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White Station hosting speech, drama tournament

Student performers, actors and drama enthusiasts from all over the Mid-South will converge on White Station High School to compete in the annual Speech and Drama Tournament on Saturday, Oct. 30.

Students will showcase their talents in several categories, including dramatic interpretation, one-act plays, monologues, original oratory, duet acting, humorous interpretation and interpretation of poetry.

Information provided by Memphis City Schools.

Photo courtesy Flickr user carlota.

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Protecting Your Environment & Earning Your Trust!

Kingsbury, Beale St. Flippers celebrating Red Ribbon Week

Kingsbury Elementary will celebrate Red Ribbon Week during the week of Oct. 25. Students will sign personal and school-wide pledges to remain drug free and enjoy a week of activities, including a performance by the Beale Street Flippers on Friday, Oct. at 9:15 a.m.

The Flippers will show off their moves in the circular driveway on campus.

Information provided by Memphis City Schools.

Photo courtesy Flickr user Allen Elliotte.

Day of the Dead celebration stretches for two days

The third annual Latino Day of the Dead ancestral tradition will be celebrated Oct. 30, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. and on Oct. 31, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at El Eclipse, located at 4532 Getwell Road.

Day of the Dead (in Spanish Día de Muertos) is one of the most colorful and traditional celebrations that originated in Mexico where families gather to remember and honor their friends and family members who passed away.

This year’s celebration will include more altars than in years past and will be decorated by Memphis-based community organizations and businesses that want to preserve and continue the Mexican tradition and share it with other cultures in the community.

New CERT instructors "Making A Difference" in Shelby County

Dressed out in bright green hardhats, green reflective vests, goggles, and gloves, 25 Shelby County citizens spent the three-day "Make A Difference" weekend learning how to teach others how to survive disasters.

These students had previously graduated from the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training and were now attending the "train the trainer" course to become certified CERT instructors themselves.

CERT teaches citizens about the potential hazards and threats that are likely to occur in this region and trains them how to survive and be self-sufficient until professional rescuers arrive on the scene.

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Wharton launches campaign to end blight

A C Wharton plans to celebrate a year in the mayor’s office by attacking dilapidated properties in the city.

Here’s the press release just came into the Action News 5 newsroom:

Memphis Mayor A C Wharton, Jr. will mark his first year in office by personally filing 135 lawsuits against blighted property owners under the Neighborhood Preservation Act today (Wednesday) at 11:30 a.m.

Action News 5 will have more on Wharton's new plan after his news conference.

Do you think suing property owners will help get blighted properties cleaned up? Leave us a comment and let us know.

Photo courtesy Flickr user Editor B.

Seattle first to create Opt-Out Registry for phone books

Action News 5 received the following press release from Wasterecyclingnews.com

Seattle became the first city in the nation to create a registry that allows its residents and business to stop delivery of unwanted yellow pages phone books.

The new law passed by in an 8-1 vote by Seattle City Council on Monday creates an Opt-Out Registry that residents and businesses can access on the web, by phone or by mail and requires yellow pages publishers to pay the costs of operating the registry.

The legislation also sets out penalties for yellow pages publishers who continue to deliver books when requested not to. And it requires yellow pages publishers to begin paying for recycling of unwanted and outdated yellow pages directories beginning next year.

GreenUp Memphis

GreenUp Memphis is a new festival celebrating things you can do to make Memphis both more eco-friendly and a more attractive place to live. Live Music, Festival Food, Interesting Exhibits, Prizes & More; it’s an event for folks who care about their home town and want to make a difference. Join Mayor Wharton for this inaugural event, on “The Green at South Front Street,” adjacent to the Memphis Farmers Market, Downtown behind Central Station. Saturday, October 30th from 11:00AM to 3:00PM.