Spring league
See Opinion/Forum pages on A6&7
• See Sports on page Bl*
T
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C
Volume 44, Number 39
THURSDAY, May 31, 2018
Tonia Walke
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
Winston-Salem State University
(WSSU) Chancellor Elwood L. Robinson
announced Tuesday that Tonia Walker has
resigned as director of athletics. Her resig
nation is effective today, May 31.
Walker has served as the director of
athletics since April 30, 2014, and has
been part of the WSSU athletics program
since 2000.
“While this is a bittersweet moment
for me, I have to do what is best for my
personal and professional lives,” Walker
said. “I am confident that the transition of
onboarding coaches and the direction of
the strategic plan will move Ram Athletics
to its next era. Now is the perfect time for
me to move forward. Though I am depart
ing, I will hold a special place in my heart
for the students and friends I have met
here. It is my sincere hope that WSSU
continues to build upon the legacy I have
started.”
As athletic director, Walker has guided
the Rams to six NCAA Division II tourna
ment appearances, 15 CIA A
WSSU photo
Tonia Walker speaks at the press conference on May 21 at which she
announces the new WSSV head basketball coach.
Championship titles, nine CIAA
Divisional titles, and eight CIAA Coach of
the Year honors. In 2015-16, she was
named the CIAA Athletic Director of the
Year and the National Association for
Collegiate Athletics Administrators 2016
Administrator of the Year. She was also
responsible for launching the She’s Got It
Covered; Bond. Score. Win.; and the
Winston-Salem Classic. Her commitment
to academic excellence has resulted in the
highest departmental cumulative grade
point average over the past two decades.
Additionally, student-athletes amass
more than 3,000 hours of community serv
ice each year.
“When I came to WSSU in 2015, I
was both excited and proud to serve at an
institution with a female athletic director,”
Robinson said. “Currently, WSSU is one
of just two schools within the CIAA with
a woman at the helm of its athletics pro
gram. I wish Tonia well in her future
endeavors and appreciate all her hard
work. While we will certainly miss her, I
know she is leaving us well-positioned to
continue our tradition as a powerhouse in
the CIAA. With a new head basketball
coach on board, this is a time of change
and opportunity - a new era for WSSU.”
The university will launch a national
search to find a successor as soon as pos
sible.
Until then, George Knox, assistant ath
letic director for compliance, has been
appointed as interim athletic director.
:V:
L.
Children enjoy the amenities of WinSton Waterworks water park on Friday, May 25.
Photo by Tevin Stinson
Water park a dream come
true for advocate
BY TEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
After years of attending meetings and urging city and
county officials to bring a swimming pool to her neighbor
hood, Marva Reid's dream came to fruition last week
when Winston Waterworks water park officially opened
on Friday, May 25.
Reid, who serves as the president of the East/Northeast
Neighborhood Association, said her journey to bring a
swimming pool to East Winston started more than 15
years ago. She said when she was growing up in the neigh
borhood swimming was a part of her childhood and she
wanted to bring that back so another generation can
enjoy.
"It was a long time coming over 15 years but I'm grate
ful to everyone for their support. Thank you for seeing the
vision that the people in the East Ward had," continued
Reid."... We have to remember to care about our kids and
that they need to learn how to swim and save their lives.
"Having a dream is great but to see dream become
reality it’s awesome,".she said.
Located at the comer of Waterworks and Winston
Lake roads, the water park is unlike any other in the city
and probably the state.
Built with $5 million in bonds, approved by voters in
November 2014 bond referendum, the water park includes
a pool, a lazy river, a spray ground, and a water slide. The
facility also has a changing room, restrooms and a conces
sions stand.
When discussing the project, Winston-Salem
Recreation and Parks Director William Royston said his
torically there were several pools moved from East
Winston neighborhood and it was time to bring something
new to the community.
See Water park on A4
Carter G.
Woodson, IDR
among those
seeking funds
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE
County commissioners heard a preview of the upcom
ing $433.9 million budget, and requests to be added to it
from organizations such as Carter G. Woodson School and
Freedom Tree at IDR (Institute for Dismantling Racism),
during its meeting last week.
An all-dav budget session is planned for today, with
additional workshops next
week. A public hearing on
the budget will be held on
June 4 at 2 pan. with a vote
on June 7 at 2 p.m. The
budget will go into effect
on July 1.
County Manager
Dudley Watts gave com-,
missioners a brief presenta
tion on the balanced 2018
19 continuation budget that
keeps current services
funded. This includes a 2.3
cents property tax increase
per $100 of property valua
tion to cover the debt from $115 million in limited obliga
tion bonds for the construction of a new courthouse. This
brings the total county property tax to 74.65 cents per
$100 of property valuation. Debt for voter approved bonds
for education, library and parks facilities account for 7.98
cents of the property tax.
Watts’ budget summary said there is also the option of
deferring the tax increase until next year or putting a ref
erendum on the November ballot for a quarter cent county
sales tax earmarked for the courthouse.
The budget included $125.9 million for Winston
Salem/Forsyth County Schools, which is below the sys
tem’s request for $126.1 million. Overall personnel-relat
ed costs totaled $145 million and included continuing the
pay performance plan and funds for compensation and
classification adjustments for various positions pending
the completion of a pay study.
Watts said that the budget is tighter than expected,
See Budget on A5
IN SALEM, NC 27101-2705 60
Racist tweet ends ‘Roseanne’
FROM VARIOUS NEWS REPORTS
CBS News and other media out
lets are reporting on Tuesday that
ABC canceled "Roseanne" after the
star of the show, Roseanne Barr,
issued a racist tweet about former
Obama White House aide Valerie
Jarrett, who is a black woman.
In the tweet, Barr compared
Jarrett to an ape.
Stellar ratings and an apology
weren't enough to mitigate Barr's
racist comments. ABC
Entertainment President Channing
Dungey confirmed the network has
decided to cancel the "Roseanne"
reboot following Barr's tweet. In
2016, Dungey made headlines when
she became the first African
American to run the entertainment
division of a major broadcast televi
sion network.
Pungey said in a statement,
"Roseanne’s Twitter statement is
abhorrent, repugnant and inconsis
tent with our values, and we have
decided to cancel her show.”
Bob Iger, chairman and CEO of
The Walt Disney Company, which
owns ABC, shared Dungey's state
ment on Twitter and added the com
See Roseanne on A4
We Rent U-Haul Trucks!
Professional self-storage
{••ASSURED
•••STORAGE
of Winston-Salem, LLC
(336) 924-7000
www.assuredstoragews.com
VO
*
w
1
V