Public Records & Notices Monitoring local real estate since 1968 View a complete day’s public records Subscribe Presented by and notices today for our at memphisdailynews.com. free report www.chandlerreports.com Wednesday, May 12, 2021 MemphisDailyNews.com Vol. 136 | No. 57 Rack–50¢/Delivery–39¢ Pristex’s heart for medical community starts with family ties to St. Jude CHRISTIN YATES over the city, especially in the hand sanitizer,” Latasha Harris, services that Medical District in- $32.2 million in medical supplies Courtesy of The Daily Memphian Medical District — Shelby Coun- program manager for the Mem- stitutions procure from Memphis and services with local companies The early days of the pandemic ty’s health care epicenter — were phis Medical District Collabora- area businesses. — a 26% increase from what they saw shortages of health care es- scrambling for medical-related tive’s (MMDC) Buy Local initia- Some of the Medical District’s would normally spend. “Our Buy sentials from personal protective supplies. tive, said. anchor institutions include St. Local work is usually focused on equipment (PPE) to disinfectant “It put us in a position where The Buy Local program was Jude Children’s Research Hospital non-medical spend because there wipes, surgical gowns and many we started looking for suppliers launched in 2014 to increase and Regional One Health. In 2020, other products. Institutions all making germicidal wipes and the amount of local goods and the anchor institutions spent PRISTEX CONTINUED ON P2 per 15-second increment to make the holes wide and deep enough for a newly planted tree to thrive Hard labor, donations transforming in the packed soil. Nearby, Myers gouged another tree hole. By just 10:15 a.m., sweat already soaked the last dry patches of his University of Chicago T-shirt. White Station High’s tough courtyard As project leader, the Glankler Brown litigation attorney had arrived at 6:10 a.m. and would not leave until the last volunteers departed at 6:30 p.m. “I’ve dug through hard dirt before with that yel- low pickaxe, but I’ve never experienced anything like two of those holes,” Myers recalled on Monday, May 10. “That blade at full down-force would go in maybe a quarter-inch. After about 4 to 5 inches, it’d ease up a little,” he said. As challenging as the long day was, raising the last $300,000 of the $550,000 needed to complete the courtyard project has proven more difficult. “With Phase 1, we got a handful of large do- nations,” he said of the $250,000 for the first 6,500-square-foot section completed two years ago. “We did not get those large donations this time. We had to raise the money 150 bucks at a time,” Myers said, referring to the sale of inscribed brick pavers to donors. Completing the fundraising has been harder than the hardpan. “Exceedingly difficult,” Myers said, adding that if one in 20 requests result in a do- nation “we’re doing well.” As of Monday, May 10, $255,000 of the $300,000 had been raised for the second phase. The mission: Transform an ugly, L-shaped court- yard that was a worn walking area hemmed in by the walls of the school auditorium, main building and the East Annex Building. The project comprises concrete paths, brick pods, cistern irrigation, seating areas, and a wall- Richard Myers digs a hole for a tree on Saturday, May 8, at White Station High School. Volunteers spent the day working on size mural by artist and White Station alum Rachel landscaping in the school’s courtyard as part of a half-million dollar project led by Myers. (Brad Vest/Courtesy of The Daily Memphian) Briggs. The parents, faculty, administration and stu- TOM BAILEY They were among a dozen adults and courtyard into an oasis that befits White dents are closing in on finishing the 8,500-square- Courtesy of The Daily Memphian 40 students who on Saturday, May 8, dug Station, which is among Shelby County’s foot Phase 2 that costs $300,000. Some White Station football players, 13 big holes for planting trees, set out most storied and racially diverse high “Our goal is to have the ribbon cutting on June attorney Richard Myers and other school hundreds of plants, and wheelbarrowed schools. Stout linebacker Daniel Gwin 5, the Saturday before graduation,” Myers said. He’s volunteers thrust pickaxes with all their into place 20 yards of fill dirt. All in an ef- crouched into a wide stance and typi- might into the hardpan. fort to transform what was a prison-like cally struck nine mighty pickaxe blows COURTYARD CONTINUED ON P3 INSIDE Public Records ���������������� 4 Public Notices ��������������� 13 memphisdailynews.com chandlerreports.com Marriage licenses are unavailable ©2020 The Daily News Publishing Company A division of The Daily News Publishing Company while Shelby County Clerk’s Office Memphis, Tennessee The standard for premium real estate Established 1886 • 135th year information since 1968 reviews internal policies for its digital Call 901.523.1561 to subscribe Call 901.458.6419 for more information platforms� Page 2 MemphisDailyNews.com Wednesday, May 12, 2021 Director leaves Memphis’ solid waste division BILL DRIES renewed problems starting in Courtesy of The Daily Memphian March with Waste Pro, the pri- Al Lamar, the city’s director vate contractor hired by the city of solid waste, has left the divi- to make curbside garbage pick- sion responsible for garbage and ups in Area E – an area of 35,000 trash pick-up following problems households taking in Cordova, with the private contractor that Hickory Hill and East Memphis. collected in parts of the city. Lamar was noticeably absent Lamar’s exit comes two and as city Chief Operating Officer a half years after he took the Doug McGowen and Strickland helm of what became a separate canceled the city’s contract with division of city government as Waste Pro and answered ques- Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland tions from City Council members overhauled the trash collection whose emails, text messages and system. voice mails were inundated with The area had been part of the complaints. city’s division of public works be- The city is using Team Waste fore that time. in Area E under an emergency The administration said contract as it weighs whether Monday, May 10, that Lamar had to undertake another long-term left the post to “pursue other op- contract or use city solid waste portunities and is no longer em- crews in Area E as it does in the ployed with the city of Memphis.” other four areas of the city. City Deputy Chief Operating Lamar came to City Hall from Officer Chandell Ryan is serving being senior operations manag- as interim city solid waste divi- er at Williams Sonoma for five sion director. Lamar leaves after years. A garbage truck picks up an overflowing trash bin in Cordova on March 23. (Patrick Lantrip/Courtesy of The Daily Memphian) PRISTEX CONTINUED FROM P1 Pristex reached out to Harris at the ideal a go-to-market strategy that really incor- time. “What we’re seeing in this partner- porates showing the value proposition of ship with Pristex is a manufacturer located sourcing from a local manufacturer and le- in Memphis who is making a product that veraging the fact that we have the manufac- our businesses need,” she said. turer here and the ability to have a stronger “That’s a powerful relationship.” Velas- supply chain and the insurance of on-time quez and his family came to Memphis in and available products.” Pristex’s goal is to 1997 as immigrants. His brother was a employ up to 400 Memphians through its fa- childhood leukemia patient at St. Jude. “His cilities once all the lines are up and running, family has really stayed here and dedicated which Velasquez said is one of the “most themselves to health care,” Ganus said, not- meaningful things” the company is doing. ing that the Velasquez family has since been “Always being able to employ people serving the Memphis medical community is the most gratifying thing — to create as part of their “ethos,” to give back for the jobs and contribute to the local economy,” support they received from St. Jude. he said. “It’s one of the things we’re most In addition to partnering with the proud of.” MMDC, Pristex has joined forces with Pristex, the MMDC and TNEX all TNEX, a minority-owned business formed echoed the sentiment of supporting local to promote local manufacturing, sales and manufacturers, which not only helps build Pristex product workers Rosalba Herrera (left) and Alicia Hernandez place lids on disinfectant contracting. The company is spearheaded job and economic growth, but it also helps wipes on Monday, May 3, 2021. Pristex has partnered with MMDC and TNEX to provide PPE to by Ernest Strickland and Calvin Anderson. with supply chain issues and lead times for Memphis-area hospitals. (Mark Weber/Courtesy of The Daily Memphian) Rather than focusing on one specific area, receiving products. are so many categories,” Harris said. “We organization would connect with manu- such as the MMDC, TNEX looks at the “I think we’ve got three essential ele- always kept medical spend, supplies, equip- facturers to secure the products needed. needs of the entire Shelby County market. ments that all come together in this deal,” ment and service on our radar, but we don’t However, the organizers soon realized Strickland noted Pristex’s strong relation- Ganus said. “One is the importance of the have a huge supplier list for those types of there were real gaps in the supply chain.