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Democrats hail Cooper budget veto
GOP Civil War center
funding questioned
BY CASH MICHAELS
FOR THE CHRONICLE _
On Tuesday, Gov. Roy Cooper, calling
it “small-minded” vetoed the compromise
$23 billion budget the Republican-led NC
General Assembly passed last week. The
N.C. Senate immediately voted to override
Cooper’s veto, followed by the N.C.
House Wednesday morning. The budget is
now law, but Cooper threatens to file suit
to stop it.
One striking
item in the budget
is the appropria
tion of $5 million
for a new Civil
War museum in
Fayetteville.
Democrats say
GOP budget writ
ers took out
$200,000 one-time
funding for an
African-American
heritage monument on state Capitol
grounds that was in Cooper’s budget.
In touting their budget plan,
Republicans have pointed toward pay rais
es and more tax
cuts as to why they
feel it’s what’s best
for North
Carolina.
“I was one of
the House budget
writers, and [I
believe] the com
promised budget
[between
Republican con
ferees of the
House and Senate]
meets many of the needs of the people
across our state,” says Rep. Donny
Lambeth [R-Forsyth]. “It provides teach
ers with an average approximate 10 per
cent increase over the budget period. It
provides a cost of living increase for
retired state workers, it gives state workers
a $1,000 increase, it invests in our pre-K
programs and reduces the wait list, it pro
vides disaster funding, adds to our savings
reserve, adds more funds for school con
struction and helps allow families to keep
more of their hard earned money.”
“So I believe this is a solid plan for
allocating state funds to important pro
grams in North Carolina that provides so
many services,” Rep. Lambeth concluded.
Naturally, Democrats got behind Gov.
Cooper’s reasoning as to why the
Republican budget is a big mistake.
See Budget Veto on A7
Cooper
Lowe
Photo by Tevin Stinson
More than SO people gathered inside the Piedmont Room in downtown Winston-Salem for the local Urban
League’s annual meeting on Thursday, June 22.
Despite deficit,
Urban League reports
gains in community
BYTEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
More than 50 stakeholders and
supporters of the Winston-Salem
Urban League (WSUL), came togeth
er last week to look at the impact the
organization had on the community
last year, and take a glimpse into the
future during its annual meeting held
on Thursday, June 22.
During the meeting at The
Piedmont Room on 1 W. Fourth St.,
WSUL board Chairwoman Alison
Ashe-Card said despite facing deficit
of more than $12,000 the local non
profit designed to promote social and
economic progress through educa
tion, training, and civic engagement
still managed to go above and beyond
the normal call of duty.
According to Ashe-Card, in 2016
the WSUL helped 4,420 people with
employment assistance, helped over
200 people with mental illness and
hosted two job career expos that con
nected more than 1,000 people with
potential employees.
WSUL also helped 92 seniors
with job placement opportunities and
assisted more than 400 with
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP) vouchers.
“We’re excited about our progress
and success,” Ashe-Card said.
During the financial report,
Treasurer Kyle Haney discussed the
deficit the organization faces. He said
despite the loss last year, the WSUL
made significant progress. He said
the Urban League adopted an entirely
new accounting system. Haney said
the accounting team adopted a “state
of-the-art” accounting software
designed specifically for high pre
forming, efficient, nonprofit manage
ment.
“That investment certainly paid
off,” continued Haney. “When the
dollars came in, and we looked at our
See Urban League on A7
Urban farming
coming to local
neighborhood
BYTEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
Hundreds of people, both young and old came togeth
er last weekend to celebrate one of the city’s most historic
neighborhoods, the Boston-Thurmond Community.
Since the inaugural celebration in 1992, residents
from the past and present have come together to celebrate
the rich heritage of the neighborhood located near Cherry
Street and University Parkway that operates more like a
family than anything else.
This year’s celebration, held in the parking lot of St.
Photo by Tevin Stinson
Assistant City Manager Derwick Paige, left, and
Goler CDC President Michael Suggs look over
plans for the Hydroponics Aquaponics Urban
Farming Center on Saturday, June 24.
Johns C.M.E. Church, included free food, live entertain
ment, vendors and free health checks provided by the
Winston-Salem State University “Rams Know H.O.W.”
mobile clinic.
City Council member Denise Adams, and other city
officials kick-started the celebration by breaking ground
on the $1.1 million Hydroponics Aquaponics Urban
Farming Center located near Kimberly Park, and the
Martin Luther King Recreation Center. According to
Adams, who represents the North Ward, the center will
provide fresh food for a community in dire need.
Last August, the Winston-Salem City Council
approved the new facility that will deliver fresh produce
to the Kimberley Park community, which is a food desert,
meaning that there’s not a grocery store within one mile.
According to statistics from die Food Atlas Research
Atlas, Winston-Salem has 21 food deserts, many located
in the inner city. Adams said the urban farming center will
See Fanning on A7
WINSTON SALEM NC 27101-4120 01
Bowman Gray sale could be completed this year
B Y TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE
The City of Winston-Salem may finally close
its sale of Bowman Gray Stadium to Winston
Salem State University (WSSU) by year’s end.
The City Council initially voteij in May 2013
on its intent to sale the stadium for $7.1 million to
WSSU, which uses it for football games. The sta
dium is also home of NASCAR’s first and longest
running weekly race track.
The vote happened at the same time as the sale
of the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial
Coliseum to Wake Forest University (WFU). That
sale was closed relatively quickly because WFU
is a private university. WSSU is a public universi
ty, so it needed state approval, which has taken
four years so far.
Assistant City Manager Ben Rowe told City
Council members in a meeting earlier this month
that currently a brownfield agreement, denoting
pollution on the site, is under state review. After
that, their will be a monthlong public comment
period and then a purchase agreement can move
forward. It’ll go to the Council of State, which
consists of the governor and other state elected
See Sale on A4
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