MediterraneanGrocery Wholesalers in Memphis, TN

By Ashley Benkarski

MEMPHIS, TN — Reggie Jamerson’s hard work has earned him his own franchise and the respect of his community.

He’s recently reached the milestone of his one-year anniversary as the owner of the Firehouse Subs franchise in Germantown, just outside of greater Memphis.

He started in 2007, and at first Jamerson just saw it as a job to help pay the bills and get by.

He’d never even heard of the establishment until he was employed there,

By 2009 he began his managerial career as a “Fire Marshal” for the company, opening new restaurants and delivering reports. “During that time, we opened 27 restaurants,” Jamerson recalled. “I got to see how awesome a company Firehouse Subs was, they were committed to having a great product and committed to the people, to their employees, and we took care of one another. I felt valued, so I never felt like I needed to go anywhere else to find a job.”

Jamerson took over when the former franchise owner decided to retire in July 2021, right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, and he’s been in the position, serving Germantown, since.

And though it hasn’t been easy, such as with securing financing, paperwork, and learning the ropes of the position, Jamerson said the reward has been worth his effort. “I’m so thankful that I’m able to have these problems, to have these blessings that I have right now. It’s been great and it’s only getting better … Even before I owned the place, I felt like I was in the right community to be successful.”

Jamerson recently held an event at his franchise to show his appreciation to the community that has supported him so much, and he said he plans to keep showing that gratitude through other events in the future.

For those seeking their own path to success, Jamerson has some sound advice. “Don’t give up. Keep positive people around you, always try to continue to grow and learn and keep up with the times and the situations that may come before you. I cannot stress how important it is to remain positive.”

The TBI said the use of some of the most common drugs is going down, but that's only because the use of others is going up.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is seeing new trends when it comes to illegal drugs. Some of the most common are going down, but that is only due to the rise of others.

“Tennesseans are dying by overdose by the thousands. Think about that…by the thousands,” said Marie Williams, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Commissioner.

The cause is growing. The TBI said drug usage has hit a new high.

“It just continues to get worse. In staggering numbers, you couldn’t imagine and in numbers we’ve never seen before,” said David Rausch, TBI Director.

Let’s start with the positive. Heroin and cocaine have been on a decline. That is due to drugs such as fentanyl and methamphetamine being on the rise. Meth took up 36% of drug lab cases.

“It is clear in looking at it that the people making this meth know what they’re doing and they’re doing a very good job of it. We’re not dealing with homemade methamphetamine anymore. This is stuff that’s coming in in a crystal form that’s clearly high purity,” said Mike Little, Assistant Director Forensic Services Division, TBI.

The second most common is cannabis marijuana from the actual plant; however, it has been on a decline. On the flip side, fentanyl is in third, but is constantly increasing.

“Fentanyl on its own is about 100 times more potent than morphine. We see another analog called carfentanil. Carfentanil is 100 times more potent than fentanyl or 10,000 more potent than morphine,” said Little.

TBI has identified 25 different variations of fentanyl or what they call analogs.

The most common disguise is oxycodone. They often appear as blue pills labeled M30.

"We have counterfeit M30s that are always coming out of our ears that are always fentanyl,” said Little.

That puts law enforcement and lab scientists in danger. “It’s very comforting and scary at the same time to hear a scientist yell at you and say, ‘Don’t touch that one. Not that one. You better get away from this one. That’s incredibly dangerous.’ This is unfortunately the world we’re in,” said Tommy Farmer, TBI SAC/TDDTF Director.

Fentanyl is now the leading cause of death for people ages 18 to 45 nationwide. It surpasses suicide, COVID, and car crashes. In response, TBI is helping local law enforcement across the state crack down on these illegal substances.

“We will train them, equip them with the specialized equipment they need,” said Farmer. “We have these trucks, these response vehicles that are strategically placed throughout the state that can respond to them.”

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:

Los Cabos (Food Service) – 906600 Stage Rd. Suite 106 Memphis, TN 38134Violations include: does not have the last 3 months (90 days) of shell stock tags (shellfish) – only has July, container of fish on floor inside walk-in cooler, uncovered food inside cooler, scoop stored inside food containers (seasoning), cutting boards need to be replaced (too many grooves), employee restroom does not have soap or paper towels. Brooms, mops and dustpans should be stored hanging, current permit not posted, expired in June.

Zi Jing Chinese – 886525 Memphis Arlington Rd. #102 Memphis, TN 38134Violations include: boxes were sitting on hand washing sink in kitchen (please keep clear), bottle of degreaser was unlabelled, raw pork stored in a grocery bag, uncovered food in prep cooler, buckets of soy sauce stored on the kitchen floor and food stored on floor of walk-in cooler, scoops left inside flour and sugar containers, old metal can used as a scoop was stored inside bigger can full of rice.

Inspector’s note: “Spray bottle in bathroom was water but yet there were bubbles on top. I saw one roach crawling on floor on dining area.”

La Cocina Mexicana – 842945 Millbranch Rd. Memphis, TN 38116Violations include: black buildup inside ice machine, TCS (Time/Temperature Control for Food Safety) foods not maintained at 41 degrees, observed chicken and tilapia thawing improperly, no labels on food containers, flies observed in food prep area, wiping cloth stored on prep cooler, ice buildup inside walk-in freezer.

100s:

Aunti M’s7969 “B” Street Millington, TN 38053

Da Wing GOAT5173 South Third St. Memphis, TN 38109

La Hidrocalida3363 Pipers Gap Dr. Memphis, TN 38134

Morries Tavern – Facility5147 Easley Millington, TN 38053

Something’s Sweet4869 Phipps Dr. Memphis, TN 38125

Memphis, Tenn. (TN Tribune)–President and Founder of Hardy Beverage, LLC Carolyn Hardy is donating over 1,000 cases of their HTWO hydrogen-infused waters to Jackson State University to help students and staff affected by the water crisis.

Recently, it was announced that the water in the City of Jackson, MS was unsafe for consumption after flooding, system issues, and equipment failures plagued the city andits main water treatment facility. The HTWO water has a retail value of over $35,000 and will be delivered to JSU’s campus the week of September 5th

Since 1877, JSU has been providing young men and women opportunities that will empower them to succeed in an increasingly complex world. According to online sources, the HBCU has a total enrollment of almost 7,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Thousands of those students live on campus or commute to class. The campus is currently closed while the crisis is addressed but for those still within the city, adequate drinking water is paramount, especially during the summer months when temperatures are elevated.

Hardy, a serial entrepreneur and philanthropist, says she knew she had to assist after hearing about the water crisis.

“It’s easy to extend our sympathy and prayers during a crisis but I believe in extendingresources as well. I make premium water, so it makes sense for Hardy Beverages to send water. I chose to focus on the college because I am a parent and if my child were on Jackson State’s campus, I would feel much better knowing that additional water was on the way. I believe that it’s an obligation for those of us in positions of power to figure out how we can become a part of the solution rather than waiting on someone else to come up with a plan.”

Hardy Beverages manufactures and distributes a full line of premium waters under the brand HTWO. It was created 8 years ago and is the first brand with hydrogen-infused water in the United States. HTWO is sold nationally online.

In 2022, Hardy launched two additional brands, Shky and Rallie. All of whichare manufactured in the Hardy Beverage state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, located in Memphis, TN, with the use of proprietary technology. Before founding her own companies, Hardy headed food and beverage operations for Coors Brewing Company and J. M. Smucker Company. She has also worked with nonalcoholic beverages such as Coke, Arizona Ice Tea, Rockstar, and 7-11 Select. Hardy has been recognized nationally for herentrepreneurial endeavors and gives back to her local community in many ways. She is the first female and first minority chair of Methodist Le Bonheur Hospital Systems and the first black female inducted into the Society of Entrepreneurs. She also serves as the Deputy Chair of Federal Reserve 8th District, and on the board of directors for SCORE, Tennessee Business Leadership Council and several others non-profit organizations.

For more information about the water distribution efforts, contact 901-378-4956. To learn more about Hardy Beverage, visit HardyBeverages.com.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit denied Starbucks’ motion to appeal the district court’s decision to injunct the seven Memphis employees who were fired for their unionizing efforts at the company’s Poplar and Highland store.

On Tuesday, the Court of Appeals found reasonable cause that Starbucks broke the law by firing the employees.

The court granted injunctive relief to the fired union leaders of Memphis, also known as the “Memphis 7.”

As a result, Starbucks must immediately rehire the Memphis 7.

“This is an amazing turnaround for a ruling. It is a shame that we have to take this route to get our jobs back. We have proven once again that it is a protected right for workers to express how they feel about their workplace and how they can be better for us,” said Nabretta Hardin, a leader of the Memphis 7. “We all can’t wait to go back to work and show Starbucks that we have a right to be there and we will continue to fight for our rights.”

Starbucks continues to waste taxpayer money with their frivolous appeals and delay tactics. They have now fired close to 100 union leaders across the country in an unprecedented scorched-earth anti-union campaign. Workers are confident that the Memphis 7 are the first of dozens of workers who will win their jobs back.

The Memphis 7′s unionizing efforts prevailed on June 7, when the East Memphis location voted in favor of forming a union. The National Labor Rights Board (NLRB) certified the vote on June 14.

“After patiently waiting, the Memphis 7 is excited to hear we will be officially returning to work at our unionized Starbucks,” said Kylie Throckmorton, a member of the Memphis 7. “We hope the win helps provide the precedent for other cases like ours and helps show workers that we have the power to stand up for a better work-life for ourselves and every other worker out there.”

NLRB has now issued 26 official complaints against Starbucks encompassing 97 charges and over 600 violations of labor law.

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