African-American Museums Get $400K in State Funding

A group of eight Tennessee museums that focus on the history of African-Americans in the state will get $400,000 in state funding.

The Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators announced the funding agreement Monday, June 26, with Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam as part of the state’s 2017-2018 budget.

The grants include $85,000 to The Withers Collection and Gallery on Beale Street, the archive of the photography work of the late Ernest Withers; and $10,000 each for The Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum on Downtown’s north end and The African-American International Museum Foundation in North Memphis.

The one-time funding also includes $90,000 for The Allen-White School, formerly known as the Hardeman County Training School in Whiteville.

– Bill Dries

Redbirds’ Biggest Fireworks Display in AZP History July 3

The Memphis Redbirds’ Independence Day celebration on Monday, July 3, presented by AutoZone, will include the biggest postgame fireworks display in AutoZone Park history and a specialty ticket option that features an All-American baseball picnic.

First pitch in the finale of an eight-game homestand is set for 6:35 p.m. Following the game, the Redbirds will launch one of the Mid-South’s most spectacular Independence Day fireworks displays, which will be the largest ever at AutoZone Park.

The Redbirds are offering a $20 Field Box or $23 Dugout specialty ticket that includes a picnic featuring hot dogs, hamburgers, potato chips, assorted cookies, Coca-Cola products and bottled water. The picnic will run from when gates open at 5 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.

Also, the team will be wearing special Independence Day-themed jerseys, which will be auctioned during the game with proceeds benefiting the Redbirds Community Fund. Fans winning a jersey in the auction will go onto the field after the game to meet the player or coach and have it autographed.

Fans are invited to head to the ballpark early to hear the band Memphis Yahoos and enjoy $2 beers in the plaza before the game. Visit www.memphisredbirds.com/4thofJuly for more information on the Redbirds’ Independence Day celebration and to purchase tickets.

– Don Wade

Tim McCarver Receives Distinguished Citizen Award

The AutoZone Liberty Bowl honored former St. Louis Cardinals catcher and Hall of Fame broadcaster Tim McCarver on Sunday, June 26, with its Distinguished Citizen Award in a dinner at the Hilton Memphis hotel. All proceeds from the dinner benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

McCarver, who starred in football and baseball here for Christian Brothers High School, made his big league debut with the Cardinals at age 17 in 1959 and his career spanned four decades and included playing in the 1964, 1967 and 1968 World Series with St. Louis.

As a national broadcast analyst, McCarver worked 23 World Series and 20 All-Star Games. He was inducted into the National Hall of Fame’s broadcast wing in 2012. He currently does selected TV games for the Cardinals on Fox Sports Midwest.

Previous Distinguished Citizen Award honorees include St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital founder Danny Thomas, Elvis Presley, Fred Smith, AutoZone founder Pitt Hyde, Paul “Bear” Bryant, former NFL coach Tony Dungy and Archie Manning, among others.

The 59th AutoZone Liberty Bowl will be played at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 30, and will feature teams from the Big 12 and the SEC.

– Don Wade

Walmart Foundation Provides $519,000 in Hunger Grants

Walmart Foundation recently celebrated a “Day of Giving” to help fight hunger in Tennessee, awarding 14 nonprofits a total of $519,000 in grants. The special day featured check presentations in nine locations across the state to organizations providing hunger relief for Tennesseans in need.

In the Memphis area, the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association will receive $50,000 for its Meals on Wheels program that provides hot, nutritious lunches for homebound elderly and seniors.

Mid-South Food Bank in Memphis also will receive $50,000 for the Hunger’s Hope Food Distribution program distributing food and other groceries through a network of partner agencies.

With one in eight Americans struggling with hunger, hunger relief is one of Walmart’s and the Walmart Foundation’s core areas of giving and are committed to a goal of providing 4 billion meals to those struggling with hunger in the U.S. by 2020.

“At Walmart we consider it our responsibility to make a positive impact on the communities we serve, and we are proud to support these Tennessee organizations that share our same passion to help people live better,” said Sean Riley, Walmart regional general manager. “We look forward to seeing each of these organizations use their grant to address the needs of Tennesseans in the communities they serve.”

– Daily News staff

Baptist-Collierville Wins Distinction For Procedures

Baptist Memorial Hospital-Collierville, with support from physicians at Campbell Clinic, has earned its Joint Commission Seal of Approval for Advanced Certification of Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement, making the hospital one of only 45 in the nation with that distinction.

The advanced certification is for Joint Commission-accredited hospitals, critical access hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers looking to elevate the quality, consistency and safety of their services and patient care, according to the Joint Commission.

Baptist-Collierville underwent its inspection for the distinction on March 6 and 7. Joint Commission experts evaluated compliance with advanced disease-specific care standards and total hip and total knee replacement requirements, including orthopedic consultation and pre-operative, intraoperative and post-surgical orthopedic surgeon follow-up care.

Established in 2016 and awarded for a two-year period, the advanced certification was developed in response to the growing number of patients having total hip or total knee replacement surgery, as well as the increased focus on clinical evidence-based patient care as it relates to pain management, quality of life issues, functional limitation in mobility and the return to normal daily living activities.

– Andy Meek

Trump OKs Major Disaster Declaration for Tennessee

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the state of Tennessee to supplement recovery efforts in areas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds and flooding from May 27 to May 28, 2017.

Federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofits on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by severe storms, straight-line winds and flooding in Blount, Cumberland, Fayette, Knox, Loudon, Morgan, Putnam, Rhea, Roane, Sevier, Shelby and Smith counties.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Warren J. Riley has been named as the federal coordinating officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

A summary of key federal disaster aid programs that can be made available as needed and warranted under President Donald J. Trump’s disaster declaration for Tennessee include:

• Payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for debris removal and emergency protective measures taken to save lives and protect property and public health. Emergency protective measures assistance is available to state and eligible local governments on a cost-sharing basis.

• Payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for repairing or replacing damaged public facilities, such as roads, bridges, utilities, buildings, schools, recreational areas and similar public property, as well as certain private nonprofit organizations engaged in community service activities.

• Payment of not more than 75 percent of the approved costs for hazard mitigation projects undertaken by state and local governments to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from natural or technological disasters.

Application procedures for state and local governments will be explained at a series of federal/state applicant briefings. The locations will be announced in the affected areas by recovery officials later.

– Daily News staff