Franchise Opportunities in Memphis, TN

From Nandi N. Mbassi Nkoa

MILLINGTON, Tenn. – The Navy Week program is returning to Memphis, Tennessee, June 13-19, and the week-long events will culminate with the Blue Angels headlining the Midsouth Air Show.

Memphis Navy Week brings Sailors from across the fleet to the area to emphasize the importance of the Navy to Memphis, the state of Tennessee, and the Nation. It is the first Navy Week in Memphis since 2017.

Participating Navy organizations include Navy Band Great Lakes, USS Constitution, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command (METOC), United States Ceremonial Guard, Navy Parachute Team, Navy Recruiting Command, Outreach and Diversity, Navy Talent Acquisition Group (NTAG) Nashville, Navy History and Heritage Command, and USS Tennessee(SSBN 734).

More than 75 Sailors will participate in education and community outreach events throughout the city, including a plethora of events hosted at the Museum of Science and History. All participating commands will follow DOD, CDC, state, and local guidelines for safety during the current pandemic.

The Navy's senior executive representative is Rear Admiral Alexis “Lex” T. Walker, commander, Navy Recruiting Command. Walker is a native of New York, and new to the Memphis area. During Memphis Navy Week, he will participate in community engagements, meet with local business, civic, education, and government leaders.

"I am excited and honored to represent the Navy and engage with the city of Memphis," said Walker. "The city has been very welcoming to my family and me, as we settle in and focus on bringing the best and brightest into the Navy through our nationwide recruiting efforts."

Navy Weeks are a series of outreach events coordinated by the Navy Office of Community Outreach designed to give Americans an opportunity to learn about the Navy, its people, and its importance to national security and prosperity. Since 2005, the Navy Week program has served as the Navy's flagship outreach effort into areas of the country without a significant Navy presence, providing the public a firsthand look at why the Navy matters to cities like Memphis.

"We are excited to bring Navy Week back to Memphis," said NAVCO's director, Cmdr. John Fage. "Navy Weeks give us the opportunity to help connect Americans to their Navy. We are looking forward to safely and responsibly building those connections in the Memphis area and showing everyone why their Navy is so important.”

Throughout the week, Sailors will participate in various events, engage with youth camps in the area and volunteer with the city of Memphis, Boys and Girls Club of Greater Memphis and Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, to name a few. Residents will also enjoy free live music by Navy Band Great Lakes at venues throughout the week.

Memphis Navy Week is one of 14 Navy Weeks in 2022, which brings a variety of assets, equipment, and personnel to a single city for a weeklong series of engagements designed to bring America's Navy closer to the people it protects. Each year, the program reaches more than 140 million people -- about half the U.S. population.

Media organizations wishing to cover Memphis Navy Week events should contact Ian Lundy at 901-874-5803.

Here's a complete guide to all of the major fireworks displays in the Mid-South.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — If you're looking for a nice place to watch the sky get lit up with fireworks on our nation's Independence Day, you have plenty of options in the Mid-South.

We put together a list of all of the major 4th of July fireworks displays in the area.

Graceland's All-American 4th of July Weekend: Graceland will host several special events and parties on Saturday, July 2 from 5 p.m.-11 p.m. and on Sunday, July 3, from 10 a.m.-11:30 p.m. There will be Elvis-themed fireworks on July 3 and the Graceland Mansion will be lit in red, white and blue all weekend long.

Memphis Redbirds postgame fireworks shows: The Memphis Redbirds will have post-game fireworks Friday, July 1, Saturday, July 2, and Sunday, July 3. Click here for tickets.

Liberty Park Fireworks Festival: Join Memphis Parks and the city of Memphis for an Independence Day celebration and fireworks show in Liberty Park on Sunday, July 3, from 5-9 p.m. The event is free for all ages.

There will be live music, moon bounces, games, crafts, refreshments and a fireworks display at the Germantown Municipal Park on Exeter Road from 5 p.m.-10 p.m. on Monday, July 4.

Collierville's 36th annual Independence Day Celebration will be held Saturday, July 2, at HW Cox Park. Food vendors will open at 6:30 p.m., entertainment at 7 p.m. and the fireworks show will start at 9:30 p.m.

Bartlett's Fireworks Extravaganza will be held on Monday, July 4, from 6-9:30 p.m. The fireworks show starts at 9:10 p.m. at the Bobby K. Flaherty Municipal Center.

Flag City Freedom Celebration: The Millington Parks and Recreation Department will host its annual fireworks display at 4885 Bill Knight Rd. on Thursday, June 30. The gates will open at 6 p.m. with fireworks beginning at sundown. Parking will be $5 per vehicle.

Southaven's Fireworks Extravaganza & Festival starts at 4 p.m. on Monday, July 4, at Snowden Grove Park. Fireworks start at 9:15 p.m. There will be live music, a kids zone, food vendors and more.

Hernando's Independence Day Celebration starts at 6 p.m. on Monday, July 4, with live music and food vendors on site. Fireworks will be after sunset at 3800 Robertson Gin Rd. Bring a lawn chair and a blanket.

West Memphis will have food trucks, fire trucks, and lots more beginning at 5 p.m. on Friday, June 24, at Tilden Rodgers Park (825 N. Airport Rd.) in West Memphis. Bring a lawn chair and sit back and enjoy the show!

If you know of a fireworks display that isn't on the list, send us an email and we'll add it.

Newest Restaurant Report Card | If you want the latest Shelby County restaurant scores sent directly to your inbox, sign up for it today on WREG’s Newsletter here.

Each week WREG is rounding up the highest and lowest scores from Shelby County restaurant inspections. Find more scores from Shelby County and other Tennessee counties here.

Lowest:

El Patron Authentic Mexican Restaurant – 695811 Stage Road Bartlett, TN 38134Violations include: employee eating in the kitchen, employee did not wash hands once returning to kitchen – only putting on gloves, no soap at hand washing sinks, raw chicken stored on shelf above raw shrimp and veggies, drink machine ice dispenser has pink slime present – must be washed, rinsed and sanitized, rice and beef stored under hot holding due to lack of space – rice temperature was 109 and beef was 119 degrees, unlabelled containers in cooler, flies present in kitchen and storage area, cheese dip container on floor of kitchen, scoops were left in food containers.

Playita Mexicana – 746194 Macon Rd. Memphis, TN 38134Violations include: does not have shell shock tags for oysters (educated manager on shell shock tags – must keep them for at least 3 months), raw beef stored on top of onions and bell peppers, improper date marking – refried beans not labelled in cooler, consumer advisors posted on wall but not on menus, spray bottles not labelled by ware washing station, unlabelled food stored in cooler and storage area, food stored on floor of walk in freezer and cooler, uncovered food in reach-in coolers, drinks for bar stored on floor next to storage room, bowls and drinking cups used as scoops are stored in food containers.

McDonald’s – 732681 Frayser Blvd. Memphis, TN 38127Violations include: Person in charge did not perform food safety monitoring of employees, record keeping not provided for cooler, food temps and TPHC (time as public health control – must be discarded within 4 hours) food items, employee drank from a cup and put on gloves without washing hands, employee cleaned prep table with wiping cloth and did not wash hands prior to returning to prep line, paper towels not provided, hand sink #2 not operating properly, old raw hamburgers under drawer were not discarded prior to inspection, TPHC food items not recorded – procedure not followed, condensation leak inside walk-in freezer, inaccurate walk-in cooler door thermometer, employees observed preparing food without hair restraints, dirty wiping cloths stored on prep tables, dirty interior of coolers and coffee makers, inoperable soap dispenser in men’s restroom, dirty and wet floor, dirty equipment, mops and broom stored on floor.

Mulan Asian Bistro East – 854698 Spottswood Ave. Memphis, TN 38117Violations include: food stored on floor of cooler, raw meat improperly stored in walk-in, cutting boards need to be replaced throughout kitchen, thermometers needed in all coolers and freezers, dry goods and sauces need labelling, food in coolers and freezers must be covered, scoops left in dry goods, freezer needs defrosting, clean coolers, clean dry good containers, and facilities need cleaning.

100s:

AGC Learning Center LLC2107 Alcy Rd. Memphis, TN 38114

Casablanca Restaurant1707 Madison Ave. Memphis, TN 38104

CKC Inc. Pre-School3759 Horn Lake Rd. Memphis, TN 38109

Horn Lake Road Day Care3657 Horn Lake Rd. Memphis, TN 38109

MIFA – North Lake5190 Wesley Park Bartlett, TN 38134

Staks Pancake Kitchen – Bar7704 Poplar Ave. Germantown, TN 38138

Top Dawg7396 Bayou Bend Cove Memphis, TN 38125

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Improvements at the Memphis Zoo over the last 30 years have it consistently ranked as one of America’s best on tripadvisor.com.

The new president and CEO of the Memphis Zoo, Matt Thompson, said he plans to keep zoo refinements coming so the number one attraction in West Tennessee can keep advancing.

Thompson said the Zoo’s Board will hire one of three architectural firms that specialize in zoo attractions to create a ten-year plan for an ever-improving experience for the zoo’s 1.1 million annual visitors.

“So there’s the African component, elephants and giraffes, that could use an upgrade for sure. Then there’s the entire west end after Cat Country. So there’s the aquarium, the birdhouse, and the aquarium that all need updating,” Thompson said.

The aquarium was one of the first air-conditioned buildings in Memphis when it opened in 1959.

Thompson said he’s dreaming of a creative update for the zoo’s home for fish and aquatic life.

“So we have to make a decision as a part of this process. Are we going to build a state-of-the-art aquarium, or is whatever we build going to have a strong aquatic component to it?” Thompson said.

The new CEO rose through the ranks from zookeeper 26 years ago to his appointment as the zoo’s new leader after Jim Dean retired on June 16.

Thompson told the Memphis Rotary luncheon on June 21 that the zoo might reimagine where it houses fish and aquatic life, snakes and reptiles and birds and move them all into an attraction with a rainforest feel.

“Birds flying, plants growing, waterfalls crashing, a lot of fish and that kind of thing. That too would be an incredible thing for the zoo. To me, it’s a kind of ultimate immersive experience because you walk in and smell the dirt and the plants. You feel the humidity from the water. It feels like you’re in that part of the world,” Thomson said.

Big on conservation, Thompson revealed to Rotary that the Zoo now owns a farm in Eads, Tennessee that may be used to help some species expand.

“Probably breeding and that kind of thing but it’s very promising for the future of the zoo and I have no doubt it will contribute to our success,” the new zoo leader said.

Thompson is committed to the compromise with the Overton Park Conservancy and the city of Memphis that’ll move Zoo maintenance to the current General Services compound and its entrance on East Parkway.

Once that happens, Thompson said parking on the greensward will end forever.

Thompson said zoo vehicles will use city streets and not the internal roadways frequented by runners, walkers, cyclists, and families enjoying Overton Park.

In addition, Thompson said the Zoo will return 17 acres of the Old Forest State Natural Area to the Overton Park Conservancy that had been reserved for possible zoo expansion in previous administrations.

Thompson says the fence now impeding public access to the 17 acres will be removed and a new fence constructed that will enclose the southern edge of the zoo’s 74-acre footprint.

Copyright 2022 WMC. All rights reserved.

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After years of advocating for the construction of a state-of-the-art high school in Memphis’ Frayser neighborhood, Regenia Dowell thought it was finally going to happen this spring.

In tandem with its 2022-23 budget approved in May, Memphis-Shelby County Schools officials proposed spending about $22 million to break ground on a replacement for Trezevant High School, which has one of the highest deferred maintenance bills of any other public school in the city.

But that proposal hinged on the district’s request for $55 million in capital improvement funds from Shelby County. When commissioners decided this month to grant MSCS less than half that amount, district officials were forced to put off the project for at least another year. Dowell was heartbroken.

“It’s hard when you’ve been working all these years and you can see it, but you can’t touch it,” said Dowell, treasurer of the Frayser community’s parent-teacher-student association. “Our children need this; they need to know they’re valued. They see other schools and see that their school is not nearly as nice as those schools. Why can’t it be like that here?”

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To sign up to receive monthly text message updates on MSCS board meetings, text SCHOOL to 901-565-5550 or type your phone number into the box below.

The new Frayser high school is one of several MSCS construction projects currently paused as the district dials back its capital spending plans in response to the funding setback. On Tuesday, during a specially called meeting, the MSCS board unanimously approved a revised $2.1 billion budget that puts those projects in limbo and strips out more than $10 million in other planned projects.

Administrators had hoped the $55 million fiscal year 2023 allotment would be the first installment of a 10-year, $550 million commitment from the county to address decades of deferred facility maintenance and update aging school buildings. Over 33 MSCS schools were built before 1950, meaning the buildings are 70 or more years old.

“We have kids that are going into bathrooms that have not been renovated since 1950. They’re learning in science labs that have not been renovated since 1950,” Patrice Thomas, the district’s chief of staff, told the County Commission during its June 6 meeting.

But the commission approved only $21 million of the $55 million request, calling on the district to liquidate assets or build its case for raising taxes countywide to generate funds.

It marks the second year that MSCS has had to delay several flagship projects from its Reimagining 901 school improvement and facility plan. Last summer, the county similarly balked at the district’s $55 million request, citing the federal COVID relief aid flowing into the school system. Some commissioners also voiced concern about the effect that level of spending could have on the county’s finances and taxpayers.

Frayser community concerned about construction delay

The current Trezevant High School in Frayser serves more than 500 students across grades 9-12 — most of whom are Black and come from low-income families.

The new high school was to be the first of five new schools in the Reimagining 901 plan unveiled last year, and was targeted for 2025 completion at a projected cost of about $89 million.

The district planned to build the school on existing school property — either at the Trezevant site or at Martin Luther King Preparatory High School, part of the Frayser Community Schools charter network.

In the spring, the MSCS board agreed to spend about $3 million drafting designs and plans for the new campus. The board also spent millions to do the same for two other proposed schools: A Treadwell K-8 that would combine Treadwell elementary and middle schools, and an Orange Mound K-8 that would combine Bethel Grove, Cherokee, and Dunbar elementary schools. Those schools had targeted completion dates of 2026 and 2027, respectively.

The district’s $55 million request to the county called for nearly $22 million just to break ground on the Frayser high school. Yet the county’s total allocation to the district amounted to about $1 million less than that.

Now, it’s unclear when MSCS will be able to complete the new Frayser high school, or the next two schools in line for construction. During the Tuesday board meeting, Toni Williams, the district’s chief financial officer, said she hopes to begin construction on the high school in 2024.

But Dowell remains uneasy. Although district officials have assured her that they remain committed to the project, she worries it won’t happen unless the County Commission has a massive change of heart in future years.

Dowell wishes MSCS could find the funds for the school in its own budget.

“I feel like we are being held hostage here in Frayser by the funding situation,” she said.

For Bobby White, founder and CEO of Frayser Community Schools, the new school represented new possibilities for the children of Frayser.

While the neighborhood already has three high schools — Frayser Community Schools’ M.L.K College Prep, Trezevant, and Memphis Business Academy — White envisioned a comprehensive high school providing families with another educational option and children with more opportunities.

For example, he hoped more students would be able to take classes in languages besides Spanish — like Latin or Mandarin, as offered in MSCS high schools like White Station or Central, and have more access to college, career and technical education courses, as in other Memphis schools.

Still, White says he’s optimistic for the neighborhood he grew up in.

“We’re not going to allow this to derail our focus on trying to provide a quality education at Trezevant, MLK, and (Memphis Business Academy),” he said.

Other changes in revised budget

In MSCS’ revised 2022-23 school year budget adopted Tuesday, officials also slashed $5 million of gym and safety renovations at Richland Elementary, another $5 million for a new stadium at Tobey Park, and cut about $480,000 from a stadium improvement project at Raleigh Egypt High School.

Maintenance and facility upgrade projects that remain in the district’s new capital improvement budget for 2023 include:

In an interview last week, school board Vice Chair Althea Greene said that she’s disappointed MSCS didn’t get all of the funding it asked for, but that she understands that county commissioners have “way more asks than they have funds to disburse.”

She cautioned district families that concerns about school maintenance, modernization, and beautification projects may not be addressed as quickly as the district had hoped.

“We can only spend what’s allocated to us,” Greene told Chalkbeat. “When it comes to deferred maintenance, we will continue to be behind, because we continue to not get enough funding to get ahead.”

Samantha West is a reporter for Chalkbeat Tennessee, where she covers K-12 education in Memphis. Connect with Samantha at [email protected]