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Club Announcements:
Proposed New Member Announcement
Edwin Poteat “Po” Lutken, Jr. has been proposed for membership in the Rotary Club of North Jackson by Collier Graham and is sponsored for membership by Past President Don Roberts. Po is an Attorney and Shareholder in the Wise, Carter, Child, & Caraway firm. He has lived and worked in Jackson for the past 7 years. He attended the University of Mississippi where he received his B.A. degree in 2010 and his M.A. degree in 2011. He continued his education at Washington & Lee University where he earned his J.D in 2014. He is a member of the Mississippi Bar Association and serves as a member of the Advisory Council of Downtown Jackson Partners.
He, his wife, Blann, and their 2 children live in North Jackson. He will be loaned the classification, Attorney, after his membership is approved by the Board.
This is the 1st publication of this proposed new member.
Club Member Passing
It is with a heavy heart that I have to report that Richard A. “Rich” Sun passed away yesterday suddenly and unexpectedly. Rich, had been a member of our club for 12 years. He was the former Chairman of the Board, inaugural Entrepreneur-in-Residence, and a co-founder and major thought leader for the Mississippi Coding Academies. He was very active with the startup community as an investor and advocate. He always committed deeply to the companies he supported and the Mississippi Coding Academies was a true passion for him. He will be greatly missed. Please keep Phyllis and the entire Sun family in your prayers. As soon as we get further information we will make sure to share it.
Prayer
Having found our way to this familiar place, O God, and to the familiar format of the fellowship we cherish, we are grateful that amid change and uncertainty in life, there is also a comforting sameness about much in human experience. For that we give thanks. Strengthen us for service by food now provided. Enrich our togetherness by reminders of our mutual identity and responsibility as servants in the world. In the name of the greatest Servant of all. Amen.
Jordan Rae Hillman, Director of Planning and Development for the City of Jackson, spoke to the Rotary Club of North Jackson during its March 1, 2022 meeting. Hillman informed club members and guest about recent changes to the planning and development development including creating online services. Hillman outlined the changes with the digital transformation, code enforcement, JTRAN, ordinances and homeless response. According to Hillman, she has been busy modernising city services online. Now citizens can apply for building permits, code enforcement information, fire department inspections and public works plan reviews all online. Business licenses and zoning enforcement will be online in the coming weeks. The code enforcement office has moved from the police department to the planning department. JTRAN has had a digital transformation and new routes have been created. Crime data is now online according to Hillman. Hillman said that code enforcement is now focus on the whole process and not just tearing down buildings. Changes have been made as well in policy work. A safety plan is now online as well as retail registry, ordinances, traffic calming ordinances and zoning changes. Hillman said that there also is a new homeless response in Jackson. There is now a housing first approach that focuses on a stable place for them to live. The department according to Hillman, is working with Stewpot Ministries and a local hotel to help with the homeless problems. Hillman is also working with the State Legislature on changes to the abandon property laws. Here is the link to the meeting video https://vimeo.com/684728190. Shown in the photo below from left, Club President Uriel Pineda, Hillman and Club Executive Secretary-Treasurer Don Roberts.
Joanne Wilson, owner of VIP Travel in Jackson, spoke to the Rotary Club of North Jackson during its February 22, 2022 meeting. Wilson, who has owned VIP Travel for 25 years, gave club members and guest an update on the travel industry during the pandemic. Wilson said that international travel will not fully recover until 2024. The hotel occupancy is back up to 61% since 2019. The cost of an average domestic trip has gone up from $2,745 in 2019, to $4,428 in 2021 according to Wilson. Cruising is rebounding due to the lessons learned from 2020. The ships are new cleaner and safer. Wilson said that there is a pent-up demand to travel and travelers have become accustomed to COVID protocols and are no longer inclined to change their travel plans. Most international countries require that travelers be vaccinated before entering their country. Half of Americans plan to travel internationally during the next two years according to Wilson. The top three domestic destinations for 2022 are Seattle, Washington; the Florida Keys and Denver, Colorado. The best places for families is Orlando, Florida; Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, Georgia. The top destinations for couples is Maui, Hawaii and Palm Springs and Napa Valley, California. According to Wilson, it is a good idea to use a travel agent due to their knowledge of the industry, connections with the industry and if a problem happens during the trip, you just have to make one call to your travel agent to help solve the issues. Here is the link to the meeting video
https://vimeo.com/681517671. Shown in the photo below from left, Club President Uriel Pineda, Wilson and Wilson's daughter Claire Barwin.
David Turner, owner of David Turner Companies, spoke to the Rotary Club of North Jackson during its February 15, 2022 meeting. Turner, a residential and commercial developer, gave club members and guest an update on development his company is doing in the Belhaven neighborhood. Turner, a Belhaven resident, started his company in 2000. The mission of David Turner Companies is to build authentic places, encouraging creative thinking and nurture meaningful relationships. He developed several residential communities in Madison County before developing Fondren Green on Old Canton Road near Meadowbrook Road in Jackson. Turner moved his focus to developments in the Belhaven neighborhood in 2010 with the Belhaven Town Center. The Belhaven Town Center houses Spectrum Sips, a coffee shop, District Donuts, Elvie's Restaurant and some work spaces at the corner of Manship and North Jefferson Streets. Turner then started developing the old Baptist Medical Center's laundry facility that boarders Poplar, North and North Jefferson Streets. In May of 2020, The Fertile Ground Beer Company and the Laundry Market will open up in the old laundry facility. In July of 2021, Turner and his family moved from Madison County back to Belhaven. He moved his mouth to where his money was said Turner. Construction has begun on the Terrace an outdoor event space at the corner of Manship and North Streets. It will have a small amphitheater, courtyards and small shops with the purpose to be used by local art and music groups. It should be finished by May of 2022. Another development almost ready to open is the Belhaven Town Center Lofts which will consist of 12 residential unites on the top floors and retail on the lower floor. Here is the link to the meeting video https://vimeo.com/679264227. Shown in the photo below from left, Club Director Jenny Price, Turner and club member Jay Cooke.
Dr. Dorothy "Dot" Anderson spoke to the Rotary Club of North Jackson during its February 8, 2022 meeting. Anderson, Ed.D, BC-TMH, LMHC, LPC, NCC, a professional counselor, spoke about marriage, love and relationships. Anderson said that regardless of our age, look at what the heart wants, your heart needs remains the same. She said there is no universal language of love. How we communicate love is based on how we grew up and how our family loved us. Anderson said that your partner can have grown up with a different love language, but the two of you can adjust to each others feelings of love. The pandemic according to Anderson, brought out a high interest in who are you and who am I. She said that if you are uncomfortable asking yourself how I want to be loved then asking your partner can be a challenge. One of the most plain sited hidden secrets according to Anderson is, there is no one who does not want to hear someone they care about saying to them "I love you". The heart says I value you, I care about you, I am protective of you and important to you. All relationships also need humor in it according to Anderson. Here is the link to the meeting video https://vimeo.com/675556978.Shown in the photo below from left, Club President Uriel Pineda, Anderson and Club President Elect Larry Anderson.
Nathan P. “ Nate” Adams, Jr. was introduced as the newest member of the Rotary Club of North Jackson during its January 25, 2022 meeting. Nate was proposed for membership by club member Virginia Carlton and sponsored for membership by Past President Don Roberts. At the time of his retirement he was serving as Chancery Judge in Washington County, Mississippi. Nate has lived in the metro area for about 3 years. He and his wife, Frances, currently live in Madison. He will be loaned the classification, Judge – Chancery. Shown in the below photo from left, Club President Uriel Pineda, Adams, Jr., and club member and Nate's proposer Virginia Carlton.
Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson spoke to the Rotary Club of North Jackson during its January 25, 2022 meeting. Secretary Watson informed club members and guest about the responsibilities of the Secretary of State's Office. Secretary Watson a Jackson County native, served three terms in the State Senate before being elected as the Secretary of State. Secretary Watson talked about the divisions of the Office including Elections and Voting, Business Services and Regulations, Public Lands and others. Secretary Watson stressed the importance that the Office of Secretary of State works for the citizens of Mississippi, "You are our boss, we work for you", said SOS Watson. Since January of 2020 when SOS Watson has been the SOS, he said he has tried to make the SOS's Office more user friendly. With elections, they oversee the state's elections, but each county's election commissioners and clerks are in charge of the elections. He has tried to minimize the business regulatory regulations by creating the Occupational Licensing Review Commission. The SOS Office has also created Tackle the Tape. The Tackle the Tape initiative seeks to cut anti-competitive government regulations and increase economic opportunities for individuals across Mississippi by encouraging innovation and job growth. Currently, per capita, Mississippi is the most regulated state in the Southeast. Working closely with the Occupational Licensing Review Commission and other state agencies, as well as small businesses and industry leaders across the state, the SOS Office have seen tremendous success in helping rid Mississippi of the burdensome “red tape.” Here is the link to the meeting video https://vimeo.com/670741001. Shown in photo below is from left, club member Pete Perry, SOS Watson and Club Past President Greg Campbell.
Dr. Michael Garrett, Executive Director of Homes of Hope for Children, spoke to the Rotary Club of North Jackson during its January 18, 2022 meeting. Dr. Garrett informed club members about the children's home in Purvis, Mississippi. The mission of Homes of Hope for Children is to serve children in crisis throughout Mississippi by providing strong, Christian homes to every child who lives on campus while ensuring that each child is loved unconditionally and has their physical, spiritual, and emotional needs met. Dr. Garrett and his two sisters who spent time in a Christian children's home as kids, had a vision to provide a place where children in crisis could grow up. Over a decade ago, he and his wife moved to Hattiesburg with their then-infant son. "God had placed the vision of Homes of Hope for Children my heart", and they were committed to bringing it to life by helping boys and girls find a nurturing place to call “home.” Currently, Homes of Hope for Children has four cottages, two for boys and two for girls with a total of 28 children. Each cottage houses up to seven children and is staffed by a Christian houseparent couple that has been “called” to this special work. They also have a transitional living program to serve young adults who have graduated from high school while living on the campus while transitioning into the next stage of their lives. Dr. Garrett announced during his talk, that they are in the begging stages of planning for a Homes of Hope for Children in the Jackson area. Here is the link to the video of the club meeting, https://vimeo.com/668101579. Shown in the photo below from left, Club President Uriel Pineda, Dr. Garrett and Club Director Bill Osborne.
Francine Thomas Reynolds, Artistic Director at New Stage Theatre, spoke to the Rotary Club of North Jackson during its January 11, 2022 meeting. Reynolds informed club members and guest about the history of New Stage, how the theater has dealt with COVID and the current season. New Stage Theatre was chartered as a nonprofit organization in 1965 and produced its initial season in the winter and spring of 1966. Founded by Jane Reid Petty and seven other charter board members, with the assistance of the American National Theatre Academy and Actors’ Equity Association, the theater has been dedicated to professional excellence in the dramatic arts since its inception. Ivan Rider was the theater’s first artistic director and served in that capacity until 1979. New Stage’s first home was an adapted church at the corner of Gallatin and Hooker Streets. The full houses for its opening season were significant: they represented the city’s first racially integrated theater audience and playgoers’ response to more intellectually stimulating theater fare than had been previously available locally. New Stage produced 13 seasons in the 150-seat church before moving to its present site in Belhaven in 1978. Built in 1963 for the Jackson Little Theatre, the 12,000 square foot structure includes the 364-seat Meyer Crystal Auditorium, and a flexible, smaller performing space, the Jimmy Hewes Room. Now in its 56th year, New Stage produces a full professional season, including five main stage shows in the subscription series. The next show for this season is I Just Stopped by to See the Man, February 2-13. The play is set in the Miss. Delta about a Delta blues singer's passion for his art and the sacrifices of fame and fortune. Shown in the photo below is from left, Luther Munford, club member; Reynolds and Bill Osborne, club director. Here is the link to the meeting video https://vimeo.com/665757820.
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