Teresa's Memphis Blog

These days, it seems like everybody is complaining about the rising cost of gas so I am going to add in my two cents, as well. Back when I started driving fifteen years ago, I used to buy my gas at a little corner store for $0.85 per gallon. That same year, I was paying $5.00 to see an evening movie at the theater. Since I am now paying more than four times the 1993 cost for gas, I guess that means I should be thankful I'm not spending $20 on a single movie ticket! In all seriousness, though, I know there is nothing to be accomplished by griping about gas prices. So instead, I have decided to make a point of seeking out the cheapest gas in Memphis. Granted, I may only save 5 to 15 cents per gallon, but that can equate to a dollar or two per tank of gas. After a year, I could save $100 on fuel for my car. It may not be a fortune, but these days, every little bit helps.

You know those annoying emails that show up periodically in your inbox from your optimistic-but-not-very-Internet-savvy friends? The messages promise that if you just forward the email to your five nearest and dearest, Applebee's will send you a free giftcard. Or that Bill Gates is personally tracking the email and will send you $100 bucks for every person you forward it to. Or whatever. They all pretty much say the same thing and they are all bogus.

So this morning I received an email that I suspected was the local version of such spam. This email claimed that the Pink Palace museum was offering a free trial membership to families for three months. The message went on to say that there was no catch and that my friend's cousin's neighbor's dog had actually called and verified the accuracy of the information. Though I doubted the validity of the email, I decided to call the number myself before hitting the delete button.

Guess what? It's true! The Pink Palace is giving away free trial memberships. It's open to anyone who hasn't previously been a museum member and includes the members of your immediate family. The trial membership includes unlimited admission to the museum, planetarium, and Lichterman Nature Center, plus special invitations to the new IMAX films. Now, I don't know how long the offer will be going on or if it is on a first come, first served basis, so call now if you are interested.The Pink Palace Membership line is (901) 320-6406. When the recording comes on, press 0 and a live person will get your trial membership set up.

The Pink Palace Museum
Photo courtesy of the Pink Palace Museum

If you have cable or satellite service at your home, you've probably had a chance to see A&E's popular reality series, The First 48. The show follows real life homicide investigations through their first 48 hours in cities including Dallas, Miami, Minneapolis, Tuscon, and Memphis. The show has been quite successful and viewers have reportedly come to love watching the Memphis detectives in action. That being said, the powers that be in Memphis have decided to pull the plug on the show. Local officials seem to feel that the show portrays Memphis as an out of control city plagued by crime.

Um, I fail to see the problem. Memphis is an out of control city plagued by crime.

But okay, I realize that those in charge would like to see Memphis portrayed in a better light. I have no problem with that. My problem is that pulling the city's participation from The First 48 is not the way to improve Memphis' image. That kind of logic suggests that if the nation doesn't see our crime problem, then it doesn't actually exist. Here's a better plan: let's improve our image by actually lowering our crime rates.

But tell us what you think? Did Memphis do the right thing by quitting The First 48 or does it make a difference one way or the other?

If you are anxiously awaiting the start of summer vacation, you are not alone. As the school year draws to a close, I am receiving numerous emails from folks wondering when the last day of school actually is. The last dates are listed below for many of the area school districts. For more information, be sure to check out these complete school calendars.

• Memphis City Schools -- May 23, 2008
• Shelby County Schools -- May 23, 2008
• DeSoto County Schools -- May 22, 2008
• Fayette County Schools -- May 21, 2008 (half day)
• Tipton County Schools -- May 21, 2008 (schools dismissed at 11:30 a.m.)

Since Mayor Herenton is no longer blackmailing the city of Memphis for the job of Memphis City Schools superintendent, it seems that the school board is getting serious about finding a replacement for Carol Johnson. Of the 54 applicants who applied for the position, the field has been narrowed to five. Of these, the school board hopes to have one hired and in place by July 1, 2008.

In the meantime, the board is inviting the public to get to know the candidates. The Memphis City Schools website has set up a candidates' page where you can peruse their resumes, read answers to the questions posed to them by the search firm, and even see a picture of each one. The public is also invited to the next round of interviews with the candidates. The interviews will be held in the auditorium at the Board of Education on the following dates:

• May 12, 2008, 4:00 p.m. -- Tiffany Anderson
• May 12, 2008, 5:45 p.m. -- Kriner Cash
• May 13, 2008, 1:00 p.m. -- Yvonne Brandon
• May 19, 2008, 1:30 p.m. -- Nicholas Gledich
• May 19, 2008, 3:30 p.m. -- James Williams

Do you have an opinion on who would make the best superintendent? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below!

In the last couple of years, there has been a push for stricter DUI laws in Tennessee. There has been talk of lowering the blood alcohol level of legal intoxication and also of harsher penalties for those who drink and drive. Now, it looks like the move toward harsher penalties may soon become a reality. The Tennessee House of Representatives just passed a bill that would require all first time DUI offenders to spend a minimum of 48 hours in jail, regardless of age. The companion bill already passed the Senate in April so the legislation will now be sent to the governor. Assuming the governor approves the bill, the new law will soon be added to the Tennessee Code.

For a current breakdown of offenses and penalties associated with driving under the influence, check out this DUI chart. And if you're thinking about going out and drinking, find out how to catch a cab in Memphis.

Mother's Day is just days away but if you are a procrastinator like me, you may not have made any plans yet for the special moms in your life. If not, don't worry because you still have time. There are a number of things going on around the city in honor of Mother's Day. In particular, there are several Mom's Day brunches and lunches scheduled at places like the Peabody, Jim's Place, and other local favorites. If you're not looking for an outing, there are plenty of great gifts you can find right here in the Mid-South (hint: jewelry is always nice!) Check out all of the Memphis area Mother's Day events and gift ideas and make her day a special one.

Have you heard about this? The principal at Hollis F. Price Middle College High School is currently under fire for outing some of her homosexual students. It apparently started because the principal was concerned about the public displays of affection she was witnessing on campus among teenage couples -- both heterosexual and homosexual. She asked teachers to compile lists of any known couples so that she could better keep an eye on the situation. After obtaining the list, she posted it on the wall in the office where it could be seen by anyone (including students) who happened to be in there.

While that showed a clear lack of judgement, the principal's next move was unconscionable. She began calling parents of the homosexual students. During these calls, she not only outed the kids, but she also shared her personal opinions on homosexuality. To at least one parent, she allegedly said that she did not like homosexuals and would not tolerate them at her school.

What?!

Working to curb the public displays of affection is one thing. Deliberately outing students with no good reason is another. If the kids (gay or straight) had been engaged in promiscuous behavior at school, then that would warrant a phone call to mom or dad. Calling them to report that their son or daughter has begun dating someone of the same sex is not only unnecessary but would also seem to me to be an invasion of privacy. Apparently, I am not alone in that view. The ACLU is now representing two of the outed kids and Memphis City School board members were quoted by WMC as saying that "heads should roll" over the incident.

So what do you think? Did the principal have a right to inform parents of her students' sexual orientations or should she have minded her own business? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts!

Last week I posted a blog in which I told you that there have been 899 songs recorded and distributed that have "Memphis" somewhere in the lyrics. Curious to know how many of these songs were well-known, I invited you to submit any that you could think of before I provided the link to the entire list. While I only got a few responses (thanks Maura, Mike, and Ashlyn!), I have had an overwhelming number of emails from people asking me to hurry up and post the link!

And so, without further ado, I present to you The List.

Memphis in May will kick off this Friday with the Beale Street Music Festival. The festival goes on through Sunday and will include more than 60 bands of an assortment of genres. Some of the featured performers include: Sheryl Crow, My Chemical Romance, Santana, and Fergie. The rest of the month is full of fun activities for the whole family, as well. There will be cultural events that spotlight Turkey, the honored country of this year's Memphis in May International Festival. In addition, there will be annual events going on throughout the month including the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest and the Sunset Symphony. Find out more about these events below.

• Memphis in May Overview
• Beale Street Music Festival
• Barbecue Cooking Contest
• Sunset Symphony
• International Events