Paul Ryburn's Journal

Quick link: If you are fed up with panhandling in Downtown Memphis, join our Handling-Panhandling online forum and let’s discuss what we can do about it.

Amos Maki’s article on panhandling ran in today’s Commercial Appeal. I’m quoted in it several times and this blog’s URL is mentioned. The article also has a good quote from Sgt.Vince Higgins from the MPD explaining why the way the laws are structured enables the panhandlers in Memphis, and it talks about what the CCC is doing to combat the problem as well.

The article also has a photo of panhandler Kevin Adair, who is one of the group that hangs out in front of Walgreens every day. In 30 minutes he made $13 begging, and it looks like he’s in his usual location. One of my readers pointed out that that’s $26 an hour, tax free. No wonder these guys panhandle! It makes me wonder why I bother having a job.

I do wish the article had drawn more of a distinction between the panhandling problem and the homeless problem. The most aggressive panhandlers Downtown are generally NOT homeless. For them, panhandling is a business. However, they do know that most people who come Downtown can’t tell the difference between a homeless person and a career panhandler, and they use this fact to hustle passersby. They’ll say, “Can you make a donation to help the homeless get a meal,” and then use they money for anything but food – usually liquor, beer or drugs.

I’ll close this post with the contents of a page I wrote for the Handling-Panhandling forum: A list of organizations Downtown who do good work to help the homeless – the legitimate homeless, not the street hustlers. Giving money to these organizations, instead of giving to the panhandlers themselves, would be money well spent.

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This is a list of resources Downtown to feed and aid the homeless. As you can see, those on the streets have access to at least two free meals every day, sometimes more. Downtowners who wish to help the homeless are encouraged to support these organizations, rather than give money directly to panhandlers.

Calvary Episcopal Church, 102 N. Second – Hospitality HUB, open Wednesday and Friday, 1:00 to 4:00 PM, offers worship; spiritual guidance; traveler’s aid; help getting birth certificates, driver’s licenses, and state IDs for employment; lockers; computer access; and coffee and conversation. Free breakfast offered on Sunday mornings.

First Presbyterian Church, 166 Poplar – Soup kitchen every Sunday afternoon; clothes closet for the homeless Sundays 1:30-3:30 PM distributes work clothes and hygiene kits; vouchers for three area shelters handed out on Sunday afternoons.

Memphis Union Mission, 383 Poplar – Dinner + chapel + night’s shelter + breakfast for $6 a night, with four nights free a month, and free when below 32 degrees. Check-in by 6 PM. You can buy voucher books to hand out to panhandlers in lieu of money. Free lunches daily.

St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 155 Market – Soup kitchen 6 days a week, Monday-Saturday, with praise songs at 6:30 AM; coffee and cookies 7:30 AM; a meat sandwich, soup, and a treat between 9 and 10 AM; patrons may come back for all the peanut butter sandwiches they can eat.

The Street Ministry, 600 Poplar – Assistance for those with substance abuse, dependency, and mental illness problems. Participants are given vouchers for the Union Mission in exchange for their willingness to enter treatment, seek employment, support others, and address their primary issues.

Been sitting here trying to type up my experiences at my 20-year high school reunion this weekend. I keep typing partial paragraphs and then not liking them and hitting Delete. So I’m going to keep this brief:

– One of the high points was running into a girl who, like me in high school, tended to keep to herself. She didn’t go to the 10-year reunion (I did go), thinking, what’s the point. And then in her 30s (like me) she blossomed and became totally happy and fulfilled… and she just gave off the BEST energy. It was great to talk to her. And it was interesting because we took two different paths – she got married, had a kid and found her ideal job; I moved to Downtown Memphis and found an incredible group of friends/social network and started a blog. But even though our paths were different, I could recognize it in her, and she in me.

– MySpace is awesome. From 1997 to early 2007, our class had virtually no contact with each other. Then around March of this year, a member of the class put up a MySpace page and 40 of us added the “Class of ’87” page as a friend. Now we can all stay in touch with each other, and it will carry on beyond the reunion. I think that’s really cool. I have a lot of friends over 30 who can’t understand why they would want to be on MySpace… trust me, you’re missing out.

– As thrilled as I was to see everyone, it was rather surreal being in a room full of people where the factor that tied us all together is that we’re all within about a year of each other in age. It was a bit weird because one of the main lessons I’ve learned over the past 20 years is that age doesn’t matter. I have friends within weeks of my own age; I have friends in their 50s; I have friends who haven’t turned 21 yet; and all points in between. Age is only a big deal if you make it a big deal.

– To close… to my classmates who found this blog… welcome, and stay in touch. I’d like to say that most of my posts are more intellectual than the one from last night (in which I mentioned panties), but no, last night’s was pretty typical.

I hope to be back in Memphis tomorrow by 2 at the latest.

First and foremost, check out the news story Eyewitness News 24/30 did on our Handling-Panhandling group. They interviewed the group’s co-founder Mike King, a Downtown business owner, and a tourist who was hit up within 5 minutes of being in Downtown Memphis.

I just got home from the first night of my high school reunion, held in the River Market district of Downtown Little Rock. I walked a good mile tonight, all around the district and elsewhere downtown, and did not even see a bum. No panhandling whatsoever that I could perceive.

I heard that Little Rock did have panhandlers/bums up until recently, when there was a Tae Kwon Do convention here in town. There were about 10,000 Korean guests and they even built a structure in Riverfront Park for the event. Around that time all the bums mysteriously disappeared from Downtown Little Rock. That was three weeks ago. Wasn’t that about the time panhandling got significantly worse in Downtown Memphis? I can’t prove anything, but I’m just saying.

I think it’s time to share the wealth. Let’s round up all the bums and put ’em on a one-way bus to Germantown. Hell, let’s send ’em some pigeons, too. Let them enjoy all the fruits of Downtown Memphis.

There are places within 3 blocks of Little Rock’s River Market district where you can park for $2.25 all day. Not for one hour… ALL DAY.

Went to the Little Rock Flying Saucer after the reunion event was over. Something called “Skinny Dip” from Fort Collins, CO was the Fire Sale. I didn’t notice it until after I ordered a Blue Moon – $4.25 for a Blue Moon? That’s 50 cents more than Memphis. What’s up with that?

Next Wednesday’s “buy the beer, keep the glass” night is Duvel, which indicates they have Duvel on tap. If that’s the case, I know a guy who needs to move to Little Rock. He really really really needs to move.

Trivia Bowl at the LR Saucer is on Tuesday as in Memphis, but it starts at 8:30. Maybe Memphis should implement that start time… it would weed out the “waaaaaah I can’t stay up late” babies.

I’ve got to say, the waitresses at the Memphis Saucer are considerably hotter than the ones at the Little Rock Saucer. And even though I haven’t seen the Little Rock trivia guy, I’ve got to say… okay, Little Rock would probably win that one.

None of the waitresses from the Little Rock location are from Romania. That sucks.

The band took the stage at 9, and within the first four songs they played that “oh my my, my my hell yes, got to put on that party dress” song. Is that the official song of the Saucer worldwide? Other than the Dempseys I’d be hard-pressed to think of one Saucer band who DOESN’T sing that song.

Here’s a big problem I have with the Little Rock waitresses – you know those aprons they wear, to hold their coasters, wallet, etc.? Well, in Little Rock they tie it around the BACK of their skirt. This is a problem because the apron is usually longer than the skirt – it blocks the view. What’s the point of going to the Saucer if you don’t at least have a CHANCE of seeing some panties? I don’t get that.

On the way home I drove through Taco Bell. $5.44 for a Mexican pizza and two bean burritos? Isn’t that a little bit high?

Home in Little Rock now. My mother has the thermostat set on 75 and I’m about to broil. I keep mine on 67 in the summer. Air conditioning is one area where I positively refuse to be environmentally friendly.

There must have been 15 billboards between Memphis and Little Rock that quoted scripture or mentioned Jesus.

That’s all for now. Not sure if I’ll be posting tomorrow or not.

Looks like there’s going to be a story on panhandling on ABC 24/UPN 30 tonight. I’m about to leave town for my high school reunion, but they’re interviewing Mike King, co-founder of the Handling-Panhandling online forum/Google group, this afternoon.

Glad to see this matter finally getting some attention. I’ve been interviewed by the Commercial Appeal so we should see a panhandling story from them as well in the near future.

Happy weekend everyone… back in town early Sunday afternoon.

I’m heading out of town this weekend for my high school reunion, so I’ve kept up with what’s going on this weekend a little less than usual. Here are a few notes:

– The Orpheum will show Gone with the Wind Friday night as part of its classic movie series. This week there won’t be a special post-party planned at the Westin, simply because the movie is so blasted long. However, the Westin wants everyone to know that their lobby bar will be open and you’re invited to stop by.

– Also, don’t forget that this coming Monday is the last Monday of the month… which means it will be time for Downtowners’ Night at the Westin again. Free appetizer buffet (and it is a NICE spread they put on), happy hour drink prices.

– Friday night is the Rock for Love festival at the Gibson Lounge.

$8 cover in advance, or $10 at the door, with all proceeds benefiting the Church Health Center, one of the most deserving charities on town. Eight bands will perform, including Snowglobe, Two Way Radio, the Third Man, Pezz, The Subteens, Joey Whitlock, Holly Cole, and Jump Back Jake. There will be a silent auction by Rachel Hurley, who writes Rachel and the City. The show will also serve as the release party for Makeshift Music’s latest compilation, Makeshift 5.

– Musician Jeff Golightly e-mailed to let me know that his band The Everyday Parade will perform at The Memphis Pops Festival, an all-day event at the Hi-Tone on Saturday. Jeff is best known for doing Beatles and British Invasion covers, but The Everyday Parade is different – all originals. The Pops Fest runs all day long and celebrates over 100 years of Memphis pops music. “Come early and get your eat on,” says the festival’s MySpace page, nothing that they’ll be serving the finest hot dogs and hamburgers in town.

– Hmmm… what else is going on… I see that my favorite blogger/MILF is interviewing for a job Downtown next week. I hope she gets it… maybe I can get her in the habit of stopping by for “nooners” during her lunch break. I’ve decided I don’t care if she pretends she’s with Peyton Manning… because I’ll pretend she’s Romanian.

– Speaking of Romania… Eastern Europe is experiencing some record hot weather. Romania’s capital Bucharest (the answer to a Tuesday night trivia question) has had highs of 99 or above for the past nine days, including one day at 106. Their normal high is only 84. Meanwhile, the mountain town of Cluj-Napoca, where the ’05 and ’06 Romanians were from, has been above 90 the past week, and normal for them is only the mid-70s.

Now, Memphians can handle 90s-106, but there’s a difference: We’re used to it, and more importantly, we have air conditioning. Most towns over there don’t, because usually they don’t need it, and besides, it’s a poor country. That kind of heat is a much more serious crisis over there than it would be here. Hmmm… I bet the girls in Romania aren’t wearing a whole lot in the way of clothes right now… kind of makes me wish I was in Romania.

– Party lineup tonight according to the websites: Mean Green Music Machine at the Peabody, Daddy Mack Blues Band at the Madison, Garry Goin and G3 with Q107.5 at EP’s, Danielle Peck and Carolina Rain at Country on Beale with KIX 106. Lineup subject to change – these places need to update their websites when it does, but as we found out last week, they don’t.

– Bands, Beer, and Bums: The Court Square Concert Series, featuring bands every Wednesday night in Court Square, returns August 15 and runs through October 17. They’ve shifted it to later in the year because of the heat, I guess. Good idea.

– The Handling-Panhandling Google group is up to 78 members. We’ve already had one major success: We’ve uncovered Sharp Dressed Bum’s identity and discovered that he has an outstanding warrant. So, hopefully SDB will trade in his snazzy outfit for the standard uniform at Club 201 in the days to come. If you’re fed up with the aggressive career panhandlers in Downtown Memphis or other parts of the city, click the link and tell us your experiences and we’ll invite you to join.

… That’s all for now. Leaving for Little Rock tomorrow morning. I’ll be back early Sunday afternoon, which means I’ll miss John D’s pearls of wisdom about Formula One racing at brunch at the Majestic. However, I should get back in time to watch John drink his usual Bud Light at the Saucer.

I’ll have Internet access from the road, so most likely I’ll be blogging this weekend.

From the Commercial Appeal: Willie “Wild Bill” Storey, owner and namesake of Wild Bill’s juke joint at 1580 Vollintine, passed away this weekend at age 88.

Midtown Ryan has more on Wild Bill on his blog.

Every morning, I walk two blocks down the Main Street Mall to Jack’s Food Store to grab my morning Mountain Dew. And almost every day, there are three or four panhandlers standing in front of Easy Way next door. “Gimme change!” they’ll shout as I pass by.

Well, this morning I made the walk to the store, and what did I see?

Note the second window pane from the left. Here’s a closer look:

You can click the image above for an even closer look. As you can see, the window has been completely smashed in. You’ll also notice that the glass is still there, suggesting that whoever smashed the window was not trying to break in to commit burglary – they just wanted to vandalize the place.

My guess is that one of the panhandlers who constantly loiter outside got pissed off (they’re never in good moods – Easy Way tends to get some of the most surly bums in the city) and vented their frustrations on Easy Way’s window.

Not sure whether to blame Easy Way itself, for not being more aggressive in getting authorizations of agency against these people… or the police, for knowing Main and Jefferson is a problem corner and failing to do anything about it.

People have e-mailed me about applying Broken Windows Theory to panhandling… in Easy Way’s case, looks like it’s more than just a theory.

Pictured above is one of the trivia questions – the BEST QUESTION EVER, as a matter of fact – from trivia last night at the Flying Saucer. In case you can’t read it, it says, “What is the capital of Romania?” Needless to say we got this one right. The Rapscallions ended up with a second-place finish, bringing our gift certificate stash to a whopping $35.

We hope to see more Romania questions from Pete the Trivia Guy… my only complaint is that this should have been the 20-point final bonus question, not a 4-point second round question. If any beautiful Romanian girls who live in Memphis read this blog, we’d like to invite you to come be part of the team, so we can get Romania questions right in the future.

If you miss dancing to the tunes spun by legendary Downtown DJ Hollywood Raiford, you have one more chance to catch him.

Raiford will be spinning him at The Phoenix Club’s Luau at the Botanic Gardens, Friday August 17. $30 ticket includes beer and libations. Not a bad deal. I’ve never been to any of the Phoenix Club’s events, but I know it’s a great organization and they raise a lot of money for the Boys & Girls Club. Definitely worth our support.

Heh… I have a feeling that the Phoenix Club is going to see an influx of new partiers at this event… people who miss Raiford. I may have to make it out to this one. Since it’s a luau theme, I certainly have the attire.