February 11, 2021

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THURSDAY, February 11, 2021

Crystal Towers saga continues while fate of 200 residents remain in limbo

BY TEVIN STINSON THE CHRONICLE

In 2018 the Housing Authority of Winston-Salem (HAWS) announced the sale of Crystal Towers, the 11-story building that houses low-income senior citizens and individuals with disabilities, and almost immediately people from across the community raised concerns about where the residents would go. While the sale of the building still hasn’t been finalized, HAWS has been busy working on ways to relocate the 200 residents who currently call Crystal Towers home.

Here’s a recap of the ongoing Crystal Towers saga: In August of 2018, HAWS reported that the high rise located at 625 W. 6th Street, needed more than $7 million in repairs and as a result, HAWS Board of Commissioners voted to approve the sale of the building. In March of 2019, The Chronicle reported that HAWS had made a decision on a buyer, but the contract had not been signed because the sale has to be approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

When asked about Crystal Towers earlier this

Crystal Towers, located at 625 W. Sixth Street, is currently home to 200 residents. week, Kevin Cheshire, executive director of HAWS, said they are still waiting on approval from HUD and that there will be no transfer of ownership until every resident has been permanently relocated.

He said HAWS is in the process of hiring a “mobility specialist” to help residents find housing.

“The biggest thing is making sure we get a mo-

bility specialist to work with all of the Crystal residents,” Cheshire said. “In the event that the disposition request is approved, we would have our mobility specialist work with all the residents in an intensive manner to try to ensure that we locate comparable alternative housing. Our primary objective first and foremost is that nothing proceeds with re-

spect to the sale until we are 100% convinced that 100% of the Crystal Towers residents have comparable alternative housing.”

Because Crystal Towers is an income-based property, tenants are required to pay 30% of their gross adjusted income and HAWS provides a subsidy for the rest of their monthly rent. Once the sale is finalized, residents can

Photo by Judie Holcomb –Pack

either relocate to another HAWS property or use a housing voucher to get an apartment on the private market.

Cheshire said HAWS will leverage some of the proceeds from the sale to create about 90 mixedincome multifamily replacement units in the downtown area, including 40 that will be true replacement units for resi-

dents from Crystal Towers. HAWS is expected to repurpose the Lowery Building (current HAWS Central Office) for the new units. The space is also expected to include retail space on the ground floor.

“It’s going to be highly unlikely that we’re going to be able to replace all 200 in what is currently considered as the downtown core, but we do think that it’s realistic that all 200 will eventually be replaced in what will eventually be considered the downtown core,” Cheshire continued. “We’re losing 200 hard units. Now those individuals aren’t losing their housing, we’re going to make sure all 200 residents have housing.

But we realize that bricks and mortar are being lost and we’re going to try to build back as many of those units as possible ... so while we’re not building back 200 immediately, we’re building back what we think is a critical mass and we’re putting them in a mixed-income environment where we’re not warehousing low-income families, but we’re putting those low-income families next to market rate residents or less subsidized See Towers on A7

New bill could add seats to city council For the second time since 2019, state lawmakers are looking to get a bill passed that will add seats to the Winston-Salem City Council.

If House Bill 37 is passed, two at-large seats will be added to the city council. Currently, the city council operates with eight council members who are elected by ward and only the mayor is elected at large. HB 37, which was

filed by N.C. House Representative Donny Lambeth, comes less than two years after Lambeth filed a similar bill that received criticism from members of the council and the community and was later withdrawn.

Lambeth’s original bill, HB 519, would’ve moved three of the eight council seats to at-large seats and given the mayor the right to vote in all city council matters. The bill would’ve also changed the way the council fills vacancies, and changed council member terms from four years to two years.

A press release issued from Lambeth’s office after the bill was filed said adding at-large seats would bring city elections “more in line with other municipalities across the state.” In the larger cities across the state, including Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, and Durham, at least two council mem-

bers are elected at large.

Before HB 519 was tabled for a vote, Lambeth withdrew the bill and Mayor Allen Joines agreed to form a non-partisan commission to review the best practices relative to the structure of the city council. Last March the commission voted 8-1 to recommend that the city change to a 10-member

council with eight members elected by wards and two elected citywide by all voters. Kismet LoftinBell, a professor at Forsyth Tech Community College, was the only member of the commission to vote against expanding.

When discussing her decision to vote against adding the at-large seats, Loftin-Bell said histori-

cally those seats are dominated by candidates with money. Loftin-Bell, who ran for a seat on the city council in 2018, said candidates vying for at-large seats have to reach out to more voters, which means campaigns are more expensive and essentially more challenging for a grassroots candidate.

“Generally, in communi-

ties like Winston-Salem, oftentimes those who hold the wealth have the ability to run at-large campaigns,” Loftin-Bell said.

The commission was tasked to look at what different communities in N.C. and across the country are doing with their city councils, Loftin-Bell said after looking at all the See City on A7

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BY TEVIN STINSON THE CHRONICLE

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F ebruary 11, 2021

The C hronicle

New exhibit at Delta Arts Center showcases quilt-making in African American culture Quilts were once used to communicate in Underground Railroad sites

BY JUDIE HOLCOMB-PACK THE CHRONICLE

The beauty, variety and creative expression of textile arts on display at Delta Arts Center not only reflects modern trends, but also tells the story of the long tradition of quiltmaking in the African American community.

“Raw Edges III: Textile Arts by Area African American Quilters” opened with a virtual reception on Thursday, Jan. 28, with a descriptive viewing of the pieces by members of Delta Art’s Monday Mixer quilters, along with a virtual interview with Teresa R. Kemp, a master quilt historian from Atlanta.

craft of quilting and they share their tips and talents with each member.

Moore said that Delta Arts Center has several plans for future exhibits and events and that plans for their 50th anniversary in two years are already in the works. The next big event will be Freedom Day on Feb. 21 from 12-6 p.m. Teresa Kemp will be coming in from Atlanta to give talks during the event and will bring some of her historic quilts to display.

Tours for this event are by reservation only and limited to groups of ten or less. Reservations can be made by calling Delta Arts at 336-722-2625.

purses. The quilters have been meeting over three years every Monday night to work on their sewing projects and fellowship together.

During an interview with The Chronicle on Feb. 6, Peggy Moore discussed the various patterns used by quilters, including the “log cabin” pattern seen in the quilt made by Kathy Boler titled “Curvey Log Cabin.” The log cabin quilt pattern was one of many patterns used by the Underground Railroad to communicate secret codes to slaves escaping to the North. One of the squares in the pattern would indicate that this was a safe house. The “wild geese” pattern used the wings of

“We want to preserve this folk art form and want people to respect what was done in the past and value this craft,” Moore stated. “We should honor and treasure this art and legacy.”

For more information about Delta Arts Center, visit their website at www. deltaartscenter.org.

Information on the Underground Railroad secret quilt codes can be found in the book “Hidden in Plain View: A Secret Story of Quilts and the Underground Railroad” by Jacqueline Tobin and Raymond G. Dobard.

photos by Judie Holcomb-Pack

Peggy Moore admires ‘Big Ma’s Strip Quilt,’ handstitched vintage quilt exhibited by Freeda Ward.

Peggy Moore discusses design in ‘Curvey Log Cabin’ quilt by Kathy Boler.

According to Peggy Moore, program chair, this is the third showcase of quilts, which also include other quilted items, such as wall hangings and

the geese to point to a safe direction to travel.

During the reception on Jan. 28, Teresa Kemp discussed the connection

quilts have with Africa.

She has amassed a collection of quilts and other relics from Africa that go back many generations that she discovered as she traced her family’s genealogy. Quilts were handmade in Africa for centuries and slaves brought the art form with them when they arrived in America.

In Kemp’s collection is a Kente “logs and rails” patterned quilt from Ghana matching American-made logs and rails quilts.

Quilts are not just made in historic patterns.

Freeda Ward created her “Amy Bell’s Girls’ Trip 2019” quilt using squares that she asked her friends to write on with words to describe their trip together without them knowing her intention to sew them all into a memorable quilt.

Other quilters in the show have created such items as unique purses and wall hangings. Sadie Edwards created three beau-

Agnew hired to front office of Detroit Lions

BY TIMOTHY RAMSEY THE CHRONICLE

Winston-Salem native Ray Agnew was recently hired as the assistant general manager for the Detroit Lions. Agnew will be working under Brad Holmes, who was hired as the general manager for Detroit.

Agnew worked alongside Holmes with the Los Angeles Rams. Agnew was with the Rams’ or- Ray Agnew ganization for 14 years, for their lack of diversity working in several dif- when it comes to head ferent roles. He served as coaching and front office director of pro scouting, positions, seeing Agnew assistant director of pro hired by the Lions is a step personnel, and the direc- in the right direction. tor of player development/ Agnew was a standout team pastor. player for Carver High As a minority, Agnew School in the 1980s. He holds one of the most im- went on to star for N.C. portant and influential po- State before being picked sitions in the NFL. With 10th overall by the New the NFL being criticized England Patriots in the

tifully designed, handstitched heads of women in African headdress.

Along with the new quilts are two vintage family quilts. “Big Ma’s Strip Quilt” from Freeda Ward’s family is a stunning example of a hand-stitched quilt in the log and rail pattern.

Peggy Moore also has a family quilt displayed, its frayed and worn parts as evidence of its many years of use keeping loved ones warm. These quilts are heirlooms to be savored for the hours of handwork that went into making them and as treasured pieces to be passed down in families.

In discussing the quilts on display, Moore said that they ranged from quilters with years of experience to those displaying their first quilt. “I never tell a quilter that her piece is not worthy to be seen,” Moore said. She said that the Monday Mixer group helps each other learn the

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1990 NFL Draft. He played for the Patriots from 1990-94, then for the New York Giants (199597), and finally the St. Louis Rams (1998-2000).

Agnew was a key contributor for the Rams in their Super Bowl XXXIV victory over the Tennessee Titans.

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February 11, 2021

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Former Chronicle columnist receives national book awards

BY TIMOTHY RAMSEY THE CHRONICLE

The list of accomplishments for Carole Boston Weatherford just got longer. Two of her books were recognized with Library Association Youth Media Awards, the highest honor for children’s literature.

Weatherford won a Newbery Honor for her book “BOX: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom,” illustrated by Michele Wood, and her book “R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Aretha Franklin, The Queen of Soul,” that won a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award for its illustration

by Frank Morrison.

“I have been in the business a long time and I have won honors before, but I just wasn’t expecting it and I wasn’t expecting it for that book either,” said Weatherford. “You know, you write something a few years back and you think it’s good and it comes out … last year was the pandemic year and I just wasn’t expecting anything because of that, I guess.”

Weatherford says she had heard of the story about Henry “Box” Brown previously. She was visiting a school in the mountains of North Carolina and a librarian suggested she should write about Brown. She took the librarian’s advice and soon began working on the project that eventually became BOX. Box tells the story of one of slavery’s most daring escape attempts. Following the sale of his wife and children, Brown decided to ship himself from Richmond, Va., to Philadelphia, Pa., in a wooden box. The book features a series of six-line poems, reflecting the structure of Brown’s box, Weatherford said in a press release.

“At first it was a picture book for young kids and over the years I expanded it to a collection of poems for kids in middle grades,” she said. “That was the result, and it was a long time in the works.

It took a while to find a publisher and that’s why it was so surprising that the

Submitted photo

Carole Boston Weatherford recently won National Book Awards for her work. book won the Newbery Honor, even though I have been in the industry a long time and have had lots of honors.

“It was just kind of an unlikely subject because it was about slavery and you just never know what judges are going to select from year to year, but I am very honored that it won.”

Writing about the subject of slavery in a children’s book is not an easy task. You have to cover the subject matter while also being careful not to be overly graphic about the atrocities committed against Black people during that time.

“I don’t condescend to children, I give them the truth,” she said about her writing. “I may not depict the truth in graphic terms like I might for an adult audience. I try to explain concepts for children in the midst of the storytelling.

“I think children are more sophisticated than what we give them credit for. You wouldn’t give them a steady diet of that topic anymore than you would give a child a steady diet of sugar. Yes, the topic is something we as adults don’t want to talk about, but our kids need to know their history. The analogy that I use is, ‘If children

Documentary celebrates Winston-Salem’s Black history

BY TEVIN STINSON THE CHRONICLE

Throughout the month of February, Kelsher Communications and Triad Cultural Arts, Inc. is shining a light on some of Winston-Salem’s most influential Black business owners, educators and government officials with a four-part documentary series that will air on the Triad CW network (Spectrum channel 3).

The documentary series, “The Rise To Prominence,” will air each Saturday throughout the month and will include live interviews with some of the city’s most historic leaders.

The first episode which aired on Saturday, Feb. 6, featured Mutter Evans, former owner of the WAAA Radio Station, the late Jim Shaw, former business owner and community activist, and Linda Dark, historian with the Winston-Salem African American Archive. Here’s a list of others who will be featured in documentary: February 13: *John Beaty, retired educator *Flonnie Anderson, actor, retired educator *Eric Martin, president of the Big 4 Alumni Association *Sylvia Sprinkle Hamlin, executive producer of the National Black Theatre Festival February 20: *Dr. Virginia Newell, former elected official *Tribute to Al Beaty, former assistant city manager February 27: *Dr. Larry Little, community organizer and activist Episodes are scheduled to air weekly at 1 p.m. For more information visit www.triadculturalarts.org.

were not too young to be enslaved, our children are not too young to know about slavery.’”

Weatherford has been a fan of Aretha Franklin since she was a child. Her father was a big fan of hers, so it was an honor to write about the Queen of Soul, she said.

“It was a big deal, and we were very happy about that,” she said about her book winning the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award. “I grew up listening to Aretha Franklin when I was a teenager, so that book was special to me. My dad was into Aretha Franklin, so it kind of took me back writing the book.”

Weatherford began writing in her 20s. She said as a youth, pursuing a career in the arts was seen as

impractical by many in the Black community. “It was not something that you saw a lot of in the Black culture,” said Weatherford. “Although those people existed, you didn’t necessarily meet them.

You didn’t meet authors, or the visual artists or the performing artists. You may view them from the stage or read their books, but as a child, it may not even dawn on you that they’re making money, or that it’s a career path.”

Luckily for Weatherford and readers, her parents encouraged her passion for writing. Once she was bitten with the writing bug, it stuck with her from then on. Weatherford has written for several organizations, including The Chronicle as a freelance columnist and editor.

A big part of Weatherford’s mission in writing has been to highlight African American culture and history, she said. She feels it’s important for Black children to see themselves in books, because they rarely see that.

“Schools aren’t necessarily teaching our children a complete history, they never have,” she went on to say. “Not even we adults have a complete history, so in some cases, when I write a children’s book and a child and an adult sit down together and read it, the adult may be learning about the subject matter for the first time as well.”

Weatherford’s latest book continues her theme of chronicling African

CITRUS SEASON is HERE

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F ebruary 11, 2021

The C hronicle

OPINION

James Taylor Jr. Publisher Bridget Elam

Managing Editor

Judie Holcomb-Pack

Associate Editor

Timothy Ramsey

Sports Editor/Religion

Tevin Stinson

Senior Reporter

Shayna Smith

Advertising Manager

Deanna Taylor

Office Manager

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

Stacey Abrams, Black Lives Matter are nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

BY LAUREN VICTORIA BURKE NNPA NEWSWIRE CONTRIBUTOR

Both Stacey Abrams and the Black Lives Matter movement have been nominated to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

The nominations represent an opportunity for either Abrams or Black Lives Matter to garner even more support around the globe should they win. The Nobel Prizes have been given out since 1901 and were started by Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel. Prizes are given out for distinguished work in chemistry, physics, physiology or medicine, and literature.

There have been many controversies around the Peace Prize and a win by Abrams or the Black Lives Matter would likely extend the line of controversies. Past winners have included Martin Luther King, Jr. (1964), Nelson Mandela (1993), President Barack Obama (2009), Kofi Annan (2001) and Jimmy Carter (2002).

“Stacey Abrams, political activist, voter registration and voting rights advocate, has set a national standard for democracy. Her political activism has resulted in a nomination for a Nobel Prize. She deserves it and would become an even bigger voting rights and democracy champion,” wrote the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. on Twitter.

The news of the Abrams nomination arrived on the same day that Georgia Republicans launched a “Stop Stacey” group. The group was created to support current Georgia Governor Brian Kemp in his expected rematch against Democrat Stacey Abrams. The race will be in 2022.

The defeat of former U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler to Rev. Raphael Warnock demonstrated the strength of the Black vote in Georgia, even before Abrams announced whether she’ll run again, a sign of deep concern among Republicans about the threat she poses next year to the first-term governor.

Abrams’ efforts were so noticeable and the turnaround from red to blue in Georgia so pronounced that Donald Trump brought her up during his effort to flip the election results in 2020 in his favor in Georgia.

The recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize will be announced in October.

Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent journalist for NNPA and the host of the podcast BURKEFILE. She is also a political strategist as Principal of Win Digital Media LLC. She may be contacted at LBurke007@ gmail.com and on twitter at @LVBurke.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR For The People Act support To The Editor: For far too long, inequity has corrupted our democracy. It is time for all Americans to stand up and demand an expansion of voting rights, limits to big money in politics, and accountability by ending gerrymandering. This is why I support the For The People Act, also known as H.R. 1.

The For The People Act was recently reintroduced in the House of Representatives as a sweeping bill that provides for reform in our electoral process. For the last two years, Mitch McConnell blocked a vote on H.R. 1 in the Senate. At its core, the bill provides much-needed

action on redistricting, ethics reform, campaign finance, and voting rights.

We need a government that’s fair -- where representatives listen to their constituents. The For the People Act would help make that a reality. I believe it’s crucial to restore accountability in our democracy. I support this bill because it would provide much-needed democracy reform.

Now is the time to reshape our democracy into one that is truly of, for, and by the people. That is why I’m asking my fellow citizens to contact their representatives and demand they vote “Yes” on the For The People Act. Richard Beachem Kernersville

National vs. human security ROBERT C. KOEHLER

Guest Columnist “It is long past time for … a sea change in the United States’ approach to national and human security ...”

Yes, yes, yes. These words cut to the soul.

Can we create a grown-up America? This is how it begins.

The quote is from a letter to President Biden, put forward in early February by the Center for Constitutional Rights and the Center for Victims of Torture and signed by 111 organizations, demanding that the new president shut down, at long last, the prison hellhole at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

But the letter transcends Gitmo, where 40 men are still being held indefinitely, without charges and without rights, at the astonishing cost of $540 million per year, and addresses the issue of structural racism in this country, for which the prison is a terrifying icon: “... the approach it exemplifies continues to fuel and justify bigotry, stereotyping, and stigma. Guantánamo entrenches racial divisions and racism more broadly, and risks facilitating additional rights violations.”

The sea change awareness - begins with the realization that security isn’t a linear, one-way process: Round up the bad guys, the troublemakers, the illegals, lock ’em up, get them out of our way and, voila, problem solved, security attained, the good Americans are safe. Trouble’s in a cage!

The remarkable, bureaucratic ignorance of this policy transcends the racism that drives it. Security begins with under-

standing every side of a conflict. I realize that word - “understanding” - can be politically toxic. If you believe in a system based on force, then understanding is impossible from the start because you’ve already got your (armed) certainties. You know who the enemy is. Attaining understanding is often highly complex; for some, that makes it painfully tedious and, thus, best dismissed by mockery. It’s so much easier to shout: “Do what I tell you!”

Here’s an example of how well the system doesn’t work. You may already have seen the disturbing video of police in Rochester, N.Y., responding to a call of a family disturbance - a girl was threatening to harm herself and her mother - grab hold of the child, age 9, handcuff her and force her into the police car. All the while the child is screaming in utter desperation and terror: “I want my dad!”

She won’t shut up.

She’s driving the officers crazy. One of them says to her: “You’re acting like a child.”

She cries: “I am a child.”

Finally, they pepper spray the handcuffed child.

Her screaming intensifies.

Understandably, when the police body camera video of this incident was released, there was a huge public uproar about the police actions. One officer wound up being suspended and two others placed on administrative leave.

And nothing whatsoever is solved. Nothing has changed. Punishing the officers (however mildly) is just more of the same: addressing a wrong from a one-way, linear perspective. Bad, bad girl won’t stop screaming. Bad, bad police officers handcuff and pepper spray her. But they had walked into this conflict, of unknown complexity- the 9-year-old was no doubt deeply troubled -

equipped and trained only to deal with it by force and command. Their tools were their weapons, including the pepper spray. They did not come prepared to seek understanding, then act from that understanding.

Mix in the racism perhaps a screaming white child would not have been treated in such a way - and what we have is a system based on both force and white supremacy. Its alleged purpose is to foster security. Instead, it spreads insecurity in every direction.

Yes, indeed, it’s long, long past time for a sea change in our approach to national security … in our approach to human security. What those last words do is remove the borders from the very nature of security. As long as there are divisions in humanity, and thus in understanding, no one can possibly be secure.

As the Gitmo letter to Biden points out, his predecessor - uh, Donald Trump - “proposed sending undocumented immigrants to Guantanamo to be held as ‘enemy combatants.’ He further built upon the discriminatory animus, policies, and practices that Guantánamo represents through his odious Muslim ban, each iteration of which was explicitly promulgated under the false pretense of protecting the nation from terrorism.”

And speaking of terrorism, the white supremacist who killed 23 people at a Walmart store in El Paso did so to stop the “Hispanic invasion” of America, using language in his pre-shooting screed, posted online, presumably borrowed, as NBC News put it, from the “anti-immigrant rhetoric used by then-President Donald Trump, Republicans and white supremacists.”

And, oh yeah, it just so happens that one of the people deported in the recent ICE deportation frenzy - defying Biden’s

100-day moratorium on deportations - was a woman named Rosa, who was present when the El Paso massacre took place and had agreed to be a witness against the gunman. She was pulled over for a broken tail light, detained because of other traffic warrants and, zoom, deported before she could reach her attorney. Think how much safer we are now.

The suffering being inflicted on immigrants, so many of whom are fleeing their native countries for their own, and their children’s, safety, certainly precedes Trump, but under him the number of detainees has increased considerably and, oh the horror, private prisons for them have expanded into a lucrative industry.

A recent piece in The Guardian quotes several occupants of these prisons, including a man named Alonzo, who talked about having witnessed many suicide attempts while he was there and described the utter isolation and hopelessness of his confinement - a description that reminds me of so many of our other national insecurity measures, including Gitmo In the spirit of understanding, I end with his words: “He said,” The Guardian tells us, “he found strength in his wish to see his daughters again and his belief in God. ‘I always had something in my mind and in my heart, that God did not save me from Mexico to come to die in a forgotten cell. I knew within myself that I was not going to die there.’”

He survived. Let us learn what he has to teach us about the nature of human security.

Robert C. Koehler (koehlercw@gmail.com), syndicated by PeaceVoice, is a Chicago award-winning journalist and editor.

He is the author of “Courage Grows Strong at the Wound.”

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Celebrating Black History Month during COVID-19 Dr. James B. Ewers Jr.

Guest Columnist

I have a t-shirt that has written on it “Black History Month Every Month.”

I wear it because I believe it. Black History Month in February was once Black History Week.

It remained that way until 1970 when it was first celebrated at Kent State University in Ohio.

In 1976, President Gerald Ford recognized Black History Month across America.

When I was going to elementary school in Winston-Salem, we had Black History Week. Even

at a young age, I wondered how all Black history could be packed into a week and then literally disappear until the following February.

Growing up, we had Black history in our community every day. We had a Black bus company, a Black cab company and a Black hospital. Our community had doctors, lawyers, teachers, skilled workers and businessmen and women who looked like me. I am Black.

As important was the fact that my parents gave me a steady diet about the accomplishments of Black people. So arguably, I was in the middle of Black greatness. As children, we did not have to look for role models. They were in our homes.

All along back in the day and today, we stand

on the broad and unbowed shoulders of our forefathers and mothers. To keep it real, there could be no Lloyd J. Austin III, the 28th Secretary of Defense, without there first being a Daniel “Chappie” James Jr., who became the first African American to reach the rank of four star general in the United States Armed Forces in 1975.

Our celebrations of Black History Month will be different this year. We have a monster disease out there called COVID-19 and it does not distinguish February from any other month.

While our celebrations will be virtual, there are other ways to celebrate Black History Month.

One of the basic ways is to read a book authored by a Black writer. I am sure

when you google names like Shirley Chisholm, Whitney Young and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., that you will be inspired by their writings.

Let us not forget Andrew Young, Flonzie Brown Wright, John Lewis and most recently, Amanda Gorman. Another author that you might want to read is Dr. Darius Prier. The title of his book is “Culturally Relevant Teaching: Hip Hop Pedagogy In Urban Schools.” The list of African American authors is significant, so take advantage of it.

We are in the age of Zoom, so why not call a few friends and have a Black History discussion.

It will be fun and different.

If you are at or near the twilight of your life, you may want to have some

reflections about your life and how you made it through.

Just what we have been called is a history lesson in and of itself. It will require you to do some research.

Deep in our slavery days, we were called by the nword. I do not use that word at all, and I am offended by those who do.

As we celebrate, let us make a commitment to treat each other better.

Dignity and respect ought to be our calling cards.

We cannot expect others to respect us if we do not respect ourselves. I pause here now to ask you to remember The Staple Singers, who had the hit, “Respect Yourself.”

Why not have some daily moments in Black History? For example, when you think about

blood plasma, think about Dr. Charles Drew. When you think about poetry, think about Gwendolyn Brooks and Maya Angelou. When you stop at a traffic light, think about Garrett Morgan, who invented it.

Black History is not a month, it is a way of life.

We are surrounded by it every day, so let us celebrate it every day.

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.

For a stronger America, we must protect our democracy and hold extremism accountable Ben Jealous Guest Columnist

Nobody needs to tell Black Americans that progress toward an inclusive democracy is often met with brutal resistance.

We’ve learned the hard way that we can’t “let nobody turn us ‘round.”

And right now, we need to send that message to the people we put in power in the White House and Congress.

Our democracy survived former President Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn the election.

It survived the violent attack on Congress that Trump and his allies incited, which left five people dead and many more injured. We won great victories at the ballot box in

Georgia, yet our progress – and our democracy – are still at risk.

We cannot let the forces of bigotry and backlash stop us from fixing the mess Trump left behind, giving people the help they need, and protecting our democracy itself.

Here’s what’s going on: After an election in which Black people’s votes made the difference in so many races, state legislators have already introduced more than 100 bills to interfere with voter registration, limit mail-in voting, and make it harder to vote. They want to turn us around and shut us out.

That’s why we need Congress to pass the For the People Act. It would strengthen and protect voting rights. It would limit big money’s ability to corrupt our politics. And it would stop state legislators from drawing lines on the map that give unfair power to the right wing and leave

Black people and progressive voters underrepresented.

The biggest barrier to passing protections for voting and democracy is the same barrier to getting relief money to hurting people, families, and small businesses: Senate Republicans and their intention to stop progress dead in its tracks.

And that’s why we need Congress to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. It would put some teeth back into the Voting Rights Act that conservatives on the Supreme Court knocked out just after former President Barack Obama’s reelection.

One reason people were so motivated to elect Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff was to keep Sen. Mitch McConnell from having the power to stop President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris from doing what

they were elected to do.

When Georgia voters elected Warnock and Ossoff, it gave Democrats control of the Senate - 50 votes with Vice President Harris as the tiebreaker.

But McConnell refused for days to relinquish control, and it took weeks before he stopped holding up the vote to recognize the shift in power and put Democrats in charge of Senate committees.

McConnell operates in bad faith. Senate Democrats need to act quickly to do away with the filibuster rules that let him get away with it. Our country’s needs are too urgent to let McConnell and his unprincipled power plays stop us from taking action.

Don’t forget that McConnell and his Republican colleagues are also trying to sabotage the impeachment trial that would hold Trump accountable for the deadly insurrection he incited with his lies

about Black voters. They don’t want us to learn more about what happened and who energized the anti-democratic forces that tried to overturn the election. So they tell us to forget about it and move on.

We know better. The history of lynching and other racial violence is clear. Active participation or complicity by law enforcement and politicians protected those who carried out the violence. And when no one was held accountable, the violence continued.

We know that the farright forces energized by Trump’s lies about a stolen election are planning more violence. And we know that right-wing politicians are using those same lies to justify attacks on our voting rights.

Don’t believe people who say that holding Trump accountable will prevent us from focusing on the other work that

needs to be done.

We can and must do both. We must hold Trump responsible for his attacks on democracy. And we must move forward with all the urgency our situation demands.

Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way and People For the American Way Foundation. Jealous has decades of experience as a leader, coalition builder, campaigner for social justice and seasoned nonprofit executive. In 2008, he was chosen as the youngest-ever president and CEO of the NAACP. He is a graduate of Columbia University and Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar, and he has taught at Princeton and the University of Pennsylvania.

Letter to Justice Clarence Thomas: Time to pack it in Rob Okun Guest Columnist When it comes to the Supreme Court, I favor unpacking it more than packing it.

Let me unpack my logic. I’m advocating for a national campaign calling on Justice Clarence Thomas to pack it in and announce his retirement.

Here’s the letter I sent him.

Dear Justice Thomas, You are in your thirtieth year on the Court. You are now its longest serving member. I know you are much more proud of that record than another you hold—once having gone an entire decade without asking a single question of an attorney delivering oral arguments.

Today, though, is no

time for silence. You have an opportunity to change your place in history, to wash away—if not totally eliminate—the stain of sexual harassment that has dogged your career.

At 72, it’s a good time for introspection, to review your life.

Despite nearly 30 years having passed, sexually harassing women remains your legacy and will be the first line of your obituary. Anita Hill credibly accused you of despicable harassing acts.

President Biden, then chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee that conducted your confirmation hearings, has suggested he now regrets not allowing testimony from three women who would have corroborated Ms. Hill’s allegations. One of those accusers, writer Angela Wright, remains an outspoken critic of you, as journalist Bill Blum wrote in the LA Progressive. And

Anita Hill, Blum notes, has never wavered, insisting she told the truth. (She is a professor of social policy and law at Brandeis University.)

Justice Thomas, this is a moment to consider your place in history.

In the wake of Kamala Harris’s election as vice president—a woman of Afro Caribbean and Indian descent—what a statement you, as a Black man, would make if you announced your retirement; what a corrective experience for the country. Even though twice impeached former president Donald Trump is out of office, the passage of time has not diminished the fury so many people feel about the sham confirmation hearings for Amy Coney Barrett.

You witnessed the Judiciary Committee steamroll and then the full Senate narrowly confirm Judge Barrett. She was the first nominee to not

receive a single vote from the opposing party. She will always have an asterisk affixed to her name, the Roger Maris of the Supreme Court. (Maris was the New York Yankee who broke Babe Ruth’s single season home run record, but only because of an extended season).

With a 6-3 conservative majority, you and your brethren now have the votes to set back reproductive rights and health care for millions, among a range of issues before the court. In the aftermath of an election in which a majority by more than seven million citizens voted to reject the Trump agenda, are you willing to break ranks and do the right thing?

I’m not naïve; I understand my appeal to your better angels may fall on deaf ears. However, before you outright dismiss the notion of resigning, consider the damage another

approach to your leaving the Court would have on your reputation: impeachment.

It will come as no surprise, Justice Thomas, that you are seen as the Court’s most corrupt member.

You ignore at your peril the prospect that perjury charges can be brought for allegedly lying on your financial disclosure statements for 13 years, not to mention lying at your 1991 confirmation hearing where you denied your documented history as a sexual harasser. (There’s no statute of limitations, in case you were wondering).

Although federal judges are appointed for life, their terms are subject to “good behavior.” Like all civil officers, you can be removed, under Article II, Section 4 of the Constitution, for treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.

Yes, impeachment applies to the judiciary

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too, and indeed, 15 federal judges have been impeached, including eight convicted by the Senate. Justice Thomas, the only Senate impeachment trials resulting in convictions have involved judges.

If you are impeached, President Biden would be more than a disinterested third party. He would see your trial as an opportunity to make amends after 30 years.

Choosing between retiring or being impeached should be an easy call.

And it would give the new president an opportunity to appoint Anita Hill to replace you.

Rob Okun (rob@ voicemalemagazine.org), syndicated by PeaceVoice, writes about politics and culture. He is editor-publisher of Voice Male magazine.

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BUSTA’S PERSON OF THE WEEK

‘I’m just a nobody trying to tell somebody about God.’

BY BUSTA BROWN FOR THE CHRONICLE

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Jeanette Kelly going above and beyond to help those in need.

One day she went to deliver one of those delicious plates, but the gentleman wasn’t home. So, she went searching for him because she knew how much he counted on her to bring his dinner. “As I was walking around the neighborhood looking for him, he saw me first. I heard him say hey. I turned around and saw the biggest smile of

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relief on his face. He said, ‘I knew I wasn’t going to be at home and thought I would miss you, but you found me.’ Then I went and got a bag and put his plate inside and gave it to him. Whenever they’re not home, I’ll go back later that day or early evening to make sure they get their plates and to make sure they’re OK,” said Jeanette.

It’s extremely tough for me to write these sto-

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speeding in the area where some kids were playing and I stopped them. I asked them to slow down, be careful and show some respect for these little kids and elderly. They smiled and said, ‘Yes ma’am.’

Then they drove off slowly. I never come at anyone with disrespect; I’m very kind and considerate to everyone’s feelings. Although someone may be doing wrong, you don’t know their story, so when you approach them with kindness, you get positive results,” said Jeanette.

In 2019, she and her son Shawn became volunteers with Second Harvest Food Bank. Three days a week, the two travel between Winston-Salem and High Point for the Food Bank. “Shawn now volunteers two days a week with his brother’s truck.

They bring back all they can carry. We bag or box meats, fresh vegetables, fresh fruit, cheese, eggs and milk, etc. for seniors and families. Most of these people can’t afford to buy fresh vegetables and fruits at the grocery store. The people we help are so appreciative and thankful,” said Jeanette.

“God has truly blessed us as we bless others. I’m just a nobody trying to tell somebody about God.” My phenomenal Person of the Week is Jeanette Kelley.

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ries without tears of joy flowing from my eyes onto my computer keys. I’m surprised it still works. I love meeting the Jeanette Kelleys of the world. They put the spirit of hope back into the hopeless.

Jeanette’s spirit is so warm and welcoming, anyone who crosses her path can feel her love for service and giving.

It creates a beautiful and smooth transition for her to turn strangers into family. “One day I was passing by the bus stop on Thomasville Road, near that closure. I saw two homeless men and started talking to them. They were hungry, so I went to my car to get them plates. After that day, I make sure I find them each week to make sure they get a plate. One of the guys said that they live in the woods. I was like, the woods! So, I mentioned it to a few people and now we’re working on finding them shelter,” said Jeanette.

Jeanette is also on the Easton Task Force and she’s a perfect fit, because she’s well respected in the neighborhood. Even the neighborhood youth love and respect their sweet community activist. “We’re trying to get speed bumps on the streets because so many people speed in the area and kids are outside playing. It can be dangerous. One day I saw some young men

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Try to visualize getting 15 children up for school each morning, making sure their teeth are brushed, faces washed, dressed, fed, books in hand, and then off to school. Then imagine when they return home, each wanting to share what happened in school, they all need a snack, then homework. Now it’s dinner time and you have to prepare and feed 15 children, and then get them all ready for bed. Not to mention teacher’s conferences, sports activities, and entertainment, such as going to the fair, movies, and more.

Now visualize one mother doing all of this without feeling regret or ever complaining. It’s all done with pure love and grace.

“We never went hungry, not one day! We were never without nice clothes, hair combed, and love.

Busta, we never went a day without breakfast, lunch and dinner, and we always ate together as a family. And you had to be home at a certain time to eat and we were always on time,” said Jeanette Kelley. “With all the kids my mother had to feed every day, she never turned away any of our neighbors that needed a meal, there was always enough food.

That showed me that, even when you don’t think you

have enough, there’s always enough to share with someone else.”

Seeing her mother’s resilience, Jeanette grew up with an understanding that failure is not an option, and to never allow your neighbor to go without. “I don’t have a lot, but there’s always somebody that don’t have what I have. And I’ve always been around people that’s helped me, so I don’t think twice when I see someone in need. I help them immediately,” she shared.

Jeanette Kelley is a native of Winston-Salem and a member of First Waughtown Baptist Church. “On Wednesdays we cook food and I travel all across Winston to deliver plates to the seniors, sick and shut-ins.

I also belong to the Easton Neighborhood Association. We make hygiene bags and then we take them to many people in the Easton neighborhood.

I’m also working with The Shared Kitchen in The Enterprise Center. On Tuesdays and Fridays, I pick up plates and deliver them to the homeless and seniors.

What warms my heart, Busta, is that most of them are waiting on me to come.

The smiles on their faces truly make my day, and I can see that they really enjoy the food. It lets me know that all of the work we do is needed and worth it,” said Jeanette.

Jeanette doesn’t mind

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NIKYLA BOXLEY

A PLAY BY CYNTHIA GRACE ROBINSON DIRECTED BY JACKIE ALEXANDER

August 4, 1964. Nora has started a new life “passing” as a white woman, while her sister, Carrie, prepares to travel to the deep south and register Blacks to vote. The bodies of three civil rights workers have just been found in Mississippi, leading the sisters to question the price of civil rights, Black identity, and what it means to be Free.

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Carol

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American history. The book is entitled “Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre,” illustrated by Floyd Cooper. It is a children’s book that tells the story of “Black Wall Street” in Tulsa, Okia., and the brutal cruelty the people in the Greenwood District of the city suffered through by the hands of white Americans in 1921.

“I spend a good bit of the book recreating Black

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units in a mixed-income model.”

HAWS is also considering using a portion of the proceeds from the sale to jumpstart stagnant redevelopment in the Happy Hill community.

In 2012 HAWS used funding from the HOPE VI grant, which is offered

by HUD, to revitalize the former Happy Hill Gardens public housing site.

The new neighborhood is comprised of 272 rental units and 148 homeownership units, including single family homes, apartments and town homes. Cheshire said he is scheduled to meet the director of the

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studies and information from other cities, there was nothing that said one method was better than the other. She said she was shocked when no one else voted against changing the make-up of the council.

“We looked at what different communities are doing and literally they were all over the board.

There was nothing that said this makes more sense than the other,” she said.

House Bill 37 is aligned with the recommendations made by the commission. If approved, the at-large candidates

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Wall Street and revisiting the community’s heyday,” she said. “After I have created the setting, I go on to show the event that led up to the Tulsa Race Massacre. At the time, there were 10,000 people living in the Greenwood community where Black Wall Street was located and over 300 people were killed in the massacre and Black Wall Street was burned down.

“It is a difficult topic, and it helps being paired with an illustrator like Floyd Cooper, who can

interpret those themes and choose moments that children can connect with, on both sides of the tragedy.

I am really happy to see the book out there and it’s been well received.”

Weatherford has more books coming out later that deal with topics in the African American community, as well as books for children of younger ages.

To view other books written by Weatherford, visit her website at http://cbweatherford.com.

HOPE VI program next week to talk about ways to continue development in Happy Hill.

According to Cheshire, the housing authority is also looking at purchasing private properties east of Highway 52. He said, “There are potential acquisition targets in and around the downtown core that we would be very interested in. Whether that be an acquisition and a rehab or an acquisition and a demolition and a rebuild, or simply an acquisition and the attachment of a subsidy to ensure that we have a mixed income model, I think all of those are on the table.”

No timetable has been set on when HAWS can

expect the sale to be approved. Since there have been changes in administration since the original paperwork was filed with HUD, Cheshire said, “Honestly, I don’t know where HUD is on this now, given the change in administration.

“There’s a new HUD secretary, there’s obviously new priorities, so the initial iteration of this application process and HUD’s analysis was undertaken under the old administration and now under the current administration, I think we’re going to have to go through a similar process. I don’t know that and I haven’t been told that, but that’s what we’re anticipating.”

with the most votes will join the council. Terms will remain the same and the mayor will only vote if there is a tie.

Loftin-Bell said although she thinks there will be some push-back from the community and several members of council, inevitably the bill will be approved. She said the only hope is that the community rallies behind someone who represents the best interests of the entire community and not just a select few.

“At this point, given the commission that was pulled together and that several members of the current council were in

support of expanding to include at-large seats, I think it will be approved,” she continued. “I think there still will be some push back for the very reasons that I mentioned and because of representation … is everybody being represented on the city council. The question is, who’s missing and will these two at-large seats allow for full representation or is it still going to be limited? That is what we have to think about.”

Because the HB 37 was filed as a local bill, it doesn’t need the approval of Gov. Roy Cooper. If the bill passes, changes will go into effect in 2024.

Changes in court in response to pandemic will affect Hall of Justice accessibility SUBMITTED ARTICLE

Beginning Monday, Feb. 8, Forsyth County District Court will be operating in a different fashion for cases that are on the docket for the first time. Individuals with cases set for the first time in District Court will be advised of their right to counsel in a new ADVISE court, which is set just inside the Main Street (2nd floor) entrance of the Hall of Justice. In an effort to limit the number of people in the building during our current health crisis, individuals will be admitted into the Hall of Justice on a controlled basis, with only a certain number allowed in at any given time. As a result, those waiting for ADVISE court will likely be in a socially-distanced line outside of the entrance while waiting for admittance.

Due to current weather conditions, it is strongly urged that individuals dress warmly and avoid bringing small children, if possible, as the wait time outdoors could be relatively significant, given the number of people needing to be advised and the small number of individuals that will be allowed into the building at one time.

Masks will be required in the Hall of Justice, as well as while waiting in line outside the building. Individuals who have retained an attorney prior to the scheduled ADVISE court date do not need to be present for ADVISE court, as attorneys can notify the District Attorney’s Office ahead of the court date of a general appearance and secure a new court date on behalf of his/her client.

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February 11, 2021

Invites You to Celebrate

BLACK HISTORY MONTH ...Virtually RACE, READING, AND ARITHMETIC: COMBATTING EDUCATION INEQUITY Dr. Willette Nash, Board of Directors of Action4Equity Thursday, February 11 at 3 p.m.

THE GAP IN ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE: WHAT’S RESEARCH GOT TO DO WITH IT? Goldie Smith Byrd, Ph.D., Director of the Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity at WFUSM Tuesday, February 16 at 3 p.m.

HOMETOWN ENTREPRENEURSHIP Maya Gilliam, Owner and Operator of Ma’ati Spa Wednesday, February 17 at 10 a.m.

EVERYONE IS ENTITLED TO A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT Dr. Chandra Taylor, Senior Attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center, Chapel Hill Thursday, February 18 at 7 p.m.

HERITAGE BY AUTHORING ACTION Teen poets from Authoring Action Tuesday, February 23 at 7 p.m.

For more information and to register visit salemtowne.org/upcoming-events Questions? Call 336-714-2157.

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I Got My Shot

“The reason I wanted to get the COVID vaccine is for the health and wellness of our community. That community to me encompasses my family, my friends, my colleagues as well as those who are surrounding us in our state and in our country and in our world.”

John Card, MD, internal medicine physician There are many reasons to get the COVID-19 vaccine. For yourself, your family and your whole community. Do your part. Stop the spread. Start the healing.

Find out when you’re eligible and preregister for the COVID-19 vaccine.

Visit GotMyShot.com

© Novant Health, Inc. 2021 02/21 • NH-682949W

THURSDAY, February 11, 2021

Also Religion, Community News, and Classifieds Timothy Ramsey Sports Columnist

Watson wants out Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson wants out and wants out now.

Watson is one of the best quarterbacks in the league and is looking for a new opportunity with another team. Houston is willing to accommodate him; however, the price will be steep.

There are only a few teams that have the assets to acquire Watson from the Texans. There have been several reports that they are looking for three first round draft picks, along with young players in exchange for Watson.

With him being so young and so talented, some team is going to pony up what it takes to obtain Watson and it will probably happen before the draft in April.

Watson has been phenomenal since he entered the league in 2017. He has earned three Pro Bowl berths in four seasons. To thank him for his efforts, former head coach and general manager, Bill O’Brian, traded his favorite target and arguably the best pass receiver in the league in DeAndre Hopkins last offseason.

The Texans only managed a 4-12 record this season, but Watson was fantastic as he led the league in passing with 823 yards with 33 touchdowns, to only seven interceptions.

Watson put up those gaudy numbers with a very average receiving corp. I can’t blame him for wanting to be in a better situation after how the team has continued to spiral downward over the past year.

What I find odd is the negative backlash that Watson has received from players and those in the media for expressing how he felt and why he wanted out of Houston.

The response from some has been appalling, to be honest.

Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre said, “I’m kind of old school.

I think you play. You get paid a ton of money to do a certain job and just do it and let the chips fall where they may. I think we make too much money to voice an opinion, but I’m not saying he’s wrong. Again, I think it’s a different day and time, and it will be interesting to see how the organization handles it.”

I was surprised Favre would have this kind of take, especially since he is a former quarterback who played for one of the most stable franchises in the history of sports. He also was surrounded by great talent on both sides of the ball for the majority of his career, so I thought he would understand where Watson was coming from, but I guess not.

Maybe Favre didn’t mean his comments in the negative tone that I interpreted them. It just didn’t sit well with me when he See Watson on B6

Photos by Alphonso Abbott Jr.

BY TIMOTHY RAMSEY THE CHRONICLE

With the abbreviated season, the junior varsity season holds even more importance for those looking to make the move

to varsity next season. The young ladies from East and West Forsyth laced them up recently to show the coaches and each other if they have what it takes to make the leap to varsity next season.

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Chance click on YouTube video results in new venture for local entrepreneur

BY TIMOTHY RAMSEY THE CHRONICLE

In just a few short months, Kendall Wicks has turned an idea into a thriving business with limitless potential. Wicks bet on himself and went all in with becoming an entrepreneur.

Late last year, Wicks decided to purchase an ATM machine; however, he did not stop with just that idea. He chose to add another money-making idea to accompany the ATM machines by placing TV screens above the machines for businesses to advertise on.

The ATM machine was not the first business idea for Wicks. Initially he wanted to invest in vending machines, but came across the information about an ATM machine by chance.

“Originally, me and a friend of mine went into buying vending machines and that didn’t go too well, so we ended up parting ways, so I was left with two vending machines,” said Wicks. “So, I was actually on YouTube and I was looking up a part for one of the vending machines and on the suggested videos was a video that popped up that said, did

Kendall Wicks you want to own your own ATM machine.

“It sounded so bizarre to me that I clicked on it and I watched one video, then the second, until I had watched them all. By the time that I watched all his

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videos, he had convinced me that I could do that.”

Soon afterward, Wicks continued to research the idea of the ATM machine and even took a class on how to own and operate one. “I just started investing in the knowledge first

and once I got the financial part and was able to invest in it, I just made the move,” he said.

Deciding where to put his machine was another aspect that Wicks had to consider. With the pandemic in full swing, places like bars and restaurants have little to no traffic, so he had to be creative in the placement of his machine.

“Because of COVID, a lot of places are not at maximum capacity, so you have to be choosy where you want to place your ATM,” he said. “Some people who own ATMs are not making any money because it’s in an establishment that’s not even open or making minimum money.”

Wicks decided to place his first machine at 2101 S. Main St., Grizzly’s Tobacco and Food Mart. He was able to connect with the owner of the business after announcing his purchase of his first ATM on social media.Wicks has just purchased his second machine and will be placing it inside of another convenience store on Liberty Street. His third machine will be located inside of The Rhythm Lounge and Grill.

Wicks makes money from the ATM machines

from the surcharge fee the user pays to withdraw money. He says adding the video screens for advertising sets his machines apart from others.

“For me, I felt like I wanted to be different and bring more money to my ATM,” Wicks said about his advertising component.

“By me owning a few machines, I am able to bring more money to my clients.”

Wicks is a native of Winston-Salem and a 2010 graduate of Reynolds High School. With his connection to the community, he does not want to just take; he also wants to give back.

He offers free advertising on his screens to children who have businesses they want to promote.

“That is just another way that I am trying to give back to the young people,” he continued. “When I was younger, I had a candy store, so I understand them trying to make money. We didn’t advertise, we just went door to door, but with technology the way it is now, we are able to promote kids and their ideas.”

Becoming an entrepreneur was a lifelong goal for Wicks. His father owned a hot dog cart when Wicks See ATM on B3

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Elder Richard Wayne Wood

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Who was St. Valentine? What does the Bible say about love?

BY DR. JIM DENISON

Sunday School Lesson

Mary Magdalene: A Faithful Disciple Scriptures: Luke 8:1-3; Mark 15:40; John 20:10-18 By the end of this lesson, we will: *Discern Mary Magdalene’s motivations for committing her life to Jesus; *Appreciate the sacrifices Mary Magdalene made in order to follow Jesus; *Embrace a lifestyle of wholehearted discipleship.

Background: Women were a large part of the support system of Jesus’ ministry. They were made up of women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, women of means and social standing, and also women who just believed. Jesus was known as a radical rabbi and that was partly because of his disregard for strict codes that kept male leaders at a distance from women, so women rarely traveled with rabbis. Rabbis were forbidden to speak even to their wives in public.

But the women around Jesus listened to His teachings, accompanied Him in His travels, stood by Him at His crucifixion, testified of His resurrection, and helped spread His message. Women played a major role in the early church.

Lesson: Some women mentioned by name in the lesson are Mary Magdalene, who was cured of evil spirits (seven cast out from her) and illness and was probably a wealthy woman, incorrectly identified as the woman with the alabaster box (Luke 7:37). Mary of Magdala is mentioned in all four gospels and ministered to Jesus before and after His crucifixion. Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, is mentioned in Luke only and is thought to be a source of information on Herod for Luke’s writings. Susannah, most likely a financial source, was only named by Luke (8:1-3).

Women noted by Mark supported Jesus in life and death. These women do what the male disciples have failed to do - they stick around. They are watching from a distance at the crucifixion. The men, all except John, are nowhere to be found. Present here are Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and Joseph, and Salome, the wife of Zebedee and mother of John and James. These are the women who planned to anoint Jesus’ body for burial (Mark 15:40).

The Gospel of John focuses on Mary Magdalene as the first to find Jesus’ empty tomb. “But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; (verses 11-12). Two angels ask Mary why she is crying; she answers them and Jesus, standing behind her, asks the same question: “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are ye seeking?”

Before He spoke her name, Mary thought Jesus was the gardener. The reason she did not recognize Him is uncertain. Maybe blurred vision by her tears, change of His appearance from bruised and broken body? Let’s go with she was supernaturally prevented from recognizing Him until He chose for her to do so. (Note: the disciples had difficulty recognizing Jesus on the shore (John 21:4) and the men on the road to Emmaus did not realSee Faithful on B6

Consumers spent $27.4 billion on Valentine’s Day last year. Not bad for a holiday named for a saint whose story is still disputed today.

Some accounts report that St. Valentine was a Roman priest and physician who was martyred by the emperor Claudius II Gothicus around AD 270. He was buried on the Via Flaminia, where Pope Julius I reportedly built a basilica over his grave.

Other sources identify him as the bishop of Terni, Italy. He was martyred, apparently in Rome; his relics were later taken to Terni.

These could be different versions of the same account, thus referring to only one person.

According to legend, he healed his jailer’s blind daughter, then left her a note on the day of his execution signed “from your Valentine.”

In AD 496, Pope Gelasius marked February 14 to celebrate St. Valentine’s life and faith. He is venerated today as the patron saint of beekeepers, epilepsy, and, of course, engaged couples and happy marriages.

We may have the English poet Geoffrey Chaucer to thank for the holiday that bears his name. There is no record of romantic celebrations on Valentine’s Day prior to a poem Chaucer wrote around 1375 titled “Parliament of Foules.” He links a tradition of courtly love with the celebration of St. Valentine’s feast day, though this tradition did not exist until Chaucer’s poem received widespread attention.

This tradition eventually made its way to the New World. Factorymade cards, a product of the industrial revolution, became popular in the nineteenth century. In 1913, Hallmark Cards of Kansas City, Missouri, began mass producing valentines.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

“We love because he first loved us.”

It would seem that learning to love ourselves well is not something we can achieve by ourselves.

God’s word states this simple but profound fact: “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). This principle applies not only to the way we love God and our neighbor, but also to the way we love ourselves.

In other words, the more we understand the depth to which God loves us, the more we are empowered to see ourselves as he sees us and to love ourselves as he loves us.

Consider these interconnected biblical facts: One: God loves you as much as he loves anyone who has ever lived.

The most famous verse in Scripture proclaims, “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). God loves you as much as he loved Moses, David, Daniel, Peter, John, St. Augustine, and Billy Gra-

ham. He loves you as much as he loves the most faithful missionary and martyr in the world. As St. Augustine noted, “God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.” This fact leads to the second.

Two: God loves you as much as he loves his own Son. In John 17, Jesus prayed “that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me” (verse 23). “Even as” means “to the same degree as.” Think of it: the Father loves you as much as he loves his perfect, sinless Son. This is because of our third fact.

Three: God loves you because he is love.

The Bible is clear: “God is love” (1 John 4:8). Love is not just what God feels or does - it describes his essential nature. In every moment and circumstance, God is love. Everything he does is motivated by love. To put it bluntly, God cannot not love you. He loves you because his character requires him to love you. He loves you not because you are lovable, but because he is love.

This leads to a fourth fact.

Four: God’s love for you is in no way dependent on you.

Scripture teaches that “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). There is literally nothing you can do to make God love you any more or less than he already does.

These facts are not new. Most Christians can quote the verses I just cited. Why, then, do so many of us struggle to see ourselves as God sees us and to love ourselves as God loves us?

We live in a culture that measures us by the “three “P’s”: possessions, popularity, and performance.

A secular society based on a consumeristic economy will inevitably define success by possessions. The more we have, the more we must be worth.

Possessions often lead to popularity. The more, the better.

Such popularity is often based on our performance. The better, the better.

A counselor once shared with me this maxim that captures our ethos: “I am not who I think I am. I am not who you think I am. I am who I think you think I am.”

We struggle to love ourselves in

part because we’re not sure anyone else truly loves us. And because we know in our private selves how unlovable we are.

The title of John Powell’s masterful book, “Why Am I Afraid To Tell You Who I Am?” has a profound but simple answer: I’m afraid you won’t like me if I do. We all know personally the fact that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We know that we are not who we wish we were and who we think God and others wish we were.

This is precisely why we need to remember every day the fact that God loves us not because we are lovable but because he is love. Perhaps a step back in time will make this point.

How much does God love you?

I have been privileged to lead more than 30 study tours to the Holy Land. Each time, we visit the Garden of Gethsemane on the slope of the Mount of Olives east of the Old City of Jerusalem.

Gethsemane comes from two Hebrew words meaning “olive press.”

It was a large area in Jesus’ day. Here our Lord chose to die for us.

He knew he would face three illegal trials at the hands of the Jewish authorities and three Roman trials ending in his conviction. He would suffer crucifixion, the cruelest form of execution ever devised. His perfect, sinless soul would be made to bear our sin so that he would cry from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). And he would die that we might live.

In this garden, Jesus made the decision to bear our sins on our cross and go to our grave. In this garden, his Father chose to send his beloved Son to a cross where he would writhe in pain and bear our sins on his sinless soul.

To illustrate their choice: the story is told of the drawbridge engineer who brought his young son to work one day. He showed his son how he pulled the levers to raise the drawbridge so ships could pass beneath, then lowered them so trains could pass over.

The engineer heard the air horn of an approaching ship and maneuvered the levers to lift the drawbridge. As the ship was sailing through the raised bridge, he noticed See Love on B6

RELIGION CALENDAR

*Please call ahead to make sure your event is still happening. We will post cancellations/postponements announcements when received.

Thursdays and Saturdays Free Meals 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.

Sundays Virtual worship services Green Street United Methodist Church, 639 S. Green St., invites you to join online worship services on Sundays at 11 a.m. The service, which is available via Facebook and YouTube, is a celebration of the diversity of the human family. Online viewers will discover a nofrills service that is thoughtful, personal, and deeply spiritual. Green Street practices the radical welcome of Jesus Christ. Individuals of every denomination, sexual orientation, gender identity, and race/ethnicity are welcomed and encouraged to attend. Visit www.greenstreetumc.org or email admin@greenstreetumc.org for more information.

NOW Zoom services New Birth Worship Center (NBWC) in East Bend has gone virtual. Please join Dr. James L. E. Hunt, Senior Pastor on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. on Zoom webinar. The link is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84789021891 or Dial-In: 1 301 715 8592 ID Mtg. #: 84789021891.

In addition, Sunday School is taught by Deacon James Henry at 9 a.m. via telephone conference call #: 1 917 900 1022 ID#: 868433#.

All are welcome to join us for Zoom (virtual) Bible Study on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. Our Pastor, Dr. Hunt, will be the teacher. The Zoom Link: https://us02web. zoom.us/j/89195349778 or Dial-In Mtg #: 1 301 715 8592 ID#: 89195349778#.

For additional information, please call 336-6993583 or visitwww.newbirthworshipcenter.org or visit our Facebook page.

Feb. 13 “GriefCare” St. Paul United Methodist Church sponsors “GriefCare,” a support group for persons experiencing grief due to the death of someone close to them. The sessions feature biblical teaching on grief and recovery topics.

The sessions are designed to give encouragement and

support to persons on their journey from “Mourning to Joy.” Sessions are free; each is self-contained, meaning one does not have to attend the sessions in sequence.

“LESSONS OF GRIEF—PART 2” is the topic on Saturday, February 13, at 10 a.m. For information about how to participate in this virtual GriefCare session, please call 336-723-4531 before February 13.

Feb. 14 First Waughtown Baptist Church Live stream Senior Pastor Dr. Dennis W. Bishop will resume the series “Suggestions for How to Survive a Storm.” The reference scripture is Acts 27:29-32. Service begins at 10 a.m. Sunday, February 14, on Facebook Live, https:// www.facebook.com/FirstWaughtown/ and on the First Waughtown website, https://www.firstwaughtown.org.

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 Friday before 5 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.

T he C hronicle

February 11, 2021

ATM

Community Calendar Please call ahead to make sure your event is still happening. We will post cancellations/postponements announcements when received.

NOW – Volunteer Center of the Triad The Volunteer Center of the Triad is responding to COVID-19 by bringing the volunteer community together. We have designated a portion of our website www.volunteercentertriad.org to assist our non-profit community as their needs arise around the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you are interested in volunteering, visit www. volunteercentertriad.org, click COVID-19 Response and search volunteer opportunities available.

Now – May 31 Textile art display Delta Arts Center is exhibiting “Raw Edges Textile Art,” a display of quilts and other textile pieces made by local African American quilters, now through May 31. Delta Arts Center is located at 2611 New Walkertown Road. Call 336-722-2625 to arrange an appointment to view the exhibit.

TODAY, Feb. 11 Virtual Story Slam “The Willingham Story Slam @ MUSE Winston-Salem” will host a virtual storytelling event on Thurs., Feb. 11, 2021, at 7 p.m., with the theme “For the Love of It.” Guests are invited to tell their best stories about romance, objects of affection, passion projects, or anything else that’s revved your engine! This month’s featured storyteller is a double whammy as Karon and Jason McKinney bring their multifaceted talents to the Story Slam “stage.”

Don’t miss this chance to hear them tell a story and perform a song or two.

Advanced registration for our free community event is required for storytellers and observers. Donations are welcome. Further details are available at: https://www.eventbrite. com/e/willingham-storyslammuse-winston-salemfor-the-love-of-it-tickets136747430245.

TODAY, Feb. 11 Art opening reception The Downtown Arts District Association (DADA) will hold an opening exhibition and floating reception on Feb. 11 from 3-8 p.m. for seven artists whose work will be on display at the DADA Collective Gallery, 604 Trade St. Feb. 12 Application deadline The Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA) is seeking a guest curator for an upcoming project. We are looking for new voices and new perspectives.

The guest curator will work with the Curator of Contemporary Art to develop an open call, solicit artists and groups to be involved, work with a team to select participants in the exhibition, determine the exhibition checklist, assist with the layout and installation, write label copy for the exhibition, and be present for the opening reception and other events to be decided in conjunction with the rest of SECCA’s staff.

The ideal candidate will be familiar with the NC Triad region (WinstonSalem, Greensboro, High Point), have or be able to develop solid working relationships with community organizations outside of SECCA’s normal reach, and have the ability to identify and analyze the socioeconomic and political issues facing Black and minority communities in the region. Deadline for submission is Friday, February 12.

Applications and further questions can be sub-

mitted to Wendy Earle, Curator of Contemporary Art at SECCA, at wendy. earle@ncdcr.gov.

Feb. 12-28 “Freedom Sunday” streamed play The N.C Black Repertory Company will present a streamed film version of the play “Freedom Sunday” Feb. 12-28.

Written by Cynthia Grace Robinson and directed by Jackie Alexander, the play was filmed at the Schaefer Center at Appalachian State University. Tickets are $15 for the virtual performance. For more information, call 336-723-2266 or visit www.ncblackrep. org.

Feb. 13 Valentine’s Day Popup Farmers Market Shop local, fresh ingredients for that Valentine’s meal and get your sweetheart, galentine, and everyone you love a special handmade gift. Join market vendors, crafters, and artisans on Saturday, February 13, from noon – 3 p.m. at the Jerry Long Family YMCA in Clemmons for a safe and wide-ranging shopping experience.

With over 25 vendors participating with a variety of products ranging from fresh local ingredients, meats, sauces, baked goods, and jams to hand-made jewelry, signs, home décor, and other crafts.

The event will be held outdoors. All customers and vendors of the market must practice social distancing guidelines including face masks/coverings to comply with NC Executive Order 147. More information is available at clemmons.org.

Feb. 14 St. Quarantine’s Day free concert Erinn Dearth and Dan Beckmann will hold a free live concert on Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. featuring classical love songs from artists of all genres. Watch “St. Quarantine’s Day” at www.facebook.com/ hiitsriley or YouTube at tinyurl.com/3fbb5brx. For more information visit www.ItsRiley.com.

Feb. 15-March 1 Musical play “Douglass/Dunbar” Willingham Theatre presents the musical play “Douglass/Dunbar” streaming online Feb. 15-March 1, which tells the stories of Fredrick Douglass, statesman and politician, and Paul Laurence Dunbar, poet and icon of the Black community. It features a variety of music including blues, classical and spiritual. It is written and directed by Ron Stacker Thompson of the UNCSA. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at www.yadkinarts.org.

A link to view the performance will be emailed to ticket holders by 5 p.m. on Feb. 15.

Feb. 20 Blood drive The Arts Council of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County, in cooperation with The Blood Connection (TBC), an independently managed, non-profit, community blood center, will host a blood drive on Feb. 20 at Hanesbrands Theater, 209 N. Spruce Street, from 10 a.m. -3 p.m. All donors will receive a $10 VISA gift card and a tee shirt from TBC as a thank you.

Feb. 21 Freedom Day Delta Arts Center is celebrating Freedom Day on Feb. 21 from 12-6 p.m.

View the display of quilts and textile art by area African American quilters.

Teresa Kemp, a master quilt historian from Atlanta, will give a talk about quilts and the underground railroad secret quilt codes.

Registration for groups up to ten people can be made by calling 336-722-2625 Feb. 22 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, including “Original Medicare,” Medicare prescription drug programs, Medicare supplements and Medicare Advantage plans.

The session will be held on Monday, February 22, from 3 - 4:30 p.m. through computer and telephone access.

The session is designed to explain and clarify the Medicare signup process and educate attendees on how to make smart choices. Trained Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) counselors will be available to answer general questions.

The session is provided at no cost. Because space is limited, reservations are required. Contact the Shepherd’s Center at 336-748-0217 or Info@ shepherdscenter.org for more information or to reserve a seat.

Feb. 25 Historically Black high schools walkthrough The Big 4 Alumni Association invites the community to take a nostalgic walk through the hallowed halls of our historically Black high schools. The Black History Month Commemoration will air on their YouTube channel February 25 at 6 p.m.

(You can search The Big 4 of Forsyth County in YouTube to find the channel.)

The presentation features a look back to the founding of each school and pays tribute to the administrators, educators and coaches who demanded excellence. For information, go to https://big4fc. org/ or call 336 972-6774.

How to submit items to the community calendar: We appreciate your community news. Here’s how you can help us to process your news more efficiently: *Please give us complete information about the event, such as the sponsor and address, date, time and place of the event and contact information so that the public can contact someone for more information if needed. *Please submit items in document form in an email or Word or PDF attachment. *Submit photos as attachments to emails as jpegs at least 4 inches wide by 6 inches deep rather than sent on documents. Please send captions with photos. *Please do not send jpeg fliers only, since we cannot transfer the information on them into documents.

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 Friday before 5 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.

From page B1

was a child, so working for himself was in his blood, so to speak.

“I’ve always seen my father with that hustle and that grind, and it always made me want to do the same thing, but I just couldn’t find that way, but now I have,” he said about his business.

Wicks sees a lot of potential with his new busi-

ness venture. He wants to build his business quickly by adding more machines as soon as possible. “I want to scale this business kind of quick, because there are some other things I want to do as well, and this will give the opportunity to do them.”

Wicks says he knows there are many other people out there who want to become entrepreneurs and his advice is to just take the leap. “Just go ahead

B3

and move, you got to move,” he said. “Stagnant brings no results and even if you fail, you can learn from those results. You just have to keep learning from the results until you find something that works for you.”

For more information about advertising with Wicks, please visit his Facebook page Cash Plug ATM.

i did it.

You can, too.

When I thought about going back to school and getting a degree, I made every excuse in the book for not doing it.

No time. No money. No way. I was wrong.

The Fleer Center for Adult Education at Salem College helped me overcome every barrier with ease. Today, I am working towards a degree that will enhance my abilities, improve my career, and make my life better than ever!

virtual info session February 17 at 6 p.m. salem.edu/fleer · 336.721.2621

B4

February 11, 2021

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BOND ORDER AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF NOT TO EXCEED $2,300,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION COMMUNITY COLLEGE BONDS OF THE COUNTY OF FORSYTH, NORTH CAROLINA

BOND ORDER AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF NOT TO EXCEED $8,500,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION SCHOOL BONDS OF THE COUNTY OF FORSYTH, NORTH CAROLINA

BOND ORDER AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF NOT TO EXCEED $23,000,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION REFUNDING BONDS OF THE COUNTY OF FORSYTH, NORTH CAROLINA

BOND ORDER AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF NOT TO EXCEED $2,000,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION PUBLIC FACILITIES BONDS OF THE COUNTY OF FORSYTH, NORTH CAROLINA

WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners of the County of Forsyth, North Carolina (the “County”) deems it advisable to make the improvements hereinafter described; and

WHEREAS, the County of Forsyth, North Carolina (the “County”) has previously issued its (1) Variable Rate General Obligation School Bonds, Series 2004A, (2) Variable Rate General Obligation School Bonds, Series 2004B, and (3) Variable Rate General Obligation School Bonds, Series 2007B (collectively, the “Prior Bonds”);

WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners of the County of Forsyth, North Carolina (the “County”) deems it advisable to make the improvements hereinafter described; and

BOND ORDER AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF NOT TO EXCEED $2,000,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION PARKS AND RECREATION BONDS OF THE COUNTY OF FORSYTH, NORTH CAROLINA

WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners of the County of Forsyth, North Carolina (the “County”) deems it advisable to make the improvements hereinafter described; and WHEREAS, an application has been filed with the Secretary of the Local Government Commission of North Carolina requesting Commission approval of the bonds hereinafter described as required by the Local Government Bond Act, and the Secretary of the Local Government Commission has notified the Board of Commissioners that the application has been accepted for submission to the Local Government Commission.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDERED by the Board of Commissioners of the County, as follows: Section 1. The Board of Commissioners of the County has ascertained and hereby determines that it is necessary to provide for constructing, renovating, improving, acquiring and equipping certain community college facilities located in the County, including the acquisition of land or rights-of-way in land required therefor.

Section 2. To raise the money required for the purposes described above, in addition to funds which may be available for such purpose from any other source, bonds of the County are hereby authorized and shall be issued pursuant to the Local Government Bond Act of North Carolina. The maximum aggregate principal amount of such bonds authorized by this bond order shall be and not exceed $2,300,000.

Section 3. Taxes will be levied in an amount sufficient to pay the principal and interest of the bonds authorized by this bond order.

Section 4. A sworn statement of the County’s debt has been filed with the Clerk to the Board of Commissioners and is open to public inspection.

Section 5. No debt shall be contracted during any fiscal year by the issuance of bonds pursuant to this bond order if the amount of such debt and if all other debt contracted during such fiscal year shall exceed two-thirds (2/3rds) of the amount by which the outstanding indebtedness of the County shall have been reduced during the next preceding fiscal year, unless the incurring of such debt shall be submitted to a vote of the people of the County and shall be approved by a majority of those who vote thereon.

Section 6. This bond order will take effect thirty (30) days after its publication following adoption, unless it is petitioned to a vote of the people within thirty (30) days after its publication as introduced, as provided in N. C. G. S. Section 159-60, and in that event the order will take effect when approved by the voters of the County.

The foregoing bond order has been introduced and a sworn statement of debt has been filed under the Local Government Bond Act showing the appraised value of the County of Forsyth, North Carolina to be $37,355,249,837 and the net debt thereof, including the proposed bonds, to be $509,050,000. The Chief Financial Officer of the County has filed a statement estimating that the total amount of interest that will be paid on the bonds over the expected term of the bonds, if issued, is $535,037.50. The estimate is preliminary, is for general informational purposes only, and may differ from the actual interest paid on the bonds. A tax will be levied to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds if they are issued. Anyone who wishes to be heard on the questions of the validity of the bond order and the advisability of issuing the bonds may appear at a public hearing or an adjournment thereof to be held in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room on the fifth floor of the Forsyth County Government Center, 201 N. Chestnut Street, Winston-Salem North Carolina 27101 at 2:00 o’clock p.m. on the 18th day of February, 2021.

There will be no meeting place where members of the public can be physically present. The Meeting will be broadcast live at 2:00 p.m. on local cable channel WSTV 13-The Government Channel, http://winstonsalem.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_i d=29, and https://vimeo.com/forsythcountync.

All persons interested in the proposed bond orders and bonds to be issued are invited by the Board of Commissioners to present their views.

If you wish to submit a written comment, please email to sloopam@forsyth.cc by 4:00pm, Friday, February 19, 2021.

FORSYTH COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Ashleigh M. Sloop, Clerk to the Board The Chronicle February 11, 2021

www.

wschronicle .com

WHEREAS, an application has been filed with the Secretary of the Local Government Commission of North Carolina requesting Commission approval of the bonds hereinafter described as required by the Local Government Bond Act, and the Secretary of the Local Government Commission has notified the Board of Commissioners that the application has been accepted for submission to the Local Government Commission.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDERED by the Board of Commissioners of the County, as follows: Section 1. The Board of Commissioners of the County has ascertained and hereby determines that it is necessary to provide for constructing, renovating, improving, acquiring and equipping certain school facilities located in the County, including the acquisition of land or rights-of-way in land required therefor.

Section 2. To raise the money required for the purposes described above, in addition to funds which may be available for such purpose from any other source, bonds of the County are hereby authorized and shall be issued pursuant to the Local Government Bond Act of North Carolina. The maximum aggregate principal amount of such bonds authorized by this bond order shall be and not exceed $8,500,000.

Section 3. Taxes will be levied in an amount sufficient to pay the principal and interest of the bonds authorized by this bond order.

Section 4. A sworn statement of the County’s debt has been filed with the Clerk to the Board of Commissioners and is open to public inspection.

Section 5. No debt shall be contracted during any fiscal year by the issuance of bonds pursuant to this bond order if the amount of such debt and if all other debt contracted during such fiscal year shall exceed two-thirds (2/3rds) of the amount by which the outstanding indebtedness of the County shall have been reduced during the next preceding fiscal year, unless the incurring of such debt shall be submitted to a vote of the people of the County and shall be approved by a majority of those who vote thereon.

Section 6. This bond order will take effect thirty (30) days after its publication following adoption, unless it is petitioned to a vote of the people within thirty (30) days after its publication as introduced, as provided in N. C. G. S. Section 159-60, and in that event the order will take effect when approved by the voters of the County.

The foregoing bond order has been introduced and a sworn statement of debt has been filed under the Local Government Bond Act showing the appraised value of the County of Forsyth, North Carolina to be $37,355,249,837 and the net debt thereof, including the proposed bonds, to be $509,050,000. The Chief Financial Officer of the County has filed a statement estimating that the total amount of interest that will be paid on the bonds over the expected term of the bonds, if issued, is $1,977,312.50. The estimate is preliminary, is for general informational purposes only, and may differ from the actual interest paid on the bonds. A tax will be levied to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds if they are issued. Anyone who wishes to be heard on the questions of the validity of the bond order and the advisability of issuing the bonds may appear at a public hearing or an adjournment thereof to be held in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room on the fifth floor of the Forsyth County Government Center, 201 N. Chestnut Street, Winston-Salem North Carolina 27101 at 2:00 o’clock p.m. on the 18th day of February, 2021.

WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners of the County (the “Board of Commissioners”) deems it advisable to refund certain maturities of the Prior Bonds (the “Refunded Bonds”); WHEREAS, an application has been filed with the Secretary of the Local Government Commission of North Carolina requesting Commission approval of the bonds hereinafter described as required by the Local Government Bond Act, and the Secretary of the Local Government Commission has notified the Board of Commissioners that the application has been accepted for submission to the Local Government Commission.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDERED by the Board of Commissioners as follows: Section 1. The Board of Commissioners deems it advisable to refund the Refunded Bonds.

Section 2. To raise the money required to pay the costs of refunding the Refunded Bonds as set forth above, bonds of the County are hereby authorized and shall be issued pursuant to the Local Government Bond Act of North Carolina.

The maximum aggregate principal amount of such bonds authorized by this bond order shall be and not exceed $23,000,000.

Section 3. Taxes will be levied in an amount sufficient to pay the principal and interest of the bonds authorized by this bond order.

Section 4. A sworn statement of the County’s debt has been filed with the Clerk to the Board of Commissioners and is open to public inspection.

Section 5. This bond order shall take effect on its adoption.

The foregoing bond order has been introduced and a sworn statement of debt has been filed under the Local Government Bond Act showing the appraised value of the County of Forsyth, North Carolina to be $37,355,249,837 and the net debt thereof, including the proposed bonds, to be $509,050,000. The Chief Financial Officer of the County has filed a statement estimating that the total amount of interest that will be paid on the bonds over the expected term of the bonds, if issued, is $429,318.85. The estimate is preliminary, is for general informational purposes only, and may differ from the actual interest paid on the bonds. A tax will be levied to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds if they are issued. Anyone who wishes to be heard on the questions of the validity of the bond order and the advisability of issuing the bonds may appear at a public hearing or an adjournment thereof to be held in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room on the fifth floor of the Forsyth County Government Center, 201 N. Chestnut Street, Winston-Salem North Carolina 27101 at 2:00 o’clock p.m. on the 18th day of February, 2021.

There will be no meeting place where members of the public can be physically present. The Meeting will be broadcast live at 2:00 p.m. on local cable channel WSTV 13-The Government Channel, http://winstonsalem.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_i d=29, and https://vimeo.com/forsythcountync.

All persons interested in the proposed bond orders and bonds to be issued are invited by the Board of Commissioners to present their views.

If you wish to submit a written comment, please email to sloopam@forsyth.cc by 4:00pm, Friday, February 19, 2021.

There will be no meeting place where members of the public can be physically present. The Meeting will be broadcast live at 2:00 p.m. on local cable channel WSTV 13-The Government Channel, http://winstonsalem.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_i d=29, and https://vimeo.com/forsythcountync.

FORSYTH COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Ashleigh M. Sloop, Clerk to the Board

FORSYTH COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Ashleigh M. Sloop, Clerk to the Board

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WHEREAS, an application has been filed with the Secretary of the Local Government Commission of North Carolina requesting Commission approval of the bonds hereinafter described as required by the Local Government Bond Act, and the Secretary of the Local Government Commission has notified the Board of Commissioners that the application has been accepted for submission to the Local Government Commission.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDERED by the Board of Commissioners of the County, as follows: Section 1. The Board of Commissioners of the County has ascertained and hereby determines that it is necessary to provide for constructing, renovating, improving, acquiring and equipping certain public facilities located in the County, including the acquisition of land or rights-of-way in land required therefor.

Section 2. To raise the money required for the purposes described above, in addition to funds which may be available for such purpose from any other source, bonds of the County are hereby authorized and shall be issued pursuant to the Local Government Bond Act of North Carolina. The maximum aggregate principal amount of such bonds authorized by this bond order shall be and not exceed $2,000,000.

Section 3. Taxes will be levied in an amount sufficient to pay the principal and interest of the bonds authorized by this bond order.

Section 4. A sworn statement of the County’s debt has been filed with the Clerk to the Board of Commissioners and is open to public inspection.

Section 5. No debt shall be contracted during any fiscal year by the issuance of bonds pursuant to this bond order if the amount of such debt and if all other debt contracted during such fiscal year shall exceed two-thirds (2/3rds) of the amount by which the outstanding indebtedness of the County shall have been reduced during the next preceding fiscal year, unless the incurring of such debt shall be submitted to a vote of the people of the County and shall be approved by a majority of those who vote thereon.

WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners of the County of Forsyth, North Carolina (the “County”) deems it advisable to make the improvements hereinafter described; and WHEREAS, an application has been filed with the Secretary of the Local Government Commission of North Carolina requesting Commission approval of the bonds hereinafter described as required by the Local Government Bond Act, and the Secretary of the Local Government Commission has notified the Board of Commissioners that the application has been accepted for submission to the Local Government Commission.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDERED by the Board of Commissioners of the County, as follows: Section 1. The Board of Commissioners of the County has ascertained and hereby determines that it is necessary to provide for constructing, renovating, improving, acquiring and equipping certain parks and recreation facilities located in the County, including the acquisition of land or rights-of-way in land required therefor.

Section 2. To raise the money required for the purposes described above, in addition to funds which may be available for such purpose from any other source, bonds of the County are hereby authorized and shall be issued pursuant to the Local Government Bond Act of North Carolina. The maximum aggregate principal amount of such bonds authorized by this bond order shall be and not exceed $2,000,000.

Section 3. Taxes will be levied in an amount sufficient to pay the principal and interest of the bonds authorized by this bond order.

Section 4. A sworn statement of the County’s debt has been filed with the Clerk to the Board of Commissioners and is open to public inspection.

Section 5. No debt shall be contracted during any fiscal year by the issuance of bonds pursuant to this bond order if the amount of such debt and if all other debt contracted during such fiscal year shall exceed two-thirds (2/3rds) of the amount by which the outstanding indebtedness of the County shall have been reduced during the next preceding fiscal year, unless the incurring of such debt shall be submitted to a vote of the people of the County and shall be approved by a majority of those who vote thereon.

Section 6. This bond order will take effect thirty (30) days after its publication following adoption, unless it is petitioned to a vote of the people within thirty (30) days after its publication as introduced, as provided in N. C. G. S. Section 159-60, and in that event the order will take effect when approved by the voters of the County.

Section 6. This bond order will take effect thirty (30) days after its publication following adoption, unless it is petitioned to a vote of the people within thirty (30) days after its publication as introduced, as provided in N. C. G. S. Section 159-60, and in that event the order will take effect when approved by the voters of the County.

The foregoing bond order has been introduced and a sworn statement of debt has been filed under the Local Government Bond Act showing the appraised value of the County of Forsyth, North Carolina to be $37,355,249,837 and the net debt thereof, including the proposed bonds, to be $509,050,000. The Chief Financial Officer of the County has filed a statement estimating that the total amount of interest that will be paid on the bonds over the expected term of the bonds, if issued, is $465,250. The estimate is preliminary, is for general informational purposes only, and may differ from the actual interest paid on the bonds. A tax will be levied to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds if they are issued. Anyone who wishes to be heard on the questions of the validity of the bond order and the advisability of issuing the bonds may appear at a public hearing or an adjournment thereof to be held in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room on the fifth floor of the Forsyth County Government Center, 201 N. Chestnut Street, Winston-Salem North Carolina 27101 at 2:00 o’clock p.m. on the 18th day of February, 2021.

The foregoing bond order has been introduced and a sworn statement of debt has been filed under the Local Government Bond Act showing the appraised value of the County of Forsyth, North Carolina to be $37,355,249,837 and the net debt thereof, including the proposed bonds, to be $509,050,000. The Chief Financial Officer of the County has filed a statement estimating that the total amount of interest that will be paid on the bonds over the expected term of the bonds, if issued, is $465,250. The estimate is preliminary, is for general informational purposes only, and may differ from the actual interest paid on the bonds. A tax will be levied to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds if they are issued. Anyone who wishes to be heard on the questions of the validity of the bond order and the advisability of issuing the bonds may appear at a public hearing or an adjournment thereof to be held in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room on the fifth floor of the Forsyth County Government Center, 201 N. Chestnut Street, Winston-Salem North Carolina 27101 at 2:00 o’clock p.m. on the 18th day of February, 2021.

There will be no meeting place where members of the public can be physically present. The Meeting will be broadcast live at 2:00 p.m. on local cable channel WSTV 13-The Government Channel, http://winstonsalem.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_i d=29, and https://vimeo.com/forsythcountync.

There will be no meeting place where members of the public can be physically present. The Meeting will be broadcast live at 2:00 p.m. on local cable channel WSTV 13-The Government Channel, http://winstonsalem.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_i d=29, and https://vimeo.com/forsythcountync.

All persons interested in the proposed bond orders and bonds to be issued are invited by the Board of Commissioners to present their views.

If you wish to submit a written comment, please email to sloopam@forsyth.cc by 4:00pm, Friday, February 19, 2021.

All persons interested in the proposed bond orders and bonds to be issued are invited by the Board of Commissioners to present their views.

If you wish to submit a written comment, please email to sloopam@forsyth.cc by 4:00pm, Friday, February 19, 2021.

FORSYTH COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Ashleigh M. Sloop, Clerk to the Board

FORSYTH COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Ashleigh M. Sloop, Clerk to the Board

The Chronicle February 11, 2021

The Chronicle February 11, 2021

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CHERRY HILL APARTMENTS

This the 4th day ofFebruary, 2021.

Bobby L. Key Fiduciary for Ann Gore, deceased 2648 Quaker Church Road Siloam, NC 27047 The Chronicle February 4, 11, 18, 25, 2021

A Community for Seniors

Is now accepting applications for One (1) bedroom apartments: • Section 8 Assistance • Handicap Accessibility • Rent based on income

• Equal Housing • On-Site Laundry Facility • 24-Hour Emergency • Maintenance • Near Bus Route Apply at:

840 W. 14th Street Winston-Salem, NC 27105 Call 336-723-7524 Managed by Community Management Corp Equal Housing Opportunity ST. PETER'S HERITAGE PLACE APARTMENTS 3727 Old Lexington Road Winston Salem, NC 27107 A Community For Seniors 62 and older One bedroom units conveniently Located in Winston Salem.

Handicap Accessible Units and Rental Assistance Available.

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE FORSYTH COUNTY DISTRICT COURT DIVISION IN THE MATTER OF: BABY GIRL ANTHONY DOB: 09-12-19

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For More Information Call 336-771-9028 NC Relay: 1-800-735-2962 Equal Housing Opportunity

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TAKE NOTICE that a Juvenile Petition seeking relief against you have been filed in the above-entitled action. The nature of the relief being sought is an adjudication of Termination of your Parental Rights with respect to the above-referenced child pursuant to N.C.G.S. 7B-1111.

You are required to make a written answer to the Petitions alleging to Terminate Parental Rights within forty (40) days after the date of this notice; and upon your failure to make a defense to the Petitions within the 40 day period specified herein or to attend the hearing on the said Petitions, the Petitioner will apply to the Court for terminating your parental rights to the above-referenced juveniles.

Spring/Wachovia Hill Apartments Managed by Community Management Corp.

1 Bedroom Units conveniently located in Winston Salem, 62 yrs of age or older Handicapped and/or disabled. Section 8 assistance available. Income restrictions apply. Call 336-251-1060. 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. on Mon and Fri, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Wed. Equal Housing Opportunity

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Any counsel appointed previously to represent you and not released by the Court shall continue to represent you.

If you are indigent and not already represented by appointed counsel, you are entitled to appointed counsel and provisional counsel has been appointed upon your request subject to the Courts review at the first hearing after this service.

The hearing on the Petition alleging to Terminate Parental Rights is scheduled for 10:45 a.m., on Wednesday, April 7, 2021 in Courtroom 1-D of the Hall of Justice in Winston-Salem, North Carolina or as soon thereafter as the Court can hear the said case.

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B5

Greater Gift celebrates COVID-19 research study participants with a $2,000 donation to The Twenty SUBMITTED ARTICLE

The Chronicle’s e-mail address is: adv@wschronicle.com

Having qualified as Fiduciary of the Estate of Ann Gore (20 E 1622), also known as Ann Key, Anne Mae Gore, Anne Mae Starr, Ann Starr Key, Ann Key Gore deceased DATE, 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 May 10, 2021 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.

February 11, 2021

Greater Gift recently announced donations to local agencies committed to diversity in honor of participants in the COVID-19 Community Research Partnership Study.

Greater Gift is donating $2,000 to The Twenty to encourage volunteers to

recognize the significant impact that The Twenty is having on supporting testing and prevention efforts in the Black community during the COVID pandemic and are proud to support their outreach.�

The COVID-19 Community Research Partnership is working to gather data through a multi-site

possible exposures and symptoms.

The Twenty, founded five years ago, is a group of committed Black businesspersons working through 20 committees to close the wealth gap in East Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. By building collaborations within the community,

Submitted photos

Greater Gift donates $2,000 to The Twenty to encourage volunteers to complete daily symptom surveys. complete daily symptom surveys. Greater Gift donated $2,000 to The Twenty when 3 million entries were received.

Executive Director Lilly Skok Bunch stated, “Greater Gift is passionate about engaging underrepresented populations in clinical research and building trustworthiness to populations who traditionally and understandably are reluctant to participate in clinical research. We

study sponsored by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and led by Wake Forest Baptist Health.

The study encourages volunteers to report daily exposures, symptoms, risk-reduction behaviors such as wearing a mask, and whether they have received a flu or COVID-19 vaccine. Over 22,000 clinical trial volunteers are completing daily online questionnaires to track

The Twenty’s Healthcare and Wellness Committee has worked to increase understanding of COVID-19 testing and vaccine engagement.

Bunch said, “As the Community Research Partnership Study aims to better understand COVID-19, Greater Gift wants to honor organizations like The Twenty to increase understanding of COVID-19 and build trust within Black communities.�

More than $447Â million in PPP loans approved by SBA in N.C. in current round of funding Deadline to apply for PPP loan is March 31

 CHARLOTTE – As part of ongoing transparency of economic aid programs, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) recently released data summarizing Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan approvals made through Jan. 24, 2021.

The SBA re-opened the PPP Jan. 11 with $284 billion appropriated through the Economic Aid Act. So far in this round of funding, 5,349 PPP loans valued at $447,450,478 have been approved by the SBA in North Carolina.  In the SBA Southeast

cial assistance is intended to provide economic relief to small businesses and other eligible entities, particularly to businesses located in lower income areas and underserved communities,� says Janita R. Stewart, acting regional administrator. “Our intention of this round of PPP is to assist entrepreneurs in areas that may not have had an opportunity to utilize the program during round one of PPP, as well as business owners that are prepared to apply for a second draw PPP loan to continue their recovery.�

The full Jan. 24, 2021

specialize in serving these communities. At least $15 billion is set aside for PPP lending by CFIs which include Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs), Certified Development Companies (CDCs) and Microloan Intermediaries. The CFIs may be located (as well as all PPP lenders) by utilizing Lender Match.

While the PPP loan application expressly requests demographic information of borrowers so that the agency can better understand which small

Region – which serves Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee – a total of over 53,000 PPP loans valued at more than $1.7 billion have been approved. Nationally, more than 400,000 loans valued at more than $35 billion have been approved this round.

Overall, the average loan size is $87,000. Accumulatively, all PPP loans approved in 2020 combined with this round total more than 5.5 million PPP loans totaling $557.8 billion. “We’re encouraged to see the very high number of PPP loans that have been approved so far during this latest round of PPP in the Southeast Region.

This much-needed finan-

PPP Report includes national information on lender types, loan sizes, industries, and borrower demographics. The data released in the report is a snapshot of the PPP loan portfolio as of Jan. 24, 2021. Any loan changes or cancellations made after this date will be not reflected in the report.

Approximately 4,500 lenders nationwide are participating in the PPP this round. PPP loans are made by lending institutions and then guaranteed by the SBA. To best serve underserved communities – including minority-, womenand veteran-owned small businesses – the SBA has provided dedicated access to community financial institutions (CFIs) that

businesses are benefiting from PPP loans, the data reflects the information submitted by lenders to the SBA. The SBA North Carolina District continues to work in close partnership with the local SBA Resource Partner Network and expand on multilingual access and outreach about the PPP. The deadline to apply for a PPP loan is March 31, 2021, or until appropriated funding runs out.

Updated PPP information – including forms, guidance, resources, lender information and data– is at www.sba.gov/ppp. Information about all SBA coronavirus relief funding is available at www.sba. gov/coronavirusrelief.

B6

February 11, 2021

Watson From page B1

the fact that Favre did something similar during his playing career by threatening to retire on multiple occasions, holding the Green Bay Packer franchise hostage during several off-seasons. And let us not forget how Eli Manning basically told the San Diego Chargers not to draft him in 2004, because he did not want to play for them. He was drafted by the Chargers, but then immediately was dealt to the Giants in exchange for Phillip Rivers. So now that Watson is using his leverage just like others have in the past, it’s a problem?

I have been accused of race baiting in the past with some of my columns; however, I don’t see it that way. I try my best to simply call it how I see it and how I see this situation is that white players have done the same thing in the past, but with Watson being a Black quarterback, it’s all of sudden an issue.

I am not saying that is how it is, it’s just how it looks from my perspective.

Black quarterbacks have made tremendous strides in the last 25 years or so, but we still have a ways to go in my opinion. Just because we have more Black starting quarterbacks than ever, that doesn’t mean that they receive the same privileges as their white counterparts.

Watson is a great quarterback who hasn’t even reached his prime. Even his own teammate, J.J. Watt, has come out and apologized for wasting a year of his career. I just want people to put themselves in his shoes and honestly ask themselves if they would want to stay with a dysfunctional team or use what little leverage you have and start fresh somewhere else? I bet most would choose the latter.

Love

From page B2

that his son was not with him. Looking out the window, he spotted his young boy climbing and playing on the gears.

He started out to get him when he heard the earsplitting whistle of an oncoming train. The bridge must be lowered, immedi-

Faithful From page B2

ize they were talking to Jesus (Luke 24:15). There is something different about Him, some new quality that makes His appearance different than it was before His arrest and crucifixion.

“Mary!” – Hearing Him say her name, she immediately recognized Him (verse 16). “Touch me not,” King James version.

“Do not hold on to me,” New International version.

“Stop clinging to me,” New American Standard Bible. At first you think, don’t physically touch me, but you realize Jesus is telling Mary that He will only be there temporarily … He would only be with them for 40 more days be-

ately.

In that moment, he realized: if he rescued his son, the passengers on the train would crash and die.

If he lowered the bridge, the passengers would live but his son would be crushed and killed. It was the most horrible of dilemmas.

The father pulled the lever.

That’s what your Fa-

ther did for you when he sent his Son to die for you.

Please, never again wonder if God loves you.

Your Father loves you for who you are, not what you do. If you have confessed your faith in Jesus to save you, God sees you as if you’d never sinned.

He calls you to serve him in gratitude for his unconditional grace.

fore His ascension to The Father. Mary was the first of Jesus’ disciples to bear witness to the fact that Jesus had risen with all power in His hands. He was still Jesus who had lived for more than 33 years and worked among the disciples for more than three years, but He was changed; He was “new;” He was more; He was resurrected.

Now a new relationship to Christ was made possible. “I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.” – that was Mary Magdalene’s announcement to the waiting disciples. (The UMI Annual Commentary 2020-2021, The New King James Study Bible, The Jesus Bible, The Modern Life Study Bible, The Ma-

cArthur Study Bible and The Oxford Bible Commentary).

For Your Consideration: When was the last time you supported someone or something until the end, even knowing that you would not receive the result for which you had hoped and prayed? (UMI) Application: Faithfulness as modeled by Mary Magdalene tells us first, allow God to transform our lives. Second, to be a faithful follower and friend and honor our relationship with Jesus and do not dilute our message to suit changing times.

“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35).

la to fght u m r o f lun g g n i n c n i

r: ce an

ou rw

said, “We make too much money to voice an opinion.” That statement just doesn’t make sense to me.

So, you mean to tell me that just because Watson is a highly-paid athlete, he doesn’t have the right to express his feelings in a respectful manner? What if he made the league minimum, would that be OK? Favre wasn’t the only high-profile person to object to Watson wanting out of Houston. Super Bowl winning coach, Dick Vermeil, expressed his thoughts on the situation and he went all in.

“I think they change his diapers, OK? Nowhere in his contract does it say that he’s involved in making the decisions of who coaches or who leads the organization,” Vermeil told TMZ. “He’s a great NFL football player and always has been a great kid, but I think he just shuts his mouth and becomes a better football player and leads the football team and lets the leaders of the organization lead him.”

Vermeil didn’t stop there. While appearing on ESPN’s First Take, Vermeil said, “I’m a little disappointed to be honest with you, because, you know, the image that he has presented coming out of college and through the draft and through his career so far in Houston has been so positive. So positive. I don’t think that this approach really reflects what he has presented over the past few years. So, I’m disappointed. I just don’t think that anybody whether it be that football team or the other 31 football teams - start allowing players to step in and make decisions who runs them, who coaches them and all these kinds of things. If

you want to make all the decisions as an owner, then buy your own team.”

I really don’t know where to start with these comments. Of course, it doesn’t state in his contract that he is involved in making decisions for the team.

However, as a franchise quarterback in the league, it makes sense to at least hear what he has to say about certain aspects of the team and how it should be constructed. Those accommodations have been made for other quarterbacks; why not Watson?

The image Watson has presented since college has not changed in my mind.

He is still the humble hardworking player who strives to be the best that he can.

His approach has just been that he wants to be with a franchise that supports his talent and doesn’t get rid of his best weapons. So, Vermeil can be “disappointed” all he wants, for those who understand what Watson is feeling, he remains a class act.

Thankfully, not everyone feels the same as Vermeil or Favre. Stephen A. Smith, an ESPN personality, went to bat for Watson and really shed some light on how misguided the comments made by Vermeil actually were.

“I’m disappointed to hear what Dick Vermeil has to say. I understand where he’s coming from because he’s very very old school; by all accounts, he’s a good man. He’s a champion.

He’s somebody that we respected. I know how loved he is in Philadelphia, but that’s a very archaic point of view, and thank God he’s not coaching in the NFL today because with that kind of thinking, he would have been fired because nobody would have wanted to play for a man who thinks like that.”

Smith brought up

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