1 n? vliKUiN ^ ^
VOL XXXV, N?. ,6 WINSTON -SAL EM, N.C THURSDAY, December 17, 2009
Lash
Tourney
will start
Saturday
?See Page B9
w-s
lawyer
running
for Senate
-See Page A3
Kids Cafe
opens at
Gateway
YWCA
?See Page A2
75 cents
,o,
-35 i
% 7/ear.s- f
Khv V*
Photos by Lay la Farmer
Derrick Dease with sons, Derrick Jr. and Cameron.
Graduates take
on job market
with new skills
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONICLE
Even in this economy, there are jobs to be had.
That is the premise under which Forsyth Technical
Community College and Goodwill Industries of Northwest
North Carolina entered
into a partnership earli
er this year. The two
organizations forged a
collaboration to expose
job seekers to occupa
tional fields that are
actively recruiting
employees. Through
the "JobsNOW: 6 in
12" program, job seek
ers can get training in
any of the 12 occupa
tions in the healthcare
and skilled trade fields
in six months or less.
Forsyth Tech sup
plied instructors and
developed the curricu
lum for JobsNOW,
while Goodwill han
dled admissions and
provided classroom
space. The Northwest
Piedmont Council of
Governments also lent
its support to the pro
gram, by providing
FTCC's Sue Marion presents James
Shaw with his certificate.
information about labor trends and employer needs and pro
viding Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and other stimulus
funding for JobsNOW students.
The program is in keeping with the three organizations'
missions, said Dr. Gary Green, president of Forsyth Tech.
"All the organizations that are participating tonight are in
the business of providing opportunity and access to opportuni
ty in our community, as a way of giving people hope in times
when things might look particularly bleak," he commented.
Eighty-four individuals have completed JobsNOW to date.
See Jobs on A9
Photos by Kevin Walker
From left: Tahirah Smith works with Tahari Abdus-Salaam and Ashley Douglas.
2b igging Jn
Kids battle the elements to give
East Winston early Christmas gifts
BY T. KEVIN WALKER
THE CHRONICLE
While iPods, PlayStations and Plasma
screens have their places this holiday season,
there are some gifts that defy trends - pres
ents that will quite literally weather most of
life's storms.
East Winston - and the thousands who
live and work in the community - received
such timeless gifts Saturday in the form of
more than a dozen freshly-planted trees
along the Bowen Branch Trail on New
Walkertown Road. The dedicated staff of the
city's Vegetation Management division and
an equally-determined group of teenagers
from the Winston Lake Family YMCA's
Youth Achievers program were the gift
See Trees on A 10
I f I ?I If I I
Anthony "AJ" Askew pours mulch .
Census
has begun
to hire
local folks
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONICLE
For local residents hurting
in this crippled economy, the
2010 Census could not have
come at a better time.
State leaders estimate that
next year's federal effort to
count every resident of the
United States will mean
25,000 temporary jobs for
North Carolinians, with as
many as 1,700 coming from
right here in Winston-Salem.
The city's 2010 Census
Office on Hanes Mill Road,
which officially opened on
Tuesday, is already starting to
fill with local residents who
have landed jobs. Census
Frank _ ?
rantano
h a s 9
bee
hired
as the
assistant
manager of
technology. -
Pantano, 2008
graduate of Wake
Forest School of Law, left the
fast-paced life of a
Washington, D.C. attorney
behind in search of the peace
ful existence he had known in
Winston-Salem.
He resettled here with his
wife and stepson at around the
time the economy had begun to
falter. Pantano was unem
ployed for eight months before
coming to the Census Bureau.
He says the work has allowed
him to feel more connected
with the community.
"When you're unem
ployed, it seems like people
sort of lose connections with
the working world," he
remarked. "The Census gets
you back out, gets you working
with people again."
Gale Kuhenbeaker has
been hired as a supervisor. She
found herself unemployed
when the school where she
worked was closed. She
pieced temporary jobs together
to try to make ends meet, but
says she was growing anxious
by the time she was hired by
the Bureau last spring.
Obtaining employment has
See Census on A5
Putting it in Park
Colleagues honor longtime bus driver at retirement celebration
BY TODD LUCK "
THE CHRONICLE
1 lie M'IKHJI >^MCIII 15 lUMII^
one of its most dedicated bus
drivers.
Bernard Thompson,. affec
tionately known as "Mr. B," is
retiring after 35 years with the
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County
Schools Transportation
Department. During his tenure
he has served in a variety of
roles, starting as a bus driver
and ending his career as an
assistant supervisor.
Nearly 90 his of colleagues
bid him a fond farewell
Saturday, during a celebration
at the Winston Lake YMCA. At
the event, which included a
catered dinner paid for by
Thompson's, co-workers, those
who love and respect Thompson paid tribute to him
Photo by Todd I 3
Retiree Bernard "Mr. B" Thompson.
through song, drama performances and by recount
ing their fondest memories.
Bus driver Vickie Lindsay, who organized the
event, saia inompson
deserved such a grand send
off.
"He's a great supervi
sor," said Lindsay. "We're
truly going to miss what he
has to offer transportation."
Jeff Banner, a retired
supervisor, said that he was
always impressed with the
leadership skills of his assis
tant - Thompson.
"No matter what kind of
madness was always hap
pening, I knew Bernard was
there to keep things run
ning," said Banner.
Spencer Glenn, a retired
transportation department
See Thompson on A2
All Dolled Up
Pholo by Pamela Harper
The ladies of the Phenomenal Woman program pose for the camera after
they were pampered and made-over on Saturday. To read more about the
program and its Divine mission, see page Bl.
iDON'T
;pass
THE BUC K '
BUY LOCAL
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