Civil Rights Museum, Redbirds Enter Partnership

The Memphis Redbirds and the National Civil Rights Museum have announced a partnership that will feature a celebration of the museum’s 25th anniversary at the Redbirds’ game on Friday, Aug. 12, at 7:05 p.m. at AutoZone Park.

The two Memphis institutions intend to make this year the beginning of an expanded partnership. This year’s game will be focused on celebrating the museum’s 25th anniversary and will feature videos, introductions of important people in the civil rights movement and other recognitions.

The Redbirds and the Tacoma Rainiers will wear uniforms honoring the Memphis Red Sox and Homestead Grays of the Negro leagues.

The Redbirds will donate $4 of every field box and dugout ticket purchased with the promo code “NCRM” back to the museum, which can be done online at MemphisRedbirds.com or in-person at the box office on the day of the game.

“We are proud to partner with another great part of the fabric of Memphis like the National Civil Rights Museum,” Redbirds president and general manager Craig Unger said. “There is a long history of baseball in Memphis, and baseball is a great unifier.”

In addition to events surrounding the game on Aug. 12, the Redbirds and the museum have made arrangements for executives who are attending the Triple-A National Championship Game, which will be played in Memphis on Sept. 20, to tour the museum as part of excursions to get to know the city of Memphis during their visit.

AutoZone Park and Memphis played host to the first two Major League Baseball Civil Rights Games, contested between the St. Louis Cardinals and Cleveland Indians in 2007 and the New York Mets and Chicago White Sox in 2008. Major League Baseball presented its Beacon Awards in conjunction with the game, which honored three pioneers of civil rights with the Beacon of Life Award, Beacon of Change Award and Beacon of Hope Award.

– Don Wade

Huckabee Campaigns For Kustoff in Memphis

Former Arkansas governor and one-time Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee campaigned with 8th Congressional District contender David Kustoff Wednesday, July 27, in Memphis, Dyersburg and Jackson in advance of the Aug. 4 GOP primary.

Huckabee, who has appeared in television ads for Kustoff, touted the former U.S. attorney and Shelby County Republican Party chairman as the most conservative and most consistent of the 13 candidates for the seat Republican incumbent Stephen Fincher is giving up.

The day-long swing through parts of the district that covers 15 counties, including parts of Shelby County, is one Kustoff and the six major contenders in the field have made repeatedly since the spring.

The candidates have also relied heavily on television advertising to cover the geographically large district that takes in parts of Memphis as well as most of rural West Tennessee.

– Bill Dries

MIFA Hosting Neighborhood Clean-Up Event on Aug. 20

In keeping with its vision to unite the community through service, the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association is sponsoring “Taking It to the Streets,” a community clean-up in the neighborhood around its Midtown headquarters at 910 Vance Ave.

The event will take place Aug. 20 from 9 a.m. to noon.

Participants will meet at MIFA at 9 a.m. for a rally and then go out in teams to pick up trash and help beautify the streets in 38126, Memphis’ poorest ZIP code. Bags and gloves will be provided by Memphis City Beautiful, and bottled water will be available.

“Taking It to the Streets” is part of a program initiated in 2015 by the Memphis Department of Public Works to clean up blight. Interested participants should contact Isaiah Swanson at 901-529-4521 or iswanson@mifa.org.

– Don Wade

Memphis Habitat to Hold Benefit Dinner With Carters

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis is hosting a benefit dinner Aug. 25 that will give attendees a chance to mingle with a former U.S. president.

SheetRock ‘n’ Roll is part of Habitat for Humanity’s Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project, which will take place in Uptown’s Bearwater Park beginning Aug. 22.

Guests will join the Carters and Habitat for Humanity at Minglewood Hall, 1555 Madison Ave., to celebrate the Carter Work Project and Habitat’s life-changing work.

Food from a team of chefs led by Memphians Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman, and a musical lineup curated by Grammy Award-winning producer Boo Mitchell, will be part of the fundraising event.

Ticer and Hudman will be joined by Kelly English from Restaurant Iris, as well as James Beard winners from around the South. Chef Phillip Ashley Rix of Phillip Ashley Chocolates will treat guests to an exclusive flavor inspired by former President Carter.

Following dinner, guests will rock to the sounds of the North Mississippi Allstars, William Bell featuring the Hi Rhythm Section, and local American Idol season five semifinalist Gedeon Luke and his sister, Evvie McKinney.

Funds raised at the event will support Memphis Habitat’s continued work in Uptown, where it has focused its Neighborhood Revitalization program that features new home construction along with critical repairs on owner-occupied, single-family homes and commercial and historic properties.

Individual tickets for SheetRock n’ Roll are $650 and tables for eight are available for $5,200.

Visit memphishabitat.com/dinner for details.

– Daily News staff

Y&R Memphis Opens Downtown Office

Young & Rubicam has opened its Downtown Memphis office.

The marketing and communications company was expected to hold a grand opening ceremony Thursday afternoon, July 28.

Young & Rubicam specializes in advertising, digital and social media, sales promotion, direct marketing and brand identity consulting.

The company secured a $457 million, five-year contract with the U.S. Navy and will hire 50 people initially for the Memphis office, with plans to expand in the future.

– Daily News staff

Memphis Medical District Launches Grant Program

The Memphis Medical District Collaborative has launched a grant program to support public events in the area to increase its public profile.

The events grant program is open to students, employees, residents and other people in the Memphis Medical District who have an idea for an event that would activate a public space and promote neighborhood assets.

Grants of $1,000, $2,500 and $5,000 for such events will be awarded on a rolling basis beginning Aug. 1 until funds are depleted.

– Madeline Faber

Construction Begins On Millington Retail Center

Construction has begun on the Shops at Millington Farms.

Developed by Ryan Commercial Properties, the retail strip will bring 136,000 square feet of new commercial space to Millington at 8540 U.S. Highway 51 North.

A handful of building permits recently approved by the Memphis-Shelby County Office of Construction Code Enforcement kicked off tenant improvements to the building.

Linkous Construction Co. filed a $96,2985 permit for construction of Ross Dress for Less; a $899,339 building permit for Dunham Sports; a $766,771 permit for PetCo Animal Supplies Store; and a $501,000 permit for Rack Room Shoes.

– Madeline Faber

Bartlett-based Health Care Provider Moving to Nashville

Orianna Health Systems LLC, which operates 48 skilled nursing centers with almost 5,000 beds in 11 states, is moving its corporate headquarters from Bartlett to Nashville.

Orianna, which recently changed its name from Covenant Dove, is in the midst of a rebranding initiative and said the move is part of those efforts.

Company president Craig Robinson attributed the desire to move to Nashville to the city’s larger geographic footprint and said Nashville also provides the company “with more convenient access for travel to different parts of the country.”

– Andy Meek