Vol. 2, Issue 5 May 2020 KEEPING YOU UP-TO-DATE MONTHLY WITH THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN SHELBY COUNTY, TN i LoveShe l byCoun ty . c om LETTER FROM THE EDITOR By Yvonne D. Nelson, Ph.D., CNC Like most every individual and business in the world today, NEWSCENE is struggling to change its’ format to one that is in compliance with our ever changing COVID-19 restrictions. NEWSCENE wants to help our readers to understand exactly what viruses and diseases are. Viruses, like HIV, cause diseases (AIDS). Previously referred to as “2019 novel coronavirus” the official name of this new disease is COVID-19/ Coronavirus Disease 2019 and the disease it causes is severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 / SARS-CoV-2. Please read on to learn more about COVID-19. Please remember to follow us and to subscribe online at iLoveShelbyCounty.com. For those of you who prefer hard copies, thanks for your subscriptions. Subscribe to our printed editions online for $84/year, $42/bi-annually, or you can also purchase a single (current or past) copy for the low cost of $7/each. You can call us at 901-300-0390, subscribe and/or pay online, or make your check made payable to DI’MANS, Inc. We are always looking forward to getting your emails at NEWSCENEShelbyCo@gmail.com. We can also be contacted by mail at DI’MANS, Inc. dba NEWSCENE, I Love Shelby County.com, P.O. Box 9146, Memphis, TN 38190-0146. Thanks! MEET NELSON SMITH III: THE GENERAL PRACTIONER OF ART An early understanding and appreciation for mathematics and metrics, the ins and outs of sewing and the ability to put things together, and a keen eye for artistic beauty has literally molded Nelson Smith III into one who can create or recreate just about anything on God’s green Earth. Born and raised in the northern section of Memphis, TN, Nelson attended Klondike Elementary School from the first through the eighth grade before being transferred to Manassas, then a first through twelfth grade public school, where he graduated. “My dad had a sideline job as a bookkeeper,” said Smith, who also mentioned how his father’s talents allowed him to craft toys and things from cardboard. “He once made a road to run our little cars on. We could drive around on it. It went under a bridge and over an overpass. That’s where I got my background working with cardboard from.” Even before graduating from Manassas High School, several of Smith’s teachers noticed and took a special interest in his talents.
“I would be allowed to do things to decorate the bulletin boards in the third and fourth grades,” said Smith who mentioned his elementary and high school art teachers Mr. Cook and Mr. Walter Peabody Guy, respectively as he spoke. “Mr. Cook would try to cultivate my talent and critique my work when I would be allowed to draw things for the bulletin boards. I was happy when they sent me to Manassas because that really carved my future for me. I had teachers throughout my school years, like my sculpting professor at the Memphis Academy of Arts Mr. John Shaffer, who really promoted my talents and propelled me to use them to my advantage.” Smith attended the Memphis Academy of Arts (MAA) on a part time basis majoring in sculpture after graduating high Ford Nelson school and before being drafted into the Vietnam War for a short period of time. He wasn’t able to secure a scholarship to study full time at MAA, but his work was so good, he was selected to be and served as an assistant to his sculpting professor helping him to sculpt parts for the Chevrolet Corvair using clay. His MAA painting teachers were amazed at his untrained abilities to paint a still life and make it look so realistic. Smith also frequently assisted the famed civil rights photojournalist, Dr. Ernest C. Withers (1922 – 2007) in his Beale Street studio. He had many opportunities growing up. There were many paths he knew he could have taken and excelled at in life. “There were many people around me at Manassas and in the neighborhood who were successfully embarking upon careers as musicians, football, and basketball players,” said Smith who has more than 50 years of experience in the art industry, “but I told myself that I was going to be an artist.” Smith’s works have been featured locally, throughout the mid-south, and all over the world. He creates his crafts with silicone, injection molds, elastomers, and hand-laid fiberglass among other materials. His finishes include all the standard colors of the rainbow plus the fancier bronze, silver, gold, and aluminum finishes. His work can be found in companies of all sizes and locations including the former Libertyland, the Holiday Inn hotel chain, Captain D’s and Big Boy Restaurants, and he has created custom-designed jewelry for Cunningham’s Watch & Jewelry Repair, a local jeweler here in Memphis, Tennessee. He’s created everything from rings and necklaces, to cars and boats, to statutes and bridges, to waterfalls and landscaping, to parts for government missiles and more. He’s completely designed the interiors of daycares and grocery stores and has had to travel great lengths on occasion to assemble his masterpieces once delivered. “It’s like putting a puzzle together,” said Smith, a teacher of arts who creatively calls himself an ArtEngineer. “You name it. When it comes to art, I can do it and I can teach others to do it too. I design it, sculpt it, cut it out, and assemble it. My name is Nelson Smith the Third and I am a General Practitioner of Art.” 2
NELSON SMITH III NELSONARTENGINEER .COM PAINTING - SIGNS - SCULPTURES - MOLD MAKING - MURALS - WOOD CARVING - SET DESIGN OIL - PASTEL - ACRYLIC - WATER COLOR - ABSTRACT MURAL - HAND PAINTED SIGNS - DISPLAY ARCHITECTURAL RENDERING MOSAIC - WOOD CARVING - WAX (FOR STATUE CASTING) MARBLE - CONCRETE - SAND CASTING - PROTOTYPES - CAR PARTS - MACHINE PARTS AND MORE! 3
DESIGNS BY: NELSON SMITH III, ART ENGINEER A ‘NS’ FINGER RING 4
—Author Unknown 5
6
7
Masks for MHA COVID-19 is an airborne disease. Airborne diseases can spread when people with certain infections—like coronavirus—cough, sneeze, or even talk if they spew nasal and throat secretions into the air around them. These almost invisible secretions are said to be able to travel six to 13 feet and if they land on you, because you are standing to close to an infected person, you can become infected with the coronavirus disease too. You may have heard a lot about the fact that there is a significant lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) available for purchase as the coronavirus has made its’ deadly path around the world. Surgical masks, the type normally worn by medical professionals, are able to provide some protection from airborne particles and other contaminates to the face of the person wearing the mask. Most medical personnel need to wear a special N95 respirator face mask, but the Center for Disease Control (CDC) does not recommend hospital-grade N95 masks for everyday use by the general public. The co-owners of the family of China Inn and Chow Time Restaurants in Memphis, TN, have always been known for their philanthropy. The quartet began to ponder what they could do to help many of the same people who have made their restaurants so successful over the past 20+ years. “We saw a lot of charity being delivered to area hospitals, the police, and sheriff’s departments,” said China Inn/Chow Time co-owner Ronald Kent. “We appreciate what others have done and rather than do the same thing, we jointly decided that we wanted our gift to the community to have a different type of impact by helping some of the lower- or fixedincome, non-working residents who really needed help. We realize that these are some of the same people who eat at our 8
restaurants right here in Memphis.” The initial idea of selling the masks previously purchased through an existing logistics channel in China quickly turned into one of generosity as the group began looking for the ideal place to donate 5,000 masks. “I phoned Ken Moody, who is one of Mayor Jim Strickland’s Special Assistants, and shared our idea with him,” said Kent. “The first idea Ken suggested pointed right back to the police department, but I wanted to give these masks to people who may be considered to be less fortunate financially, but who still have financial and other health-related needs. Our call ended with me thinking there has got to be another way to accomplish this goal.” Kent received a call from Moody a few days later and he soon learned that Moody had struck gold. “Ken asked me if I could donate the masks to the Memphis Housing Authority (MHA),” said Kent. “Well, we were only going to give 5,000 masks, but MHA board member, Attorney Justin Bailey informed me that there were twice as many residents living in government housing.” Kent felt like the gold had turned out to be pyrite, nothing but fool’s gold because 10,000 people could not be adequately served with only 5,000 face masks. Kent and his partners went back to the drawing board and because of the relationship they had in China, they were able to quickly purchase another 5,000 face masks to accommodate the MHA residential housing capacity. “I never intended for any publicity to be delivered about this opportunity, said Kent. “We were not at all interested in everyone knowing what we had done. We were just blessed to be able to give back to those who have patronized us. It was and is truly a gift from our hearts.” MHA developed its’ own strategy for ensuring all 10,000 residents would receive one mask. The CDC recommends everyone should use simple cloth face coverings when in a public setting. If everyone covers their faces, the ability of the virus to spread from person to person will decrease. It is important for everyone to cover their faces because everyone who has the virus does not know they have it and by not covering their face, they are transmitting it to others around them. Regardless, the best way to prevent getting and/or spreading the coronavirus disease is to avoid being exposed to it and to avoid exposing others to it through you. We must all learn the importance of protecting each other and the time to start is now! 9
10
COVID - 19 MYTH BUSTERS… Be i ng ab l e t o ho l d you r brea th doe s no t mean you a r e fr ee o f COVID - 19 The re i s no p roo f tha t hyd rox y ch l oroqu i ne c an p r even t/ cu r e COV ID -19 Add i ng peppe r t o you r food does no t p reven t /cu r e COV ID -19 Ea t i ng ga r l i c ha s not been p roven e ffec t i ve aga i ns t c a t ch i ng COV ID -19 COV ID- 19 i s no t t r ansmi t ted th rough hou s e fl i e s COV ID- 19 i s no t t r ansmi t ted th rough mosqu i t o b i te s Dr i nk i ng a l c oho l doe s no t p ro t ec t you aga i ns t COV ID -19 Consumi ng b l each wi l l no t p rot e c t you aga i ns t COV ID -19 R i ns i ng you r nos e wi th s a l i ne wi l l no t pro t e c t you aga i ns t COVID -19 An t i b i o t i c s a r e no t e ffec t i ve i n p r even t i ng COV ID - 19 Peop l e l i v i ng i n c o l de r c l ima t es c an s t i l l ge t COVID - 19 Peop l e l i v i ng i n ho t/humi d c l ima te s c an s t i l l ge t COVID -19 Expos i ng you r se l f to the sun or h i gh temp s doe s no t p reven t COVID - 19 Tak i ng a ho t ba th doe s no t p r even t you from ge t t i ng COVID - 19 Handhe l d d r ye r s a re no t e ffec t i ve i n ki l l i ng COVID - 19 U l t r a - v i o l e t (UV) l amp s do no t k i l l COVID -19 The re a r e cu r ren t l y no med i c i nes tha t pr even t or t r ea t COV ID - 19 The re a r e cu r ren t l y no va c c i nes tha t p reven t or t rea t COV ID - 19 The rma l s c anne r s do no t de t ec t COV ID - 19 COV ID- 19 i s no t a l i fe - l ong d i s ea s e PHOTO By Yvonne D. Nelson 11
Email: ecsllc5596@gmail.com Call: (901) 300-0784 A pandemic occurs when a disease—like COVID-19—is prevalent throughout an entire country or in this case, the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) was established when diplomats met to form the United Nations in 1945. It was during this meeting, some 75 years ago, that the discussion on establishing a global health organization began. The constitution or ruling policies for WHO came into force on April 7, 1948, making every April 7th World Health Day. On March 11, 2020, WHO identified the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak as a pandemic. Nothing prior to this date had ever been classified as pandemic caused by a new coronavirus; however, there were four other pandemics in the past century, all caused by novel influenza viruses. Pandemics are different from epidemics. A pandemic may be characterized as a type of epidemic with greater range and coverage, but an epidemic, which is an outbreak of a disease that spreads quickly and affects many people at the same time, is not a type of a pandemic. There is no vaccine that combats the coronavirus disease which is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person and can be spread by people who are asymptomatic or not showing symptoms of the disease. The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a list of disinfectants for use against various viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Known as the “List N,” it is important to understand that the disinfectants listed are for use on surfaces, not persons and that even if a product is listed, it does not constitute an endorsement by the EPA. Environmental Control Sanitizer (ECS), LLC, is a Memphis-based sanitizing company that uses a spray technique to kill the SARS-CoV-2 virus on surfaces like counters and doorknobs. The EPA expects the product that ECS uses kills the coronavirus disease because it has demonstrated effectiveness against harder-to-kill viruses and another type of human coronavirus similar to the coronavirus (COVID-19). ECS technicians are versed in what to do to sanitize your environment and how to do it correctly. The EPA does not recommend the use of fumigation or wide-area spraying to control COVID-19 as these are not appropriate tools for cleaning contaminated surfaces. To prevent the spread of the disease, the CDC highly recommends cleaning contaminated surfaces with liquid products like the one ECS uses. While you are encouraged to wipe down frequently touched surfaces daily, the EPA does not review the effectiveness of common household ingredients like rubbing alcohol, or vinegar and therefore cannot verify how well these types of substances work to kill the novel coronavirus. However, antimicrobial pesticides, are reviewed and registered by the EPA and are recommended for removing pathogens like SARS-COV-2, the novel human coronavirus. Choose Environmental Control Sanitizer for all of your sanitizing needs. They get the job done right the first time! 12
COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund On April 15, 2020, the Division of Community Services was designated $500,000 to establish the COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund Program to provide social services for residents who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund program offers three (3) categories of designated relief: Rent/Mortgage Assistance Utility Assistance Emergency Food/Essentials/Prescription Assistance Eligibility Shelby County residents are eligible to apply under the following criteria: Must be a resident of Shelby County, Tennessee. Must be able to show two (2) forms of proof of residency and loss of employment or at least 50% of earned income as of March 11, 2020. Must have a current household monthly income at or below 400% of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines... Must be able to meet additional criteria as outlined by the specific relief offered. For questions, email the Division of Community Services at Covid19relief@shelbycountytn.gov or call (901) 222-0050. 13
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious [capable of being passed from one person to another] disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus. Mild to moderate respiratory illness that do not require special treatment is what most people infected with the COVID-19 will experience. Those with underlying illness are more likely to develop serious illness. Being well informed about the COVID-19 is the best way to prevent it. BELOW IS COVID-19 INFORMATION of POSSIBLE INTEREST San Francisco had the 1918 flu under control. And then it lifted the restrictions. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/san-francisco-had-1918-flu-under-control-then-it-lifted-n1191141 Feel Sick? Get Tested for COVID-19 for FREE https://covid19.memphistn.gov/ Help for local businesses experiencing hardships due to COVID-19 https://memphistn.gov/news/what_s_new/help_for_local_businesses Economic Impact Payment Information Center https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payment-information-center Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info Here https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/non-filers-enter-payment-info-here Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—Coronavirus (COVID-19) https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus% 2Findex.html State of Tennessee Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) https://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov.html Shelby County Health Department Coronavirus Disease 2019 http://www.shelbytnhealth.com/ Coronavirus Disease FAQs for Administrators, Teachers, and Parents https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/schools-faq.html Coronavirus Disease Pregnancy and Breastfeeding https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/pregnancy-breastfeeding.html Coronavirus Disease Travel FAQs https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/faqs.html Coronavirus Disease Spanish Communication Resources https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/communication/index-sp.html World Health Organization Coronavirus https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus#tab=tab_1 14
15
5 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 15... 13 14 + FIDO One Sunday afternoon in April near Front and Main Streets in Memphis, TN a large group was seen disregarding social distancing. By Yvonne D. Nelson, Ph.D., CNC Social or physical distancing requires everyone to maintain space between themselves and other outsiders, people who are not part of their everyday home environment. Social distancing limits face-to-face contact with others and is the very best way to reduce the spread of the coronavirus disease, COVID-19. As I travel throughout Memphis making and taking time to attend to essential tasks for self and others, I often see groups of individuals who are not practicing social distancing. Practicing social distancing has become mandatory at some essential locations like pharmacies, grocery and big-box chain stores. Many companies have and continue to change their policies to protect their workers and their customers, so please abide by these rules because they could save your life. To practice social distancing, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends the following: 1. Stay a minimum of 6 feet (about two normal arms’ length) from other people; 2. Refrain from gathering in groups; and 3. Remove yourself from any places that are overly crowded or where mass gatherings are being held. Remember, people can spread the coronavirus before they know they are sick, so it is extremely important for you to stay away from others when possible, because you could be sick yourself and not know it. Researchers, scientist, doctors, and others studying this new novel (human) coronavirus have determined that people can be fooled into thinking they are well because they are not experiencing any symptoms of the disease or feel well. Unfortunately, COVID-19 can be silently working inside of their bodies making them an asymptomatic, which is a person with a condition who is not producing or showing any symptoms. This is why a person can test negative and have no symptoms today and test positive a few days later. Everyone, including you and I, have a role to play in slowing the spreading of this dreadful disease. Let’s practice social distancing to protect ourselves, our family members, and our community. 16
Some VISUAL EFFECTS of SARS-CoV-2 on MEMPHIS, TN in 2020 17
NO FACTORY AT GRAVES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL! By Dr. Yvonne D. Nelson, Certified Nonprofit Consultant Whitehaven is a community that was established in the southern most portion of Memphis, Tennessee, during the 1950s and 1960s. The area, which is a mostly bedroom community, has an assortment of land uses and property types that include a combination of newer and older single-family homes, commercial retail, light industrial, schools, churches, and other land uses. Known today as the second most visited home in America and one of Tennessee’s largest tourist attractions, Graceland, the former home of Elvis Presley, sits approximately 1.4 miles east of Graves Elementary School, the focus of this article. Graves Elementary School (GES) originally sat on 11.0 acres of land. The land was originally owned by Robert E. C. Hagerty Jr., Emily N. McMahon, Evelyn N. Hagerty, Frances H. Melvor, Elma M. Hagerty, and Mildred N. O’Brien. The land itself was the 11 most southeastern portion of the Hagerty tract, Section 1, Range 8, as identified in the offices of the Shelby County Register of Deeds. The land was purchased by the Shelby County Board of Education on June 5, 1952. The original school building was built the following year in 1953. To accommodate the growing community, the first addition to the structure was added in 1956 and a second addition was constructed in 1964. The following decade the community was still growing and a decision to widen Winchester Road was made in 1972. At that time, 0.4931 of the 11.0 acres were acquired by the City of Memphis for widening purposes, thus leaving the remaining 10.189 acres of property. The 443,833 square feet of land is bordered to the north by a 4.08-acre lot owned by Unity Christian Church, runs 825 feet west along Graves Road where 13 small-to-medium sized homes were built in the 1990s, and 850 feet east along McCorkle Road where larger single-family homes on much larger lots were built. Approximately 560 feet of land also home to medium to larger single-family homes sits south of the school on Winchester Road. Graves and McCorkle are both two-to-three lane streets and the widening that took place in 1972 increased the original two-lane Winchester Road to a six-to-seven lane street. All of the streets are fully improved with asphalt paving, poured concrete curbs, gutters, sidewalks, and streetlights. The terrain of the property in question can be referred to as level to rolling with paved asphalt driveways and parking areas, poured concrete curbs and gutters, metal barrier posts with cable wiring, poured concrete sidewalks, brick planters featuring landscaped flower beds, an asphalt paved basketball court and an empty spot where donated playground equipment I wrote a grant to obtain based on our neighborhood’s desires once sat. D. 18
Ten years ago, around December 2010, the Memphis City Schools board voted to surrender its charter and remove its ability to run the school system forcing Shelby county to accept the responsibility for city and county schools. Two years later, around November 2012, the Memphis City Council approved the Memphis City Schools BOE decision to surrender its’ charter, thereby dissolving the school board and eliminating the board’s power to run the Memphis City Schools system. The Shelby County Schools (SCS) Board of Education (BOE) held a public hearing at GES the evening of February 3, 2014, to propose the merger of Graves Elementary, which sits at the border of ZIP Code 38116, into Ford Road Elementary and Levi Elementary Schools, both of which are in the adjacent 38109 ZIP Code area. At the time, Dorsey Hopson was the Superintendent of SCS, Kevin Woods was Chair, Chris Caldwell was Vice Chair and board members included district representative Shante Avant, Teresa Jones, Billy Orgel, David Pickler, and David Reaves. It had seemingly already been decided to close Graves Elementary School deeming it was suffering from the following two conditions: 1. A decline in student enrollment or underutilized; and 2. Declining academic achievement or not performing academically. Then GES Principal, Debra D. Martin, presented a proposal to discuss strategies to keep Graves Elementary School open. The school ended with the 2013-14 school year, never to serve neighborhood children as it had gracefully done so for the past 60+ years. The community started it’s own proposal to save the facility in 2014 focusing on repurposing the building into a self-sustaining, multi-functional, “Person-Centered,” planned resource and community center pilot that would add value to the area surrounding it based on current and future needs of the community. The proposal showed the steps that could be taken to duplicate the process of re-purposing buildings all over Memphis and Shelby County. The School Board rejected the plan without even hearing it. Fast-forward to 2019. A discussion of the SCS BOE Facility Committee that included the disposal of GES was held in July 2019. The following November a meeting convened for the purpose of selling the property that the district had declared surplus and no longer needed now or in the future. Like I said earlier, the closing and now selling of Graves Elementary School seemed predetermined. A board briefing document of the meeting indicating that an offer to purchase the property had been made. The document noted the following, “It is recommended that the Shelby County Board of Education should approve the sale of the former Graves Elementary School at 3398 Graves, 38116, to Made in Memphis, LLC c/o Elvis Presley Enterprises for $200,000.00.” The board briefing document went on to state “Made In Memphis wishes to create a light manufacturing facility for apparel, jewelry, home de cor and collectibles. They plan to train students in manufacturing and provide jobs.” I immediately made contact with Graceland CEO Jack Soden who I had spoken to many times before. Rather than call, I reached out to him through his social media LinkedIn platform. On November 10, 2019, I requested Soden to “please provide some sound advice on how the MRNDA (McCorkle Road Neighborhood Development Association) should proceed to gain information regarding the pending proposal concerning the former site of Graves ES.” I got no reply. Recognizing such, I requested information again on December 6, 2019, congratulating the organization on its purchase and again mentioning that “my neighbors and I were ready to sit down with Made In Memphis to learn all about the light manufacturing facility and training proposal.” I asked when we could expect such a meeting to take place and who would be invited to attend. This time I received a response. It said, “I am sure that when Joel Weinshanker has completed the purchase and developed plans he will look forward to working with the neighborhood.” Well, the neighborhood did not wish to have a light manufacturing facility plopped in the middle of it and we wanted to speak in advance of any plans to do so were made. Again, the decision to do what was being proposed had already seemingly been made. I called in January and then waited a month and asked again so that I could report back to the community on what was taking place during our regular meetings. I was told that Mr. Weinshanker was a “particular kind of guy on the phone in January to which I think I replied that I was a particular kind of girl..., and on February 6, 2020, I inquired in writing as follows, “...has there been any notable developments on this venture as of today…?” I also mentioned that the association was anxiously awaiting, but had not heard anything about a meeting from Weinshanker. Again I got a response that said, “…Once again, I believe that when and if the purchase is completed Joel Weinshanker will look forward to working with the neighborhood.” Although I wanted to provide additional information to the community during our upcoming annual 19
membership meeting scheduled for Saturday, March 14, 2020, I did not inquire again preferring to just restate what had happened to date. During this time, we were just learning about the deadly SARS-CoV-2, novel human coronavirus disease. In mid-March, we were taking things seriously, but meetings were still allowed to contain up to 50 people. We had a wonderful meeting, but had no idea what was coming down the pipeline. After hosting the third of three meetings to form new Bylaws for the MRNDA dba Whitehaven Community Development Corporation on Monday, April 6, 2020, I had planned to prepare the minutes from all three meetings for discussion at our upcoming April monthly phone meeting that Saturday, April 11th. When I powered on my desktop Tuesday morning April 7th, I discovered that Joel Weinshanker had pressed on, skipping the requirement to have a neighborhood meeting, retained Glankler Brown, PLLC (R. Hunter Humphreys and Mark T. Jobe Jr.) as lawyers, and had made application to have the area rezoned to construct a “two-story, 146,000 square foot factory in the center of our neighborhood. I was amazed at the nerve of this person who does not live in our community yet feels he can destroy the sanctity of it in a matter of months. I immediately went to work designing a petition and placing it on this very website. After all, we only had 30 days to get ourselves together to protest this proposal with a cut-off date of May 7th. That is not a long time, especially with coronavirus restrictions limiting your every move. Anyway, we made a plan that Saturday, we are sticking by it, and we encourage you to chime in to. It may be happening in my neighborhood today, but it could be your front yard tomorrow. B. 20
Let’s put this in your front yard Joel Weinshanker! L K at the size of this massive two-story building!!! 21
We would much rather have this in our front yard Mr. Weinshanker! 22
23
24
25
NOT ONE NOTI F I CATION HAD BEEN RECE I VED by 4/30 . . . 26
27
28
29
HERE’S WHAT WE THINK MR. WEINSHANKER... You claim you want to provide jobs for Memphis, jobs for Whitehaven when all you are really doing is obtaining child labor right here in America which is reducing your shipping costs... You claim you will pay $15/hour, but you are paying high school children who may need money, but really need a good education so they can earn a decent amount of money and retire… You have no respect for the feelings of others because your bottom line is all you seem to care about… You refused to speak to the neighborhood who will be most negatively affected by this monstrosity of metal billowing far into the sky above the homes they love and that many have struggled to obtain and maintain for decades now... This type of large, factory facility does not belong in the center of any residential neighborhood and you should be ashamed of yourself for trying to place it in a predominantly black community right around the corner from Graceland… There is ample, more suitable land within the same proximity or closer to your current retail locations that are better suited for this type of activity. We think you should consider apologizing to us by repurposing our former school, at your expense, to support what we want—a self-sustaining, multifunctional, “Person-Centered,” planned resource and community center that will benefit our community financially and otherwise and be a model for all to duplicate. 30
DID YOU KNOW? There are several moneyless ways you can support nonprofits like DI’MANS, Inc. dba NEWSCENE and the McCorkle Road Neighborhood Development Association, Inc. of Memphis (serving all of ZIP Code 38116). When you shop at Kroger you can, AT NO COST TO YOU, support DI’MANS, Inc. by enrolling in the Community Rewards Program and earning rewards for DI’MANS every time you shop! Visit Kroger.com/ communityrewards and support Organization #DN098. Smile.Amazon.com is a website operated by Amazon with the same products, prices, and shopping features as Amazon.com. The difference is that when you shop on AmazonSmile, again, AT NO COST TO YOU, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to DI’MANS Inc., the charitable organization of choice. Email us at NEWSCENESHELBYCO@gmail.com for details today! Questionable things in Memphis?!! VIEW FROM RIVERSIDE DRIVE LOOKING WEST... 31
CFC #46643 AmazonSmile is a website operated by Amazon with the same products, prices, and shopping features as Amazon.com. The difference is that when you shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to the charitable organization of your choice. Location: Memphis, TN | Year Founded: 2009 DI’MANS, Inc. (Click here) to shop at SMILE.AMAZON.COM Mission: DI'MANS, Inc. was formed to establish a positive, proactive force in the fight against juvenile crime and juvenile delinquency. The goal of DI'MANS, Inc. is to bring adults dedicated to positively shaping future generations together to assist disadvantaged youth in becoming productive citizens as adults. Help Support Causes in Your Community! (Click here to sign up) Did you know you can support nonprofit organizations in your community just by shopping at Kroger? It's easy when you enroll in Kroger Community Rewards®! To get started, sign up with your Plus Card below, and select a local organization you wish to support. Once you're enrolled, you'll earn rewards for your chosen organization every time you shop and use your Plus Card! Enroll now for the Kroger Community Rewards Program. And remember… all participants must re-enroll each year to continue earning rewards for their chosen organization. DIRECTIONS: 1) Go to Kroger.com; 2) Create an account or sign in; 3) Drop down the arrow at your name 4) Select “My Account” 5) Click on Community Rewards on the left side of the screen) Make a One-Time donation to DI’MANS, Inc. 32 Make a Recurring Donation (Click here)
HAVE YOU SEEN/DID YOU RECEIVE ONE OF THESE AT YOUR ADDRESS LAST MONTH? 33
34
35
SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSCENE, the NEW SCENE where NEWS is SCENE, for $42.00 bi-annually or just $7 per Month! Single and multiple copies are also available for purchase. Thank you for subscribing to NEWSCENE, our online newsmagazine publication. We are the NEW SCENE where NEWS is SEEN! We hope you enjoyed the stories about and the pictures taken at events we visited last month. We are looking forward to sharing more pictures and stories with you next month about the many events taking place this month. As you know, we can’t be at more than one event at a time, but we are here to assist you to get your events online, in our calendar, and in print. Don’t forget you can click on the links that are included to visit websites, blogs, Facebook pages and more! We want to be the first place you look to learn about the things happening in your community, but we won’t know about what’s happening unless you tell us. Write to us at NewsceneShelbyCo@gmail.com or call (901) 300-0390 to leave us a message. We promise to return your call in a timely fashion. Visit us online today and everyday @ iLoveShelbyCounty.com NEWSCENE . . . ...is currently seeking INTERNS and passionate and outgoing volunteer photojournalists who can write stories and take pictures at local events. Interested persons should phone (901) 300-0390 for details. 36
1 Publizr