Chance Carlisle

Memphis was one of the most dangerous cities in America. It’s now becoming a model for how to fight crime when you have a terrible DA. From the peak: - Murders down 47% - Carjackings down 48% - Robberies down 51%. - Vehicle theft down 80%. What changed: 1. State troopers took over interstate patrol, freeing up local officers. 2. Police launched focused initiatives targeting fugitives, violent repeat offenders, and gang members. 3. National Guard, federal agents, and US Marshals came in and made 9,000+ arrests, including 400+ gang members. Plus 629 illegal firearms seized, 150 missing children located. 4. Technology filled the gaps. Police deployed license plate readers citywide, expanded drone use, and opened a downtown command center. A cancer center went from a crime attempt every other week to none. Overall crime is now down more than 43% compared to the same period last year Memphis has a long way to go and remains a dangerous city. Its DA is still dismissing 3 out of every 4 felony cases. In fact, the state legislature just passed a bill to audit and potentially remove him. But the city is showing that a rogue DA doesn't have to be a death sentence for public safety. Flood the streets with law enforcement, target repeat offenders, and make arrests faster than he can dismiss them.

Pay close attention to what people say in anger They've been dying to tell you that.

A 2024 paper (Spencer, Economics of Education Review) using synthetic difference-in-differences found the full Literacy-Based Promotion Act (LBPA) bundle caused ~0.14–0.23 SD gains in 4th-grade NAEP reading (and slightly larger in math) for students exposed K–3. Retention explained only ~22% of the treatment effect; the rest came from teacher training/coaching in the science of reading, early screening + interventions, high-quality materials, and parent engagement. Bulk of Mississippi’s sustained, multi-grade, subgroup (especially Black student) progress traces to the prevention side: better teaching, better materials, and catching kids early Been researched to depths - over 6 primary studies and more than a dozen secondary plus

@FElon865176 @ChanceCarlisle @grok @ldtestino @SenBrentTaylor @CSexton25 That is probably correct. When something seems to be too good to be true it probably should be closely examined.

Let’s try Memphis-Shelby County Schools District. @grok generated this chart using similar data sources. @ldtestino @SenBrentTaylor @CSexton25

Curriculum is certainly an issue. It’s a priority issue. Review Mississippi’s progress and replicate it as a comprehensive early literacy reform model—centered on the 2013 Literacy-Based Promotion Act (LBPA) and backed by ExcelinEd’s free policy toolkits Mississippi’s gains came from a bundled, evidence-based approach (not magic or demographics alone). Key drivers confirmed by studies and implementers: • Science of Reading (SoR) shift — Full pivot to systematic phonics, decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension (rejecting whole-language or three-cueing). Teachers trained intensively; curricula vetted for alignment. • Teacher support infrastructure — State-funded literacy coaches deployed to low-performing schools + mandatory or heavily subsidized SoR training (e.g., LETRS-style) for K-3 educators. ~$15 million/year targeted investment in one of America’s lowest-spending states. • Early identification + intervention — Universal K-3 screening (3×/year), Individual Reading Plans for struggling readers, and parent notification/involvement. • Third-grade “gate” with real supports — Students must read at grade level to promote; retention (~5–10% of 3rd graders) paired with specialized teachers, summer programs, and interventions—not just holding kids back. Gains started before peak retention effects. • HQIM + standards + accountability — High-quality instructional materials (e.g., CKLA, Wit & Wisdom, EL Education—MS has a public vetted list), rigorous standards phased in, and clear school/district reporting. • Sustained leadership & rollout — Bipartisan, multi-year implementation with heavy communication to educators, parents, and communities. Not an unfunded mandate.

Ok so what now? If it is corruption then the $8 million plus audit should ferret it out. (Audit over run by $ 2 million dollars--sheesh). But likely other things are afoot. It seems that perhaps the reading curriculum is not matching the needs of the targeted students.. but it could be other things as well.

Thanks for the tag! Spot on—the Memphis-Shelby County Schools chart (sourced from NAEP scores and NCES spending data, same as California’s) shows per-pupil spending up ~92% to ~$16,300 since 2013, while 4th-grade reading and 8th-grade math scores have declined or stagnated, especially post-pandemic. Same trend: more dollars, less progress.

I’ve spent a decade telling people to do what I do: "Buy and Hold." Now I've decided to list my entire real estate portfolio for sale and walk away. It started slow. The bills, the maintenance, the tax increases... but the final straw was when I tried to develop an ADU to do exactly what the city of LA claims it wants investors like me to do: Create more housing. You'd think they'd make it easier, but after two delayed inspections, a sewer pipe replacement that needed 75 days advance notice, and a city-owned tree that became my responsibility, I'd had enough. The identity of being a real-estate guy is very hard to walk away from, trust me. For a long time, I stayed just because real estate was my "thing." It’s how I started. It’s what I’m known for. It led to every good thing in my life. But that blinded me to the fact that just because something served me in the past, it doesn't mean things haven't changed in the present. The reality of 2026 finally stripped the emotion away. My LA rentals are netting about 4-5% after the constant background noise of taxes, insurance spikes, and repairs. Meanwhile, a risk-free Treasury pays 5%. The trade-off just doesn't make sense any more. I’m reallocating to a liquid portfolio that actually lets me focus on the work I love. I published a deep dive on my Substack about the ADU nightmare that broke my patience, the exact numbers behind the exit, and where I’m moving the money next to buy back my sanity. I'll drop the link here in a bit.

Hyatt rooftop bar was closed for my entire stay, but by popular demand, access has been granted

Top of the morning from the banks of the Mississippi🦦

To those that don’t know - @KingJames comments don’t reflect the quality of the hotel; they reflect the ‘status’ of them Hyatt Centric Beale Street Awards 1. Hyatt Internal / Brand Award •“Best New Property” – Hyatt Americas Owners Conference (2021) •Awarded by Hyatt Hotels Corporation shortly after opening •Recognizes top-performing newly opened hotels across the Americas •Signals strong execution on design, positioning, and launch performance ⸻ 2. Meetings & Events Industry •Stella Awards Finalist (2024) •Category: Best Hotel/Resort Event Space – Southeast •Recognizes excellence in meetings, event space design, and service quality •Highlights the property’s ~12,000 SF of indoor/outdoor event space and riverfront setting ⸻ 3. Convention & Regional Recognition •ConventionSouth Reader’s Choice Awards (2025) •Recognized as a preferred meeting/event destination in Tennessee •These awards are driven by planners and industry professionals ⸻ 4. Travel & Consumer Recognition •Condé Nast Traveler – Readers’ Choice Awards (2025) ⸻ 5. Top 10 “Best New Hotels in the U.S.” – USA TODAY 10Best (2021) •Final placement: #7 in the United States Downtown Memphis offers some of the best 4 star properties in the US and its owner’s operate them with great pride like the Peabody Hotel. Memphis does not have a Four Seasons. The marketplace can’t afford it on its own. Just like the Memphis market can’t provide the revenue to support an NBA roster in the $400-270mm range or have the team pay for its own NBA stadium alone, hotel owners don’t have the ability to justify a luxury hotel yet. There are no ping pong balls for commercial real estate. If Memphians, Grizzlies owners, investors or public officials want to change that reality, investment is required like everything else. It takes a belief in a city that better days are ahead. That wealth and opportunity exist around the river bend. That everyone benefits when the river rises… And if a hotel of that caliber were built, stars like LeBron would visit. More than a few former NBA players and coaches chose not to visit but instead call Memphis home. I agree, it’s not the people of Memphis but the lack of investment in its people and economy that matter. @geoff_calkins @stephenasmith @samhardiman @MayorMemphis @ChrisVernonShow @JasonSmith929 @JohnMartin929 @WMCActionNews5 @JWright929espn @929espn @3onyourside

It’s easy to dish. Whatever. There’s a saying in the restaurant business when it comes to politics, you’re either at the table, or you’re on the menu. Griz and City have the same menu & relationship seems strong. No one balking at the price of the entree. Can’t worry about the table creating a noise next to you Yet execution matters. Can’t be waiting forever for the main dish to arrive or despite the best of intentions someone is leaving unhappy.

After a tough fight to make it on the bracket, we have our finalists! America, we want to hear from you! Tell us what you want to see back on the menu. Voting starts… NOW! Better luck next time to the Sunroom, Salad SuperBar, Giant JBC, and Trex burger.

Absolutely incredible answer from new Tigers DC Lance Guidry on being at Oregon State for 20 days this offseason before the job at Memphis opened up: "When money calls, you gotta go!" "I said Huff, I want you to call, but I don't." Whole story is GOLD 😂😂

Thank you to @MEMAirport @TSA workers! Not only does Memphis have a world class airport, we have the best of the best in TSA. Zero wait times today at noon. @MEMAirport is one of the country’s infrastructure Crown Jewels, but it’s Memphian’s keeping it proudly running.

Phenomenal results from Memphis, where crime has hit a 25 year low since President Trump’s surge in support.

@justalexoki Apps cannot access Apple’s FaceID API. You can only technically access it via passkeys, but FaceID is optional in that case. The only true way to verify that a human is present is a Face Liveness scan that immediately deletes. Instagram already does it and so do many other apps

Dave Thomas, Fast Food Founder Mode

NO CEO WILL EVER OUT BURGERMOG THIS GUY.