At least once a year, typically in October when VIP Jackson Magazine profiles Crockett County, I visit the Tennessee Safari Park. I enjoy driving down the country road that leads to Hillcrest, a Century Farm owned by the Conley family since 1858. Pretty peacocks preen and have full reign of the road. My car moves slowly as I try to avoid a run-in with a peacock.
Read MoreProfiles on Jackson Area Animal Shelters — Companion Pet Rescue, Downtown Dogs Group, Jackson-Madison County Humane Society, KEG Rescue, Loving Paws Rescue, Saving the Animals Together and Redemption Road Rescue.
Read MorePets require attention and dedication, but those are small prices to pay for the physical and mental benefits they bring into our lives. If you are debating whether to get a pet, the following reasons on why you should have pets will likely have you searching for your next furry (or not furry) addition to your home.
Read MoreOnly the music of Jackson and West Tennessee could connect Memphis’ Beale Street and Nashville’s Music Row. Join the organizers of the AMP series as we celebrate the rich musical legacy of our region with the 2016 season of Jackson’s award-winning music venue—Jackson’s Amphitheater (AMP) at the West Tennessee Farmers’ Market.
Read MoreA native of Atwood, Tennessee, Darren Lykes has always had an artist’s eye. When he was merely 17 years old, his parents, Vivian and Bernard, gave their talented son a camera as a way for him to explore his creativity. Darren’s parents were not aware they had ignited a passion within their son that would soon be transformed into a lifelong dream and his future profession.
Read MoreWhat an exciting time it is for downtown Jackson! Two years ago in my introduction to the Destination Downtown special section I related a story about a speech I gave at First Friday Forum around 1990 as the first Executive Director of Jackson Downtown Development Corporation (JDDC). I asked the attendees to close their eyes and dream with me about a bustling center city with numerous residents in homes, condos and apartments; a renovated New Southern Hotel; and busy retail shops and restaurants.
Read MoreOne of the Deep South’s most admired attractions, Bellingrath Gardens and Home is located along the scenic Fowl River 20 miles southwest of Mobile, Alabama. It is truly one of my favorite attractions in the South. On my bucket list is to visit Bellingrath Gardens every season.
Read MoreThere is a new energy in Huntsville, Alabama (City Population: 180,000). I was last in this lovely Southern city in 2008. Much has happened there since then. Huntsville, Madison and all of Madison County, Alabama is buzzing with activity. New construction like the City Centre project in downtown Huntsville, to be completed in 2017, will add retail, dining and accommodations to the core of the city.
Read MoreYou may not know his face, but you probably know his work. He’s the man who paints trees, plants flowers in kitchen sinks and creates garden art from old bicycles, neckties and thousands of wine bottles.
Read MoreCompiled by Lyda Kay Ferree, The Southern Lifestyles Lady
Read MoreIn 2008 the National Trust for Historic Preservation named Columbus, Mississippi one of “America’s Distinctive Destinations.” “As one of the best kept secrets in the state of Mississippi, it is an unrivaled destination for anyone who enjoys Southern architecture, savors down-home cooking, and seeks an escape to the great outdoors,” said Richard Moe, past president of the National Trust.
Read MoreThe following is an excerpt from an an article in the February 2016 issue.
Recently I had the pleasure of re-visiting Lexington, Kentucky, a charming city with an abundance of attractions and an easy drive to horse country. I had not been to Lexington in a decade or so. Much has changed since then, especially downtown with an ice skating rink and several popular eateries including Sawyer’s which “Southern Living” claims has THE best hamburger! I wanted more time to explore the city, but I was torn because I had an instant love affair with my host hotel—the Gratz Park Inn.
Read MoreThe following is an excerpt of an article from the February 2016 issue.
Bill White grew up in the small community of Nutbush near Brownsville, Tennessee. He attended the University of Tennessee at Martin for two years, and he graduated from UT-Knoxville with an accounting degree. He moved to Jackson in 2008 to become Community Bank President of First Tennessee Bank of Jackson. His wife, Lorie, grew up in Wabash, Indiana. They have been married for 35 years.
Read MoreThe following is an excerpt of an article from the December/January issue of VIP Jackson.
Greg Alexander has been called a serial entrepreneur as he has used his education, enthusiasm and entrepreneurship in multiple business and philanthropic ventures during his career. Greg is a native of Savannah, Tennessee, but he has called Jackson home since 1996. He graduated from the University of North Alabama in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing.
Read MoreThe following is an excerpt of an article in the December/January issue of VIP Jackson.
Christmas with Southern Lady, Volume 2, is a second installment of holiday inspiration published by Hoffman Media. The first volume appeared in 2013. Recently I had the pleasure of interviewing Kathleen Whaley, Editor of Southern Lady Magazine and editor of Christmas with Southern Lady, about Hoffman Media’s lovely new holiday book.
Read MoreThe following is an excerpt of an article in the November issue of VIP Jackson.
Bob began his funeral service career at the age of 7 years old at Bodkin Funeral Home in Milan, TN. He became intrigued and interested in funeral service when his grandfather died in 1963. His neighbor, Ralph Jones, owned the funeral home, and Bob left school every afternoon to go to the funeral home and ride home with his neighbor. Weekends were spent at the funeral home.
Read MoreThe following is an excerpt of an article in the October 2015 issue of VIP Jackson.
The doors of the Pyramid have opened again, this time to one of the largest retail projects in the world! Bass Pro Shops at The Pyramid is expected to bring millions of visitors to downtown Memphis. Hopefully they will add millions of dollars to the city coffers. Bass Pro is a game-changer!
Read MoreThe following is an excerpt of an article in the October 2015 issue of VIP Jackson.
The Jackson Country Club, which celebrated its 100th anniversary last year, has a new General Manager—R. Kedric Perkins, Jr.
Perkins moved to Jackson with his wife, Triniti, and their 3 1/2 year-old son, Trey, from Marion, Indiana, halfway between Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, Indiana. His first day at the Jackson Country Club was August 24.
Read MoreNo matter where life or my career has taken me, this has always been home. My family’s roots here run deep, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to live, work, and give back to the community that has meant so much to us.
It is where I am from, it has provided a great life, and it’s my family’s history and its future!
I strive and work every day to make Jackson and rural West Tennessee a better place to live.
I remember PoFolks Restaurant and want to start a petition to bring it back! And if that’s not Jackson enough, then it’s because I’m proud to build homes in a community that values hard work, relationships, and doing things the right way.
Jackson is engrained in me. One can seek out a place to live where they are comfortable, but it is special when you live in a place that fulfills you. Yes, family heritage, family friends, business success, and one’s faith can be fulfilling, but the Jackson community is special. Jackson provides all the elements for me that make life good.
I want Jackson to be visionary and strategic. I have always, and will be, FOR Jackson in all ways possible to make Jackson better. It is going to take a team effort to accomplish all of the opportunities before us, and no doubt it will take vision and change. Our community is ready to take Jackson to the next level, and I look forward to seeing it happen!
I believe in building better — homes, businesses, and relationships — right here in the community that built me.
Because I don’t just live here, I have a passion for seeing Jackson become the very best it can be.
Since I moved to Jackson 47 years ago this town has offered our family life-long friendships, career opportunities, and the desire to continue to grow with our community as a wonderful place to call HOME.
I believe in where we’re headed. Whether it’s helping our airport grow, supporting small businesses, or just being a good neighbor, I’m proud to be part of Jackson’s story. This city is taking off, and I’m glad to be on board. (Couldn’t resist the airport puns.)
I absolutely love this community. My family, my friends, my education, and my career are all rooted in this great community, and I only foresee it just getting better and better with time. We have so much to be grateful for to be able to call this place our home!
This is where I can make the greatest difference, where collaboration thrives, and where a brighter future for our children is not just a hope, but a shared reality we are actively building together. #winning
...this city has shaped me, inspired me, and given me the opportunity to serve and grow alongside an amazing community.
I am Jackson because I have aimed to improve both myself and the West Tennessee community.
Jackson is my home and always has been. I was born here. My parents and all of my grandparents are buried here. I spent my formative years here, my professional career here, and now my retirement years here. Jackson has changed so much and it has changed for the better. Many people choose to relocate to Jackson because of everything it has to offer. I consider myself fortunate to have been born here, and I firmly believe that Jackson’s best days are still ahead.
After living for the last 21 years and being in business for the last 20 years I’m proud to run Jackson’s version of “Cheers,” where everyone knows your name and genuinely cares. I firmly believe in the trajectory of our town, and the opportunity that Jackson offers is rare -- to be on the cusp of extraordinary growth and opportunity. I’m proud to be a Jacksonian and rabid Rams fan.
Jackson is a representation of who I want to be. It is a city that opens its doors to people from other places and embraces them as one of their own. I hope that is how I have lived my life. No matter where I am, the people and the experience make or break the deal. I am a product of my family, and I hope to maintain the small-town feel that I experienced all those years ago when I stepped onto the campus of Lambuth University.
I am a product of the genuinely kind people who live here. Jackson has given me the opportunity to practice medicine that I never imagined possible. Hopefully I am making a positive impact on a community that I love.
In this one unique location, mountains meet music…art meets adventure...culture meets cuisine…and no one meets a stranger. The walkability of downtown allows people to explore and discover vibrant murals, local music, historic sites, art museums, parks, greenways and more. With its sophisticated mix of culture and cuisine, experience a destination served up with genuine hospitality.
On Sunday night, May 19 The Jackson Symphony continued the popular Symphony on the Move concerts in the lovely Vann Gardens neighborhood. Many gathered on the lawn to listen to the beautiful music by members of the Jackson Symphony.
Other Jacksonians in my generation and I are a bridge: remembering what we loved about growing up in this town and helping transform it into a place our kids and grandkids will be proud of. I am part of the Jackson that was, the Jackson that is now, and the Jackson we will create together.
On June 6 hundreds of participants gathered at the Farmers’ Market in downtown Jackson for the Heaven’s Cradle Twilight Run and Downtown Rendezvous. The Twilight Run is a special occasion to honor and remember the children of bereaved families and is Heaven’s Cradle’s largest fundraiser.
I AM JACKSON because… I believe in Jackson and the surrounding area, and I am excited to see continued growth in our community. I am blessed to be in a professional role that allows me to not only enjoy living in this community, but also to serve in ways to help improve it. To see Jackson and the surrounding areas thrive throughout the years, and to help make sure this growth and development continues is a beautiful thing!
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I AM JACKSON because…
Our team sells Jackson every day, and I believe in what we are selling. I believe in this community, our people, and where we are headed.