Blake’s Blog

What is this – Oldies Week for Memphis news stories?

This week, two blockbuster stories that never seem to die were making the rounds again.

Tuesday, Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton once again made a pitch for consolidation of Memphis and Shelby County government, a case he’s been making seemingly since the Great Depression.

Then on Wednesday, a woman who claimed to be a long-lost heir of the Presley family claimed in open court that, yes, Elvis is alive and living under the assumed name of Jessie Presley. (Could Jessie Presley be the guy whose girlfriend Rick Springfield pined for in the song "Jessie’s Girl"? That would be a weird karmic connection.)

Anyhoo, I think I see how these two seemingly disparate stories might come together. After all, Herenton has acknowledged that he’s not the right guy to lead the charge for consolidation.

So who might be?

Well, it would have to be someone with a tremendous amount of charisma. Someone who would command attention. Heck, someone who might actually be able to convince suburbanites that their long-held fears about consolidation are unfounded.

Yep. You guessed it. Elvis needs to be the point man to lead the charge for consolidation. Given this community’s history, that might be the only way it ever happens.