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The Chronicle
Volume40,Number30 WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. THURSDAY, March 20, 2014
Martin
testing
political
waters
Former Schools chief
challenging
Commissoner Mark Baker
BY LAYLA GARMS
THE CHRONICLE
Dr. Don Martin, the former superin
tendent of Winston-Salem/Forsyth
County Schools, is hoping to serve
county residents in a new capacity this
year.
Martin, who retired in 2013 after
serving as
superintendent
for nearly 20
yeafs, is chal
lenging incum
bent Mark
Baker, a fellow
Republican, for
his District B
Forsyth County
Board of
Commissioners
seat.
"I've
worked with
the County
Commissioners
for a lot of
years and I
think I've got a
few things to
offer," said the
Duke
University
alumnus, who
currently
serves as a pro
fessor in the
Baker
Martin
newly-created .Educational Leadership
program in High Point University's
School of Education. "...Sometimes
it's a case where age and experience
makes a difference, and 1 think I bring
a lot of experience to the position."
Baker, a King native and High Point
University graduate, ran two unsuc
cessful campaigns for a seat on the
seven-member Commissioners board
before being appointed to fill Debra
Conrad's seat after she won election to
the N.C. House. The highlights of his
time on the board include helping to
find a way to address the multi-million
dollar shortfall caused by starkly lower
property tax revaluations, supporting
the renovation of the Central Library at
its existing site rather than relocating it
and creating a process where citizens
could give feedback on the county
services they utilize. Baker said.
"We worked hard to cut spending
where we could and not do revenue
neutral tax increase," stated the father
of two, who serves as principal of mid
dle and high schools at Salem Baptist
Christian School. "...My philosophy of
government has always been that gov
ernment should be limited in what it
does and what it does should always be
See Primary on A2
Tackling crime, punishment
Panel offers
solutions to
malignant problems
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE
Black-on-black crime's
causes and solutions were
explored Saturday morning
during a breakfast panel dis
cussion at the Applebee's on
Griffith Road.
The candid talk, entitled
"My Brother's Keeper," was
held by Diggs Memorial
United Holy Church and its
pastor, Elder Lamonte
Williams. It featured several
people with intimate knowl
edge of the topic, including
Assistant Police Chief
Wilson Weaver, who shared
grim local statistics showing
that more than 90 percent of
the time crimes against
blacks are perpetrated by
other blacks.
While all races are vic
timized by members of the
same race, he said the black
on-black crime rate is stark
in comparison to the white
on-white crime rate of 46.4
percent and Hispanic-on
Hispanic rate of 39 percent.
"When it comes to black
on-black crime, our numbers
are so disproportionately
away from everyone else that
there's obviously a problem,
and there are obviously a
strong number of black vic
tims that are out there,"
Weaver said.
The tragedy is compound
ed when perpetrators are
apprehended and end up with
a criminal record and possi
ble jail time, the assistant
chief added.
"Anything that can be
done to get to our, especially
black, males before they're
committing offenses, we're
all for it. because our part of
it is more reactive than it is
proactive," he said.
District Court Judge
Denise Hartsfield, who mod
erated the discussion, decried
what she sees in the court
system
"I see more African
American men being habitu
alized than anything in that
courthouse, which is a traves
ty," said Hartsfield.
She said unequal access
See Panel on A8
Photo by Todd Luck
Whole Man Ministries' Kenneth Holly speaks as Bishop
Todd Fulton looks on.
? ? M . . ?d??M^M ? ? .. 1
Photos by Layla Gamts
Whitaker students (from left): Carolina Bumgarner, Finn Kehoe, Will Bumgarner and Thomas Smith were among those who
penned letters in support of their teachers.
Finn Kehoe shows off his letter.
Penned unfit Love
Kids write letters of support for their teachers
BY LAYLA GARMS
THE CHRONICLE
Students at Whitaker Elementary are
taking a unique approach to expressing
their admiration for their teachers.
In celebration of Teacher
Appreciation Week, which was observed
at Whitaker March 10-14, the school's
PTA organized a letter writing campaign
expressing their appreciation and support
of their teachers to Gov. Pat McCrory
and state legislators.
"We just thought this was a great way
to show the teachers how much we
appreciate what they do and how much
we value them," explained PTA
Advocacy Chair Elizabeth Kehoe. "...
It's sort of a tangible way to show them
that we care and we want to put pen to
paper and let people know how much we
value them and really just to let legisla
tors know, too, how important our teach
ers are to us."
By the time of the campaign's culmi
nation celebration at Brynn's Yogurt on
March 12, nearly 100 students had lent
their support to the effort by volunteering
to write letters. Kehoe, a mother of two,
said a lot is Being asked of teachers these
days. The former attorney said she is
hopeful that students who participate in
See Letters on A9
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Joines backs Graham
BY LAYLA GARMS
THE CHRONICLE
Congressional hopeful Sen. Malcolm Graham won
the support of a local heavyweight in his bid for the 12th
District seat.
Mayor Allen Joines officially announced his endorse
ment of Graham, a Democrat who represents
Mecklenburg County in the North Carolina Senate,
Sec Graham on A3 ?
Joints
Photos by Layla Garms
Sen. Malcolm Graham speaks with supporters at his side.
ASSURED
Jill STORAGE
of Winston-Salem, LLC
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