November 3, 2022

WSSU Rams gain momentum with 3-game-winning streak

BY TIMOTHY RAMSEY THE CHRONICLE

Just when it looked as though the season was a lost cause, the Winston-Salem State football team reeled off three victories in a row to bring their record to 3-5 on the year. They bounced back from a rocky start to the year to have something to build upon for next season.

The Rams began the year with an 0-5 start. To complicate things even more, their homecoming game against Lincoln University at the beginning of October was canceled because of Hurricane Ian.

“With great disappointment, we announce that due to the anticipated severe weather for this coming weekend and out of an abundance of caution for our students, staff, alumni and fans, all university-sanctioned homecoming activities will be canceled after noon on Friday, September 30.

“The WSSU vs. Lincoln football game scheduled for this coming Saturday, October 1, has been canceled. At this time the game has not been rescheduled.

“It is important for our supporters to know this decision was not made lightly. Given the potential severe weather impact on our state and the governor’s issuance of a state of emergency for North Carolina, law enforcement and emergency medical resources are very limited for this week. The university is mandated by the NCAA to have a minimum number of emergency response resources that cannot be guaranteed at this time. The risk to safety is far too great to proceed with inadequate safety personnel.

“Indeed this decision is unfortunate for our university family, but safety remains our highest priority. Please know a proper celebration is in the works and we will see everyone together very soon.”

The cancellation of not only the homecoming activities but the homecoming game could have been the straw that broke the camel’s back, so to speak, for the Rams. To their credit, the young men from WSSU dug deep and found a way to rebound in a way not many people thought they could.

The Rams had no choice but to dig deep because of the hole they were in prior to their current three game win streak. They started off the year with a 41-21 loss to Central State University in the Black

College Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio. Central State initially jumped on WSSU early by taking a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. A pick six by Justin Fleming and a touchdown by RJ Mobley tied things up at 14.

Things were kept close until late in the third quarter and CSU finally put the game out of reach in the final frame.

The second game was one to forget for the Rams as they faced off against North Carolina Central University. The Rams were outmatched from the start of

the game, which is the norm for many of Central’s opponents, as the Eagles are one of the stronger HBCU teams this season. The 41-0 loss dropped the Rams to 0-2.

The game against Elizabeth City State University is one the Rams wish they could have back. The Rams went into the half leading 10-0, shutting out the Vikings. Things changed in the third quarter when the Vikings got their first score of the game. With another ECSU score in the

Carver Nation Homecoming 2022 draws more than 2,000 alumni, partners, families and educators

BY FELECIA PIGGOTTLONG, PH.D.

More than 2,000 Yellowjacket enthusiasts exploded with Jacket pride during the Homecoming Weekend Party October 14-16. The Carver AllClass Reunion began as a homecoming tailgate event at Carver High School on Friday morning as alumni classes set up their tents throughout the parking lots and the stadium areas

Dr. Thyais Maxwell, principal of Carver, was so excited about this year’s homecoming festivities.

“Homecoming exceeded my expectations! To see our students, families, and alumni gather to celebrate Carver and the richness it holds was heartwarming,” said Maxwell. “Also, to

see the hard work from the committee come together with such excellence, richness and love made me excited for the future of Carver. The best is yet to come!”

DeWayne Tillman, assistant principal and chairperson of the homecoming committee, was pleased with the outcome of the entire weekend.

“The planning committee included Howard Venable, Quiana Bazemore, Nicole Westbury, Jana Minor-Oliver, and Sharon Transou. In the beginning of our planning, I had no doubt that Carver’s homecoming would be one of the greatest events Carver has ever seen,” said Tillman. “That was just hopeful thinking, but each member brought a unique skill set that made the event enjoyable. It took hard work, and we had many obstacles to overcome.”

Howard Venable (‘87), behavior intervention specialist, said that this year’s homecoming was beyond his expectation.

“From my initial planning stage up to the culminating event, I did not anticipate such a huge and supportive turnout,” said Venable. “We started planning in May, working on marketing, small videos for social media, approval

by administration, tailgating contacts, reaching out to the different classes. It was lovely. Next year, we want it to be bigger and better.”

The homecoming parade lined up at the Solid Rock Baptist Church, located at 3010 Carver School Road, around 3:30 p.m. Residents of Carver Road, students, and staff members of Carver crowded both sides of the street just to see the spectacle.

The joyful sounds of the Carver High School alumni band joined with the Winston-Salem State University Marching Rams, the Carver cheerleaders, the Sweet Stingers, the Band, the Carolina Cruisers Motorcycle Club, Forsyth Tech, The Winston-Salem High Steppers, and other dancers helped bring in the noise. Elected officials rode on shiny cars waving to the crowd; school administrators rode on the back of designer trucks; teachers threw handfuls of candy from the large sailboat they rode down the street, and spectators screamed and danced from the sidelines. This scene was Game On!

At 5 p.m. the alumni participated in registration and a welcome back meet and greet, and the tailgating officially began at 6 p.m. Kickoff for the game

against Pine Lake Prep was at 7 p.m. The Yellowjackets partied the night away, enjoying good food, fellowship and the halftime festivities. Samantha Davis was crowned Senior Homecoming Queen, and Jon-Patrick Switzer was crowned Mr. 1936. Senior Ofelianni Medina Mariche was named Miss 1936. Leah Raeford was crowned Miss Carver, and Taalib-Din Grier was named Mr. Carver. Danae Schafer was Sophomore Princess, and Erick Lopez was crowned Sophomore Prince. Z’Rhyia Jones was crowned Freshman Princess, and Antonio Samuels was crowned Ninth-Grade Prince.

On Saturday, the Carver Classic featured an adult five-on-five basketball tournament at the school. The official Carver

Alumni All-Class Reunion Day Party was held at the ROAR Events Center on Liberty Street from 4 to 9 p.m. This gathering was hosted

and the Carver Alumni Association. The music for the day party was powered by Barry Leach (’88). More than 400 alumni and visitors enjoyed the music, dancing, and socializing.

On Sunday, the Alumni Reunion Fellowship was held at Galilee Missionary Baptist Church where Dr. Nathan Scovens is the pastor. During the Sunday morning service, Carver Nation sat in a body. The band played at the church as well. The church members presented Carver High School with a check for $5,000 to assist with various school projects and programs.

Nicole Westbury, CTE

instructor, was honored to be a part of the planning committee. “As a firstyear teacher, being asked to be on the homecoming committee was a dream of mine. The success was the fruits of hard labor. I planned the parade and I enjoyed meeting Councilwoman Barbara Burke,” Westbury said.

Several sponsors, donors, and partners collaborated with Carver Nation on this project. They include the Galilee Missionary Baptist Church, Winston-Salem Sheriff’s Department, the WinstonSalem Police Department, Daisy A Day Florist, Modern Chevrolet, Flow Automotive, ROAR Events Center, Carver Alumni Association, Carver alumni, Brad’s Golf Carts, Grace Presbyterian Church, Coach Bill Hayes, and Winston-Salem State University. The administrative team of Carver includes Dr. Thyais Maxwell, Ashante Brooks, and Angela Alonzo.

“We are grateful to all donors, partners, sponsors, parade participants, alumni, and all Carver Nation supporters who made Homecoming 2022 enjoyable and phenomenal. We look forward to your continued support,” said DeWayne Tillman.

by Carver alumni

Photo courtesy of WSSU

Here’s action from WSSU’s 28-7 win over Johnson C. Smith University last weekend.

Photo by Felecia Piggott-Long

Carver’s Band struts down Carver Road with rhythm and energy.

To help cope with losing her sister to domestic violence, Winston-Salem native Cassandra Bethea Shine started a blog where she wrote about her sister’s experiences in first person.

“Losing her was a very difficult process for me. She was almost like my twin sister,” Shine said. “So to deal with this tragedy I started writing about her experience through her voice in first person.”

Cassandra said she was devastated when she lost her sister Cheryl. In 2014 Cheryl Bethea was stabbed and killed by her boyfriend, Ferjus Moore. Shine said on the same day she was murdered, Cheryl filed a restraining order against Moore. In 2019 Moore accepted a plea deal with the state and was sentenced to 35-43 years in prison.

Shine said after she started the blog, dozens of women started reaching out to her and sharing their own experiences. What started out as just a way to cope with losing her sister led to Shine writing a book, “Her Voice Beyond the Grave: A Sister’s Cry to Sound the Silence in Domestic Violence.”

Last Sunday the Forsyth County Library and Bridges to Hope Family Justice Center of Forsyth County, partnered to bring Shine to the readers. During the event held at the Central Library, Shine sat down with DeWanna Hamlin, director of Bridges to Hope, to discuss the book and much more.

When asked what inspired her to write the book, Shine said it was the readers who felt a connection with her sister. She said she never imagined becoming a published author, but after connecting with so many women, she felt compelled to write her sister’s story.

About one in three women experience intimate partner violence. An average of three women are killed every day in the U.S. as a result of domestic violence.

“So many people resonated with Cheryl’s voice, so I thought it was very important to get her voice out there,” she continued. “Also, this was a way of leaving my sister in remembrance … so her death would not be in vain.”

Shine said she wishes she would have known the signs of domestic violence sooner. She said since doing the research and writing the book, she has learned

Rams

fourth, coupled with a late turnover from the Rams, it pretty much sealed the win for ECSU.

Next up for WSSU was Chowan University. It was another slow start for the Rams’ offense in this game. Chowan led the entire contest and the Rams did not get their first score until late in the fourth quarter when quarterback Jahmier Slade threw a touchdown pass to Mobley. The 21-7 loss made WSSU 0-4.

The next game was supposed to be the homecoming game against Lincoln, but we all know what happened there. Instead, their next game was against Livingstone College. Yet another slow start for the WSSU offense led to a 14-3 deficit at the half. WSSU continued to fight and claw in the second half; however, Livingstone put the nail in the coffin with less than a minute to go in the game to squeak out a 20-17 win.

That was a short recap of how the Rams got into that 0-5 hole. What was obvious was the slow starts by the Rams on offense was really hurting their chances of winning. Also, their defense was really playing well after the second week of the season and kept them in many games. All they needed was to put it all together and rebound from when momentum swung the other team’s way, and that’s what happened against Shaw University.

It was sort of poetic justice that the Rams picked up their first win of the year at home. WSSU started off the scoring after Octavis McLaurin picked off a Shaw U pass and returned it to the one-yard line to set up the Rams’ offense for a prime scoring opportunity. The drive ended with a field goal. The Rams went up 10-0 after a Nicholas Jackson one-yard touchdown plunge from the quarterback.

Of course, the Bears

made a run heading into halftime. They were able to tie the score at 10 at intermission. This is the point where the Rams showed their fortitude. Instead of folding as they did in past games, they continued to fight, blocking a punt that was returned 68 yards for a touchdown by Willy Blackstock, which turned out to be the final score of the game.

For their second win of the season, the Rams totally dominated the St. Augustine University Falcons. From the kickoff, WSSU took control of the game. If not for a blocked field goal that was returned for a touchdown by St. Aug, the score would have been even worse. Every time the Falcons looked to gain some momentum, the Rams quickly answered with a score of their own. Once again, the Rams’ secondary was ball hawking as Deiontae Jones and Narique Smith both had interceptions. The 41-14 victory was the largest of the season to date for WSSU.

The defense led the way once again against Johnson C. Smith University. With both offenses sputtering in the first half, it was the Rams who finally got on track in the third quarter. It wasn’t a pretty win, however it was enough to give the Rams their third consecutive win.

The Rams will face off against Fayetteville State University this Saturday in the regular season finale. Ending the year with a win streak would bode well for WSSU. Their defense really held things together this season and their offense has made tremendous strides as the year has progressed. Head coach Robert Massey and his staff have done a tremendous job by turning things around as they have.

The future looks bright for WSSU as they seek to reclaim some of that past glory the football team is used to enjoying.

that “unhealed childhood injuries” is one of the biggest threats to our society. She mentioned that one of the most important chapters in her book talks about family; and she admits she had trouble writing it.

“If we don’t get that healing done, it’s just a repeated cycle,” said Shine during the open discussion. “I didn’t want to talk about my family but I did … I had completely written the book and I left that whole chapter out

and that was like the key to the whole book, as to how Cheryl got here.”

In addition to writing the book, in honor of her sister Shine has also started the nonprofit organization, Sound the Silence in Domestic Violence (STSIDV). The mission of the organization is to encourage victims and survivors to sound the silence in domestic violence without stigma or shame, by walking in their own truths, unapologetically.

Shine said she believes survivors of domestic abuse play a big role in helping victims overcome. “I think the biggest key to this is survivors because they’re going to help liberate the victims.

“Because it is through our voices and our stories that we can help inspire victims to become survivors. I want survivors to know that they are the key to survival for victims.”

Following the open discussion with Hamlin and taking questions from the audience, Shine signed copies of “Her Voice Beyond the Grave: A Sister’s Cry to Sound the Silence in Domestic Violence” and spoke with readers.

Following the event, Hamlin said, “Ms. Shine’s experiences informed our audience in a powerful way to further educate friends, family members, and loved ones on what to look for and how to respond to survivors.”

Photo by Tevin Stinson

Cassandra Bethea Shine talks about her book that tells the story of her late sister’s domestic violence.

Wage this fight like the next bullet has your name on it

BY JOHN RAILEY

“The fight against gun violence must be an ongoing one,” Velma Terry told me the other day.

Hers is a terrible wisdom. On Valentine’s Day 2021, the body of her 35-yearold son, Te’Ore, was found in WinstonSalem. He’d been fatally shot. In the year and a half since, Terry has spoken out against gun violence at numerous local rallies. Her words spill out cold and powerful, like winter raindrops from her broken heart. She has seen leaders and rank-and-file citizens listen and embrace the fight, then fall away.

But the bullets are getting closer to us all, as evidenced by the recent mass shooting in Raleigh and the shooting of one teenager by another in September 2021 at Mount Tabor High School in Winston-Salem. We should fight gun violence like the next bullet has our name on it, as we should have been doing all along for our friends across demographic lines in the city.

This is a battle we cannot afford to lose. The human and financial costs are too high. The mass shootings, including the recent school one in St. Louis, grab the headlines. But those shootings are only a fraction of the national toll of daily gun homicides and gun violence, the one-on-one killings and maimings. There have been 27 homicides this year in Winston-Salem and numerous gun assaults. We still have two months to go in another sad year for too many families in the city, months that could leave the upcoming holidays and future ones forever torn asunder for survivors.

My colleague at Winston-Salem State University’s Center for the Study of Economic Mobility (CSEM), Associate Director Alvin Atkinson, rightly sees gun violence as an issue of economic mobility. If parents and children do not feel safe in their homes, the stress can adversely affect their ability to advance in their jobs and schools. We see that at CSEM with our partner agencies.

Terry works at one of those agencies, the Guiding Institute for Developmental Education (GIDE), where she leads the DIVAS program, working with single mothers. Another CSEM partner, David Moore, leads Project M.O.O.R.E, which works with at-risk youth. Many of Terry and Moore’s clients are in East Winston, where much of the gun violence occurs. They tell us about clients enduring the daily toll of the violence in neighborhoods where gunshots are a far too common sound. “It’s out of control,” Moore said.

In May, after the mass school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, Winston-Salem Councilwoman Barbara Burke held a wellattended meeting at Carver High School where she sought community solutions to gun violence and collected those solutions. In August, she held a follow-up meeting at Carver where she laid out actions that had been taken. Good work had been taken, including several programs for at-risk youth, and increased law-enforcement protections.

Recently, Councilwoman Burke told me no future meetings are planned as she had accomplished what she set out to do. Her work was good, and she cannot do it alone. But the fight against gun violence must continue.

Fortunately, efforts continue.

Susan Frye, a former Forsyth Clerk of Court who works with the sheriff’s office, said: “We are working with the youth in our county. The Community Outreach Division goes into the schools and talks about guns, drugs and violence. The sheriff has been working with ten boys at North Hills Elementary School each Monday. We work with five girls from North Hills Elementary. We are working in the Piedmont Homes community with events for the residents. We have 50 boys going to the YMCA on Waterworks Road three days a week to keep them in positive events after school. This is a joint program with the Y, the sheriff’s office, the Chris Paul Foundation, the local school system, and Don Flow.”

CSEM and its partners are also in the effort. Starting with the Winston-Salem Twin City Host Lions Club and numerous partners, Atkinson is working on the Lions Quest program, which will help at-risk youth confront many challenges, including gun violence, through socialemotional learning.

Velma Terry wants to start a support club for victims of gun violence where they can gather and fight gun violence. David Moore will soon start a series of video interviews on his Facebook site in which he interviews troubled youth, including gang members and ex-gang members and their parents, hoping comments will connect people to helpful programs and answers. “I want to share with the community that this mother is not the only mother that’s going through this with her son,” Moore said.

“I want it to be a community thing, to get them to programs, suggestions and solutions.”

We need these initiatives and many more.

Terry said: “These are our babies, our children, our future. We have to take action.”

John Railey, raileyjb@gmail.com, is the writer-in-residence for CSEM, www. wssu.edu/csem.

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Photo by John Railey

Velma Terry speaking at an anti-gun violence meeting at Carver High School in August.

OPINION

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Managing Editor Associate Editor Sports Editor/Religion Senior Reporter Advertising Manager Office Manager Graphic Designer

Our Mission

The Chronicle is dedicated to serving the residents of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County by giving voice to the voiceless, speaking truth to power, standing for integrity and encouraging open communication and lively debate throughout the community

Vote

BY NIKKI GIOVANNI

It’s not a hug

Nor mistletoe at Christmas

It’s not a colored egg At Easter

Nor a bunny hopping Across the meadow

It’s a vote Saying you are A citizen Though it sometimes Is chocolate

Or sometimes vanilla It can be female Or male It is right Or left I can agree Or disagree but And this is an important but I am a citizen I should be able

To vote from prison I should be able To vote from the battlefield I should be able To vote when I get a driver’s license I should be able To vote when I can purchase a gun I must be able To vote

If I’m in the hospital If I’m in the old folks’ home

If I’m needing a ride To the Polling Place I am a citizen I must be able to vote

Folks were lynched Folks were shot Folks’ communities were gerrymandered Folks who believed In the Constitution were lied to Burned out Bought and sold

Because they agreed All Men and Women Were Created Equal

Folks vote to make us free It’s not cookies Nor cake

But it is the icing That is so sweet Good for the Folks Good for Us My country ’tis of thee.

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Schools are made for learning and not for shootings. What is happening in America?

Dr. James B. Ewers Jr. Guest Columnist

Growing up, I enjoyed going to school because it was fun, and I saw my friends. Of course, learning new things was the biggest part of my school experience. The environment was set up so that we could be social and get an education as well. I don’t ever recall getting up and saying that I didn’t want to go to school.

The kids in my Winston-Salem neighborhood had good attitudes about school. We didn’t balk or complain about it. Staying home from school was never an option except when we were sick. Schools were viewed in a positive light and that light was extremely bright. We as students wanted to be there and our teachers wanted to be there, too.

In many respects, this attitude about schools has changed.

Schools have playgrounds and now they have become shooting grounds.

What has happened to our schools where innocent

minds go to gain knowledge and become solid citizens? School shootings have become almost commonplace in the American landscape. Would-be assailants come with assault weapons, ready to do damage to our nation’s youngest citizens, our children.

How did killings and schools end up in the same sentence?

Not in my lifetime did I ever think that school shootings would be a topic of national conversations, yet they are. What is the mindset of someone who decides to go onto school property and take innocent lives?

Currently, there are too many answers to that question and all of them are sad and disheartening.

Just a few weeks ago, a school shooting occurred at the Central Visual and Performing Arts High School in St. Louis Missouri. This tragedy claimed the lives of a teacher and a student.

The teacher was Jean Kuczka. Her daughter, Abbey Kuczka said, “She loved her students. I know her students looked at her like she was their mom.”

According to reports, it took the police four minutes to arrive at the school and eight minutes to find the gunman. The shooter

was identified as a former graduate of the school and his name was Orlando Harris. He was 19 years of age.

Police Commissioner, Michael Sack said, “Authorities are working to try and come up with what might have led him to this. There is suspicion there may be some mental illness that he was experiencing.”

He added, “We are working on developing that information right now.”

The records show that Orlando Harris did not have a criminal record. However, he was heavily armed with a long gun and a dozen 30-round ammunition magazines with him. Authorities also confirmed that seven other teens were hurt during the attack.

David Williams, a math teacher, said, “Gunshots erupted shortly after 9 a.m. central time and everyone went into drill mode, turning off lights, locking doors and huddling in corners so they couldn’t be seen.” He added, “There was a bang on the door, and it shook. Someone was trying to open the door.”

Gun shootings on American soil have made us numb because they happen with frequency and without warning. Now, families in St. Louis are shell-shocked and their grief is beyond our com-

prehension. Each shooting in a school makes us more fretful and fearful. Students don’t want to go to school because they don’t know what will happen to them.

Teachers are afraid and can’t teach because of it. They don’t know if they will be next. That is a dreadful feeling to have each day. The teaching profession is on a downward spiral because of these atrocities.

Parents are reluctant to send their children to school. Wouldn’t you be?

The publication, Education Week, reported there have been 40 school shootings that have resulted in injuries or death this year. Sadly, they reported there have been 132 similar shootings since 2018.

America, this can’t continue to happen. Our communities are being broken and battered.

James B. Ewers Jr., Ed.D., is a former tennis champion at Atkins High School in Winston-Salem and played college tennis at Johnson C. Smith University, where he was all-conference for four years. He is a retired college administrator. He can be reached at overtimefergie.2020@yahoo.com.

Voting is giving your candidate a ‘Critical Mass’

BY HOWARD PEARRE

In nuclear engineering, a critical mass is the smallest amount of fissile material needed to achieve a sustained nuclear reaction. You have to have enough plutonium to make a bomb. Otherwise, instead of fission, you get fizzle.

It’s the same with politics in a democracy. After a candidate makes it through the primary season “playoffs” and gets their party’s nod, they compete headto-head with the candidate of the other party (or sometimes, parties) to achieve a critical mass of votes. In this sense, a candidate’s “critical mass” is at least one vote more than the other candidate’s total. Fission!

And “critical” has meaning in another sense. To say that the current midterm election that is in process is “critical” is an understatement. Which party will control the U.S. House and/or the U.S. Senate will have critical ramifications for years to come. Which judges are elected to the N.C. Supreme Court will have critical ramifications for years to come in terms of redistricting. Which candidates will gain seats on the school board will have critical ramifications for years to come in terms of student performance and what is taught.

It is no exaggeration to say that women’s rights

to control their own bodies is “on the ballot.” It is no exaggeration to say that the climate is “on the ballot.” It is no exaggeration to say that continuing to allow weapons of mass distraction on the streets is “on the ballot.” It is no exaggeration to say that gerrymandering is “on the ballot.”

It is no exaggeration to say that teachers being allowed to accurately teach about the country’s treatment of Black people is “on the ballot.” It is no exaggeration to say that voter suppression is on the ballot. It is no exaggeration to say that democracy itself is “on the ballot.”

You could also look at the election this way: Imagine it’s Wednesday, Nov. 9, the day after Election Day. You watched the returns late into the night and had a particular interest in one candidate. It was back and forth, and when you went to bed, your candidate looked like she was pulling ahead.

But apparently, in the wee hours of the morning, that candidate who you knew to be honest, tuned in to the issues, and a hard worker, the candidate for whom you voted, lost her race by a slim margin to a blowhard sweet talker whose campaign stances were almost all the exact opposite of your values.

What happened?

You may be feeling a little sick and probably are wondering what you could have done other than voting to help give your can-

didate the necessary critical mass that would have put her in office. And, keep that other guy out. What extra effort could you have made that would have made a difference? You have the bad feeling that if you had just made a little extra effort, the race could have gone the other way.

The good news is it’s not that Wednesday morning yet. It’s not too late to encourage someone else to vote. It’s not too late to help someone get to an early voting site from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m on a weekday or on Saturday, Nov. 5, from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. And, of course, it’s not too late to vote yourself!

Voting - or not voting - is about deciding which candidates you want to achieve critical masses, and what extra effort you are willing to make to assure those outcomes. If you lean toward one candidate but don’t vote, you are, in effect, voting for that candidate’s opponent.

Be a part of the right critical mass. Don’t regret being a part of the wrong one.

Vote!

Howard Pearre retired after a career as a counselor and manager with N.C. Vocational Rehabilitation and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. He has led training workshops on voter registration and is a board member with Winston-Salem Writers.

SUBMITTED EDITORIAL

Hardman’s “Back to Basics” plan focuses on:

*Safety in our schools, *Setting high standards and accountability for students and staff, and

*Engaging families to continue the learning at home.

Michael was raised in Winston-Salem and received his K-12 education at Speas Elementary, Paisley Middle and Mount Tabor High School.

He is a parent, not a politician. Michael has three children who are all currently enrolled in the WS/FCS schoolsone in high school, one in middle school, and one in elementary school. He spends as much time as he can at his children’s schools.

Michael is a problem-solver. He earned a bachelor of science in civil engineering at Virginia Tech. He is a licensed professional engineer and works for a local construction company where he manages multi-million dollar projects. His projects include K-12 and university buildings, and many have been high profile and award-winning, such as the recent

SUBMITTED EDITORIAL

I’m Dan Besse, the Democratic nominee for the At-Large (countywide) seat on the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners.

Many of the Chronicle’s readers will remember me from my 19 years of service on the Winston-Salem City Council. I worked with my Council colleagues for stronger, safer, and healthier neighborhoods across our city. I supported equitable investments in all areas of our community, from streets and sidewalks, parks and greenways, and public safety, to economic revitalization.

I am running for the Forsyth County Commission to bring that approach to our county government. Whether you live in the city, the smaller towns, or the countryside, you are an equal citizen, taxpayer, and voter of the County, and you must be treated with equal respect. I will work to bridge the gaps in good public schools, health, housing, safety, and opportunity for all our people.

Our public schools need our attention. We must do more to attract and retain good teachers and other educational staff

restoration of Union Station.

Michael has seen the quality and content of our K-12 public school system decline from when he was a student. Only one in four students can read at grade level. Only two in five can do math at grade level. These measurements were taken before the COVID pandemic! Our children deserve better. Our K-12 schools must prepare our children to be successful in life.

Let’s refocus on the basics of education in a safe environment, so our students are learning and achieving again!

This editorial was paid for by the Michael Hardman campaign.

countywide.

The other problems that we face today, from gun violence to the rising cost of housing, do not end at the city lines. County government must actively work together with our city and towns, school board, and sheriff to solve our shared challenges.

Finally, I pledge to stay out in our community year-round, listening and learning from the voices of our people. I will show up, listen, and respond to you on the Forsyth County Commission.

This editorial was paid for by the Dan Besse campaign.

FOCUS

What does voting have in common with nuclear engineering?

Michael Hardman is running for Winston-Salem/ Forsyth County School Board at-large seat

Submitted photo

Michael Hardman

Submitted photo

Dan Besse

Besse running for seat on board of commissioners.

Last forum focuses on candidates vying for a seat on the school board

Last week some of the candidates vying for seats on the Winston-Salem/ Forsyth County Schools (WS/FCS) board came together to talk about their priorities and what the future would look like if they were elected.

The forum, held at the Forsyth County Central Library, was the last in a series of three forums hosted by the Black Political Awareness League, The Ministers’ Conference of Winston-Salem and Vicinity, the Winston-Salem NAACP and The Chronicle.

Here’s a brief overview of the candidates who attended or had representation at the forum.

At-Large. There are seven candidates vying for the three at-large seats on the board. Incumbent Deanna Kaplan (D), Sarah Absher (R), Richard Watts (D), Allen Daniel (R), Sabrina Coone-Godfrey (D), Regina Garner (L) and Michael Hardman (R). Although all candidates were invited, Gardner and Hardman did not attend the forum.

*Kaplan (D), who is the current chair of the WS/FCS Board of Education, did not attend the forum but current board member Elizabeth Motsinger represented her. Priorities for Kaplan as she seeks re-election include teacher recruitment and retention and closing the achievement gap. During the forum, Motsinger

praised Kaplan for the work she has done as board chair and as a member. Kaplan was first elected to the board in 2018. The board voted 8-0 in 2021 to appoint her chair.

*Absher (R), a registered nurse, is running because she believes there needs to be transparency and accountability in local schools. If elected she says she will ensure critical race theory and critical gender theory are not taught in schools. When asked what would be her first thing she would do if elected, Absher said she will push for an audit on the district’s third-party vendors. At the top of her platform on her website Absher lists Parents’ Rights. She wrote, “Parents have the right to: Protect their child’s privacy, know what their child is being taught, and be the authority regarding their child’s health.”

*Watts (D) looks to bring 32 years of experience as an educator to the board. Before retiring, Watts served as principal at Winston-Salem Preparatory Academy, Kimberley

Park Elementary and Julian Gibson Elementary. Currently Watts serves as coordinator for Crosby Scholars’ AAMPED (African American Males Pursuing Educational Dream) Program. Watts said the first thing he would do if elected is sit down with groups of teachers, students, and parents to find out what changes they want to see in the district.

“What I want to do first is to gather in small groups around the community’s teachers, students and parents to hear their voices,” said Watts during the forum. He said he would ask them three questions: What’s going well? What’s not going well? How can we improve on what’s not going well?

*Daniel (R), a longtime parent, volunteer and educator in the district, he says he’s running to “restore excellence” to WS/ FCS. If elected Daniel said his first order of business would be to sit down with as many teachers as possible to see what they need.

Daniel says he will give classroom educators the

support they need to provide every student within the district the opportunity for an excellent education. “…At the soonest opportunity I would meet with as many teachers as possible to ask them what they need to be able to reach every child right where they are and get them where they need to be to be successful,” Daniel said.

*Coone-Goodfrey (D), is a mother of two children in WS/FCS and serves as a PTA president and on several other committees and boards. One of her main priorities if elected would be improving communication between the board and the community. She has mentioned implementing district level teams that consist of parents, staff and students that will have the opportunity to interact directly with the board. On her website Coone-Goodfrey also lists providing appropriate resources for educators and staff, and addressing emotional and social aspects of learning as priorities as well.

District 1. The fate of District 1, which represents voters within the city limits, was decided in May, during the primary election. Democrats Trevonia Brown-Gaither and incumbent Alex Bohannon will hold the two seats on the board.

*Brown-Gaither (D), a retired educator who worked in the district for 18 years, came out on top in the race that included five candidates vying for two seats. Brown-Gaither, who retired from Parkland

High School in 2021, finished with 26% of the total vote. Brown-Gaither says her goal is to ensure every student has a “S-E-A-T” (Safety Equity Advocacy and Transparency) at the table.

*Bohannon (D), who finished with 25% of the total vote, was chosen to fill a vacant seat on the board last year. He currently works as a diversity compliance specialist for the City of Winston-Salem. Bohannon’s top areas of focus are high-quality instruction for every child, cultural infusion across all subject areas, and a positive workplace culture for every employee.

District 2. In the race for District 2, which represents voters outside the city limits, there are five candidates vying for three seats: incumbent Leah Crowley (R), Robert Barr (R), Steve Wood (R), and Jennifer Castillo (D). Although all the candidates were invited, only Crowley and Castillo attended the forum.

Republican candidate Stan Elrod died Tuesday night. Under state law, Elrod’s name will remain on the ballot, but the executive committee of the Forsyth County Republican Party must name a replacement before Election Day.

*Crowley (R), the only incumbent in the race for District 2, has served on the board since 2018.

Crowley says she ran in 2018 to make a difference and according to her website, if re-elected she will support school choice

and improving neighborhood schools and magnet schools, and increased compensation for teachers. She said if re-elected she will continue the work she has already started. “If re-elected I will continue to do the work that I have been doing and that is making the best decisions in the best interest of our students,” Crowley said.

*Castillo (D), a mother of two children currently in the school system, Castillo is the only Democrat running in the race for District 2. She also serves as 1st vice chair for the Forsyth County Democratic Women. She lists her top three priorities as school safety, increasing teacher pay, and better collaboration between the district and local non-profit organizations and businesses. Castillo said, one of the first things she would do if elected is have a review of the budget. “One of the first things I would do, before we even order any spending as part of the board, is get a good review of our budget and see what our spending trends have been the past few years,” she said.

The forum featuring candidates for the Board of Education and previous forums can be viewed on The Chronicle’s Facebook page. One-Stop Early Voting in Forsyth County ends on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 3 p.m. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Upcoming HanesBrands Community Product Sale will be the biggest in event’s history

SUBMITTED ARTICLE

It’s been seven years since HanesBrands held its popular Community Product Sale and now this special event is back on Nov. 11 and 12 at the YWCA Wellness Center located at 1300 S. Main Street in Win-

ston-Salem. Known for amazing deals on favorite brands such as Hanes, Champion, Bali and Maidenform, the HanesBrands Community Product Sale features something for every member of the family from socks, underwear and bras to T-shirts,

sweatshirts and workout wear.

The HanesBrands Community Product Sale takes place on Friday, Nov. 11, from 12 noon to 7 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 12, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. In honor of the Veterans Day holiday, all active-duty military and veterans

with a military ID can go to the front of the line on both Friday and Saturday. Free parking is available and there will be food trucks and music to keep everyone entertained.

The sale is being organized by the Winston-Salem YWCA

and all proceeds from the sale benefit its mission of eliminating racism and empowering women.

“We are so thankful to HanesBrands -- this sale is a special opportunity for our community

I am honored to have served Forsyth County, NC as Sheriff for the last four years. Everything that we promised in the first run for election, we have delivered. From 21st Century Technology to building bridges within the community, from leveraging resources to maximize our capabilities to collaborating with both entity and grassroots leaders - our work has created a formidable blueprint that is making an impact not only in our county but around the state of North Carolina. As your Sheriff, the Office of the People has made strides, broken many barriers, and elevated law enforcement in Forsyth County in many ways. We are just getting started. I ask for your vote in 2022. Most immediately, I ask for your financial support to run this race and win. Donate Today at bit. ly/DonateKimbrough2022.

Photo by Tembila Covington

School board candidates talk priorities at the last candidates forum on Oct. 27 at the Central Library.

Kennedy Learning Center holds teacher/staff ‘family reunion’

two loves together."

The team of the original Kennedy Learning Center (KLC) that served as an alternative middle school for youth who experienced various challenges in multiple areas of their lives, believed that all youth held the potential to have a productive life when provided the opportunity. KLC staff created a culture of care, support, love, fun, and community that formed an everlasting bond, which is why you would constantly hear and feel the warmth when anyone mentioned the KLC Family. “We are a family” was more than a phrase;

it is still the reality of the relationships that were forged through dedicated service that blossomed under the leadership of Bertha Caldwell from 2003-2010.

“Relationships! Relationships! Relationships!” was the foundation of Kennedy Learning Center under her leadership, which led to her being named the 2008 Wachovia Principal of the Year in Winston-Salem/

Submitted photo

Forsyth County Schools district.

Have you ever heard of a school teacher/staff reunion? Well, you are about to for the first time ever because the KLC family decided to reunite once again following the pandemic.

There is a Japanese proverb - "Teachers have three loves: love of learning, love of learners, and the love of bringing the first

On Saturday, Oct. 15, one of the most innovative, cohesive, and dedicated group of educators met at the Carolina Ale House in Winston-Salem to celebrate the leadership of Dr. Bertha Caldwell, the efforts of teachers, support staff and communal relationships that improved the community. The school as it was is no longer an alternate middle school for struggling students housing Leap, Gateway Prep, Millenium, and the ESL Academy. The former teachers and staff reunited to have lunch, fellowship and remember the great times that we had working as a school to help students and their parents get their lives back in order after some event in life caused them to struggle in school.

Joy permeated the air as a former KLC student served as our waitress for our group. Stories were shared regarding years

passed as photos were taken to capture the magical KLC Teacher/Staff Family Reunion.

The big finale before dessert was the honoring of Principal Mrs. Bertha Caldwell, who led us in leadership as a “family” serving the community with joy, compassion and understanding. A circle of love was formed following a group photo and everyone told the great tales of Kennedy and the victories within self, school and the community that were won due to the leadership and teaching of Mrs. Caldwell and support of each other.

Now the seeds of her nourishment have blossomed to create gardens of their own. Jacques Barzun once said, “In teaching you cannot see the fruit of a day's work. It is invisible and remains so, maybe for twenty years.” Yet, Kennedy saw fruit instantly because of the magic that was created.

Sale From page A6

november 15 at 7:30 p.m.

Friedman

Presented by

Tickets on sale now facetoface.wfu.edu

The YWCA is still seeking volunteers to assist with set-up of the sale beginning Nov. 7 and to work shifts during the two days of the sale. For every two-hour shift worked, volunteers will receive a $20 voucher to be used during the sale (up to a maximum of $40) and will be able to shop the sale before it is open to the public.

is an internationally renowned author and Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for The New York Times Wait Chapel

Moderated by PBS NewsHour’s Nick Schifrin

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On Oct. 15, several educators from Kennedy Learning Center met at Carolina Ale House for a “family reunion.”

to buy all of their favorite brands at incredible prices, and for those purchases to support the YWCA and its mission,” said Christy Respess, CEO of the Winston-Salem YWCA. “Preparing for a sale of this magnitude takes many, many hours and we’re so grateful for our amazing volunteers who make it possible.”

Why are I am running for school board?

My passion for students and the teaching profession has no bounds. I want to serve to make both areas better. I am running for the WSFCS school board because I would like to see our school system become the best in the state at education and providing the best opportunities for all students. I think that I will be elected because of the work that I have done in this community for over 32 years. I have served Forsyth County public education for over 32 years. I have excelled at being a classroom teacher and as an administrator. I was a classroom teacher at Wiley Middle School. I was an assistant principal at Southwest Elementary School in Clemmons. I was the principal of Kimberley Park Elementary, Julian Gibson Elementary School and Winston-Salem Preparatory Academy School. I was selected Principal of the Year twice by my peers. I am running as an educator for education. This editorial was paid for by the Richard Watts campaign.

Hartsfield holds press conference to discuss DA’s ads spreading false information

BY TEVIN STINSON THE CHRONICLE

The race for the Forsyth County District Attorney is heating up. Last week Denise Hartsfield, the Democratic candidate for Forsyth County District Attorney, held a press conference to address campaign ads and mailers sponsored by incumbent Republican Jim O’Neil and his supporters.

During the press conference held outside the Forsyth County Hall of Justice, local attorney Eric Ellison, who serves as Hartsfield’s campaign manager, referred to O’Neil’s recent commercials and campaign mailers as false and misleading. He said O’Neil’s campaign tactics were troubling.

“We find that these mailers are false. They’re misleading and they’re trying to intimidate the voters of Forsyth County and now is the time to address those mailers,” Ellison said.

The ads, which are sponsored by the N.C. Republican Party, Defend US PAC and authorized by Friends of Jim O’Neil, contend that while serving as a district court judge, Hartsfield bypassed a 48hour cooling off period and released a Wake Forest University basketball player, who was charged with assaulting his girlfriend in 2010.

When discussing the incident involving the 48hour hold, Hartsfield said that the mandate only applies to magistrates and she had the power to lift the hold. Under the law, magistrates can order that defendants in certain domestic violence crimes be held for 48 hours, but a judge has the power to set conditions of release sooner.

Hartsfield said she had the authority to use discretion and did so. She said when she received the call from local attorney Michael Grace, he promised to take the defendant home with him and make sure he showed up in court.

“He promised that he would take this defendant home … and he would stay at his house that night and

he would have him in court Monday morning,” Hartsfield said.

The defendant, Tony Woods, did show up to court. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault and received a suspended 60day jail sentence. Hartsfield contends the night that she lifted the hold, she called the district attorney’s office as a courtesy.

The campaign mailers that have been mailed to hundreds of voters already, lead readers to think that Hartsfield was suspended from the bench for lifting the hold, but that is not true. Hartsfield was suspended in 2012 without pay for two months for fixing traffic tickets, but she was re-elected by voters two more times before retiring in December 2021.

After reading one of the mailers to the small crowd gathered on the sidewalk near the corner of Liberty and Second Street, Hartsfield said these statements are unacceptable. “They are knowingly and purposefully designed to put a bad light on the candidate,” she said.

When asked if she was surprised when she first saw the ads and campaign mailers, Hartsfield said she knew the attacks would come. She said it was a tactic commonly used by Republicans.

Hartsfield said if there isn’t a retraction, it could lead to a court case. “Possibly what needs to happen is the same treatment that he (O’Neil) asked for our Attorney General Josh Stein, that there be an in-

ternal investigation,” she said.

In 2020 O’Neil ran against Democrat Josh Stein for attorney general. O’Neil later filed a complaint claiming that one of Stein’s ads circulated false and derogatory information. The N.C. State Board of Elections is currently investigating the claim.

O’Neil has served as Forsyth County District Attorney since 2009. A graduate of Duke University, O’Neil received his law degree from New York Law School. He started working in Forsyth County in 1997 as a prosecutor in the district attorney’s office.

According to his website, his mission is to continue to make Winston-Salem one of the safest cities in North Carolina and the country, by prosecuting dangerous criminals to get them off the street.

Hartsfield attended Spelman College, where she graduated in 1976 with a degree in English. Hartsfield returned to WinstonSalem after undergrad and earned her law degree from Wake Forest University.

Before she was elected to serve in the 21st Judicial District in 2002, Hartsfield worked for the Legal Aid Society of Northwest NC, a nonprofit law firm that provides free legal services in civil matters.

During an interview with The Chronicle last month, Hartsfield said if elected she will return the DA’s office back to the “Office of the People.”

Submitted photo

Richard Watts

Submitted photo

Hartsfield wants O’Neil to recant negative ads about her.

Forsyth Country Day has new leader for tennis team

BY TIMOTHY RAMSEY THE CHRONICLE

Taking over a team as a first-time head coach can be an intimidating venture, even for someone who has been around the game nearly their entire life.

This is the situation Travis Bell is stepping into as the new boys tennis coach at Forsyth Country Day School. He was an assistant last season and when he was presented with the opportunity to take over, he was elated.

“I was going to play this tournament in Orlando, Florida, and I was with Coach Moore before I went to this tournament and I didn’t hear anything about it, but like 30 minutes before my match, the AD called me and said ‘Hey, would you like to take the head coaching position at Forsyth?’ and I was astounded,” Bell said about hearing the offer for the position.

“I wasn’t expecting to be head coach because it’s just my first season of being an assistant coach. I hadn’t even been an assistant coach for a whole year. It was kind of unexpected and I kind of felt like I wasn’t ready at the time, but you never know what you can do until you do it.”

It wasn’t a long process for Bell to realize that this would be a good opportunity for him. Even with the initial nerves of taking over a program at such an early time in his coaching career, Bell knew this wasn’t an opportunity he could turn down.

“It was something that I was kind of preparing my mind for later on, maybe a year or two from now. It was something that was in the back of my mind; it was no thought that one day I could not be the head coach, it was no thought of that. It was there in my mind that it was expected for me to become a head coach, but I wasn’t expecting it so soon,” he said about the way he was feeling when offered the position of head coach.

“You kind of want things but when it comes so fast, you are like ‘Whoa, I wasn’t ready for that, not yet.’ It took maybe a day or so and I was like I have to do this. They need me, I want to be a part of Forsyth and I love what they have going on there. They have a beautiful program, a great campus, great people on the campus, so I kind of felt home there. I didn’t feel like I was doing my work unless I accepted that role and filled in for Coach Moore.

Bell is coming into his first season with high expectations. He feels this

BY TIMOTHY RAMSEY THE CHRONICLE

Middleton heads back to alma mater

BY TIMOTHY RAMSEY THE CHRONICLE

Playing in the NFL is the dream of almost every young football player. Doug Middleton has been living that dream since 2016. Now he is going back to the place that allowed him to make his NFL dreams a reality.

Middleton was recently hired as the special assistant to the Athletics Department at Appalachian State University. In this role, Middleton will assist all athletic programs with mental health programming, NIL (Name, Image and Likeness), fundraising and recruiting.

Middleton is not retiring from the NFL, but rather looks at it as an opportunity to pour into the young athletes at App State. with the knowledge, experience and guidance he has obtained over the years since he left the program.

“I wouldn’t say necessarily that I am retiring because things can still change from here, but I am taking a little break,” Middleton said. “It’s not

a full-time role because I still got a lot of stuff going on, not only with the foundation, but I am opening up a wellness center in south Charlotte.

“It’s more of a consulting role where I go up a couple days a week and really help out and be around the building and help out our student-athletes in all

of those roles. I am not necessarily done, but I will say football is on the back burner.”

App State and Middleton have been in discussions for several years about finding a role for him in the athletics department. His aim has always been to have an administrative role in an athletic

department.

“We have been talking about this for the last two years, to be honest,” he said. “My goal has always been athletic administration. I want to be an AD (athletics director) sometime down the road, and I did an internship with UVA in 2020.

“I have always stayed closely connected with the AD. When we hired the last head coach, I sat in on that interview, so I have been very included in the process up to this point and I want to maintain that. I also want to get more involved in the program, so the feeling was mutual when football was not a priority anymore. This is the move I wanted to make.”

Mental health has been a top priority for Middleton since he lost his best friend to suicide in 2017. A few months later he started his foundation, Dream the Impossible, and immersed himself in the Winston-Salem community, especially concerning mental health in youth.

“Building off some

of the things that I have done on the field and the philanthropic work we have done with Dream the Impossible, it definitely made sense for a partnership. I will speak to different teams about mental toughness, resilience and strength through adversity.

“We are also planning a lot of mental health programming throughout the season for our student-athletes. I do some sports performance coaching with our student athletes. The biggest thing I would say is being directly involved on a day-to-day basis with our student-athletes and being readily available to them.”

NIL is a big shift in college athletics. Now college players can earn money from their name, image and likeness, which opens up another can of worms for student-athletes to deal with. Having first hand experience of what it’s like to be a professional, Middleton can give these young men and women advice that only a professional can provide, which

Also Religion, Community News, and Classifieds

Flag football is a great way for young boys to be introduced to the game

of football, without worrying about the head trauma that comes along with full contact. Area teams gathered together last week to battle who would be crowned flag football champions of the city and here is a look at some of the action from last week’s games.

Photos by Alphonso Abbott Jr.

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Middleton says football is taking a backseat to his offthe-field dreams at the moment.

Honorable Mention: E. Lincoln (10-0), Wake Forest (8-2), Mallard Creek (7-3), Chase (10-0), W. Henderson (10-0)

Paul Before King Agrippa

Scriptures: Acts 26:19-32

By the end of this lesson, we will: *Know why Paul stood up for what he believed; *Feel confident in sharing our faith; *Examine ways to defend our faith, even in the face of rejection.

Background: The book of Acts follows Paul from chapter nine when he is converted through his travels and imprisonment starting in chapter twelve. His preaching and converting and being falsely accused in the Temple, (Acts 21:27-36) which leads to an audience with the Sanhedrin and ultimately plots for his murder, bringing us to three judgments for Paul. He is accused and sent to Felix and kept in prison for two years until Festus takes over as governor and Paul asks to be judged as a Roman citizen. “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know.” (Acts 25:10). The Jews made valiant attempts at his demise, but Paul was protected by God and was well versed in both Jewish and Roman law.

Lesson: Paul Declares His Apostleship (Acts 26:1923). Paul tells the story of his life-changing encounter with Christ (verses 12-19). “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision” (verse 19). By telling his conversion story to Agrippa (who was well acquainted with Jewish customs, history and law) Paul was saying to one who would understand that you do not disobey a “heavenly vision.” Paul continues in verse 20 to say that he was called to testify and that’s what he did. In verses 21-23 Paul explains the fundamentals of Jesus’s message – that salvation has come by Christ to both Jews and Gentiles. “… that the Christ would suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to Jewish people and to the Gentiles” (verse 23). Paul’s commission, his apostleship, was to the Gentiles.

Paul Declares the Truth (verses 27-29). Paul was aware of whom he was addressing. Agrippa was the grandson of Herod who tried to kill Jesus at His birth and the son of the Agrippa who killed James. Paul also makes plain that the truth he was speaking in his own defense was common knowledge already known by Agrippa. “… for I am convinced that none of these things escape his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner” (verse 26). “King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe“ (verse 27). Paul turned the tables on Agrippa. Since Paul would boldly talk about Jesus to anyone, it’s not surprising that he would challenge Agrippa. But was Paul trying to defend himself or trying to convert Agrippa? “… you almost persuaded me to become a Christian.” Truth and reason should lead Agrippa to believe upon Jesus, but he refused to believe and to say he believed. He did however say “almost,” but almost isn’t enough – you can’t almost have eternal

Thursdays and Saturdays Free Meals

CeCe Winans makes history at the 53rd annual Dove Awards

NASHVILLE, Tenn.

- The 53rd annual GMA Dove Awards were handed out on October 18 at the Allen Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, to a sold-out audience. The show aired on October 21 exclusively on TBN and was simulcast on SiriusXM The Message. Co-hosts Erica Campbell and Chris Tomlin led the all-star night of music with performances from across the music community including gospel, Latin, hiphop, and Southern gospel.

Iconic artist CeCe Winans made Dove Awards history this year as the first Black female solo artist to win Artist of the Year. When accepting her award, instead of an acceptance speech, she sang a few lines from the Andrae Crouch classic, “To God Be the Glory,” moving many in the audience to tears. She and co-writers for “Believe for It” were also awarded Song of the Year. Throughout her incredible career, CeCe has won a staggering 25 Dove Awards including the very first New Artist of the Year award in 1988 with her brother BeBe Winans.

“It’s amazing when we come together and we love each other and we stand for righteousness, it’s amazing what God will do,” Winans said after accepting the award for Song of the Year. “It’s amazing what He’s already done. But He wants to do so much more. I’m believing for God to move in this industry greater than He ever has before. The God we serve responds to faithfulness and the testimonies I’ve heard through this song have blessed my life.”

Choirmaster Ricky Dillard won his first-ever Dove award in the category of Traditional Gospel Album of the Year for his 12th album, “Breakthrough: The Exodus (Live).” Young gospel queen Jekalyn Carr picked

up the third Dove award of her career. This time, she won Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year for her No. 1 hit, “My Portion.”

For KING + COUNTRY, writer/producer Jeff Pardo and Phil Wickham led the night with three awards each with Wickham winning Songwriter of the Year – Artist and Worship Album of the Year, Pardo winning Producer of the Year and For KING + COUNTRY winning Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year. Twenty-year old newcomer Anne Wilson took home two awards including New Artist of the Year and Pop/ Contemporary Song of the Year for “My Jesus.” The latter was recently certified gold by the R.I.A.A.

The night was packed with one-of-a-kind performances such as Steven Curtis Chapman’s careerspanning mash-up of his hits such as “The Great Adventure” and “Dive.” Phil Wickham and his electrifying band performed his current Top Ten single, “Hymn of Heaven.”

TobyMac thanked followers for their prayers and support following his son Truett’s unexpected death in 2020 before launching into a spirited perfor-

mance of “The Goodness” with Nigerian-born singer Blessing Offor. “Thank you for the kindness you showed me and my family as we walked through the deepest valley in losing my firstborn son,” he said.

“…There were times I never thought I would ever write another song, much less an up-tempo song or a song that felt like joy. But God is good. He might not always give us what we want, or take away the pain, but He is right here with us. He doesn’t leave. He remains.”

Here are a few of the other winners. For a full list of winners: https://doveawards.com/ awards/2022-winners/.

Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year: KB, nobigdyl – King Jesus Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year: Tasha Cobbs Leonard – Gotta Believe

Gospel Worship Recorded Song of the Year: Maverick City Music ft. DOE, Jonathan McReynolds, Chandler Moore –Breathe

Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year: Lecrae 1k phew –No Church in a While

Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year: DOE – Clarity

Gospel Worship Al-

RELIGION CALENDAR

Christ Rescue Temple Church, 1500 North Dunleith Ave., will serve hot meals as part of the People Helping People Feeding Program. Meals will be served every Thursday and Saturday from noon until 1 p.m. at the church’s location. For more information, call 336-7229841.

Each Sunday

Worship services

Green Street United Methodist Church, 639 S. Green St., Winston-Salem, invites you to join online worship services on Sundays at 11 a.m., or in-person services at 8:45 a.m. The 11 a.m. service, which is available via Facebook and YouTube, is a celebration of the diversity of the human family, a no-frills service that is thoughtful, personal, and deeply spiritual. The 8:45 a.m. service is a quiet, contemplative space including prayer, scripture, preaching, and communion; masks and social distancing will be in effect in the sanctuary. Join us at www. greenstreetumc.org, on YouTube, or on Facebook.

Each Sunday Sunday service

Transformation Ministries will have service every Sunday at 10 a.m. We are located at 4880 Burnette Drive. Masks are required.

3rd Friday of each month

Women’s fellowship

The Antioch Baptist Church (ABC) Women, 5061 Lansing Dr., cordially invites all women to join us the third Friday of each month at 7 p.m. for conversation as we share and embrace each other in these challenging times. Join us via conference call. Dial in: 267-807-9601 Access Code:189545592#. Rev. Frederick L. Barnes, Jr. is the senior pastor. For more information, call 336-9923751.

Nov. 6 First Waughtown Baptist Church (FWBC) Senior Pastor Dr. Dennis W. Bishop, Senior Pastor of (FWBC) will continue the message on the work of the Holy Spirit to direct, guide, and instruct (base scriptureActs 2). Front doors will open at 9:15 a.m. for screening, devotion, and announcements prior to the 10 a.m. service. Completed waiver forms and masks that cover the nose and mouth are required. The form can be submitted electronically on the FWBC website – www.firstwaughtown.org -- click on RE-ENTRY 2022; printed copies are available in the lobby. Other in-person protocols and information about 6 p.m. virtual Sunday School are accessible via the FWBC homepage RE-ENTRY link. Persons who prefer to worship virtually can find the service on YouTube, https://www.youtube.com (First Waughtown); Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/ FirstWaughtown/; and the First Waughtown website, https://www.firstwaughtown.org. (NOTE: Services are posted on a one-week delay.)

Nov. 11-12

Hidden Jewels Project

The theme of this year’s show was Sound of Heaven, highlighting how all the different styles of Christian and gospel music come together under one banner of hope. “The music created by the artists assembled tonight covers a lot of ground style-wise,” said co-host Chris Tomlin, “but collectively they represent the sound of heaven.” Co-host Erica Campbell added, “We bring it all together to unite as one for the kingdom of God. One mind, one voice, giving glory to God. That’s the sound of heaven.”

The 53rd annual GMA Dove Awards are produced by the Gospel Music Association. Jackie Patillo and Justin Fratt serve as showrunners and executive producers, alongside Curtis Stoneberger and Paul Wright as producers. Russell E. Hall returns as director, Michael Nolan as scriptwriter, Scott Moore and Go Live Productions as production manager.

Watch on TBN: https:// www.youtube.com/ watch?v=U99EUjNoPOc.

The Hidden Jewels Project is a domestic violence advocacy organization, The event’s theme is “Trauma 2 Triumph.”

The Hidden Jewels Project will host a two-day event raising awareness of domestic violence with the Annual Hidden Jewels Weekend Nov. 11-12 at Ardmore Baptist Church, 501 Miller Street.

The Gala & Awards Ceremony will highlight community advocates with Speaker Mercedes L. Miller and the Man Stand where the men will commit to stand against violence against women & children in our community led by Forsyth County Sherriff, Bobby F. Kimbrough. Tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite and the website www.hiddenjewelsproject.org,Tickets are $25.

The Conference will educate the community on domestic violence, sexual assault and sex trafficking and inspiration from Dr. Telika McCoy & Pastor Tembila Covington. Tickets are $30.

How to submit items to the Religion calendar:

The deadline is Sunday at 11:59 p.m. to have all calendar items submitted for that week’s paper. Send your calendar items to news@wschronicle.com. You can also drop them off, Monday through Thursday before 4 p.m., or mail your items to Winston-Salem Chronicle, 1300 E. Fifth St., Winston-Salem, N.C. 27101; or send them via our website, www.wschronicle.com.

Elder Richard Wayne Wood

Sunday School Lesson

See Paul on B5

bum of the Year: Tribl, Maverick City Music –Tribl Nights Atlanta Short Form Music Video of the Year: Tauren Wells ft. Aaron Cole –Fake It

Photo by Javis Dason

CeCe Winans accepts Dove award at GMA.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Having qualifed as Executor of the Estate of James F. Day (22 E 1589), also known as James Francis Day deceased July 1, 2022, Forsyth County, North Carolina, this is to Notify all persons, firms, and corporation having claims against the Estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before January 25, 2023 this Notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. All persons indebted to the said decedent or estate shall please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 20th day of October, 2022.

Joseph Marron Executor for James F. Day, deceased 118 N. Sterling St. Morganton, NC 28655

The Chronicle October 20, 27 and November 3, 10, 2022

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Loretta Sue Steiner-McBride (22 E 2238), deceased on June 16, 2022, Forsyth County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the Estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before January 16, 2023, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. All persons indebted to the said decedent shall please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 13th day of October, 2022.

Robert Donovan McBride Adminstrator for Loretta Sue Steiner-McBride, deceased 245 Petree Rd. Winston-Salem, NC 27106

The Chronicle October 13, 20, 27 and November 3, 2022

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Having qualifed as Executor of the Estate of Alberta Baker Harvey (22 E 1884), also known as Alberta B. Harvey, Alberta Harvey, deceased October 29, 2020, Forsyth County, North Carolina, this is to Notify all persons, firms, and corporation having claims against the Estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before January 16, 2023 this Notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. All persons indebted to the said decedent or estate shall please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 13th day of October, 2022.

Aldeen Harvey Executor for Alberta Baker Harvey, deceased 775 West 14th Street Winston-Salem, NC 27105

The Chronicle October 13, 20, 27, and November 3, 2022

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Having qualifed as Executor of the Estate of George H. Johnson, Jr. (22 E 2393), also known as George Haywood Johnson, Jr. , deceased December 3, 2021, Forsyth County, North Carolina, this is to Notify all persons, firms, and corporation having claims against the Estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before January 25, 2023 this Notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. All persons indebted to the said decedent or estate shall please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 20th day of October, 2022.

Sharon J. Buford Executor for George H. Johnson, deceased 2504 Treetop Lane Winston-Salem, NC 27101

The Chronicle October 20, 27, and November 3, 10, 2022

NORTH CAROLINA

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE DAVIDSON COUNTY DISTRICT COURT DIVISION 22 JT 86

IN RE: JOSHUA ANDREW PREVETTE, JR.

A Minor Child

JOSHUA ANDREW PREVETTE

Petitioner CAMERON B. MCKNIGHT

Respondent Mother

NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION

TO: CAMERON B. MCKNIGHT

Respondent Mother

TAKE NOTICE that a pleading seeking relief against you has been filed in the above- entitled action. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: Petition for the Termination of Parental Rights.

You are required to make defense to such pleading no later than December 15th, 2022, and upon your failure to do so, the party seeking service against you will apply to the Court for the relief sought.

This is the 3rd day of November, 2022.

D/M/WBE SOLICITATION

CARL ROSE & SONS, INC. IS SOLICITING, MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES TO FURNISH QUOTATION FOR WORK ON THE FOLLOWING PROJECT:

Bid Date: November 17, 2022 at 2:00 pm.

Projects: Wilkes County DK00340

TYPE WORK: Hauling, Milling, Work Zone Signs, Temporary Traffic Control, Paint Pavement Marking Lines, Snow Plowable Markers, Structure Adjustments, Seeding & Mulching, Loops, etc.

Plans and proposals are available at 217 Asphalt Trail, Elkin, NC 28621 and online at NCDOT website. Interested firms can contact Dale Rose or Joel Greene for information and assistance. We may be available to assist interested M/W/DBEs in obtaining any required insurance, bonding, letter of credit, equipment, supplies, materials,

Julie A. Parker

Attorney for Petitioner Penry Terry & Mitchell LLP 151 South Main Street Mocksville, NC 27028 Phone: 336.753.0753 Facsimile: 336.753.0756

The Chronicle November 3, 10, 17, 2022

NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COUR OF JUSTICE DISTRICT COURT DIVISION FORSYTH COUNTY BEFORE THE CLERK 19 SP 274

IN RE: DOE

To: THE UNKNOWN FATHER OF A MALE CHILD

TAKE NOTICE THAT a petition has been filed for the adoption of a male child born on or about the 11th day of May, 2013 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina to Sonia Janille Nicholson Guthrie (white, then 34 years of age, approximately 5 ft.2 in. tall and 250 lbs., brown hair, brown eyes). It is believed that the child was conceived in the Winston-Salem, North Carolina area in late summer or early fall 2012 and that the father is Hispanic and may have lived at or near 2221 Urban Street in Winston-Salem. You must file a written response to the petition for adoption with the Clerk of Superior Court of the county named above within forty (40) days after November 3, 2022, exclusive of such date, to participate in and to receive further notice of the proceedings, including notice of the time and place of any hearing. Upon your failure to respond to the petition within the time prescribed, the petitioners will apply to the court for an order that your consent to the adoption is not required and for a decree of adoption which will terminate any parental rights you may have with respect to the child.

Brinton D. Wright

Attorney for Petitioners

N.C. State Bar No. 7409 324 W. Wendover Ave. Suite 114 Greensboro, North Carolina 27408 Telephone: (336) 373-1500 The Chronicle November 3, 10, 17, 2022

NOW – Dec. 7

Medicare open enrollment sessions

The Annual Medicare Open Enrollment period will take place from October 15 to December 7, 2022.

Annual enrollment assistance will be provided by volunteer and staff of the Shepherd’s Center of Greater WinstonSalem, the Forsyth County coordinating site for the North Carolina Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP). One hour appointments will be offered during the period subject to the availability of counselors.

Appointments must be made by calling the Shepherd’s Center at 336-7480217 during weekdays from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Nov. 4

Alzheimer’s walk

The Alzheimer’s AssociationWestern Carolina Chapter will be hosting Walk to End Alzheimer’s – WinstonSalem at Truist Stadium located at 951 Ballpark Way on Nov. 4. Check-in opens at 9 a.m. with an opening ceremony and walk at 10 a.m. To sign up as a walker or Team Captain or to learn more about becoming a sponsor or volunteer of Walk to End Alzheimer’s – Winston-Salem, visit act.alz.org/WinstonSalem or call 800-272-3900.

Nov. 4

Pet clinic registration

There will be a Pet Vaccine & Microchip clinic on Nov. 12 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Cattle Barn at the WinstonSalem Fairgrounds, 2511 Farmers Market Way Cattle Barn. Pre-registration is required. Registration for the clinic closes Nov. 4 or when all spots are full, whichever comes first.

NC Black Rep auditions

On Friday, Nov. 4, from 6-10 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 5, from 2- 6 p.m., NC Black Rep will be hosting auditions for our annual production of “Nativity According to the Gospels.” To sign up for auditions and for additional information, please visit Ncblackrep.org/work-withus/#auditions.

Nov. 4 - 6

Big Book Sale

Friends of Central Library, 660 West 5th Street, will host the Big Book Sale Nov. 4 – 6. Preview sale will be Thursday, Nov. 3, from 12 - 3 p.m. A $25 fee payable at the door (for preview sale). Registration is required by contacting: FriendsofCentralLibrary@gmail.com. For more info contact 336-327-7888, email FriendsofCentralLibrary@gmail. com or .forsyth.cc/library.

Dates and times are:

*Fri. 11/4: 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

*Sat. 11/5: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

*Sun. 11/6: 1 – 4 p.m.

Nov. 5

Party at the Polls

Phi Omega is having an early voting event, "PARTY AT THE POLLS." Saturday, Nov. 5, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Union Station, 300 South Martin Luther King Dr. Anyone can attend. The event is totally free and entirely nonpartisan. We will have food, music, and entertainment.

Nov. 6

Application deadline

The city is accepting applications for its Successful Outcomes After Release (SOAR) program through 11:59 p.m. Nov. 6. SOAR is a six-month program that provides gainful employment to returning citizens while supplementing the city's existing workforce.

Applicants must also pass a drug test, consent to a background check, be registered with selective service (males only) and be able to work 32 hours a week (Monday - Friday).

More information and an application

life or almost be delivered from the judgment of hell. But Paul sees the bigger picture – the bigger audience – and says, “I would to God that not only you, but also all that hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains” (verse 29). Paul showed that even though he was in chains, he did not waver in his steadfast trust in the gospel of Jesus Christ. He invites all who are listening to become Christians.

Paul Declared Innocent (verses 30-32). “… This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains”

link are posted at CityofWS.org/SOAR. Interested citizens can contact Troy Sneed, 336-306-4320; troys@cityofws.org.

Nov. 6

Author discussion

Dr. Allyson Hobbs discusses her book, “A Chosen Exile: A History of Racial Passing in American Life.” Hobbs will speak on Sunday, Nov. 6, at 2 p.m. in the Library and Learning Commons at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. For more information, contact: Yolanda Bolden, Assistant Library Director at 336- 703-3026.

Nov. 11-12

HanesBrands sale

It’s been seven years since HanesBrands held its popular Community Product Sale and now this special event is back on Nov. 11 and 12 at the YWCA Wellness Center located at 1300 S. Main Street. The HanesBrands Community Product Sale takes place on Friday, Nov. 11, from noon to 7 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 12, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. To volunteer or for more information about the HanesBrands Community Product Sale, visit ywcaws.org/news-events/.

Nov. 14

LTWS auditions

The Little Theatre of Winston-Salem will hold auditions for One Man, Two Guvnors by Richard Bean from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Monday, November 14, at 419 N. Spruce Street in Winston-Salem. No appointment is necessary, and everyone is encouraged to audition. Phillip Powell will direct. There are roles available for 8+ men (ages 25+) and 3+ women (ages 20-40). Additional details and character descriptions are available at www. LTofWS.org/auditions.

Nov. 28

Virtual Medicare workshop

The Shepherd’s Center of Greater Winston-Salem is offering a virtual workshop for individuals turning 65 (as well as those who already have Medicare) to learn about the different insurance options available. The session will be held virtually via Zoom on Monday, Nov. 28, from 3 - 4:30 p.m. through computer and telephone access. The session is provided at no cost. Because space is limited, reservations are required. Contact the Shepherd’s Center at 336748-0217 orInfo@shepherdscenter.org for more information or to reserve a seat.

How to submit items to the community calendar:

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The deadline is Sunday at 11:59 p.m. to have all calendar items submitted for that week’s paper.

Send your calendar items to news@ wschronicle.com. You can also drop them off, Monday through Thursday before 4 p.m., or mail your items to Winston-Salem Chronicle, 1300 E. Fifth St., Winston-Salem, NC 27101; or send them via our website, www.wschronicle. com.

(verse 31). The hearing over, Agrippa and Festus conclude innocence. Paul, like Jesus, was declared innocent three times. Paul was declared innocent by Felix, by Festus and now by Festus and Agrippa.

“… This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar” (verse 32). Paul is being sent on to Rome at his request, thus he is not set free. But him being sent in escort to Rome foiled the Jewish plot against him.

(UMI Annual Commentary 2021-2022, The MacArthur Study Bible, The Modern Life Study Bible, The Jesus Bible, The Tony Evans Study Bible and The Oxford Bible Commentary).

For Your Consideration: Was Paul’s appeal to Caesar a good thing or a bad thing? How so?

Application: Paul taught with his teaching and modeled with his life how to share the story of Jesus with others. Pray and ask God to give you some “holy boldness” this week and provide opportunities for you to declare your Christianity appropriately, articulately and with love. (UMI).

FYI: Forsyth County Sunday School Union will meet “virtually” every third Sunday, at 3 p.m. with teaching and programs. You may join using the following “Zoom” credentials: ID 819 7872 9662, Passcode 787444, Phone: 1-301-715-8592.

sional can provide, which will be invaluable to them as they navigate the NIL landscape.

“The biggest thing is teaching them how to build a brand off the field and making sure they are able to show who they are beyond the sport that they play,” Middleton said about NIL. “I’ve helped them identify some of their favorite athletes and when they identify those athletes, most of the athletes they look up to have something going on outside of their sport.

“It’s about being able to tell your story, being able to figure out a way that people will have a relationship or a connection with you, whether you are playing or not. Your platform has to exist after your playing days are over and that’s one thing I have been trying to help our student-athletes do. Through making these relationships

with these different brands in NIL, they are able to build long term relationships and not just transactional relationships.”

When it comes to fundraising, Middleton says his role will be to connect with the large donors on gameday for home games. He will also work with the AD to build momentum for the program.

Recruiting is really the backbone of college athletics. Being a professional athlete is what most, if not all, of the high school recruits are trying to strive toward. Middleton knows what it takes to make it on that level, so that will speak volumes when it comes to swaying recruits to come to Boone.

“That’s the biggest part for me coming back is the recruiting,” he said. “I sit with all the recruits and on official visits I sit with their parents and families.

I talk to every recruit that comes on campus for a game for an official visit and that’s for all sports, not

just football.

“I share with them what I was able to accomplish at Appalachian State and what that opportunity they gave me at App State has helped me do beyond App State. That is the thing they look at the most.”

When he looks back on his career, Middleton says he was more than pleased with how everything has turned out. He says he wasn’t on anyone’s radar but was just a guy that had a “goal and a dream and worked extremely hard.”

“When I look back on the things that I have accomplished with my football career, I am extremely pleased and happy because I tell people all the time that I envisioned it going this far, but I felt like there were always limits put on things I could accomplish and I definitely exceeded those,” he said about his career.

Having the opportunity to go back to the place that helped him reach the heights of the NFL and possibly help other athletes live their dreams is a bless-

ing to Middleton, he said.

“I think at the end of the day, we all want to be in a position to give back,” he said. “I think that’s what life is all about, being able to help people out and really help people that come behind you. When I came to App State, I just wanted to leave the place better than I found it and I think I did that.

“Now to come back on the other side of it with sports administration, to be able to put the school in an even better place, is my goal. It’s exciting and everything that I asked for and I just hope that I can continue to make it worthwhile.”

year’s team can be even better than the state championship team from last season, which is a lofty expectation.

“I have high hopes for the team this year,” he said. “I think we can be better than we were last year. With the guys we have and with the work ethic I’ve seen so far, I think we can have a good push for this year as well.”

Bell was introduced to the sport of tennis by his grandfather who learned the game by reading a book. Bell instantly fell in love with the game. He says he is an only child and the individual nature of tennis fit his personality more than team sports did because with tennis, you have no one else to rely on but yourself.

Growing up in Jackson, Mississippi, and finding places to play tennis outside of the country club was difficult for Bell.

“It’s kind of sophisticated, you can’t really just go to any park and see people playing tennis,” Bell said about the game of tennis in his home state. “The tennis courts we had in Jackson were very rough and rugged.”

From the age of eight or nine, Bell was winning tournaments and garnering a lot of attention in his hometown area. He has also had to deal with some negativity on the court as

well, by having to deal with racism while playing.

“I’ve had racial slurs said to me while I was on the court, but that’s what comes with life,” he said.

“I’ve had times where I have beaten Caucasian kids and they didn’t want me coming back to their clubs anymore. I know it’s not because I was winning, it’s because of my skin color. I was the only Black kid at certain tournaments, and I was the only Black kid at certain country clubs.

“I’ve been going through it my whole life with tennis. They don’t expect us to be playing this sport. I go through it every day with coaching.”

Bell is just in the infancy of his coaching career. One of his main goals is to try and bring more Black kids into the game of tennis. He says tennis has taken him all over the country and he wants more young Black kids to experience the same.

VLADIMIR KULENOVIC CONDUCTOR JULIAN SCHWARZ CELLO

Music of Florence Price, Franz Joseph Haydn, and Béla Bartók’s powerhouse Concerto for Orchestra

Submitted photo

Bell has been playing the game for two decades and has a wealth of experience to share with his players.