Harold Ford, Sr. to open 'state-of-the-art' funeral businesses

Submitted by Kontji Anthony, Action News 5 Anchor/Reporter

Saturday, April 6th, 2013, 10:33pm

MEMPHIS, TN- (WMC-TV) - After spending the last 17 years as a Washington D.C. consultant and lobbyist, former Memphis Congressman Harold Ford, Sr. is starting a new chapter.

When Ford closes on a 3,800 square feet space, he plans to take the funeral business into the 21st century.

After 20 years in Congress, and another 17 as a capital hill consultant, Ford is taking his next big leap.

"Memphis is home and I felt I needed to get back into the business I've been in all my life," he said.

The licensed funeral director and mortician plans to buy a 6.1 acre property in the 1600 block of Sycamore View to open a series of state-of-the-art funeral businesses.

"The first phase will be the funeral chapel part of it," he said.

In 60 days, his new chapel will offer grieving families access to funeral webcasts.

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Students use nice day to clean up Frayser

Submitted by Nick Kenney, Reporter

Friday, April 5th, 2013, 4:43pm

FRAYSER, TN- (WMC-TV) - Trezevant High School students care about their town, and the work they are putting into making it look better proves their passion.

A group called Leadership Trezevant is made up of a couple dozen students, who have been meeting with a contingent from Leadership Memphis. Leadership Memphis has been encouraging and assisting these seniors to apply and enroll in college. But part of the curriculum includes neighborhood pride.

Jasmine Norman had never used a leaf blower until Friday, when she picked one up to help clean up Frayser.

"Why do they throw it over here?" she wondered about the garbage in the parking lot she and her classmates cleaned up Friday. "It makes me feel like my community ain't clean so I should do something about it."

"I thought somebody need to get out here and clean it up," said Thomas Kirkland, Trezevant High School student.

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Community leaders gather to discuss Raleigh reform

Submitted by WMCTV Web Staff

Friday, April 5th, 2013, 3:41pm

Community leaders gather to discuss Raleigh reform

Community leaders rallied in Raleigh Thursday to lay out a roadmap to help improve the area.

State Representative Antonio Parkinson laid out a plan he believes will help reform the community.

At the center of his plan is to bring business into the area.

His revitalization includes river adventure tourism along the Wolf and Loosahatchie river, and rebuilding the area's natural springs that once stood in the 1900s and even bringing a farmer's market to the area.

"There's always been an interest, but it's always good to keep the dialogue going and make sure that people are still on board," said Parkinson.

Parkinson said one way to help make their goals come true is to help bring investments to the area in the ways Overton Square and Whitehaven did.

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$30,000 in unpaid water bills force residents out

Submitted by Nick Kenney, Reporter

Thursday, April 4th, 2013, 6:33pm

MEMPHIS, TN- (WMC-TV) - Most of a Memphis complex is blighted and uninhabitable, though that is not the reason everybody has been ordered out.

Rain puddles are the only water around, because the faucets are bone dry after the water was disconnected.

"Oh, if we had water we could move back in," said resident Avan Campbell.

Campbell moved into Garden Walk Apartments 20 years ago.

"It was a beautiful place. Had a pool, swimming pool. Clubhouse. Everything was nice," said Campbell.

Despite the looks of things now, he owns his condo but moved out three weeks ago in order to comply with the mandatory vacate notice.

" I'm 71-years-old, and I've invested everything in that condo over there. It was tough. It's still tough on me," he said.

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Kickstarter campaign funds Frayser elementary school garden

Submitted by Ashli Blow, New Media Content Producer

Wednesday, April 3rd, 2013, 1:08pm

Photo Source: Corning Achievement Elementary

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'Choose 901 Day' to celebrate positive in Bluff City

Submitted by Ashli Blow, New Media Content Producer

Sunday, March 31st, 2013, 6:27pm

A photo shared by Choose 901 of MudLuv at Shelby Farms. (Photo Source: Choose 901)

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10-year-old allegedly stabs mother, runs away

Submitted by Justin Hanson, West Tennessee Reporter

Saturday, March 30th, 2013, 5:19pm

MEMPHIS, TN- (WMC-TV) - Memphis found the 10-year-old boy who ran out of his house yesterday after he allegedly stabbed his mother in the head.

Police told Action News 5 Friday that the boy, Ladarius Pierce, was arrested as a suspect in the stabbing. Later in the afternoon the newsroom received an endangered child alert for Ladarius.

Memphis police missing persons clarified Saturday the boy was never taken into custody or not. An endangered child alert was sent for Ladarius simply because of his age.

Ladarius was found safely Saturday afternoon. Before he was located his mother pleaded for him to come back home.

"Ladarius, I want you to come home wherever you may be. I love you," Whitting said.

She said the small scar on her head is from her son. Her 10-year-old son Ladarius Pierce got into an argument Friday afternoon when he stabbed her with a kitchen knife.

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