The Chrok.. ~
Vol. XXXVII No. 24 WINSTON-SALEM, N.C THURSDAY, February 10,2011
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athletics
department
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Dees talks
about
justice
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75 cents
One of the DNA collection kits.
Cops begin
controversial
collecting of
suspects' DNA
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONIC! I y; . . . .
Police Chief Scott Cunningham announced
last week that the Winston-Salem Police
Department would begin Feb. I collecting
mandatory DNA samples from some local
arrestees in compliance with the DNA
Database and Data Bank Act of 2010, which
Gov. Bev Perdue signed
into law last year.
Cunningham said the
Police Department sup
ports the law, which
requires those who are
arrested tor certain
crimes to submit to a
DNA collection before
their release.
Under the law, those
arrested for crimes
including murder,
manslaughter, rape, serious assault, burglary,
armed robbery and others will be required to
have their DNA collected and submitted to the
state's DNA database. The DNA. which is col
lected at the time of arrest - not conviction -
will then be added to the State Bureau of ,
Investigations' DNA Database Bank. If the
arrested subject refuses to provide a DNA sam
ple. the magistrate will make the collection of
the DNA sample a condition of pretrial release.
If the charges are dropped or the defendant
is later found not guilty or is found guilty of a
lesser charge, he or she may have their DNA
removed from the database at their request,
according to the statute. After June 1, 2012,
district attorneys will be responsible for hav
ing the DNA destroyed in these instances.
See DNA on A9
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New popcorn business has no-holds-barred approach to flavor
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONICLE
Buffalo wing. Dill pickle.
Jalapeno-ranch. Banana pud
ding.
These are just some of the
more than 75 flavors of popcorn
(yes, popcorn) available at The
Popcorn Fanatic, a new gourmet
establishment in the Silas Creek
Crossing shopping center.
Though the store offers tradi
tional butter, cheese and caramel
renditions, sisters-in-law Sharon
and Sherri Debnam aren't con
fined by the restrictions of con
ventional popcorn flavors. In
fact, the co-owners, whose hus
bands are brothers, say they
draw inspiration for their flavors
from practically everywhere.
"We have something for
everyone," said Sherri, a city
native who has been married to
her husband Staphon Debnam
for 13 years. "Popcorn is really a
comfort food and one of the
healthiest snacks. It's the num
ber one snack food in America."
"We've had people come in
and say '1 don't like popcorn at
all.' Once they experience some
of the exotic flavors, they con
vert," added Sharon, who has
been married to Derrick, the
elder Debnam brother, for 15
years.
The Popcorn Fanatic also
sells fudge, lovingly baked in the
home of Barbara Debnam, the
women's mother-in-law. Both
their husbands and their 17 year
old sons also work in the shop.
"It's been a family thing,"
Photos b> Lay la Farmer
Sister-in-laws and business partners Sherri and Sharon Debnam.
said Sherri, a North Forsyth
alumna. "Their mother. Barbara,
she has really been the backbone
and really kept us on task
because she really wants us to
succeed."
The Debnams launched their
business in 2001 . when the after
math of the 9/11 attacks rocked
the economy and their husbands,
who at the time worked for the
same company, feared for their
jobs. D&D Concessions
Kettlecorn. as the company was
See Popcorn on All
Y tries new approach to fight childhood obesity
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONICLE ?
A group of local youth got a crash course in nutrition
and wellness Tuesday evening at the Lowe's Foods store
on Reidsville Road in Walkertov*(n.
Eight youngsters from the WThston Lake Family
YMCA's Kid Fit For Life Youth
Obesity Initiative took part in Be a
Smart Shopper! a nutrition initia
tive the grocery chain provides for
children that includes samples and
a tour of the store.
"Lowe's Foods... is very much
a community organization." said
Karyn Griffin, the store's tour
guide. "We want to help the com
munity as much as possible and I
think that helping kids make
healthy decisions is vital to the
growth of the community."
The kids sampled avocados, pretzels, yogurt and
havarti cheese and toured the produce section and other
areas where fresh food is stocked. They even got to meet
one of the grocery store's lobsters, which one of the
children dubbed "Herman." The lobster was an example
of what not to eat. Griffin said.
"Things that we pay a lot of money for aren't always
Wagslaff
See Kid Fit on A5 ^ n empl?yee from Lowes Seafood Department show the kids a live lobster.
Photos by Lay I a Farmer
Phirto by Layla Farmer
Rev. I)r. William Barber 1 1
NAACP
delivers
a call
to action
Local chapter plans
to take two bus-loads
to HKonJ March
BY l.AYl.A FARMER
THE CHRONICLE
NC NAACP President
Rev. Dr. William Barber II
made a stop in the Twin City
last week as part of his Triad
Mobilization Tour to pro
mote the upcoming HKonJ
(Historic Thousands on
Jones Street) People's
Assembly Mass
Demonstration and March.
Now endorsed by more
than 100 organizations and
every major African
American Christian denomi
nation, the annual HKonJ
drew more
than 5,000
in its inau
gural year.
Barber
said. On
Feb. 12.
the mul
tiracial col
laborative
will again
march from
Estey Hall on the campus of
Shaw University in Raleigh
to the North Carolina Slate
Legislature Building at 16 W.
Jones Street in support of the
"14-point People's Agenda
for North Carolina."
The Winston-Salem
Branch is chartering two
buses to the march, which
has adopted the theme
"Forward Together, Not One
Step Ba?k" for its 201 1 gath
ering.
"We're calling on people
of all races, all colors ... to
meet us for a mass march on
Raleigh," Barber proclaimed
during his visit to the Branch
NAACPon Oak Ridge Drive
Friday afternoon. "It's not a
moment, it's a movement.
We gather in Raleigh so we
can organize our local com
munities."
The People's Agenda
calls for action on issues
ranging from affordable
housing to protecting immi
grants' rights, promoting
environmental justice and
abolishing the death penalty.
The resegregation of schools
See NAACP on A2
Patterson
Spend it here.
Keep it here.
BUY LOCAL FIRST!
CHAMBER
A Mind for Business.