As workers installed a wooden pillar in the parking lot, a shovel scraped.

    The town of Collierville inaugu-

    rated its latest park with a ceremony in early November, but construction continues. Parks Director Chip Pe-tersen said in mid-December crews still have a list of small tasks to in-ish, like putting up signs that iden-tify features such as the King of the Hill.

    The park covers more than 100 acres. Unlike other parks in Collier-ville, it doesnt have tennis courts or other formal, designated places for playing sports. It does have a big open space conducive for ly-

    COMMUNITY

    Wide open spacesHinton

    Park ofers a

    change of scenery in Collierville

    Collierville Parks em-ployees Brian Donaldson (right) and Lereal Harville plant tulip bulbs that will provide spring color.

    See HINTON, 2

    By Jennifer [email protected]

    901-529-2372

    Every morning before he left his house, Ron Spiel-berger called out to his fam-ily, Im of to teach the boys and the girls!

    And for nearly ive de-cades, Spielberger did just that. The University of Mem-phis journalism professor and former executive direc-tor of the College Media As-sociation, who helped launch generations of Memphis ad-vertising executives, died suddenly Dec. 26. He was 74.

    Robin Spielberger said her father had a massive stroke and heart attack at home fol-lowing surgery a week prior.

    News of his death traveled quickly through the univer-sity and advertising commu-nities.

    The outpouring for my dad has been phenomenal, Robin Spielberger said. I cant keep up.

    The elder Spielberger graduated from what was then called Memphis State in 1964, returning to the univer-sity to teach in 1968. He was still teaching full-time before his death.

    David Arant, chairman of the Department of Journal-ism at University of Mem-phis, said Spielbergers in-stitutional knowledge of the department was rivaled only by his knowledge of the ad-vertising industry.

    Hes trained a large percentage of the advertis-ing practitioners who have worked here, Arant said. Many of them have started agencies.

    Spielberger taught classes in advertising, public rela-tions and news, including

    IN MEMORIAM

    U of M journalism professor dies at 74Spielberger taught many local professionals

    See PROFESSOR, 2

    AN END AND A NEW BEGINNINGChris Herrington looks at ive events from

    2015 that may shape the citys 2016. Page 2

  • The

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    Appeal

    THE

    WEEKLY

    Volume 3, No. 44

    The Weekly, a publication of The Commercial Appeal, is delivered free on Tuesdays to select residents throughout Germantown and Collierville.

    Mailing address:The Weekly The Commercial Appeal 495 Union Ave. Memphis, TN 38103

    To suspend or cancel delivery of The Weekly, call 901-529-2731.

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    In the News

    2 Tuesday, January 5, 2016 T H E W E E K LY M G

    In brief

    G E R M A N T OW N

    Police investigating car break ins

    Germantown police are investigating six reports of car break-ins Dec. 27 that appear related.

    The spree was mostly contained to residential neighborhoods on the southwest side of the sub-urb, including the 7300 block of Eastern, 7200 block of Bellview, 7300 block of Green Clover Cove and the 2200 block of Beau Ridge Cove. Another car was broken into at the Fairield Inn & Suites, 9320 Poplar Pike.

    Checks were taken from a car on Beau Ridge Cove. In the other cases, nothing was taken.

    The break-ins were all reported Dec. 27, starting at 8 a.m. when a victim on Eastern reported a shat-tered car window. Anoth-er report followed at 8:26 a.m. and another almost 30 minutes later.

    The day before, police report that a gun was sto-len from a car parked in the 7100 block of Eastern.

    In November, German-town had a rash of car bur-glaries, although less dam-age was done because the burglars apparently were searching for unlocked cars.

    Jane Roberts

    CO L L I E RV I L L E

    Mark Krock named new inance director

    Mark Krock is the new inance director for the Town of Collierville fol-lowing a changing of the guard that occurred with the retirement of longtime director Jane Bevill.

    Bevill retired this month after 25 years. Krock was hired early in the year as assistant director in an-ticipation of Bevills re-tirement.

    Krock worked for the town as purchasing agent from 1996 to 1998.

    Starting in 2003, he worked at First Horizon National Corp., with roles in the internal audit divi-sion and later in wealth management.

    Daniel Connolly

    ing kites or playing soccer, plus a wide range of other amenities, including walk-ing trails and a man-made lake that will be stocked with ish.

    The park is in south Col-lierville, with an entrance off Holmes Road, near Fleming Road.

    Even with construction ongoing, the park is open and people are using it.

    One of them is Ben Tay-lor, who on a recent morn-ing jogged through the disc golf course, throwing at the basket-like metal targets as

    his 11-year-old son, Liam, tagged behind, carrying a bag full of more discs. Tay-lor said his son is autistic, and the weight of the bag helps calm him.

    Taylor, 38, likes the new park.

    Its beautifully built, he said, adding that Liam likes to play on the musical instruments.

    The boy wandered to the top of the hill as his father spoke.

    Come back down here, bud, his father called. Help me ind the rest of my discs.

    They continued to follow the course, leaving a ield and walking into the woods.

    HINTON from 1

    By Linda A. [email protected]

    901-529-2702

    With the Mississippi River expected to rise to nearly 10 feet above lood stage in the next few days, emergency personnel in Shelby County are advising resi-dents to be watchful of surging waters and be prepared to take

    action if necessary.On Dec. 29, oicials with the

    countys Oice of Preparedness met with area emergency re-sponders, representatives from the American Red Cross, the Memphis Oice of Emergency Management and the National Weather Service to plan for the high water.

    The basic message is were not trying to create panic. Just be prepared. Well be pushing out information over the next few days about the flooding

    and potential impact, said Dale Lane, director of the Oice of Preparedness.

    Although many of the homes in Frayser and northern Shelby County that were looded in 2011 are gone, Lane said, oicials are advising residents who live near the river and its tributaries to be watchful.

    The river was projected to rise to 37.3 feet by Sunday and crest at 43.5 feet by Jan. 9, said Gary Woodall, a meteorologist with the NWS in Memphis.

    It will be the fourth-highest local crest on record, behind the 1937 all-time high of 48.7 feet, the 48.03 feet recorded in May 2011, and the 45.8-foot crest during the 1927 lood.

    The water is already heading downstream and comes from the 5 to 9 inches of rain that fell up to a two weeks ago in the Middle Mississippi Valley areas around Missouri and Illinois, Woodall said.

    And again, since its already fallen, we know that its already

    into the system, he said. The good news is it looks like those areas will have dry weather for at least a week. So it looks like we wont see much more added to what were going to get, but what we will get will be substantial and we have to be aware of it.

    The river is rising slowly and will recede slowly over several days after the crest, Woodall said.

    The Associated Press contributed to this

    report.

    HealtH and SaFetY

    Oicials prepare for Mississippi River loodExpected to crest at 43.5 feet by Jan. 9

    By Chris [email protected]

    901-529-6510

    Five moments that deined Memphis cul-ture in 2015 and estab-

    lished questions for 2016:

    Bass Pro Pyramid opens: One of Memphis biggest empties was illed in April. Intended as a ma-jor tourist draw, the onetime Tomb of Doom has lured (pun intended) more than two million visitors in just eight months. But much of the surrounding Pinch District still sits dormant. That neighborhoods future, and whether the inlux of Bass Pro visitors can actually help transform it, is up in the air. To the east, Crosstown Concourse rises as Bass Pros antithesis, with only local partners, serving only Mem-phians and with neighborhood im-pact at the very core of its purpose and plan. These projects establish diferent poles in terms of major Memphis development. From Mud Island to the Fairgrounds, Grace-land to Central Station to Midtown Market and beyond, these difer-ent approaches to city building will inform how we think and assuredly argue about our citys physical future in 2016.

    The Charleston church shoot-ing provokes a reconsideration of Southern history: This June tragedy happened elsewhere, but the revul-sion to it created a shock wave that

    spread throughout the country and particularly the rest of the South. It reignited a conversation about how we appraise and present our his-tory and how that, in turn, might inluence our present and future. This movement was illustrated lo-cally and regionally by a renewal of long-simmering discord around the Nathan Bedford Forrest monu-ment, the disapproval of the Mis-sissippi state lag at Ole Miss and a more recent efort to document lynching sites in Shelby County.

    Marc Gasol re-signs: A potential franchise-crippling disaster was averted in July, as the most sought-after free agent in Memphis Griz-zlies history renewed his commit-ment to the city (not just the team) without entertaining outside ofers. This decision perhaps cements Memphis emergence as an NBA market and theoretically extends an already long period of competi-tive play for the citys only major league franchise. But ive months later, change rather than continuity has come to deine the team, despite Gasols return. The Grizzlies face a repeat this summer, with Mike Conleys free agency, for which Ga-sols deal was seen as a precursor. But will current struggles and sty-listic changes alter a long-planned Gasol and Conley future?

    Jim Strickland is elected mayor of Memphis: I was a high school senior when Willie W. Herenton became Memphis irst elected black mayor in 1991, and while it was a divisive election, my friends and I then thrilled at the historic, symbolic

    nature of it. A generation later, Jim Stricklands October election as the citys irst white mayor since was seen by some as a retrenchment and by some as a new kind of prog-ress. But that will likely be deined by how Strickland fares.

    Justin Timberlake salutes the city at his Memphis Music Hall of Fame in-duction speech: Arguably the most celebratory Memphis moment of the year came at the Cannon Center in October with a half-hour love let-ter to the city by one of the worlds biggest stars. It felt symbolic of a new optimism and pride among younger Memphians. But after the excitement, related questions lin-ger: For the Hall, it sets a bar that probably cant be met, much less topped, underscoring just how long ago was the citys musical golden age. And for the biggest current Memphis star to be a bicoastal icon who recently bought property in dread Nashville is a bittersweet emblem of Memphis as a place to be from. With other notable, contem-porary Memphis-bred musicians having relocated to or spending the bulk of their time in Los Angeles (Juicy J), New York (Valerie June), Atlanta (K. Michelle) and Nashville (Cory Branan, Luther Dickinson), the city faces a challenge in both developing new musical talent and retaining it. Music is essential to Memphis self-identity and a new generation of organizations and community eforts such as David Porters Consortium MMT, Souls-villes Memphis Slim Collaboratory and others will be working to re-verse this trend.

    MeMPHiS

    COMMERCIAL APPEAL STAFF FILE PHOTOS

    Four big events from last year (clockwise, from top left): Bass Pro Pyramid opened; Justin Timberlake was inducted into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame; Jim Strickland was elected mayor of Memphis; and Marc Gasol re-signed with the Grizzlies.

    LOOKING AHEADFive

    moments in 2015

    could impact

    citys future

    feature writing and in-troduction to journalism classes. He met his wife of 41 years, Debbie, when she was a student in his jour-nalism class.

    He would teach all day and then call my mom, What do you want for dinner, Debbie? Then he would go to the grocery store, Robin Spielberger said.

    She called her father old school, and said he insisted on wearing a coat and tie every day he taught.

    Former student Bob McLean, a 1976 graduate, called Spielberger an in-spiring mentor.

    He was a wonderfully supportive instructor in the classroom, but I think he probably did us more good outside the classroom by helping us igure out where we it into the communications industry, McLean said. Spielberger set students up with industry lead-ers across the city just so they could network and ask questions about what it was really like to work in television, newspapers or radio.

    His work with students

    extended to the school newspaper, the Daily Helmsman, where he served as the advertising adviser. Former coworker Ken Garland called him a students professor be-cause they could always ind him.

    Kelley Lash, executive director of the College Media Association a title Spielberger held for almost 30 years said the organizations members refer to him as Mr. CMA.

    He was just the epitome of what a college media adviser should be and did more for our profession than anybody would be able to recognize, she said.

    PROFESSOR from 1

  • Then the mother, originally from China, uploaded the one-minute video to a Chinese web-site called Meipai.com. Then the video was picked up by another Chinese social media site, Sina Weibo, where it may have been watched by hundreds of millions of people. Soon, it was shown on Chinese television. The video story is fundamentally about con-nections: the intimate connection between members of a family, and how technology can bring images of those connections to people on the other side of the world.

    The doorway video was just one of thousands that the girls mother, Lenny Barrentine, has uploaded to Chinese social media since Zoes birth in 2013. The vid-eos show simple scenes of family life: one video shows Zoe riding a horse on a carousel. Another shows Zoe in a museum, watch-ing a big mechanized dinosaur roar at her. Then she yells back.

    Today, Zoe is a sort of social media star in China, the worlds most populous country. Videos of her have appeared more than once on Chinese TV and played on screens in city buses and air-planes, her father says.

    Her mother runs a busy mail-order company that fulills re-quests from Zoes Chinese fans for American products such as vitamin supplements, boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios and stufed bears like the one they saw in a Zoe video.

    Fans mail the family gifts, too, such as a little white rabbit-skin coat and customized T-shirts with images of the girl and her parents. When the family members visited China in June, fans showed up at their hotels with more gifts.

    I walk into the hotel, and its like Led Zeppelin coming back from a concert, Brandon Bar-rentine, Zoes father, said.

    The story begins with the little girls mother. Before she was Len-ny Barrentine, she was Guo Lim-ing, a girl growing up in Jiangxi province in southeastern China. She says her family was so poor that she didnt eat an apple until she was about 13.

    She managed to go to school in Beijing to study singing. Then she went to study English at a school in a city called Ningbo. There, a teacher gave her an English name: Lenny.

    She went to a website called

    QQ to look for a foreigner with whom to practice English. After a couple of false starts, she connect-ed with her future husband, who came from the Memphis area and visited China as part of his work with a family auto parts business.

    Soon the language practice de-veloped into a relationship, and eventually a marriage. They han-dled her immigration paperwork and she moved to his home coun-try. Their house in Collierville is decorated with huge photographs of the two of them together. Hes 35, shes 27. Shes strikingly attrac-tive, like a movie star. But the at-tention in the videos focuses on Zoe, their only child.

    At irst, Lenny Barrentine start-ed ilming videos of her daughter to share with the girls grandpar-ents in China. Then the videos she uploaded to Chinese social media sites began to explode in popularity.

    Why? She ofered some theo-ries. I think a lot of people like the way Zoe looks. Like her face. Zoe looks diferent from most Chinese children, since her father is American. Shes inherited her dads pufy cheeks.

    Second, some of the most pop-

    ular videos feature Zoes father interacting with his daughter in a loving way. In China, by contrast, child care is often seen as a wom-ans job, Lenny Barrentine said. The man goes out and makes money, she said. In China, its just like me, I dont have a good relationship with my father.

    Most of Zoes fans are women or girls and they like this alterna-tive vision of fatherhood. It really warms their heart and they think its really special, she said.

    Brandon Barrentine says the videos also ofer a glimpse of American life: the scenes of un-crowded, green suburban Collier-ville difer sharply from Chinas crammed cities.

    The Zoe videos have gained a following in China, but its hard to say just how popular they are. Brandon Barrentine said one vid-eo the doorway scene had been watched more than 1.3 bil-lion times, at least according to a counter on a website. He thought the number seemed strangely high.

    The view counts are question-able, said Ian Johnson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter based in Beijing who is writing a book on

    values and faith in China. Im not sure I would take these numbers seriously, he wrote in an email. Statistics in China are notori-ously malleable and exaggera-tions are rampant.

    Still, its not inconceivable that such videos are popular, he wrote. Chinese are very curious about the outside world. This is especially true of child-rearing, where Chinese are searching for diferent, freer ways of raising children.

    He also said Chinese people are especially interested in children with mixed ancestry and believe theyre unusually smart.

    Lenny Barrentine says she plans to keep ilming Zoe. Right now, Ive got like 300,000 fans, people pushing every day, want-ing to see my videos. Shed like to have Zoe learn singing and dancing and appear on TV talent shows in China.

    Her husband said, Yeah, were not so agreed on this. He laughed. Theyre hoping to have another baby, too.

    Whatever the future holds for little Zoe and her parents, its likely that many people in China will be watching.

    M G T H E W E E K LY Tuesday, January 5, 2016 3Community

    By Daniel [email protected], 901-529-5296

    The 2-year-old girl named Zoe didnt want her dad to leave.

    In the doorway of the garage in suburban Collierville, she clung to his neck and said, No! No! He said, Honey, I have to go to work! Im late.

    He gently pushed her away. She started to cry, then toddled back to him again, and he gave her one more hug. The girls mother used her iPhone to record the scene.

    COLLIERVILLE

    SLICE

    OF LIFE

    YALONDA M. JAMES/THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL

    Video clips of the Barrentine familys life in Collierville posted by mom Lenny have made 2-year-old Zoe a social media star in China. Viewers are fascinated by American fatherhood and Brandons interaction with his daughter, Lenny said. It warms their heart and they think its really special.

    Chinas interest in familys daily activity makes toddler a social media sensation

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  • 4 Tuesday, January 5, 2016 T H E W E E K LY M GBusiness

    By Jane [email protected]

    901-529-2512

    Germantown has landed on the national radar for high-test concept stores. Witness Apple, building in hushed secret be-hind a black box in Saddle Creek, and Kroger, which rolled out a 100,000-square-foot store this year on Farmington Boulevard.

    In a sliver of a lot on German-town Road near Wolf River Bou-levard, Regions Bank is doing the same, building the second of its nexus-style branches, a tech-rich banking environment where whats notable at irst glance is what is missing.

    There is no tellers row in the 3,200-square-foot branch going up at 1284 S. Germantown Road.

    Instead, perhaps taking a cue from Apple, customers will be greeted at the door and directed to a work station where one per-son will help them, beginning to end.

    That employee may be a video teller, a dial-up stafer at the home oice in Birmingham, Ala., who can help with trans-actions during banking hours, after hours, on weekends in-cluding Sunday and holidays. Or it may be an on-site univer-sal banker, trained to help cus-tomers with any service banks ofer.

    Were constantly looking at our branches. We dont just want to build them all the same. We stop and pause. We did that a year ago, said David May, pres-ident of Regions operations in West Tennessee.

    Regions is rolling out the fruit of that introspection. It opened the irst nexus outside St. Louis several weeks ago. Dallas, third in line, will open in 2016.

    If you think about it, when you come into a bank and walk over to the teller, that person may say, I understand what you are asking, you need to go over to that desk, May said. Our cus-

    tomers end up moving through-out the branch.

    Now, he says, they will be able to deal with one person, if they choose. Regions hopes the seamless service helps it create a deeper and longer-lasting rela-tionship with its customers.

    It is the irst to introduce uni-versal banking here. Nationally, other banks are rolling into the space.

    Many banks are integrat-ing face-to-face interactions with self-serve and e-banking. Theyre cross-training employ-ees to perform full-service or universal banking to best meet all of their customers needs, said Jef Sigmund, vice president of the American Bank-ers Association in Washington.

    A year ago, ABA rolled out the irst credential for univer-

    sal bankers, a program to train front-line staf to serve as the single point of contact for a di-verse walk-in customer.

    While online banking is now the most popular way to bank in the United States, lots of people still want to talk to a person, May said.

    To accommodate them and extend hours, Regions has ret-rofitted three branches here

    with video tellers (which look like large iPhones). The third, at 88 Union Ave., is expected to be completed in February.

    The Germantown Road branch expected to open in March will have ive universal banking stations, plus three vid-eo tellers, two in drive-up lanes and one in the 24-hour vestibule.

    It will have the same number of employees as a normal branch, if not more, May said, because at least initially, some employees will greet customers and help them get acquainted with the technology.

    For Regions, which closed a Germantown branch near Saddle Creek in the last 18 months when its lease expired, the new branch is a strategy to shorten the gap between its oices at Trinity Commons and 7744 Poplar Ave., in the heart of Germantown.

    It gained the land on Ger-mantown Road (an out-parcel of the former Wal-Mart) when it acquired AmSouth. When Wolf River (Boulevard) opened, it made a lot of sense to build there, May said.

    REGIONS BANK

    New branch wont have traditional tellers row

    PHOTOS BY STAN CARROLL

    THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL

    ABOVE: A contractor works on the lighting at

    Regions Nexus branch in Germantown on Dec.

    29. Scheduled to open in March, the 3,200-square-

    foot building will be missing the normal teller

    row; in its place will be an open-store concept with stations, or pods, for use

    by staf and customers. RIGHT: An array of build-ing supplies rest in what

    will be the open lobby of Regions branch in

    Germantown.

    Bank adding tech-rich environment

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  • 6 Tuesday, January 5, 2016 T H E W E E K LY M GCommunity

    By Jane [email protected]

    901-529-2512

    The truth about Santa is that some stops are simply more

    special than others. For Kennison Kyle, who followed his father into the big chair nearly 18 years ago, the Memphis Oral School for the Deaf is a must appear-ance every year.

    Kyle loves it so much, he waives his Santa fee to hear kids no one expected to be able to speak tell him what they want for Christmas.

    Theres something about these kids here, he said, sit-ting in a slightly stufy room in his red-velvet, acetate-lined suit, waiting for the all-clear, his cue to start the baritone ho-ho-hoing that sets the whole school alutter.

    During Santas visit, Jordan Johnson, 5, was on his lap in a lash.

    I want a tractor-trailer, she told the jolly elf, 46. And a toy computer and a ladder, she said, pointing to pictures of her wishes shed glued to a paper stocking.

    In the front row, her parents beamed.

    She was diagnosed at birth with severe hearing loss in both ears, said her father, Curtis Johnson, a pilot for Delta Air Lines.

    She was itted with hearing aids when she was 2 and en-rolled at MOSD, the nonproit,

    private school in Germantown that helps children with hear-ing loss learn to speak. They do not learn American Sign Language.

    The goal is to mainstream them in a traditional school by the time they are in kindergar-ten, said Teresa Schwartz, ex-ecutive director of the school that was started in 1959 by the late John Tayloe with the help of the Exchange Club of East Memphis.

    There are 27 children en-rolled, all 5, and 11 infants in Sound Beginnings, the schools early intervention for babies under 3. Tuition is based on family income.

    The absolute most any-one has paid is $18,000, said Schwartz, whos been the lead-

    er since 1988. The hardest cases are chil-

    dren who are itted with de-vices late in their early child-

    hood, giving them potentially two years or less to learn all the language skills and vocab-ulary of a typical 5-year-old.

    Two years after Jordan was enrolled, her parents noticed her speech was getting less clear, a sign that her hearing aids were no longer strong enough.

    With these kids, the hear-ing loss almost always gets worse, Curtis Johnson said.

    By the time she was 4, she had two cochlear implants, surgically implanted devices that replace the function of the damaged inner ear.

    You have to cut the nerve. She had some residual hearing. Its a risk, said Darlene Curtis. We went through that whole grief cycle again the anger, arguing. Every time theres a change, you go through the emotional process again.

    But they noticed Jordan made the biggest gains in school that year.

    You think its not that much, until you sit and watch the classrooms (behind one-way glass) then you see that everything they do is geared for one purpose, Curtis John-son said.

    Jordan is on track to start kindergarten at Lewisburg Elementary in Olive Branch next year.

    The Johnsons say the deci-sion to enroll her in a school for deaf children that focuses on oral speech instead of sign language was not diicult.

    If she wants to learn it sometime, it might be helpful later in life. Its always good to have a new skill, Curtis John-son said.

    But we wanted her to speak. If this school didnt ex-ist, these children would be left behind.

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  • M G T H E W E E K LY Tuesday, January 5, 2016 7Community

    Special to The Weekly

    The Miss Collierville Scholarship Pageant, an oicial preliminary of the Miss America Pageant, will be Saturday at the Harrell Theatre, 440 W. Powell Road in Collierville.

    Twelve area young women will be compet-ing for the two prestigious titles, Miss Collierville 2016 and Miss Colliervilles Outstanding Teen 2016.

    The event begins at 2 p.m. and will feature the miss contestant and teen contestant competitions, large production numbers and the coronation of the delightful Miss Collier-ville Princesses. Contes-tants will be judged on interview, talent, itness, evening wear and on-stage question. Admission is $15. Tickets are available at the door prior to the perfor-mance.

    The Miss Collierville Scholarship Organization has a long history of pro-viding scholarship and community advocacy for Collierville, said Miran-da Dyer, Miss Collierville 2015. Each winner will receive educational schol-arship, a host of prizes and the opportunity to compete at the 2016 Miss Tennessee

    Scholarship Pageant and Miss Tennessee Outstand-ing Teen Pageant.

    For more information,

    visit misscollierville.org or like Miss Collierville Scholarship Organization on Facebook.

    PAGEANTS

    Miss Collierville to be crowned

    Miranda Dyer, Miss Collierville 2015, and Christal Williamson, Miss Colliervilles Outstanding Teen 2015, will crown the new titleholders during the Miss Collierville Scholarship Pageant, Saturday at the Harrell Theatre.

    Each year, the children of employees at the

    Shoemaker Financial attend the companys

    Christmas party. During the event, Jim Shoe-maker continues the

    annual tradition of tell-ing the story of the birth

    of Jesus. The children chime in with difer-

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  • 8 Tuesday, January 5, 2016 T H E W E E K LY M G

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    Frank Ramirez | Overton High School | General ScholarshipFrank, a senior, is a leader and excellent student. He holds a 4.48 weighted grade point average and scored 25 on the ACT. He is slated

    to be the 2016 Salutatorian of his senior class. He always enrolls in demanding courses including Advanced Placement, Honors and DualEnrollment classes, and then works hard to be successful. He has received the former Memphis City Schools William H. Sweet Award forAcademic Excellence. He has been inducted into the National Honor Society, Quill and Scroll Society and Mu Alpha Theta, the math honorsociety.

    A member of the schools Creative and Performing Arts Writing Department, Frank has been published in The Tracker with articleswritten primarily in Spanish. His desire to write in a different language is his way of ensuring that the schools Hispanic population feelspart of the school community. He also is on the yearbook staff.

    In addition, Frank assists in translating for incoming students to the school. He is very reliable and the teachers and his classmateslook to him for assistance. He participates in charitable 5K races for various causes. He is an altar server and a teachers assistant at hischurchs conirmation classes.

    Ben Jones | St. Benedict High School | General ScholarshipBen, a senior, does it all. He excels in academics, athletics and service. He holds a 4.07 weighted grade point average and scored a

    perfect 36 on the ACT. He has shown fortitude and perseverance while taking a rigorous course of study. His classmates and teachersrespect him for his accomplishments and beliefs. He has maintained a personal integrity that led him to a position on the StudentHonor Council. He also was chosen to be president of the Student Government Association, a Senior Retreat Leader and StudentAmbassador. His greatest gift is his wisdom and maturity.

    A highly involved student, Ben lettered for the golf team, making it to the state tournament as a junior. He has been selected formembership in the National Honor Society, National Latin Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta, the math honor society. He is a member ofthe Make-a-Wish Club, SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) Club, Random Acts of Kindness Club and the track team.

    Ben is active in Search. This activity requires a commitment of many weekends of training and leading retreats for other teens. Heenjoys tutoring both elementary and high school students.

    Katarina Jankov | Houston High School | General ScholarshipKatarina, a senior, has an enthusiasm for life and a talent for leadership. She holds a 4.629 weighted grade point average and scored a perfect

    36 on the ACT and a perfect 2400 on the SAT. She is planning a career in International Business. She has taken 15 Advanced Placement classesincluding three online to it into her schedule. She currently is taking a Dual Enrollment Calculus III course through The University of Memphis. Shehas been named a National Merit Semiinalist, an AP Scholar with Distinction and a National AP Scholar, earning a top score of 5 on all nine of theAP exams she has taken.

    Although Katarina was born in the United States her parents are from Serbia. She is tri-lingual, speaking English, Serbo-Croatian and Spanish.Katarina has taken both Latin and Spanish classes, earning Gold Medals on the National Latin Exam twice and the National Spanish Exam threetimes. She is on the executive board for both the Beta Club and Mu Alpha Theta. In addition she is a member of the National Honor Society, SpanishHonor Society, Latin Honor Society and Rho Kappa Social Studies Honor Society.

    Cassidy Benjamin | Brighton High School | General ScholarshipCassidy, a senior, is a self-motivated, high-achieving student who enjoys learning. She holds a 4.0 grade point average and scored

    30 on the ACT. She has taken a dificult schedule of classes that has included College Prep courses in English I, II and III plus Algebra IIand Geometry. She has taken Dual Enrollment Pre-Calculus, U.S. History and Calculus through Dyersburg State Community College. Shehas been awarded the Cardinal Academic Excellence Award the past three years. She also earned the ACT All Star Honor.

    Always up for a challenge, Cassidy studies Spanish and Mandarin Chinese on her own. She also learned the piano, oboe andsaxophone on her own. In addition, she uses her knowledge to serve as a peer tutor. This year she is the co-chair for the Toys for Totsholiday fundraiser committee. As co-chair, she helps raise money through school events. The money is used to buy toys for needychildren.

    Cassidy has been inducted into the National Honor Society and the National Spanish Honor Society. She is a member of theKnowledge Bowl Team and SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions).

    Hannah Martin | Immaculate Conception Cathedral School | General ScholarshipHannah, a senior, is a brilliant student who has challenged herself by taking almost every Honors and Advanced Placement class the

    school offers. She holds a 4.7112 weighted grade point average and scored 35 on the ACT with a perfect score of 36 on the Math andScience sections of the test. She is consistently recognized as a member of the Summa Cum Laude Honor Roll.

    She has been inducted into the National Honor Society, the Beta Club and Mu Alpha Theta, the math honor society.A mature student, Hannah has a tremendous capacity for independent study. Her love for learning sets her apart from her peers. She

    is co-captain of the Mock Trial Team. Last year during competition, she was recognized as the Best Witness and the Best Attorney.In addition, Hannah is involved in other aspects of school life. She is vice-president of the Art Club and a member of the French

    Club, Environmental Club, the Asian Appreciation Club and Campus Ministries. She has completed more than 100 hours of communityservices and earned the respect of her peers and teachers alike.

    Carly Golding | Center Hill High School | General ScholarshipCarly, a senior, is a well-rounded student and top performer in the classroom. She holds a 4.31 weighted grade point average and scored 28 on

    the ACT. She has been named a National Merit Semiinalist while taking almost every Advanced Placement class the school offers. She also takesDual Enrollment classes through Northwest Community College. She earned top scores of 5 on the AP English Literature exam and the AP U.S.History exam.

    In addition to academics, Carlys interests travel the spectrum from reading and writing to leadership and community service and on to activitieslike white-water rafting and traveling. Although she was shy and reserved in her early high school years, Carly has blossomed and fully envelopedherself within the culture of the school. She has sought out leadership positions and made a difference by accepting those positions.

    Carly is the president of the National Honor Society. In that position she is seeking to revamp a school-wide tutoring program for strugglingstudents. Her patience and knowledge make her a valuable asset to this cause. Carly also volunteers with the community animal shelter and foodpantry.

    Lawson Tyrone | Christian Brothers High School | General ScholarshipLawson, a senior, is an outstanding student and impressive leader. Currently ranked irst in his senior class, Lawson holds a 4.988

    weighted grade point average, scored 35 on the ACT (a perfect 36 on the science section of the test) and 2110 on the SAT. He has beennamed a National Merit Semiinalist and AP Scholar with Distinction. He is the Honor Council vice-president and Leadership Counciltreasurer. He attended the Notre Dame Summer College Program and received the Yale Book Award. He has been a member of the De LaSalle Scholars since ninth grade.

    With an internal drive and discipline, Lawson displays a unique maturity for a high school student. After arriving on campus as afreshman, he was elected president of his class.

    In addition, Lawson is a proactive member of two service clubs and is a volunteer tutor for at-risk students at a local Boys andGirls Club. He is a four-year letterman of the Brothers in Arms Trap and Skeet Team, president of the Ultimate Frisbee Club, a StudentAmbassador, and co-chair of the Ducks Unlimited Varsity Chapter that extends conservation efforts to the high school level.

    For more information, call or email Mary Lou Brown, Community Relations Managerfor The Commercial Appeal at 901-529-2508 or [email protected]

  • M G T H E W E E K LY Tuesday, January 5, 2016 9Sports

    By Pete WickhamSpecial to The Weekly

    Theyre back ... this time with reinforcements. Lots of reinforcements.

    Centrals Lady War-riors, after a couple of years out of the spot-light, made it abundantly clear this past week they do not plan to go quietly into the March sunset. Ranked No. 3 in the pre-Christmas Dandy Dozen, Central ripped through the ield for its irst Drag-on Fire Invitational title, capping the week with a 67-34 blowout of District 16-AAA rival Whitehaven at Collierville.

    In its last golden era, Central had three spec-tacular talents in Nina Da-vis, Danielle Ballard and Aaliyah Whiteside, and a short rotation behind.

    This time around the Warriors (15-0) have just two seniors, UAB-bound point guard Miyah Barnes and 6-4 center Tijuana Griggs. After that, second-year coach Rashad Hayes has a seemingly endless supply of interchangeable freshmen and sophomores Hes not shy about inter-changing.

    This is the great equal-izer, he said, pointing to the bench. Kids know that if they dont do what we teach, theres some-one waiting to take their place.

    Jireh Washington, a 5-9 sophomore guard, had a breakout week, earning Most Valuable Player hon-ors by scoring 21 points in a 60-38 semiinal win over West Memphis, then torching the Tigers (9-4) for 20 points and eight steals.

    From the opening tap, the Warrior defense made things uncomfortable when Whitehaven came

    into the lane. Midway through the irst quar-ter the uncomfort zone stretched to the midcourt stripe. For much of the second half, getting a pass to midcourt was often an adventure for the Tigers.

    Ariel Williams had 10 points to lead Whitehav-en.

    White Station (14-2), ranked sixth in the Dan-dy Dozen, bounced back from a loss to Whitehaven in the semiinals to take third place with a 75-37 rout of West Memphis.

    Arlington (12-5), which went to the state tourna-ment with a 26-10 mark last season, gave Central its toughest test of the week, losing a 74-69 quar-terinal decision despite 29 points from Wake For-est-bound Raegyn Branch. The Tigers came back to claim ifth place with a 67-47 rout of Craigmont (13-4). Tori Sewell, headed to Arkansas State next year, scored 16 points and Ash-ley Lee 13 while Danielle Conley had 17 for Craig-mont.

    We were competitive against Central and then took care of business af-ter that, Arlington coach Hunter Gremore said.

    Collierville (11-7), led by sophomore Lauren Taylors 18 points, took the seventh-place game with a 57-51 decision over Bartlett (6-8), which got 14 from Jessica Jackson.

    Dragons coach Bobby Yates, who has just one se-nior on his squad said he was happy with his teams progress during the week, and extremely happy with the success of Dragon Fire 15.

    Strong tournament, really strong, Yates said. This might be the best ield weve had in a half-dozen years.

    PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL

    Central takes Dragon Fire title

    Redshirt freshman

    Brady Davis (left) is one of the front-run-

    ners to replace Paxton Lynch (right) as the Tigers start-

    ing quarter-back next

    season.

    MARK WEBER

    THE COMMERCIAL

    APPEAL

    By Tom [email protected]

    901-529-2525

    Were ive days into 2016, at the beginning of what will be an inter-esting ofseason for the Memphis football program. Justin Fuente and Paxton Lynch are gone. Mike Norvell is in. Heres a look at the ive most pressing questions sur-rounding the Tigers entering 2016.

    1. WHO WILL REPLACE LYNCH?This is, and will be, the most

    pressing question for Memphis until it is answered. Lynch was the best player on last years team, and he also happened to play the most important position. There are two early front-runners to replace him: Redshirt freshman Brady Davis and incoming junior-college transfer Riley Ferguson. The out-going coaching staf loved Davis. Ferguson, meanwhile, was signed by Norvell out of Cofeyville (Kan-sas) Community College. He origi-nally played at Tennessee and was rated the No. 2 junior college quar-terback prospect by 247Sports.com. A third quarterback, incom-ing freshman Keon Howard, could be in the mix if he reairms his commitment to Memphis.

    2. WHAT IMPACT WILL NORVELL HAVE ON RECRUITING?

    The former Arizona State of-fensive coordinator comes with a sterling reputation as a recruit-er, but hell only have about two months from when he was hired to signing day (Feb. 3). Will the eight players who had orally committed to Fuente, including Howard and cornerback Tyrez Lindsey, still wind up here?

    3. HOW WILL THE SCHEDULE SHAKE OUT?

    The opponents are set, and we know the dates of nonconference matchups with SEMO, Kansas, Bowling Green and Ole Miss. The question is where Memphis toughest conference games will land in the course of the season. In 2015, the Tigers had arguably their three toughest conference games Navy, at Houston and at Temple lined up in a row in No-vember. Will they be more spaced out next year? The American Ath-letic Conference should release its full schedule next month.

    4. WILL WE SEE MORE CONSISTENCY ON DEFENSE?

    Memphis defense was up and down all year, often stopping the

    run efectively but struggling in coverage. There were moments of dominance, namely against Ole Miss and SMU, but little con-sistency. Will that change in 2016? The Tigers will have a new defen-sive coordinator, as Galen Scott will join Fuentes staf at Virginia Tech, according to FootballScoop.com. The starting lineup, however, will largely be the same. Memphis loses only ive seniors on defense. The rest of the group will return, with one more year of experience.

    5. CAN THE TIGERS MAINTAIN MOMENTUM?

    Memphis just completed the winningest two-year stretch in program history and reached a new level of national relevance with its victory over Ole Miss and appearance in the College Football Playof rankings. But the program is now in transition. The two key igures in that historic stretch Fuente and Lynch will be gone. The team wont enter 2016 with the same momentum as it did this year, following the Miami Beach Bowl victory and seven straight wins to end the previous season. Norvell has talked about Memphis needing to take the next step. In 2016, well see where that next step will be.

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  • 10 Tuesday, January 5, 2016 T H E W E E K LY M GSports

    By Phil [email protected]

    901-529-2543

    It unfolded as expected.Kansas State had fought

    gallantly to reach the post-season, winning three straight regular-season games to end the year af-ter enduring a draining six-game losing streak.

    So each time the Univer-sity of Arkansas attempted to put some distance be-tween itself and a Wild-cats upset in Saturdays AutoZone Liberty Bowl, K-States resolve intervened.

    With Arkansas ahead by 11 at halftime, the Wildcats took the opening kickof and scored in four plays. When the Razorbacks re-sponded with a lengthy touchdown drive, K-State trimmed the margin to eight points with a ield goal in the closing minutes of the third quarter.

    Eventually, much like their fellow Southeastern Conference bowl teams this postseason, the Ra-zorbacks landed a knock-out punch en route to a 45-23 victory before 61,136 at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.

    Quarterback Brandon Allen, All-America tight end Hunter Henry and All-SEC running back Alex Collins provided the back-to-back plays that inally ended K-States comeback attempt.

    On third-and-13 from the Arkansas 43 with the Razorbacks ahead, 31-23 Allen rolled left, double-clutched and con-nected deep down the left sideline to Henry as a defender closed. Henrys reception at the K-State 14 was followed by game MVP Collins darting, spin-ning and carrying several defenders to the goal line.

    Later in the quarter, Kody Walkers 10-yard touchdown run provided

    the Razorbacks inal TD and biggest margin.

    (We) closed it to four (points) and then the wheels fell of, said K-State coach Bill Snyder.

    Collins earned the postgame hardware with 185 rushing yards and a bowl-record tying three touchdowns. Allen, in his inal game as a Razor-back, completed 20 of 26 passes for 315 yards and a touchdown. And Henry, a irst-team All-America, inished with 92 yards on ive catches. His 43-yard reception was the longest pass play for the Hogs.

    Allen called the comple-tion to Henry, followed by the Collins TD, a huge momentum boost.

    Allen said it was a play they had put in for the bowl

    game and that Henry made a good catch on an under-thrown ball.

    Then Collins followed with his determined 14-yard run.

    We wanted to try and put the game away, Col-lins said. I knew scoring on that drive would put the game away. During that play, I just fought hard.

    Arkansas dominated K-State, outgaining the Wild-cats 569 yards to 242. The Razorbacks inished with 254 rushing yards and held the Wildcats to 79.

    From the time of the (bowl invitation) an-nouncement ... the kids locked in on what we needed to do, said Arkan-sas coach Bret Bielema. I thought they championed the moment when we were

    practicing back in Fayette-ville.

    Arkansas (8-5) ended the season with six wins in its last seven games, the only loss being a 51-50 heartbreaker to Mississippi State.

    Collins, who has rushed for 1,000 or more yards three straight years, tied a Razorback record with his 10th 100-yard rushing game of the season.

    Allen, a senior, made his 35th consecutive and inal start a memorable one in leading the Razorbacks to their second straight bowl victory. Arkansas beat Tex-as in last years Texas Bowl.

    Kansas State, coached by the 76-year-old Snyder, for whom Bielema once worked, inished 6-7.

    Obviously, we were

    very disappointed in the ballgame, Snyder said. Arkansas is an extremely ine and talented football team. But, once again, it wasnt Arkansas. It was us.

    We didnt coach them very well today. That cre-ated some issues for us.

    Arkansas broke open a close game in the second half by scoring twice in the fourth quarter. Collins scored his third TD early in the quarter and Walker added a 10-yard run with 4:46 to go to give the Ra-zorbacks a 45-23 advantage.

    K-State had trimmed the lead to 31-23 late in the third quarter on a 32-yard ield goal by Matthew McCrane before the Razorbacks be-gan their inal push.

    The Wildcats had opened the second half

    with a four-play scoring drive, getting the touch-down on a 48-yard pass from quarterback Kody Cook to a wide-open Win-ston Dimel on a busted cov-erage by Arkansas.

    Arkansas answered with a lengthy drive that ended with a six-yard pass from Allen to tight end Jeremy Sprinkle to give the Razor-backs a 31-20 lead.

    K-State took advantage of an early interception of Allen to take a 7-0 lead. Allen was intercepted on the third ofensive play by Wildcat linebacker Elijah Lee at the Arkansas 27. Four plays later, Dimel scored from 10 yards.

    The Razorbacks an-swered with a 72-yard drive, capped by Collins 22-yard run to tie the score.

    Kansas States ensuing possession began with a 35-yard run by Charles Jones to the Razorback 30 and the drive ended with a 36-yard McCrane ield goal for a 10-7 Wildcat lead.

    Arkansas kept the tit-for-tat theme alive. Collins took the ensuring kickof and returned it 68 yards to the K-State 24. Three plays later, Jared Cornelius scam-pered 13 yards on an end-around to give the Hogs a 14-10 lead with 2:22 left in the opening quarter.

    After the Razorbacks stopped the Wildcats on downs in the closing min-ute of the quarter, Arkansas put together a third straight scoring drive, this one ending on another Collins touchdown. His 13-yard run made it 21-10.

    Kicker Cole Hedlund boosted Arkansass lead to 24-10 late in the second quarter on a 26-yard ield goal and McCrane con-verted from 21 yards with 21 seconds before halftime. Hedlunds 46-yard attempt as time expired in the irst half was blocked by Mar-quel Bryant.

    Liberty bowL: ArkAnsAs 45, kAnsAs stAte 23

    razorbacks shake of wildcats in 4th quarter

    JIM WEBER/THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL

    Arkansas star running back Alex Collins (3) celebrates with the team after their win over Kansas State at the AutoZone Liberty Bowl Saturday afternoon.

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  • M G T H E W E E K LY Tuesday, January 5, 2016 11In the News

    By Ryan [email protected]

    901-268-5074

    Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland took oice Fri-day, along with other elect-ed city oicials, in what he called the biggest shake up in Memphis city gov-ernment in a quarter of a century.

    In an inaugural address punctuated by standing ovations from a crowd of roughly 600 people, Strick-land called his irst day on the job a day of renewal.

    Over the next four years, I will do everything in my power to restore trust where it is broken and hope where it is lost, he said. I will work every day to make our streets safer and our city stronger, to create jobs and increase wages, to provide better roads and transportation, and to improve the quality and service of city government to you our customers.

    Strickland the citys irst white mayor in 24 years thanked prede-cessor and campaign op-ponent A C Wharton as a credit to his city. But the election, Strickland added, was a call for change that has not gone unheard.

    He said his adminis-tration will have more women in leadership roles than ever before, has restructured city govern-ment under six chief of-icers to save tax dollars, and brought together 150 people to review city func-tions and come up with policy recommendations.

    Strickland acknowl-edged the citys inancial and social challenges including a growing dei-cit of police oicers and firefighters but said he would meet the issues

    head on.We will focus like a

    laser beam on trying to recruit quality police of-icers and ireighters, he said. We know that public safety is at the forefront of rebuilding our city.

    After the speech, in a side room at The Cannon Center for Performing Arts, Strickland compared his job to a new college coach who has to irst re-cruit his current team to stay, and said his immedi-ate goal is to stop police and ireighters from quit-ting their jobs.

    Strickland asked for citi-zens to take a more active role in their government, which he said was a must for him to fulill his vi-sion of a prosperous and strong, and socially just Memphis.

    And while I dream of a city with bigger buildings and taller skyscrapers, my greatest dream is a city where more of our chil-dren are graduating high school, more of our home-less ind housing and more of those without a job ind

    the dignity of work, he said.

    Stricklands former law school ethics professor, U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Bernice Donald, swore in him, the 13 council mem-bers and City Court Clerk Kay Robilio. The six addi-tions to the council are the recently elected Frank Col-vett Jr., Martavius Jones, Worth Morgan, Patrice Robinson, Philip Spinosa and Jamita Swearengen.

    Kemp Conrad, who gave an address before Strick-lands, said Friday was a new year and a new day for Memphis.

    In his remarks before oicials took their oaths, U.S. Attorney Ed Stanton challenged the oicials and the audience to think big about the future of Mem-phis, and quoting from Martin Luther King Jr. obey their consciences.

    As he wrapped up, Stanton had the audience twice repeat these words: Serving together for the common good. Our next days will be our best days.

    City of memphis

    strickland, other elected city oicials inaugurated

    BRAD VEST/THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL

    Mayor Jim Strickland talks with supporters after the swearing-in ceremony Friday at The Cannon Center for the Performing Arts. Strickland referred to his taking oice as the biggest shake up in Memphis city government in a quarter of a century. He said his election was a call for change that has not gone unheard.

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  • 12 Tuesday, January 5, 2016 T H E W E E K LY M G

    MemphisTree Recycling at The Yard, 1735 Thomas, will run

    through January. The Yard will accept your tree to be recycled into reusable materials. Mention Mem-phis Botanic Garden and $5 will be donated. Visit theyardmemphis.com.

    BartlettThe Bartlett City Beautiful Commission hosts

    Bartlett Gardening University, a seven-part series of garden talks open to the public. All presentations will be provided by master gardeners and held at the Bartlett Library, 5884 Stage, each Saturday at 2:30 p.m., through February, starting this week with a pre-sentation from Master Gardener Jim Volgas titled Soil & Composting. Talk will cover common ques-tions: what is healthy soil, how do we obtain it and how does composting relate to soil building. Contact Tom Rieman at 901 386-7539 or [email protected].

    Bartlett Performing Arts and Conference Center, 3663 Appling Road, will host Taylor Hicks on Jan. 16, from 8-10 p.m. Hicks is one of the most beloved and popular American Idol winners of all time. Tickets are $25. Visit bpacc.org or call 901-385-6440.

    Also coming up: Jan. 30: Sarah Darling, 8 p.m. Called a sophisti-

    cated songwriter with a crisp, powerful voice by The New York Times, Darling pairs her uncanny knack for songwriting with her crystal clear vocals and beauti-ful tone to solidify the Iowa native as one of Americas newest breakout sensations. Tickets are $25.

    ColliervilleCollierville United Methodist Church presents the

    Chamber Music Series. The series, held at the historic Sanctuary on the Square, 104 Rowlett St., will run through April 24. All concerts begin at 7 p.m. with no admission fee. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Contact Jeannie Stevens Jones at [email protected] or 901-826-5069.

    Chamber Music Series:Feb. 21: An Evening of Opera, presented by The

    University of Memphis Opera Department with Mr. Mark Ensley, director of Opera Studies

    March 20: Rhodes Singers, directed by Dr. Wil-liam Skoog.

    April 24: Shakespeare in Song, presented by Luna Nova and featuring Mr. Paul Murray, Baritone, Ms. Sabrina Laney Warren, soprano, and Mr. Perry War-ren, piano.

    Anne Enochs presents her art work exhibit in the

    Halle Room at the Collierville Library, 501 Poplar View Parkway, through January. Enochs paintings have won awards in national juried shows and is a founding member of the Professional Artists League of Mississippi. Visit colliervillelibrary.org or call 901-457-2600.

    The Morton Museum of Collierville History, 196 Main, hosts a booksigning by John Babb Jan. 14, from 11 a.m. to noon. Author discusses and signs Orphan Hero, a Novel of the Civil War. Visit colliervillemu-seum.org, email [email protected] or call 901-457-2650.

    Also coming up: Jan. 28: Willy Bearden: Documenting Your Life

    (and Mine), 11 a.m. to noon. Writer and filmmaker Willy Bearden will talk about his experience docu-menting the Mid-South and the Delta, along with ideas for documenting your own life. Free to attend.

    Ongoing: Starting Jan. 8, the Morton Museum hosts Slaves and Slaveholders of Wessyngton Planta-tion, an exhibition of personal accounts, artifacts and films from a 13,000 acre tobacco plantation that existed in Robertson County examining the institu-tion of slavery and its impact on the state and the nation. Email [email protected].

    Colliervilles annual Mother/Son Bowling Night will be Jan. 15, from 5:30-8 p.m., at Fundquest Bowling Center, 440 U.S. 72. Cost is $30 per team, $15 for each additional son. Call 901-457-2770.

    CordovaThe Memphis Flea Market returns to Agricenter In-

    ternational, 7777 Walnut Grove, Jan. 16-17. Featuring indoor booths overflowing with options in home d-cor, jewelry vendors, collectibles and more. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Admis-sion is $3 for adults and free for children 12 and under. Call 901-276-3532 or visit memphisfleamarket.com.

    Creative Writing for Veterans is every 21 days, from 6-9 p.m., at Southwest Tennessee Community Col-lege, 5983 Macon Cove. For U.S. Veterans and active duty military members. Meets Wednesdays during the Spring 2016 semester. Email [email protected], visit southwest.tn.edu or call 901-333-5208.

    Covenant United Methodist Church, 8350 Walnut Grove, hosts the Snowball Gala Jan. 9, from 7-10 p.m. Welcome the new year with USA Dance, featuring ballroom recorded DJ music and dance mixers. Cost is $10 for members, $13 nonmembers. Visit usadance-memphis.com or call 662-349-3720 or 901-853-1413.

    The Spartan City Poetry Club is for adults who have a passion for poetry and writing. The group meets once per month at the Cordova Branch Library, 8457 Trinity Road. Writing tips and techniques, poetry readings, critiquing and conversation. Free to attend. Email [email protected] or visitliving-breathingpoetry.com/spartan-city-poetry-club.

    Also coming up: Saturday: Book Self-Publishing Seminar, 3-5 p.m.

    Seminar will detail the steps to self-publishing your own writing, the copyright process, how to build your author brand, marketing your book and finding your target audience. Free to attend.

    Chuckles Comedy Club, 1770 Dexter Springs Loop, will host LOL Memphis Sketch & Improv Comedy Show the second and fourth Monday of every month, from 7-9 p.m. Featuring improv games and sketch parodies.

    Cast members perform small sets throughout the show to introduce whats coming next. Tickets are $10. Email [email protected], visit chucklescomedy-house.com or call 901-654-8594.

    GermantownShelby County Republican Womens Club will hold its

    first general meeting of the new year on Jan. 19, at 11 a.m. at Germantown Country Club, 1780 Kimbrough Road, featuring guest speaker John Ryder, General Counsel for the Republican National Committee. Call 901-754-6209.

    Learn about Making the Most of Storage and Space at the Jan. 8 edition of the Brown Bag Lunch series. Amy Tuggle and Fran Cutshall, owners of Stay Organized with Us, will speak about organizing your home in the Mike Wilson Fellowship Hall at German-town United Methodist Church, 2331 S. Germantown Road. Program starts at 11 a.m., with lunch at noon. Free to attend. Bring a sack lunch; church will sup-ply beverages. Call Luci Cromer at 901-755-0803 or Beverly Rhoads at 901-754-7216, ext. 107.

    Germantown Performing Arts Center, 1801 Exeter, hosts PB&J presents: Mmandpp Jan. 9 at 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. Created by songwriting duo Virginia Ralph and Bobby Matthews, the mmandpp show is a mu-sical comedy treat combining original pop music for kids with out-of-this-world characters. Tickets are $8 per child, up to two parents may attend free. Visit gpacweb.com or call 901-751-7500.

    Also coming up: Jan. 9: Larry Gatlin with Jason D. Williams, 8 p.m.

    Country musics chart-topping legend Larry Gatlin performs a rare solo, acoustic set in GPAC intimate listening hall. Setting the stage for the golden-voiced singer-songwriter Gatlin is Jason D. Williams, the rockabilly sensation who has been dazzling crowds live for three decades. Tickets are $28.50-75.

    Jan. 16: Dianne Reeves, 8 p.m. One of the foremost jazz vocalists in the world, Dianne Reeves is recog-nized for her virtuosity, improvisational prowess, and unique jazz and R&B stylings. Tickets are $38.50-75.

    Jan. 23-24: IRIS Midori, 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. The beloved artist Midori, a violin power-house since her teenage years, returns to IRIS to perform Mendelssohns Violin Concerto. Tickets are $45-65.

    Jan. 29: Jazz in the Box presents Gerald Stephens, 7 and 8:30 p.m. Gerald Stephens has been in demand as a blues and jazz pianist in the Mid-South area since 1995, and has performed with many notable musi-cians of local and international fame, including Levon Helm, Hugh Masekela, The Memphis Horns, Antonio Hart, Annie Sellick, and Valerie June. While perform-ing solo, with various groups and recording his own music, Stephens teaches at Rhodes College and the University of Memphis. Tickets are $25.

    Jan. 30: Koresh Dance Company, 8 p.m. Known for their athleticism, diversity, and dynamic dance, the critically acclaimed Koresh Dance Company was founded by Israeli-born choreographer Ronen Ko-resh. Both eloquent and explosive, this dance troupe presents an exciting blend of ballet, modern and jazz choreography. Tickets are $35-75.

    Email information about upcoming community events to Matt Woo

    at [email protected].

    The

    Weeklycommunity events

    Calendar

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  • M G T H E W E E K LY Tuesday, January 5, 2016 13

  • 14 Tuesday, January 5, 2016 T H E W E E K LY M GHome & Garden

    On a day-to-day basis, gardeners are some of the keenest observers of na-ture around.

    Lately, a lot of them have been wondering what in the blooming heck is go-ing on?

    As we pondered what to wear on 80-degree De-cember days, plants were completely perplexed about how to behave when it seemed like spring but wasnt.

    Instead of a seasonally correct cold-triggered start of winter dormancy, balmy breezes brought out busted buds followed by beautiful blooms.

    It is unusual but not un-precedented for warm tem-peratures to hang around until Christmas or beyond. Its a normal cycle of abnor-mal luctuations we and our plants are used to in a growing zone I want to rename Schizophrenic 7.

    But this year many more plants appear to be mixed up. Not only are dafodils sending up their leaves pre-maturely, but their lowers are opening, too. And they are joined, as they would be in the spring, by sporadic yellow blooms on forsythia bushes.

    Ornamental cherry and pear trees broke out into pink and white blossoms in December instead of March. Some large lorop-etalums in my neighbor-hood are covered in the magenta lowers they typi-cally produce in March.

    Roses and Carolina jes-samine are blooming in numerous gardens, and irises are trying to. Some folks have even had to mow their lawns for, hopefully, one last time before spring.

    Germantown gardener Gail Easterwood was wish-ing for some stray monarch butterlies to feast on the leaves of her tropical milk-

    weeds, which were still showing bright orange and yellow lowers last week.

    Charlotte Fineberg-Bu-chner is seeing a few white lowers on her star mag-nolia trees and continuing blooms on her Encore aza-leas. Its been the best year ever for Encores, she said.

    The Boston fern on my front porch has been look-ing as green and healthy as it did when I bought it last April. By the time you read this, temperatures were ex-pected to plunge below 32, so Im bringing it in to have perhaps a few more good days from it.

    Im typically not one to protect plants with elabo-rate covers, etc. I usually go with natures low.

    But I will be gently pro-tecting the profuse buds and lowers of a camellia bush that normally blooms in February. Theyre just too pretty to lose.

    Id be happy for all this visual excitement if I werent concerned about diminished lowers in the spring.

    It could happen, said Carol Reese, ornamental specialist with the Univer-sity of Tennessee Exten-sion in Jackson.

    Buds that already bloomed will not lower again in a few months, she said. But there are usu-ally lots more buds on the plants that will bloom at the normal time.

    These out-of-season bloomers fall into two cat-egories: mixed-up early blooming spring plants

    and fall lowering plants experiencing a prolonged bloom cycle.

    The latter must be the case for the light pink hy-drangeas blooming in out-door urns at the entrance of the Sheield Antique Mall in Collierville.

    These are probably re-montant or re-blooming hydrangeas that never ful-ly stopped producing buds

    and lowers.Most years, errant

    blooms are not harmful to plants if the subsequent cool-down is not too dras-tic.

    But if temperatures fall from 70 degrees to 20 in a day and stay there, Reese said, there could be some winter damage to twigs and branches.

    My deadline for this

    column fell before night-time temperatures were expected to drop below freezing, so this unusual lush of lowers has likely passed for now.

    The fate of our plants will not be known until spring. Some marginally hardy plants such as lorop-etalums may sufer a bit.

    But far more of our trees, shrubs, perennials and bulbs are conditioned to our normal but weird ups and downs of tempera-tures. Im betting on them to stay strong.

    GARDENING

    UNIVERSITY

    Some great gardeners learn how to grow plants almost exclusively through on-the-job-training and guidance from family members or friends who passed on their skills and experience.

    The rest of us ben-eit from some classroom learning to navigate the

    vast and complicated world of horticulture.

    Once again, Bartlett City Beautiful is ofering its winter gardening uni-versity, a series of seven garden talks from area master gardeners that be-gins Saturday.

    All of the presentations will be held at 2:30 p.m. in at the Bartlett Library, 5884 Stage.

    Jim Volgas will kick of the series this Saturday by discussing the attributes of healthy soil and how to build it by making and us-ing compost.

    John Peterson, a mas-ter gardener and longtime member of the Memphis Herb Society, will explore growing, harvesting and cooking with herbs on Jan. 16. Recipes are included.

    Bob Hathaway will discuss construction ma-terials, soils and additives, watering systems and win-ter covers for raised beds. He will also highlight ver-tical gardening techniques and structures on Jan. 23.

    Kay McAdams will re-veal her successful meth-ods for growing organic vegetables on Jan. 30.

    Joanne Watson will share her secrets for at-tracting eastern bluebirds to your garden with the right birdhouse installed in the best place and plenty of mealworms on Feb. 6.

    Not all backyard crit-ters are welcome. Genie Ashworth will present in-formation on dealing with undesirables as well benei-cials on Feb. 13.

    Getting water where you want it, when you want it is Melisa Nowags topic on Feb. 20. She will tell how to install a timed drip wa-ter system for containers and borders using lexible pipes.

    For more information, call master gardener and Bartlett City Beautiful member Tom Rieman at 901-386-7539.

    BLOOMING CONFUSION

    Hydrangeas are still blooming in urns in front of Sheield Antiques Mall in Collierville. Though many plants are conditioned to the luctuations in temperature were experienc-ing this winter, time will tell which ones are strongest.

    PHOTOS BY CHRISTINE ARPE GANG/THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL

    A Boston fern that weathered our hot dry summer has experienced renewed vigor and health dur-ing the mild, moist days of early winter.

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  • M G T H E W E E K LY Tuesday, January 5, 2016 15Community

    By Jody [email protected]

    901-529-6531

    For more than 40 years, a committed group of Memphians has gathered every January to salute the birthday of a ictional man.

    They call themselves the Giant Rats of Suma-tra, and they are utterly devoted to the exploits of Sherlock Holmes. Accord-ing to creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the Great Detective was born on Jan. 6, so its around that time each year that a night is set aside for the celebra-tory dinner.

    This year will be no exception, as the Rats they took their name from a single line in the Holmes short story The Sussex Vampire will meet to eat, drink and toast Holmes on Saturday at the University Club in Midtown.

    For $50, participants will be treated to an Eng-lish meal. Theyll dis-cuss two stories from the Holmes canon The Norwood Builder and Lady Frances Carfax. Trivia questions will be tossed about. Some hard-core enthusiasts might even show up in costume.

    Theyll also hear a talk from WKNOs Jim Eikner about Mycroft Holmes, the detectives older and smarter brother who holds a mysterious role in Queen Victorias government.

    I was just sort of fasci-nated with that relation-ship between them. Thats what Ive built my talk on, said Eikner, a long-time Holmes fan. Hes just really an enigma. Hes fascinating to follow. You just never know where

    hes going to pop up.While it might seem

    odd to some that the Rats group has managed to sur-vive since its inception in 1972, its 68 or so members ind that perfectly normal.

    After all, the Great De-tective has been around since 1887 thats the year Holmes debuted in A Study in Scarlet and shows no signs of disap-pearing. Clues in the sto-ries point to a birth date for the man in the deerstalker hat of Jan. 6, 1854, but his use of logic to solve crimes remains relevant today.

    He speaks to a world thats troubled, thats ob-sessed with violence and crime, Rats member Rob-ert Campbell said. He offers solutions. Hes a hero.

    In fact, Holmes seems to have never been as popular as he is now. On the heels of the two Guy Ritchie movies starring Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes, another ilm Mr. Holmes starring Ian McKellen debuted earlier this year, imagin-ing the detective in his inal years.

    There are two separate TV shows about Holmes airing now Elementa-

    ry on CBS and the highly lauded Sherlock on the BB.

    Holmes continues to show up in novels, com-ics and other aspects of pop culture.

    Sherlock has just hung in there. Its been over a hundred years from the time of his stories, but now there are two TV shows, full-length mov-ies, said Tom Wheeler, a member of the Giant Rats who has written several books on the London of Holmes time. Its some-thing that never dies.

    Pamela Poletti is the current Rats leader, which in Ho