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News broke after court-appointed receiver Phillip G. Young Jr. filed federal records on July 10, prompting termination letters for Fawn Weaver and her husband Keith Weaver. Young has run the Black-owned spirit company since last August. 

The fight over Uncle Nearest intensified in federal court as judges laid out how the company’s money troubles, property moves, and failed bankruptcy filings collided in a fast-moving receivership case. At the center of it all was a Martha’s Vineyard home, a pile of unpaid debt, and a legal effort to keep assets from slipping further out of reach.

The court filing shows Uncle Nearest and its related entities were struggling by the start of 2024, after Farm Credit Mid-America said the company owed more than $108 million and had missed payments.

The lender pushed for a receiver to take control of property tied to Uncle Nearest, including the Martha’s Vineyard house the Weavers had bought for corporate events. The district court granted that request and later expanded the receivership to cover Grant Sidney, Weaver’s holding company.

Weaver was accused of using Grant Sidney to move $20 million out of Uncle Nearest’s control during negotiations with Farm Credit, and that helped drive the finding that the company may have concealed assets or misrepresented where the funds came from.

The dispute escalated when Fawn Weaver filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy petitions for Uncle Nearest entities without the receiver’s knowledge, but the filings were later dismissed.

Once celebrated as the most-awarded Bourbon and American Whiskey brand of 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, Uncle Nearest had built a reputation on more than 900 awards and accolades since its 2017 launch, along with a presence in more than 30,000 stores, bars, hotels, and restaurants. Its 432-acre Nearest Green Distillery in Shelbyville, Tenn., helped turn the label into a household name for many who came to love what the brand represented.

What many remembered as a story of Black excellence, legacy, and ownership has been pulled into a court fight over debt, receivership, and claims of financial mismanagement. Fawn Weaver once said, “The Uncle Nearest brand thrives on its profound story of love, honor, respect, and heritage. Our mission in Cognac echoes this essence”.

The receiver is actively preparing Uncle Nearest for a potential sale.

Uncle Nearest is a Tennessee whiskey brand named for Nathan “Nearest” Green, a formerly enslaved man recognized as the first known African American master distiller and the man who taught Jack Daniel to distill.

The post Uncle Nearest: Fawn Weaver Fired Amid Legal Turmoil first appeared on FLUENT IN BLK.

Update, July 19 2026: Taylor Farms de México of Guanajuato, Mexico, released a public announcement on July 17, 2026, stating it is voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market because it has the potential to be contaminated with Cyclospora.

Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by the Cyclospora parasite. People become infected by eating food or drinking water that contains it. The parasite causes a major upset to the small intestine (bowel), leading to frequent, watery, and extremely uncomfortable stools.

If you have heard something about a stomach parasite going around and didn’t fully grasp what it was, or even if the words “explosive diarrhea” made you chuckle a bit, here is what is true. Cases are growing, and medical professionals are calling on the public to stay informed and take precautions.

Health Crisis: Where Cyclosporiasis Is Hitting Hardest

Cases started showing up in May and spiked through June and July, and Southeast Michigan has been hit the hardest. The worst of it sits in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, and Washtenaw counties, home to cities like Detroit, Dearborn, Troy, and Ann Arbor.

Even for a predominantly African American Detroit to descend from 82.2 % (586,573 residents) in 2010 to 75 % (478,586 residents) in 2024, the city remains one of the most heavily Black metros in the country, so this outbreak strikes a predominantly Black community.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) reported 572 cases as of July 4, up from 170 on June 30. By July 10, that number had climbed to 1,562, with 44 people hospitalized.

Cases remain highest in Monroe, Lenawee, Washtenaw, Wayne, Shiawassee, Jackson, Oakland, and Livingston counties.

As of today, the CDC and MDHHS have not named a specific grower, supplier, or produce type as the source.

Who is at risk

People of all ages are at risk, and many who get infected are asymptomatic, meaning they carry the parasite but show no noticeable signs. Younger and older people, along with anyone who has a weakened immune system, are more vulnerable to serious illness.

When symptoms do show, they can also include loss of appetite and weight, cramping, bloating, increased gas, nausea, prolonged fatigue, body aches, and a low-grade fever with other flu-like signs. Vomiting is less common.

The time between exposure and getting sick is usually about one week; however, it can range from two days to two weeks or more.

What Recovery Looks Like

The good news is that no deaths have been reported.

If left untreated, the parasitic infection can last from a few days to more than a month (longer in patients with HIV), and it is common for symptoms to go away and then return.

Treatment

Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, known as TMP-SMX, is the treatment of choice, an antibiotic sold under the brand names Bactrim and Septra and used for infections like UTIs, bronchitis, and traveler’s diarrhea.

Rest and plenty of fluids to stay hydrated are needed to round out the recovery phase.

If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms, contact a health care provider and reach out to the nearest health department. Cyclospora testing is not part of a routine stool panel, so you have to ask for it by name.

How to lower your risk

A safer bet would be to prepare your own meals at home. And please, SCRUB your fruits and vegetables. A simple rinse will not cut it. The parasite hides in the spots a light rinse can miss.

Wash your hands with soap and water before and after handling food. Scrub firm produce like melons and cucumbers with a clean produce brush. Cut away bruised or damaged areas before eating. Sanitize your cutting boards, utensils, and surfaces, and refrigerate cut, peeled, or cooked produce as soon as you can.

The CDC and MDHHS tied these foods to past outbreaks: peas, lettuce and leafy greens, cilantro, basil, green onions, and raspberries.

Staying informed is how you stay ahead of this one, and a few small habits in your kitchen can protect you and everyone you feed.

Sources: CDC and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).

The post Cyclosporiasis Crisis Spreads Across the US as Infections Rise and Health Officials Urge Caution With Fresh Foods first appeared on FLUENT IN BLK.