Clean and sober for nearly 27 years, L Cool reclaimed her life and reconnected with her daughters. Now, she recovers broken and blemished furniture. Her daughter, who was born in jail, recently became a Memphis Police officer.
Our Memphis Magazine story link below.
https://memphismagazine.com/features/salvation-in-orange-mound/
You can also see a short video here:
Warren Lewis, the barber made famous by cutting people’s hair with flames, died earlier this month at age 90.
There are people who have made my time in Memphis really fun, Lewis was one of them.
Memphians are often blessed with unusual characters and entrepreneurs that have made our city famous.
Mr. Lewis has been seen on national TV showing off his talent on late-night TV and all over the world.
He grew up with very little, in a shack in Mississippi. As a child, he was given the chore of burning the small feathers off chickens that the family was going to eat for dinner. That is what gave him the idea to cut hair with fire.
He had his own shop in North Memphis most of his life. It burned down once. He eventually worked out of another shop in his later years.
“I ain’t set but one man on fire since I’ve been doing hair, one!” he told me giggling.
He was cutting hair until three weeks before he died.
Mr. Lewis always liked the job security, saying “Hair will steady grow. I love my job with a passion,” he said, “I’d do it all over again.”
Below is a gallery of some photos I have taken of him over the years. Including one when he came to one of my photo shows and signed autographs for people.
Rest in Peace my friend.
Below is a link to a story I did about him for the Commercial Appeal when I worked there.
https://www.karenpulferfocht.com/blog/2014/7/30/warren-lewis-and-his-flaming-fro
Below is an old video of did of Lewis cutting hair over a decade ago.
By Karen Pulfer Focht ©2023
Grazing on wild grasses, acorns, and sea oats, walking along the sandy beach of the
Atlantic Ocean, nearly-extinct wild horses have been living peacefully for over 500
years.
It is not known exactly how the wild horses of Corolla got there, but their DNA indicates
that they are of Spanish origin. The original Colonial Spanish Mustangs could have
survived one of the many offshore shipwrecks in the treacherous Outer Banks or maybe
they were left behind by Spanish explorers.
For centuries stallions and their harems have existed on a most unique diet, surviving
through hurricanes and hundreds of harsh winters. In earlier times, visitors were allowed
to take home whatever they could round up. But not anymore, it is now illegal to feed
them or get within 50 feet of them.
When roads were paved leading to their remote part of the cape, their numbers began
to dwindle significantly. Many were hit by cars, including a beloved stallion named Star
who was hit by a car and killed in 1991. They have since found ways to keep the herd
safer. The horses now have access to over 7,000 acres, about 3,000 acres of public
land and roughly 4,000 privately owned, in a beach and marine forest area north of
Corolla.
Not everyone buys into the poetry of these majestic creatures. Their biggest threat
today is development. Not everyone wants to wake up to a horse in their yard or lay out
in the sun with horses gathering around.
“They are one of the oldest and rarest strains left in the world and are listed as a
critically endangered/nearly extinct breed” according to the Corolla Wild Horse Fund, a
non-profit that preserves the heritage of the Mustangs.
For more information on the horses https://www.corollawildhorses.com/
Video of the Wild Horses of Corolla
I was recently asked about what it takes to become a photojournalist by Side Hustles.
While I don’t think of photojournalism as a “side hustle,” it certainly could be one, especially with the shrinking newspaper industry. Many pictures that were taken by one-time staff photographers are now taken by freelancers.
People often think of freelancers as someone waiting for a full-time job. But that is often not the case. Many freelancers thrive and the good ones, who know how to hustle, make more than people with staff positions.
But there are some secrets to success and much-needed skills.
Here is the link to the interview that www.sidehustles.com recently did with me about what it takes to be a photojournalist. https://sidehustles.com/how-to-become-a-photojournalist/
This is me as a young photojournalist and mother.
To see my full portfolio and bio go to www.karenpulferfocht.com
Every year pilgrims from around the globe descend on Memphis to honor and remember Elvis Presley on the anniversary of his death. These are some highlights from Elvis Week 2023, many of which show the next generation of Elvis fans. This was the first vigil since Lisa Marie, the daughter of Elvis, died. His granddaughter, Riley Keough, has since taken over the estate. No family members were present this year, including Pricilla Presley who is often on hand.
Visual Highlights from the Elvis Vigil
Alex Rothacker and his trick poodle Pappy.
Read MoreSister Wilhelmina Lancaster, founder of the Catholic order of the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles
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