The Early Word: Are you safe from measles? Plus, school takeover news
Curtain up, Memphis! It’s Thursday, March 27 — World Theatre Day (and that’s theatre with an “re”!) To celebrate, you could catch an opening night performance of “Thoughts of a Colored Man” at Hattiloo Theatre. The show explores the experiences of seven Black men in Brooklyn during a single day. Another option: “Punk Rock Girl” at Circuit Playhouse, which hits on identity, community and self-discovery through the lens of punk culture. We’ve got even more weekend theater (er, theatre) ideas here.
Also tonight, the Memphis Grizzlies play the Oklahoma City Thunder, and here’s hoping they can keep up the momentum from Tuesday night’s win. Now, let’s get this show on the road. Or, well, the stage!
Are you and your kid safe from measles? Maybe not. The U.S. has been experiencing a resurgence of measles lately, and the first Tennessee case was confirmed last week. Most kids and adults are vaccinated against the measles, but herd immunity requires a 95% vaccination rate. And in Shelby County, more than 20 schools are below the herd-immunity threshold. Some local clinics are offering parents the option to have infants fully immunized against measles, rather than waiting until they’re school-aged for a second shot. But one doctor we talked to said some parents are still worried about vaccine safety. As for adults, if you’re between the ages of 40-68, you might want to make an appointment for vaccination, too.
Eads Republican state Sen. Brent Taylor’s version of the state school takeover bill is different from the House version backed by state Rep. Mark White, R-Memphis. In Taylor’s bill, a state takeover would allow elected Memphis-Shelby County Schools board members to be removed and replaced by Shelby County Commission appointees, among other differences. That version moved ahead in the Senate on Wednesday. In White’s version, the state would appoint a board of managers to oversee the school board.
Plus, Memphis Mayor Paul Young says he doesn’t want to raise taxes, police search for a Downtown shooting suspect and a Midtown outdoor bar is closed for good.
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Bianca Phillips
Bianca Phillips is a Northeast Arkansas native and longtime Memphian who’s worked in local journalism and PR for more than 20 years. In her days as a reporter, she covered everything from local government and crime to LGBTQ issues and the arts. She’s the author of “Cookin Crunk: Eatin’ Vegan in the Dirty South,” a cookbook of vegan Southern recipes.
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