 CHIEF
DARREL STEPHENS
Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Police Department
By Jill Santuccio
Charlotte Police Chief Darrel
Stephens came to Charlotte from the chief's post in St. Petersburg,
Fla. He currently oversees more than 2,000 employees serving a
population approaching 750,000 people. His community-based,
problem-solving approach to law enforcement makes him highly
sought-after as a speaker nationwide; he has garnered numerous
awards and currently serves as president of the association
comprised of major city police chiefs.
After illustrating the current redistricting process which includes
adding a segment in the University City area, Stephens reviewed
several pages of crime statistics. Most notable were the decrease in
violent crimes by five percent in 2006 and the successes of the
Street Crimes Task Force, which made more than 2,000 arrests and
seized 2,200 illegal weapons during an 11-month grant period.
He shared a humorous story about a self-locking "bait car" that is
used to trap thieves inside and then focused on juvenile crimes.
With the juvenile population increasing at astronomical rates,
studies show that the largest crimes statistics are among youth from
single-parent homes and most likely occur between 3 and 4 p.m.
With 20 percent of North Carolina juveniles living in poverty,
Stephens' mission is to promote education and after-school programs
that steer youth in the right direction before they "get in the
river." Robberies committed by 16- and 17-year olds increased 40
percent in 2006 and the "culture of violence" leads youth to solve
their problems with weapons. Homicides committed between young
African-American males accounts for most murders nationwide.
Finally, he encouraged people to engage through: prevention as much
as enforcement, insisting on court reform - especially juvenile
courts, backing the education system, supporting after-school and
summer employment programs, advocating for more prison space,
seeking solutions for drug abuse among the poor, following
recommendations of the homicide task force and pushing on a federal
level for immigration reform.
Head Table:
Alan Adler, Tom Burgess, Luther Moore, Pam Syfert, Harriman Jett,
Carroll Thomas; Invocation: Rob Thomas
Visitors &
Guests:
Chris Thomas; Health &
Happiness: Mike Rash; Song: Gregg Walker; Piano: Thomas Moore
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IN MEMORY
Thomas Edward Pickard, Jr.
November 16,
1913 -- December 27, 2006 |
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Ed Pickard, Jr. passed away December
27, 2006 at Asbury Care Center, Aldersgate. Ed is survived by
daughters Jackie and Patsy, their husbands, and four
grandchildren. He was employed at Carolinas Motor Club, now AAA
Carolinas, for forty-six years and was quite active with the
organization following retirement. Ed volunteered his time and
talent to numerous civic and industry related organizations, and
particularly anything involving the travel industry. In fact, he
was deeply committed to everything he was a part of: charter
member of First United Methodist Church; sixty-year member of
Phalanx Lodge No. 31; Order of Masons and Oasis Temple for fifty
years; Rotary Club of Charlotte for forty-nine years. Memorials
can be made to John A. Walker College of Business, Appalachian
State Foundation Hospitality and Tourism Management Program,
River Street, Boone, NC 28608 or First United Methodist Church,
PO Box 31603, Charlotte, NC 28231. |
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NEW MEMBER
APPROVAL |
The Classification and Membership
Committee recommend and the Directors approve for consideration
for all members, the following NEW MEMBERS. Should you question
the eligibility of any nominee, please call the Rotary Office by
January 9th. You will be contacted by a member of the
Board. Otherwise, no reply is necessary and election will
proceed according to our bylaws.
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Carroll Gray,
Design Strategies;
Classification: Civic
Development-Public Policy;
Sponsor: Natalie English;
Endorsed: Kit Cramer, Luther Moore
George Baldwin, Piedmont Natural Gas;
Classification: Natural Gas
Distribution;
Sponsor: Natalie English;
Endorsed: Luther Moore |
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Rotary Club of Charlotte
841 Baxter Street, Suite 118, Charlotte 28202
chltrot@bellsouth.net 704-375-6816 |
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þ
La Bibliotheque, meeting location for
Charlotte South Rotary,
will be remodeling in January. Club meetings will be held at
Red Rocks Café during the month of January.
þ
Mike Hawley will turn
over presidency of the British American Business Council of
NC to John Snyder this
month; Mary Ciminelli
has arranged free tickets for a performance of the Charlotte
Philharmonic on January 6th for the International Exchange
Students; Two young people touched by the generous hand of
Rotary - Mordecai Scott, recipient of Youth Merit Award and
Shepard Daniel, Ambassadorial Scholarship applicant, were in
attendance at Tuesday's meeting;
Powell Majors thanked everyone for honoring him
on his 100th birthday on December 12th. He loves the
scrapbook and particularly the fact that $117,000 was raised
for scholarships at CPCC.
þ
Catch up from the papers: Cynthia
Marshall's retirement from Communities in Schools
of Charlotte-Mecklenburg was even sweeter when she learned a
new college scholarship fund was established in her honor,
with donations already in excess of $100,000;
Bryan Adams was named to
Business North Carolina's 2007 Legal Elite in the field of
Employment Law; Those identified to watch in 2007:
Charles Woodyard, CEO of
the Charlotte Housing Authority and
Ronnie Bryant, president and chief executive
of the Charlotte Regional Partnership; Several commended for
their great work in 2006: Tim
Newman, president, Charlotte Regional Visitors
Authority for his work to bring the NASCAR Hall of Fame to
Charlotte ("big-city feel, but redneck-friendly");
Jim Woodward, retired Chancellor UNCC for his
work with the NC Education Lottery ("does the plant
symbolize anything?") and as chair of the Mecklenburg
Citizens for Public Education; Alec
Lassiter, son of John
and Beverly Lassiter, for establishing the Brick
By Brick Coalition, whereby 9 high schools came together to
raise funds and build a House for Humanity; and lastly -
Tony Zeiss' resolution
revolves around growth, saying his goal for 2007 is to grow
more in spirit than in body.
þ
From President Luther:
The challenge to continue growing the club's membership is
everyone's responsibility and you are encouraged to invite a
friend to join Rotary. Next week, membership co-chairs
Marilynn Bowler and Natalie English will conduct the
quarterly drawing to award cool prizes to those that have
brought in a new member.
þ
Rotary Mid-Year Assemblies
will be conducted throughout the District in the upcoming
weeks. ALL Rotarians are invited to these update sessions.
All sessions are from 7-9 pm: 1/9/07 at CPCC Levine Campus,
Matthews, room LV3311; 1/11/07 at Highland Tech, 1600 N.
Morris St, Gastonia; 1/18/07 at Town Hall, 217 S. Main St,
Salisbury; 1/23/07 at Mitchell Community College, 701 W.
Front St, Statesville.
þ
Sympathy is extended to the family of
Joe Miller Wright, member of Charlotte Rotary
from 1965 to 1994, who passed away on December 14, 2006.
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Attendance
Record |
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1/02/07 |
1/03/05 |
| visitors &
guests |
6 |
8 |
| club
members |
170 |
203 |
| total
attendance |
176 |
211 |
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New Members | Resignations |
Robert Avossa
Bill Constangy
Bill Underwood
Mike Hummer
Bill Staton |
Niels Olsen
Pat Rodgers |
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Wedding
Anniversaries |
04 Leslie and Mac McCarley
05 Carole and Kip Kiser
07 Cindy and Gary Wolfe
09 Natalie and Fred English
10 Jennie and Leigh Derby
12 Liz and Kemp Dunaway |
| Birthdays and
Birthplaces |
03 John Nicolay, Wooster, OH
04 Doug Bean, Hagerstown, MD
04 Janet Fortner,
Philadelphia, PA
04 Jim Kothe, Tulsa, OK
04 Jill Santuccio, Rochester, NY
05 George Wilson,
Charlotte, NC
08 Bob Finley, Salina, KS
08 Ed Turner, Miami, FL
08 Cindy Wolfe,
Mooresville, NC
09 Alan Adler, Detroit, MI
10 Ira Griffin, Charlotte, NC
10 Bill Loftin, Sr., Gastonia, NC
14 Myra Johnston,
Memphis, TN |
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