Memphis bound, I must be crazy!

[Links2k]

Working that far out, there is no way I would live anywhere west of Lakeland. You have all the amenities that you need and don't have to drive far, and still have a country feel. Arlington is a great town. Arlington is the next growth center in Shelby County. Their planning and development department and their plan is very strategic and very governed to ensure good healthy growth. There is no way I would live out there due to my job, my wife's job, our kids school and our Church all being withing 3 miles of each other. Her parents live about 5 miles. My closest friends are within 5 miles. My life is here in East Memphis and I like my life, a lot. Oh, my kids also don't go to public school, MCS is the biggest embarrassment that the City of Memphis has going right at the moment. They are in private Catholic school and we love it, we would be there even if the city had great schools. Oh and it is not the actual school or teachers, we actually are in a great district, White Station, it is the administration, the board, and the dumbass Superintendent Cash.

+1 I agree with you on the school situation. Memphis has a few exceptional schools, but the administration is taking the system down hill fast. My wife and I have always chosen private schools for our kids (currently MUS and Briarcrest), because we did not want our kids involved in the red tape/politics that is killing the school system.

Fayette County, Eads or Arlington is in my future also. My move is not based on the perceived danger of living in Memphis, but the opportunity to get back to a slower pace and my roots. As a boy I lived near US70 and Germantown Rd (I hate the Wolfchase Mall because it destroyed every memory that I had of that area). Things were quiet and slow and as I mature I desire to return to that type environment.

Edited August 12, 2011 by LINKS2K

[Links2k]

Have you noticed that most of the most F'd up stories that come out consistently come out of Florida. I don't get it. Most of it is central Florida and most of my experience is in the Panhandle, but dang, those are some messed up people down there.

My mother retired to Clearwater, Florida. That area seems to be good to go.

[Links2k]

I moved from the Germantown Road Extended/ Winchester area in 1990. My neighborhood was fairly new (built '85-'88), with manicured lawns and a nice place for kids to play. Seven years later while passing through on a trip from Nashville to Dallas, we decided to check out our old house, just to see how it looked. We were shocked. The lawns were overgrown, there were literally cars on blocks in front of houses and the place looked like 'the hood." Privacy fences were knocked/ falling down, there was broken glass in the street. Houses looked dilapidated.

I know the area. That's true in some cases. It's like someone mentioned earlier, it's because the govt decided that it would be a good idea to tear down the projects and place section 8 families in established neighborhoods. You can tell who is buying their home by the way the property looks.

[Guest Sgt. Joe]

The 2007 list is only cities above 500k population. For all cities in 07, Memphis was 13th. The 2010 numbers I referenced include all size cities. (The newer reports from morganquitno.com require a subscription).

The FBI rankings have Memphis 6th overall in 2010 (getting worse instead of better)

Well we can agree that things are bad out this way and that the man is going to move anyway and he has our prayers. In fact I also fully agree with all that you are saying about Memphis, I doubt that I would move into the "city of" myself but there really are some areas that are pretty much crime free both within the city and in the burbs.

But as Crimson stated stats can be made to say most anything that one who compiles them wants them to say.

And crime stats are really the most confusing.

If you say that the list you listed for 07 is only for cities over 500K then Jackson TN could not be on it, we are about 65-68K people. But I have seen that same list before and it is the same one that I spoke of having the two cities in different positions high on the list in different years. If I had not seen the thing several times I would almost want to say the #9 was a typo and was really Jackson MS, I dont know their population but do know it is bigger than Jackson TN. That particular report confuses me but I still remember our news guy talking about that report the year that Memp. was 1 and we were 10 and then again the next year when it was #2 and #13

Heck even the FBI puts out at least two different reports each year, there is the older UCR (Uniformed Crime Report) and the newer NIBRS (National Incident Based Reporting System)

The difference is that under the UCR reporting rules, if someone broke into a house, vandalized it, beat up one person and raped another then killed a third person....all that would be used for the purpose of the UCR report would be the murder. Also cities were not required to report anything if they did not want to.

Under NIBRS there is still no requirement to report but the same situation would for the report include ALL off the crimes along with a TON of demographics such as time of day, the type of neighborhood be it a Govt project, lower class, middle class or even a gated community. The sex, race and age of both the victim and the suspect if known and even their status at the time as far as previous crimes or being victims of crimes, income levels of each.....I do mean a TON of demos.

NIBRS was intended to give us a better idea of what was really going but mostly maybe even help establish patterns. But the thing is while the FBI really wants cities to report all that information they still dont require them to do so. A complete NIBRS report for every crime would pretty much create new jobs in every department just for folks to enter all that information all day everyday.

Since most jurisdictions are short on funds the reports rarely get sent in complete if sent at all. Also I am calling the NIBRS report new when what I mean is newer, it was created in 1989 and was hoped that by 1999 everyone would be on board, but as of 2001 only 21 states were certified to use the report, with 15 more very close. But that is just at the state level, each jurisdiction would still be responsible to get the info into the state for submittal to the FBI. So even if we see a NIBRS report these days it is doubtful that it includes all areas and therefore can not be totally accurate. The way it is described to be reported I have to wonder if it ever will be a complete and accurate report.

The information I am stating comes from a Criminal Justice text book titled "Criminal Justice Today" (fancy name huh) and is the 8th edition. It is pretty much the introductory text for anyone taking Criminal Justice, not always but it is very widely used. It is written by Frank Schmalleger and published by the Prentice Hall division of Pearson publishing.

And that is just the FBI's two reports, we also have everyone and their brother compiling crime stats. And the list of folks doing that is probably as long as the list of demographics asked for in a NIBRS report and the Lord only knows what each of those groups use to compile their reports.

But I am getting way off topic here. My initial post was just intended to point out some good things about Memphis to go along with all of the bad. I really wish that I could say so much good stuff about Jackson, we do have a mighty fine Heart center and brother that is about it for the good around here. Even while our murder rate is down in the "city of" rarely a day goes by that there isnt a violent crime in one of the surrounding communities. My son and I make bets if we happen to catch the local news coming on about how many violent crime stories there will be before they get to any of the other news, it usually 5 or 6 but has gone as high as 11.

So come on Brooksjr.....Like I said there are good folks waiting on ya over there and so long as you stay armed and keep your awareness up you will be just fine.

[Guest db99wj]

My mother retired to Clearwater, Florida. That area seems to be good to go.

I love Florida, spent last week in Navarre Beach. Beautiful. Hopefully one day I will buy a condo down there, bu there are some crazies though!

[Guest Sgt. Joe]

Have you noticed that most of the most F'd up stories that come out consistently come out of Florida. I don't get it. Most of it is central Florida and most of my experience is in the Panhandle, but dang, those are some messed up people down there.

The folks I work for now are former Orlando area residents(40+ years) and they are the STRANGEST people I have ever met.

Heck guys I grew up for the most part on the coast due east of Orlando and I can not for the life of me figure out why all the really weird stuff is coming from down there anymore, or seems to be. I guess it could be because all the good people left and left all the folks from the rest of the country down there to take care of things.

There are times that I miss it and then times that I think I am crazy for even thinking that I miss it. It sure wasnt all wigged out back when I lived there and if it was I sure didnt notice. But even then you would not have got me to live in Orlando even if you gave me Disney world nor further south than about Ft Pierce.

[Farman]

We'll be passing thru Memphis and want some BBQ. Gonna stay at Tom Sawyer RV Park across the river.?? If you could only have one more meal of Memphis BBQ where would it be? And is the Beale St area safe to walk around?

Started the google searching, so far Cozy Corner, Paynes and A&R.

Edited August 12, 2011 by Farman

[Guest fastbilly1]

as a lifelong Memphian, i prefer the Commisary (sp?) in Germantown, secondly would be the BBQ shop on Madison in midtown. Corkys and Rendevous are more famous but not as good.

[Guest nicemac]

We'll be passing thru Memphis and want some BBQ. Gonna stay at Tom Sawyer RV Park across the river.?? If you could only have one more meal of Memphis BBQ where would it be? And is the Beale St area safe to walk around?

Beale Street is very safe as there is a strong police presence in that area. I like Rendezvous downtown and Jack's Rib shack out at Summer and White Station.

[Links2k]

Germantown Commissary, BBQ Shop and Cozy Corner for me, but none of them make ribs as good as my wifes aunt Bonnie. I wish that I could offer you a plate of her cooking. A&R for sandwiches. Corky is too generic for me, but millions of others love them. Enjoy your brief visit.

Try the Cornish hen at Cozy Corner.

[Farman]

Read that the Commissary is real good, maybe we'll try it. Wanted to trythe cornish hen at Cozy Corner We wanted to be able to walk around see the Peabody, go to the fire museum, walk down Beale, etc.

We'll be on our way to TX for a week the middle of Sept., hope it cools down by then:)

Edited August 12, 2011 by Farman

[Links2k]

Beale Street will be fun. The cops keep everyone in line and the people will be super friendly.

[Farman]

Beale Street will be fun. The cops keep everyone in line and the people will be super friendly.

Good to hear. Thanks!!

[Guest db99wj]

Sure, some things do happen, like fights, but the Police presence stops those pretty quick. I think since the FedEx Forum was built, there has been a concerted effort to stop the shenanigans.

I actually like to get Corky's ribs, half dry, half wet, they really aren't that bad. Their pork sandwiches are nothing special. The BBQ shop is very good. If'n you never had BBQ Bologna, get the appetizer. Interstate BBQ on S Third is good, take a gun and don't leave it in the car, ask SWAT!

Old story, 2007, they weren't from around here, Stolen SWAT Team Assault Weapons Recovered | The Daily Buzz

[Farman]

Sure, some things do happen, like fights, but the Police presence stops those pretty quick. I think since the FedEx Forum was built, there has been a concerted effort to stop the shenanigans.

I actually like to get Corky's ribs, half dry, half wet, they really aren't that bad. Their pork sandwiches are nothing special. The BBQ shop is very good. If'n you never had BBQ Bologna, get the appetizer. Interstate BBQ on S Third is good, take a gun and don't leave it in the car, ask SWAT!

Old story, 2007, they weren't from around here, Stolen SWAT Team Assault Weapons Recovered | The Daily Buzz

Have had fried bologna with eggs, the BBQ bologna sounds good. We don't like crowds, drunks or driving at night, so we'll be out of town long before dark. My EDC is like an AMEX card........never leave home without it.

[Links2k]

Sure, some things do happen, like fights, but the Police presence stops those pretty quick. I think since the FedEx Forum was built, there has been a concerted effort to stop the shenanigans.

I actually like to get Corky's ribs, half dry, half wet, they really aren't that bad. Their pork sandwiches are nothing special. The BBQ shop is very good. If'n you never had BBQ Bologna, get the appetizer. Interstate BBQ on S Third is good, take a gun and don't leave it in the car, ask SWAT!

Old story, 2007, they weren't from around here, Stolen SWAT Team Assault Weapons Recovered | The Daily Buzz

That was a Memphis classic.

I have not eaten there, but lots of people like to eat at Blues City Cafe on Beale Street.

Edited August 12, 2011 by LINKS2K

[Punisher84]

+1 No descent person goes to Frayser, North or South Memphis for anything but work. They eat their own in those areas. Other than that Memphis is as safe as ANY other city.

Lol I survive North Memphis 5 nights a week. Especially with my job it's always good entertainment.

[Farman]

I'm sorry I kinda hijacked the thread! To Brooks, I'm happy for you. Your new job sounds great and when the wife is looking forward to the move and a change, it takes away a lot of the stess.

[Guest SMZRU275]

Welcome to the Bluff City. It's got its warzone and its fun areas, once you've got those down you should enjoy the place just fine.

[brooksjr]

Since I accepted this job, Thursday, I've had 2 calls for interviews in other parts of the state. One each in the Nashville area and the Knoxville area.

[mav]

I always heard Parkway Village and Frayser were nice areas to live.

Seriously, I think Memphis is just like any other big city. There are very nice areas, and then there are areas to stay away. Chattanooga is pretty much the same way, although it might not be as bad since it is quite a bit smaller. Congrats on your new job. Best of luck to you.

[brooksjr]

This is my last day of work at my current job. I will be driving to Memphis Sunday afternoon. I'm confident that I won't be raped or murdered.......maybe robbed though.

[G27]

This is my last day of work at my current job. I will be driving to Memphis Sunday afternoon. I'm confident that I won't be raped or murdered.......maybe robbed though.

Come on, man, keep your hopes up for the trifecta!

[Guest db99wj]

This is my last day of work at my current job. I will be driving to Memphis Sunday afternoon. I'm confident that I won't be raped or murdered.......maybe robbed though.

Come on, man, keep your hopes up for the trifecta!

[Guest FNEG]

I was born and raised in Memphis. Well the mound lol. And since I have moved to middle TN when I go back home to see family I get anxiety lol. And I never plan on moving back after seeing other parts of TN. Memphis is to flat, dirty, and the people have a chip on there shoulder.

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