More than 1,000 attend 34th Annual Community Service Awards
BY TEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
The city’s oldest and
most respected commu
nity newspaper rolled out
the red carpet and invited
more that 1,000 people
from all walks of life to
come together and cel
ebrate those in our com
munity who go the extra
mile to make a difference
during The Chronicle’s
Annual Community Ser
vice Awards held on the
campus of Winston-Salem
State University.
For more than 30
years The Chronicle has
held the Community Ser
vice Awards to celebrate
individuals and organiza
tions in Winston-Salem
and Forsyth County who
go above and beyond the
normal call of duty to lend
a helping hand to others
and uplift the community.
Instead of the traditional
banquet style event with
several award presenta
tions, this year the cer
emony took on the feel of
the award ceremonies you
see on TV. This year, we
also adopted a public vot
ing process to decide the
winner. More than 4,000
individuals voted online
last month by visiting The
Chronicle’s Facebook
page.
The event, hosted by
Busta Brown, also fea
tured several performanc
es. Performers included:
CurvyShe and CurvyHe,
JCB Dance, LB The Poet,
Dionn Ownens & Renais
sance, comedian Debra
Terry and the N.C. Black
Repertory Company.
After accepting her
award for Youth of the
Year, Chef J’Avia Cart
er said she was hoping
she would win but she
thought even if she didn’t,
the exposure would be
good for her candle busi
ness, which is located in
Marketplace Mall.
“It feels really, really
good,” Carter said with a
big smile.
Dr. Dennis Bishop,
pastor of First Waugh-
town Baptist Church, said
he was grateful to just
be nominated for Church
of the Year. He said he
received the award on
behalf of not only his
Photos by Alphonso Abbott Jr.
congregation, but every
church throughout the
city.
“I walked across that
See Awards on A2
Renita Linville appointed first African American Clerk of Court
BY TEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
Attorney
Renita
Thompkins Linville will
fill the vacancy left by
Forsyth County Clerk of
Court Susan Frye, making
her the first African Ameri
can to hold the position.
Linville, who is the sole
practitioner of her own law
firm located downtown,
has more than 30 years of
experience in the court
room. After graduating
from North Carolina Cen
tral University Cum Laude
with a bachelors degree in
business administration,
Linville received her juris
doctorate from
Howard
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University School of Law.
In addition to her pro
fessional work as an at
torney, Linville also serves
as the First Lady of Piney
Grove Baptist Church of
Winston-Salem. Through
out her career Linville
. has also served on several
boards including Forsyth
Jail and Prison Ministry,
Bethlehem Center, Win
ston-Salem Urban League,
The Legal Society of
Northwest NC and Media
tion Services Inc. For her
work in the community in
2018, Linville was recog
nized during The Chron
icle’s annual Community
Service Awards.
As the clerk of court
Linville will be respon
sible for recording and
maintaining thousands
of documents, including
court calendars, subpoe
nas, judicial orders, in
junctions and judgments,
Submitted photo
Renita Linville
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while also managing more
than 90 employees.
The decision to appoint
Linville was made by Se
nior Resident Superior
Court Judge Todd Burke.
General Statue (GS) 7A-
100 gives Burke the power
to appoint the clerk of
court in cases of death or
resignation. The statue
reads, “In cases of death
or resignation of the clerk,
the senior tegular resident
superior court judge, pend
ing appointment of a suc
cessor clerk, may appoint
an acting clerk of superior
court for a period of not
longer than 30 days.”
Frye officially retired
on June 1. She started her
career with the county
in 1976 as a deputy clerk
of court. Before she was
elected by voters in 2010,
she served as an arbitration
manager for former Chief
District Judge William Re-
ingold.
Because she was cho
sen to fill the vacancy Lin
ville will have to run for
re-election in 2020.
When discussing Lin
ville’s appointment with
The Chronicle earlier this
week, Judge Burke said he
was honored to be able to
make the decision. He said,
“It’s an honor to be able to
appoint someone who has
distinguished themselves
in their profession as an at
torney, moreover someone
who has always been ac
tive in the community.
“Mrs. Linville is a life-
long resident of Forsyth
County, and although this
is an appointment, this is
ultimately an elected of
fice. Her experience and
qualifications will make
her competitive to be re-
elected and to perform
at a high level as Forsyth
County Clerk of Court.”
www.wschronicle.com
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