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Vol. 31, No. 43 Meeting No. 1467 June 9, 2006 Editor: Jean Patterson
Today’s meeting
11:45 a.m. Chickasaw Country Club. District Attorney
Jim Lammey will speak about crime in the Memphis area and ways good citizens
can assist in controlling this problem. Jack Robinson is the program
coordinator.
Jim Lammey was raised in the
Whitehaven area where he attended Bishop Byrne High School. He graduated from
Southaven High School in 1975. Jim attended and graduated from the University
of Mississippi in 1980 with a degree in Civil Engineering.
Jim was employed in the oil and gas-producing business in
Louisiana for five years in the 1980s. In the late 1980s he returned to Memphis
to attend law school where he graduated from the University of Memphis in 1989.
Jim has served as an Assistant District Attorney for 16 years He currently
serves as a Division Leader responsible for supervising personnel and cases in
Division Three Criminal Court. His primary responsibility is the prosecution of
homicides.
Future programs
06/16/06: 11:45 a.m. Chickasaw Country Club. Program:
TBA
06/23/06: NO MEETING! (Chickasaw Country Club will be closed
today.) The excursion to the Memphis Zoo that was originally planned for
this date will be rescheduled later in September or October (cooler weather).
06/30/06: 11:45 a.m. Chickasaw Country Club. Program: TBA
The June Board of Directors Meeting
has been cancelled. President John
will be supervising a Boy Scout camp that week. Have fun, John!
Let’s remember our friends Chester & Amanda Perry
Since Chester does not have e-mail service I decided to
include this section in the electronic version of our newsletter. This section
will not appear in the hard-copy of our newsletter that I mail to Chester every
week.
Randolph Reeves mentioned that he visited Chester
and Amanda recently to resize Chester’s wedding band. The ring had not been off
of Chester’s hand in more than 53 years! However, Chester recently endured a
stroke and as a result, his fingers were swollen and the ring had to be removed
to resize it. During their visit Chester told Randolph that there are two
activities he misses now that he is a shut-in: attending church and our Rotary
club meetings. None of Chester and Amanda’s grown children live in Memphis so
we believe it would be nice if all of the members of our Rotary club would keep
in contact with the Perrys. We could offer to run errands, deliver
meals---call Amanda to see what their diets---if any---permit and what their
favorite foods are. I know just plain-old fashioned visits would be
appreciated, too. If you don’t know the Perrys already you will be in for a
treat if you would set aside some time to visit and get to know them. They are
both very precious and dear. Their home phone number is 685-0972.
Last week’s meeting
President John May welcomed us to Meeting #1466. Jerry
Daws offered the invocation and led us in the pledge of allegiance. Doyle
Lemons introduced guests and visiting Rotarians including Doug Baker,
guest of John Bennett. Doug is assistant manager of the Walgreen’s
branch at Knight Arnold and Hickory Hill. He told us that his dad is an
assistant district governor in Tipton County TN (District 6760). We also
welcomed Edith Heller, guest (and boss) of Gordon Wilson
and Past District Governor Dean Wingo from the Collierville club. We
also welcomed our own Tidwell Semmes, honorary member and first president
of our Rotary club.
Bill Eddings conducted the drawing and asked guest Doug
Baker to draw the winning ticket in the Floyd’s Fund raffle. A grand total of
$71.00 had been collected. That meant $36.00 for the club and $35.00 for the
lucky ticket holder. Doug drew out #2022161 which was held by the returning
Yves Calvert. Yves generously donated his win back to the club and to the
Scholarship Fund. Thanks, Yves!
Sergeant-at-arms Rick James was back in charge of his
favorite Rotary “toy”----the Wheel. Before he spun the Wheel to determine the
fine for the day, which turned out to be $5.00 per missed meeting or infraction,
Rick officially welcomed Yves Calvert back to the fold. Yves returned
after an extended absence due to business commitments. Then Rick told Yves he
would be “on the Wheel”. Joining Yves were Tom “I love the Wheel” Michael,
Doyle Lemons, Larry Conn and Rick “I’m the sergeant-at-arms” James.
Was President John May added to the list of members visiting the
treasurer’s table? What was John’s infraction? He forgot there was no meeting
on Friday, May 26 even though he received an electronic copy of the weekly
newsletter the day before which reminded everyone that there would NOT be a
meeting the next day. Laura House, social director at Chickasaw,
welcomed John last Friday and reminded him (again) that the meeting was
cancelled. John, you are much too young to be having such serious senior
moments!
A couple of members said they wanted to take “bragging
rights” on their children’s achievements. Tom Michael shared the great
news that his daughter, Megan, recently graduated magna cum laude from
the Southern Baptist Educational Center (SBEC) in Southaven, MS. She plans to
attend Ole Miss to earn a degree in neonatal nursing. Rick James said
that his son graduated from the 8th grade this year and scored above the 98
percentile. This earned him a scholarship to St. Benedict’s High School. Rick
says his son owes both his good looks and his intelligence to his mother, Cathy.
But we knew that already!
Treasurer Pedro Fernandez provided still another update on
the revenue from the annual golf tournament fund-raiser. As of Friday, June 2,
we have taken in $18,000 in gross receipts. Pedro expects a net income of
$9,000 after all expenses have been paid. And, there is even better news!
Donations are still coming in so we may exceed the $9,000 mark by several
hundred dollars. This record-breaking event could not have happened without the
outstanding work done by the tournament committee headed by R. E.
Linkous and Chris McDermott in addition to participation by so many
of our club members. Again, thank you and kudos to all!!!
President-elect Jim Crone introduced our featured speaker, Judge Larry Evans Potter of the General Sessions Court Division XIV,
Shelby County environmental court. Judge Potter told us that the
environmental court collects 60% of the fines it assesses. (This is a very high
percentage of collections.) Last year in excess of $2 million was collected.
Environmental court deals with quality of life issues such as illegal dumping,
sub-standard housing and infectious diseases. For example, did you know
that---unfortunately---Memphis is ranked fourth in the nation in the number of
sexually transmitted diseases.
The environmental court in Memphis was only the third such court
in existence in the country when it was created in 1982. Now there are more
than 100 such courts nation-wide, each one modeled after the one in Memphis.
Other environmental courts in the southeast are located in Atlanta,
Chattanooga, Knoxville, Mobile, Nashville and many other cities throughout the
USA.
Judge Potter reported that more than 35,000 cases were disposed
of in his court in 2005. The highest category of cases stem from sub-standard
housing. Judge Potter says we must keep in mind that there is not always a
solution for every problem. He favors using faith-based organizations when the
individual involved cannot solve the problem alone. He also said that the
Rhodes-Jennings building case is close to resolution after many years in the
courts.
Club meetings
in the surrounding area
For the convenience of our members we’re providing an updated
list of nearby club meetings where we can make up our misses. Please save this
list for future reference.
MONDAY
No meetings close to the Memphis area.
TUESDAY
Collierville – Noon, Ridgeway Country Club
Memphis– Noon, Cook Convention Center
Olive Branch – Noon, Olive Branch Country Club, Germantown Road
Oxford– Noon, Oxford University Club, 300 North Lamar
WEDNESDAY
Germantown-- Noon, Germantown Country Club,
1780 Kimbrough
Hernando – Noon, the Magnolia Restaurant, 131 Commerce
Holly Springs – Noon, Christopher’s Personal Care Home, 885
Highway 178E
Memphis East – Noon, Racquet Club, 5111 Sanderlin Dr.
Robinsonville -- 8 am, Hollywood Diner, Old Highway 61
THURSDAY
Bartlett/Cordova – Noon, Colonial Country Club, 2736 Countrywood
Pky, Cordova
Southaven – Noon, Boiling Point Restaurant, 55 Church Rd. (near
Civic Center)
Tunica – Noon, Women's Club Building, corner of River and School
Streets
FRIDAY
Senatobia – 12:15 p.m., Northwest Junior College campus,
Haraway Center
Club roster
Rod Ashley 363-6000
Jack Robinson 213-3993
L.D. Beard 369-9642
Gary Rutherford 753-7957
John Bennett 853-3460
Mabel
Rutherford 755-3815
Yves Calvert 767-8776
Tidwell Semmes 767-5752 *
Bert Canfield 634-2730
John Shepherd 850-1061
Jim Crone 754-0777
Carlton Smith 690-1203
Leroy Dahler 362-9700
Henry
Springer 757-9005*
Ray Darby 366-7800 Jack Springer
681-0025
Fred Davis 761-9486
Jim Vandenburg
735-7003 *
Jerry Daws 757-8578
Lee Whipple
755-8350
Bill Eddings 386-3182
Dick Wieland 322-8630
Pedro Fernandez 568-1575
Gordon Wilson 678-4101
DeeDee Fowler 485-1678
Henry Francis 754-3405 *
Doc Harris 662-429-4551**
Al Hollingsworth 767-3600
Laura House 323-6216
Jay Hudson 529-3632
Rick James 362-3492 X27
Jeff Jones 853-8109
Doyle Lemons 756-6536
R.E. Linkous 754-0700
David Luiken 382-3823
Harvey Marcom 761-2016
Bill Matthews 345-5650
John May 259-3631
Floyd McDaniel 327-2013
Chris McDermott 377-1000
Tom Michael 759-2143
Bob Neal 685-7772
Don Palmer 662-429-1542**
Jean Patterson 332-5586, Ext. 1295
Chester Perry 685-0972*
Marty Petrusek 755-5945
Andy Peters 821-4145
Mike Robbins 363-5880
Randolph Reeves 681-0507
* Honorary member
** On leave of
absence