THE CHRONICLE
Volume43,Numbe7 WINSTQN-SALEM, N.C. THURSDAY, October 20, 2016
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THE CHRONICLE ELECTION TAB
City may buy Winston Lake YMCA
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE
The Winston Lake YMCA could be transformed into
the Mo Lucas Senior Inclusive Recreation Center as part
of a partnership between the City of Winston-Salem and
the YMCA of Northwest North Carolina.
The city is considering purchasing the 50,000-square
foot Winston Lake Y for $1 and leasing
8300 square feet back to the YMCA to continue its
branch services there for $1. The city would use its por
tion, which would include the gym and pool, for recre
ation services for seniors and special populations. The
facility would be renamed after the late Mo Lucas, a for
mer employee at the branch who volunteered there for
decades and mentored several generations of young peo
ple.
The YMCA branch started on Depot Street in 1924 to
serve African-Americans during segregation. It still con
tinues to serve the black community as East Winston's
See TMCAo A12
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The Winston Lake YMCA could be looking at big changes if the City of Winston-Salem decides to buy it.
Phoyo by Tevin Srinson
The NC Black Repertory Company's first production of the year "The Sting of White Roses" written by
Angelica Cheri delivers the message of keeping the faith during hard times. (In Photo: Thea Seed played by
Petri Gaaffney, David Seed played by Brandon Jones, Mina Seed played by Eboni Keita, and Esther Seed
played by Jelia Browne)
'The Sting of White Roses'
play addresses people
touched by cancer indirect
Local ministers
discuss how they
keep their faith
BYTEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
During an interview with The
Chronicle, shortly after the N.C.
Black Repertory Company named
him artistic director, Jackie
Alexander vowed to widen the audi
ence base, and bring productions to
the area that entertain as well as edu
cate the community on the role faith
plays in coping with the diagnoses of
an illness.
"We decided this year we wanted
to do more than just entertain," he
said.
And that's exactly what the first
black professional theater company
in the state accomplished with their
first production of the season, "The
Sting of White Roses," during
October, which is Breast Cancer
Awareness month.
A dollar from each ticket sale and
20 percent of an affiliated art exhibit
was donated to the Susan G. Komen
Northwest N.C. organization.
Written by Angelica Cheri and
directed by Alexander, "The Sting of
White Roses" tells the story of David
Seed, a gospel vocalist on the verge
of stardom and expecting his first
child with his wife, Mina. Everything
seems to be fine in the Seed house
hold when they arrive at David's
mother house shortly before Mona's
due date, but things quickly take a
drastic turn for the worse.
Shortly after giving birth to a
healthy baby boy Mina is diagnosed
See Play on A2
Forsyth
County
ready for
early voting
BY CASH MICHAELS
FOR THE CHRONICLE .
Thursday, Oct. 20, is the beginning of North
Carolina's One Stop/Early Voting period, leading up to
what many see as a decisive Nov. 8 General Election Day
in both state and national politics.
How is Forsyth County going to vote, and who is
going to lead the way to the polls, especially during early
voting?
Forsyth County, as of Oct. 8, according to the N.C.
State Board of Elections, has 250,105 registered total vot
ers on the rolls. Of that number, 104,191 are Democrats;
75,949 are Republicans; 1,089 are Libertarians, and 68,
876 are unaffiliated voters.
Racially, the county's
African-American voters f* AIWIP AI f* N
number 69,258, while
Hispanic voters are way
under ten thousand at 7,291. 3^J ? M ? 7"^^
White voters are almost
100,000 more than black YlHMMBfeBMilHfll
voters at 162,621.
In terms of gender, female voters outnumber their
male counterparts in Forsyth County, with 135300 versus
109390. Given that high-profile women candidates are
running for president and the U.S. Senate, it will be note
worthy how the female voter advantage at the polls will
figure into both races.
One North Carolina voting statistic that seems to hold
up at least during the last two presidential elections, dur
ing 2008 and 2012, is that of black female Democrats.
They led all groups regardless of gender or party during
early voting - white ^female Democrats and Republicans
(black female Republicans too); white male Democrats
and Republicans; and black male Democrats and
Republicans.
For the first seven days of early voting/same - day reg
istration in Forsyth County, ballots will be cast only at one
location - the county Board of Elections office in the
Forsyth County Government Center, 201 North Chestnut
St., in downtown Winston-Salem.'
In order to same-day register, those applicants must
See Voting on A10
g WS/FCS graduation rates reach all time high
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BY TEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
For the second year in a row, Winston
Salem/Forsyth County Schools' high school
graduation rate has topped 85 percent.
According to results submitted by the N.C.
Board of Education, the graduation rate for the
2015-2016 school year reached an all time high
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Emory
to 85.7 percent. The rate for
the previous school year was
85.4 percent. The graduation
rate for fifth-year students is
up as well.
Over the past seven years,
WS/FCS's graduation rate has
increased almost 15 percent.
The local school board cred
its the rate increase to the community pledge to
raise the graduation rate to 90 percent by 2018.
The United Way of Forsyth County, the Winston
Salem Chamber of Commerce, Big Brothers/Big
Sisters and The Forsyth Promise have each sup
ported programs to help studeiits graduate.
See Rate* on K2
of Winston-Salem, LLC
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