Quentin Whitwell
Quentin Whitwell, 37, is a local political advisor and the go-to guy for many campaigns in the state. He co-founded the largely Republican government-relations firm The Talon Group in 2004, along with political strategist and former Jackson City Councilman Chip Reno. Jackson law firm Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes acquired The Talon Group last year, and Whitwell is now a senior government-relations advisor at the law firm.
Arthur Jones
Twice a month, Arthur Jones, 34, dons his overalls and gets down to business. With a pocket designated for his thermometer, and using tools he forged himself, he lights the grill.
You Tell Us!
In honor of this week's special ode to the onerous '80s, today's Person of the Day is a JFP staffer pictured here when he was a strapping young Jacksonian, complete with gold chain and muscle shirt. Can you tell who this is? Hint: He's winning a big award Wednesday night in Jackson.
Kristen Thigpen
Before accepting her new job with the Mississippi Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Kristen Thigpen didn't personally know anyone who had been a victim of intimate partner abuse. Since she took the job Oct. 1, she's been researching the issue, which has opened her eyes. "I always had a heart for abused women," she says about taking her new job. "I didn't actually know how common the problem really is. I was really shocked. ... It's really breathtaking."
Connie McCaa
Dr. Connie McCaa has set her professional bar high. This week she was again ranked by Best Doctors, an international, independent medical resource, as one of the leading doctors in Mississippi. This is McCaa's 12th consecutive time on the list.
Erica Haskell
From her experiences in countries as far away as Bosnia-Herzegovina, Erica Haskell has gained a deep understanding of music and how it relates to politics and culture. This fall she joined the Tougaloo College music department as a visiting faculty member where she will be teaching an introduction to music course.
Hello, Melissa Ferrick
Melissa Ferrick, 39, has been busy recording a cover of Radiohead's "High and Dry" for her forthcoming album, but has stopped long enough to call me. She is slightly flustered, but calms quickly as we talk about Massachusetts (where she grew up and later attended Berklee College of Music) and our common experiences with the Portland Ore., queer community. She reveals that her "late summer project" will include other songs from her "glorious 20s" like Aimee Mann's "Deathly" and David Gray's "This Year's Love."
Catherine Lutz
Since being named the first female brigadier general in the history of Mississippi in March, Catherine Lutz has become a role model for women, as well as the entire state.
Dr. James Martin
The Preeclampsia Foundation in Minneapolis recently awarded University of Mississippi Medical Center Maternal-Fetal Medicine Director Dr. James Martin Jr. with the foundation's Hope Award for his "lifetime achievement in preeclampsia research."
Melody Golding
The Smithsonian Institute in Washingon, D.C., has selected Vicksburg photographer Melody Golding's photo collection "Katrina: Mississippi Women Remember," to add to the Smithsonian Archives Center this month. Golding's work is the institute's only acquisition documenting the effects of Hurricane Katrina on Mississippi.
Dr. Cora Norman
Cora Norman took on the role of executive director for the Mississippi Humanities Council at the organization's 1972 inception, staying with the group for 24 years. Her new book, "Mississippi In Transition: The Role of the Humanities Council," documents her experiences with the council, including the tension of the Civil Rights Era in the state and the council's positive influence in helping to ease the adjustments of moving toward an integrated society.
Gina Carter-Simmers
After 20 years in working for public broadcasting, Gina Carter-Simmers, 41, has found a tune of her own as the general manager at WJSU.
Guy Cavett Taff
Known for his gentle nature and unique story-telling skills, Jacksonian Guy Cavett Taff passed away Saturday Sept. 26 at the age of 60.
Scott Colom
A new attorney with the Mississippi Center for Justice, Scott Colom will spend the next two years working to combat predatory payday lending in the state. Colom is the recipient of a prestigious Skadden Fellowship, which helps new law school graduates enter public-interest fields by paying their salary for two years.
Bill Luckett
Clarksdale attorney Bill Luckett has confirmed that he will run for the Mississippi governor's seat in 2011. Luckett told the Mississippi Business Journal yesterday that he will formally announce his candidacy sometime in the spring, but that he has moved beyond merely considering a run. A staffer at Luckett's political action committee, Progress for Mississippi, confirmed Luckett's candidacy to the Jackson Free Press today.