This week, host Tyrone Tony Reed Jr. speaks with the first black firefighters of Jackson, Tenn.: Mack White, Jr., James Dugger and Garry Thompson.

These three courageous, intelligent and community-minded men stepped up when called and faced racism and overcame obstacles and adversities in order to not only open the door for future generations, but to take those doors off the hinges and allow future generations to achieve their God-given dreams.

In this episode of "Hub City Now with Tyrone Tony Reed Jr.", the host interviewed Caitlin Roach Clark, executive director of Friends of Heart.

Friends of Heart was born in 2017 at Flatiron Grille in Jackson, Tennessee. There are many who served as creators of this much-needed LOCAL heart and vascular care initiative. Several of those present that evening had been involved with a national non-profit and although that organization does great things the funds being raised were not coming back to our community for this reason Friends of Heart exists today! The organization has 21 board members with co-chairs Bob Arrington and Janet Silver and one executive director: Caitlin Roach Clark.

Roach Clark spoke about 4-Minute City:

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is a leading cause of death in the U.S. and we are doing something to change that in our community! Friends of Heart is partnering with Avive Solutions, alongside The City of Jackson, the Jackson Fire Department, and West TN Healthcare to significantly increase survival rates of SCA in Jackson through a program called 4-Minute City.

Together, we plan to bring cutting-edge technology and forward-thinking ideas to Jackson by placing Avive's intelligent AEDs across the city and deploying their first-of-its-kind cardiac arrest response technology. Most importantly, we plan to work with the citizens of Jackson to create a culture of saving lives from cardiac arrest through free training and educational resources so that all of you are prepared to save a life. Learn more at avive.life/jackson

This project addresses the public health issue of Sudden Cardiac Arrest occurrences. This is a program that focuses on increasing survival rates of people in sudden cardiac arrest through free public training for hands-only CPR/AED and placement of connected AED’s in our community.

Three ways to get involved:

1. Learn Hands-only CPR/AED Training either by scheduling an in-person class or going to our virtual training site where you can learn what to do if you witness an SCA incident. Chances are you will save the life of a loved one. 70% of out-of-hospital SCA occur in the home.
2. Become a member of the Cardiac Arrest Rapid Engagement Team (CARE) led by the Jackson Fire Department.
3. Give a donation of $1,500.00 to sponsor an AED in our community. This donation will supply a person on the CARE Team with a life-saving device and connectivity for five years.

Roach Clark also spoke about a free EKG screening program for the Jackson-Madison County School System from Friends of Heart which is partnering with a nonprofit out of Florida called Who We Play For. The program will begin with North Side students, whose parents or guardians have given consent to participate in the program, at the end of this month.

For more information about Who We Play For, visit www.whoweplayfor.org.

For more information about 4-Minute City and/or Friends of Heart: visit www.friendsofheart.org.

In this episode of "Hub City Now with Tyrone Tony Reed Jr.," the host spoke with Julie Wigger, founder and creative director of the Hub City Picklers.

Wigger spoke about the upcoming Hub City Spring Showdown Pickleball Tournament hosted by Hub City Picklers and presented by Knott’s Fine Foods.

The tournament will be held Friday, April 26, through Sunday, April 28, 2024, at Conger Park in Jackson, Tennessee, and offers singles, doubles, and mixed doubles competitions. From seasoned players to newcomers, the tournament is open to anyone and with 18 additional courts due to open in the spring, organizers are anticipating record participation, which could top at more than 300 players.

"We are really grateful to Knott’s Fine Foods for their generous sponsorship and dedication to making this event a success,” said Julie Wigger, founder and creative director of the Hub City Picklers.

Registration is now open, early registration deadline was April 1. Participants can register online https://tinyurl.com/47nymezw

All events are $65 with early-bird pricing, $75 regular registration (now through April 22), except 5.0 events. There will be an additional $15 per event fee. With a $7,000 purse up for grabs and medal rounds featuring gold, silver, and bronze honors, the competition promises to be fierce and rewarding.

The action-packed weekend kicks off on Friday, April 26th, with singles matches for both men and women. Doubles competitions follow on Saturday, April 27th, and the tournament concludes on Sunday, April 28th, with mixed doubles play. Detailed scheduling information will be provided closer to the event dates.

Food:

Friday- Woodstock Bakery-lunchboxes with sandwiches, chips and cupcakes.

Saturday- Knott’s Foods. They will be grilling and have dips and pimento cheeses for us to try. Have a taste of their “fried pickle dip”

Sunday-Old Country Store. They are delivering 200 breakfast sandwiches.

There will be snacks and water available and all food offered is complimentary.

WATER STATION-We are thrilled to have Denise and Johnathon Chung of Guiding Star Insurance as our sponsors for the HYDRATION STATION. Please come see them for insurance quotes and needs and to also stay hydrated before, during and after your play. They will have ice, plain water, infused water and multiple fruits to nibble on during the tournament. They will be there all 3 days!

Premier sponsor Knott’s Fine Foods will have a booth set up to celebrate this year’s tournament offering concessions that will include the latest creation, Fried Pickle Dip - a combination of the classic flavor of fried dill pickles with the creamy goodness of ranch dressing.

“We’re thrilled to be a part of this tournament and share our delicious dips and spreads, including a new product: Fried Pickle Dip. We’ll have something for every palate,” said Chloe Knott, sales and marketing lead at Knott’s Foods.

For more information about Knott’s Foods and their range of products, visit knottsfoods.com or connect with them on social media at facebook.com/knottsfoods and instagram.com/knottsfoods.

For more information on Hub City Picklers, visit www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094156170972.

For information on the West Tennessee Pickleball Association, visit westtnpickleball.com.