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Club Announcements:
Mask Are Recommended at Meetings
Due to the spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant, we are asking members to please wear a mask while you are gathering and having fellowship before our club meetings. Once you sit at a table for your meal, you can remove your mask. Thank you for understanding this voluntarily action. We want to keep all our members and guest safe during the pandemic.
Club Elections to be Held January 4th
The Rotary Club of North Jackson will hold our club elections on Tuesday January 4th during our meeting. Please make plans to attend to elect our slate of officers and directors for the 2022-2023 Rotary year.
Prayer
Almighty and eternal God, at the outset of this new year, we are grateful that you are not beholden to the changing seasons and rapidly turning calendar. As we experience transitions in life, we find comfort in the constancy of your love and grace. We are grateful that in the year now ended, we have dwelled secure in your providence. Help us now to enter the new year with confidence and undiminishing hope, grounded in abiding faith. Bless out food and fellowship that we may be strengthened in body and enriched in spirit. We pray with grateful anticipation of your favor. Amen.
Mississippi State Senator David Blount, spoke to the Rotary Club of North Jackson during its December 21, 2021 meeting. State Senator Blount, a Democrat who represents district 29, informed club members and guest the outlook for the upcoming legislative session. Senator Blount said the most important task in the session is spending the roughly 2 billion of federal COVID money for one time usage. The state also has a little less than 2 billion in the bank and the rainy day fund is full. Issues effecting Jackson that are his top priority are, fixing the water and sewer issues and crime and public safety. Other cities in the state also need water and sewer updates. Another issue he hopes to tackle for Jackson is getting more prosecutors to help with the crime issues. Another issue facing the legislature is to restore the initiative process and pass the medical marijuana bill. Redistricting is another issue the legislature is facing. Senator Blount also said that the #1 issue for Mississippi in his opinion, is expanding Medicaid. There is also talk about eliminating the state income tax according to Blount. One third of the state revenue of the 6 billion general budget, comes from income tax collections according to Senator Blount. The Legislative session starts January 4th, 2022. Shown in the photo below is Senator Blount and Club President Uriel Pineda. Here is the link to the video of the meeting https://vimeo.com/659784057.
The Mississippi String Quartet performed before our club's meeting on Tuesday December 21, 2021. The musicians performed holiday classics for club members and guest. Members of the quartet are from left, Marta Szlubowska, Concertmaster for the Symphony; Milena Rusanova, Ausra Jasineviciute and Rebekah Miller.
The Rotary Club of North Jackson heard two new club members give their vocational talks during its December 14, 2021 meeting. Club members Lynette Suttlar, owner of 1STAR Realty LLC and John Garrard, owner and President of Optimum Financial Services LLC., informed club members about their life and career. Suttlar is a native of Benton in Yazoo County. She has one son and one grandson. Lynette spent 30 years working for the US government with stents at the US Postal Service, IRS and Department of Defense. She spent 15 years in the military with 4 years of active duty in the U.S. Army and 11 years in the Army Reserves. Lynette was a Staff Sergeant when she retired. She has a MBA and MPA from Jackson State University. Lynette is a diplomat with the Ridgeland Chamber of Commerce. Her hobbies are golf and reading. Garrard, is a native of Isola, Mississippi. He is a Mississippi State University grad and has earned his MBA from Millsaps College. After working in the brokerage business with large companies A.G. Edwards and Legg Mason, he started his own (RFA) registered investment advisor firm Optimum Financial Services LLC in 1990. Optimum was the first RFA in Mississippi to use robotic advisory software to help in advising their clients with their investments. John is married to Susan, President and CEO of the Mississippi Children's Museum. They have two sons. Shown from left in the photo below is, Garrard, Suttlar and Club President Uriel Pineda. To view the meeting video, please click on this link https://vimeo.com/657208244.
Mississippi State Department of Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs III, spoke to the Rotary Club of North Jackson during its December 7, 2021 meeting. Dr. Dobbs updated club members and guest on the COVID virus and the new Omicron strain. Dr. Dobbs said that most of the early deaths were at nursing homes. Most deaths now are from the un-vaccinated witch is around 90%. Dobbs said that 120,000 children are orphaned in the USA due to their parents dying of COVID. He also said that most deaths in 2021 when the vaccine was available, are those 65 and older. Dr. Dobbs said that boosters are needed just like getting the flu vaccine each year. one of the goals of the vaccine according to Dr. Dobbs is to keep folks from spreading the virus to others. The new Omicron strain doesn't seem to cause a lot of hospitalisations currently. The vaccines with boosters seem to be good at treating the Omicron strain. He suggest a COVID safety plan during the holidays should include where to get the anti-bodies and where to get tested. Shown in the photo below from left, Dr. Nelson Atehortua, club member; Dr. Dobbs and Club President Uriel Pineda.
James L. Pete Perry was inducted into the Rotary Club of North Jackson at the club's November 30 meeting. Perry is an Election Law consultant based in Jackson. He is a graduate of Mississippi State University and was previously a Rotarian in Philadelphia, MS, and the Rotary Club of Jackson. Pete lives in the Belhaven neighborhood. We welcome him to our club.
Pete (center) is shown in the following photo with his proposer, Tom Parry (left), and his sponsor, Don Roberts (right).
Bruce Deer, CEO of Trilogy Communications, a coaxial cable manufacturer located in Pearl, MS, spoke to the Rotary Club of North Jackson at the club’s November 30 meeting about innovation. Deer is an Electrical Engineering graduate of Mississippi State University with a Masters in Engineering from Southern Methodist University. He has had extensive experience in the technology field and is a frequent speaker on Innovation. He served Trilogy as a consultant before becoming CEO.
In his presentation, Deer cited advances in computing over the past 50 years, starting with a Hollerith card which was an elementary storage device used to store information and input it into early computers to the first PCs, to mobile phones (in particular the Blackberry and iPhones), and SD cards which can hold up to 256 GB of data. He commented that a 256GB SD card holds as much data as a stack of punch cards 300 miles high.
Deer also cited developments such as technology linking brokerage houses in Chicago with ones in the metropolitan New York area. Another example was the development of mapping technology that we now know as Google Maps. which ultimately utilized technology from 17th-century tapestries. His bywords were “just because someone says it can’t be done, give it a try” and you may be successful.
Deer is shown in the following photo with club president Uriel Pineda following his presentation. We thank him for speaking to our club and for his work preparing our students to become innovators.
JPD Pct. 4 Officer Joseph McCarroll was recognized as the Officer of the Quarter by the Rotary Club of North Jackson at the club’s November 30 meeting. Officer McCarroll was honored for his diligent police work apprehending auto burglary and attempted carjacking suspects in the Belhaven neighborhood. He (left) is shown in the following photos with Rotarian Steve Orlansky (center) presenting his certificate and Pct. 4 Commander Obie Wells.
The second photo shows officer McCarroll and Steve Orlansky with Officer McCarroll’s colleagues from the Jackson Police Department who were at the meeting to support him in recognition of his being honored by the club. Shown from left, Assistant Chief Joseph Wade, Sgt. Julian Lonie, Deputy Chief Tiny Harris, Officer McCarroll, Club member Steve Orlansky, Precinct 4 Commander Obie Wells, Jr., Officer Jayla Holloway, and Sgt. Almcia Bolden. We thank all of the JPD personnel for their service to the citizens of Jackson.
The Rotary Club of North Jackson welcomed new member Paul Watson Jr. during its November 23, 2021 meeting. Watson recently moved from Greenville, where he was a member of the Rotary Club of Greenville for 52 years and served as President. Paul recently moved to Ridgeland with his wife Jody. Shown from left, Club President Uriel Pineda, Club Executive Secretary-Treasurer Don Roberts, Watson and Past President and Watson's sponsor Tom Parry.
The Rotary Club of North Jackson's President Uriel Pineda's niece Alexandra Teran Reyes from Managua, Nicaragua, spoke to the club during its November 23, 2021 meeting. Teran Reyes, a freshman at Texas Christian University, informed members about her academic achievements and service activities in high school. One of those service activities was raising funds and holding a weekend of activities for the children at Conance, where kids who suffer from cancer live. Alexandra is a freshman at Texas Christian University majoring in computer information technology. Shown from left, Teran Reyes Uncle and Club President Uriel Pineda, Teran Reyes and Club Executive Secretary-Treasure Don Roberts.
The Rotary Club of North Jackson's Executive Secretary-Treasurer Don Roberts received the Rotary International's Paul Harris Society chevron during the club's November 23, 2021 meeting. A Rotarian becomes a Paul Harris Society member when they commit to contribute at least $1,000 per year to The Rotary Foundation. Shown from left, Charlie Johnson, Paul Harris Society member, who awarded Don with the honor and Roberts.
Whit Rayner and Katie Hester with the Jones Walker LLP Law Firm, spoke to the Rotary Club of North Jackson during its November 16, 2021 meeting. The attorneys spoke about the NCAA Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) Policy. On June 30, 2021, the Division 1 Board of Directors approved an interim name, image and likeness (NIL) policy. This new policy allows all NCAA D1, D2 and D3 student-athletes to be compensated for their NIL as of July 1, 2021, regardless of whether their state has a NIL law in place or not. Mississippi has a law as well.
The policy provides the following guidance to college athletes, recruits, their families and member schools:
Individuals can engage in NIL activities that are consistent with the law of the state where the school is located. Colleges and universities are responsible for determining whether those activities are consistent with state law.
College athletes who attend a school in a state without an NIL law can engage in this type of activity without violating NCAA rules related to name, image and likeness.
Individuals can use a professional services provider for NIL activities.
Student-athletes should report NIL activities consistent with state law or school and conference requirements to their school.
A school may not revoke or reduce a student-athletic's grant-in-aid scholarship or other financial aid if they engage in the NIL.
An NIL agreement can't be used as an inducement to a student-athletic to attend, enroll and participate in sports at a school.
The student-athletic must be enrolled in the school.
Here is the link to the meeting video: https://vimeo.com/647139331. Shown in the photo below are from left, Whit Rayner, Katie Hester and Don Roberts, Club Executive Secretary-Treasurer.
Bobby Rush, two time Grammy winning Blues Artist, spoke to the Rotary Club of North Jackson during its November 9, 2021 meeting. Rush, who turned 87 on Nov. 10th, has been a Blues Artist for 70 years and recorded 397 records. Rush has been awarded 12 Blues Music Awards and two Grammy Awards. In 2017, at the age of 83, Rush won his first Grammy Award in the category of Best Traditional Blues Album for Porcupine Meat. In 2018, a remix of Rush's song Funk O'De Funk by American electronic music duo Smle was nominated for Best Remixed Recording at the 60th Grammy Awards. Rush was awarded his 2nd Grammy Award in 2021 for the Best Traditional Blues Album Rawer than Raw. He has a new book about his life and career titled Ain't Studdin' Ya, My American Blues Story. Shown in the photo below from left, Club President Uriel Pineda, Rush and Club Past President Greg Campbell. Here is the link to the meeting video that contains graphic language https://vimeo.com/645297847.
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