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The Chronicle
Volume40,Number 17 WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. THURSDAY, December 19, 2013
Photo* by Uyla Cianm
Dan Parsons (left) greets Drs. Dorothy Bethea (center) and Chinyu Wu.
Community bids adieu to
Rescue Hission leader
BY LAYLA GARMS
THE CHRONICLE
After more than a decade at
the helm of the Winston-Salem
Rescue Mission, Director Dan
Parsons is retiring, relinquishing
the reins of the steadfast home
less shelter and substance abuse
treatment program.
An open house event at the
Mission's Oak Street location
last week served as an informal
bon voyage celebration for
Parsons, who was hired as the
agency's director in 2000.
"I've enjoyed working with
Dan," said Mayor Allen Joines,
one of the dozens of guests who
came out to thank Parsons for
his service to the community
during the reception. "We've
fought a few battles together and
I've just always been so
impressed with his commitment
to helping these individuals. His
heart is so big and we're going
to miss that."
Dan Horton, a longtime
Rescue Mission Board member
and pastor, said losing Parsons
to retirement is bittersweet for
i
many of those who have worked
alongside him over the last 13
years.
"1 feel a sense of loss," con
fessed Horton, who has led the
congregation at Calvary
Community Church in
Statesville for more than 40
years. "But I'm glad for him and
hope he'll just do1 well and
everything, get along well."
The Christian-based treat
ment program <he Mission
offers has been credited with
transforming the lives of myriad
Sec Parsons on A9
Saunders
Jarred into Action
Photo by Layla Garm*
Megan Shuford is using her birthday this
week to spread a little cheer to strangers
through an innovative program called the
Love Jar Project. Read more about Megan
and her efforts in the Dec. 26 edition of The
Chronicle.
Ptmo by Layla Garnw
Principal Kenyatta Bennett stands outside his school.
UK Only Way is Up
Principal seeks to create a
new culture and attitude at
newly-merged Phib-Hill
BY LAYLA GARMS
THE CHRONICLE
Macon, Ga.-native Kenyatta
Bennett has always enjoyed a chal
lenge. and serving as principal of
the newly-merged Philo-Hill
Magnet Academy comes with more
than a few of them.
Since Bennett took the helm in
July, his mission has been to change
the culture, atmosphere and reputa
tion of the school.
"It's been fast-paced," he said of
his first six months as principal. "It's
See Bennett on A3
Triad
hopefuls
eyeing
Watts seat
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE
With U.S. Rep. Mel Watt's confirmation
last week to head the Federal Housing Finance
Agency, there will soon be a new face repre
senting the state's 12th Congressional District
for the first time in 20 years - and there's no
shortage of candidates vying for the seat.
Watt is expected to formally resign from
Congress this week to take the housing job, for
which h?* u/ac HunH.
picked by President
Obama. After he bows
out. Gov. Pat McCrory
will call a special elec
tion that may occur as
early as February.
Since the 12th District
is overwhelmingly
Democratic, whoever
wins the Democratic
primary is expected to
take the seat.
The district snakes
its way from
Charlotte. Concord
and Salisbury to the
Triad and includes
portions of Winston
Salem, Greensboro,
High Point and
Lexington.
State Reps. Alma
Adams and Marcus
Brandon. both
Democrats who repre
sent Guildford
County, have announced that they will run to
succeed Watt. As of last week, the seven other
candidates who have announced plans to run all
hail from the Charlotte area, where Watt
launched his successful run for Congress two
decades ago.
It doesn't surprise John Dinan. a professor
of politics and international affairs at Wake
Forest University, that most of the 12th District
hopefuls live in the Queen City. While a quarter
of the 12th District's population is in Guilford
County, a full half live in Mecklenburg, giving
candidates from the county an advantage,
Dinan said.
"Especailly when you have a district that's
spread out so much, name recognition is cru
cial." he said. "...It's very difficult for officials
to have name recognition across all those areas.
and so the first thing election analysts look at is
who's making up the bulk of this district - well,
it's Mecklenburg County; it's the Charlotte
area."
Greensboro resident Adams said her 30
years in politics has made her well known
throughout the state, including Charlotte, ? ?
where she says she has been involved with
many organizations.
The former Guilford County School Board
and Greensboro City Council member is serv
ing her 11th term in the General Assembly,
where she said one of her biggest successes was
the 2006 fight she helped lead to raise the min
imum wage for the first time in a decade. She
said she plans to take that type of fighting spirit
to the U.S. House.
"We need someone who really stands up for
middle class families and women's rights,
health care, protecting voting rights. All those
Set 12th on A7
Adams
Brandom
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Graduates receive unfiltered lessons from the Bible
? BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE
Sovereign Grace Bible Institute graduated its
fourth class on Sunday.
The commencement ceremony took place at
Sovereign Grace Chapel. The small Bon Air Avenue
church has offered classes through the Institute since
1 2006. The year-and-a-half long course offers students
a deeper understanding of the Bible through twice
weekly lecture discussions. Several books of the Bible
Sw Institute on A3
Elder Burrell
IK1
Phowfc by Layla Omro
Graduates
(from left)
Pastor Ricky
P o u n c e y ,
Amanda
Gordon, Tony
West, Clayton
Douglas,
Antonio Fries,
and Malcolm
Godson.
ASSURED
STORAGE
of Winston-Salem, LLC
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