#Charter School of Wilmington graduation

[axelhughes]

gifs credited to @layla-keating

Name: Axel Christian Hughes

Faceclaim: Kendrick Sampson

Gender & Pronouns: CIS-man & he/him

Age: 36

Birthday: March, 15, 1988

Occupation: Land Developer and Owner of Cityscape Ventures

Neighborhood: Wrightsville Beach

Does your character have a secret? He wants to destroy Wilmington.

Would you be willing to have this secret used against them at some point in the future? Yes.

Biography

tw: mentions of murder

Axel Hughes was born on March 15, 1988, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Erica and Timothy Hughes. As the only child of a wealthy couple, he was doted upon and had an idyllic childhood. He attended the prestigious William Penn Charter School, where he excelled in his studies and was known for his charismatic personality. However, his world was shattered when he was just 12 years old. His parents had traveled to Wilmington, NC, for a couple's retreat. Tragically, they were attacked while in their hotel room. Timothy lost his life in the brutal assault, while Erica was left in a coma for over two years. The loss of his dad and the prolonged absence of his mom deeply affected the young boy. He was forced to grow up quickly, relying on the support of his extended family and the staff at his family's estate. When Erica finally regained consciousness, she had forgotten almost everything—including her own son. The once-close bond between mother and child had been severed, and it took several long and painful years for them to reconnect and start rebuilding their relationship. 

As a result of this traumatic experience, Axel grew resentful of the town of Wilmington. He blamed the city for the tragedy that had befallen his family and the subsequent upheaval in his life. This resentment grew when he heard of the mayor's death and the rumors swirling around about the city. His anger festered for years, and he vowed to one day see Wilmington destroyed—just as his own life had been shattered. The resentment consumed him, making it difficult for him to focus on anything else. He became obsessed with getting revenge—spending hours alone plotting various acts of vengeance. His hatred of Wilmington started dictating many aspects of his life.

Despite his tumultuous upbringing, Axel managed to graduate from high school with honors. He then went on to attend the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a degree in Business Administration. After completing his education, he decided to pursue a career in land development—seeing it as a means to exert control over the very places he felt had wronged him. Driven by his ambition and fueled by his resentment, he quickly made a name for himself in the industry. His ruthless tactics helped him amass a considerable fortune, and he soon found himself drawn back to the town he had grown to despise: Wilmington.

Moving to Wilmington stirred up intense emotions in Axel. As he walked the streets, all the painful memories of his childhood trauma came flooding back. He made it his singular mission to acquire as much property in the city as possible. Through shrewd business deals and cunning manipulations, he managed to purchase large swathes of downtown real estate. With each new acquisition, his twisted plan edged closer to fruition. No one had an inkling about his secret vendetta against Wilmington. To the outside world, he was a highly successful real estate mogul with a Midas touch. But behind closed doors, he was planning to burn it all to the ground. 

tl;dr

Axel had an idyllic childhood until his parents were attacked in Wilmington when he was 12. His dad was killed, his mother went into a coma and forgot who he was for years. He became consumed by resentment towards the city—blaming it for his family's tragedy. This fueled his ambition as he became a real estate mogul, acquiring property in Wilmington to enact a twisted plan of revenge. Under the guise of success, Axel secretly plotted the city's destruction to avenge his shattered life. In February 2024, he moved to Wilmington to set his plans into motion.

Wanted Connections

Her: Axel and Shivani met 8 years ago in New York City. One morning at a busy coffee shop, Shivani accidentally spills her coffee on a stranger who was blocking Axel's path. Annoyed by the situation, he pulls out a $100 bill, hands it to the man, and tells him to get out of the way. From that awkward beginning, they continue to run into each other around the city. Over time, they become friends. Now, he cannot imagine his life without her in it—she has become someone he never wants to lose. Shivani Rao

Best Friend: They've known each other since kids, and are as thick as thieves. They also run Cityscape Ventures together. Benji Aquino

Friends: -

Enemies: This boy will piss people off left and right.

Neighbor(s): -

Drinking Buddy(ies): -

[tipsdegree1]

Great Oaks Charter Schools: A Place Where Every Child Can Thrive

Great Oaks Charter Schools is a network of non-profit, tuition-free, public charter schools serving students in grades K-12. The network has schools in New York City, Newark, New Jersey, and Wilmington, Delaware. Great Oaks Charter Schools are committed to providing students with a rigorous college preparatory education in a supportive and nurturing environment.

Great Oaks Charter Schools are known for their high academic standards, small class sizes, and individualized attention to students. All Great Oaks schools offer a challenging academic curriculum that is aligned with state and national standards. Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement (AP) courses and earn college credit while still in high school.

In addition to their strong academic focus, Great Oaks Charter Schools also offer a variety of extracurricular activities and enrichment programs. Students can participate in athletics, clubs, and after-school programs that support their academic and personal development.

Great Oaks Charter Schools have a proven track record of success. In 2022, 98% of Great Oaks graduates were accepted to college. Great Oaks students also outperform their peers on standardized tests.

Here are some of the key features of Great Oaks Charter Schools:

College preparation: Great Oaks Charter Schools are committed to preparing students for success in college and beyond. All schools offer a rigorous college preparatory curriculum and a variety of support services to help students succeed.

Small class sizes: Great Oaks Charter Schools have small class sizes, which allows teachers to provide individualized attention to students.

Personalized learning: Great Oaks Charter Schools use a variety of personalized learning strategies to meet the needs of all students.

Supportive environment: Great Oaks Charter Schools create a supportive and nurturing environment where students can thrive.

Extracurricular activities: Great Oaks Charter Schools offer a variety of extracurricular activities and enrichment programs to support students' academic and personal development.

If you are looking for a high-quality, college preparatory education for your child, Great Oaks Charter Schools is a great option to consider.

[creepingsharia]

Delaware: Biden Institute Muslim Candidate Defeats 11-Term Incumbent...By 43 Votes; Will Face GOP on Nov 3

Madinah Wilson-Anton defeated 11-term incumbent John Viola in the Democratic primary election for Delaware House of Representatives District 26 on September 15, 2020. Wilson-Anton received 1,276 votes, while Viola received 1,233 votes.

See results below:

Ballotpedia screenshot

Wilson-Anton, a 26-year-old progressive, will face Republican Timothy Conrad in the general election on November 3 2020.

Read more about Wilson-Anton here.

According to Madinah‘s website:

Madinah grew up in the 26th district, where she lives with her family. She attended Gauger-Cobbs Middle School and graduated from the Charter School of Wilmington. Madinah is an alumna of the University of Delaware and holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Asian Studies. She has formally studied Arabic, Chinese, French, and Spanish.

While at the University of Delaware, Madinah was actively involved in several campus organizations where she held leadership positions, including the Muslim Student Association, Students for Justice in Palestine, and her sorority Lambda Pi Chi.

...

Currently, Madinah works as a policy analyst at the Biden Institute, while she pursues a master’s degree in Urban Affairs and Public Policy.

---------------------------------

The Muslim Student Association (MSA) was founded by the infamous Muslim Brotherhood. Read more about the group and its nexus to Islamic jihad via The growing list of Muslim Student Association (MSA) terrorists.

One Muslim parent said this about the MSA:

I agree wholeheartedly. My daughter was a president 2 years in a row of an MSA chapter in PA back in the 2003-4. MSA is nothing but a tool for brainwashing, polarization, Radicalization and partizanization.

More on Wilson-Anton:

As a college student she organized demonstrations, protests and informative events regarding Palestinian human rights, Black Lives Matter, and Islamophobia.

-------------------------------------------

As detailed above, Wilson-Anton fills in all the Marxist, Islamic/Muslim Brotherhood, BLM, anti-American checkboxes, and is endorsed by Emgage - the group advising Biden.

The “Biden Institute” is a research and policy (i.e., social justice) center at the University of Delaware.

Read more at the link below.

[mostly-history]

Joyce Secciani, a WASP pilot from 1943 to 1944 (USA).

Information on Secciani (x):

Joyce had always wanted to fly - probably from the day she was born, which was December, 1921, in San Diego, California, where she lives today. She spent all of her school years in El Centro and upon graduating from high school, signed up for the government sponsored Civil Pilot Training program at Central Junior College.

Joyce was really serious about flying. She sold her horse and stopped studying piano so she could devote all her energies to flying. After getting her private license, she joined a flying club with 10 members and shared a 65 h.p Interstate plane. After the attack at Pearl Harbor, private flying was not allowed within 200 miles of the U.S. coast. So, with the wings removed and secured along side the fuselage, Joyce helped another member of the club transport the plane on a trailer to Arizona.

As soon as she heard about Jacqueline Cochran's program she applied in January, 1943, and headed for Houston, Texas where the training program began. There Joyce joined Lois Brooks, Lois Hollingsworth, Betty Deuser, Emma Coulter, Mabel Rawlinson, Marcia Courtney, Florence Knight and others in class 43-3. There were no military quarters, so they lived in a motor court or what is called a motel today. On May 16, 1943, the trainees flew all the planes from Houston to Avenger Field, Sweetwater, Texas. They joined the rest of class 43-4, which had replaced the last of the male cadets.

After graduating in July, 1943, Joyce and several classmates were sent to New Castle Army Air Base, Wilmington, Delaware. They were not there long enough to start flying when the received orders to report to General Hap Arnold's office in Washington, D.C. After a few days of orientation and training, the group was reassigned to Camp Davis (now Fort Davis) as part of the Tow Target Squadron near Wilmington, N.C. They trained and towed targets in front of the firing line for anti-aircraft guns to shoot at. They also flew tracking missions at night so the artillery could practice spotting planes with searchlights.

Unfortunately, classmate Mabel Rawlinson was killed when the engine failed in her Douglas A-24 and she crashed in the woods. Just two days later, Joyce also had engine failure in an A-24. According to the Army accident report, Joyce and the instructor managed a belly landing, the engine was detached from the rest of the plane, the plane caught fire after stopping, and both Joyce and her instructor suffered minor injuries but no burns.

In January, 1944, Joyce, Marcia and several others were transferred to Liberty Field, Camp Stewart, Hinesville, Georgia, where they trained and flew missions with radio controlled targets. The targets were modified Culver Kaydets, PQ-8's and PQ14's, which were controlled from the copilot seat of a UC-78 or AT-11. They also flew administrative flights taking personnel or equipment from one base to another.

In April, the Lois's, Betty, and Emma, were ordered to Biggs AAF in El Paso, Texas, while Joyce, Florence Knight, Mary Nelson, Gertrude Brown, Dorothea Shultz were assigned to March Army Air Base in Riverside, California. At March, there were about 40 WASP pilots in the Tow Target Squadron. They supported artillery training and radio controlled target planes at several California locations. Most were at Camp Irwin (now Fort Irwin) where they flew off a dry lake bed called Bicycle Lake. Other flights were from a field in Van Nuys where Joyce flew 100 miles out to sea to support RADAR tracking missions. While flying in southern California, Joyce also checked out in a P-63 King Cobra. It was then that she met SSgt. Mario Secciani, who maintained these and other fighter planes. As a fighter, the P-63 was a single seater, so after studying the aircraft manual and getting some advice, Joyce took off on her own and had the thrill of flying that beautiful aircraft.

During the month of June, Joyce attended Army Airforce School of Applied Tactics in Orlando, Florida. Unfortunately, there was no flying involved.

After the WASP were disbanded on December 20, 1944, Joyce was sad to leave, but proud to have served with this great group of women pilots. In memory of this service, she designed and carved from wood a small statue of a WASP returning from her last long mission. She was in her flight suit with goggles, map in hand, and a parachute slung over here shoulder. The pedestal bore the inscription "Mission Completed". Later in life Joyce learned how to cast bronze copies of the carving.

Meanwhile, Joyce got her civilian pilot ratings for single and multi-engine planes, and for commercial and instrument flying. In 1945, she and Mario got married and she found a job with Flabob Flying Service at a small airport in Riverside where she flew charter flights, checked out returning military pilots transitioning from fighters and bombers to the light civilian planes, and helped out in the office and hanger.

Soon Mario was discharged and they moved to Chicago for a short time. But with so many military pilots returning to civilian life, she found that flying jobs were hard to come by. After five years, they returned to California and settled in El Cajon, near San Diego, where they built a house and raised two children, Lynn and Lee.

When the kids started school, Joyce went to work as secretary to the principal for the school district. It was great having the same schedule as Lynn and Lee.

Since then, she has been active in promoting the WASP story. She helped set up the WASP exhibit at the San Diego Aerospace Museum, which was gutted by fire at one point. The museum moved to a new location and a new display was installed. In 1992 she supported an oral history of the WASP by Gail Gutierrez for California State University in Fullerton. Now, May, 2003, she enjoys retirement with Mario, Lynn and Lee, the 5 grandchildren, her garden and her bicycle.

[the-record-newspaper]

Looking back on those we lost in 2019

Lillie Brewer

Her tombstone reads, “Love is a verb” and the life she lived demonstrated it. 

Lillie Dean Bryan Brewer passed peacefully into heaven on March 7, 2019. She had been residing at her home surrounded by those who loved her, and whom she taught to love. 

She good-naturedly endured the nickname “Dinky” due to her diminutive size, but her impact on the lives of those around her was anything but small. 

She was a lifelong learner, attending Berea College and earning a nursing degree from Rex Hospital and an Education Specialist degree from Appalachian State University. She was a devotee of The Great Courses, enjoying them on her iPad for years. 

She was an Emergency Room registered nurse at Rex Hospital and was credited by many young residents for helping them learn their way around emergency medicine. She worked energetically right up until the day she delivered her son, the “miracle baby” she was not supposed to have been able to have due to her thyroid cancer. Soon after her son was born in 1958, the place where she worked became her treatment center. She survived cancer that time and lived another 60 years. Some people credited her boundless energy with the thyroid medication that she had to take every day for the rest of her life. However, her family knew that her vim and vigor pre-existed her illness. 

She was a reading and English teacher at Boomer Ferguson Elementary and Woodward Junior High Schools whose students fondly remember her kindness, patience, and ability to increase their reading proficiency in a positive and encouraging environment. 

For more than 15 years, she was a legal assistant who advocated tirelessly for the rights of Social Security disability and workers’ compensation clients, as well as medical malpractice, product liability and personal injury cases, at her family’s fourth-generation law firm. When her declining health forced her to leave that position, she did so only after diligently and enthusiastically passing along knowledge of the job to her grandson who replaced her.  For more than 50 years, she taught children’s Bible classes at Wilkesboro church of Christ. As a lifelong and devoted student of the Bible, she participated in Bible Study Fellowship for several years. 

She served in both the Wilkesboro Women’s Club and the Delta Kappa Gamma honorary society for women educators for many years, parking cars at MerleFest much longer than her rich age should have allowed. When not parking cars, Lillie could be found in either the Traditional Tent watching Wayne Henderson and the Kruger Brothers, or at the Main Stage listening and dancing to the joyful exuberant music of Scythian (her favorite Irish/Gypsy music band). 

Mrs. Brewer thought hard work was important, but she thought recreation was just as important. She was the driving force behind what is now known as Cub Creek Park in Wilkesboro, NC. It was important to her that Wilkesboro have a park for everyone to walk, have picnics, play ball and play tennis with their family. She served on the Parks & Recreation Board for 52 years and recently was awarded the key to the Town of Wilkesboro.  Once when she presented a program on literacy to the Kiwanis club and read aloud the children’s book, I’ll Love You Forever, grown men dissolved in tears. It was a favorite recollection of her husband and one that never failed to make him chuckle. 

Together, Joe and Lillie Brewer regularly took in people like some folks collect stamps: the more varied the backgrounds, histories, and nationalities, the better. The collection of extended family that they kept in their own home (many for years at a time) included a 102-year-old grandmother, a high school senior, a newly released felon, several young cousins, and two international exchange students including a Colombian who remained for six years.  Her table was always set for family, friends and strangers, and if you could not come to her home to share a meal, she would bring it to yours. She and Joe also paid or cancelled innumerable debts of others, paid school tuition for extended family and friends, and gave rent free housing to numerous families. 

Lillie’s wisdom and good advice were cherished by her family. She was always planning ahead and thinking of the next project. In fact, never wanting to be a burden on her family, she planned and paid for her own funeral in 1994. 

She took good care of those around her. She was the impetus for building the house next door to hers where her mother, her father, and her father-in-law spent their last years in comfort, surrounded by family members and compassionate caregivers. 

Her circle of caring spread far and wide, extending even to those she did not know personally. When a 2014 newspaper article announced the felony arrests of five young Asians for stealing twelve ears of corn from a field beside Highway 268 West, Lillie lifted her pen in action. She wrote a passionate letter to the editor of the paper, asking if the young people had been referred to local help agencies, asking if they had been informed of North Carolina’s laws, and recounting a time from her childhood when her own father had allowed others to take food from his garden. It was not unusual for Lillie to call for compassion, forgiveness and charity as opposed to persecution.  She was a member of the Friends of the Library board who initiated the annual Chocolate Extravaganza. On February 11, 2015, when her husband passed away in her arms at his law office, a grieving but determined Lillie stayed up all night at her home cooking chocolate creations for the library event the next day. One of her last acts was directing her daughter to create chocolate-covered Bugles for the Extravaganza a few short weeks ago.  In truth, no one person will ever know all of the good that she did in her lifetime. 

Lillie was preceded in homegoing by the love of her life, Joe Oliver Brewer; her parents, T.R. Bryan, Sr., and Nell Plyler Bryan, and her brothers, Dr. T. R. Bryan, Jr. and Jackson Bryan. 

Cherishing her memory and inspired to try to follow her example are her son, Gregory J. Brewer (Lisa) of North Wilkesboro, NC; daughter, Tonya Brewer Osborne (Joey) of Hickory, NC; grandchildren, Joseph Zachary “Zack” Brewer, David Bryan Brewer, Tanner Paige Clifton, Karsen Elizabeth Osborne and Sadie Olivia Osborne; sisters, Rhoda Jean Billings (Don) of Lewisville, NC, Suzie Bryan Wiles (David) of Wilkesboro, NC, and brother, John Q. Bryan (Janet) of Wilmington, NC, as well as a delightful clan of nieces and nephews, and great-nieces and great-nephews. The family wishes to thank Lillie’s skilled, compassionate caregivers: Nena Shepherd, Donna Poole, Emily Poole, Diane Greer, and Polly Nichols. 

Per Mrs. Brewer’s wishes, a public memorial service was held on Saturday, March 16, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. at the Wilkesboro Church of Christ located at 1740  Curtis Bridge Road, Wilkesboro, N.C.

  Bill Casey

Mr. William “Bill” Eller Casey age 91 of North Wilkesboro, passed away Monday, September 09, 2019 at his home.

Memorial services  were held 11 a.m., Thursday, September 12, 2019 at First United Methodist Church North Wilkesboro with Dr. Tim Roberts officiating. The family received friends immediately following the service in the Faith Center.

Bill was born August 30, 1928 in Wilkes County to Andrew Harrison Casey and Vera Eller Casey. He graduated Wake Forest College in 1950 and was an Army combat veteran having served in Korea. He was a Life Insurance Agent. Mr. Casey was a member of First United Methodist Church of North Wilkesboro. He was active in civic and church affairs, Casey served as president of the Winston-Salem Certified Life Underwriter Chapter, president of the North Wilkesboro Kiwanis Club, and held various positions at North Wilkesboro First United Methodist Church, including cook for the Methodist Men for over fifty years. Casey served as Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 335 for many years and was awarded the Silver Beaver for distinguished service to boyhood by the Old Hickory Council of the Boy Scouts of America in January 1975. Casey, an avid fisherman, enjoyed the outdoors and was a charter member of the OF Hiking Club.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sisters; Lucille Wilson and Mary Ann Sigmon.

Mr. Casey is survived by his wife; Frances Louise Harris Casey of the home, two daughters; Ellen Casey and husband Thomas Hemmendinger of Hope, Rhode Island and Sarah Howell and husband Keith Howell of North Wilkesboro, a son; Andrew Casey and wife Lisa Casey of North Wilkesboro, seven grandchildren; Emily Pardue and husband Joseph, Anna Hemmendinger, William Howell, Molly Casey, Samuel Hemmendinger, Catherine Howell and Barbara Casey and a great grandson; Carson Pardue.

Honorary Pallbearers will be his Former Boy Scouts from Troop 335.

 J.C. Faw

Well known Wilkes businessman J.C. Faw died Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019.

Mr. Faw began his entrepreneurial career in the early 1950’s when he acquired his first grocery store in North Wilkesboro. Between the early 1950’s and 1983, his principal efforts were directed toward the development and operations of Lowe’s Food Stores, Inc.  When Lowe’s food Stores was sold to Merchant’s Distributors, Inc. in 1983, it had grown to a chain of 75 grocery stores, 25 convenience stores and 12 restaurants doing an annual sales volume of approximately $250 million.  Part of Lowe’s Foods’ growth resulted from Mr. Faw developing the real estate and constructing strip shopping centers in certain market areas located in North Carolina and southern Virginia, for a number of the stores in which Lowe’s operated.

In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, Mr. Faw and a business partner built and operated a chain of 11 very successful Hardees franchise restaurants.  These restaurants were sold back to Hardees when Mr. Faw and his business partner started the Bojangle’s Restaurant chain.  Although he sold his interest in the original Bojangle’s company in the 1980’s, he still owned three Bojangle’s franchises.  Other franchise food service operations he owned include Arby’s, Subway and Taco Bell.  All of these units are located in the Foothills and Piedmont section of North   Carolina.

After the sale of Lowe’s Food Stores, Inc., Mr. Faw formed Fast Track, Inc., a chain of convenience stores located in the Piedmont and Foothills sections of North Carolina.  Fast Track currently operates 13 convenience stores and primarily markets Shell petroleum products.  In addition to conventional convenience store operations, Fast Tracks also operates co-branded franchise operations with several well known food fanchisers. The real estate for most of the Fast Track stores was developed and owned by Mr. Faw.

In 1984, Mr. Faw started a motel operation which was later incorporated as Addison Properties, Inc.,  jointly owned by Mr. Faw and his son, James Clayton Faw.  Over the years several franchised hotel properties were acquired and later sold.

Although Mr. Faw had been involved in new and used automobile operations on a small scale throughout his career, in the late 1980’s he and another individual acquired the dealership for Cadillac, Oldsmobile and other General Motors products located in Elkin. That dealership was operated profitably until it was sold in 1991. Mr. Faw and his partner then acquired the dealership in Wilkes County, that had the franchises for Cadillac, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, GM Trucks, Dodge and Nissan. In 1992, Mr. Faw acquired his partner’s interest in that dealership with his son under the corporate name of Premier Chevrolet Buick, Inc.  Mr. Faw also owned Auto USA, Inc., the Wilkes County dealer for Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep.  

Mr. Faw’s real estate development endeavors began primarily with strip shopping centers and Lowe’s Food Stores being the anchor tenant, and these activities expanded over the years to include the construction of a number of other commercial and residential properties. These properties include shopping centers, warehouses, restaurants, motels, hotels, residential subdivisions, office buildings, convenience stores and automobile dealerships. This development has been accomplished both through the use of general contractors as well as through the use of sub-contractors with Mr. Faw serving as his own general contractor.

In March 2017, Mr. Faw was selected Citizen of the Year by the Rotary Club of North Wilkesboro.

During his introduction of Faw, club member Joe McMillan said, “When you step back and look at all of Mr. Faw’s accomplishments over the past 60-plus years of doing business here in our great county, it is only fair to say that this man truly, truly is a legend.”

Barry Bush, who has worked for Faw for more than 25 years, spoke of the effect Faw had on his family, long before he ever went to work for him. He recounted a story of his grandfather, Henry Bauguss, who was a printer and sign painter, who for many years painted the window banners for many of Faw’s Lowe’s Food stores. Bush said that his grandfather was always appreciative of that work and his treatment by Faw personally, saying that, the sign work he did for Lowe’s helped him buy a home and educate both his daughters.

Bush went on to detail stories of his longtime relationship in real estate with Faw, stories sprinkled with humor as well as an obviously sincere affection.

According to Bush, some of Faw’s businesses, in addition to grocery stores, Faw had built and operated a wide variety of homegrown and franchised enterprises, including: Pantry Pride, Run-Ins, FastTrack, Hardee’s, Bojangle’s, Shoney’s, Tipton’s, Holiday Inn, Addison Motor Inn, College Park Cinema, Taco Bell, McAlister’s Deli, Drug World, AutoRack, Rather’s Famous Chicken and Biscuits, Movie Max, the Empire auto dealerships, as well as real estate ventures in West Wood Hills, Shannon Park, Ravenwood, Meadowview, Ridgecrest, Fox Run, The Greens, and The Oaks- One, Two and Three.

McMillan said that the variety of businesses Faw has run and his ability to “multitask” made him unique.

He added that he first met Faw when he went to work for a dairy in Wilkes 57 years ago. He was needing a place to live and was told to call Faw.

“I made that call and Faw had just what I needed,” McMillan said.

He said Faw was also community minded.

“As Mr. Faw grew his businesses he did a lot of good things for other communities as well as his own, especially when he took his commercial development enterprises into other cities and states,” McMillan said.

He went on to add that one of the best things Faw has done for Wilkes County is the development along U.S. 421 in Wilkesboro. “Some call it the Miracle Mile,” McMillan said. “All those businesses, just think about what they do for Wilkes County. There are literally hundreds of jobs in all those businesses combined.”

McMillan continued, “To see the gold mine. To see what could take place with some proper development, this man had the expertise to make it happen, and he made it happen. What a success story.”

Joining Faw the evening he received the Rotary Club award was his wife, Judy, son, Jim, and wife, Sandy, daughter, Diane, her husband, Monty Shaw, and two ladies who help Faw: Kenya Bailey and Keeya Gibbs.

After receiving his plaque from Rotarian Charles Bentley, Faw spoke briefly, thanking the club for the honor and reflecting on his more than 60 years in business.

 Charles Avery Gilliam

Charles Avery Gilliam, age 88, of Ronda passed away Sunday, June 30, 2019 at his home. Mr.  Gilliam was born February 12, 1931 to Don Spurgon Gilliam and Myrtle Clementine Harris Gilliam.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Bobbie Ann Green Gilliam; three brothers, D. Flake and wife Evelyn, Robert, and infant brother Rex; two sisters Norma Casstevens and husband Gray, and Kathleen Pardue and husband Glenn.

Mr. Gilliam is survived by his daughters, Jan Gilliam, Ann Deal and husband Thomas; grandsons, Charles “Chas” Deal and wife Hannah, Christopher Deal; brother-in-law O.L. “Lonnie” Brown and wife Dottie; sister-in-law, Dot Gilliam; several cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Mr. Gilliam served in the US Army in England from 1951 – 1953 and was a lifelong member of Bethel Baptist Church.

Mr. Gilliam ran Ronda Hardware for 46 years. He helped establish the Ronda Fire Department and served as chief for 27 years. He played a supporting role in helping secure the building of the “new” Ronda bridge and bringing a branch of Yadkin Valley Bank to Ronda.

Funeral services were held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, July 6 at Bethel Baptist Church with Dr. Steve Fowler officiating. Burial followed with Military Honors by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10346 Honor Guard in the church cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Charles “Chas” Deal, Christopher Deal, Todd Gilliam, Jeff Pardue, Lonnie Brown, Danny Mathis, Mike Johnson, and Mike Nichols. Honorary pallbearers will be John Drum and members of the Ronda Fire Department.

Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to Bethel Baptist Church, 2178 Bethel Rd., Ronda, NC 27670 or Ronda Fire Department, PO Box   12164, Ronda, NC 29670.

Since Charles was an avid story teller, the family grew up loving stories and would appreciate any memories that others may have of him or his wife Bobbie Ann; Ronda Hardware, the Ronda Fire Department; or life in Ronda. Memories may be sent to the Gilliam Family, PO   Box 306, Ronda, NC 28670 or email RondaHardware@gmail.com

  Junior Johnson

The last American Hero is gone.

NASCAR legend Robert Glenn “Junior” Johnson died Friday, Dec. 20, under hospice care in Charlotte. He was 88.

Junior Johnson, who was born in raised in Ronda, cut his teeth driving fast cars filled with illicit moonshine through the back roads of western North Carolina. He entered racing at an early age.

Mike Staley of Wilkes, the son of Enoch Staley — a charter member of NASCAR and former owner of the North Wilkesboro Speedway — said his father saw potential in the young moonshine runner.

“Junior and Dad were good friends and went way back,” Staley said. “When he (Johnson) was about 16, my dad picked him up. Junior was working in a field, plowing behind a mule. My dad told him they needed a driver for a race. Junior went with him to the track, got in the car and took off.”

Staley added that his father and Johnson remained good friends up until the time of Enoch Staley’s death in 1995

Racing was in Johnson’s blood. His first NASCAR race was in 1953 where he ran in the Southern 500 at Darlington, S.C. His first checkered flag came in 1955 at Hickory Motor Speedway. Appropriately enough, his final victory came at the North Wilkesboro Speedway during the 1965 Wilkes 400.

He ran 313 races over his 14-year driving career, taking a total of 50 wins, 148 top 10 finishes and 46 poles. His last race was in 1966 in the American 500 at Rockingham.

His achievements in the sport of racing include:

Winner of the 1960 Daytona 500;

Six-time Winston Cup Series Owner’s Championship with Cale Yarborough (1976, 1977 and 1978) and Dale Waltrip (1981, 1982 and 1985);

Named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998;

International Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee in 1990;

Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Inductee in 1991;

NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee in 2010.

About their father’s passing, Junior Johnson’s children wrote:

“Friday afternoon, Junior Johnson passed away peacefully with those he loved nearby. To the world, he was the ‘Last American Hero,’ but to us he was simply Dad. Our time with him barely overlapped with his racing career, but he gave us the last, and greatest, laps of his life. No amount of time, no matter how long, could have ever been enough to spend together. He never missed a night of telling us 'I love you’ before bedtime, or how proud he was that we were becoming the people he’d raised us to be. He was a courageous man, a generous friend, a loving and dedicated husband, and the best father anyone could’ve asked for. He lives on through us, the many lives he touched, and in the sport to which he gave so much. We would like to thank everyone who has reached out or shared a kind story about our Dad, and we are deeply grateful for the overwhelming outpouring of support. It has been a comfort to us all during this difficult time. We love you. Dad, Sissy and Robert.”

NASCAR Hall of Fame Executive Director Winston Kelley said in a statement: “It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Junior Johnson on behalf of the Johnson family. First and foremost, everyone at the NASCAR Hall of Fame offers our most sincere condolences to Lisa, Robert, Meredith and the entire family. We have lost one of NASCAR’s true pioneers, innovators, competitors and an incredible mechanical and business mind.  And personally, I have lost one of my dearest friends. While we will miss Junior mightily, his legacy and memory will forever be remembered, preserved, celebrated and cherished at the NASCAR Hall of Fame and in the hearts and minds of race fans around the world.  Please join us in remembering and celebrating Robert Glenn Johnson Jr.”

NASCAR CEO and Chairman, Jim France stated: “Junior Johnson truly was the ‘Last American Hero.’ From his early days running moonshine through the end of his life, Junior wholly embodied the NASCAR spirit. He was an inaugural NASCAR Hall of Famer, a nod to an extraordinary career as both a driver and team owner. Between his on-track accomplishments and his introduction of Winston to the sport, few have contributed to the success of NASCAR as Junior has. The entire NASCAR family is saddened by the loss of a true giant of our sport, and we offer our deepest condolences to Junior’s family and friends during this difficult time.”

Mike Staley, as did his father, considered Junior Johnson to be a friend.

“I was invited several times to eat breakfast with him. I enjoyed the time I spent with him. It was great. It was a lot of fun.”

And Johnson never forgot his roots.

Staley said, “He was loyal to Wilkes County and the people who got him where he was.”

 Julius A. Rousseau Jr.

The Honorable Julius A. Rousseau Jr., 88, retired senior resident Superior Court judge for the 23rd Judicial District (Wilkes, Ashe, Alleghany and Yadkin counties), died Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019, at Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home in Winston-Salem.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at noon Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019,  at First United Methodist Church of North Wilkesboro, with Dr. Tim Roberts and Dr. William T. Medlin, III officiating . The Rousseau family will receive friends following the service in the Faith Center.

Born in North Wilkesboro on Dec. 3 1930, Judge Rousseau was the son of the Honorable Julius A. and Gertrude Hall Rousseau. Julius A. Rousseau Sr. was an N.C. Superior Court judge from 1935-1958. Combined, the father and son served as N.C. Superior Court judges for more than 50 years.

The younger Judge Rousseau was also an emergency Superior Court judge, a part-time position appointed by the governor, from 1999-2015. He first became a judge when named to fill the unexpired term of Resident Senior Superior Court Judge Robert M. Gambill in 1972. He was subsequently elected to eight-year terms in 1974, 1982, and 1990. He had the longest tenure of any Superior Court judge in the state when he retired in late 1998.

He and the former Gary Maxwell were married in August 1955, and they had one son, Julius A. Rousseau III, an attorney in New  York  City, who is married to Sharon Campbell Rousseau. The couple lived in Wilkesboro until they moved to Arbor Acres United Methodist Retirement Community in Winston-Salem a few years ago.

Judge Rousseau is survived by his wife, son and daughter-in-law, adopted grandchildren; Daniel, Jay and Stephanie Shinaman, Neal and Jackson Smith and special friends; Dr. and Mrs. Brad Shinaman and Mr. and Mrs. Brian Smith.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three sisters, Nelle Rousseau Bailey, Frances Rousseau Alspaugh and Nancy Rousseau Kern.

Judge Rousseau graduated from North Wilkesboro High School in 1949, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (where he played football as a walk-on) with an undergraduate degree in 1953 and from the UNC School of Law in 1956. 

He had a solo law practice in North Wilkesboro from 1956-1962, and was a partner in Moore & Rousseau in Wilkesboro from 1963 until 1972, when he became a Superior Court judge. Judge Rousseau was chairman of the Wilkes County Democratic Party Executive Committee from 1961-1968.

Judge Rousseau was a lifelong member of the First United Methodist Church of North Wilkesboro, where he served on the church’s board of trustees and was a member of the Men’s Bible Class. He also was a member of the North Wilkesboro Kiwanis Club and North Wilkesboro’s Elks Lodge.

He served for about 20 years with other trial judges on the state’s Pattern Jury Instruction Committee, a volunteer body that creates annual supplements to judges’ instructions to juries, based on changes in statutory and case law. He also was president of the N.C. Conference of Superior Court Judges.

He was a member of the committee that designed the current Wilkes County Courthouse in Wilkesboro, which opened the same year he retired as a senior resident Superior Court judge.

N.C. Supreme Court Justice Sarah Parker presented Judge Rousseau the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, one of top awards given by the governor, in 2012.

In a newspaper interview in late 1998, Judge Rousseau said he simply wanted to be remembered as fair. He continued, “I’ve tried to be the best judge I know how….to do what is right regardless of who or what a person was. I made some people mad in the process, but I have been able to put my head down and go to sleep each night.”

The family request that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to Wilkes ADAP PO Box 968 North Wilkesboro, NC 28659, First United Methodist Church of North Wilkesboro Memorial Fund PO Box 1145 North Wilkesboro, NC 28659 or to the Donor’s Choice.

  Conrad Shaw

Conrad Shaw, a well known educator, civic leader and WWII Marine Corps veteran died on Saturday, Aug. 31.

The following is his obituary.

Dr. Conrad Aldean Shaw, Sr. age 94, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Saturday Aug. 31, 2019. 

He was born on Nov. 30, 1924, in Alleghany County.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Martin H. and Recie McKnight Shaw, and his brother, Dwight M. Shaw. 

He is survived by his wonderful wife of 73 years, Elizabeth (Lib), who he met at Appalachian State University and married on Dec. 21, 1945; son, Conal, and Annette Shaw of Roanoke, Va.; daughter, Cathy, and Steve Snipes of North Wilkesboro; granddaughter, Catherine, and Mac Marlow of Roanoke, Va.; grandson, Jonathan, and Stacie Shaw of Richmond, Va.; granddaughter, Laura, and David Brooks of Wilkesboro; granddaughter, Rachel, and Eric Sutphin of Concord; great grandson, Nathaniel Marlow of Roanoke, Va.; great granddaughter, Olivia Marlow of Roanoke, Va.; great granddaughter, Caroline Shaw of Richmond, Va.; great grandsons, Connor and Corbin Brooks of Wilkesboro; foster great grandbaby, Isabella; a sister, Wynnogene Day of Savannah, Ga.; a brother, Kyle, and Barbara Shaw of Houston, Texas.

Dr. Shaw was a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, having served three years, two of which were in the South Pacific (New Calidonia, Gudalcanal, and Okinawa).

Dr. Shaw and his wife, Elizabeth, and son, Conal, moved to North Wilkesboro in August 1948 to teach business subjects at North Wilkesboro High School.  After four years in that position, Dr. Shaw became principal of North Wilkesboro Elementary School (grades one through eight) in 1952 as North Wilkesboro and Wilkesboro High Schools merged into Wilkes Central High School.  He served as principal for 14 years.

When Wilkes Community College opened its doors for multi-classes on July 1, 1966 in the Wilkesboro Primary School Building, college President Dr. Howard Thompson invited him to join him in the position of Business Officer for the college.  The responsibilities consisted of accounting and budgeting of finances, and plant and grounds management.  The new college facilities, consisting of three buildings, were completed in April 1970.  Dr. Shaw oversaw growth of the college.  It went from zero to eight buildings, 2,200 students, and 90 acres of land.

In 1972, Dr. Shaw and four other Community College Business Officers and the State Community Director of Finance were the founding officers of the Association of Community College Business Officers, ACCBO.  The ACCBO meetings throughout the state enabled the officers to learn more as the new North Carolina Community College System progressed.  Dr. Shaw served as president of ACCBO in 1974-75.

Dr. Shaw’s educational career spanned 47 years, all of which were in Wilkes County.  He earned a Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts from Appalachian State University, and a Doctor of Education from Nova University in Fort  Lauderdale, Fla.  He also took courses at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and Florida State.  In 1994, Dr. Shaw was chosen as the Outstanding College Business Officer of Region XI, which included North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Virginia.

Other life contributions included service at First Baptist Church of North Wilkesboro as Sunday School teacher, Sunday School Superintendent, President of the Men’s Brotherhood, Director of the Baptist Training Union (BTU), Deacon beginning in 1952, Chairman of the Board of Deacons several times, Chairman of the Building Renovation Committee for the educational building, and was named Deacon Emeritus in 2017.  He loved the church and loved serving the Lord.

The North Wilkesboro Lions Club was Dr. Shaw’s civic love, having almost 100 percent attendance since 1952.  He served in a number of positions including the office of president in 1973-74 and 2000-2001.  He was named the Rotary Club’s Citizen of the Year in March of 2019.  His hobbies included collecting antique radios, and he and Mrs. Shaw were members in the western square dance club, the Tory Oak Twirlers for 31 years. He enjoyed traveling throughout the United  States and to many other countries with friends since his retirement from the college in 1995.

The family received friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 1, 2019, at Reins Sturdivant Funeral Home.  Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 2, 2019, in the sanctuary of First Baptist Church of North Wilkesboro, with Dr. Bert Young and Rev. Steve Snipes officiating.  A private burial was held at Scenic Memorial Gardens.

 Tracy Walker

Former Wilkes County commissioner, school board member and N.C. representative Tracy Walker, died Monday, Oct. 14, 2019.

He passed away at N.C. Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem.

Walker, of Wilkesboro, was born July 27, 1939, to the Rev. Frank and Margie Walker. He was a Republican who represented the state’s 94th House district, including constituents in Wilkes County, in 1998, and again from 2001 to 2008.

He served on the Wilkes County Board of Education from 1972 to 1976 and on the Wilkes County Board of Commissioners from 1978 to 1996.

He was a retired human resources manager at Chatham Manufacturing in Elkin.

With ties to Elkin and eastern Wilkes because of his position at Chatham, Rebel Good, publisher of The Tribune in Elkin, said that many residents of eastern Wilkes considered Walker as being “their” commissioner.

In 1996, Walker was the Republican nominee for North Carolina Commissioner of Labor but lost the election to incumbent Harry Payne, a Democrat.

Walker also served for several years on the Wilkes Economic & Development Commission, beginning in 2001.

Walker was in the U.S. Air Force from 1955 to 1959, rising to the rank of Airman 2nd Class.

Walker is survived by his wife, Nena of the home, and sons Kirk Walker of North Wilkesboro, and Randy Walker of Wilkesboro.

At press time, funeral arrangements were not available. Check our website at http://www.therecordandthursdayprinting.com/ for updates. Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home is assisting the Walker family.

The following is the formal obituary

Mr. R. Tracy Walker, age 82 of Wilkesboro passed away Monday, October 14, 2019 at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.  

Funeral services were held at Reins-Sturdivant Chapel with Rev. Steve Smith officiating.  Burial with Military Honors by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1142 will be in Mtn. Park Cemetery in Wilkesboro.  The family will received friends at Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home.

Mr. Walker was born July 27, 1937 in Wilkes County to Charles Frank. Sr.and Margie Lou Adams Walker. 

Mr. Walker had 30 years of public service.  He served 8 years in Raleigh in the NC House of Representatives and was a Wilkes County Commissioner for 18 years.  He also served on the Wilkes County School Board for 4 years.  He was retired Personnel Manager at Chatham Manufacturing and a member of Wilkesboro Baptist Church and First Light Church.

In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by a grandson; Ryan Thomas Walker and a brother; Charles Frank Walker, Jr. (Pee-Wee).

He is survived by his wife; Nena Watkins Walker of the home, two sons; Randy Walker and wife Shannon of Wilkesboro and Kirk Walker and wife Kim of North Wilkesboro, four grandchildren; Chad Walker and wife Megan, Caitlin Walker, Brandon Walker and wife Ashley and Whitney Nolan and husband Chris and six great grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to First Light Church, PO Box 2071, North Wilkesboro, NC 28659 or Donor’s Choice.

On Line condolences may be made at www.reinssturdivant.com

   Patricia Lynn Worth

 Patricia Lynn Worth, age 59, of Sparta, N.C., passed away Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019 at Wake Forest Baptist Health in Winston-Salem, N.C.

               She was born Nov. 5, 1959 in Ashe County, N.C., to June Weaver Worth and the late Will Allen Worth. She was a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in Journalism.

               Lynn is survived by her mother, June Weaver Worth of Jefferson, N.C.; two brothers: Thomas Worth and wife Cynthia of Oak Ridge, N.C., Phil Worth and wife Les of Grassy Creek, N.C.; a special niece, Ellen Worth of Arizona; a special nephew, Andrew Worth of South Korea; her furry canine kids: Punky, Belle,and Red along with Tux the cat and his buddies of the home.

[wutbju]

Oostburg - Rev. Paul John Van Loon, 95, of Oostburg, passed away on Sunday, March 10, 2019, at Harbor Chase in Shorewood.

Paul was born on April 9, 1923, in La Crosse to John and Anna (Mulder) Van Loon. Paul was a 1941 graduate of Holmen High School, he received his Bachelors Degree in History from Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC in 1959 and his Bachelors in Divinity from Dubuque University Seminary. He served his country in the United States Army during WWII from 1942-1946. On July 26, 1947 he married Mary Jane Leavesley in Ann Arbor, MI. Paul was pastor at Ottawa Presbyterian Church in Dousman for 6 years and then First Presbyterian Church in Oostburg for 25 years until his retirement in 1991.

Paul was a member of Milwaukee Presbytery and was Moderator in 1976. He was a part time visiting pastor at Hingham Reformed Church, and an interim pastor in Cedar Grove and Stoney Hills. Paul was a charter member of the Oostburg Kiwanis; he was also an active member of the American Legion Post 286, and VFW. He served as chaplain for both the American Legion Post 286 and VFW, as well as being the State of Wisconsin VFW Chaplain in the late 90's. Paul and Mary Jane's involvement with the New Wilmington Missionary Conference in PA, led to a friendship with missionaries Stan and Betty Wick, which resulted in members of the church building a school at their mission in Guatemala. In 2011, Paul had the privilege to go on the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight. He was an avid Green Bay Packers and Milwaukee Brewers fan; he enjoyed Bible study, reading, history, travel, photography, creating slide programs, and gardening.

Paul is survived by his wife, Mary Jane; three daughters, Mary Jane (Behrouz Vafa) Van Loon of Bridgewater, NJ, Ruth Anne (David Nash) Van Loon of Cincinnati, OH, and Sara Van Loon of Milwaukee; three grandchildren, Nathan Nash, Samuel Nash, and Marjan Vafa; brother, Donald (Becky) Van Loon; two sisters-in-law, Eleanor Poole and Evelyn Van Loon; and one brother-in-law, Forrest Williams. He is further survived by nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Paul was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Doris (Carl) Engel and Rachel Williams; brother, Russell Van Loon; mother-in-law, Ethel Leavesley; sister-in-law, Donna Van Loon; and brother-in-law, Duane Poole.

A funeral service to celebrate Paul's life will be held on Saturday, March 16, 2019, at 11 am at First Presbyterian Church in Oostburg with Rev. Brian Jacobson officiating. A burial will take place at Oostburg Cemetery.

Relatives and friends may greet the family at Wenig Funeral Home in Oostburg on Friday, March 15, 2019, from 3-7 pm and again on Saturday, March 16, 2019 at the CHURCH from 9 am until the time of service at 11 am.

A memorial fund is being established in his name.

[csrgood]

SunTrust Foundation Awards $500,000 Grant to Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington to Establish Makerspace

The SunTrust Foundation today announced it has awarded a $500,000 grant to the Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington (GLOW) for a state-of-the-art makerspace in what is North Carolina’s only single-gender public charter school. With tools, equipment and trained faculty, GLOW Academy’s SunTrust Foundation Makerspace combines a 21st-century science lab, woodshop, computer lab and art room in a vibrant creative area where students in grades six through 12 are given the tools and guidance to investigate, experiment, create and invent. The SunTrust Foundation Makerspace is on GLOW Academy’s new 31-acre campus that is dedicated to closing the achievement and opportunity gaps for low-income families. The school opened in August 2016 with its inaugural class of 100 sixth graders and will reach full enrollment of 725 students in the 2022/23 academic year.  

“We are dedicated to helping GLOW students break through gender barriers,” said Todd Godbey, CEO of GLOW Academy. “The SunTrust Foundation Makerspace will ensure that our graduates have the skills to better compete and succeed in the modern business world or create businesses of their own.” The SunTrust Foundation grant will fund workspace modules; safety equipment; mechanical and power tools; materials and equipment for woodworking, metalworking and textile projects; a 3D printer, laser cutter and robotic workstations; faculty training; staffing and science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) curriculum.  

“We are delighted to establish this learning environment for Wilmington’s GLOW Academy,” said Stan Little, president of the SunTrust Foundation. “We believe the SunTrust Foundation Makerspace will have a direct and valuable impact on young women as they explore their creativity in STEAM fields.”

Studies show that inquiry-based instruction increases long-term retention of content and helps students perform as well as or better than traditional learners in high-stakes tests. Educators also see advancements in problem-solving and collaboration skills and improvements in students' attitudes toward learning.   

“GLOW Academy is an outstanding institution,” said Sandra Spiers, Wilmington city president for SunTrust Bank. “We’re committed to improving the well-being of others in our communities, and this partnership will help position GLOW students for a more financially confident future as they gain a holistic education to prepare them for demanding careers.” 

About GLOW Academy The Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington is North Carolina's only single gender public charter school. With a focus on closing the achievement and opportunity gaps among low income families, the 6th thru 12th grade school is part of a nationwide network of 19 groundbreaking and successful single-gender schools. This Young Women’s Leadership Network is guided by a proven educational model focused on academic rigor, personal responsibility, leadership and college preparedness. At GLOW Academy, she will: graduate, go to college and succeed in life. For more information about GLOW Academy and the grand opening celebration for its new campus, visit www.glowacademy.net.  

About SunTrust Foundation The SunTrust Foundation is committed to SunTrust Bank’s (NYSE: STI) purpose of Lighting the Way to Financial Well-Being by engaging with local and national organizations to advance financial confidence. Grants and activities focus primarily on financial education, financial counseling, career readiness and small business/entrepreneurship, in addition to local community grants. The SunTrust Foundation supports American Red Cross disaster relief efforts and contributes as a United Way Global Corporate Leader. Established in 2008, the SunTrust Foundation has proudly provided grants totaling more than $180 million throughout the United States.

source: https://www.csrwire.com/press_releases/43068-SunTrust-Foundation-Awards-500-000-Grant-to-Girls-Leadership-Academy-of-Wilmington-to-Establish-Makerspace?tracking_source=rss

[marymosley]

News Roundup

With Thanksgiving upon us, North Carolinians are preparing for a long holiday weekend and this will be the last post of the week for the blog.  We hope our readers have a relaxing time with friends and family.  Of course, a prerequisite to relaxation is safe travel during this historically busy time on the state’s highways.  WLOS reports that beginning on Wednesday the State Highway Patrol will station troopers every 20 miles on I-40 to ensure that everyone is following the rules of the road.  The NC DOT says that law enforcement officers across the state are conducting a Thanksgiving “Click it or Ticket” campaign – last year’s effort involved 428 checkpoints and the discovery of more than 40,000 traffic and criminal violations (#pulledover).  Enjoy the holiday and keep reading for more news.

Hurricane Recovery.  The Thanksgiving holiday is a good time to be mindful that Hurricane Florence recovery efforts still are in full swing in the eastern part of the state.  Information about available assistance and ways to contribute to the recovery effort can be found at rebuild.nc.org.

Vision Zero.  WRAL reports that the North Carolina commissioner of insurance and the state highway safety director presided over a memorial at the State Capitol last weekend that honored the 1,412 North Carolinians killed last year in traffic crashes.  As part of the memorial, pairs of shoes representing every victim were displayed as a visual reminder of the lives lost.  The memorial coincided with the International World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.

Police Chases.  The Greensboro News & Record reports that two people died last weekend in Guilford County after their flight from a checkpoint turned into a vehicle chase that ended in a crash.  Tyrek Daye and Rodney Maynard were ejected from their vehicle when it collided with a utility pole during a chase with Highway Patrol troopers.

There have been several fatalities of officers and suspects alike during North Carolina police chases this year.  A recent story from WRAL reviews the chase policies of departments across the state and characterizes the Highway Patrol’s chase policy as among the most aggressive in the state.  According to the report, the Highway Patrol classifies speeders, impaired drivers, and aggressive drivers as among those offenders who should be apprehended as quickly as possible.  In contrast, the Raleigh, Durham, and Fayetteville police departments have more restrictive policies, permitting chases only where a driver is suspected of a violent felony or a crime considered dangerous to human life.

Principal Accused of Rape Found Dead.  The News & Observer reports that a North Carolina charter school principal who has been accused of raping a student was found dead in Mebane on Monday.  On Friday, Richard Omar Knight, the principal of Dillard Academy Charter School, was charged in a warrant with sex crimes by Goldsboro police and became the subject of a manhunt.  He was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted injury in a wooded area of Orange County.

Recovery & Exercise.  The Wilmington Star-News reports that the New Hanover County Treatment Court recently held a special ceremony to recognize the first graduate of the Cape Fear Incentives to Exercise Program.  The program encourages people in addiction recovery to engage in consistent exercise because doing so has been shown to help recovery.  Steve McHale was the first graduate of the program and Judge James Faison and District Attorney Ben David participated in the ceremony.

Bulger.  Earlier this month, the News Roundup noted that notorious gangster Whitey Bulger was killed in prison almost immediately after being transferred to Hazelton penitentiary in West Virginia.  This week, the New York Times took a closer look at the unusual murder mystery.

Poultry Pardons.  Last week the News Roundup noted that federal criminal justice reform may be imminent, but one thing that’s not changing is the annual presidential turkey pardon.  This year, President Donald Trump must decide whether to pardon Peas or Carrots.  Though only one will be pardoned, both will be spared and will live out their golden years at Virginia Tech.

President Trump isn’t the only executive participating in anthropomorphic clemency proceedings this year.  As the News & Observer reports, on Tuesday Governor Roy Cooper pardoned Caroline and Sir Walter, two turkeys raised in the state.  The N&O report includes an interesting bit of history — Cooper’s pardon was the second animal pardon in North Carolina.  The first was Slow Poke the possum, who, after winning a beauty contest in Spivey’s Corner, traveling to New York, being bathed daily in certified milk, and having his nails painted, was to be served as the main course at a banquet at the Executive Mansion.  After weeks of public outcry, Governor Bob Scott pardoned Slow Poke in Capitol Square.

The post News Roundup appeared first on North Carolina Criminal Law.

News Roundup published first on https://immigrationlawyerto.tumblr.com/

[monsterphotoiso]

06/04/11 Wilmington DE: Charter School of Wilmington students celebrate by tossing their caps during the final moments of Charter School of Wilmington commencement exercise Saturday, June 4, 2011 at The Grand Opera House In Wilmington Delaware.

Special to The News Journal/SAQUAN STIMPSON