Mrs. Euphemia Clement Tinner, a resident of the Hamilton Park community in Dallas, Texas has always been different from most in her neighborhood and perhaps all of the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex area.  One way she has stood out over the years is as the recipient of four congratulations and best wishes from Presidents Barack H. Obama, George W. Bush and William (Bill) Clinton of the United States of America; and Rick Perry, Governor of  the State of Texas.

Mrs. Tinner and her husband, Mr. Eugene H. Tinner were married June 8, 1948 in Paris, Texas.  They are the parents of Beverly, Ruena, Rebecca, Regina (Lawrence), Reginald (Iris) and Wilford (Peggy).  Their pride and joy are their grandchildren, Naarah, a graduate of Austin College in Sherman, Texas; Joshua; Ebony, a junior student at the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas; Jordan; Lee Ann; Jared; Leeah; Joseph; and great grandson, Joshua, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Tinner have been faithful members of the First Baptist Church of Hamilton Park in Richardson, Texas for over 50 years under the leadership of the late Dr. J. L. Foster, Founder; and currently, Dr. Gregory Foster, Senior Pastor and Rev. Anthony Foster, Pastor.

Mrs. Tinner, called Phemia by family and friends, has kept her cover girl beauty, can still prepare delectable meals from scratch and she still maintains a “white glove test” home.  She was surprised with a birthday party on August 1^st at the Holiday Inn Select on LBJ at Preston Road.  Phemia was surrounded by family and friends and she delighted in the mini roast and kind words from everyone who spoke, including her only sibling, Mrs. Frankie McFadden from Garland, Texas and her only goddaughter, Minister Sheila Tarpley Lott.

Phemia has always been very happy and pleased with her congratulations and best wishers from family and friends; but when she received a congratulations and best wishes from President Barack Obama, the first African American President of the United States of America and First Lady Michelle Obama, she was mixed with pride, happiness, joy and a great feeling of how blessed she is.   She thanked her husband, family, goddaughter Sheila and gives all of the credit to God.

Doing Good for the Environment
The City of Garland would like to recognize and reward students who have shown initiative, spirit, intelligence, leadership, and generosity by implementing an extraordinary service project that promotes environmental stewardship. We believe that young people can be an inspiration to others and play a key role in how we protect the environment.

Contest deadline is September 10, 2010. Winners will receive public recognition at the Healthy Living Expo on September 25.

Prizes: First Place $500; Second Place $300; Third Place $100.

Expo Art Contest
Submit environmental art, including paintings, sculptures and mixed media that portray our impact on the environment. Art must be made of at least 70% reused, recycled, or natural materials such as natural dyes, fibers, or flowers. This contest is for any Garland resident, age 18 and over. Winners will receive a trophy for first, second, and third place.

For more information on both contests, visit www.GarlandGoesGreen.org or call the Stormwater Hotline at 972-205-2180.

And God said, ‘Let there be light.’ And there was light. Then God said, ‘Let there be a firmament in the water.’ And it was so. Finally, God said, ‘Let there be jazz.’ And…ok maybe He did not say the last part but when you hear the jazz saxophone styles of legendary jazz artist Kirk Whalum, you know his abilities were God given. And in his latest CD, The Gospel According to Jazz: Chapter III was released on March 16, continues to show how anointed his talents are.

The Gospel According to Jazz is another soul-stirring gospel music centered compilation combining jazz music and vocal artists, such as Lailah Hathaway, George Duke, Kevin Whalum (Kirk’s younger brother) and Doc Powell. His music is causing both supporters of gospel jazz and naysayers a like to admit a fondness for the CD and its DVD counterpart.

“My latest CD brings listeners into the incomprehensibility of God,” Whalum said in our over the phone interview. “We wanted to give a snapshot of the grandness of the God of creation. So we improvised a lot of the music. The DVD that we shot for the CD release was on the spot to represent that God is incomprehensible.”

Whalum admits that working with Hathaway, Powell and Duke was energizing because he was able to become a better musician and see the ramification of generations playing the same instrument, the saxophone. During the recording and taping of The Gospel According to Jazz Whalum played alongside his brother, uncles and nephews but gives credit to the matriarchs of his family, both of his grandmothers who taught music and sang gospel.

Limiting his creativity is not an option for Whalum as he has been recently appointed the CEO of Stacks Music Academy in Memphis, TN where he currently resides with his wife. Stacks Records is the foundation of soul music and boast to such artists like Rance Allen, The Staple Singers, and other iconic singers. Whalum is also working on a tribute CD to the late Donnie Hathaway but his first love is telling people either vocally, musically or through his actions about the goodness of God.

“I strive to follow Christ and mimic Him,” Whalum admitted, “Jesus was radical when He chose to be a servant and not be served; to welcome differences; to help the deserving and undeserving.
We should all be servants and give God the glory.”

To testify and purchase his latest body of work you can visit Target, Wal-Mart or Amazon.com for the third installment of The Gospel According to Jazz: Chapter III. Whalum will be in the DFW on April 7-8 at Main Street for more details and ticket information visit www.kirkwhalum.com. If you are on Facebook you can become his fan and also receive half of the songs on his 14 track CD by downloading the application Share 12.