Joines to run for re-election and take on poverty
by todd luck
the Chronicle
Mayor Allen Joines announced
Wednesday, Sept. 9, that he's seeking a
fifth term as Winston-Salem's mayor and
is pledging to significantly decrease pover
ty in the city.
Poverty remains a persistent problem
in the city. Poverty has grown 81 percent
from 2000 to 2010, according to a
Brookings Institute analysis of U.S.
Census data. According to a study by the
United Way of Forsyth County, 1 in 3 chil
dren and I in 5 of all residents in Forsyth
County live in poverty.
Joines said he's aware of the difficulty
of the issue, and that there's been many
efforts and trillions of dollars spent over
the past 50 years on the problem going
back to President Lyndon Johnson's
famous War on Poverty.
"I think it's more a matter of we're
continuing to do the same thing the same
ways and getting the same results," he
said.
Joines said he's put together a "thought
force of community leaders and critical
thinkers" to come up with different solu
tions. The goal will be to come up with an
innovative strategy to decrease poverty by
a significant percentage in the next five to
10 years.
He said another top priority will be
continued development in East Winston,
including along Martin Luther King Jr.
Drive. He's hoping to see an increase in
moderate income housing, restaurants and
good paying jobs in the area.
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has had a
history of
I strong sup
I port in the
black com
| munity,
among oth
ers, in tne city.
"I think I've been a mayor for all the
people," said Joines. "I've been sensitive
to issues in the minority community. I've
supported programs for job development,
social programs, affordable housing - I've
been a champion for that."
Joines' campaign is touting many
accomplishments during his 14 years as
mayor, including the inception of a "My
Brother's Keeper" program for at-risk
African-American males, initiatives to
reduce childhood obesity and the estab
lishment of the Ten Year Plan to End
Chronic Homelessness that resulted in a 50
percent decrease in chronic homelessness.
It also points to low unemployment, high
private investment and that the city has the
lowest tax rate among the state's major
cities.
Joines is also well known in the city
through his many appearances around
town.
"1 think I've been a mayor that's been
accessible to all sectors of the communi
ty," he said. "1 think I've been to some
thing like 1,200 events last year to repre
sent the city and show support for these
events that are put out around the city."
Joines was originally elected in 2001
after beating incumbent Republican Mayor
Jack Cavanaugh with 78 percent of the
vote. Since then, he faced no opposition
for the office until he was challenged by
Democrat Gardenia Henley in the 2013
primary, which he won with 88 percent of
the vote, and by Republican James Knox
in that year's General Election, which he
won with 84 percent of the vote.
Joines, who is already the longest serv
ing mayor in the city's history, said he
wants the chance to deal with "unfinished
business" with a next term. And after that?
"Never say never. I've had my fair
share of opportunities there. It may be time
for someone else after that." said Joines.
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^^^PAIGN
Crosby Scholars Program seeks applicants I Theatre Alliance receives grants for renovation project, play
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
Applications for enrollment to the
Crosby Scholars Program are being
accepted from students in grades six
through 10 until Oct. 1.
The Crosby Scholars Program, which
was begun in 1992 in honor of entertainer
Bing Crosby, is dedicated to helping stu
dents in public middle and high schools in
Forsyth County prepare academically, per
sonally and financially for college admis
sion and other post-secondary opportuni
ties.
Crosby Scholars are exposed to work
shops about test taking, study skills, time
management, conflict resolution, career
and college exploration and many other
topics. Students completing the program in
grades 10, 11 and 12 are eligible to apply
for "Last Dollar" scholarships for college.
They are also given the opportunity to visit
college campuses.
Last year, the Crosby Scholars class of
/2015 included 742 students who went on
/ to attend over 117 college and universi
ties. Additionally, all participants in the
program performed over 107,000 hours of
community service for the 2014-2015
school year.
To be eligible to apply, students must
be in grades six though 10 and enrolled in
a public middle school or high school in
Horsyth County.
Students in the pro
gram last year do
not need to re
apply
All students
that meet the eligi
bility requirements
and apply to the
program are auto
matically accepted.
There is no fee
for the program but
all scholars are
required to demon
strale good citizenship, attend one Crosby
Scholar Academy each school year, com
plete and document a minimum of two
hours of community service each school
year, follow all school rules and refrain
from out-of-school suspension and partici
pate in other mandatory requirements as
assigned by grade level throughout the
school year.
To apply or for more information,
please visit www.crosbyscholars.org.
SPECIAL TO
THE CHRONICLE
Winston-Salem Theatre
Alliance recently received
two grants that will support
its Size Matters campaign
to renovate its theater and
help to continue an on
going series of play read
ings. The Winston-Salem
Foundation has awarded a
grant of $4,500 that will
help fund the expenses of
Theatre Alliance's cam
paign to renovate its cur
rent space at 1047
Northwest Blvd. to accom
modate larger audiences.
The Piedmont Natural Gas
Foundation has also grant
ed $500 to Theatre Alliance
to help cover the cost of
continuing the By-The
Book series.
"We've had tremen
dous response from indi
viduals and foundations to
our renovation plans for the
existing theater, said
Theatre Alliance Artistic
Director Jamie Lawson.
"The Winston-Salem
Foundation grant will let us
put all of the funds raised to
work on the project.
The By-The-Book
series, meanwhile,
has been an excel
lent community
involvement under
taking for us while
giving more short
term acting oppor
tunities to our vol
unteers. We're very
pleased to have part
of the cost of that
program offset by
the Piedmont
Natural Gas
Foundation."
Information
about the Size
Matters renovation
campaign, the
2015-2016 season
or the By-The
Book series can be found
on Theatre Alliance's web
page - www.wstheatreal
liance.org or by contacting
the theatre directly at 336
723-7777.
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