July 14, 2025 • 60 mins
Episode Notes My guests include Glen Thomas, Public Information Officer for the Memphis Airport Authority. He tells me about all the changes happening at the airport including recent construction projects and the newest routes. Next, while we love our Grizzlies, the Oklahoma City Thunder are the NBA champions. Matt Pinto is their radio voice not to mention my life long friend. He joins me to discuss their season, if they can repeat, and the NBA evolution as a 30 year broadcast veteran. Finally, we all like to eat but someone has to cook it. Caterer Chef Wykey joins me to talk about her new special project created for youth that can cook, color and learn. That and more on air and online Monday 6 pm on 91.7 WYXR. Also, the WYXR app, TuneIn, Facebook Live, YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts. It's time to talk!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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It starts Real talk, real coks, real.
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Chill watching him waiting.
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Speaker 5 (00:52):
Cop and here we go, Here we go on this
(01:17):
Monday evening. It is the fourteenth day of July twenty
twenty five, six o'clock straight up, which means, ladies and gentlemen,
it is time for an all new live edition of
Real Talk Memphis. I am your humble host. My name
is Chip Washington. Great to be here back in the
air chair after a week, and I hope that since
(01:37):
the last time we communicated everything's been going well for you.
It's still hot, just in case anybody had a question
about that, in the low nineties. Going to get into
the mid nineties the next couple of days around here,
So prepare and do all of the things that one
is supposed to do during hot weather, which means stay
out of the intensity of the sun as much as possible,
check on the elderly, make sure you don't walk your
(02:00):
during the middle of the day, and all that kind
of good stuff. Glad to have you with us tonight.
As always, we appreciate you taking the time out of
your schedule to check us out from six to seven
pm Central Time right here on ninety one point seven
on your FM dow WYXR. Now, there are several ways
you can get this broadcast, and the one I just
(02:22):
mentioned is one of those. We are also on the
WYXR app. You can find us on the tune in
app as well.
Speaker 6 (02:32):
Live.
Speaker 5 (02:33):
We are live streaming the show this evening, which means
you can catch us on Facebook Live and the next
day or so when the show is posted. We will
be on YouTube, and as the show is a podcast,
you will be able to find us wherever it is
you get your podcasts. So there you go a lot
(02:54):
of ways to find this fine piece of radio broadcasting,
and we hope that you engage in at least one
of those. All right, So we have a good show
for you tonight. We think we do anyway, we hope
that you would think. So after it is all over,
my first guest in just a couple of minutes will
be John Covington. John is the vice president of the
Memphis Police Association. And there's been a lot back and
(03:17):
forth going on about these promotions of officers to second lieutenant.
Lawsuits filed from the city and the Police Association, and
there's a lot of confusion and a lot of anger
and reference to all of this and who's right and
who's wrong, and last I read, officers who were promoted
(03:38):
to second lieutenant will now be demoted per a court order.
We'll sort all of this out with John in just
a few minutes. A little bit later on, we will
be speaking with Stephanie R.
Speaker 6 (03:51):
Jones.
Speaker 5 (03:51):
And Stephanie is the editor of the Tri State Defender.
You know many of you have known. The Tri State
Defender's been around here for a long time. Is the
voice of the black folks in this town, African Americans.
And she's going to talk to us a little bit
about not only the history of the Tri State Defender,
(04:12):
it's an online digital thing now, but a very special event.
They do these forums every now and again, and they
have a big forum on education that is coming up
that they're hosting here in the next couple of days,
and she's going to tell us a little bit about
all of that, and a little bit later on, we're
going to be speaking with the co founder and executive
(04:33):
director of an organization that flat out just helps its
fellow man. The goal is just to help people in
need and help people who need help.
Speaker 6 (04:46):
Shirley McClure is her name, and she.
Speaker 5 (04:48):
Is the executive director of an organization called Merge Memphis,
and she's going to tell us all about them and
what they've been doing, and you know how they could
always use the help of a wonderful community so they
can continue to help other folks. So that's that's the
rundown of the show of this evening, And like I
said before, hope that you can hang out with us
(05:10):
this evening as well. My phone is acting up tonight,
so I have to wait and see if things go
the way they're supposed to go. But that being said,
and that aside, it is the part of the program
where we shout you out. June is a big, big
birthday month. I'm sorry, did I say June? Okay, you
(05:34):
heard it. You heard June, but I meant July. It
was thinking July. But anyway, July is a big thank you, Lola.
But July is a big birthday month and this day
is no exception. But then you know, we like to
shout you out and make you feel special on your
special day. But we can't do that until I say
hit it brand. All right, let's go. Happy birthday going
(05:57):
out to Martin McCain senior today, Happy birthday day to
Sharon Donovan, William Tim Sampson over Rick Staxon is celebrating
his birthday to day. Happy birthday to Pamela Jordan, Nicole
yorlanda Happy birthday, Donald Wolf. Pauline Hughes celebrating today as
(06:17):
is po Gray. Happy birthday to Geon Coffee and to
Reggie Faulkner.
Speaker 6 (06:25):
And here comes Low Love. Happy related to my cousin
Deanna Robinson.
Speaker 7 (06:32):
A happy birthday to my good cousin Karen Partner Robinson,
also known as Cookie to the family.
Speaker 5 (06:37):
Happy birthday, all right, Cookie, Happy birthday to you and
each and every person who is celebrating a birthday today
or later on this week. We hope that it's a
fun time, deal with fun and laughter as you celebrate
your trip around the Sun. And I'm from all of
us here if you will talk Memphis. Happy birthdays, each
and every one, and we hope to be here next
(06:58):
year for your next trip around the Sun.
Speaker 6 (07:02):
Thanks Brent.
Speaker 5 (07:04):
All right, Yeah, this is July is a big, big
birthday month. And before we move into some news and notes,
I want to acknowledge the death a recent death, doctor
Kuranja Ajanaku. That name sounds familiar. He was the former
publisher and executive editor of The Tri State Defender for
a long period of time. He circumb to his battle
(07:29):
with cancer or a few days ago. He was seventy
years of age, and I knew him. He was a
really really good guy. He really was and cared so
much and so deeply about our community. So his loss
will definitely be felt, and may his memory always always
be a blessing. Let's take a few minutes to go
(07:51):
over some news and notes. You remember, you know the place,
Memphis Rocks. It is a rock climbing facility over in
South Memphis. And a couple of weeks ago they had
a tragedy where one of their employees got into an
argument with uh someone, Uh, you know, in the inside
the facility. Next thing you know, guns were drawn, shots
were fired. Uh and Uh the employee was killed as
(08:15):
as well as the.
Speaker 6 (08:16):
I guess in this case, the suspect. Uh. Well, they
they've been closed.
Speaker 5 (08:20):
For the last two weeks and reference to it because
they were honoring their employee.
Speaker 8 (08:25):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (08:26):
His name was Jarnmond Johnson. He was a very very
popular figure at Memphis Rocks. Uh and and and and
was very helpful and very thoughtful. Well, anyway, they opened
on Saturday. We opened this past Saturday, and they had
sort of a memorial climb in honor of him, and
people showed up.
Speaker 6 (08:44):
Man, they showed up.
Speaker 5 (08:45):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (08:45):
This is so it did.
Speaker 5 (08:46):
Let you know, Uh, the sum total of his work
on his short time on this earth, uh was felt
by a lot of people, and they celebrated his life.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (08:55):
And of course, you know moreed his loss in reference
to it. His funeral was held this past Saturday.
Speaker 6 (09:01):
As well.
Speaker 5 (09:02):
Bellevue Baptist Church has announced that it they now have
another pastor, a new pastor, their eighth pastor in the
history of that church. The congregation voted for Ben Mandrel
to be the next leader and pastor of the church.
The forty eight year old CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources
(09:25):
will succeed forger pastor Steve Gaines, who himself is battling
cancer as well. Now, this next story I find to
be very interesting on a couple of levels. It's a
crime story, but it has a particularly interesting ending.
Speaker 6 (09:43):
So let me jump into this.
Speaker 5 (09:45):
An eighteen year old is accused of two counts of carjacking,
attempted aggravated robbery, and evading arrest, among many other charges.
In one of the crimes, because there was more than
one that happened on Friday, a wood be robbery victim
was approached by three armed men demanding money. He said
(10:06):
that he did not have any money, so they forced
him inside the store at the gas station, or followed
him inside the store and demanded that he buy them something.
Speaker 6 (10:17):
What did he do?
Speaker 5 (10:18):
What did the victim do the man yelled in the
name of Jesus, and when he turned around, the suspects
turned around and walked right out of the store. So
that just says now, now, now, let that sink in
for just a minute, and that says to me, you
don't play with the power of God. You don't do that, Okay,
(10:40):
And clearly something happened at that particular moment, divine intervention,
whatever you want to call it, however you want to
address it. Yeah, in the name of Jesus. And they
turned around and walked right out of the store and
took off.
Speaker 6 (10:56):
There you go. That's all. I don't even know.
Speaker 5 (10:59):
There's nothing else to say behind that. Just think about
that for a minute. And one final note. News wise,
Jerry Green City council woman, first term city council woman,
City of Memphis announced this afternoon that she is running
for governor of the state of Tennessee. She made the
(11:20):
announcement in Nashville and she made it here later on
this afternoon. So, uh, you know, I guess my question
to you is is the State of Tennessee ready for
a female governor. That's something you have about a year
or so to think about. Between now and the election time.
And while we're talking about that is the County of Shelby,
(11:43):
Shelby County, are they ready for a female mayor? Hattie
Coon criminal court clerk, she's running for mayor of Shelby County.
Speaker 6 (11:55):
What do you think? Long?
Speaker 5 (11:57):
Yeah, yeah, Well what's see what happens all these all
these elections coming up next year. So in any event, Uh,
that's a look at news and notes. I appreciate you
being here. Let us take a break, and when we
come back, we will begin this little ride we'd like
to call Real Talk Memphis.
Speaker 6 (12:14):
I'm Chip.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
You know who you are.
Speaker 6 (12:15):
Don't go away. We're just getting started.
Speaker 7 (12:32):
If you like Real Talk, here's the way you can
get involved. Do you have a show topic, idea or
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Real Talk with sib Washington.
Speaker 5 (14:04):
And welcome back to Real Talking Memphis on this beautiful
Monday evening in the city.
Speaker 6 (14:08):
Tip with you. Glad to have you along for the ride. H.
Speaker 5 (14:11):
I see my longtime friend Francita Jennings is watching us
tonight on Facebook Live. Hey Francis, good to see you.
Coleen Thompson as well. Now my first guest is Uh.
She's been on with us before.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
UH.
Speaker 5 (14:23):
He's fighting a good fight with the UH the Memphis
Police Association UH in the union. He's the vice president
as a matter of fact, of the Memphis Police Association.
His name is John Covington and John joins me now
and John, uh, you know, uh, there's always something interesting
to talk about. Now this particular issue that we're about
(14:45):
to talk about now with these promotions and these second lieutenants.
This has been going on now for years, back and
forth and back and forth, lawsuits flying back and forth.
Fill us in on where we are right now and
and and what happens next?
Speaker 10 (15:00):
Okay, well, Chip, let me say two things first. One,
I love your bumper music. Always my head starts moving.
There you go, Man, if I ever run for governor,
I will announce on your show. Shame on you, Jerry Green.
You should have come on Chip show to announce.
Speaker 6 (15:13):
Thanks you.
Speaker 10 (15:14):
But well, I have to give a little it's kind
of complicated. Yeah, so let me give a little bit
of backstory. I'll try to make it concise as I can.
But back in nineteen seventy eight, officers went on stripe
and we got an MoU which give some limited rights,
and what was agreed upon was if we don't agree
with the city, we go through something called mutual binding arbitration,
(15:36):
where an arbitrator decides who's right, who's wrong right For
four decades, Hey, what the arbitrator ruled is what. Sometimes
we won, sometimes they won. It was fine. So jump
ahead to just two or three years ago, and we
had the idea we wanted to increase promotions and have
(15:57):
more supervision on the street. We came up with the
idea of a few sergeant and then we started negotiating
with the city and at some point they decided to
go their own way and create a second lieutenant position,
which created some problems because they were allowed to jump.
We will usually go patrolman sergeant, which is an investigator,
(16:17):
and then lieutenant second lieutenant was allowed patrolman to jump sergeant.
So about three hundred sergeants waiting in line. We're not
happy about that. MoU says, to be a supervisor, you
have to have two years of investigation, you know, five
years of street work, two years of investigating, and second
didn't get that. So and we filed a grievance to
(16:42):
go to arbitration. But the city held the test and
promoted while the arbitrator was debating or while he was
doing his thing arbitrating, I guess and everybody who took
that test. We didn't dissuade from anybody, but we said
this is illegal by the MoU, and we will fight this.
So just understand, you know, we're not telling you not
(17:02):
to take it, but if you do, just realized it
could go away. So they all knew going in, so
they ended up they went through it. The promotion and uh,
you know, we had a lot of other officers upset
because they felt like their career path was blocked. So
the arbitrator ruled in our favor and the city didn't
like that, so they took us to circuit court. Circuit
(17:24):
court ruled in our favor. Circuit Court ordered them to
uh send them back and sit down at the table
and come up with a solution that fit the MoU.
The city asked for a stay on sending them back.
Circ court denied it. They asked the appeals court for
a stay and the appeals court denied it. So right
(17:44):
now they're waiting to be heard in the appeals court,
which will be the last court. And you know, our
next move would be to have a hearing to hold
the city in content.
Speaker 5 (17:54):
So so in reference to all of these these people
that were promoted by the city, obviously this violated the
mo OU. And so as you said at the beginning
here there are a lot of sergeants who were waiting
patiently to be able to be promoted to the next step,
but the city overjumped that. So now what happens are
(18:17):
these second lieutenants are are they going to be demoted? Well,
what's the next step in that process?
Speaker 10 (18:23):
Well, you know that the arbitrator is ruled, and the
courts have ruled so far. They agree with us that
it violated the MoU. And what the arbitrator said is
whatever happened before the promotion needs to be undone, and
then the city and the NPA need to sit down
and create a promotional process that's in line with the MoU.
Speaker 6 (18:42):
Okay.
Speaker 10 (18:43):
Really kind of takes us back to our original idea
of field sergeants. So it's something that can be worked out.
I mean what's frustrating to us is at the beginning
of this, and there was news stories about it, and
there's recordings of it that Mayor Young got up the
beginning of his administration and said, in front of four
hundred nearly four hundred officers, I will abide by what
(19:04):
the arbitrator rules. Okay, then it didn't go their way,
and you know that, And then he later told me
He's like, well, I meant how the courts ruled. Well, okay,
now the rule. So you know, we're we don't want
to be combat if we want to get a solution.
But you know, ultimately the city is going to have
to play by the rules that are laid down. And
(19:26):
you know, the rules are there and they've been abidied
by for forty years. So we have to do this
the right way. And the right way will allow the
people who are already aligned to become we tenant, their
careers aren't disrupted. But I think we can also find
a way for more promotions and more movement in the department.
But we just got to do it by the rules
that are in place.
Speaker 5 (19:45):
Yeah, I mean I would think that you know, if
you have a binding agreement and reference to all of this,
that that that should be honest. I would have to
think John that this is you know, not good from Araule.
I mean, when you start to look at this on
his face and on the layers, here are the ones
who were promoted who may be demoted, plus the ones
(20:06):
who were waiting for promotion who may not or may
or may not get one down the road.
Speaker 6 (20:11):
This is a pretty difficult kind of scenario to swallow.
Speaker 10 (20:14):
Am I correct, you are totally Chip and you captured
it at whoever, whatever side you're on. I think everybody
just wants it to be resolved, just to kind of
because we all as human beings, what comes next?
Speaker 6 (20:25):
I want it.
Speaker 10 (20:26):
I don't like this uncertainty. Yeah, and so that's what
we're really battling. And you know, and another thing I
should throw out this you'll hear a lot of things
in the news. The second lieutenant thing was thrown out
is it was going to be more supervision on the street,
but a third of them aren't in the street. They're
administrative roles and many of the others are just acting
(20:47):
as lieutenants, just getting paid less. And so that didn't
really happen either. So that that's frustrating too, because I
tell you, Chip, we are hiring a lot of young officers.
It's just the way that works. You know, Clinton uh
spent a lot of I put a lot of money
out for police departments to hire a bunch of officers back
in the nineties. Well they're all getting retirement now because
(21:08):
there was a big growth at that time, and we
got to bring in a lot of young folks. And
they do need supervision out there. I mean, they're they're
rare to go, but you know, they're young. We need
some more experienced officers out there with them. And we
got to figure that out too.
Speaker 5 (21:23):
Speaking of officers and a number of officers, uh, you
know in and around we've heard here recently that crime
is trending down and and then some of the major
categories crime is down, and and uh, you know, and
and and so the police department is there Consida kind
of talking a little bit about all of that. They
opened up a precinct in downtown Memphis, and and I mean,
(21:46):
I guess it's working. I'm not necessarily sure. But from
your perspective, how how how uh? In terms of the numbers,
where are we uh in terms of the numbers of
officers that we have? And how many do you think
that we need or how many.
Speaker 6 (22:02):
Are we short?
Speaker 10 (22:03):
Yeah, the study was done twenty five hundreds where we
really should be, but twenty three hundred we'd probably be
doing pretty well. As of today, we're one nine hundred
and twenty five. And which is what's scary about that
we lose about four per week through retirements or going
other to greener pastors. We've got eighteen coming up in
(22:23):
the academy class now and then eighteen beyond that. My
fear is in the next twelve months will fall below
eighteen hundred. And I tell you, Chip, I was in
Indianapolis last Week's one thing I saw that I wish
I saw Memphis. It was throughout the city that had
a lot of foot patrol officers. They have enough officers
to be able to do this helping one I saw
(22:45):
helping an old lady across the street. They were just
out there talking to people, talking to businesses. And I've
never felt so safe, and you know, and we need
to get our numbers up. That's how you really get
crimed down. And I get there has been some jobs,
but this is kind of and I don't mean this
to sound flipping, because this is serious business. But if
I got a cousin who's drinking eight bottles of bourbon
(23:07):
a night and he's down to seven, I'm still worried.
Somebody else put it, it's just as easy to drown
a nine feet of water as it is in ten
feet of water. Our numbers are so high that, you know,
even drops, we are so far above the national average.
It's really frightening. And and the people who bear the
brunt are the are the citizens of Memphis, you know,
and it breaks my heart because we have so many
(23:29):
good people in the city.
Speaker 6 (23:31):
Yeah, we really do.
Speaker 5 (23:32):
Did you what was your reaction when the the head
of the FBI said not too long ago that Memphis
was the number one, the number one for homicides in
the entire country? What what what was your what was
your immediate reaction to that when you heard that?
Speaker 10 (23:52):
Well, he was off by a year, right, he was.
But you know, it's always kind of embarrassing when you
see that kind of stuff. But it's also real talk
in the sense that your aggravated assaults are very high,
our homicides are very high, and we can't really look
at that with rose color classes. And we have to
be honest, because if you're going to solve a problem,
(24:14):
you got to face that had on it, admit, and
let's face it again. Whenever I go to another city,
and maybe you've experienced this as well, I'll get to
another city and the Memphis starts to drop away from
me where I'm not looking over my shoulder or on
alert the whole time, and I just hate it's almost
the citizens of Memphis kind of have a level of
PTSD because you know, you see stories in the media
(24:36):
like bullets coming through windows and hitting children. As a parent,
I can't even imagine. Yeah, And so I just get
so frustrated because the citizens deserve more and deserve better.
Speaker 6 (24:48):
They really do.
Speaker 5 (24:48):
And you know, I was telling some folks that I
was out of town recently, and it's interesting. I mean,
I was, I was on the West coast, and I
had two people ask me. One of them was on
the plane and and and another one was it was
in the city of la Uh. They know I'm from Memphis,
and they said, speaking of Memphis, what's going on in Memphis?
(25:10):
I mean, you know, we we I mean, And that
really bothered me because I mean, you're talking two thousand
miles away and they have their own issues. But I
mean to when you when you bring up where you're from,
in the city that you're from, and the first thing
somebody says, is, man, you got you guys got some
problems down there in Memphis.
Speaker 6 (25:25):
Uh, And I just didn't.
Speaker 5 (25:27):
I was really bothered by by hearing that, and so
I sort of resonated with what you said. A minute ago.
But there's something about that that just that doesn't that
doesn't make you feel too good.
Speaker 10 (25:37):
No, it's right and sometimes and I've had this experience too,
like this weird pride in Memphis that we're a tough
down we're a hard town, you know, and we are strong,
we are grit and grind. But yeah, I hate the
crime is the narrative out there, but you know, we
have to be honest about it. It's really high and
to not address that and face it head on is
(25:57):
doing a real disservice to the people of the city
because you know, ninety percent of people just want to
raise their kids to be able to go to the store.
They won't not worry about their their their grandma you
know in her neighborhood, something going on in her neighborhood.
We just all want to get by and you know,
be happy. Yeah, but then it's just NonStop.
Speaker 5 (26:19):
Well you know, uh, you know when I when I
when I look at the whole of the city and
your right, I mean, there's there is that we have
a pride here and there are some good people in
this city and there's a very small percentage of folks, uh,
you know who can ruin that for for for you know,
for for the majority of people in this city.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (26:37):
You have talked in the past to me about, Man,
wouldn't it be great if we could go back to
the days of uh, you know, being on the streets again,
you know, policing. You know what I mean with I
mean that that that one on one interaction, I mean
that really has been proven, has it not? John to
be uh in other places a very successful enterprise. When
(26:59):
you can get out and really understand your neighborhood, your community,
and the people that lie in those.
Speaker 10 (27:06):
That's the key. And whenever I talk about increasing numbers,
I think sometimes people misread it. I'm talking about just
the enforcement part. That's important, obviously, but it's also about
having time to, as you say, get in massed in
these neighborhoods, talk to the pastors, the teachers, the business older,
the kids, you know, and build that trust because that's
how you really, you really get to where you need
(27:26):
to be. And a lot of people are supportive of
community policing, but a lot of times different definitions of
what that is. To me, what it was when I
first came on, we had the numbers, I got to
know so many parents and business people and kids. And
because I had time in between calls, it wasn't called
a call to call. And now I talk to these
(27:46):
people on the streets. I mean, they're just running the
whole time. And it's compounds that makes it worse because
we're not building those relationships that we need.
Speaker 6 (27:55):
Yeah, it's it's a challenging scenario. John.
Speaker 5 (27:59):
It's always good to see you and have you on
the show. I appreciate you because you're a very honest
individual and and you've been doing this for.
Speaker 6 (28:06):
A long time.
Speaker 5 (28:07):
Uh, please keep us posted on on what happens down
the road, you know, with this in terms of this
whole situation with these officers and promotions and and and
and then and the whole nine yards. But I thank you,
man for taking the time to not to come on.
I really, I really do thank you so much.
Speaker 10 (28:23):
Well, I want to thank you too, because you know,
I think a lot of time the media fails us
and media voices, but you don't. You're honest and it's
real talk, just like the song says and the show said.
And I really appreciate what you do.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
Man.
Speaker 10 (28:35):
You always know if you call, all you gotta give
me is ten minutes I'll be on.
Speaker 5 (28:39):
Don't worry about me. Thank you, John, I really appreciate you.
Stay safe out there, man, Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
Night.
Speaker 5 (28:43):
Okay, by there you go. Ladies and gentlemen. You know,
a bird's eye view of what is happening. You know,
with our law enforcement, we don't get the whole story.
I mean, this is the bottom line to it. That
television news is a minute and twenty seconds, you know,
from beginning to middle to end, and you really don't
have to have to have the conversation that you really
need to have with people who can share what they
(29:04):
know from a knowledge based perspective. So I really appreciate
John every time I call him. He's always available to
a chat with us. Let us take another break, and
when we come back, we're going to continue. We're not
done quite yet. Appreciate the folks who are on the
Facebook liveline or whether you're listening to us on your
social media device or wherever. I appreciate that very very much.
(29:28):
Let's take a break. When we come back, we will
continue on this ride. We call Real Talk Myphis right
here on WYXR ninety one point seven FM.
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Speaker 3 (31:36):
Now back to more Real Talk with Jip Washington.
Speaker 4 (31:39):
It's it's hey, welcome back to Real Talk Memphis on
this Monday evening in the city.
Speaker 5 (31:50):
Chip with you and The Tri State Defender is a
publication that has been around. Newspaper has been around for
a very very long time time, and it's the voice
of the African American community. UH and it still thrives today.
I'm really happy to have my next guest on UH.
She is no stranger to the world of newspapers, writing
(32:13):
and editing the whole nine yards. Please welcome to the show,
Stephanie R.
Speaker 6 (32:17):
Jones.
Speaker 5 (32:18):
She is the current editor of The Tri State Defender.
UH and Stephanie is great to see you. Thank you
for taking the time to come on the show. Ton
I really appreciate it.
Speaker 15 (32:28):
Believe me, Chip, thanks for having me. I know we've
been trying to connect for a while now. I'm glad
we have this chance.
Speaker 5 (32:34):
Absolutely that so you have. Now you're no stranger to
to the to the newspaper business. I've read your background
in your bio and you even worked at the Commercial
Appeal at one time here in this town.
Speaker 6 (32:46):
Am I correcting that?
Speaker 11 (32:47):
Yeah, you're correct. I was there for ten years in
the nineties.
Speaker 5 (32:51):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, two thousand. I'm sorry, that's okay, that's
that's that's fine. Uh And and and now you're back,
uh with with Tri State. What was it about, uh,
the opportunity uh to come back to the Tri State Defender?
Speaker 11 (33:06):
Why?
Speaker 6 (33:07):
Why? Why was that important to you?
Speaker 15 (33:09):
Well, it was important to me because doesn't know it
in the history of the black press in this country.
Speaker 11 (33:18):
And I have also worked for.
Speaker 15 (33:21):
Two other black publications of the Jackson Advocate in the
Mississippi Lincoln in Jackson, Mississippi. But even going back to
the days of the founder of the papers, STA about
the Chicago Defender and the Tri State Defender as well,
and the mission that those papers were bounded upon, and
(33:42):
that's making sure that black people had access to information
about themselves other than what was being written in mainstream newspapers,
which a lot of times wasn't a whole lot, but
when it was written was not something you'd really want
to read about.
Speaker 6 (34:00):
Yeah, and I think that's very important.
Speaker 5 (34:02):
You mentioned I used to work in Jackson, Mississippi, so
I'm very familiar with the Mississippi Lincoln and the Yeah,
the other newspaper there. So so and I understand how
important and critically important.
Speaker 1 (34:11):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (34:11):
Uh that voice is. Uh.
Speaker 5 (34:14):
The track State is is no longer. I guess it's
a newspaper. It's online, right or is it it's right.
Speaker 11 (34:20):
Correct January of four, Yeah, right.
Speaker 6 (34:23):
Yeah, Yeah, but it's very comprehensive.
Speaker 5 (34:26):
I mean I read it and I check it out,
and you really do a really good job of covering
the issues that need to be covered, uh, which is
unlike what the commercial appeal does.
Speaker 1 (34:37):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (34:37):
These are these are kind of more targeted and specific
to certain uh issues?
Speaker 6 (34:43):
Am I correcting that?
Speaker 11 (34:45):
Yes?
Speaker 15 (34:46):
You are certainly uh, issues that tend to affect the
black community, say more than mainstream and as well as
featuring our people, uh in the daily activities, day lives
and news making events in their lives as well. And
it's going daily has been it's a mission.
Speaker 11 (35:08):
It's a challenge.
Speaker 15 (35:09):
It has been in learning how to go from publishing
a paper once a week to do it, it's seven
days a week straight.
Speaker 11 (35:17):
And I'd like to say I think you've done a.
Speaker 15 (35:20):
Fairly decent job of maintaining seven days a week of
getting you something interesting to read where it's local and
a few times maybe not local, but certainly issues of
issues that affect our black community.
Speaker 5 (35:33):
Absolutely that there's no doubt about it, and I urge
people who haven't seen it they need to go online
and check it out. One of the things that I
know that that's important to you and it's important to
the paper in terms of a community, is the involvement
of the community. You're having a conversation a forum the
(35:54):
next day or so couple of days, and you have
a series of them on crime and education and some
other things. First of all, before we talk about the
one that is about to come up, why was that
so important to be able to have these forums and
have bring people around the table, people, credible folks. There
are folks who can have serious conversation about serious issues.
Speaker 6 (36:16):
Why was that so important to you?
Speaker 15 (36:18):
Well, when you put yourself out as the voice of
a community, as the tri State defender, does you have
to know what the community is thinking if you're going
to speak for the community or put their ideas out there,
and so the way to get the information. We've had
two forums. The first one was on Black women and
(36:39):
leadership positions, right. The second one was on healthcare. Healthcare
is something, of course that's very important for our people.
But these forums have allowed us to bring in experts
to talk and interact with everyday citizens and get their
issues across to the citizens and have uh people the
(37:01):
audience to be able to ask questions as well and
and bring forth things that are really concerning to them.
And I think any chance we get to listen to readers,
to our listeners on radio or on television, Uh, it's
it's a good thing because you understand more about their
(37:21):
issues and how they really affect people on a very
personal level sometimes and and it shapes the way you
target your coverage and the way you like your stories
and and all things like that.
Speaker 6 (37:33):
Yeah. And so this one is on education.
Speaker 5 (37:36):
Uh and and obviously a huge, huge issue uh here in.
Speaker 6 (37:42):
Our community for for many reasons.
Speaker 5 (37:44):
Uh did we just get we got we got the
test scores here a few a few days ago, and uh,
you know some of the averages were not, you know,
as as as maybe is what people wanted. But uh,
but but obviously, uh, this is a big issue. Schools
about to starting another two three weeks again and here
we go.
Speaker 6 (38:03):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (38:03):
You have some pretty dynamic folks around the table here.
Speaker 6 (38:08):
In reference to it.
Speaker 5 (38:09):
One of them, of course, is is inter of Superintendent
doctor Rod Richmond. Uh So again to be able to
have this one on one, if you will, with the community,
and that's why I wanted to have you on the show,
to really urge folks to say, you know what takes
some time and come and come to be a part
of all of this, because a lot of times we
(38:30):
form our opinions from a distance and we don't have
a chance to jump in there talk a little bit
about that.
Speaker 6 (38:35):
I think that's very very.
Speaker 11 (38:36):
Important, right uh.
Speaker 15 (38:38):
In ticking the panel, as you can see, we have
of course doctor Richmond from the school district, and and
then just going up on the levels of that junior
college level I'm sorry, the community college, yes, and home
to the four year college level as well with Lamore
and Ohen and as well as someone with Senator Afari
(39:02):
with the State Senate. And you know, it just shows
that how education starts at one point, but the rules
are being made at a higher point and how things
trickle down and all go together there. And so I
think we'll be excited just to hear from all of
these people because.
Speaker 11 (39:21):
There are changes in education, especially.
Speaker 15 (39:24):
This year of new laws, and about what's taught, how
it's taught, and who should be taught too as well.
And so it's an important time in our country to
really look at education much closer than we normally do,
even because there's so much and so much change going.
Speaker 10 (39:43):
On right now.
Speaker 6 (39:43):
Yeah, it really is.
Speaker 5 (39:45):
I read earlier today that President is dismantling the Department
of Education and they let go about fourteen hundred I
think employees you know there today And it makes me,
really it really makes me wonder, you know where things are.
I do know that you're well aware too that we
have a state legislature who doesn't really seem to support
(40:07):
us much. Now we have two bills up there, one
on the House side and one on the Senate side, uh,
looking at possibly taking over the district. And this is
a this is a pretty big deal. This has some
serious ramifications, doesn't it.
Speaker 15 (40:21):
It does, It really does. And you know, the school
districts have been taken over before. Some have come out
for the better on the other end of it, But
it's it's a tough thing to do when somebody who
is not into a city and doesn't understand all the
dynamics of education in Memphis and Shelby County has decided
(40:42):
that they can do a better job than the people
in Shelby County, and so I I'm hoping that that
does not happen, that they will take over.
Speaker 11 (40:52):
But that's my opinion.
Speaker 15 (40:54):
Not to try to state Defenden's opinion at this point,
but you know, it's it's a critical time and to
be able to talk with these people from the various
aspects of education here about what the ramifications of that
could truly be. Even if it's just Memphis schools, we're
talking about what does that mean for Lamar and o
(41:14):
and as well or in for Southwest to College.
Speaker 6 (41:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (41:17):
Yeah, as you said, there's a ripple effect there, absolutely that,
and and and and I think that people, you know,
aren't thinking beyond that. We don't We're not gonna know
what's gonna happen with all this until the first of
the year. But past an article over the weekend with
with Representative White and Senator Brent Taylor. You know, both
both the authors of these bills, and they seem pretty
pretty pretty headstrong, and something needs to happen one way
(41:40):
or another.
Speaker 6 (41:40):
And we have an elected school board here now.
Speaker 5 (41:43):
Whether you whether you're whether you support them or you
don't support them. Uh, they were elected to represent uh
memphisis Shelby County schools.
Speaker 6 (41:51):
Uh and and.
Speaker 5 (41:52):
This would directly impact uh, you know, uh, their authority
to be able to do so by bringing in folks
either appointing folks or appointing of people who are you know.
It just it's very it's a very very confusing issue,
and it really doesn't you know, many people have said,
and I'm sure you've probably heard, Stephanie, that that the
(42:12):
voices of the individuals in our city, especially those one
who are who are attending those contentious school board meetings
last year, the voices of the citizens were not heard.
This is why I think that what you're doing is
so valuable to people.
Speaker 15 (42:28):
I think even if the voices were heard, they just
weren't listened to. Yeah, you can hear something and say, well,
it does not matter. And that's sort of the sense
that I get when public meetings sometimes are set up
around these issues, they do it just for face value,
and they're not really listening in the beginning.
Speaker 11 (42:48):
Sometimes the minds are made up.
Speaker 15 (42:50):
It's critical that I think that we find ways, whether
it's in our writing in the newspaper.
Speaker 11 (42:57):
To really.
Speaker 15 (43:00):
Make the voices heard, you know, put the pressure on
some sort of way to say, hey, receive you're not listening,
but we have to do more to make you listen
to what we're saying here, and and whether there's.
Speaker 11 (43:14):
Proof of what we're doing. We need to make sure we're.
Speaker 15 (43:16):
Getting that proof out there so we can stand by
what we say when we want somebody to.
Speaker 11 (43:22):
Listen to us.
Speaker 5 (43:24):
Finally, before I let you go, please let everyone know
about the event that is coming up, the Forum on Education,
the where and and and the time and everything else
that you wanted to know about coming out to support that.
Speaker 15 (43:37):
Okay, sure, let's see. It's happening on Wednesday the sixteenth.
And you pardon me if I look at my notes.
I don't want to get the times and things wrong.
But it's going to be at first Baptist Church Broad
which is on Broad Avenue, and everybody is well from.
Speaker 11 (43:54):
Parents, educators, community leaders, whomever.
Speaker 15 (43:57):
Anybody with any interest in what's going on with our
children's educations. And the panel is going to include Senator
roshmish Akbarim.
Speaker 11 (44:09):
Sorry if I didn't get that quite.
Speaker 15 (44:10):
Right, Uh, steals at a new to the job, doctor
Christopher Davis from Lamon and Owen, the president there, and
doctor Tracy Hall, president of Southwestern Community College, and of
course doctor Rodman from uh Shelby County Mile Shelby County Schools.
And uh it's going to shouldn't last a whole long time,
(44:32):
a couple of hours, but it will be a panel discussions.
Dendrew Malone, vice president of charity Defender, is going to
leave the discussion that evening, and we just look forward
to seeing everybody there. I think anybody who attends will
leave with some valuable information that they did not come with.
Speaker 6 (44:53):
Absolutely that.
Speaker 5 (44:54):
And before I let you go quickly, I don't have
much time, but uh, please give a reflection on the
loss that we all suffered, you all and we all
doctor uh doctor yeah, I'm sorry, yeah, yeah, doctor johna coop.
Speaker 15 (45:12):
Okay, as I mentioned in a previous talk earlier today,
now my time at the tri State Defender.
Speaker 11 (45:20):
I did not cross past with him during.
Speaker 15 (45:22):
That time, but we worked together for most of the
ten years that I was at the Commercial Appeal, both
editors there and along with Otis Sandford and Jerome Wright
and Peggy McKenzie as well, And so just having Karanja
there and and Jerome and Otis and Peggy, it was
just valuable having, you know.
Speaker 11 (45:45):
Examples of leadership come from them.
Speaker 15 (45:47):
When I moved to Memphis, I had never really been
to Memphis much before that, and so Karanja especially, he
was sort of a steady sort of guy to me. Uh,
sometimes I could be a little bit hockey, you know,
but he was always that calming voice. Yes, and uh,
it's just no matter when I had a conversation with him,
(46:10):
it was always a positive conversation. And I too missed him.
And when the opportunity to take the job at the
Tri State Defender came up, he of course was the
first one I got an email from and the first
one I wanted to talk to as well.
Speaker 11 (46:25):
Yes, you know, because I knew from what.
Speaker 15 (46:28):
I'm hearing from the people who are with the Try
State Defender now, I certainly have big shoes to feel
and and I look forward to that challenge.
Speaker 5 (46:38):
Absolutely that. Yeah, Caronja was a great guy. Thank you
so much for taking the time to come on the
show tonight. Stefinitely R. Jones to the editor of The
Tri State Defender, thank you and best of lucky at
the event on Wednesday night. Thank you very much, Thank
thank you very much. Uh, there you go, ladies and gentlemen.
You know that these are maybe these are serious issues
(46:59):
that we're dealing with out here. And uh, when the
opportunity arises for you to be a part of a conversation,
you should jump at it.
Speaker 6 (47:07):
Absolutely that. So we thanks Stephanie for coming on the
show tonight.
Speaker 5 (47:09):
Let's take one final break and when we come back
we will continue. We'll talk about an organization that is
doing amazing things in our community. This is real talk,
Memphy some Chip, don't go away. We'll be back.
Speaker 7 (47:34):
If you like real Talk. Here's the way you can
get involved. Do you have a show topic, idea or
a suggestion. Want to be considered a guest or have
a guest idea, Then send Chip a message on his
Real Talk show page and you can be a part
of the Real Talk experience. So, as he always says,
go out and tell somebody We'll be right back.
Speaker 4 (47:54):
It's real, It's real, it's real, it's real.
Speaker 16 (48:00):
Report for WYXR comes from the Museum of Science and
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running July through November in the AutoZone Sharp Planetarium. Each
event features live bands with laser light shows, with wyxrdjs
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and tickets can be found at mosh Memphis dot com.
(48:21):
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Support for WIXR comes from Mempho Presents featuring the Outlaw
Tour tenth Anniversary show at radians Amphitheater on Friday, June
twenty seven, featuring Willie Nelson and Family, Bob Dylan, Nathaniel
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and more information at Memphopresents dot com.
Speaker 17 (48:47):
Programming on WYXR is brought to you by a grant
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Speaker 7 (49:15):
Good Real Talk on the tune in mobile app under
w y XR, and he's now streaming live on Facebook
and you can also catch a rebroadcast on YouTube. Just
put w y XR in the search box and hit subscribe.
Now back to more Real Talk with Jim Washington's.
Speaker 5 (49:34):
It's It's and welcome back to Real Talk Memphis on
this Monday evening in the city Chip with you, and
my next guest is someone who absolutely, without question has
a heart for the community, as she and her husband
are co founders of an organization many of you are
(49:55):
probably familiar with. She's also the executive director a group
called Merge Memphis. And please welcome to the show, Shirley
McClure and Shirley, it is great to see you.
Speaker 6 (50:08):
How are you tonight?
Speaker 18 (50:10):
I'm good.
Speaker 6 (50:11):
Well, listen, thank.
Speaker 5 (50:12):
You so much for taking the time to come on
the show and talk with a little bit to us
a little bit about your organization. First of all, how
long has Merged Memphis been active and when did you
decide that to found it?
Speaker 8 (50:28):
We started it in two thousand and fourteen and got
our five one c three in twenty fifteen.
Speaker 18 (50:36):
Okay, so we've been around for a little while.
Speaker 6 (50:38):
Yeah, yeah, about a decade or so.
Speaker 5 (50:40):
Why did you feel at that time it was so
important to you? Because I've been reading a little bit
about the background and your husband to start an organization
like this, what's so special about Merge Memphis.
Speaker 8 (50:54):
Well, we had decided years ago that I mean, we're
we were nurses, and we've been nurses for over forty years.
So we had decided that we really wanted to step
out and help our community a little bit more then
(51:14):
what we were already doing in our local hospitals and
home health settings. And so we saw the need and
so many communities that were lower income, and so many
of our communities and menphys that that had so many
homeless and so we started out just going to different
(51:36):
homeless shelters and feeding every weekend. And then we obtained
a food truck and we went out and sold food
and turned back around and took it into communities.
Speaker 18 (51:49):
And gave away food.
Speaker 8 (51:52):
We've always dealt with, you know, clothing drives, back to
school drives and things like that. So we just decided,
I guess it was maybe like in two thousand and
seventeen that we were going to try to take it
a little bit further because we found that there was
(52:15):
nowhere for women to go, and I mean there were
very few beds in Memphis for homeless women. So we
started to search and we obtained a facility in twenty
and nineteen, right at the start of the pandemic COVID,
(52:39):
and then we opened up right in the middle of
COVID in June of twenty twenty.
Speaker 6 (52:45):
Wow.
Speaker 5 (52:45):
Wow, that was a tough time for a whole lot
of people. Now, you talked about the fact that there
weren't homes and places for women, homeless women to hang
their head and to get rested and things like that.
So since that time, how have things expanded in terms
(53:07):
of your program?
Speaker 8 (53:08):
Okay, so we serve the underserved single women. We don't
take in children at this time. I would love to,
but we don't do that at this time. But single
women with mental health, substance abuse, incarceration and domestic violence
(53:28):
survivors or who they serve, or anyone that's homeless and
needs a place for two three days, even in between
places or in between a bus route.
Speaker 18 (53:42):
So we opened up.
Speaker 8 (53:43):
In twenty twenty with a facility that holds thirty one women. Okay,
we opened up the first day with two women and
that was in June, and then by November, by the
Thanksgiving we had twenty seven and we've never gone below
(54:05):
twenty seven ever. Now we've turned that facility more into
a permanent supportive housing so we have fifteen permanent supportive
housing beds, So that means that those women, if they
choose to stay there, that's their address now, so it's
(54:25):
just like renting an apartment, but they're in our program
for permanent supportive housing. We also have transitional beds, and
then we have another house that has eight ladies in it,
and I think right now we have a total of
about thirty two women. Right now, we have been blessed
(54:51):
and we are about to open up two other houses.
Speaker 6 (54:55):
Wow.
Speaker 8 (54:56):
Yeah, hoping to open up the next one August the first,
and that'll be a special day for that.
Speaker 18 (55:05):
We're hoping to do that on August first. And then
the other house, I'm hoping it'll be open by the
end of August.
Speaker 8 (55:13):
And that will house us about twenty more women.
Speaker 5 (55:18):
What you're saying here, if someone is really paying attention,
is that this this is a very serious problem that
people need to really understand that you're not just I mean,
this is this is a big problem in our community,
and this is something that we need to face. And
obviously you're trying to do all you can to help,
but people really need to understand that that that this
(55:38):
is a serious issue, isn't it.
Speaker 8 (55:40):
It's a very serious issue, and at all times, Chip,
I mean at all times, we've got a waiting list
of anywhere up from fifteen to twenty five women.
Speaker 6 (55:52):
Wow. Well yeah, yeah, yeah that that that that I mean.
Speaker 5 (55:56):
You know, again, a lot of us like to like
to sort of we know something is going on, but
we really don't want to.
Speaker 6 (56:02):
Get ourselves involved in things like this.
Speaker 5 (56:04):
This is why I like, yeah, yeah, it is difficult,
and this is why I like to do stories like
this because I like people. I want people to understand that, yes,
we do have some complicated issues out here, but that
there are people who are willing to help and you
can't do what you do without the kindness of others.
Speaker 6 (56:22):
I want to imagine the Church of partnerships and.
Speaker 8 (56:24):
Things like that completely not we have the most wonderful
groups of people that help us out. We've got different
churches in the communities, We've got you know, just organizations.
We've got a group from ut Health sciences that comes.
We've got people from a University of Memphis that come
(56:46):
over and help us out. We do life skill classes
and try to get the women back to being a.
Speaker 18 (56:57):
More of a productive.
Speaker 8 (57:00):
Citizen, Okay, put it that way, so that they can
feel better about themselves. But mental health is people tend
to shove that under the rug. Mental health is such
a prevalent problem in the homeless community. And if you
(57:22):
don't deal with what the problem the root is, they're
gonna get stuck and they stay stuck.
Speaker 18 (57:31):
So we have to help out in all kinds of ways.
Speaker 6 (57:35):
Before I let you go over the top of the hour.
But what what what? How do people?
Speaker 5 (57:39):
If people want to help, If people want to know
more about Merge Memphis, how can they how can they
get in touch?
Speaker 8 (57:45):
Okay, merge emmy r g e Meanphis dot org is
a website. There's a place there you can volunteer. There's
also a donation page there. We love donations of We
love volunteers. Also, we have chicken and Beer a fundraiser
(58:06):
coming up on August the sixteenth. iHeartRadio does that and
we're their nonprofit for that event. Wonderful, so that buy
tickets for that Yeah, that is August sixteenth, and it's
over at the Liberty Bowl Stadium and you can buy
those tickets at Chicken and Beer Memphis. Also, we've got
(58:28):
a chili cook off coming up in November, so if
you're interested in anything with that, you can ask me
about that on the website.
Speaker 5 (58:36):
Also, Shirley McClure, thank you so much for extending your
heart because this is what this is all about, and
your soul to helping so many other people. Shirley McClure,
ladies and gentlemen, the co founder and executive director of
Merge Memphis, thanks for coming on my show tonight.
Speaker 6 (58:53):
I really appreciate you. Thank you so much.
Speaker 18 (58:56):
Thanks Chip, all right, thank you.
Speaker 6 (58:58):
There you go, Ladies and gentlemen. That wraps it up.
Speaker 5 (59:01):
You know what, if you have a heart to help,
you have a heart to help, and there are a
lot of people who need your help, and Merge Memphis
is one of those organizations. To be sure, Uh as
Brent places out, uh don't go anywhere because his show
event Horizon is on the horizon. It'll be I'll be honest,
about a minute or two getting ready to do his thing.
(59:24):
You know, there's gonna be a time when I leave
this station at seven o'clock.
Speaker 6 (59:28):
But it's gonna be like a fan.
Speaker 5 (59:30):
Club of little girls out here waiting, waiting, waiting to
get close to him.
Speaker 6 (59:34):
Boys, I said, I.
Speaker 5 (59:36):
Know he's just hats when I say that, but listen.
Thank you all for being a part of what we
do here in Real Talk Memphis, and for all of
us here a Real Talk Memphis.
Speaker 3 (59:45):
God bless you all.
Speaker 5 (59:46):
Thank you for watching, thank you for participating in the broadcast.
Have a great week, and until next time, we are
out see as soon as.
Speaker 11 (59:55):
She wants.
Speaker 1 (01:00:00):
Three o'clock
Main.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
It's real talk with your main Chip washing it. When
it comes to information, the main got an aus.
Speaker 3 (00:05):
Little bring you up to speed with what you need.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
He's a local and nationhoul white Hu feed and that's
talk about it.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
Died I to do something about it.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
And ship's got to throw wide open and you've got
questions about it.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
It's main.
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It's to show that brings until you row to solve
all problems.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
It starts Real talk, real coks, real.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
It's real talk.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
It's real tough. It's real talk. It's real. It's real talk.
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It's real to.
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It's real coke. It's real. It's real talk. It's real to.
It's real talk. Now it's real. It's real talk. It's
real talk.
Speaker 4 (00:42):
Yeah, welcome to Real Tell your talk, real host.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Chill watching him waiting.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
You like it.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
It's real talk. It's a real talking, it's real.
Speaker 5 (00:52):
Cop and here we go, Here we go on this
(01:17):
Monday evening. It is the fourteenth day of July twenty
twenty five, six o'clock straight up, which means, ladies and gentlemen,
it is time for an all new live edition of
Real Talk Memphis. I am your humble host. My name
is Chip Washington. Great to be here back in the
air chair after a week, and I hope that since
(01:37):
the last time we communicated everything's been going well for you.
It's still hot, just in case anybody had a question
about that, in the low nineties. Going to get into
the mid nineties the next couple of days around here,
So prepare and do all of the things that one
is supposed to do during hot weather, which means stay
out of the intensity of the sun as much as possible,
check on the elderly, make sure you don't walk your
(02:00):
during the middle of the day, and all that kind
of good stuff. Glad to have you with us tonight.
As always, we appreciate you taking the time out of
your schedule to check us out from six to seven
pm Central Time right here on ninety one point seven
on your FM dow WYXR. Now, there are several ways
you can get this broadcast, and the one I just
(02:22):
mentioned is one of those. We are also on the
WYXR app. You can find us on the tune in
app as well.
Speaker 6 (02:32):
Live.
Speaker 5 (02:33):
We are live streaming the show this evening, which means
you can catch us on Facebook Live and the next
day or so when the show is posted. We will
be on YouTube, and as the show is a podcast,
you will be able to find us wherever it is
you get your podcasts. So there you go a lot
(02:54):
of ways to find this fine piece of radio broadcasting,
and we hope that you engage in at least one
of those. All right, So we have a good show
for you tonight. We think we do anyway, we hope
that you would think. So after it is all over,
my first guest in just a couple of minutes will
be John Covington. John is the vice president of the
Memphis Police Association. And there's been a lot back and
(03:17):
forth going on about these promotions of officers to second lieutenant.
Lawsuits filed from the city and the Police Association, and
there's a lot of confusion and a lot of anger
and reference to all of this and who's right and
who's wrong, and last I read, officers who were promoted
(03:38):
to second lieutenant will now be demoted per a court order.
We'll sort all of this out with John in just
a few minutes. A little bit later on, we will
be speaking with Stephanie R.
Speaker 6 (03:51):
Jones.
Speaker 5 (03:51):
And Stephanie is the editor of the Tri State Defender.
You know many of you have known. The Tri State
Defender's been around here for a long time. Is the
voice of the black folks in this town, African Americans.
And she's going to talk to us a little bit
about not only the history of the Tri State Defender,
(04:12):
it's an online digital thing now, but a very special event.
They do these forums every now and again, and they
have a big forum on education that is coming up
that they're hosting here in the next couple of days,
and she's going to tell us a little bit about
all of that, and a little bit later on, we're
going to be speaking with the co founder and executive
(04:33):
director of an organization that flat out just helps its
fellow man. The goal is just to help people in
need and help people who need help.
Speaker 6 (04:46):
Shirley McClure is her name, and she.
Speaker 5 (04:48):
Is the executive director of an organization called Merge Memphis,
and she's going to tell us all about them and
what they've been doing, and you know how they could
always use the help of a wonderful community so they
can continue to help other folks. So that's that's the
rundown of the show of this evening, And like I
said before, hope that you can hang out with us
(05:10):
this evening as well. My phone is acting up tonight,
so I have to wait and see if things go
the way they're supposed to go. But that being said,
and that aside, it is the part of the program
where we shout you out. June is a big, big
birthday month. I'm sorry, did I say June? Okay, you
(05:34):
heard it. You heard June, but I meant July. It
was thinking July. But anyway, July is a big thank you, Lola.
But July is a big birthday month and this day
is no exception. But then you know, we like to
shout you out and make you feel special on your
special day. But we can't do that until I say
hit it brand. All right, let's go. Happy birthday going
(05:57):
out to Martin McCain senior today, Happy birthday day to
Sharon Donovan, William Tim Sampson over Rick Staxon is celebrating
his birthday to day. Happy birthday to Pamela Jordan, Nicole
yorlanda Happy birthday, Donald Wolf. Pauline Hughes celebrating today as
(06:17):
is po Gray. Happy birthday to Geon Coffee and to
Reggie Faulkner.
Speaker 6 (06:25):
And here comes Low Love. Happy related to my cousin
Deanna Robinson.
Speaker 7 (06:32):
A happy birthday to my good cousin Karen Partner Robinson,
also known as Cookie to the family.
Speaker 5 (06:37):
Happy birthday, all right, Cookie, Happy birthday to you and
each and every person who is celebrating a birthday today
or later on this week. We hope that it's a
fun time, deal with fun and laughter as you celebrate
your trip around the Sun. And I'm from all of
us here if you will talk Memphis. Happy birthdays, each
and every one, and we hope to be here next
(06:58):
year for your next trip around the Sun.
Speaker 6 (07:02):
Thanks Brent.
Speaker 5 (07:04):
All right, Yeah, this is July is a big, big
birthday month. And before we move into some news and notes,
I want to acknowledge the death a recent death, doctor
Kuranja Ajanaku. That name sounds familiar. He was the former
publisher and executive editor of The Tri State Defender for
a long period of time. He circumb to his battle
(07:29):
with cancer or a few days ago. He was seventy
years of age, and I knew him. He was a
really really good guy. He really was and cared so
much and so deeply about our community. So his loss
will definitely be felt, and may his memory always always
be a blessing. Let's take a few minutes to go
(07:51):
over some news and notes. You remember, you know the place,
Memphis Rocks. It is a rock climbing facility over in
South Memphis. And a couple of weeks ago they had
a tragedy where one of their employees got into an
argument with uh someone, Uh, you know, in the inside
the facility. Next thing you know, guns were drawn, shots
were fired. Uh and Uh the employee was killed as
(08:15):
as well as the.
Speaker 6 (08:16):
I guess in this case, the suspect. Uh. Well, they
they've been closed.
Speaker 5 (08:20):
For the last two weeks and reference to it because
they were honoring their employee.
Speaker 8 (08:25):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (08:26):
His name was Jarnmond Johnson. He was a very very
popular figure at Memphis Rocks. Uh and and and and
was very helpful and very thoughtful. Well, anyway, they opened
on Saturday. We opened this past Saturday, and they had
sort of a memorial climb in honor of him, and
people showed up.
Speaker 6 (08:44):
Man, they showed up.
Speaker 5 (08:45):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (08:45):
This is so it did.
Speaker 5 (08:46):
Let you know, Uh, the sum total of his work
on his short time on this earth, uh was felt
by a lot of people, and they celebrated his life.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (08:55):
And of course, you know moreed his loss in reference
to it. His funeral was held this past Saturday.
Speaker 6 (09:01):
As well.
Speaker 5 (09:02):
Bellevue Baptist Church has announced that it they now have
another pastor, a new pastor, their eighth pastor in the
history of that church. The congregation voted for Ben Mandrel
to be the next leader and pastor of the church.
The forty eight year old CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources
(09:25):
will succeed forger pastor Steve Gaines, who himself is battling
cancer as well. Now, this next story I find to
be very interesting on a couple of levels. It's a
crime story, but it has a particularly interesting ending.
Speaker 6 (09:43):
So let me jump into this.
Speaker 5 (09:45):
An eighteen year old is accused of two counts of carjacking,
attempted aggravated robbery, and evading arrest, among many other charges.
In one of the crimes, because there was more than
one that happened on Friday, a wood be robbery victim
was approached by three armed men demanding money. He said
(10:06):
that he did not have any money, so they forced
him inside the store at the gas station, or followed
him inside the store and demanded that he buy them something.
Speaker 6 (10:17):
What did he do?
Speaker 5 (10:18):
What did the victim do the man yelled in the
name of Jesus, and when he turned around, the suspects
turned around and walked right out of the store. So
that just says now, now, now, let that sink in
for just a minute, and that says to me, you
don't play with the power of God. You don't do that, Okay,
(10:40):
And clearly something happened at that particular moment, divine intervention,
whatever you want to call it, however you want to
address it. Yeah, in the name of Jesus. And they
turned around and walked right out of the store and
took off.
Speaker 6 (10:56):
There you go. That's all. I don't even know.
Speaker 5 (10:59):
There's nothing else to say behind that. Just think about
that for a minute. And one final note. News wise,
Jerry Green City council woman, first term city council woman,
City of Memphis announced this afternoon that she is running
for governor of the state of Tennessee. She made the
(11:20):
announcement in Nashville and she made it here later on
this afternoon. So, uh, you know, I guess my question
to you is is the State of Tennessee ready for
a female governor. That's something you have about a year
or so to think about. Between now and the election time.
And while we're talking about that is the County of Shelby,
(11:43):
Shelby County, are they ready for a female mayor? Hattie
Coon criminal court clerk, she's running for mayor of Shelby County.
Speaker 6 (11:55):
What do you think? Long?
Speaker 5 (11:57):
Yeah, yeah, Well what's see what happens all these all
these elections coming up next year. So in any event, Uh,
that's a look at news and notes. I appreciate you
being here. Let us take a break, and when we
come back, we will begin this little ride we'd like
to call Real Talk Memphis.
Speaker 6 (12:14):
I'm Chip.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
You know who you are.
Speaker 6 (12:15):
Don't go away. We're just getting started.
Speaker 7 (12:32):
If you like Real Talk, here's the way you can
get involved. Do you have a show topic, idea or
a suggestion. Want to be considered a guest or have
a guest idea? Then send Chip a message on his
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of the Real Talk experience. So as he always says,
go out and tell somebody, we'll be right back.
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It's real. It's real, it's real.
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(13:16):
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Get Real Talk on the tune in mobile app under WYXR.
And he's now streaming live on Facebook and you can
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the search box and hit subscribe. Now back to more
Real Talk with sib Washington.
Speaker 5 (14:04):
And welcome back to Real Talking Memphis on this beautiful
Monday evening in the city.
Speaker 6 (14:08):
Tip with you. Glad to have you along for the ride. H.
Speaker 5 (14:11):
I see my longtime friend Francita Jennings is watching us
tonight on Facebook Live. Hey Francis, good to see you.
Coleen Thompson as well. Now my first guest is Uh.
She's been on with us before.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
UH.
Speaker 5 (14:23):
He's fighting a good fight with the UH the Memphis
Police Association UH in the union. He's the vice president
as a matter of fact, of the Memphis Police Association.
His name is John Covington and John joins me now
and John, uh, you know, uh, there's always something interesting
to talk about. Now this particular issue that we're about
(14:45):
to talk about now with these promotions and these second lieutenants.
This has been going on now for years, back and
forth and back and forth, lawsuits flying back and forth.
Fill us in on where we are right now and
and and what happens next?
Speaker 10 (15:00):
Okay, well, Chip, let me say two things first. One,
I love your bumper music. Always my head starts moving.
There you go, Man, if I ever run for governor,
I will announce on your show. Shame on you, Jerry Green.
You should have come on Chip show to announce.
Speaker 6 (15:13):
Thanks you.
Speaker 10 (15:14):
But well, I have to give a little it's kind
of complicated. Yeah, so let me give a little bit
of backstory. I'll try to make it concise as I can.
But back in nineteen seventy eight, officers went on stripe
and we got an MoU which give some limited rights,
and what was agreed upon was if we don't agree
with the city, we go through something called mutual binding arbitration,
(15:36):
where an arbitrator decides who's right, who's wrong right For
four decades, Hey, what the arbitrator ruled is what. Sometimes
we won, sometimes they won. It was fine. So jump
ahead to just two or three years ago, and we
had the idea we wanted to increase promotions and have
(15:57):
more supervision on the street. We came up with the
idea of a few sergeant and then we started negotiating
with the city and at some point they decided to
go their own way and create a second lieutenant position,
which created some problems because they were allowed to jump.
We will usually go patrolman sergeant, which is an investigator,
(16:17):
and then lieutenant second lieutenant was allowed patrolman to jump sergeant.
So about three hundred sergeants waiting in line. We're not
happy about that. MoU says, to be a supervisor, you
have to have two years of investigation, you know, five
years of street work, two years of investigating, and second
didn't get that. So and we filed a grievance to
(16:42):
go to arbitration. But the city held the test and
promoted while the arbitrator was debating or while he was
doing his thing arbitrating, I guess and everybody who took
that test. We didn't dissuade from anybody, but we said
this is illegal by the MoU, and we will fight this.
So just understand, you know, we're not telling you not
(17:02):
to take it, but if you do, just realized it
could go away. So they all knew going in, so
they ended up they went through it. The promotion and uh,
you know, we had a lot of other officers upset
because they felt like their career path was blocked. So
the arbitrator ruled in our favor and the city didn't
like that, so they took us to circuit court. Circuit
(17:24):
court ruled in our favor. Circuit Court ordered them to
uh send them back and sit down at the table
and come up with a solution that fit the MoU.
The city asked for a stay on sending them back.
Circ court denied it. They asked the appeals court for
a stay and the appeals court denied it. So right
(17:44):
now they're waiting to be heard in the appeals court,
which will be the last court. And you know, our
next move would be to have a hearing to hold
the city in content.
Speaker 5 (17:54):
So so in reference to all of these these people
that were promoted by the city, obviously this violated the
mo OU. And so as you said at the beginning
here there are a lot of sergeants who were waiting
patiently to be able to be promoted to the next step,
but the city overjumped that. So now what happens are
(18:17):
these second lieutenants are are they going to be demoted? Well,
what's the next step in that process?
Speaker 10 (18:23):
Well, you know that the arbitrator is ruled, and the
courts have ruled so far. They agree with us that
it violated the MoU. And what the arbitrator said is
whatever happened before the promotion needs to be undone, and
then the city and the NPA need to sit down
and create a promotional process that's in line with the MoU.
Speaker 6 (18:42):
Okay.
Speaker 10 (18:43):
Really kind of takes us back to our original idea
of field sergeants. So it's something that can be worked out.
I mean what's frustrating to us is at the beginning
of this, and there was news stories about it, and
there's recordings of it that Mayor Young got up the
beginning of his administration and said, in front of four
hundred nearly four hundred officers, I will abide by what
(19:04):
the arbitrator rules. Okay, then it didn't go their way,
and you know that, And then he later told me
He's like, well, I meant how the courts ruled. Well, okay,
now the rule. So you know, we're we don't want
to be combat if we want to get a solution.
But you know, ultimately the city is going to have
to play by the rules that are laid down. And
(19:26):
you know, the rules are there and they've been abidied
by for forty years. So we have to do this
the right way. And the right way will allow the
people who are already aligned to become we tenant, their
careers aren't disrupted. But I think we can also find
a way for more promotions and more movement in the department.
But we just got to do it by the rules
that are in place.
Speaker 5 (19:45):
Yeah, I mean I would think that you know, if
you have a binding agreement and reference to all of this,
that that that should be honest. I would have to
think John that this is you know, not good from Araule.
I mean, when you start to look at this on
his face and on the layers, here are the ones
who were promoted who may be demoted, plus the ones
(20:06):
who were waiting for promotion who may not or may
or may not get one down the road.
Speaker 6 (20:11):
This is a pretty difficult kind of scenario to swallow.
Speaker 10 (20:14):
Am I correct, you are totally Chip and you captured
it at whoever, whatever side you're on. I think everybody
just wants it to be resolved, just to kind of
because we all as human beings, what comes next?
Speaker 6 (20:25):
I want it.
Speaker 10 (20:26):
I don't like this uncertainty. Yeah, and so that's what
we're really battling. And you know, and another thing I
should throw out this you'll hear a lot of things
in the news. The second lieutenant thing was thrown out
is it was going to be more supervision on the street,
but a third of them aren't in the street. They're
administrative roles and many of the others are just acting
(20:47):
as lieutenants, just getting paid less. And so that didn't
really happen either. So that that's frustrating too, because I
tell you, Chip, we are hiring a lot of young officers.
It's just the way that works. You know, Clinton uh
spent a lot of I put a lot of money
out for police departments to hire a bunch of officers back
in the nineties. Well they're all getting retirement now because
(21:08):
there was a big growth at that time, and we
got to bring in a lot of young folks. And
they do need supervision out there. I mean, they're they're
rare to go, but you know, they're young. We need
some more experienced officers out there with them. And we
got to figure that out too.
Speaker 5 (21:23):
Speaking of officers and a number of officers, uh, you
know in and around we've heard here recently that crime
is trending down and and then some of the major
categories crime is down, and and uh, you know, and
and and so the police department is there Consida kind
of talking a little bit about all of that. They
opened up a precinct in downtown Memphis, and and I mean,
(21:46):
I guess it's working. I'm not necessarily sure. But from
your perspective, how how how uh? In terms of the numbers,
where are we uh in terms of the numbers of
officers that we have? And how many do you think
that we need or how many.
Speaker 6 (22:02):
Are we short?
Speaker 10 (22:03):
Yeah, the study was done twenty five hundreds where we
really should be, but twenty three hundred we'd probably be
doing pretty well. As of today, we're one nine hundred
and twenty five. And which is what's scary about that
we lose about four per week through retirements or going
other to greener pastors. We've got eighteen coming up in
(22:23):
the academy class now and then eighteen beyond that. My
fear is in the next twelve months will fall below
eighteen hundred. And I tell you, Chip, I was in
Indianapolis last Week's one thing I saw that I wish
I saw Memphis. It was throughout the city that had
a lot of foot patrol officers. They have enough officers
to be able to do this helping one I saw
(22:45):
helping an old lady across the street. They were just
out there talking to people, talking to businesses. And I've
never felt so safe, and you know, and we need
to get our numbers up. That's how you really get
crimed down. And I get there has been some jobs,
but this is kind of and I don't mean this
to sound flipping, because this is serious business. But if
I got a cousin who's drinking eight bottles of bourbon
(23:07):
a night and he's down to seven, I'm still worried.
Somebody else put it, it's just as easy to drown
a nine feet of water as it is in ten
feet of water. Our numbers are so high that, you know,
even drops, we are so far above the national average.
It's really frightening. And and the people who bear the
brunt are the are the citizens of Memphis, you know,
and it breaks my heart because we have so many
(23:29):
good people in the city.
Speaker 6 (23:31):
Yeah, we really do.
Speaker 5 (23:32):
Did you what was your reaction when the the head
of the FBI said not too long ago that Memphis
was the number one, the number one for homicides in
the entire country? What what what was your what was
your immediate reaction to that when you heard that?
Speaker 10 (23:52):
Well, he was off by a year, right, he was.
But you know, it's always kind of embarrassing when you
see that kind of stuff. But it's also real talk
in the sense that your aggravated assaults are very high,
our homicides are very high, and we can't really look
at that with rose color classes. And we have to
be honest, because if you're going to solve a problem,
(24:14):
you got to face that had on it, admit, and
let's face it again. Whenever I go to another city,
and maybe you've experienced this as well, I'll get to
another city and the Memphis starts to drop away from
me where I'm not looking over my shoulder or on
alert the whole time, and I just hate it's almost
the citizens of Memphis kind of have a level of
PTSD because you know, you see stories in the media
(24:36):
like bullets coming through windows and hitting children. As a parent,
I can't even imagine. Yeah, And so I just get
so frustrated because the citizens deserve more and deserve better.
Speaker 6 (24:48):
They really do.
Speaker 5 (24:48):
And you know, I was telling some folks that I
was out of town recently, and it's interesting. I mean,
I was, I was on the West coast, and I
had two people ask me. One of them was on
the plane and and and another one was it was
in the city of la Uh. They know I'm from Memphis,
and they said, speaking of Memphis, what's going on in Memphis?
(25:10):
I mean, you know, we we I mean, And that
really bothered me because I mean, you're talking two thousand
miles away and they have their own issues. But I
mean to when you when you bring up where you're from,
in the city that you're from, and the first thing
somebody says, is, man, you got you guys got some
problems down there in Memphis.
Speaker 6 (25:25):
Uh, And I just didn't.
Speaker 5 (25:27):
I was really bothered by by hearing that, and so
I sort of resonated with what you said. A minute ago.
But there's something about that that just that doesn't that
doesn't make you feel too good.
Speaker 10 (25:37):
No, it's right and sometimes and I've had this experience too,
like this weird pride in Memphis that we're a tough
down we're a hard town, you know, and we are strong,
we are grit and grind. But yeah, I hate the
crime is the narrative out there, but you know, we
have to be honest about it. It's really high and
to not address that and face it head on is
(25:57):
doing a real disservice to the people of the city
because you know, ninety percent of people just want to
raise their kids to be able to go to the store.
They won't not worry about their their their grandma you
know in her neighborhood, something going on in her neighborhood.
We just all want to get by and you know,
be happy. Yeah, but then it's just NonStop.
Speaker 5 (26:19):
Well you know, uh, you know when I when I
when I look at the whole of the city and
your right, I mean, there's there is that we have
a pride here and there are some good people in
this city and there's a very small percentage of folks, uh,
you know who can ruin that for for for you know,
for for the majority of people in this city.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (26:37):
You have talked in the past to me about, Man,
wouldn't it be great if we could go back to
the days of uh, you know, being on the streets again,
you know, policing. You know what I mean with I
mean that that that one on one interaction, I mean
that really has been proven, has it not? John to
be uh in other places a very successful enterprise. When
(26:59):
you can get out and really understand your neighborhood, your community,
and the people that lie in those.
Speaker 10 (27:06):
That's the key. And whenever I talk about increasing numbers,
I think sometimes people misread it. I'm talking about just
the enforcement part. That's important, obviously, but it's also about
having time to, as you say, get in massed in
these neighborhoods, talk to the pastors, the teachers, the business older,
the kids, you know, and build that trust because that's
how you really, you really get to where you need
(27:26):
to be. And a lot of people are supportive of
community policing, but a lot of times different definitions of
what that is. To me, what it was when I
first came on, we had the numbers, I got to
know so many parents and business people and kids. And
because I had time in between calls, it wasn't called
a call to call. And now I talk to these
(27:46):
people on the streets. I mean, they're just running the
whole time. And it's compounds that makes it worse because
we're not building those relationships that we need.
Speaker 6 (27:55):
Yeah, it's it's a challenging scenario. John.
Speaker 5 (27:59):
It's always good to see you and have you on
the show. I appreciate you because you're a very honest
individual and and you've been doing this for.
Speaker 6 (28:06):
A long time.
Speaker 5 (28:07):
Uh, please keep us posted on on what happens down
the road, you know, with this in terms of this
whole situation with these officers and promotions and and and
and then and the whole nine yards. But I thank you,
man for taking the time to not to come on.
I really, I really do thank you so much.
Speaker 10 (28:23):
Well, I want to thank you too, because you know,
I think a lot of time the media fails us
and media voices, but you don't. You're honest and it's
real talk, just like the song says and the show said.
And I really appreciate what you do.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
Man.
Speaker 10 (28:35):
You always know if you call, all you gotta give
me is ten minutes I'll be on.
Speaker 5 (28:39):
Don't worry about me. Thank you, John, I really appreciate you.
Stay safe out there, man, Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
Night.
Speaker 5 (28:43):
Okay, by there you go. Ladies and gentlemen. You know,
a bird's eye view of what is happening. You know,
with our law enforcement, we don't get the whole story.
I mean, this is the bottom line to it. That
television news is a minute and twenty seconds, you know,
from beginning to middle to end, and you really don't
have to have to have the conversation that you really
need to have with people who can share what they
(29:04):
know from a knowledge based perspective. So I really appreciate
John every time I call him. He's always available to
a chat with us. Let us take another break, and
when we come back, we're going to continue. We're not
done quite yet. Appreciate the folks who are on the
Facebook liveline or whether you're listening to us on your
social media device or wherever. I appreciate that very very much.
(29:28):
Let's take a break. When we come back, we will
continue on this ride. We call Real Talk Myphis right
here on WYXR ninety one point seven FM.
Speaker 1 (29:37):
Don't go away.
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If you like Real Talk. Here's the way you can
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Speaker 3 (31:36):
Now back to more Real Talk with Jip Washington.
Speaker 4 (31:39):
It's it's hey, welcome back to Real Talk Memphis on
this Monday evening in the city.
Speaker 5 (31:50):
Chip with you and The Tri State Defender is a
publication that has been around. Newspaper has been around for
a very very long time time, and it's the voice
of the African American community. UH and it still thrives today.
I'm really happy to have my next guest on UH.
She is no stranger to the world of newspapers, writing
(32:13):
and editing the whole nine yards. Please welcome to the show,
Stephanie R.
Speaker 6 (32:17):
Jones.
Speaker 5 (32:18):
She is the current editor of The Tri State Defender.
UH and Stephanie is great to see you. Thank you
for taking the time to come on the show. Ton
I really appreciate it.
Speaker 15 (32:28):
Believe me, Chip, thanks for having me. I know we've
been trying to connect for a while now. I'm glad
we have this chance.
Speaker 5 (32:34):
Absolutely that so you have. Now you're no stranger to
to the to the newspaper business. I've read your background
in your bio and you even worked at the Commercial
Appeal at one time here in this town.
Speaker 6 (32:46):
Am I correcting that?
Speaker 11 (32:47):
Yeah, you're correct. I was there for ten years in
the nineties.
Speaker 5 (32:51):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, two thousand. I'm sorry, that's okay, that's
that's that's fine. Uh And and and now you're back,
uh with with Tri State. What was it about, uh,
the opportunity uh to come back to the Tri State Defender?
Speaker 11 (33:06):
Why?
Speaker 6 (33:07):
Why? Why was that important to you?
Speaker 15 (33:09):
Well, it was important to me because doesn't know it
in the history of the black press in this country.
Speaker 11 (33:18):
And I have also worked for.
Speaker 15 (33:21):
Two other black publications of the Jackson Advocate in the
Mississippi Lincoln in Jackson, Mississippi. But even going back to
the days of the founder of the papers, STA about
the Chicago Defender and the Tri State Defender as well,
and the mission that those papers were bounded upon, and
(33:42):
that's making sure that black people had access to information
about themselves other than what was being written in mainstream newspapers,
which a lot of times wasn't a whole lot, but
when it was written was not something you'd really want
to read about.
Speaker 6 (34:00):
Yeah, and I think that's very important.
Speaker 5 (34:02):
You mentioned I used to work in Jackson, Mississippi, so
I'm very familiar with the Mississippi Lincoln and the Yeah,
the other newspaper there. So so and I understand how
important and critically important.
Speaker 1 (34:11):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (34:11):
Uh that voice is. Uh.
Speaker 5 (34:14):
The track State is is no longer. I guess it's
a newspaper. It's online, right or is it it's right.
Speaker 11 (34:20):
Correct January of four, Yeah, right.
Speaker 6 (34:23):
Yeah, Yeah, but it's very comprehensive.
Speaker 5 (34:26):
I mean I read it and I check it out,
and you really do a really good job of covering
the issues that need to be covered, uh, which is
unlike what the commercial appeal does.
Speaker 1 (34:37):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (34:37):
These are these are kind of more targeted and specific
to certain uh issues?
Speaker 6 (34:43):
Am I correcting that?
Speaker 11 (34:45):
Yes?
Speaker 15 (34:46):
You are certainly uh, issues that tend to affect the
black community, say more than mainstream and as well as
featuring our people, uh in the daily activities, day lives
and news making events in their lives as well. And
it's going daily has been it's a mission.
Speaker 11 (35:08):
It's a challenge.
Speaker 15 (35:09):
It has been in learning how to go from publishing
a paper once a week to do it, it's seven
days a week straight.
Speaker 11 (35:17):
And I'd like to say I think you've done a.
Speaker 15 (35:20):
Fairly decent job of maintaining seven days a week of
getting you something interesting to read where it's local and
a few times maybe not local, but certainly issues of
issues that affect our black community.
Speaker 5 (35:33):
Absolutely that there's no doubt about it, and I urge
people who haven't seen it they need to go online
and check it out. One of the things that I
know that that's important to you and it's important to
the paper in terms of a community, is the involvement
of the community. You're having a conversation a forum the
(35:54):
next day or so couple of days, and you have
a series of them on crime and education and some
other things. First of all, before we talk about the
one that is about to come up, why was that
so important to be able to have these forums and
have bring people around the table, people, credible folks. There
are folks who can have serious conversation about serious issues.
Speaker 6 (36:16):
Why was that so important to you?
Speaker 15 (36:18):
Well, when you put yourself out as the voice of
a community, as the tri State defender, does you have
to know what the community is thinking if you're going
to speak for the community or put their ideas out there,
and so the way to get the information. We've had
two forums. The first one was on Black women and
(36:39):
leadership positions, right. The second one was on healthcare. Healthcare
is something, of course that's very important for our people.
But these forums have allowed us to bring in experts
to talk and interact with everyday citizens and get their
issues across to the citizens and have uh people the
(37:01):
audience to be able to ask questions as well and
and bring forth things that are really concerning to them.
And I think any chance we get to listen to readers,
to our listeners on radio or on television, Uh, it's
it's a good thing because you understand more about their
(37:21):
issues and how they really affect people on a very
personal level sometimes and and it shapes the way you
target your coverage and the way you like your stories
and and all things like that.
Speaker 6 (37:33):
Yeah. And so this one is on education.
Speaker 5 (37:36):
Uh and and obviously a huge, huge issue uh here in.
Speaker 6 (37:42):
Our community for for many reasons.
Speaker 5 (37:44):
Uh did we just get we got we got the
test scores here a few a few days ago, and uh,
you know some of the averages were not, you know,
as as as maybe is what people wanted. But uh,
but but obviously, uh, this is a big issue. Schools
about to starting another two three weeks again and here
we go.
Speaker 6 (38:03):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (38:03):
You have some pretty dynamic folks around the table here.
Speaker 6 (38:08):
In reference to it.
Speaker 5 (38:09):
One of them, of course, is is inter of Superintendent
doctor Rod Richmond. Uh So again to be able to
have this one on one, if you will, with the community,
and that's why I wanted to have you on the show,
to really urge folks to say, you know what takes
some time and come and come to be a part
of all of this, because a lot of times we
(38:30):
form our opinions from a distance and we don't have
a chance to jump in there talk a little bit
about that.
Speaker 6 (38:35):
I think that's very very.
Speaker 11 (38:36):
Important, right uh.
Speaker 15 (38:38):
In ticking the panel, as you can see, we have
of course doctor Richmond from the school district, and and
then just going up on the levels of that junior
college level I'm sorry, the community college, yes, and home
to the four year college level as well with Lamore
and Ohen and as well as someone with Senator Afari
(39:02):
with the State Senate. And you know, it just shows
that how education starts at one point, but the rules
are being made at a higher point and how things
trickle down and all go together there. And so I
think we'll be excited just to hear from all of
these people because.
Speaker 11 (39:21):
There are changes in education, especially.
Speaker 15 (39:24):
This year of new laws, and about what's taught, how
it's taught, and who should be taught too as well.
And so it's an important time in our country to
really look at education much closer than we normally do,
even because there's so much and so much change going.
Speaker 10 (39:43):
On right now.
Speaker 6 (39:43):
Yeah, it really is.
Speaker 5 (39:45):
I read earlier today that President is dismantling the Department
of Education and they let go about fourteen hundred I
think employees you know there today And it makes me,
really it really makes me wonder, you know where things are.
I do know that you're well aware too that we
have a state legislature who doesn't really seem to support
(40:07):
us much. Now we have two bills up there, one
on the House side and one on the Senate side, uh,
looking at possibly taking over the district. And this is
a this is a pretty big deal. This has some
serious ramifications, doesn't it.
Speaker 15 (40:21):
It does, It really does. And you know, the school
districts have been taken over before. Some have come out
for the better on the other end of it, But
it's it's a tough thing to do when somebody who
is not into a city and doesn't understand all the
dynamics of education in Memphis and Shelby County has decided
(40:42):
that they can do a better job than the people
in Shelby County, and so I I'm hoping that that
does not happen, that they will take over.
Speaker 11 (40:52):
But that's my opinion.
Speaker 15 (40:54):
Not to try to state Defenden's opinion at this point,
but you know, it's it's a critical time and to
be able to talk with these people from the various
aspects of education here about what the ramifications of that
could truly be. Even if it's just Memphis schools, we're
talking about what does that mean for Lamar and o
(41:14):
and as well or in for Southwest to College.
Speaker 6 (41:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (41:17):
Yeah, as you said, there's a ripple effect there, absolutely that,
and and and and I think that people, you know,
aren't thinking beyond that. We don't We're not gonna know
what's gonna happen with all this until the first of
the year. But past an article over the weekend with
with Representative White and Senator Brent Taylor. You know, both
both the authors of these bills, and they seem pretty
pretty pretty headstrong, and something needs to happen one way
(41:40):
or another.
Speaker 6 (41:40):
And we have an elected school board here now.
Speaker 5 (41:43):
Whether you whether you're whether you support them or you
don't support them. Uh, they were elected to represent uh
memphisis Shelby County schools.
Speaker 6 (41:51):
Uh and and.
Speaker 5 (41:52):
This would directly impact uh, you know, uh, their authority
to be able to do so by bringing in folks
either appointing folks or appointing of people who are you know.
It just it's very it's a very very confusing issue,
and it really doesn't you know, many people have said,
and I'm sure you've probably heard, Stephanie, that that the
(42:12):
voices of the individuals in our city, especially those one
who are who are attending those contentious school board meetings
last year, the voices of the citizens were not heard.
This is why I think that what you're doing is
so valuable to people.
Speaker 15 (42:28):
I think even if the voices were heard, they just
weren't listened to. Yeah, you can hear something and say, well,
it does not matter. And that's sort of the sense
that I get when public meetings sometimes are set up
around these issues, they do it just for face value,
and they're not really listening in the beginning.
Speaker 11 (42:48):
Sometimes the minds are made up.
Speaker 15 (42:50):
It's critical that I think that we find ways, whether
it's in our writing in the newspaper.
Speaker 11 (42:57):
To really.
Speaker 15 (43:00):
Make the voices heard, you know, put the pressure on
some sort of way to say, hey, receive you're not listening,
but we have to do more to make you listen
to what we're saying here, and and whether there's.
Speaker 11 (43:14):
Proof of what we're doing. We need to make sure we're.
Speaker 15 (43:16):
Getting that proof out there so we can stand by
what we say when we want somebody to.
Speaker 11 (43:22):
Listen to us.
Speaker 5 (43:24):
Finally, before I let you go, please let everyone know
about the event that is coming up, the Forum on Education,
the where and and and the time and everything else
that you wanted to know about coming out to support that.
Speaker 15 (43:37):
Okay, sure, let's see. It's happening on Wednesday the sixteenth.
And you pardon me if I look at my notes.
I don't want to get the times and things wrong.
But it's going to be at first Baptist Church Broad
which is on Broad Avenue, and everybody is well from.
Speaker 11 (43:54):
Parents, educators, community leaders, whomever.
Speaker 15 (43:57):
Anybody with any interest in what's going on with our
children's educations. And the panel is going to include Senator
roshmish Akbarim.
Speaker 11 (44:09):
Sorry if I didn't get that quite.
Speaker 15 (44:10):
Right, Uh, steals at a new to the job, doctor
Christopher Davis from Lamon and Owen, the president there, and
doctor Tracy Hall, president of Southwestern Community College, and of
course doctor Rodman from uh Shelby County Mile Shelby County Schools.
And uh it's going to shouldn't last a whole long time,
(44:32):
a couple of hours, but it will be a panel discussions.
Dendrew Malone, vice president of charity Defender, is going to
leave the discussion that evening, and we just look forward
to seeing everybody there. I think anybody who attends will
leave with some valuable information that they did not come with.
Speaker 6 (44:53):
Absolutely that.
Speaker 5 (44:54):
And before I let you go quickly, I don't have
much time, but uh, please give a reflection on the
loss that we all suffered, you all and we all
doctor uh doctor yeah, I'm sorry, yeah, yeah, doctor johna coop.
Speaker 15 (45:12):
Okay, as I mentioned in a previous talk earlier today,
now my time at the tri State Defender.
Speaker 11 (45:20):
I did not cross past with him during.
Speaker 15 (45:22):
That time, but we worked together for most of the
ten years that I was at the Commercial Appeal, both
editors there and along with Otis Sandford and Jerome Wright
and Peggy McKenzie as well, And so just having Karanja
there and and Jerome and Otis and Peggy, it was
just valuable having, you know.
Speaker 11 (45:45):
Examples of leadership come from them.
Speaker 15 (45:47):
When I moved to Memphis, I had never really been
to Memphis much before that, and so Karanja especially, he
was sort of a steady sort of guy to me. Uh,
sometimes I could be a little bit hockey, you know,
but he was always that calming voice. Yes, and uh,
it's just no matter when I had a conversation with him,
(46:10):
it was always a positive conversation. And I too missed him.
And when the opportunity to take the job at the
Tri State Defender came up, he of course was the
first one I got an email from and the first
one I wanted to talk to as well.
Speaker 11 (46:25):
Yes, you know, because I knew from what.
Speaker 15 (46:28):
I'm hearing from the people who are with the Try
State Defender now, I certainly have big shoes to feel
and and I look forward to that challenge.
Speaker 5 (46:38):
Absolutely that. Yeah, Caronja was a great guy. Thank you
so much for taking the time to come on the
show tonight. Stefinitely R. Jones to the editor of The
Tri State Defender, thank you and best of lucky at
the event on Wednesday night. Thank you very much, Thank
thank you very much. Uh, there you go, ladies and gentlemen.
You know that these are maybe these are serious issues
(46:59):
that we're dealing with out here. And uh, when the
opportunity arises for you to be a part of a conversation,
you should jump at it.
Speaker 6 (47:07):
Absolutely that. So we thanks Stephanie for coming on the
show tonight.
Speaker 5 (47:09):
Let's take one final break and when we come back
we will continue. We'll talk about an organization that is
doing amazing things in our community. This is real talk,
Memphy some Chip, don't go away. We'll be back.
Speaker 7 (47:34):
If you like real Talk. Here's the way you can
get involved. Do you have a show topic, idea or
a suggestion. Want to be considered a guest or have
a guest idea, Then send Chip a message on his
Real Talk show page and you can be a part
of the Real Talk experience. So, as he always says,
go out and tell somebody We'll be right back.
Speaker 4 (47:54):
It's real, It's real, it's real, it's real.
Speaker 16 (48:00):
Report for WYXR comes from the Museum of Science and
History presenting the Return of Laserlife, a monthly concert series
running July through November in the AutoZone Sharp Planetarium. Each
event features live bands with laser light shows, with wyxrdjs
providing a pre show set at six pm. More information
and tickets can be found at mosh Memphis dot com.
(48:21):
Slash Laser Dash Live.
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Support for WIXR comes from Mempho Presents featuring the Outlaw
Tour tenth Anniversary show at radians Amphitheater on Friday, June
twenty seven, featuring Willie Nelson and Family, Bob Dylan, Nathaniel
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and more information at Memphopresents dot com.
Speaker 17 (48:47):
Programming on WYXR is brought to you by a grant
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Speaker 7 (49:15):
Good Real Talk on the tune in mobile app under
w y XR, and he's now streaming live on Facebook
and you can also catch a rebroadcast on YouTube. Just
put w y XR in the search box and hit subscribe.
Now back to more Real Talk with Jim Washington's.
Speaker 5 (49:34):
It's It's and welcome back to Real Talk Memphis on
this Monday evening in the city Chip with you, and
my next guest is someone who absolutely, without question has
a heart for the community, as she and her husband
are co founders of an organization many of you are
(49:55):
probably familiar with. She's also the executive director a group
called Merge Memphis. And please welcome to the show, Shirley
McClure and Shirley, it is great to see you.
Speaker 6 (50:08):
How are you tonight?
Speaker 18 (50:10):
I'm good.
Speaker 6 (50:11):
Well, listen, thank.
Speaker 5 (50:12):
You so much for taking the time to come on
the show and talk with a little bit to us
a little bit about your organization. First of all, how
long has Merged Memphis been active and when did you
decide that to found it?
Speaker 8 (50:28):
We started it in two thousand and fourteen and got
our five one c three in twenty fifteen.
Speaker 18 (50:36):
Okay, so we've been around for a little while.
Speaker 6 (50:38):
Yeah, yeah, about a decade or so.
Speaker 5 (50:40):
Why did you feel at that time it was so
important to you? Because I've been reading a little bit
about the background and your husband to start an organization
like this, what's so special about Merge Memphis.
Speaker 8 (50:54):
Well, we had decided years ago that I mean, we're
we were nurses, and we've been nurses for over forty years.
So we had decided that we really wanted to step
out and help our community a little bit more then
(51:14):
what we were already doing in our local hospitals and
home health settings. And so we saw the need and
so many communities that were lower income, and so many
of our communities and menphys that that had so many
homeless and so we started out just going to different
(51:36):
homeless shelters and feeding every weekend. And then we obtained
a food truck and we went out and sold food
and turned back around and took it into communities.
Speaker 18 (51:49):
And gave away food.
Speaker 8 (51:52):
We've always dealt with, you know, clothing drives, back to
school drives and things like that. So we just decided,
I guess it was maybe like in two thousand and
seventeen that we were going to try to take it
a little bit further because we found that there was
(52:15):
nowhere for women to go, and I mean there were
very few beds in Memphis for homeless women. So we
started to search and we obtained a facility in twenty
and nineteen, right at the start of the pandemic COVID,
(52:39):
and then we opened up right in the middle of
COVID in June of twenty twenty.
Speaker 6 (52:45):
Wow.
Speaker 5 (52:45):
Wow, that was a tough time for a whole lot
of people. Now, you talked about the fact that there
weren't homes and places for women, homeless women to hang
their head and to get rested and things like that.
So since that time, how have things expanded in terms
(53:07):
of your program?
Speaker 8 (53:08):
Okay, so we serve the underserved single women. We don't
take in children at this time. I would love to,
but we don't do that at this time. But single
women with mental health, substance abuse, incarceration and domestic violence
(53:28):
survivors or who they serve, or anyone that's homeless and
needs a place for two three days, even in between
places or in between a bus route.
Speaker 18 (53:42):
So we opened up.
Speaker 8 (53:43):
In twenty twenty with a facility that holds thirty one women. Okay,
we opened up the first day with two women and
that was in June, and then by November, by the
Thanksgiving we had twenty seven and we've never gone below
(54:05):
twenty seven ever. Now we've turned that facility more into
a permanent supportive housing so we have fifteen permanent supportive
housing beds, So that means that those women, if they
choose to stay there, that's their address now, so it's
(54:25):
just like renting an apartment, but they're in our program
for permanent supportive housing. We also have transitional beds, and
then we have another house that has eight ladies in it,
and I think right now we have a total of
about thirty two women. Right now, we have been blessed
(54:51):
and we are about to open up two other houses.
Speaker 6 (54:55):
Wow.
Speaker 8 (54:56):
Yeah, hoping to open up the next one August the first,
and that'll be a special day for that.
Speaker 18 (55:05):
We're hoping to do that on August first. And then
the other house, I'm hoping it'll be open by the
end of August.
Speaker 8 (55:13):
And that will house us about twenty more women.
Speaker 5 (55:18):
What you're saying here, if someone is really paying attention,
is that this this is a very serious problem that
people need to really understand that you're not just I mean,
this is this is a big problem in our community,
and this is something that we need to face. And
obviously you're trying to do all you can to help,
but people really need to understand that that that this
(55:38):
is a serious issue, isn't it.
Speaker 8 (55:40):
It's a very serious issue, and at all times, Chip,
I mean at all times, we've got a waiting list
of anywhere up from fifteen to twenty five women.
Speaker 6 (55:52):
Wow. Well yeah, yeah, yeah that that that that I mean.
Speaker 5 (55:56):
You know, again, a lot of us like to like
to sort of we know something is going on, but
we really don't want to.
Speaker 6 (56:02):
Get ourselves involved in things like this.
Speaker 5 (56:04):
This is why I like, yeah, yeah, it is difficult,
and this is why I like to do stories like
this because I like people. I want people to understand that, yes,
we do have some complicated issues out here, but that
there are people who are willing to help and you
can't do what you do without the kindness of others.
Speaker 6 (56:22):
I want to imagine the Church of partnerships and.
Speaker 8 (56:24):
Things like that completely not we have the most wonderful
groups of people that help us out. We've got different
churches in the communities, We've got you know, just organizations.
We've got a group from ut Health sciences that comes.
We've got people from a University of Memphis that come
(56:46):
over and help us out. We do life skill classes
and try to get the women back to being a.
Speaker 18 (56:57):
More of a productive.
Speaker 8 (57:00):
Citizen, Okay, put it that way, so that they can
feel better about themselves. But mental health is people tend
to shove that under the rug. Mental health is such
a prevalent problem in the homeless community. And if you
(57:22):
don't deal with what the problem the root is, they're
gonna get stuck and they stay stuck.
Speaker 18 (57:31):
So we have to help out in all kinds of ways.
Speaker 6 (57:35):
Before I let you go over the top of the hour.
But what what what? How do people?
Speaker 5 (57:39):
If people want to help, If people want to know
more about Merge Memphis, how can they how can they
get in touch?
Speaker 8 (57:45):
Okay, merge emmy r g e Meanphis dot org is
a website. There's a place there you can volunteer. There's
also a donation page there. We love donations of We
love volunteers. Also, we have chicken and Beer a fundraiser
(58:06):
coming up on August the sixteenth. iHeartRadio does that and
we're their nonprofit for that event. Wonderful, so that buy
tickets for that Yeah, that is August sixteenth, and it's
over at the Liberty Bowl Stadium and you can buy
those tickets at Chicken and Beer Memphis. Also, we've got
(58:28):
a chili cook off coming up in November, so if
you're interested in anything with that, you can ask me
about that on the website.
Speaker 5 (58:36):
Also, Shirley McClure, thank you so much for extending your
heart because this is what this is all about, and
your soul to helping so many other people. Shirley McClure,
ladies and gentlemen, the co founder and executive director of
Merge Memphis, thanks for coming on my show tonight.
Speaker 6 (58:53):
I really appreciate you. Thank you so much.
Speaker 18 (58:56):
Thanks Chip, all right, thank you.
Speaker 6 (58:58):
There you go, Ladies and gentlemen. That wraps it up.
Speaker 5 (59:01):
You know what, if you have a heart to help,
you have a heart to help, and there are a
lot of people who need your help, and Merge Memphis
is one of those organizations. To be sure, Uh as
Brent places out, uh don't go anywhere because his show
event Horizon is on the horizon. It'll be I'll be honest,
about a minute or two getting ready to do his thing.
(59:24):
You know, there's gonna be a time when I leave
this station at seven o'clock.
Speaker 6 (59:28):
But it's gonna be like a fan.
Speaker 5 (59:30):
Club of little girls out here waiting, waiting, waiting to
get close to him.
Speaker 6 (59:34):
Boys, I said, I.
Speaker 5 (59:36):
Know he's just hats when I say that, but listen.
Thank you all for being a part of what we
do here in Real Talk Memphis, and for all of
us here a Real Talk Memphis.
Speaker 3 (59:45):
God bless you all.
Speaker 5 (59:46):
Thank you for watching, thank you for participating in the broadcast.
Have a great week, and until next time, we are
out see as soon as.
Speaker 11 (59:55):
She wants.
Speaker 1 (01:00:00):
Three o'clock
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