Vol. XXXV No. 4
THURSDAY, September 25, 2008
Atkins tries
to get its
props on
the field
-See Page Bl
Company
donates its
time to
Mission
Salem
students 1
stsss*
Photo courtesy of Dtvis Family
Newlyweds Garrett Davis and Carol
Montague-Davis. ?
New last
name and
a new job
Montague-Davis insists she is
not running away from Carver
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONICLE
The year 2008 has been full of new begin
nings for Carol Montague-Davis. The respected
Carver High School principal wed Playwright
Garrett Davis on July 19. Now, the newlywed
says she's ready to take the next step in her
career, as well.
Late last week, Montague-Davis accepted
the position of assistant superintendent of middle
schools for the Winston-Salem /Forsyth County
School system. She is expected to assume her
new duties by November. A search for a new
Carver principal is already underway.
Montague-Davis took over leadership at
Carver in 2004. The school has had a tumultuous
period during her brief tenure.
Plagued by declining enrollment and slip
ping test scores, factors that existed before she
was hired. Wake County Judge Howard
Manning Jr. threatened to close Carver and other
schools in the state with consistently low test
scores.
The community rallied around Carver after
the judge made his threat, which turned out to be
idle. Many credit Montague with acting as the
glue that held the school, and the community
that supported it, together during those lean
years.
"Ms. Montague-Davis did an excellent job
See Montague-Davis on All
Teens say racism still lives
Personal stories of
bigotry told at
city-sponsored forum
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONICLE
Ten high school students spoke candidly
Tuesday evening about their experiences with
racism and race relations during a forum spon
Brown
sored by the City of
Winston-Salem's Human
Relations Commission
and hosted by Atkins
Academic & Technology
High School. The annual
student forum coincided
with Race Equality Week,
Sept. 22-26.
"It's important that
adults can hear some of
the issues that young peo
ple are facing on a daily
basis in high school ... (because) a lot of people
think racism doesn't exist anymore," said
Wanda Allen-Abraha, director of the
Commission. "The problems that they have
these days are a lot different than they were
even 20 years ago."
City Council Member Joycelyn Johnson
welcomed the smattering of students and com
munity members to the school, which is located
^ Jl_ I
Photos by Lay la Farmer
Panelists Toby Durotoye , from left, Kevin Pichardo and Breyinn Loftin.
in the East Ward she represents.
"It's your generation, young people, who are
going to make the difference for Winston
Salem," Johnson said. "My hat's off to you ...
you've got a whole lot of work on your shoul
ders."
Radio Personality Manard "Busta" Brown of
See Forum on A14
Glasses dismissed by city inspectors
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONICLE
When Positive Image Performing
Arts (PIPA) Owner Courtney Taylor
moved into her new location - 722
N. Liberty St. - earlier this month,
she thought she was making a fresh
start in the newly-remodeled build
ing.
The polished wood floors, giant
mirrors and wide open spaces
seemed perfect for the more than 100
young dancers who come to her stu
dio to leafri ballet, tap and hip hop
moves.
The five-year old business was
really coming into its own, Taylor
said.
"It's almost like we've gotten our
second wind ... we just got 501(c)(3)
(nonprofit) status," she remarked.
"We're right on the cusp of truly
reaching success."
But the city is saying, 'not so
fast.'
Taylor has had to halt classes
because city inspectors say the build
ing is in need of repairs in order to
make it appropriate for a dance stu
dio. She broke the news to parents
and her students last week.
Taylor is especially frustrated
about the city's actions because she
says she tried, in vain, to get a city
inspector to give the building an
inspection before she moved in.
WELCOME
TO
POSITIVE IMAGE PERFORMING^
"VICTORY"
, FTkxo by Jaeson Pin
Courtney Taylor stands in front of her recently shut-down dance school.
"We never could get anybody to
come," according to Taylor, who said
that two inspectors ignored her
requests.
Assistant Inspections Director
Dan Dockery said he is unaware of
requests by Taylor being ignored.
Taylor, Dockery and the city's
inspections department has a long
and tumultuous history. Earlier this
year, Taylor was forced out of anoth
See Taylor on A14
Success Stories
Photo by Kevin Walker
The Fellowship Home Executive Director Thom Elmore,
center, poses with two alumni of the substance abuse
recovery program, which had its annual reunion on
Saturday. Read next week's Chronicle to learn more
about the innovative program and the successes of the
men who have graduated from it.
Hotels praise their dedicated housekeepers
o
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE
International Housekeepers Week (Sept. 14-20) could
have come and gone with no to little fanfare, but the
Embassy Suites and Marriott
Hotel downtown found a unique
way to observe the occasion.
Many members of the hotels'
housekeeping staffs watched
from the sidewalk as a team
from the Marriott and an
Embassy team competed in a
short bed race on the portion of
Cherry Street in between the two
hotels. That section of the street
was temporary shut down so that
if could be determined which of
Sarah Vest
? the teams would be the first to
wheel their bed to the finish line.
Both hotels are owned by
Noble Investment Group. The managerial staffs of each
See Homtfceepers on A12
Phot m by Todd Luck
Jim Williams is all smiles as his Embassy Suites team prepares to push
him down Cherry Street.
In Memory of
Charlene
Russell Brown
"Growing and Still Dedicated to Serve You Better"
jRugsetl fflrateral ffiomc
Wishes to Thank Everyone For Their T
822 CZTnurl Russell Ave -
Cat Martin Luther King Dr.)
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
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