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J HE
Vol.XXXVIIINo.41 WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. THURSDAY, June 7, 2012
2013 DEMOCRATIC
NATIONAL CONVRNTION f
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA
Statewide j
tour touts I
'12DNC j
BYLAYLAGARMS . s
THE CHRONICLE
t
In less than 100 days, the eyes of the g
nation, and perhaps the world, will be
upon North Carolina as the state hosts
the 2012 Democratic National
Convention from Sept. 3-6 in
Charlotte.
This will be the first time ever that
the Convention has been held in North
Carolina, and the first time in more than
two decades that it has been held in the
caiH Hr
Dan Murrey, exec
utive director of
the Charlotte in
2012 Host
Committee.
"These sorts of
events don't come
around to this part
of the world very
often. The last
time it was in the
Southeast was in
Murrey
Atlanta in 1988," he stated "This is
your chance to go to the convention and
to be a part of a pretty historical event,
regardless of your political affiliation."
The Committee is staging a series of
"Carolina Conversations" in the coming
weeks to help get North Carolinians
acclimated with the Convention and the
unique opportunities it presents to state
residents. The first Conversation was
held in Winston-Salem last Thursday at
the Milton Rhodes Center. Subsequent
conversations are slated to take place in
Asheville, Durham and Greenville.
The economic impact for the
Charlotte area is expected to be upwards I
of $150 million, but the effects of hav- 1
ing beer^fclected for such a prestigious
event could impact the city - and the
state - for years to come. Murrey said <
"It really is a concentration of i
thought leaders from throughout our
country and our world that will be in |
one place at one time," Murrey said. I
The Host Committee is a nonprofit, <
nonpartisan organization that is charged <
with helping to ensure the event - '<?
which is expected to attract more than
See DNC on A6
I ?
Bus riders may have to ante-up
Proposed city budget calling
for 30-cent fare hike
) Y TODD LUCK
CHE CHRONICLE
Winston-Salem Transit Authority (WSTA)
iders may see a 30 percent hike in bus fares
f the Gity Council approves the proposed
?012-2013 budget.
The $398.2 million city budget projects
hat the Mass Transit Tax Fund reserves,
vhich fund the WSTA with a portion of city
troperty taxes, will be depleted by the end of
his month unless something is done,
ncreased gasoline and maintenance costs have
lepleted the Fund, officials say. '
"We have to identify new funding sources .
o fund the bus system," said Ben Rowe,
leputy director of the City's Budget [
Department, which develops the budget pro- a
losal for City Manger Lee Garrity, who then *
iubmits it to the City Council for approval.
If the budget is approved, WSTA riders
vould pay $1.30 per ride instead of the current a
PCS by Todd Luck
It may cost more to board city buses.
il. The proposed budget would also raise the
>roperty tax rate by 4.2-cents per $100 of
issessed value. One-and-a-half cents of that
vould also go to help replenish the Mass
rransit Tax Fund.
Rowe said the fare increase would also be
i way for riders to help save a service that
they depend upon.
"I think the reason for that is to also have
the users of the system help to cover the cost
of operating the bus sys
t H L . "J
lem, ne saiu.
It is estimated that res
idents will pay for 3.53
million rides on WSTA
this fiscal year. Though
the budget factors in a
possible 12.6 percent drop
in ridership if the fare
increases, it estimates the
increase would still bring
in an additional $533,000
in revenue. The budget
Hesse
also proposes a pilot Sunday service on select
routes to gauge rider interest. Winston-Salem
is the only transit system among the state's
large cities that doesn't currently offer Sunday
service.
Among those opposed to the bus fare hike
is City Council Member Dan Besse, who is a
member of City Council's Public Works
Committee, which oversees WSTA and the
See WSTA on Alt)
\
Photo by I .a y I a Gam*
Ml. Zion
Baptist Senior
Missionary
I,members
(from left)
Jerrye Griffin,
E I v e n i a
Johnson, Vera
Stepp and
M a r i an
Hairs ton show
off some of
their handi
work.
?/>oe in (L^oe/y ut/fc/t
Church group sending nearly 100 dresses
to Africa and Haiti
JY LAYLA GARMS
["HE CHRONICLE
Members of the Senior Missionary Department at Mount Zion Baptist
Church spent hours Saturday turning bed linens into blessings for girls
n Haiti and Liberia.
The ladies completed their Pillowcase Project over the weekend The
)reject challenged the women's creativity as they cut, sewed and embel
ished simple pillowcases, transforming them into an array of brightly
:olored dresses. Fabric bows, spaghetti straps, ribbon adornments, pock
its and even a few matching pocketbooks were among the embellishments
idded to the finished products.
Senior Missionary President JerTye Griffin said each woman lent her
* See Dresses on A5
I ?. 1
... bincerest
form of flattery
Photo by Todd Luck
Jared Smith chan
nels his inner
Michael Jackson as
he dances to
"Smooth Criminal"
as part of the
Marvtastic Talent
Extravaganza finale
on Sunday at The
Arts Council
Theatre. Read more
on page Bl.
^ommuniiy pays last respecis 10 ur. urayion
BY LAYLA GARMS
THE CHRONICLE
The homegoing service on Tuesday for Rev. Dr.
Jerry Drayton drew several hundred
I. kt n_aI i n .1
pcopic 10 ?ew oeinei Dapusi, me
church Drayton led for more than
60 years.
During a more than two-hour
service, Drayton, who died May
29 at age 96, was remembered as a
giant in the community for his
contributions to the Civil Rights
Movement and for shattering
many glass ceilings. -
Drayton was the first African
American to be elected president
See Drayton on A2
Ballard
Dr. Drayton poses with Dr. Kendall Jones at
Drayton's November 2006 retirement celebration.
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