Santa owes more than you know to the Mrs.

"Because I Said So" column for The Commercial Appeal

December 24, 2009

I have dutifully read my kids' letters to Santa, at least those of the middle two. The oldest no longer writes letters to Santa and the youngest still can't spell. I confess that I didn't know what a lot of the items on their lists were. After 12 years of fatherhood, I don't know what a Bakugan is, where to adopt a Zhu Zhu Pet or what a "model of Chowder" might be.

I'm sure they wouldn't understand my list, either, were I to write one. They may understand the words, but not the concept of wanting nothing more than for them to grow and flourish through the next year; to be free of illness, fear or sadness.

I don't need much else, really. Sure, I'd like an iPhone or some new CDs, but those will come over time. They're tangible and can be budgeted for. Our kids' childhoods are fleeting, an unknown quantity.

I recognize some of the items on the lists. I know what a laptop is and that 8-year-old Joshua is not getting one. I also know what root beer is, though it's unclear why it is on his list. I'm pretty sure he'll be getting a six-pack, though, if only so I can drink half of them.

Every mother's child knows what this year brings: Gifts, cheer, gifts, and family and friends who bring gifts. This season may be the most stressful part of this year, when we parents are expected once again to become experts in shopping, decorating, cooking and, maybe most importantly, the delicate balancing act of managing expectations ... (read more)

Shelby Middle School gets $600,000 grant to continue Peer Power tutoring

Business news feature story for The Commercial Appeal

December 19, 2009

Memphis businessman Charles McVean is well-versed in the art of speculation, and his recognition of the opportunities to invest in young students is paying dividends.

The latest investment is Shelby Middle School and its North Bolivar School district in Shelby, Miss., which has been awarded a $600,000 grant from the U.S. Education Department.

The grant was awarded to the school to continue its yearlong work with Peer Power Foundation, McVean's tutoring initiative aimed at students in grades 7-12.

Prompting the Education Department grant was the surge in state math exam scores among seventh-graders at Shelby Middle.

"This kind of financial support will mean that we can touch the lives of so many more students," said Rives Neblett, the Shelby businessman who funded the program through a nonprofit group ... (read more)

Bombing scenario preps Memphis' first responders for coordinated response

Business news feature story for The Commercial Appeal

December 18, 2009

Chaos reigned in Midtown Thursday as emergency personnel rushed into an office strewn with desks, cables, computers, insulation and filled with smoke after a suicide bomber attack took out six city blocks.

Paramedics quickly assessed the situation and worked to stabilize and remove the injured -- many moaning and bleeding.

As realistic as the scene was, it was actually just the first of six scheduled training sessions being held by the Medical Education and Research Institute at Cleveland and Monroe.

"The training is impressive and invaluable," said Gary Ludwig, deputy fire chief for the Memphis Fire Department. "On the job is not the time to train, and this is about as close to the reality of a bomb blast as you can get." ... (read more)

Le Bonheur Teen Council/Madison Hotel

Corporate Giving story for The Commercial Appeal

December 11, 2009

The Teen Advisory Board for Le Bonheur Children's Hospital spent a recent evening painting ornaments for the Christmas tree at the Madison Hotel.

The advisory board is a panel of current and past patients, their siblings and some teens who have no connection to Le Bonheur, to help guide the hospital on the wants and needs of the hospital's patients.

"We want them to have as much ownership in this as possible, we want them to be able to say 'This is what we think is important,'" said Thomas Hobson, director of Childlife Services.

Childlife Services is a clinical program that uses play to help children adjust to the hospital setting. The Teen Advisory Board is facilitated by Childlife Services ... (read more)

Political scientist is always up for debate

My Profession profile for The Commercial Appeal

December 10, 2009

There is no debating that the Rhodes College mock trial team is one of the best of its kind in the country.

The team holds the record for most consecutive Final 48 (that's mock trial's equivalent to the Final Four) appearances at 23 straight years.

At the helm of this team for exactly that many years is political science professor Dr. Marcus Pohlmann.

Originally from Davenport, Iowa, Pohlmann did his undergraduate work at Cornell College and graduate work at Columbia University. Having spent more than two decades at Rhodes, though, he considers himself a Memphian and, as a political scientist, appreciates the political show here and its accessibility.

"I know Willie Herenton, I know A C Wharton, I run into them at restaurants," Pohlmann said. "You can't say that in every city, that you can have that kind of access to the players." ... (read more)

Seeking an antidote to the season of crabbiness

"Because I Said So" column for The Commercial Appeal

December 10, 2009

My family has been overcome by sickness lately. Seasonal affective disorder, as any parent 500 miles above the equator knows, is brought on by that time of year when our children are required to wear hats, hoodies, mittens (that match) and coats.

Symptoms include ill temperament, crying, short fuses, screeching, whining and fatigue. It makes the kids crabby, too.

The condition, which we will call SAD for obvious reasons, is exacerbated by morning temperatures in the 30s and afternoon temps in the upper 50s, when outerwear is discarded by kids who are sure their hoods and scarves will never be needed again.

They are simple children. Children with no meteorological background whatsoever ... (read more)

Perfect partners: Toymaker right at home in Children's Museum at fairgrounds

Business news story for The Commercial Appeal

December 6, 2009

In a move that officials say could help efforts to redevelop the Mid-South Fairgrounds, the Village Toymaker has opened a new store in The Children's Museum of Memphis.

The specialty toy store, which has three other area locations, celebrated its grand opening Saturday.

"Our customers have been asking for a Midtown location but nothing was ever a good fit, and then (Children's Museum CEO) Dick Hackett started talking to us just a few weeks ago and it sounded like this could be a good fit," said store owner Pat Monz.

The store is a welcomed addition to the fairgrounds, which is undergoing a $175 million redevelopment ... (read more)

Coffee's on again along Poplar at Perkins

Business news feature for The Commercial Appeal

December 3, 2009

Espresso and chatter are flowing once again in the cream and coffee-colored building at Poplar and Perkins.

Poplar Perk'N has opened in the space formerly occupied by High Point Coffee, which closed the store and another one on Union in Midtown in September.

"I knew the area and couldn't understand why it had closed," said Poplar Perk'N owner Jimmy Whidden, who received a message on Facebook from a disgruntled friend the day High Point closed.

Whidden called High Point owner Thomas Blanche, who agreed to sell his fixtures and equipment, and landlord Stan Graber, who agreed to lease him the building.

With start-up costs in hand and no debt to service, Whidden faced no major obstacles -- other than repairing a leak in the roof -- to open ... (read more)