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Peeking behind the ‘Bluff City Law’ curtain

NEW TRI-STATE DEFENDER — “Bluff City Law” centers around the ofttimes fraught, father-daughter relationship between main characters Elijah and Sidney Strait. Elijah (Jimmy Smits) is a famed civil rights attorney and pillar of the community whose personal life isn’t so neat and tidy. Sidney (Caitlin McGee) is his daughter, who reluctantly leaves corporate law to rejoin him at the family law practice. She’s the hotheaded new jack to his more tempered, old-school personality.

Published

7 years ago

August 31, 2019

Oakland Post

Jimmy Smits and Caitlin McGee were among the “Bluff City Law” stars at the Itta Bena restaurant on Beale Street for a press junket Tuesday. (Photo by: Greg Campbell | NBC)

By Joy Doss

Many of us have heard by now that “Bluff City Law” is filming in Memphis; actually IN Memphis. Not trying to fool us with narrow shots of Atlanta streets or, worse, New Orleans. This is exciting!

The New Tri-State Defender was invited to participate in a press junket Tuesday at Itta Bena restaurant on Beale Street. I was more than thrilled to be part of a small cohort that gathered to speak with the cast and one of the producers, David Janollari.

Columnist Joy Doss on Tuesday mixed and mingled with actor Jimmy Smits and others starring in or helping to make “Bluff City Law,” the series that is being filmed in Memphis and debuts Sept. 23 on NBC. (Courtesy photo)

“Bluff City Law” centers around the ofttimes fraught, father-daughter relationship between main characters Elijah and Sidney Strait. Elijah (Jimmy Smits) is a famed civil rights attorney and pillar of the community whose personal life isn’t so neat and tidy. Sidney (Caitlin McGee) is his daughter, who reluctantly leaves corporate law to rejoin him at the family law practice. She’s the hotheaded new jack to his more tempered, old-school personality.

This theoretically makes for great yin-yang balance. But for good TV, we need some conflict. And in real life that personality mix can slice both ways!

The show brings together some major talent – some well-known, some little known, some you will soon know, some you know if you know.

From Michael Luwoye (two-year “Hamilton” run as both Hamilton and Burr, “The Gifted” and “She’s Gotta Have It” season 2) and star-in-the-making Stony Blyden (Nickelodeon alum, “The Edge of Seventeen,” and “Dude”) to Jimmy Smits (“NYPD Blue,” “West Wing,” “Sons of Anarchy” and a stellar guest star spot on “How To Get Away With Murder”) and Jayne Atkinson (“House of Cards,” “Madame Secretary” and “Criminal Minds”), they have stacked the deck with acting chops and star power.

As the main cast members passed through our cohort, I noticed a common thread – the mention of activism, advocacy, justice/social justice or political awareness in general.

Josh Kelly (“Robbie”) served in the military and told us how he loves to see justice prevail. “This show is all about standing up for the little guy,” he said.

The unapologetically political McGee was a kindergarten teacher for several years and named her dog partially after Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

“On a personal level, I would never be able to do a show that didn’t align with my own moral compass,” she shared. “I’m fine with playing someone a little hard-edged, as long as she’s on the right side of history….”

Growing up in a humanitarian home, MaameYaa Boafo (“Briana”) has always been connected to social justice in her real life. Her dad worked for a refugee agency finding housing for refugees.

“Being able to blend my art…feels like a win-win. I am so grateful specifically to be a part of ‘Bluff City Law.’” In addition to acting, she helps with a school that her parents built in Ghana. She’s passionate about children in foster care. And upon learning that there’s a large population of Sudanese people in Memphis, she plans to find a way to connect with them as well.

“The world should be our home,” she said. “We should be invited everywhere.”

Atkinson (“Della”) is quite the spark plug and has apparently been so from way back. During our conversation about southern ladies, gentility and polite society, she spoke about how she left her sorority in college because they wouldn’t accept her Jewish friend. She also left her church after the pastor said her friend wouldn’t be allowed in heaven because of her ethnicity.

And, of course, there’s Smits, who is a longtime spokesperson for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. He is also a famously outspoken activist and advocate in the LatinX community.

According to Janollari, one of the producers, they wanted a backdrop that was different, not the same skyline and streets of New York, Chicago, LA; and not even Nashville. In fact, they were very insistent about using Memphis, with the hope of investing their time and talent and eventually giving it the allure and luster of some of its peer cities. I know we receive that. And we receive them.

Another common thread is that most of them knew little about Memphis and had never been here. They came with a blank slate that they have already filled with love for our city. Memphians have embraced them wholly, as we tend to do.

There is so much to unpack and more to come. Suffice it to say for now that the cast is a lovely bunch. They gel well and move as a family, which, in addition to their own personal connections to the show, turns up on the screen. Stay tuned for funny things I learned and more about the show itself.

“Bluff City Law” will air on Mondays at 9 p.m. CT on NBC, beginning Sept. 23.

This article originally appeared in the New Tri-State Defender

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2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

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3 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

Oakland Post

The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.

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Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

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3 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

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OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

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3 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

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