The Chron
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NCPTH CAROLINA ROO"
FORSYTH CTY RJB1IC LIBRARY
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Vol. XXXVI No. II
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.
THURSDAY, November 12, 2009
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Locals
do not
expect a
backlash
Fort Hood incident has
some Muslims on edge
BY- TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE' ? \
While Muslims: around the nation are
bracing themselves for a public backlash
after last week's Fort Hood. Texas shoot
ings, those who practice Islam here have
faith that their neighbors won't stigmatize
File Phoio
Imam Khalid Griggs at the
Community Mosque.
them for the
actions of
s o m e o n e
else.
Mosques
and Muslim
organiza
tions across
the nation
have
r e c e i v e d
threats since
Major Nidal
Malik Hasan
allegedly
went on a
shooting
spree that
left 13 dead
and 29
injured last
w e e k
Mosques in
Chicago and
other large cities have requested extra police
patrols, and the American- Arab Anti
Discrimination Committee, which con
demned the shooting, suggested Muslims
and those of Arab decent take special pre
cautions "due to the potential backlash
against these communities."
Although those of Middle Eastern or
Arab linage have become the most obvious
targets of anti-Muslim sentiment. Imam
Khalid Griggs of the Community Mosque in
Winston-Salem said such backlashes usual
ly target all Muslims.
"The distinction is not made necessarily
about who is an Arab or anything else, it's
just anyone who remotely identifies as a
Muslim," said Griggs, an African American
whose mosque includes followers of every
color.
Shahid Chaudhary agrees. A native of
Pakistan who has lived in the United States
since 1989, Chaudhary says there was a
change in how some in this country viewed
Sec Muslims on A2
' WSSL" ptuflo bv Garrett Garni*.
Dr. Cornel West, the noted Princeton University professor, author and great-thinker, speaks at Winston-Salem State University last
week as part of the school's three-day conference on health disparties. To read more about the conference, see page A3.
Veteran employee named
county's budget director
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONICLE
Ronda Taturri.who has worked for Forsyth County for 16 years, has been
named director of the
Budget and Management
Department.
Tatum was selected from
a wide applicant pool to
replace Joe Bartel, who
retired recently, after more
than three decades with the
county.
"We interviewed proba
bly a half dozen candidates
(for the position)," said
County Manager Dudley
Watts. " Ronda just stood
out as a person who's going
to succeed Joe (Bartel) very
well. She had the right
background, the right work
ethic, and she's very dedi
cated."
Watts, who has been
county manager for about
three years, said Tatum's
work ethic impressed him
right away.
"In my time here,
Ronda's been somebody
Photo by Layla Parmer
Ronda Tatum has worked for the county for
the past 16 years.
who really reaches out to do things really ahove ana oeyonu. ne comment
K *
Sec Tatum on AS
Candidates: Low turnout should be addressed
Terry Campaign Photo
Evelyn Terry, center, on the campaign trail in September.
BY LAY1.A FARMER
THE CHRONK I I
Despite the best efforts of candidates, voter
participation was dismal for the Nov. 3 munic
lpui eieciiun>.
Less than 10 percent of
the city's more than
186,000 registered voters
took the time to cast bal
lots on Election Day or
during early voting.
This year's turnout
slipped more than a per
centage point since the last
municipal election in
2005, when turnout was
just over 1 1 percent.
C off man
The downhill spiral represents a trend that
has been ongoing across the nation for some
time, according to Rob Coffman, director of
Sec Voters on A9
Photo courtes) of Vlikr Jomn
Michael Jones will be sworn in this coming January.
W-S native Jones
wins a seat on
New Haven Board
He credits mom Denise Franklin for
opening his eyes, ears to the world
BY LAYLA FARMER
(III CHRONICLE
Winston-Salem native
Michael Jones. 20, isn't
wasting any time in making
his mark on the world.
Jones, a junior
studying political
science and urban
studies at Yale
University, was
elected to the New
Haven. Conn.
Board of Aldermen
on Nov. 3. Thirty
aldermen sit on the
hoard, which is
racially diverse and
typically includes
Yale students.
Though he ran unop
posed in the General
Election. Jones, a Democrat,
faced fierce competition
from two other Yale stu
dents. Katie Harrison and
Minh Tran. for the Ward I
scat in the primary.
"It feels really good,
because it's something that I
Franklin
put II months into." Jones
said of the victory. "...To
win convincingly was just
the validation that a lot of
the issues that we talked
. about ... were also of con
1 ccrn for the residents."
Jones attended
local schools,
most recently
Parkland IB
Magnet High
School. He com
pleted his high
school education
at the Durham
based North
Carolina School
of Math and
Science, where he
served ;is president 01 the
Student Council.
He says his Winston
Salem roots remain strong;
"Everything that I do iv
based upon my experiences
growing up in Winston
Salem." Jones remarked.
Jones grew up with a
Sec Jones on A4)
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