April 24, 2025 • 60 mins
We're talking with the Director of the Sheby County Health Department Dr. Michelle Taylor on The Bev Johnson Show on WDIA Radio.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:12):
Never the.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Working hard to bring you outa days now.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Saying welcome back to w d I A The Bev
(00:46):
Johnson Show.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
It is a pleasure to have this sister back in
the house.
Speaker 4 (00:51):
It's been a little while.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
But we got her back.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
Ladies and gentlemen, our director of the Shelby County Health Department,
Derek Michelle Taylor.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Good morning, doctor Taylor.
Speaker 4 (01:04):
Good morning, miss Bell.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
How are you.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
It's so good to be here.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
It's good to see you, sister man. You've been working.
What in the world is going on? Dr Taylor?
Speaker 4 (01:16):
Yes, ma'am, so I know you all are tired of
seeing me on the news.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
No, No, I like to see you because you keep
us informed of what's going on in this community health wise,
and we need to know that, Doctor Taylor. So I'm
never tired of seeing you because I need to know
what's going on.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Absolutely, because I got a lot of questions.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
Yes, ma'am, let's do it.
Speaker 5 (01:36):
You read it.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
First of all. Oh, my goodness, Doctor Taylor. This means
oles thing.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
Yes, yes, well, the good news is okay. We have
great vaccination rates here in Memphison, Shelby County, and because
of that, we have not seen the level of outbreaks
that they're seeing in places like Texas and other places
around the country. So I'm so proud as usual of
(02:03):
our population and what we know to do is right.
And part of that in protecting our health is getting vaccinated.
So we remain vigilant. It's the Chelby County Health Department
in watching out for new cases. But right now we're
in a really good place.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
We are.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Yes, so folks in Shelby County they are getting the vaccination.
The parents are getting their children the vaccination.
Speaker 4 (02:28):
Yes, ma'am. They are upwards of ninety three ninety four percent. Now,
this is what I will tell you though, Okay, for
especially your listeners who are a little bit more seasoned,
If you do not know your vaccination status, if you
don't know if you ever had a what we call
an MMR shot, a measles, mumps and rubella shot. If
you don't know that and you don't have a record
(02:51):
of it, it may be a good idea after talking
to your provider, just go on and get it, get
yourself a booster, and be done with it. On and again,
you know that you protected and that you're protecting your
loved ones in the community.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
So doctor Taylor, what happens or if you get the measles?
Speaker 3 (03:11):
I mean it is a danger to us because I
know as a growing up a child, I had all
all of the shots, right, but I think I had
the measles.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
The chicken pops ahead.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
Them everything everything right?
Speaker 3 (03:23):
No?
Speaker 6 (03:23):
Right?
Speaker 4 (03:23):
Yeah? Well you know what it usually starts off is
fever and cough. Okay, see, really you don't see the
rash at first, and a lot of people think, especially
when they have some type of illness that has a
rash associated, they think the only way they can get
it is if they rub up against somebody with a rash.
But really, measles is airborne, and so it starts with
(03:46):
a fever and cough, and the rash usually doesn't start
until about day four or five of your symptoms. And
sometimes people don't even have symptoms. Right, it can be
spreading measles. The thing about measles to unders stand is
that it is highly contagious, right you heard that during
the COVID period. Yes, measles is way more contagious than
(04:09):
cod than COVID. So to point that, let's say you
had a room full of one hundred people who had
not been vaccinated against measles. Right, one hundred people, nobody
has had a vaccination, and a person with measles walks
into the room with those hundred people, it is so
(04:32):
contagious that ninety of them will get measles. Wow, that's
how contagious it is. And once everybody leaves the room,
the room is still contagious for two hours after that
infected person leaves. So that lets you know how contagious
measles is. So once again, if you don't know your status,
(04:56):
go on and get the booster, and of course talk
to your provider first, make sure it's good. But go
on and get the booster.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Is it is it worst, doctor Taylor?
Speaker 3 (05:05):
In children or adults, and especially you said with seasoned
in these senior citizens.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
It can be. And then there are some serious outcomes
that can come of it. If you have a really
bad case, some brain issues that you can have. It
can cause all kinds of problems.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
But we've hearing doctor taylorright, some people that children have.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
Died, absolutely, and so it can be fatal. And remember
that the measles shot, children can't even get it until
twelve to fifteen months. That's the first shot. Okay, right,
Remember you took your kids in. You get all those
shots mmr. The first one isn't until twelve to fifteen months.
(05:45):
They get the second one before they go to kindergarten,
between four and six years of age. And so really
it's children that we worry about the most because they
have no defenses against it in that first year, and
so we depend those children depend on the rest of
us being vaccinated and protected so that we don't bring
(06:09):
measles to them.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
So you all heard doctor Taylor. If you have not
gotten a shot, or you don't know your status, you.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Can come to the health department.
Speaker 4 (06:21):
Yes, ma'am. Okay, yes, ma'am. You can come to the
health department and get your shot and go on about
your business and about your day, or go to your provider,
or go to CVS, or go to Walgreens, call first
see if they have it. Yeah, I know the health
department has it.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
Okay, good.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
So I want to ask you that because we've been
hearing about the measles and then I'm not gonna even
say that, Yes I am, I'm gonna say it because
you know this new person we have Secretary of Health.
I know that's another topic, but I said, I can't
wait to ask doctor Taylor about you.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
She's encouraging you to get the shot.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Yes, please, okay, please, Now, So we're good in Shelby County.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
Yes, we're good. We're good.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
Any other those childhood diseases we need to worry about,
the the momps, the measles, any of that.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Are we all good with that?
Speaker 7 (07:15):
Well?
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Nationally we are seeing a rise in whooping cough too.
What is it, right, right, stuff that your grandmother used to.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
Talk about, right, exactly?
Speaker 4 (07:26):
Once again, you can be vaccinated against that, right. And
so a lot of people who have been pregnant in
the last especially ten years, know that your provider asked,
are do you have you had the tea ed app
which is tetanus protessis diptheria, right, And if you haven't
had it, I'm going to give it to you, pregnant lady,
And if any of the adults in your family haven't
(07:48):
had it, go on and get it right, okay, so
that you're not bringing whooping cough to your baby, right, right?
And so we've seen that rise nationally as well. And
so really I actually have seen a child with whooping cough,
believe it or not. When I was training to be
a pediatrician. I was up in Appalachia because I went
(08:10):
to med school at East Tennessee State. But let me
tell you, it's nothing pretty when they say when they
say that it's called whooping cough, there's a reason why
people named it, that it's caused by protussis. But when
a baby coughs with whooping cough, it's like a cough
that you can't believe. It's almost like hearing I hate
(08:31):
to say this, but almost like hearing a pop pop
pop pop pop, because the baby cannot stop coughing. And
then at the end of that they whoop because they're
trying to catch their breath, so it sounds like a
whoop when they take that big, deep breath after this
coughing fit. And so really you're trying to support the
(08:51):
baby by giving them oxygen so that when they do
have the coughing fit, that they don't stop breathing. Okay,
So once again, get vaccinated and then we don't have
to worry about these.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
We don't have to worry about Okay, good good. You
know I always have to ask you how we doing
with COVID. We know COVID is still.
Speaker 7 (09:12):
A you have to ask about that, because because as
we said earlier in the years, COVID is going to
be like the flu, It is going to be with us.
Speaker 4 (09:24):
Yes, so we are actually doing pretty well with COVID.
All the numbers are down, mainly because it's getting warmer outside.
We're not stuck in the house. We're going out. We're
having a good time. But remember, stay home if you're sick,
don't go to work, don't go to the concert, right right,
stay home so that you're not spreading illnesses to other people.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
Right.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
If your children are sick, don't send them to school, right,
let them stay home, get better than send them back.
I promise you the teachers will send them their work.
And it's the end of the school year anyway, right, right, right,
So it's not a lot more work that's going to
happen there in tacap right now. I know because I
got one test in the day, right, and then after
that they're on the glide path to the end of
(10:09):
the school year.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
So, and also, doctor Taylor still get those shots for
the COVID.
Speaker 4 (10:16):
That's right, that's right. We're still giving COVID boosters. That's
still something that you can do to protect yourself. And
you know, I know that you all hear a lot
on social media, a lot on TV. People get confused
about what messages they should listen to. Let me explain
something to you. This is established science that vaccinations save lives,
(10:42):
whether it's COVID or for potesters, or for measles, or
for so many other things. And if we know that
as a community, and we've seen that born out in
the people that we love, knowing that they're vaccinated, why
would we stop doing that?
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (10:57):
Yeah, yeah, So it's still around, y'all. It's still around now.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
Yeah. I know you've been.
Speaker 3 (11:08):
Talking to the County Commission and folks, and well.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
I guess, I guess ask the question, doctor Taylor.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
You know our pollution and you're concerned about air pollution
and all that in our city, right, And I know
everybody is up in arms with the AI and AX
and all that stuff, and it is a big mess.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
It's a big mess.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
And as a matter of fact, I'm going to have
state Representative Justin Pearson will be on Friday to you know,
to talk about that, I know, a meeting. But how
we look in our air and all that water and
we're good here in Memphis.
Speaker 4 (11:48):
Well, you know what, let me let me get I.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Know, I know I have to ask you though now.
Speaker 4 (11:53):
I want you to ask me. And I know that
people have uh they want to know what to listen to.
They want to know that they are being informed. They
want to know that through all the noise, what is
(12:14):
true and right. Okay. So I'm here to tell you that,
at least from the Shelby County Health Department point of view,
we have a job to do as regulators, okay. And
I'm not going to get into all the politics of this,
(12:37):
right because really we have a job to do as
a regulator. The Shelby County Health Department, in our Environmental
Health team, has worked very hard to monitor air quality
in our community for years according to a federal law
called the Clean Air Act. Okay, And what that means
(13:01):
is is that we are charged with carrying out the
rules and regulations of the Clean Air Act. The other
thing that we're charged with doing is carrying out the
local and state ordinances that surround monitoring our air. That's
what we are charged with. So before we get into
(13:24):
the specifics of that, let me explain to you what
we are not charged with no matter how much name
calling happens, no matter how much yelling happens, no matter
how much incivility happens. You can mail out every letter
that you want to saying that people are doing things
(13:45):
that they shouldn't be doing and filling people's heads with
all kinds of things that may or may not be true.
But this is what's true. Shelby count of Health Department
will continue to do its job in the best way
possible given the laws on the books. What's true is
(14:07):
that there are fifteen natural gas turbines that are operating
at the XAI site at thirty two thirty one Paul R.
Lowry Road. That is true. What's also true is that
XAI has submitted an air permit to be able to
(14:30):
operate those fifteen turbines that they have been able to
operate for almost three hundred and sixty five days without
a permit, according to the Environmental Protection Agency the EPA. Okay, Now,
what people need to understand is that if a permit
(14:52):
is issued, then the Shelby County Health Department will have
the authority to go on XAI property. And if we
find that more than fifteen turbines are operating we can
shut it down. That's the purpose of an application process
(15:14):
led by federal, state, and local laws to make sure
that we have jurisdiction in the area. Now, what's also true,
and these are things this Shelby County Health Department does
not have to control over. Okay, we do not control
our current zoning laws. We do not control what our legislators, local, state,
(15:44):
and federal decide should be the laws we don't control.
We don't control what they decide to do when they
are crafting the laws. But what we do control of
the Shelby County Health Department is the ability to inform
(16:08):
the public on what they should know and how they
should be moving in regards to the current laws on
the books. So I like to give a couple of examples.
Should we have time, I know because I don't want to.
I don't want to go over the advertising areas.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
Okay, can you hold that thought you want to get well?
Speaker 1 (16:28):
Hold that thought.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
We are talking to the director of the Shelby County
Health Department, doctor Michelle Taylor. We will also open up
our lines if you have a question or two for her.
Nine zero one five three five nine three four two
eight hundred five zero three nine three four two eight
(16:50):
three three five three five nine three four two will
get you.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
In to us.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
You're listening to double you D I A the Bath
just show.
Speaker 5 (17:17):
Got something to say? Say it? Next with Tennessee Radio
Hall of Famer Bev Johnson on w D, I am
(17:39):
you did a s Paine?
Speaker 1 (17:42):
You?
Speaker 3 (17:48):
I mean, I'm telling him everyone it's Bath got talking yo.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
I'm talking with the director of the Shelby County Health Department,
doctor Michelle Taylor. Doctor Taylor, continue and we'll go to
our phone lines.
Speaker 4 (18:13):
Absolutely. So, I was going to give you a couple
of examples rays to think about what the health Department's
role is in this XAI business. And I'll also say
that at the end, I'll talk about the public meeting
that we're having.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
OKR, Okay, So a couple of examples.
Speaker 4 (18:31):
We all, well, maybe not all, many of us have
gotten us beating ticket. Right. So when the police officer
stops you because you're doing you know, maybe eighty in
a fifty five on two forty. That's not me, but
some of you all do that. Right, police officer stops you,
(18:52):
walks up to your car, gives you a ticket that
same police officer is not the one who wrote the
regulation for you to know that you were not supposed
to be doing eighty and a fifty five, right, mm hm.
Think of Shelby County Health Department in this situation as
the regulator, as the enforcer of the law, laws that
(19:15):
pertain to our air quality. That's one. And then for
this specific situation, think of Shelby County Health Department as
your best friend. Right. Just imagine with me, so we
all know that we have good friends who have gotten
into relationships that may not be the best for them.
(19:36):
And as your best friend, we're gonna let you do
what you do, right. We may even track you on
your phone. We know when you go over there. We
don't say anything because you're happy you want to be
in that relationship. But then when the relationship's ours, Shelby
County Health Department, that best friend is there for you
(19:58):
to come back to tell what has happened. And then
Shelby County Health Department may have to take it to
the clinic if you got something that you didn't want
to get, will give you advice on how not to
get into the same type of relationship, and then you
can decide whether you want to take that advice or
not to be healthier. Right m H. We're in that
(20:23):
supportive regulatory role, right and really we are right now
in the middle of a battle that really for us
as regulators, we have nothing to do with. We're going
to follow the law. We're going to do our jobs.
(20:46):
I could not be prouder of the professionals that I
work with because at every step of the way, they
have done what they're supposed to do according to the
laws on the books. Now, I'll be the first to
tell you you, just as a result of what we've
been going through with this, that I would agree that
(21:08):
our laws are insufficient for this per certain moment, right,
But that doesn't mean they can't be changed. Here's the issue.
They can't be changed by the Shelby County Health Department.
We have to deal with what's on the books. So
I am hoping that as many people who want to
(21:29):
have their voices heard come out tomorrow. Fairleigh High School
I used to teach it fairly. I have several family
members who graduated from there, included my mother. Class of
nineteen seventy three come out to fairly forty nine to fifty,
fairly road and voice your concerns. We're going to be
(21:52):
taking public comments based on the XAI application to operate
FILS fifteen natural gas turbines. That's what we will be
taking public comments on now. Of course, we're going to
record all of your comments if you choose to come,
but I'm telling you that this meeting is based on
(22:15):
that application.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
Okay, and what time is the meeting again?
Speaker 4 (22:20):
Five to seven pm?
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Five to seven sounds good?
Speaker 3 (22:23):
Yes, ma'am going to our phone lines, doctor Taylor to
talk to some of our listeners.
Speaker 8 (22:28):
Hi, Christopher, good morning, doctor Taylor.
Speaker 9 (22:33):
How are you fin? How are you great? I have
caught i'd say about the one quarterway through the program.
But I'd like to know, as a citizens of this community,
what what are some questions that we need to be asking.
What are some of the hard questions if you can
(22:54):
give just a couple to give some people some kind
of god lines as the things we should be concerned
about when we go to the meeting, so we can
have the put everything out there that we need to
know that we should we should be concerned about.
Speaker 4 (23:13):
Absolutely. Thank you for that question, Christopher. So a couple
of questions that you should be asking First, are they
operating fifteen natural gas turbines? Answer is yes. And let
me explain, this meeting is not a question and answer session.
This is to get your comments out. So I will
(23:34):
tell this to the people in the meeting tomorrow, but
i'll tell this to the listeners now. We're not going
to be doing a lot of talking at this meeting.
As a Shelby County Health Department, we are there to
listen to the people in their comments. That's what we're
there for. We need to record all of these comments.
The comments that pertain to the application will be attached
(23:56):
to the application. Other questions ask, as you try to
cut through the noise, ask what are the laws on
the books currently right now? Because of the way we
zone in Shelby County, they are not operating on land
(24:20):
that they're not allowed to operate on. The land is
zoned industrial. The unfortunate thing, and I talked about this
in front of Commission last month, is that we still
use a nineteen fifty three zoning map to make zoning
decisions in Shelby County to this day. And we will
(24:43):
have representations of those maps at the meeting for people
to look at. And those maps are very much like
the nineteen thirties redlining maps that we know have existed
back in the day. So those are important questions to
ask or to comment on to make sure that your
(25:09):
voice is heard in this conversation.
Speaker 9 (25:14):
Okay, Christopher, Yes, Sam understood. That absolutely answers my question.
It seems like we've got more problems ahead of us
that are allowing things like this to happen, you know,
loopholes that allow things like this to happen. So we've
got some bigger fish to fry before we can even
get to the root problem of you know, of what
(25:35):
we got going.
Speaker 3 (25:37):
Yeah, yeah, thank you Christopher listening and calling in.
Speaker 9 (25:41):
Yes, Sam, thank you, enjoyed the show.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
Thank you bye bye.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
W D I A Hi David, Hi David. We can't
hear you, David. Nope, you're breaking up, David. You may
(26:06):
have to call me back, David.
Speaker 8 (26:08):
I do that back then.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
Oh, okay, you're gonna call me back. Man, Well, keep talking,
I hear you now, come on.
Speaker 8 (26:17):
Hey, great, Okay, okay, you're still my favorite.
Speaker 3 (26:23):
You still kind of break You're still kind of breaking up, David.
I call you back, Okay, call me back. Yeah, w
D I A high caller.
Speaker 10 (26:32):
Hey, Beth, how you doing today?
Speaker 3 (26:34):
Hey, Princess of Charles, thank you, thank you very much.
Speaker 10 (26:38):
Good up to uh, good afternoon to your guest. How
are you doing, doctor Taylor?
Speaker 4 (26:42):
I'm wonderful. How are you?
Speaker 10 (26:44):
I'm on a talk chef. Thank you for asking, and
benthis always good afternoon for you and your college the lessons,
Doctor Taylor. I have three questions I would like to
ask you very quickly. Yes, sir, we got a numb
nun as the director in the medical fill who has
no medical background, and I'm talking about Robert F. Kennedy.
He has been promoting this theory about people shouldn't get shot,
(27:08):
but this, that and the other. What is your take
on that? That's the question number one?
Speaker 4 (27:15):
Okay, So you want me to answer him one at
a time, okay. So what I will say is this,
I'm not going to comment on him, because I think
it's important that we get back to civil conversation when
it comes to how we want to conduct ourselves in
(27:36):
especially government business and political business. Right, and then all
of it is kind of mixed in together. What I
will say is this, at least here in Shelby County,
I am so confident in people here to understand how
to read between the lines. Okay, so even if somebody
(27:59):
is telling you something different than you've ever heard, if
you go back to your experience of what has worked
and what has kept people healthy, then you'll understand that
even if somebody is on a microphone or on a
camera or doing all kinds of talking that doesn't make
(28:20):
sense because it doesn't match with what your experience is
doesn't mean that you necessarily have to believe them. And
then you have to understand that sometimes those folks are
motivated by things that you would be very surprised by.
You know, have you ever heard the old adage politics
(28:40):
makes strange bedfellows? Right? And I will tell you that
the good thing about our politics here is you can
go and look at campaign donations for any of our
elected officials. Would challenge all of our people in Shelby
(29:02):
County to do that for each and every elected officials,
the ones that you don't like and the ones that
you like. Follow the money another old adage, right, you
would be surprised who is donating to who to sometimes
say stuff against them because it ramps up donations. So
(29:28):
instead of worrying about what's being said. Let's remember what works,
what science says works, what our experience says works. How
our grandmother or our aunt or our child is alive
today because of what works, and don't worry about all
the rest of the noise and chaos.
Speaker 10 (29:49):
Now, my second question pretty much you consident with the person,
because it was going to go into what happened to
weeks to note what our representative of Justin Hearsey said
about the health department. She pretty much answer that that first.
That first question the person two together the last final question.
You know, I drive, I drive eighteen Wilmerson. I'm all
throughout the cities and in different parts of Memphis, when
(30:11):
not Memphis, Missionsippi, Simpson, Arkansas. But I have been noticed
that on billboards there's a lot, even in Spanish, dealing
with HIV. Is that is that a major concern here
in I city because every time I turn around and
I see these billboards popping.
Speaker 4 (30:27):
Up, Yes, sir, so, actually that means those billboards are
doing their job. My special assistant is sitting right next
to me and she's smiling real big. We want you
to see those billboards. Unfortunately for us right now, Memphis
and Shelby County in the surrounding area is number two
(30:47):
in the nation for new HIV infections, and about a
year ago, we at the Shelby County Health Department really
started raising the alarm about the fact that not only
are we number two, but that we've seen a fifty
percent increase in new HIV infections among young people fifteen
(31:09):
to nineteen years old, and that just doesn't have to
be the case. I've talked about this on this program before,
about the fact that HIV is not the death sentence
that it was thirty years ago when I was leaving
to go to Howard University. There are so many tools
in our toolkit, not only to treat the people who
(31:29):
have HIV and allow them to have long, fruitful lives
without passing it to others, but we have tools in
our toolkit now where if you take a medicine once
a day and you happen to be exposed to HIV,
you won't get it so and it's called prep pre
exposure prophylaxis. So I think you seeing these billboards is
(31:53):
testament to we're getting the message out there.
Speaker 1 (31:56):
Now.
Speaker 4 (31:57):
I just need you to take the next step. We
started a program in Shelby County thanks to our Shelby
County Mayor Harris, that allows you to order a free
in home HIV test kit. You order it online and
we will send it to your house free of charge,
and you can get it discreetly and test yourself for
(32:19):
HIV and then there are instructions in the box for
what to do whether you're positive or negative. And we're
doing that because we know our community does not have
to be number two in new HIV infections nationally, but
it means we've got to know who has HIV and
who does it.
Speaker 10 (32:36):
It surprised me when you said Shelby County is number two.
I hate to think who's number one.
Speaker 1 (32:42):
It's Miami, Miami.
Speaker 10 (32:46):
Okay, well, I guess I hope your billboards are working.
And I hope that the people who are who you
said it from fifteen tonighteen, I hope they're getting the
message with any age racket. Yes, so that fact that
it's getting the methods. Yes, thank you, doctor Taylor. Really
appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (33:01):
Thank you always.
Speaker 10 (33:02):
A beautiful, bless and safe and healthy day.
Speaker 3 (33:04):
You two welcome bye bye w d I A Hi, Frank,
how are you?
Speaker 6 (33:12):
John?
Speaker 1 (33:13):
I'm doing well? Frank and yourself.
Speaker 6 (33:16):
Can you hear it?
Speaker 1 (33:17):
I hear you loud and clear.
Speaker 11 (33:18):
I'm doing well, doing well. Let me get straight to
the point, ma'am. You speak, you speak, and you don't speak,
but you speak and you and you use you very careful.
Speaker 12 (33:32):
I know where they'll come from. I was, I've been uh,
I've been working real hard. When when that HIV fifteen
years ago down south, I got the Health Department of
Jackson and and uh they.
Speaker 6 (33:52):
You know it was. It was really rapid going down
there and.
Speaker 12 (33:56):
Watching the count and we got together and the only
thing that could stop us to to air this is
something big.
Speaker 6 (34:05):
Had to come up. And something big came up. And
that's when that mosquito or when the musquit thing what
they call it. And after that, I ain't heard about
it yet. What that what that mosquito? When you get
uh the mosquito disease, well you're.
Speaker 4 (34:23):
Talking about West Nile.
Speaker 6 (34:25):
Yeah, dis came out and and we had to cancel it.
I've been fighting for that for so many years. But
like you say, that legislator, is uh, it's something serious.
I mean, they can many they do, and I know
for a fact I'm gonna I'm gonna close. They plant
(34:46):
down because it's it's not right. I know you can't
say it. And it's sad that the help department can't
even they got health departments down south. I'm not saying
them on gag or about the HIV and the hundred
are getting rape, most of them, it's fifteen thirteen are
being raped. That's how they're getting me. But it's on
(35:07):
a day order. Because leadership is too ma'am. If you people,
we in a very verios sick world with leadership, very
is sick. They don't care about nothing because they have
to wait. They come in, destroy what they need to destroy,
(35:28):
get back out the way. It's sad and sickness. It's
so sickness. But ma'am, it's gonna be a new day.
It's gonna be a new day if it's coming coming.
And what you're telling y'all, please go out, because if
it's say fifteen, and he's got thirty five, he's supposed
to have been dismissed, right thing, I don't care. You're not
(35:51):
gonna bring thirty five and you ain't gonna use it
what you're bringing it up. If you will bring fifteen,
that's all it should be so what that about me.
I'm not gonna proach it thirty five if I'm not
gonna use it. He ain't going away that kind of money.
And one of them, one call, is off the chain.
(36:11):
But at the same time, one of them would kill
mephis So if he got fifteen, I mean in thirty five,
I mean whatever. This young lady telling y'all to do
do it. She can't say nothing, and she's very careful
what she's saying. But she's saying. But I hate and
I pray for you, ma'am. I pray for you. I
(36:34):
pray for all the leadership that's got to sit there
and don't like it and wants to talk. That's why
I tell people, let the truth get out. It'll save
your life.
Speaker 1 (36:45):
That's right.
Speaker 6 (36:46):
Don't stop people from hearing the truth. It will save
your life.
Speaker 3 (36:51):
Thank you, Frank. You're right, Thank you, Frank. We appreciate you.
W you want to say something for her?
Speaker 4 (36:56):
I did. I appreciate Frank and his words. So the fifteen,
the fifteen natural gas turbines. Once again, if a permit
is issued, hear me very carefully. If a permit is issued,
then that gives the Shelby County Health Department the authority
(37:18):
to make sure that there are only fifteen operating, and
right now fifteen are operating. The other thing that I
would like to bring up is that the applicant XAI
has put on every control that we have required as
(37:40):
a health department in anticipation of this application being submitted,
every control that we and my team have gone out
and said this needs to go on here to reduce emissions.
They have done. They have complied.
Speaker 1 (37:58):
WDA, Dad, You're.
Speaker 8 (38:00):
Back, I think I am, Emma, Yes you are you back?
Speaker 1 (38:04):
David?
Speaker 8 (38:08):
Great Greg. I was over doing my nonprofit work this morning,
finishing up, and so I figured out what happened.
Speaker 6 (38:14):
But that's okay.
Speaker 8 (38:15):
I'm back in the house now because I finished up.
Speaker 6 (38:17):
Over there today.
Speaker 8 (38:19):
But how is my favorite Howard University graduate doing today?
Speaker 4 (38:24):
I'm doing wonderful. Thank you so much for pointing out
the best HBCU and the real HU. Thank you.
Speaker 3 (38:36):
See, David, you know what, David, I might have to
get on your side because she said the best.
Speaker 1 (38:43):
I don't know, d I love Oh.
Speaker 4 (38:48):
I forgot who I was in here with a second.
Speaker 1 (38:51):
And my bell cas. I'm not gonna forget Russ College
and d I love Jacks State University. Yeah, all, I.
Speaker 8 (38:59):
Got to say that that bites to me. Show is
good and it's less fatnous.
Speaker 4 (39:05):
I love it.
Speaker 8 (39:07):
But but let me say this. I like both of you.
I like you doctor Taylor. I feel comfortable that you
are leading the health department, and I like Justin Pearson.
What angers me somewhere. I'm a lot older than both
of you, and but what really upsets me is that
(39:30):
here's a man. They came in under cloaqu of darkness,
set it up, and the chain of commerce knew he
was here.
Speaker 10 (39:38):
They kept it away.
Speaker 8 (39:39):
From the people who make and by the way your presidence,
your presentation was exact, and I appreciate that I heard
every bit.
Speaker 6 (39:48):
Of it and I agree with it.
Speaker 8 (39:50):
The the idea that he comes into Cloqua darkness, damning
with a sheet on and the people the cham of
commerce know that he was coming and kept it away
from the people who we elected to make decisions for
us tells me that I should not trust him or
them at this point. And it also says to me,
(40:13):
based upon what we have seen the way that he
has conducted business in firing people claiming efficiency, and I've
worked in corporate America. I even know a young man
there's now a billionaire before he was a billionaire, and
I speak to him like I speak to anybody if
(40:36):
I saw him, or talk to him tomorrow, as I
stayed it before India. The point is is that there's
a way of doing things, and if you do and
if you start the relationship off beating me, I don't
expect for you to show me no love. And if
I think that's love, then there's something wrong with me.
So I hope that all those things are done. I've
(40:59):
never known owner of a business to claim efficiency and
just cutting jobs, because that may cause even more inefficiency
if it's not done right. I just hope that. And
what's most frustrating to me is that we have I'm
just gonna make it plain. We got black folks fighting
(41:20):
black folks now over a white boy who don't even
like black folks, and that angers me.
Speaker 3 (41:26):
As doctor Harper would say, David, preach, preach, brother.
Speaker 8 (41:33):
After all the sacrifices we're done, the pride that we
have in putting people in office and.
Speaker 6 (41:39):
Giving these positions.
Speaker 8 (41:40):
Helmuth somewhere laughing, laughing at the people who's lives that
he's distrawing from the federal government. Say, when I had
the trouble with our last year, and this is before him,
it took me four hours and the phone hung up.
Not they cutting people. I got resolved, but it took
(42:01):
a couple of months to get it resolved. Look, I understand,
doctor Taylor. I live close to a super fund. Yes, ma'am.
I live close to Basketquall and a super fund right
down the street from me. Take me about ten minutes
to get there. Talk to the EPA, talk to the
third guvern went to me all of that. I'm just
(42:21):
gonna pray for you. I'm gonna pray for brother Pearson
basically what he's gone through personally. And I hope that
that as a people, don't we don't put green before
black and think about the folks in that community that
may suffer from it. And lastly, I have never known
(42:42):
a company to put one hundred percent of equipment at backup.
I ain't never known him.
Speaker 5 (42:49):
To do that.
Speaker 8 (42:50):
They got fifteen, maybe they do half, maybe they do sixty,
Maybe they do a quarter for those machines that they
think may be anoperable or made for some reason, may
not be able to operate. But if he got fifteen
more there, he gonna use fifteen more. And if it
doesn't work, and no one's answering this question, the Chinese
has come up with a cheaper way X for AI.
(43:13):
You know, so what effect does that have on this project?
All these things and questions that doctor Taylor. I believe
in science. I'm a social science I'm an economics guy.
I believe in numbers two. And I know that the
medicine is not an exact science, but it's still some science.
(43:33):
So I would hope that cooler heads would prevail. I
understand the emotion involved in this whole thing. I've even
said on your show, bab and I'm closing out on
your show that I can't make. I can't make an
honest opinion of Elon Musk because I don't like him,
because I've known him way back in PayPal and I
know what kind of man he is, and he ain't
hiding it. Who takes a chainsaw to make a joke
(43:56):
out of destroying people's lives?
Speaker 1 (43:58):
Exactly exactly anyway, Doc.
Speaker 8 (44:01):
Taylor, even though you are how University of Graduate, I
still find a way to us.
Speaker 4 (44:06):
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 1 (44:09):
David Right and David.
Speaker 4 (44:12):
Made a good point, and I just want to circle
back to that. Okay, there are fifteen natural gas turbines
operating if a permit is issued by the Shelby County
Health Department. And let's say theoretically that we find that
fifteen more are operating. We can find them, we can
(44:35):
shut it down, we can do all of these things.
But the first step is getting that permit done.
Speaker 1 (44:42):
Okay, wd Ia, Hi.
Speaker 4 (44:45):
Caller, Hey, ma'am.
Speaker 2 (44:47):
How you doing this? As marriagigth Hey.
Speaker 1 (44:49):
Meredith, I'm doing well in yourself.
Speaker 2 (44:52):
FANKI fake doctor Taylor, Hello to you as well. Hello, wonderful,
thank you. Am I hearing that the Health Apartment doesn't
have authority unless a permit of giving. So are you
saying that a company can operate for three hundred and
sixty five days, how however long you said, without a permit,
(45:15):
and the Health Apartment cannot stop them because they don't
have apartment. That's one question.
Speaker 4 (45:22):
So that's the first question. Okay, So yes, in this case,
the fifteen natural gas turbines are considered a mobile source
of power, and because of that, the EPA, which is
the overarching federal agency that carries out the Clean Air Act,
(45:45):
and we asked the EPA this to make sure that
we knew what was going on. The EPA right now
has jurisdiction to give that exemption from a permit for
the Clean Air Act for three hundred and sixty four
days on day three sixty five.
Speaker 2 (46:05):
I'm sorry that okay?
Speaker 4 (46:07):
On day three sixty five, the local law picks up
and then we as a Shelby County Health Department, if
a permit is issued, has jurisdictions to regulate the fifteen
natural gas turbines, which is what the application is for.
They are applying ahead of day three sixty five knowing
(46:32):
that that day is coming and that they will have
to be permitted at that point according to the EPA
and what the guidelines are leading up to that. Does
that make sense?
Speaker 6 (46:45):
It does?
Speaker 2 (46:45):
So I'm assuming that their application maybe we're a very
inspiring and they're getting an extension. That's what it sounds like.
Speaker 4 (46:53):
Say it again, you broke up a little bit.
Speaker 6 (46:56):
Are they okay?
Speaker 2 (46:57):
Are they getting an extension for that? Because are they
the time up? Have they already been operating for a
three sixty five.
Speaker 6 (47:03):
Or three sixty four?
Speaker 4 (47:04):
They have not been operating for three sixty four yet,
but most industry that will be up. I cannot answer
that directly right now because I do not have that
data in front of me. But most industry, when they're
trying to get a permit from us, we'll ask for
the permit and do the application way ahead of whatever
(47:28):
deadline is coming where they must have a permit. That's
with construction permits, all kinds of permits that we give
at the Shelby County Health Department.
Speaker 2 (47:38):
Okay, second quick question is why is the meeting as
Fairly And I went to Fairly as well. I used
to love that school back in the day. But why
is the meeting only about the application? And y'all are
not asking questions about the dangers to the public.
Speaker 4 (47:52):
The meeting is at Fairly because we wanted to have
it someplace within the district that we're talking about. That's one.
And they have the capacity to have a large number
of people in their auditorium. When I was teaching a
Fairly that auditorium didn't exist. It exists now. Okay, that's
one second. The reason why we are not answering questions
(48:14):
is because this is a federally required public hearing to
record comments on the application. That's what this meeting is.
So you may know that the Commission did a resolution
asking for us formally to do a public hearing. We've
already had a public comment period that started back on
(48:38):
March thirty first and goes through April thirtieth, where people
can come to our location and submit a comment. They
can do it online, they can call on the phone.
We have all those methods. But part of the Clean
Air Act says that if somebody requests a public hearing
on the application, then we as a health department and
(49:01):
the regulator are bound to have the public hearing on
that application. So if you have the time to come
to the meeting on Friday evening, what you'll find is
we have copies of the application in the bag. We
will have a short introduction and then the rest of
the time is going to be to ensure that everyone
possible who would like to make a comment on this
(49:24):
application can do so, and we will have people recording
their comments to make sure that they can make a comment.
We'll have folks, will have computers that people can do
it on if they don't want to get in front
of the microphone, will have all kinds of means to
be able to collect those comments. One other thing about
the application. The reason we do it this way is
(49:46):
that every comment that pertains to this application gets attached
to the application. Every single comment gets attached to the application.
So that's why we're doing it.
Speaker 2 (50:00):
In final question, last and final question, because doctor Taylor,
when I tell you, I respect you more than all
our doors. However, Justin Pearson was on the show, I
literally called in and I took up for you until
he did say something.
Speaker 6 (50:14):
That I have to question about you.
Speaker 2 (50:16):
And I'm so glad you here today. So my last
and final question to you is when those turbines are in,
and they are now, if people start coming to the
Health Department with illnesses related to that counsel calling hooping
whatever you say, are you going to be transparent as
the leader of the health department? Are you going to
(50:38):
stand up for the people, be transparent that those turbines
are dangerous the health of miss of Tennessee.
Speaker 4 (50:46):
I appreciate your question. Let me explain to you what
I have always been transparent about. I have always been
transparent about the fact that the Shelby County Health Department's
mission and me as doctor Michelle Taylor. Our mission is
to promote, protect and improve health of all in Shelby County. Now,
(51:06):
with that said, we have been educating the public from
the beginning about the zoning laws, about the application. Right now,
the application is for fifteen turbines. But the other thing
to remember is that when you are monitoring air quality,
you're monitoring what we're calling minor sources, and it's not
(51:30):
called that. That's how it's defined in the law and
major sources of pollution, right. Minor sources are those that
pollute at a less than one hundred tons of pollution
per year, and major sources are those that pollute at
greater than one hundred tons per year. Right. And the
(51:52):
Clean Air Act is the thing that defines that, all right,
And so I've said this on the record, so I'll
say this on the radio.
Speaker 6 (52:01):
Two.
Speaker 4 (52:02):
The Clean Air Act is a federal law that allows
industry to pollute at a certain level and then if
they go above that level, then they can be fined
or shut down. We've done that as a Health department
before when people have exceeded the law. So when you
(52:25):
ask me if I'm going to pinpoint those turbines, it
really is not the best question. The best question is
are we going to no, no, are we going to
follow the law and do what's on the books while
also educating the public on how we get to a
(52:48):
point where we can pinpoint not only XAI, but the
other seventeen major sources of pollution that are around Xai.
That's the discussion that we have to start out.
Speaker 2 (53:04):
This tells me that Mephis Tennessee is in freaking trouble.
We are in trouble. I don't live there anymore, but
based on your answers, and I do understand why you
answering this way. And again as a doctor, I appreciate
you coming on the shelf to Beth and you give
us advice and helps and I'm going I tell you
again one of my favorites. But this situation right here
is being I mean, even the way you answer, it's
(53:27):
true swept under the rug and myphic tendency, and I
get what you're saying. It's not just Ai. You have
to combine everybody. But I'm asking you a specific question
because the concern is for these turbines and the gas
and the danger is going to bring to the air,
to a black neighborhood. We need black leaders to stand
up and say yes, if I find that people are
(53:48):
coming to the health department, and because you can pinpoint,
because you already know what the numbers are now, if
their numbers grow in the next three years after this
turbines have come in, we can here pointed pretty much
to that. We can say that. So I need somebody
to send them and say yes, Meredith, if I find
out that a group of a rational number of people
are coming down here with all these signats and the correlations,
(54:11):
what I think is, Dad, I'm gonna have a national
news calls and I'm gonna say this is the problem
right here.
Speaker 3 (54:18):
I mean, you know, I hear, and I'm going back
on the David's uh huh. And we need to get
on those folks who brought them in without.
Speaker 2 (54:28):
I mean, he said she she had authority along with
the maryor But I appreciate her coming.
Speaker 8 (54:33):
Y'all.
Speaker 2 (54:33):
Thank y'all so much for a number one with me.
Speaker 3 (54:37):
But you know, thank y'all by bye.
Speaker 4 (54:42):
But no, I understand people are upset, and people have
the right to be upset. And that's why I'm glad
that we are able to have a public meeting where
people can put their comments on the record. It couldn't
(55:02):
be more important. I talked about this earlier, but I'll
say it again. Anybody who understands civics, understands law, understand
how we try to do things at least here locally,
understand that we have to give the public the chance
(55:23):
to make comments on this. And a lot of people
are upset because they feel like they haven't had a chance.
Speaker 1 (55:30):
To do that.
Speaker 4 (55:31):
So I hope that at least for us as a
health department and as the regulator in this situation, meaning
that a regulator can't have opinion for or against. And
that's the other reason why she feels like I'm not
answering her question. It's because in this case, the Shelby
County Health Department is the regulator and we cannot show
(55:55):
bias in either direction. Doesn't matter what doctor Michelle Taylor
personally feels. I cannot tell you that on the radio.
I'm sorry, I wish I could, I cannot. But what
I can tell you is that we will do our
job according to the laws on the books, and we
(56:15):
are having a public meeting to make sure people can
have their comments recorded and heard.
Speaker 1 (56:24):
Sounds good before you leave.
Speaker 3 (56:26):
Anything else you want to hit before you get out
of here, Doctor Taylor and y'all. The public meeting, and
like I said, tomorrow will have Representative Peerson absolutely well,
he will be on tomorrow and I'm sure he'll talk,
so we'll talk with him as well.
Speaker 4 (56:41):
And that's a good thing. We want that because people
have the right to make their decision about who they
should be listening to what they should be listening to.
But what I'm going to tell you here and Representative
Pearson will tell you tomorrow too, we are having a
public meeting to take public comments on the fifteen gas
(57:03):
turbines that are operating at the XAI facility thirty two
thirty one Paul R. Lowry Road. The public meeting is
from five to seven pm tomorrow at Fairleigh High School,
forty nine fifty Fairly Road. I look forward to seeing
(57:24):
folks come out. And the only other thing I would say,
Miss Bev, is this, I am so proud of the
people of Memphis and Shelby County because I have not
seen this level of civic engagement in a long time.
(57:45):
I grew up here and so I know what it
looks like for folks to be engaged here, and for
the first time in a long time, I'm seeing people engaged,
asking the important questions, doing the work, showing up and
we need more of that. But what I would say
(58:07):
to everybody involved, and I'm going to ask this as
doctor Michelle Taylor, mom pediatrician, head of the health department, aunt, sister,
cousin all of these things right, I'll probably have some
family members in the audience tomorrow. What I would ask
(58:27):
is that we show the world that we know how
to have a public meeting without being a spectacle.
Speaker 1 (58:37):
Thank you.
Speaker 4 (58:38):
I would ask that, and I trust that our community
can do it. We can have a passionate conversation about
an issue while keeping it civil, and there is no
place for name calling in the window or anything else.
(58:59):
If you think something bad is going on, open an
investigation about it. If you think somebody's taking money, make
a complaint, have an investigation. You should do that. As
a citizen, you should. But I promise you, if you
follow that money, you're gonna get some answers that you
(59:22):
would be surprised by. So let's come out have a
great conversation tomorrow, a civil conversation, and make sure that
every comment that needs to go on the record, gets there,
gets there safely, and everybody gets to go home and
enjoy the rest of their Friday evening.
Speaker 3 (59:41):
Sounds good, Doctor Michelle Taylor, director of the Shelby County
Health Department, thank you for being your sister. Look forward
to the next time. Yes, ma'am, all right, sister, be
safe out there. Thank you, doctor Michelle Taylor. I appreciate you.
When we come back more, Chad, we'll tell you about
a program for black fathers next right here on w
(01:00:06):
d i A The Bev Johnson Show.
Speaker 5 (01:00:12):
Whether you're in Arkansas, Tennessee, or Mississippi, on Facebook, Twitter,
or Instagram, thank you for listening to The Bev Johnson
Show on w d i A Memphis.
Never the.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Working hard to bring you outa days now.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Saying welcome back to w d I A The Bev
(00:46):
Johnson Show.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
It is a pleasure to have this sister back in
the house.
Speaker 4 (00:51):
It's been a little while.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
But we got her back.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
Ladies and gentlemen, our director of the Shelby County Health Department,
Derek Michelle Taylor.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Good morning, doctor Taylor.
Speaker 4 (01:04):
Good morning, miss Bell.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
How are you.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
It's so good to be here.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
It's good to see you, sister man. You've been working.
What in the world is going on? Dr Taylor?
Speaker 4 (01:16):
Yes, ma'am, so I know you all are tired of
seeing me on the news.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
No, No, I like to see you because you keep
us informed of what's going on in this community health wise,
and we need to know that, Doctor Taylor. So I'm
never tired of seeing you because I need to know
what's going on.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Absolutely, because I got a lot of questions.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
Yes, ma'am, let's do it.
Speaker 5 (01:36):
You read it.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
First of all. Oh, my goodness, Doctor Taylor. This means
oles thing.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
Yes, yes, well, the good news is okay. We have
great vaccination rates here in Memphison, Shelby County, and because
of that, we have not seen the level of outbreaks
that they're seeing in places like Texas and other places
around the country. So I'm so proud as usual of
(02:03):
our population and what we know to do is right.
And part of that in protecting our health is getting vaccinated.
So we remain vigilant. It's the Chelby County Health Department
in watching out for new cases. But right now we're
in a really good place.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
We are.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Yes, so folks in Shelby County they are getting the vaccination.
The parents are getting their children the vaccination.
Speaker 4 (02:28):
Yes, ma'am. They are upwards of ninety three ninety four percent. Now,
this is what I will tell you though, Okay, for
especially your listeners who are a little bit more seasoned,
If you do not know your vaccination status, if you
don't know if you ever had a what we call
an MMR shot, a measles, mumps and rubella shot. If
you don't know that and you don't have a record
(02:51):
of it, it may be a good idea after talking
to your provider, just go on and get it, get
yourself a booster, and be done with it. On and again,
you know that you protected and that you're protecting your
loved ones in the community.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
So doctor Taylor, what happens or if you get the measles?
Speaker 3 (03:11):
I mean it is a danger to us because I
know as a growing up a child, I had all
all of the shots, right, but I think I had
the measles.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
The chicken pops ahead.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
Them everything everything right?
Speaker 3 (03:23):
No?
Speaker 6 (03:23):
Right?
Speaker 4 (03:23):
Yeah? Well you know what it usually starts off is
fever and cough. Okay, see, really you don't see the
rash at first, and a lot of people think, especially
when they have some type of illness that has a
rash associated, they think the only way they can get
it is if they rub up against somebody with a rash.
But really, measles is airborne, and so it starts with
(03:46):
a fever and cough, and the rash usually doesn't start
until about day four or five of your symptoms. And
sometimes people don't even have symptoms. Right, it can be
spreading measles. The thing about measles to unders stand is
that it is highly contagious, right you heard that during
the COVID period. Yes, measles is way more contagious than
(04:09):
cod than COVID. So to point that, let's say you
had a room full of one hundred people who had
not been vaccinated against measles. Right, one hundred people, nobody
has had a vaccination, and a person with measles walks
into the room with those hundred people, it is so
(04:32):
contagious that ninety of them will get measles. Wow, that's
how contagious it is. And once everybody leaves the room,
the room is still contagious for two hours after that
infected person leaves. So that lets you know how contagious
measles is. So once again, if you don't know your status,
(04:56):
go on and get the booster, and of course talk
to your provider first, make sure it's good. But go
on and get the booster.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Is it is it worst, doctor Taylor?
Speaker 3 (05:05):
In children or adults, and especially you said with seasoned
in these senior citizens.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
It can be. And then there are some serious outcomes
that can come of it. If you have a really
bad case, some brain issues that you can have. It
can cause all kinds of problems.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
But we've hearing doctor taylorright, some people that children have.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
Died, absolutely, and so it can be fatal. And remember
that the measles shot, children can't even get it until
twelve to fifteen months. That's the first shot. Okay, right,
Remember you took your kids in. You get all those
shots mmr. The first one isn't until twelve to fifteen months.
(05:45):
They get the second one before they go to kindergarten,
between four and six years of age. And so really
it's children that we worry about the most because they
have no defenses against it in that first year, and
so we depend those children depend on the rest of
us being vaccinated and protected so that we don't bring
(06:09):
measles to them.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
So you all heard doctor Taylor. If you have not
gotten a shot, or you don't know your status, you.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Can come to the health department.
Speaker 4 (06:21):
Yes, ma'am. Okay, yes, ma'am. You can come to the
health department and get your shot and go on about
your business and about your day, or go to your provider,
or go to CVS, or go to Walgreens, call first
see if they have it. Yeah, I know the health
department has it.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
Okay, good.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
So I want to ask you that because we've been
hearing about the measles and then I'm not gonna even
say that, Yes I am, I'm gonna say it because
you know this new person we have Secretary of Health.
I know that's another topic, but I said, I can't
wait to ask doctor Taylor about you.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
She's encouraging you to get the shot.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Yes, please, okay, please, Now, So we're good in Shelby County.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
Yes, we're good. We're good.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
Any other those childhood diseases we need to worry about,
the the momps, the measles, any of that.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Are we all good with that?
Speaker 7 (07:15):
Well?
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Nationally we are seeing a rise in whooping cough too.
What is it, right, right, stuff that your grandmother used to.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
Talk about, right, exactly?
Speaker 4 (07:26):
Once again, you can be vaccinated against that, right. And
so a lot of people who have been pregnant in
the last especially ten years, know that your provider asked,
are do you have you had the tea ed app
which is tetanus protessis diptheria, right, And if you haven't
had it, I'm going to give it to you, pregnant lady,
And if any of the adults in your family haven't
(07:48):
had it, go on and get it right, okay, so
that you're not bringing whooping cough to your baby, right, right?
And so we've seen that rise nationally as well. And
so really I actually have seen a child with whooping cough,
believe it or not. When I was training to be
a pediatrician. I was up in Appalachia because I went
(08:10):
to med school at East Tennessee State. But let me
tell you, it's nothing pretty when they say when they
say that it's called whooping cough, there's a reason why
people named it, that it's caused by protussis. But when
a baby coughs with whooping cough, it's like a cough
that you can't believe. It's almost like hearing I hate
(08:31):
to say this, but almost like hearing a pop pop
pop pop pop, because the baby cannot stop coughing. And
then at the end of that they whoop because they're
trying to catch their breath, so it sounds like a
whoop when they take that big, deep breath after this
coughing fit. And so really you're trying to support the
(08:51):
baby by giving them oxygen so that when they do
have the coughing fit, that they don't stop breathing. Okay,
So once again, get vaccinated and then we don't have
to worry about these.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
We don't have to worry about Okay, good good. You
know I always have to ask you how we doing
with COVID. We know COVID is still.
Speaker 7 (09:12):
A you have to ask about that, because because as
we said earlier in the years, COVID is going to
be like the flu, It is going to be with us.
Speaker 4 (09:24):
Yes, so we are actually doing pretty well with COVID.
All the numbers are down, mainly because it's getting warmer outside.
We're not stuck in the house. We're going out. We're
having a good time. But remember, stay home if you're sick,
don't go to work, don't go to the concert, right right,
stay home so that you're not spreading illnesses to other people.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
Right.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
If your children are sick, don't send them to school, right,
let them stay home, get better than send them back.
I promise you the teachers will send them their work.
And it's the end of the school year anyway, right, right, right,
So it's not a lot more work that's going to
happen there in tacap right now. I know because I
got one test in the day, right, and then after
that they're on the glide path to the end of
(10:09):
the school year.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
So, and also, doctor Taylor still get those shots for
the COVID.
Speaker 4 (10:16):
That's right, that's right. We're still giving COVID boosters. That's
still something that you can do to protect yourself. And
you know, I know that you all hear a lot
on social media, a lot on TV. People get confused
about what messages they should listen to. Let me explain
something to you. This is established science that vaccinations save lives,
(10:42):
whether it's COVID or for potesters, or for measles, or
for so many other things. And if we know that
as a community, and we've seen that born out in
the people that we love, knowing that they're vaccinated, why
would we stop doing that?
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (10:57):
Yeah, yeah, So it's still around, y'all. It's still around now.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
Yeah. I know you've been.
Speaker 3 (11:08):
Talking to the County Commission and folks, and well.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
I guess, I guess ask the question, doctor Taylor.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
You know our pollution and you're concerned about air pollution
and all that in our city, right, And I know
everybody is up in arms with the AI and AX
and all that stuff, and it is a big mess.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
It's a big mess.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
And as a matter of fact, I'm going to have
state Representative Justin Pearson will be on Friday to you know,
to talk about that, I know, a meeting. But how
we look in our air and all that water and
we're good here in Memphis.
Speaker 4 (11:48):
Well, you know what, let me let me get I.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Know, I know I have to ask you though now.
Speaker 4 (11:53):
I want you to ask me. And I know that
people have uh they want to know what to listen to.
They want to know that they are being informed. They
want to know that through all the noise, what is
(12:14):
true and right. Okay. So I'm here to tell you that,
at least from the Shelby County Health Department point of view,
we have a job to do as regulators, okay. And
I'm not going to get into all the politics of this,
(12:37):
right because really we have a job to do as
a regulator. The Shelby County Health Department, in our Environmental
Health team, has worked very hard to monitor air quality
in our community for years according to a federal law
called the Clean Air Act. Okay, And what that means
(13:01):
is is that we are charged with carrying out the
rules and regulations of the Clean Air Act. The other
thing that we're charged with doing is carrying out the
local and state ordinances that surround monitoring our air. That's
what we are charged with. So before we get into
(13:24):
the specifics of that, let me explain to you what
we are not charged with no matter how much name
calling happens, no matter how much yelling happens, no matter
how much incivility happens. You can mail out every letter
that you want to saying that people are doing things
(13:45):
that they shouldn't be doing and filling people's heads with
all kinds of things that may or may not be true.
But this is what's true. Shelby count of Health Department
will continue to do its job in the best way
possible given the laws on the books. What's true is
(14:07):
that there are fifteen natural gas turbines that are operating
at the XAI site at thirty two thirty one Paul R.
Lowry Road. That is true. What's also true is that
XAI has submitted an air permit to be able to
(14:30):
operate those fifteen turbines that they have been able to
operate for almost three hundred and sixty five days without
a permit, according to the Environmental Protection Agency the EPA. Okay, Now,
what people need to understand is that if a permit
(14:52):
is issued, then the Shelby County Health Department will have
the authority to go on XAI property. And if we
find that more than fifteen turbines are operating we can
shut it down. That's the purpose of an application process
(15:14):
led by federal, state, and local laws to make sure
that we have jurisdiction in the area. Now, what's also true,
and these are things this Shelby County Health Department does
not have to control over. Okay, we do not control
our current zoning laws. We do not control what our legislators, local, state,
(15:44):
and federal decide should be the laws we don't control.
We don't control what they decide to do when they
are crafting the laws. But what we do control of
the Shelby County Health Department is the ability to inform
(16:08):
the public on what they should know and how they
should be moving in regards to the current laws on
the books. So I like to give a couple of examples.
Should we have time, I know because I don't want to.
I don't want to go over the advertising areas.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
Okay, can you hold that thought you want to get well?
Speaker 1 (16:28):
Hold that thought.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
We are talking to the director of the Shelby County
Health Department, doctor Michelle Taylor. We will also open up
our lines if you have a question or two for her.
Nine zero one five three five nine three four two
eight hundred five zero three nine three four two eight
(16:50):
three three five three five nine three four two will
get you.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
In to us.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
You're listening to double you D I A the Bath
just show.
Speaker 5 (17:17):
Got something to say? Say it? Next with Tennessee Radio
Hall of Famer Bev Johnson on w D, I am
(17:39):
you did a s Paine?
Speaker 1 (17:42):
You?
Speaker 3 (17:48):
I mean, I'm telling him everyone it's Bath got talking yo.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
I'm talking with the director of the Shelby County Health Department,
doctor Michelle Taylor. Doctor Taylor, continue and we'll go to
our phone lines.
Speaker 4 (18:13):
Absolutely. So, I was going to give you a couple
of examples rays to think about what the health Department's
role is in this XAI business. And I'll also say
that at the end, I'll talk about the public meeting
that we're having.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
OKR, Okay, So a couple of examples.
Speaker 4 (18:31):
We all, well, maybe not all, many of us have
gotten us beating ticket. Right. So when the police officer
stops you because you're doing you know, maybe eighty in
a fifty five on two forty. That's not me, but
some of you all do that. Right, police officer stops you,
(18:52):
walks up to your car, gives you a ticket that
same police officer is not the one who wrote the
regulation for you to know that you were not supposed
to be doing eighty and a fifty five, right, mm hm.
Think of Shelby County Health Department in this situation as
the regulator, as the enforcer of the law, laws that
(19:15):
pertain to our air quality. That's one. And then for
this specific situation, think of Shelby County Health Department as
your best friend. Right. Just imagine with me, so we
all know that we have good friends who have gotten
into relationships that may not be the best for them.
(19:36):
And as your best friend, we're gonna let you do
what you do, right. We may even track you on
your phone. We know when you go over there. We
don't say anything because you're happy you want to be
in that relationship. But then when the relationship's ours, Shelby
County Health Department, that best friend is there for you
(19:58):
to come back to tell what has happened. And then
Shelby County Health Department may have to take it to
the clinic if you got something that you didn't want
to get, will give you advice on how not to
get into the same type of relationship, and then you
can decide whether you want to take that advice or
not to be healthier. Right m H. We're in that
(20:23):
supportive regulatory role, right and really we are right now
in the middle of a battle that really for us
as regulators, we have nothing to do with. We're going
to follow the law. We're going to do our jobs.
(20:46):
I could not be prouder of the professionals that I
work with because at every step of the way, they
have done what they're supposed to do according to the
laws on the books. Now, I'll be the first to
tell you you, just as a result of what we've
been going through with this, that I would agree that
(21:08):
our laws are insufficient for this per certain moment, right,
But that doesn't mean they can't be changed. Here's the issue.
They can't be changed by the Shelby County Health Department.
We have to deal with what's on the books. So
I am hoping that as many people who want to
(21:29):
have their voices heard come out tomorrow. Fairleigh High School
I used to teach it fairly. I have several family
members who graduated from there, included my mother. Class of
nineteen seventy three come out to fairly forty nine to fifty,
fairly road and voice your concerns. We're going to be
(21:52):
taking public comments based on the XAI application to operate
FILS fifteen natural gas turbines. That's what we will be
taking public comments on now. Of course, we're going to
record all of your comments if you choose to come,
but I'm telling you that this meeting is based on
(22:15):
that application.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
Okay, and what time is the meeting again?
Speaker 4 (22:20):
Five to seven pm?
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Five to seven sounds good?
Speaker 3 (22:23):
Yes, ma'am going to our phone lines, doctor Taylor to
talk to some of our listeners.
Speaker 8 (22:28):
Hi, Christopher, good morning, doctor Taylor.
Speaker 9 (22:33):
How are you fin? How are you great? I have
caught i'd say about the one quarterway through the program.
But I'd like to know, as a citizens of this community,
what what are some questions that we need to be asking.
What are some of the hard questions if you can
(22:54):
give just a couple to give some people some kind
of god lines as the things we should be concerned
about when we go to the meeting, so we can
have the put everything out there that we need to
know that we should we should be concerned about.
Speaker 4 (23:13):
Absolutely. Thank you for that question, Christopher. So a couple
of questions that you should be asking First, are they
operating fifteen natural gas turbines? Answer is yes. And let
me explain, this meeting is not a question and answer session.
This is to get your comments out. So I will
(23:34):
tell this to the people in the meeting tomorrow, but
i'll tell this to the listeners now. We're not going
to be doing a lot of talking at this meeting.
As a Shelby County Health Department, we are there to
listen to the people in their comments. That's what we're
there for. We need to record all of these comments.
The comments that pertain to the application will be attached
(23:56):
to the application. Other questions ask, as you try to
cut through the noise, ask what are the laws on
the books currently right now? Because of the way we
zone in Shelby County, they are not operating on land
(24:20):
that they're not allowed to operate on. The land is
zoned industrial. The unfortunate thing, and I talked about this
in front of Commission last month, is that we still
use a nineteen fifty three zoning map to make zoning
decisions in Shelby County to this day. And we will
(24:43):
have representations of those maps at the meeting for people
to look at. And those maps are very much like
the nineteen thirties redlining maps that we know have existed
back in the day. So those are important questions to
ask or to comment on to make sure that your
(25:09):
voice is heard in this conversation.
Speaker 9 (25:14):
Okay, Christopher, Yes, Sam understood. That absolutely answers my question.
It seems like we've got more problems ahead of us
that are allowing things like this to happen, you know,
loopholes that allow things like this to happen. So we've
got some bigger fish to fry before we can even
get to the root problem of you know, of what
(25:35):
we got going.
Speaker 3 (25:37):
Yeah, yeah, thank you Christopher listening and calling in.
Speaker 9 (25:41):
Yes, Sam, thank you, enjoyed the show.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
Thank you bye bye.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
W D I A Hi David, Hi David. We can't
hear you, David. Nope, you're breaking up, David. You may
(26:06):
have to call me back, David.
Speaker 8 (26:08):
I do that back then.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
Oh, okay, you're gonna call me back. Man, Well, keep talking,
I hear you now, come on.
Speaker 8 (26:17):
Hey, great, Okay, okay, you're still my favorite.
Speaker 3 (26:23):
You still kind of break You're still kind of breaking up, David.
I call you back, Okay, call me back. Yeah, w
D I A high caller.
Speaker 10 (26:32):
Hey, Beth, how you doing today?
Speaker 3 (26:34):
Hey, Princess of Charles, thank you, thank you very much.
Speaker 10 (26:38):
Good up to uh, good afternoon to your guest. How
are you doing, doctor Taylor?
Speaker 4 (26:42):
I'm wonderful. How are you?
Speaker 10 (26:44):
I'm on a talk chef. Thank you for asking, and
benthis always good afternoon for you and your college the lessons,
Doctor Taylor. I have three questions I would like to
ask you very quickly. Yes, sir, we got a numb
nun as the director in the medical fill who has
no medical background, and I'm talking about Robert F. Kennedy.
He has been promoting this theory about people shouldn't get shot,
(27:08):
but this, that and the other. What is your take
on that? That's the question number one?
Speaker 4 (27:15):
Okay, So you want me to answer him one at
a time, okay. So what I will say is this,
I'm not going to comment on him, because I think
it's important that we get back to civil conversation when
it comes to how we want to conduct ourselves in
(27:36):
especially government business and political business. Right, and then all
of it is kind of mixed in together. What I
will say is this, at least here in Shelby County,
I am so confident in people here to understand how
to read between the lines. Okay, so even if somebody
(27:59):
is telling you something different than you've ever heard, if
you go back to your experience of what has worked
and what has kept people healthy, then you'll understand that
even if somebody is on a microphone or on a
camera or doing all kinds of talking that doesn't make
(28:20):
sense because it doesn't match with what your experience is
doesn't mean that you necessarily have to believe them. And
then you have to understand that sometimes those folks are
motivated by things that you would be very surprised by.
You know, have you ever heard the old adage politics
(28:40):
makes strange bedfellows? Right? And I will tell you that
the good thing about our politics here is you can
go and look at campaign donations for any of our
elected officials. Would challenge all of our people in Shelby
(29:02):
County to do that for each and every elected officials,
the ones that you don't like and the ones that
you like. Follow the money another old adage, right, you
would be surprised who is donating to who to sometimes
say stuff against them because it ramps up donations. So
(29:28):
instead of worrying about what's being said. Let's remember what works,
what science says works, what our experience says works. How
our grandmother or our aunt or our child is alive
today because of what works, and don't worry about all
the rest of the noise and chaos.
Speaker 10 (29:49):
Now, my second question pretty much you consident with the person,
because it was going to go into what happened to
weeks to note what our representative of Justin Hearsey said
about the health department. She pretty much answer that that first.
That first question the person two together the last final question.
You know, I drive, I drive eighteen Wilmerson. I'm all
throughout the cities and in different parts of Memphis, when
(30:11):
not Memphis, Missionsippi, Simpson, Arkansas. But I have been noticed
that on billboards there's a lot, even in Spanish, dealing
with HIV. Is that is that a major concern here
in I city because every time I turn around and
I see these billboards popping.
Speaker 4 (30:27):
Up, Yes, sir, so, actually that means those billboards are
doing their job. My special assistant is sitting right next
to me and she's smiling real big. We want you
to see those billboards. Unfortunately for us right now, Memphis
and Shelby County in the surrounding area is number two
(30:47):
in the nation for new HIV infections, and about a
year ago, we at the Shelby County Health Department really
started raising the alarm about the fact that not only
are we number two, but that we've seen a fifty
percent increase in new HIV infections among young people fifteen
(31:09):
to nineteen years old, and that just doesn't have to
be the case. I've talked about this on this program before,
about the fact that HIV is not the death sentence
that it was thirty years ago when I was leaving
to go to Howard University. There are so many tools
in our toolkit, not only to treat the people who
(31:29):
have HIV and allow them to have long, fruitful lives
without passing it to others, but we have tools in
our toolkit now where if you take a medicine once
a day and you happen to be exposed to HIV,
you won't get it so and it's called prep pre
exposure prophylaxis. So I think you seeing these billboards is
(31:53):
testament to we're getting the message out there.
Speaker 1 (31:56):
Now.
Speaker 4 (31:57):
I just need you to take the next step. We
started a program in Shelby County thanks to our Shelby
County Mayor Harris, that allows you to order a free
in home HIV test kit. You order it online and
we will send it to your house free of charge,
and you can get it discreetly and test yourself for
(32:19):
HIV and then there are instructions in the box for
what to do whether you're positive or negative. And we're
doing that because we know our community does not have
to be number two in new HIV infections nationally, but
it means we've got to know who has HIV and
who does it.
Speaker 10 (32:36):
It surprised me when you said Shelby County is number two.
I hate to think who's number one.
Speaker 1 (32:42):
It's Miami, Miami.
Speaker 10 (32:46):
Okay, well, I guess I hope your billboards are working.
And I hope that the people who are who you
said it from fifteen tonighteen, I hope they're getting the
message with any age racket. Yes, so that fact that
it's getting the methods. Yes, thank you, doctor Taylor. Really
appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (33:01):
Thank you always.
Speaker 10 (33:02):
A beautiful, bless and safe and healthy day.
Speaker 3 (33:04):
You two welcome bye bye w d I A Hi, Frank,
how are you?
Speaker 6 (33:12):
John?
Speaker 1 (33:13):
I'm doing well? Frank and yourself.
Speaker 6 (33:16):
Can you hear it?
Speaker 1 (33:17):
I hear you loud and clear.
Speaker 11 (33:18):
I'm doing well, doing well. Let me get straight to
the point, ma'am. You speak, you speak, and you don't speak,
but you speak and you and you use you very careful.
Speaker 12 (33:32):
I know where they'll come from. I was, I've been uh,
I've been working real hard. When when that HIV fifteen
years ago down south, I got the Health Department of
Jackson and and uh they.
Speaker 6 (33:52):
You know it was. It was really rapid going down
there and.
Speaker 12 (33:56):
Watching the count and we got together and the only
thing that could stop us to to air this is
something big.
Speaker 6 (34:05):
Had to come up. And something big came up. And
that's when that mosquito or when the musquit thing what
they call it. And after that, I ain't heard about
it yet. What that what that mosquito? When you get
uh the mosquito disease, well you're.
Speaker 4 (34:23):
Talking about West Nile.
Speaker 6 (34:25):
Yeah, dis came out and and we had to cancel it.
I've been fighting for that for so many years. But
like you say, that legislator, is uh, it's something serious.
I mean, they can many they do, and I know
for a fact I'm gonna I'm gonna close. They plant
(34:46):
down because it's it's not right. I know you can't
say it. And it's sad that the help department can't
even they got health departments down south. I'm not saying
them on gag or about the HIV and the hundred
are getting rape, most of them, it's fifteen thirteen are
being raped. That's how they're getting me. But it's on
(35:07):
a day order. Because leadership is too ma'am. If you people,
we in a very verios sick world with leadership, very
is sick. They don't care about nothing because they have
to wait. They come in, destroy what they need to destroy,
(35:28):
get back out the way. It's sad and sickness. It's
so sickness. But ma'am, it's gonna be a new day.
It's gonna be a new day if it's coming coming.
And what you're telling y'all, please go out, because if
it's say fifteen, and he's got thirty five, he's supposed
to have been dismissed, right thing, I don't care. You're not
(35:51):
gonna bring thirty five and you ain't gonna use it
what you're bringing it up. If you will bring fifteen,
that's all it should be so what that about me.
I'm not gonna proach it thirty five if I'm not
gonna use it. He ain't going away that kind of money.
And one of them, one call, is off the chain.
(36:11):
But at the same time, one of them would kill
mephis So if he got fifteen, I mean in thirty five,
I mean whatever. This young lady telling y'all to do
do it. She can't say nothing, and she's very careful
what she's saying. But she's saying. But I hate and
I pray for you, ma'am. I pray for you. I
(36:34):
pray for all the leadership that's got to sit there
and don't like it and wants to talk. That's why
I tell people, let the truth get out. It'll save
your life.
Speaker 1 (36:45):
That's right.
Speaker 6 (36:46):
Don't stop people from hearing the truth. It will save
your life.
Speaker 3 (36:51):
Thank you, Frank. You're right, Thank you, Frank. We appreciate you.
W you want to say something for her?
Speaker 4 (36:56):
I did. I appreciate Frank and his words. So the fifteen,
the fifteen natural gas turbines. Once again, if a permit
is issued, hear me very carefully. If a permit is issued,
then that gives the Shelby County Health Department the authority
(37:18):
to make sure that there are only fifteen operating, and
right now fifteen are operating. The other thing that I
would like to bring up is that the applicant XAI
has put on every control that we have required as
(37:40):
a health department in anticipation of this application being submitted,
every control that we and my team have gone out
and said this needs to go on here to reduce emissions.
They have done. They have complied.
Speaker 1 (37:58):
WDA, Dad, You're.
Speaker 8 (38:00):
Back, I think I am, Emma, Yes you are you back?
Speaker 1 (38:04):
David?
Speaker 8 (38:08):
Great Greg. I was over doing my nonprofit work this morning,
finishing up, and so I figured out what happened.
Speaker 6 (38:14):
But that's okay.
Speaker 8 (38:15):
I'm back in the house now because I finished up.
Speaker 6 (38:17):
Over there today.
Speaker 8 (38:19):
But how is my favorite Howard University graduate doing today?
Speaker 4 (38:24):
I'm doing wonderful. Thank you so much for pointing out
the best HBCU and the real HU. Thank you.
Speaker 3 (38:36):
See, David, you know what, David, I might have to
get on your side because she said the best.
Speaker 1 (38:43):
I don't know, d I love Oh.
Speaker 4 (38:48):
I forgot who I was in here with a second.
Speaker 1 (38:51):
And my bell cas. I'm not gonna forget Russ College
and d I love Jacks State University. Yeah, all, I.
Speaker 8 (38:59):
Got to say that that bites to me. Show is
good and it's less fatnous.
Speaker 4 (39:05):
I love it.
Speaker 8 (39:07):
But but let me say this. I like both of you.
I like you doctor Taylor. I feel comfortable that you
are leading the health department, and I like Justin Pearson.
What angers me somewhere. I'm a lot older than both
of you, and but what really upsets me is that
(39:30):
here's a man. They came in under cloaqu of darkness,
set it up, and the chain of commerce knew he
was here.
Speaker 10 (39:38):
They kept it away.
Speaker 8 (39:39):
From the people who make and by the way your presidence,
your presentation was exact, and I appreciate that I heard
every bit.
Speaker 6 (39:48):
Of it and I agree with it.
Speaker 8 (39:50):
The the idea that he comes into Cloqua darkness, damning
with a sheet on and the people the cham of
commerce know that he was coming and kept it away
from the people who we elected to make decisions for
us tells me that I should not trust him or
them at this point. And it also says to me,
(40:13):
based upon what we have seen the way that he
has conducted business in firing people claiming efficiency, and I've
worked in corporate America. I even know a young man
there's now a billionaire before he was a billionaire, and
I speak to him like I speak to anybody if
(40:36):
I saw him, or talk to him tomorrow, as I
stayed it before India. The point is is that there's
a way of doing things, and if you do and
if you start the relationship off beating me, I don't
expect for you to show me no love. And if
I think that's love, then there's something wrong with me.
So I hope that all those things are done. I've
(40:59):
never known owner of a business to claim efficiency and
just cutting jobs, because that may cause even more inefficiency
if it's not done right. I just hope that. And
what's most frustrating to me is that we have I'm
just gonna make it plain. We got black folks fighting
(41:20):
black folks now over a white boy who don't even
like black folks, and that angers me.
Speaker 3 (41:26):
As doctor Harper would say, David, preach, preach, brother.
Speaker 8 (41:33):
After all the sacrifices we're done, the pride that we
have in putting people in office and.
Speaker 6 (41:39):
Giving these positions.
Speaker 8 (41:40):
Helmuth somewhere laughing, laughing at the people who's lives that
he's distrawing from the federal government. Say, when I had
the trouble with our last year, and this is before him,
it took me four hours and the phone hung up.
Not they cutting people. I got resolved, but it took
(42:01):
a couple of months to get it resolved. Look, I understand,
doctor Taylor. I live close to a super fund. Yes, ma'am.
I live close to Basketquall and a super fund right
down the street from me. Take me about ten minutes
to get there. Talk to the EPA, talk to the
third guvern went to me all of that. I'm just
(42:21):
gonna pray for you. I'm gonna pray for brother Pearson
basically what he's gone through personally. And I hope that
that as a people, don't we don't put green before
black and think about the folks in that community that
may suffer from it. And lastly, I have never known
(42:42):
a company to put one hundred percent of equipment at backup.
I ain't never known him.
Speaker 5 (42:49):
To do that.
Speaker 8 (42:50):
They got fifteen, maybe they do half, maybe they do sixty,
Maybe they do a quarter for those machines that they
think may be anoperable or made for some reason, may
not be able to operate. But if he got fifteen
more there, he gonna use fifteen more. And if it
doesn't work, and no one's answering this question, the Chinese
has come up with a cheaper way X for AI.
(43:13):
You know, so what effect does that have on this project?
All these things and questions that doctor Taylor. I believe
in science. I'm a social science I'm an economics guy.
I believe in numbers two. And I know that the
medicine is not an exact science, but it's still some science.
(43:33):
So I would hope that cooler heads would prevail. I
understand the emotion involved in this whole thing. I've even
said on your show, bab and I'm closing out on
your show that I can't make. I can't make an
honest opinion of Elon Musk because I don't like him,
because I've known him way back in PayPal and I
know what kind of man he is, and he ain't
hiding it. Who takes a chainsaw to make a joke
(43:56):
out of destroying people's lives?
Speaker 1 (43:58):
Exactly exactly anyway, Doc.
Speaker 8 (44:01):
Taylor, even though you are how University of Graduate, I
still find a way to us.
Speaker 4 (44:06):
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 1 (44:09):
David Right and David.
Speaker 4 (44:12):
Made a good point, and I just want to circle
back to that. Okay, there are fifteen natural gas turbines
operating if a permit is issued by the Shelby County
Health Department. And let's say theoretically that we find that
fifteen more are operating. We can find them, we can
(44:35):
shut it down, we can do all of these things.
But the first step is getting that permit done.
Speaker 1 (44:42):
Okay, wd Ia, Hi.
Speaker 4 (44:45):
Caller, Hey, ma'am.
Speaker 2 (44:47):
How you doing this? As marriagigth Hey.
Speaker 1 (44:49):
Meredith, I'm doing well in yourself.
Speaker 2 (44:52):
FANKI fake doctor Taylor, Hello to you as well. Hello, wonderful,
thank you. Am I hearing that the Health Apartment doesn't
have authority unless a permit of giving. So are you
saying that a company can operate for three hundred and
sixty five days, how however long you said, without a permit,
(45:15):
and the Health Apartment cannot stop them because they don't
have apartment. That's one question.
Speaker 4 (45:22):
So that's the first question. Okay, So yes, in this case,
the fifteen natural gas turbines are considered a mobile source
of power, and because of that, the EPA, which is
the overarching federal agency that carries out the Clean Air Act,
(45:45):
and we asked the EPA this to make sure that
we knew what was going on. The EPA right now
has jurisdiction to give that exemption from a permit for
the Clean Air Act for three hundred and sixty four
days on day three sixty five.
Speaker 2 (46:05):
I'm sorry that okay?
Speaker 4 (46:07):
On day three sixty five, the local law picks up
and then we as a Shelby County Health Department, if
a permit is issued, has jurisdictions to regulate the fifteen
natural gas turbines, which is what the application is for.
They are applying ahead of day three sixty five knowing
(46:32):
that that day is coming and that they will have
to be permitted at that point according to the EPA
and what the guidelines are leading up to that. Does
that make sense?
Speaker 6 (46:45):
It does?
Speaker 2 (46:45):
So I'm assuming that their application maybe we're a very
inspiring and they're getting an extension. That's what it sounds like.
Speaker 4 (46:53):
Say it again, you broke up a little bit.
Speaker 6 (46:56):
Are they okay?
Speaker 2 (46:57):
Are they getting an extension for that? Because are they
the time up? Have they already been operating for a
three sixty five.
Speaker 6 (47:03):
Or three sixty four?
Speaker 4 (47:04):
They have not been operating for three sixty four yet,
but most industry that will be up. I cannot answer
that directly right now because I do not have that
data in front of me. But most industry, when they're
trying to get a permit from us, we'll ask for
the permit and do the application way ahead of whatever
(47:28):
deadline is coming where they must have a permit. That's
with construction permits, all kinds of permits that we give
at the Shelby County Health Department.
Speaker 2 (47:38):
Okay, second quick question is why is the meeting as
Fairly And I went to Fairly as well. I used
to love that school back in the day. But why
is the meeting only about the application? And y'all are
not asking questions about the dangers to the public.
Speaker 4 (47:52):
The meeting is at Fairly because we wanted to have
it someplace within the district that we're talking about. That's one.
And they have the capacity to have a large number
of people in their auditorium. When I was teaching a
Fairly that auditorium didn't exist. It exists now. Okay, that's
one second. The reason why we are not answering questions
(48:14):
is because this is a federally required public hearing to
record comments on the application. That's what this meeting is.
So you may know that the Commission did a resolution
asking for us formally to do a public hearing. We've
already had a public comment period that started back on
(48:38):
March thirty first and goes through April thirtieth, where people
can come to our location and submit a comment. They
can do it online, they can call on the phone.
We have all those methods. But part of the Clean
Air Act says that if somebody requests a public hearing
on the application, then we as a health department and
(49:01):
the regulator are bound to have the public hearing on
that application. So if you have the time to come
to the meeting on Friday evening, what you'll find is
we have copies of the application in the bag. We
will have a short introduction and then the rest of
the time is going to be to ensure that everyone
possible who would like to make a comment on this
(49:24):
application can do so, and we will have people recording
their comments to make sure that they can make a comment.
We'll have folks, will have computers that people can do
it on if they don't want to get in front
of the microphone, will have all kinds of means to
be able to collect those comments. One other thing about
the application. The reason we do it this way is
(49:46):
that every comment that pertains to this application gets attached
to the application. Every single comment gets attached to the application.
So that's why we're doing it.
Speaker 2 (50:00):
In final question, last and final question, because doctor Taylor,
when I tell you, I respect you more than all
our doors. However, Justin Pearson was on the show, I
literally called in and I took up for you until
he did say something.
Speaker 6 (50:14):
That I have to question about you.
Speaker 2 (50:16):
And I'm so glad you here today. So my last
and final question to you is when those turbines are in,
and they are now, if people start coming to the
Health Department with illnesses related to that counsel calling hooping
whatever you say, are you going to be transparent as
the leader of the health department? Are you going to
(50:38):
stand up for the people, be transparent that those turbines
are dangerous the health of miss of Tennessee.
Speaker 4 (50:46):
I appreciate your question. Let me explain to you what
I have always been transparent about. I have always been
transparent about the fact that the Shelby County Health Department's
mission and me as doctor Michelle Taylor. Our mission is
to promote, protect and improve health of all in Shelby County. Now,
(51:06):
with that said, we have been educating the public from
the beginning about the zoning laws, about the application. Right now,
the application is for fifteen turbines. But the other thing
to remember is that when you are monitoring air quality,
you're monitoring what we're calling minor sources, and it's not
(51:30):
called that. That's how it's defined in the law and
major sources of pollution, right. Minor sources are those that
pollute at a less than one hundred tons of pollution
per year, and major sources are those that pollute at
greater than one hundred tons per year. Right. And the
(51:52):
Clean Air Act is the thing that defines that, all right,
And so I've said this on the record, so I'll
say this on the radio.
Speaker 6 (52:01):
Two.
Speaker 4 (52:02):
The Clean Air Act is a federal law that allows
industry to pollute at a certain level and then if
they go above that level, then they can be fined
or shut down. We've done that as a Health department
before when people have exceeded the law. So when you
(52:25):
ask me if I'm going to pinpoint those turbines, it
really is not the best question. The best question is
are we going to no, no, are we going to
follow the law and do what's on the books while
also educating the public on how we get to a
(52:48):
point where we can pinpoint not only XAI, but the
other seventeen major sources of pollution that are around Xai.
That's the discussion that we have to start out.
Speaker 2 (53:04):
This tells me that Mephis Tennessee is in freaking trouble.
We are in trouble. I don't live there anymore, but
based on your answers, and I do understand why you
answering this way. And again as a doctor, I appreciate
you coming on the shelf to Beth and you give
us advice and helps and I'm going I tell you
again one of my favorites. But this situation right here
is being I mean, even the way you answer, it's
(53:27):
true swept under the rug and myphic tendency, and I
get what you're saying. It's not just Ai. You have
to combine everybody. But I'm asking you a specific question
because the concern is for these turbines and the gas
and the danger is going to bring to the air,
to a black neighborhood. We need black leaders to stand
up and say yes, if I find that people are
(53:48):
coming to the health department, and because you can pinpoint,
because you already know what the numbers are now, if
their numbers grow in the next three years after this
turbines have come in, we can here pointed pretty much
to that. We can say that. So I need somebody
to send them and say yes, Meredith, if I find
out that a group of a rational number of people
are coming down here with all these signats and the correlations,
(54:11):
what I think is, Dad, I'm gonna have a national
news calls and I'm gonna say this is the problem
right here.
Speaker 3 (54:18):
I mean, you know, I hear, and I'm going back
on the David's uh huh. And we need to get
on those folks who brought them in without.
Speaker 2 (54:28):
I mean, he said she she had authority along with
the maryor But I appreciate her coming.
Speaker 8 (54:33):
Y'all.
Speaker 2 (54:33):
Thank y'all so much for a number one with me.
Speaker 3 (54:37):
But you know, thank y'all by bye.
Speaker 4 (54:42):
But no, I understand people are upset, and people have
the right to be upset. And that's why I'm glad
that we are able to have a public meeting where
people can put their comments on the record. It couldn't
(55:02):
be more important. I talked about this earlier, but I'll
say it again. Anybody who understands civics, understands law, understand
how we try to do things at least here locally,
understand that we have to give the public the chance
(55:23):
to make comments on this. And a lot of people
are upset because they feel like they haven't had a chance.
Speaker 1 (55:30):
To do that.
Speaker 4 (55:31):
So I hope that at least for us as a
health department and as the regulator in this situation, meaning
that a regulator can't have opinion for or against. And
that's the other reason why she feels like I'm not
answering her question. It's because in this case, the Shelby
County Health Department is the regulator and we cannot show
(55:55):
bias in either direction. Doesn't matter what doctor Michelle Taylor
personally feels. I cannot tell you that on the radio.
I'm sorry, I wish I could, I cannot. But what
I can tell you is that we will do our
job according to the laws on the books, and we
(56:15):
are having a public meeting to make sure people can
have their comments recorded and heard.
Speaker 1 (56:24):
Sounds good before you leave.
Speaker 3 (56:26):
Anything else you want to hit before you get out
of here, Doctor Taylor and y'all. The public meeting, and
like I said, tomorrow will have Representative Peerson absolutely well,
he will be on tomorrow and I'm sure he'll talk,
so we'll talk with him as well.
Speaker 4 (56:41):
And that's a good thing. We want that because people
have the right to make their decision about who they
should be listening to what they should be listening to.
But what I'm going to tell you here and Representative
Pearson will tell you tomorrow too, we are having a
public meeting to take public comments on the fifteen gas
(57:03):
turbines that are operating at the XAI facility thirty two
thirty one Paul R. Lowry Road. The public meeting is
from five to seven pm tomorrow at Fairleigh High School,
forty nine fifty Fairly Road. I look forward to seeing
(57:24):
folks come out. And the only other thing I would say,
Miss Bev, is this, I am so proud of the
people of Memphis and Shelby County because I have not
seen this level of civic engagement in a long time.
(57:45):
I grew up here and so I know what it
looks like for folks to be engaged here, and for
the first time in a long time, I'm seeing people engaged,
asking the important questions, doing the work, showing up and
we need more of that. But what I would say
(58:07):
to everybody involved, and I'm going to ask this as
doctor Michelle Taylor, mom pediatrician, head of the health department, aunt, sister,
cousin all of these things right, I'll probably have some
family members in the audience tomorrow. What I would ask
(58:27):
is that we show the world that we know how
to have a public meeting without being a spectacle.
Speaker 1 (58:37):
Thank you.
Speaker 4 (58:38):
I would ask that, and I trust that our community
can do it. We can have a passionate conversation about
an issue while keeping it civil, and there is no
place for name calling in the window or anything else.
(58:59):
If you think something bad is going on, open an
investigation about it. If you think somebody's taking money, make
a complaint, have an investigation. You should do that. As
a citizen, you should. But I promise you, if you
follow that money, you're gonna get some answers that you
(59:22):
would be surprised by. So let's come out have a
great conversation tomorrow, a civil conversation, and make sure that
every comment that needs to go on the record, gets there,
gets there safely, and everybody gets to go home and
enjoy the rest of their Friday evening.
Speaker 3 (59:41):
Sounds good, Doctor Michelle Taylor, director of the Shelby County
Health Department, thank you for being your sister. Look forward
to the next time. Yes, ma'am, all right, sister, be
safe out there. Thank you, doctor Michelle Taylor. I appreciate you.
When we come back more, Chad, we'll tell you about
a program for black fathers next right here on w
(01:00:06):
d i A The Bev Johnson Show.
Speaker 5 (01:00:12):
Whether you're in Arkansas, Tennessee, or Mississippi, on Facebook, Twitter,
or Instagram, thank you for listening to The Bev Johnson
Show on w d i A Memphis.
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