Okay, so you'll hear all the time about crime in Memphis. There's no doubt that we have serious challenge there. But we don't have as bad a problem as is being portrayed. Let's try to keep this all in perspective folks.
According to the 2007 Morgan Quinto Press, which compiles and publishes comparative crime statistics the following cities had more significant crime problems:
Detroit, MI
St. Louis, MO
Flint, MI
Oakland, CA
Camden, NJ
Birmingham, AL
Charleston, SC
Cities with comparable crime statistics to Memphis include:
Cleveland, OH
Orlando, FL (yes the home of Disney World is right there with us!)
Little Rock, AR
Cincinati, OH
Atlanta, GA
Jackson, MS
Kansas City, MO
Nashville came in 44th. It's total numbers were comparable but just a little lower than Memphis and the other cities listed.
In terms of one year trends, Memphis was not one of the top ten cities in terms of crime increases or crime improvement. However, Little Rock, AR and Jackson, MS were in the top ten cities in increase in crime.
I bring all of this out to point out that we're not nearly as bad as some portray us to be. Like most urban cities, we have crime. We certainly need to work on it but events like the Lester Street incident give an unduly negative and unsupported view of the true state of crime/safety in Memphis.
I've lived here most of my life and never been mugged. I've never had my home broken into and I've never had my car broken into here. When I lived in Nashville during law school, my car was repeatedly burglaried.
Next time you hear someone say that Memphis isn't a safe city, politely correct them and point out the true facts.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Memphis Based CPS buys Rival Division of McKesson
According to the Tuesday, April 8, 2008, Commercial Appeal, Memphis based Comprehensive Pharmacy Services is buying rival McKesson Medication Management. The new combined entity will be one of the largest pharmacy managers in the country. It's always great when our Memphis hometown companies are the ones doing the acquiring rather than being acquired!
Live at the Garden Announces 2008 Shows
One of the realy cool things to do in Memphis every year is the Live at the Garden Concert series. 5 times a year, the Memphis Botanical Gardens turns one of its grand lawns into an outdoor concert space sort of like a mini Central Park. The shows are a ton of fun. You can bring in your own cooler. You can either sit on blankets on the lawn or buy a table down front. If you haven't done this, it's a must!
The 2008 line up includes:
Jewel, June 7
Earth, Wind & Fire, July 19
Crosby, Stills & Nash, August 9
B-52s, September 12
Huey Lewis & the News, September 26
I'm most excited about Earth, Wind & Fire (September is one of my favorite songs) and the B-52s (Rock Lobster, Roam, Channel Z, Love Shack!)
For more information check out www.liveatthegraden.com
The 2008 line up includes:
Jewel, June 7
Earth, Wind & Fire, July 19
Crosby, Stills & Nash, August 9
B-52s, September 12
Huey Lewis & the News, September 26
I'm most excited about Earth, Wind & Fire (September is one of my favorite songs) and the B-52s (Rock Lobster, Roam, Channel Z, Love Shack!)
For more information check out www.liveatthegraden.com
Memphis Zoo fighting for endangered species
We really don't fully appreciate what an amazing zoo we have here. We're still one of a handful of zoos in the United States with a pair of giant pandas. We have the relatively new Northwest Passage exhibit with polar bears and coming soon with be the Yukon Trek exhibit. If you haven't been to the zoo recently you need to do so.
In other great news coming out of the zoo, it was recently announced that folks at the zoo have successfully breeded an endangered frog. Frogs might not be as sexy as eagles or condors or even pandas but they are a trip wire in nature. As an amphibian they are one of the first to show the harmful effects of water pollution. Frogs are vitally important to our ecosystem. So the work being done at the Memphis Zoo is really important.
In other great news coming out of the zoo, it was recently announced that folks at the zoo have successfully breeded an endangered frog. Frogs might not be as sexy as eagles or condors or even pandas but they are a trip wire in nature. As an amphibian they are one of the first to show the harmful effects of water pollution. Frogs are vitally important to our ecosystem. So the work being done at the Memphis Zoo is really important.
UT Memphis Gains Support for Facilities Upgrades
Ever since the Civil War, Memphis has been a health care center. Union forces used Memphis as a hospital zone for wounded combatants on both sides.
The University of Tennessee's medical school is here in Memphis. UT-Memphis is one of four medical schools in Tennessee along with Maherry and Vanderbilt in Nashville and East Tennessee State University in Johnson City. UT Memphis is hugely important to our region not only because of the doctors that it teaches but also because it is a major employer in the region and because of the biomedical research being performed there.
As important as it is to our region, UT Memphis' facilities have fallen behind the curve. The school needs an influx of cash and support. Help looks like it is on the way.
According to the Monday, April 7, 2008 Commercial Appeal, the Governor and key state legislators have recently toured the campus and have all come to the conclusion that capital funding for new buildings and for retrofits/upgrades is needed.
it doesn't look like there will be any help this year but the support of the Governor and key legislators is critical and a great sign that UT-Memphis will soon get what it needs to keep up in the facilities arm race at American medical schools.
The biomedical research park is going to be a key economic engine for Memphis in the years to come and a reinvigorated UT-Memphis will be a big part of that effort.
The University of Tennessee's medical school is here in Memphis. UT-Memphis is one of four medical schools in Tennessee along with Maherry and Vanderbilt in Nashville and East Tennessee State University in Johnson City. UT Memphis is hugely important to our region not only because of the doctors that it teaches but also because it is a major employer in the region and because of the biomedical research being performed there.
As important as it is to our region, UT Memphis' facilities have fallen behind the curve. The school needs an influx of cash and support. Help looks like it is on the way.
According to the Monday, April 7, 2008 Commercial Appeal, the Governor and key state legislators have recently toured the campus and have all come to the conclusion that capital funding for new buildings and for retrofits/upgrades is needed.
it doesn't look like there will be any help this year but the support of the Governor and key legislators is critical and a great sign that UT-Memphis will soon get what it needs to keep up in the facilities arm race at American medical schools.
The biomedical research park is going to be a key economic engine for Memphis in the years to come and a reinvigorated UT-Memphis will be a big part of that effort.
Tigers Finish a Record Breaking Year
Well frankly, it's taken me several days to be able to write about what happened Monday night in the National Championship Game. The Tigers fell short and lost to kansas. They were up by 9 with roughly 2 minutes to play and a perfect storm of Tiger errors and remarkable kansas play allowed Kansas to tie the game and send it to overtime. Kansas pulled away in the overtime.
As hard as that loss was, we should all keep this season in some perspective. The Tigers were the national runner up. Every team in the country save for one would switch places with them. Along the way the Tigers set the record for most wins in a single season (38). They tied the record for most wins over a three year period (103). Chris Douglas Roberts ("CDR") was a first team All-American. Derrick Rose was a third-team All-American. Coach Calipari won the National Naismith Coach of the Year award.
Years from now this game will hurt. Years from now we'll all realize what a great run the Tigers had. Oh by the way, the Tigers look to have a top 10 and possibly top 5 recruiting class coming in next year. Hope springs eternal.
As hard as that loss was, we should all keep this season in some perspective. The Tigers were the national runner up. Every team in the country save for one would switch places with them. Along the way the Tigers set the record for most wins in a single season (38). They tied the record for most wins over a three year period (103). Chris Douglas Roberts ("CDR") was a first team All-American. Derrick Rose was a third-team All-American. Coach Calipari won the National Naismith Coach of the Year award.
Years from now this game will hurt. Years from now we'll all realize what a great run the Tigers had. Oh by the way, the Tigers look to have a top 10 and possibly top 5 recruiting class coming in next year. Hope springs eternal.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Memphis is Buzzing for the Tigers
The Memphis Tigers continued their torrid march to a national championship over the weekend with a drubbing in the national semifinals. Memphis easily beat UCLA and frankly made them look bad. Kansas surprised North Carolina to make it to the Championship Game against Memphis.
Everywhere you go, there are a sea of blue Tiger car flags. People car windows are decorated. People are wearing Tiger gear. On the way to work this morning, people were driving around honking their horns.
The City is just absolutely buzzing with anticipation of a national championship. Kansas will be a really tough opponent but the Tigers are really tough as well.
It's hard to imagine just how crazy this town will be if the Tigers win it all.
Go Tigers! One more game!
Everywhere you go, there are a sea of blue Tiger car flags. People car windows are decorated. People are wearing Tiger gear. On the way to work this morning, people were driving around honking their horns.
The City is just absolutely buzzing with anticipation of a national championship. Kansas will be a really tough opponent but the Tigers are really tough as well.
It's hard to imagine just how crazy this town will be if the Tigers win it all.
Go Tigers! One more game!
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