Race for sheriff will be packed tight
BY COURTNEY GAILLARD
THE CHRONICLE
Forsyth County Sheriff Ron
Barker formally announced that
he will seek a fourth term on
Monday at the Board of Elec
tions. Barker, a law enforcement
veteran, was barely audible or
visible as more than 100 of his
supporters crammed into the
tiny lobby of the Board of Elec
tions.
Having served since 1990 as
the first Republican sheriff in
Forsyth, Barker cited the tragic
events of Sept. II as a major
catalyst for his seeking another
term.
"I think as much as any
thing, 9/11 happened at a time
when I was still trying to make a
decision," Barker said. "When I
saw what was happening and
the potential for tragedy and
trouble here in our country and
here in Forsyth County, I knew
that I needed to not go fishing
yet, but work another four
years."
Explaining that he has given
a great deal of thought and con- <
sideration to his decision. Bark
er said he is still dedicated to
protecting the home front of
Forsyth County, keeping the cit
izens safe in their homes and
continuing good law enforce
ment.
Barker reviewed his list of
accomplishments as sheriff,
including 762 DW1 (driving
while impaired) arrests since
1998. seat belt restraint enforce
ment. the placement of 22
school resource officers, the
arrest of 2.411 drug dealers and
the establishment of a domestic
violence unit.
But Barker's current term
also has been marked by great
controversy. In 1999. his son.
who was then one of his
deputies, shot himself along
Cole Road and accused two
MexicaiOnten of inflicting the
gunshot wound. The incident
caused outrage in the city's
emerging Hispanic community.
Last summer, two of Bark
er's deputies were accused of
allegedly beating a young
African-American man to with
in an inch of his life with flash
lights. The incident is currently
under investigation by the Stale
Bureau of Investigation. Barker
drew criticism from some
blacks for initially refusing to
take the deputies off patrol duty.
Soon after Sheriff Barker
finished his statement and the
crowd cleared out, one of the
men who will face Barker in the
Republican primary. William T.
Schatzman. made his way in to
tile.
Schatzman, a former Federal
Bureau of Investigation agent
and current operator of Schatz
man & Associates, a private cor
porate security consulting and
special investigation service in
Winston-Salem, made a strong
bid for sheriff in 1998.
He is no stranger to law
enforcement or fighting crime
after serving as a special agent
with the FBI for 24 years. His
campaign theme is "It's time for
a change." He said he will focus
on reducing crime through bet
ter crime prevention programs;
improving efforts to recruit,
train and retain law enforcement
personnel; and providing the
best law enforcement for tax
dollars.
"I believe that I can bring
change to the Forsyth County
Sheriff 's Department and to the
safety and security of the people
here in the county." said Schatz
man, adding that he thinks
Barker has been unable to han
moio ov Kevin walker
Sheriff Ron Barker addresses supporters outside of the Board of Elections.
die "uncontrolled overtime" of tant sheriff, also will seek the sheriff.
law enforcement or solve Republican nomination for sher- Clarence Moody, a former
morale issues with jail employ- iff. _ state trooper is also expected to
ees. Charles Calvin McGee, a run for the Democratic nomina
Allen Gentry, a former assis- Democrat, also filed to run for tion for sheriff.
Candidates
from page A1
above reproach in integrity
and my word has always been
(my) bond."
The Board of Elections
saw a lot of action Monday,
the first day for filing for the
November election. State Sen.
Linda Garrou. a Democrat,
filed with hopes of winning a
third term representing the
20th District, which includes
all of the county. A crowd of
about 20 supporters came out
to cheer Garrou. Their pres
ence made the senator a bit
emotional. Garrou stated her
intentions to continue to stay
on track with a plan for
improving education in spite
of the changing economy and
world. Garrou says she wants
to help ensure that the city and
county get the respect they
deserve.
"Of course I want to do
everything that I can do for
Winston-Salem. We know
what opportunities we have
Phoios by Kevin Wiilker
Victor Johnson, second from right, was surrounded by supporters Monday, including his wife,
Constance, from left; his sister Helen Johnson; Virginia Newell; Bighouse Gaines' and Larry
Little. *
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other African-American
undo Garrou wants to continue to tight for education.
here. There's so much that
needs to be done and we're
going to work together and do
what we can to keep Winston
Salem on the map," Garrou
said.
School Board member Vic
tor Johnson, a Democrat, also
filed. He is seeking his second
full term on the board. He
joined the board six years ago
after Walter Marshall left to
become a county commission
er.
"I want to continue some
of the things that have start
ed." Johnson said.
Some of those things
include seeing through the
completion of items in the
bond package and continuing
to work on closing the
achievement gap between
white and minority students.
"I am very concerned
about the progress of our
kids." Johnson said.
Johnson'won lots of praise
late last year for fighting to
ensure that the controversial
bond package included plans
for a new high school in East
Winston.
Virginia Newell, one of
several people who came to
support Johnson, s^jd without
Johnson's insistencd, the plan
for the high school would have
died out.
Geneva Brown, the only
School Board member, said
Tuesday that she has not yet
decided whether she will seek
re-election. School Board
member Jeannie Metcalf also
filed for re-election Monday.
Former School Board
member Beaufort Bailey, a
Democrat, filed for a place on
the Board of County Commis
sioners. Bailey spent more
than a decade on the School
Board. He is running in Dis
trict A. which commissioners
Walter Marshall and Earline
Parmon currently represent.
"A lot of people called me
and said that I should run,"
said Bailey, who added thut he
made the decision to rim only
a couple of weeks ago.
Current commissioners
Dave Plyler and Debra Con
rad-Shrader. both Republi
cans, also filed Monday. Dal
las Cline of Kernersville also
filed to run for one of the at
large commissioner seats. He
did not list a party.
Would-be candidates have
until March I to file.
Chronicle reporter Court
ney Gctillard contributed to
this story.
This is Greg Errett
Greg's a planner with the city's Transportation Department. Recently he's
been working on the 2025 Multi-Modal Long-Range Transportation Plan. He
calls it the "IRTP" for short. It lays out the vision of how our transportation
system will look in 2025. It covers streets, highways, buses, commuter rail,
bicycles and pedestrians.
With it goes the Air Quality Determination Report. It discusses how the
quality of the air would be affected in Forsyth County if we built everything in
the LRTP.
Read his plan ... and the report
You can make Greg happy by looking over both documents and telling him
what you think of them. Copies are available In all branches of the Forsyth
County Public Library, in the town halls of all the municipalities in Forsyth
County, at the city's DOT office (100 E. First Street, Suite 307) and in the
state DOT office at 2125 Cloverdale Ave. You may view the document online
at www.cityofws.org/doV
Then tell him what you think...
Greg wants to hear what you think about both the plan and the report, but he
needs it in writing. And. he needs to hear from you by 5 p.m. Feb. 25.
Comments may be submitted by mail, fax or e-mail.
Mail comments to: Greg Errett
Winston-Salem Department of Transportation
P.O. Box 2511
Winston-Salem, NC 27102
Fax comments to: Greg Errett at 748-3370 1 1 I
E-mail comments to: grege@cityofwrs.org 1111
Questions? Call 727-2707 or 747-6871 WltSllinSalPlll
You are invited to join
Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem State University,
and the City of Winston-Salem
in rededicating the historic plaque that marks the site
of the 1960 sit-in demonstrations that led to the
desegregation of the city's lunch counters.
O O
Friday, February 22, 2002
Brief ceremony to begin at 2:00 p.m.
At the corner of 4,h and Liberty Streets
? For more TrTfyrmation call 758-5891
CAPTAIN'S CHOICE
PLACE PRIZES:
$200.00 1ST place
Prizes for 2nd and 3rd
? $5.00 Mulligan-Limit 2 per person
? Longest Drive #18
? Closest to pen #2 & 12
? Hole in one #12
Make Checks Payable to:
Walkertown Wolfpack Booster Clu
P.O. Box 706
Walkertown, NC 27051
Saturday, April 6, 2002
WINSTON LAKE GOLF COURSE
Time: 9:00 am Shot Gun Start
Check-in & Breakfast 8:00 am
Play golf to benefit Youth of the
Walkerlown Wolfpack Football
Booster Club
j>zuw lor leam 01 hour
Entry Deadline:
March 29. 2002
GREEN FEES CARTS
GOODIE BAGS
LUNCH & SOFT DRINKS
BH il il l? 1 ?il
Dry Joy Shoes ? TitlegtGolfballs
Umbrellas ? Golf Passes
Much More!!! TBD
To Register Contact:
Greg Wood
3435 Myer-Lee Drive
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
336-724-4875