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The Chronicle
Volume40,Number27 WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. THURSDAY, February 27, 2014
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Centenarian knows from whom
her blessings flow
BY LAYLA GARMS
THE CHRONICLE
Frances Wigfall is celebrating a century of living.
The longtime city resident turned 100-years-young
on Feb. 21. Friends and family members observed the
landmark occasion Saturday with a spirited soiree at
Christ Kingdom Building Worship Center.
Wigfall said that even she sometimes has a hard time
comprehending her longevity.
"One hundred years old - isn't that wonderful?" the
centenarian declared. "...I don't feel like I'm 100 years
old. I feel like I might be in my 80s."
A native of Newberry County, S.C., Wigfall relocat
ed to Winston-Salem when her niece, Jennie Wallace,
was an infant. Wigfall never had children of her own,
but she has always doted on her niece as if she was her
own child.
"She was my favorite aunt," declared Wallace, an
83-year-old Western Electric retiree. "She came when 1
was eight-months-old, and we just got attached to each
other. She was one I could always go and talk to. If I had
problems as a teenager when 1 was growing up, I would
always go and talk to her."
Wallace is now a great-grandmother, 13-times over.
Wigfall takes great pride in her host of nieces and
nephews, who now span four generations.
"My nieces and nephews are wonderful," she said.
"They do a good job taking care of me, just like my hus
band did."
Laverne Smoot, Wallace's daughter and one of
Wigfall's great nieces, said Wigfall played an essential
part in raising everyone in the family.
See Wigfall on A7
Photo by La v la (ianns
Frances Wigfall celebrated her 100th birthday recently.
WSSU photo by (iarrrtt
CiaiTTH
Dr. Sieve Perry
addresses a
crowd of several
hundred on the
evening of
Thursday, Feb.
20 at Winston
Salem State
University.
Innovative educator kevnotes svmposium
BY LAYLA GARMS
THE CHRONICLE
Dr. SteVe Perry, a nation
ally-known educator and host
of TV One's "Save My Son,"
told young men and women
last Thursday that they are
responsible for their own des
tinies.
"You're either' bout to or
you're 'bout it," said Perry,
the founder and principal of
Capital Preparatory Magnet
School in Hartford. Conn., as
he gave the keynote address
for Winston-Salem State
University's 11th annual
Black Male Symposium in
the school's K.R. Williams
Auditorium. "...When you're
'bout it, you're somebody
that wants to be better. You're
hungry. You're looking for
JL
opportunities."
Perry became a house
hold name when he and his
school, which has sent 100
percent of its predominantly
low-income, minority, first
generation high-school grad
uates to four year colleges,
were featured on CNN's
"Black in America" series.
High school and college stu
dents from schools through
out the Triad were on hand to
hear from Perry. He implored
them to fulfill their promise.
"You're here today
because somebody believes
Sec Perry on A10
Wayne Farmer
John Kornegay
X I bl C Ws? A _ i-u
Williams
pegged as
interim
UL leader
BY LAYLA GARMS
THE CHRONICLE
Don Williams has been named the interim
president and CEO of the Winston-Salem
Urban League, the agency announced this
week. His appointment is effective today. The
61-year-old organization, whose services
reach residents who live as far away as the
Triangle, has been in limbo since former
President/CEO Keith Grandberry's exit last
month.
Evelyn Acree, r
the chairwoman of
the Urban League
Board of Directors
and senior
VP/Piedmont
Triad Regional
executive for
Mechanics &
Farmers Bank, I
declined again on I
Monday to com- I
ment on the rea- '
sons behind
Grandberry's
Williams
abrupt departure, which has been the subject
of much speculation.
"He served the Urban League for seven
years and the board of the Urban League, we
wish him well," she stated.
Williams, a retired Lowe's Home
Improvement executive, will serve as the
interim leader for a minimum of three months
and a maximum of six months. Acree said.
The board plans to launch a national search
for a permanent president/CEO in the near
future, she added. Williams is well versed in
the process; he was the agency's board chair
for three years, including in 2006. when
Grandberry was hired.
"The whole purpose of this is to give them
time to make a decision; that's my goal," he
said of serving as interim leader. "It's not a
process that you can do overnight and do it
well."
The Urban League is planning to begin
work on a new strategic plan in the months to
come: in the meantime, it will be renewing its
commitment to its core mission and setting
its sights on a new vision for the future, Acree
said.
"For the next up to six months, we wapt to
continue our programs. We want to enhance
the programs, stabilize the Urban League,"
she explained. "...What we want to get back
to is doing the business of the Urban League."
Acree says support remains strong for the
agency, despite the recent leadership change.
"The community has been supportive of
See Urban League on A8
Chief Justice exhorts lawyers to be upright
Parker
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE ; _
N.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Sarah Parker was among
those advocating for integrity in the legal community last Friday
at a daylong confab that tackled the subject.
Judges, lawyers and others gathered at downtown Embassy t
Suites for the event, which was held by the Chief Justice's
Commission on Professionalism and Forsyth County Bar
Association-21st Judicial District Bar to help legal professionals
See Lawyers on A9
Photos by Todd Luck
Attorneys
Dudley
Humphrey
(left) and
George
Cleland look
on as H.
I Glenn Davis
speaks.
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