Newspapers / Winston-Salem chronicle. / June 9, 2016, edition 1 / Page 2
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Elections board weighs fall early voting options BY TODD LUCK THE CHRONICLE The Forsyth County Board of Elections (BOE) is closer to early voting plans for the General Election after its meetings on Monday and Tuesday. Board members Fleming El-Amin, Stuart Russell and Chair Ken Raymond all came up with their own 15-site early vot ing plans. They dis cussed the sties, deter mining that some, like Winston Lake YMCA, wouldn't work because of scheduling conflicts with activities El-Amin there. A site at >t. Paul united Methodist Church is being considered as an alterna tive for that area. Another site that was discussed is Industries for the Blind (IFB). It was on both El-Amin and Russell's lists. Raymond had concerns about issues that BOE staff found with parking and finding a proper place for campaigners to election eer. "It's a unique population with physical challenges we should be sensitive to," said El-Amin. "I have a lot of respect for the work they do there ." Anastasia Powell, IFB Adult program coordinator, is spearheading the effort for the site. "It'll make voting accessible to people who are blind and visually impaired," she said. Powell said people who are blind and visually impaired like her can't drive and have to rely on public transportation or family and friends to get sJheplace. Having an early voting site at IFB would eliminate issues with transportation that make voting challenging. IFB has about 300 employees who are blind or visually impaired and serves many others with its services for that community. Early voting machines have a mode for blind and visually impaired voters. It has a computerized voice that they hear through ear buds, guiding them through the process and instructing them on which button to press for their choices. On Election Day, the machines are available at every precinct. Blind and visually impaired vot ers can also have a poll worker help them with voting. IFB is offering its training and development multipurpose room for an early voting space, located at the entrance to the IFB Optical Center. Powell said IFB will hold some of its normal activities in a different space and arrange for different parking for IFB costumers to accommo date voters. During the public comment session on Tuesday, two Wake Forest University stu dents, Zachary Bynum and David Ajamy II, asked the board to remember college students during early voting. Ajamy said Photos by Todd Luck Anastasia Powell is among those who would like this site at Industries for the Blind to be used for early voting. that there was a polling station next to campus but other colleges like Winston Salem State University aren't as lucky. The Anderson Center at WSSU was an early voting site from 2000-2012 but hasn't been one since. The board approved an early voting site plan for the March pri mary by a 2-1 vote without it. El-Amin appealed to the N.C. BOE with a plan that included the Anderson Center and Sunday voting and was denied. He's said that he's willing to appeal again if Anderson is not included. During the appeal to the state board in February, WSSU Student Government President Kyle Brown talked about how freshmen aren't allowed to parte on cam pus. It's more than a 30-minute walk to get to the closest early voting site at the down town BOE office. He said he gave nearly 100 students a ride to the poles himself in 2014. WSSU freshmen not having access jo their own vehicles is unique among the city's large colleges with student residents. Salem College and UNCSA both allow freshmen to park on campus. Wake Forest University has an off-campus freshmen lot that students are shuttled to and from. Sites that all the board members agree on are the BOE office and Kernersville Senior Center/Library along with the Clemmons, Southside, Walkertown, Lewisville and Rural Hall Libraries. Other sites being considered include St. Peter's World Outreach Center, Malloy/Jordan East Winston Heritage Center, Forsyth Tech's Bolton Street campus and Tobaccoville Community Center along with Sedge Garden, Miller Park, Old Town, South Fork, Sprague Street, Polo Park, Brown Douglas and Sims recreation centers. The next BOE meeting is Tuesday, June 14 at 10 am. h. Models pose for a picture with designer Rayonna Johnson following the * 21 Ray's fashion show held at Quality Education Academy on Thursday, June 6. Clothing - from page Al ? # ative," said Turner. "Our focus here at QEA is business entrepreneurship. After seeing how talented she was and the atten tion the pieces were getting from her class mates and even some teachers, I knew she could turn this hobby into something more." Although she had already made a name for herself in the halls of QEA, leading up 1 to the fashion show Johnson admitted she still didn't have confidence in herself, but % 1 with the support of Turner and her mother Rhonda Flemming, she started to believe in herself. "I just kept telling her that everything would work out and to continue following her dreams," said Flemming. "1 knew she had the talent to make it happen; she just needed that extra push." For more than three months, Johnson sewed dresses, skirts, pants, t-shirts and many mote items for her friends to wear during her debut fashion show. During the event held inside the gymnasium, nearly 50 people came to get a sneak peek at what 21 Ray's has to offer. . Pboio by Terta Stance Rayonna Johnson addresses the crowd following her first fashion show held at Quality Education Academy on Thursday June 6. Aside from the unique designs and pat terns, something else that makes Johnson's line stand out is that many of the pieces can be worn multiple ways. When asked what fashion designers she is inspired by, Johnson said she doesn't look at other fashion designers. "I don't really look at fashion design ers, I just look at pieces that I like," she continued. "I do know there aren't many black fashion designers and -I want to change that narrative." With high school in her rearview, this fall Johnson will take her talents to The Art Institute of Charlotte where she will major in fashion and design, before wrapping up her interview with The Chronicle, Johnson had words of encouragement for those who may be having second thoughts about pursuing their .dreams. "Never give up," she said. "Whatever you want to do, do it. Even when it seems like it's impossible, keep trying and keep pushing." For more information on 21 Ray's or to make a purchase, contact Rayonna Johnson by email at raydoublej@gmail .com. Primary from page~AT volunteers and the extra time to get his name out for his victory. Highs mi th credited the low turnout for the vastly different results in this pri mary, which she felt was "undemocratic ." She said she plans to continue to advocate for the South Ward and didn't rule out running again. She said she was disappointed that all the supporters who worked so hard on her campaign ; didn't get a better result. " My main regret is all ] these people had such high hopes for getting me in office," she said. "They \ haven't seen the last of us * yet." In the 5th District pri - mary for the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. *> Virginia Foxx of Banner I Elk beat Pattie Curran, an ^ Army veteran and activist - from Kernersville Foxx * has represented the heavily Republican district since ? 2004. * Foxx will face ?w " My main regret is all these people had such high hopes for r getting me in office." -Carolyn Highsmith Democrat Josh Brannon once again. The software developer from Wautaga County defeated Jim Roberts and Charlie Wall in, garnering 47.65 percent of the vote. "Whereever I've gone, I've found that people, no matter which side of the aisle they're on, they really like the message of taking back our democracy from billionaires," said Brannon. "If I can get them to look past the "D" or the "R" on the ballot, I believe that we'D have some change." Brannon, who lost to Foxx in 2014 by 22 per cent, knows that the district is historically a longshot for Democrats, but he believes it's an election year that anything can hap pen in. Brannon, who shares many positions with Democratic Presidental Candidate Bemie Sanders, believes he's part of a movement that'll bring a wave of progressive con gressional candidates to champion things like uni versal healthcare and get ting big money out of poli tics. In the N.C. Supreme Court race, Robert Edmunds of Greensboro, who has served on the stat& high court since 2001, and Superior Court Judge Michael R. Morgan of Raleigh will face off in November. Edmunds got 48 percent of the vote, while Morgan got 3432 percent, beating attorneys Daniel Robertson of Advance and Sabra Jean Faires of Wake County in the non-partisan primary. Only 505,687 ballots were cast statewide in the PBWWWWWBflWHWMBBHHWi i 11 rn m [<M ????????????????III Fox Cmrrmm Robtrts WaJKm Have an Opinion? Let us Know letters?wschronicle?om The Chronicle (USPS 067-910) was established by Ernest H. Pitt and Ndubisi Egemonye in 1974 and is published every Thursday by Winston-Salem Chronicle Publishing Co. Inc., 617 N. Liberty Street, Winston-Salem, NX. 27101. Periodicals postage paid at Winston-Salem,N.C. Annual subscription price is $30.72. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Chronicle, P.O. Box 1636 Winston-Salem, NC 27102-1636 " FIIIAY JUKE IB BRIM SIMPSON & EUR T18TMM | OPEKIK POfDRKI IESIIE SUIE SUMMER ON LIBERTY | FROM 7-10 PM AT ETH & LIBERTY
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