NC State Board of Elections

Friday Marks Deadline to Register to Vote in Primary Election

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-Press Release, North Carolina State Board of Elections

The State Board of Elections is reminding residents that the deadline to register to vote in North Carolina in the 2020 primary election is Friday, February 7.

For more information about registering, visit ncsbe.gov/Voters/Registering-to-Vote.

Individuals who miss the regular voter registration deadline may still register and vote at any one-stop early voting site in their county during the early voting period, February 13-29. To see the early voting sites in your county, go here: https://vt.ncsbe.gov/ossite/

At an early voting site, registered voters may update their address, but not their party affiliation. Registered voters who wish to change their party affiliation must do so by February 7.

 For more information about same-day registration, visit ncsbe.gov/Voting-Options/One-Stop-Early-Voting.

“The State Board encourages every eligible North Carolina resident to make sure they’re registered before the primary election,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “This includes making any changes, such as address and party affiliation.”

 To confirm your registration status, use the State Board’s voter lookup tool.

To register, individuals must meet certain qualifications and complete a North Carolina Voter Registration Application in English or Spanish. Applications are available at the state and county boards of elections, public libraries, public high schools, college admissions offices and many state agencies.

Once completed, the applicant must sign the form, and mail it or return it in-person to their county board of elections. Voters who are already registered may update their information by submitting a voter registration form by email, fax, mail, or in-person to their county board of elections.

To find the address of your local board of elections, use the county board lookup tool: vt.ncsbe.gov/BOEInfo/.

Prospective voters must meet the following qualifications to register to vote:

  • Be a U.S. citizen;
  • Have been a resident of North Carolina, the county, and precinct for 30 days before the election;
  • Be at least 18 years old; 17-year-olds may register and vote in a primary election if they will be 18 at the time of the general election; and 
  • Not be serving a sentence for a felony conviction (including probation or parole). (Citizenship and voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of the sentence. No special document is needed.)

Note: Voters are not required to show photo ID for the March 2020 primary election. In a December 31 order, a federal district court blocked North Carolina’s voter photo ID requirement from taking effect. The injunction will remain in place until further order of the court.

District Court Judge Asks Voters to ‘Keep Katherine Burnette’

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Katherine Burnette, the incumbent district court judge for the Ninth Judicial District of North Carolina, faces challenger Brian Cloninger in the March 3, 2020 Primary election. The district court judge position serves Vance, Franklin, Granville, Warren and Person counties.

Katherine Burnette, the incumbent district court judge for the Ninth Judicial District of North Carolina, faces challenger Brian Cloninger in the March 3, 2020 Primary election. (Photo courtesy Katherine Burnette)

Appointed district court judge by NC Governor Roy Cooper in 2018, Burnette filled the vacancy created by Judge Carolyn J. Thompson who was appointed to serve as a Superior Court Judge in the Ninth Judicial District earlier that year.

With 15 months of experience as a district court judge, Burnette said her current service coupled with her varied legal experience make her the ideal candidate for the job. “I have 35 years of legal experience, and it’s been broad legal experience; it’s been private practice, clerking for court of appeals judges and bankruptcy judges. I have also been a public servant since 2002 when I became an assistant district attorney in this district.”

Describing the district court process in an interview with WIZS, Burnette said she oversees a range of cases including mental health, child support, abuse/neglect/dependency, family law, domestic violence and criminal.

“I hope the main thing people say about me [as a judge] is that I am fair, that I listen to everyone and that I make reasoned decisions on the bench,” Burnette stated.

She graduated cum laude from Wake Forest University in 1981 with a BA in both English and politics and from the Wake Forest University School of Law in 1984. In 2019, she was awarded a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from Queens University in Charlotte.

According to Burnette’s website, she has practiced law in state and federal courts and has experience in family law, criminal law, and bankruptcy law as well as civil and commercial litigation. She served as an assistant district attorney for the former ninth (now eleventh) prosecutorial district from 2002-2007.

In her role as an assistant United States attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina from 2007-2011, Burnette received two national service awards for her work in financial litigation, as the civil division’s financial litigation attorney, primarily in the recovery of restitution for crime victims.

From 2011-2018, Burnette served the Violent Crimes Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office where she participated in multiple criminal trials and prosecutions for bank robbery, federal firearms, and controlled substance offenses in North Carolina.

Burnette has also held positions on the NC Board of Elections, NC Board of Ethics and State Personnel Commission.

Burnette and husband Tom, an attorney, reside in Granville County. For more information on her background, awards and volunteer work, please visit https://keepkatherineburnette.com

To hear the interview with Burnette in its entirety, please click the link below.

(This is not a paid political advertisement. Political candidates are offered equal time.)

 

Attorney Brian Cloninger Challenges Burnette for District Court Judge

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Brian Cloninger, a Henderson resident and private defense attorney at Cloninger Law Offices, PLLC, will challenge incumbent Katherine Burnette for district court judge of the Ninth Judicial District of North Carolina in the March 3, 2020 Primary election. This position serves Vance, Franklin, Granville, Warren and Person counties.

Brian Cloninger, candidate for the Judicial District 9, District Court Judge seat, is shown here being interviewed on WIZS’ Town Talk program. (WIZS photo)

Cloninger attended public schools and graduated from the Reich School of Education at Appalachian State University in 2000 and the North Carolina Central University School of Law in 2006.

According to Cloninger’s website, he is a current member of the Vance County Bar, the 9th District Bar, the North Carolina State Bar, the North Carolina Advocates for Justice, and the VCS Board of Directors.

He is the Immediate Past President of the Vance County Bar, the Immediate Past Chair of the Criminal Defense Section of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice, and the Immediate Past Chair of the VCS Board of Directors Policy and Personnel Committee.

He is also a former member of the American Bar Association, the North Carolina Bar Association, the North Carolina Association of Educators, and the American Institute of criminal defense attorneys in Festus.

Sharing his knowledge with other lawyers and judges, Cloninger teaches a class titled “Traffic Practice: Doing it Right and Solving Problems: Courthouse-Based Driver’s License Remediation,” which was approved by the North Carolina State Bar for credit toward required continuing legal education.

Cloninger has 14 years of legal experience practicing in the district courts of the 9th District with a concentration in civil and criminal cases. In a recent interview with WIZS, he said it is his experience and the encouragement of his peers that prompted him to enter the race.

“I’ve been asked by people in the system to run for judge, particularly for this seat. They think that I can help because I have been in the district courts of each of the counties in our district almost every day for 14 years. I know the law. I know about the people who make up the justice system and I know what they need to help make this particular seat a better seat.”

District court handles misdemeanor criminal and traffic matters, including domestic and family law cases. According to Cloninger, with 95% of cases ending in a plea deal or some form of deferred agreement, only 5% of district court cases go to trial. District courts see an exceptional amount of cases, with 200 cases on each criminal docket in Vance County alone.

For Cloninger, the incentive of serving as a district court judge is not financial but rewarding all the same. “The incentive is the ability to help more people, to make sure that our district court is a place that people feel like they can go to get equal justice,” he said.

“The role of a judge is to help victims feel safe and comfortable that justice has been served and help offenders get the rehabilitation they need so that once they’ve served their sentence, they can become productive members of the community.”

Cloninger is married and has two children. His wife, Alison Finch Cloninger, is also from Henderson. For more information on his campaign, please visit www.cloningerforjudge.com.

To hear the interview with Cloninger in its entirety, click on the link below.

(This is not a paid political advertisement. Political candidates are offered equal time.)

Town Talk 01/30/20: First Aid & CPR Save Lives When Minutes Matter

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

Jim Gunderson, First Aid and CPR trainer with Durham-based Divers Alert Network (DAN), appeared on WIZS Town Talk Thursday at 11 a.m.

While Gunderson reported that a perhaps surprising 20 percent of Americans have received First Aid and CPR training, he stressed the importance of the remainder of the general public having at least a basic knowledge of how to properly assist someone experiencing an emergency.

“The average response time for EMS to arrive in an urban setting is seven minutes,” explained Gunderson. “It’s 14 minutes, on average, in a rural setting. In a cardiac event, like a heart attack, for every minute you don’t have basic aid, there is a nine percent decrease in neurological recovery.”

These sobering statistics show that “every minute counts; the faster you can get care started, even before EMS arrives, the better chance that person has of surviving.”

Unfortunately, even a well-trained, experienced person administering CPR will have a low chance of successfully reviving the victim, according to Gunderson. “When you perform CPR without an AED or an automated external defibrillator, it’s about a seven percent chance of them surviving. With an AED, the survival rate goes up to as high as 25 percent.”

AEDs are now a staple in many offices and public buildings and can be used on those experiencing a cardiac emergency. The device delivers an electric shock, or defibrillation, to help the heart re-establish an effective beating rhythm.

Even though the chances of survival are low, Gunderson said having more of the public trained on First Aid and CPR is worth the effort, especially considering it could be your spouse, child or other loved one who benefits from your training.

According to Gunderson, 70 percent of cardiac events happen in the home, with 10,000 events happening annually in the workplace. Gunderson said Good Samaritan laws help protect those that render aid to the best of their ability from possible litigation.

“Whether it’s saving a life or just making them more comfortable, it’s very rewarding to know that you’ve helped a person,” he said.

First Aid and CPR classes are frequently offered by DAN, the American Red Cross, county health departments, community colleges and first responder units. Gunderson suggested taking a look at your neighborhood events or calling your local organizations to enquire about class offerings and cost. Costs typically range from $5 to $40 depending on the qualifications sought.

“At the bare minimum, I recommend people get trained in full CPR, which is chest compressions and ventilation,” Gunderson said. “They should also be taught to use an AED and how to deal with airway obstructions that cause choking. For basic First Aid skills, they should know how to stop bleeding, how to treat shock and how to splint a suspected break.”

Classes should be taught by qualified instructors and need to be American Heart Association (AHA) and International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) compliant.

To hear the interview with Gunderson in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

VGCC Logo

VGCC Continues Enrollment Growth Trend

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Vance-Granville Community College is celebrating good news to begin 2020. The fall 2019 semester that recently ended brought growth in enrollment along with an 11% increase in course hours completed in both credit (curriculum) and non-credit programs.

In addition, the college has started the new spring semester off seeing an increase in credit program enrollment over the same time last year.

As of the beginning of the spring semester in January, VGCC had 2,939 students enrolled in curriculum programs. That represents an 8% increase compared to the beginning of the spring 2019 semester when enrollment stood at 2,719.

A significant source of the increase was enrollment by high school students in the Career & College Promise program. There were 4.6% more of those students enrolled than there were at the beginning of spring 2019.

“We are excited about the increasing number of students who have chosen VGCC to pursue their higher education and prepare for a successful career,” said Dr. Levy Brown, the college’s vice president of learning, student engagement and success. “Student access, retention and career preparation are embedded in our daily work, and it shows!”

“We attribute this growth to a lot of collaboration among our talented faculty and staff across our four campuses,” added Kali Brown, VGCC’s dean of student access and support. “This is a collective effort, and we are glad to see outstanding things happening at VGCC under the leadership of President Desmarais. The college will continue to collaborate internally and externally to provide a top-notch educational experience.”

Established in 1969, VGCC offers more than 40 credit programs, in which students work toward certificates, diplomas and degrees. Area residents and businesses can also take advantage of a variety of continuing education/job training opportunities, as well as the High School Equivalency and Adult High School Diploma programs. High school students can get a step ahead by starting their college education early with VGCC courses.

The college has four campuses – one each in Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties – and offers online programs, as well. The new “Vanguard Flex” program is offering flexible, hybrid schedules in the evenings and weekends on the Franklin Campus in Louisburg, to accommodate schedules for adult learners.

Additionally, VGCC has classes starting in February and March for students to enroll in our 12 and 8-week term options.

For more information about the college, visit www.vgcc.edu.

Mims Charged With Abduction of Children

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-Press Release, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Investigative Unit arrested William Richard Mims, a Wake County resident on January 22, 2020. William Richard Mims was charged with the following: one (1) count of Abduction of Children. 

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Investigative Unit arrested William Richard Mims, a Wake County resident on January 22, 2020. Mims was charged with the following: one (1) count of Abduction of Children. (FCSO photo)

William Richard Mims is currently being held in the Franklin County Detention Center under a $70,000.00 secured bond. 

This matter remains under investigation and no further information will be released at this time. If anyone should have any additional information pertaining to this investigation, please contact Detective Dean Woody at 919-340-4369. 

William Richard Mims – 51 years of age – 127 Windsor Drive Wake Forest, NC 27587

FCSO: Pineda Charged With 15 Counts of Exploitation of a Minor

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-Press Release, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office

On Thursday, January 16, 2020, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division arrested Tiburcio Marcial Pineda, a Franklin County resident. Tiburcio Marcial Pineda was charged with (15) counts of Third-Degree Exploitation of a Minor. 

On Thursday, January 16, 2020, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division arrested Tiburcio Marcial Pineda, a Franklin County resident. Tiburcio Marcial Pineda was charged with (15) counts of Third-Degree Exploitation of a Minor. (FCSO photo)

Charges stemmed from an extensive investigation conducted by Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations Computer Crimes Unit. 

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Computer Crimes Unit executed a search warrant at Mr. Pineda’s residence located at 215 Brannon Road, Zebulon. Upon completion of the search warrant, Mr. Pineda was taken into custody at his residence without incident. 

Tiburcio Marcial Pineda is being held in the Franklin County Detention Center under a $250,000 secured bond. 

Tiburcio Marcial Pineda – 36 years old – 215 Brannon Road Zebulon, NC 27597

Franklin County Logo

Franklin County Library Schedules Closings to Improve Services

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-Press Release, Franklin County Government

The Franklin County Library, through its partnership with NC Cardinal, is improving your library services. During the month of February, Franklin County Library Branches will be closed as noted below to implement these improvements:

 Franklinton – February 3-5, 2020

 Bunn – February 6-10, 2020

 Youngsville – February 11-14, 2020

 Louisburg – February 17-21, 2020

All NC Cardinal Resource Sharing transits to and from the libraries will be paused between February 3- 14, 2020.

The result of these updates will be modern library circulation standards and a more seamless integration of local and NC Cardinal Data. Self-check will be available in all Franklin County branches after these upgrades. Throughout the process, book drops will be checked regularly so that materials can be returned on schedule.

Check the Franklin County Library website for updates at www.franklincountync.us/services/library and please call the library if you have additional questions.

For additional information, please contact Holt Kornegay, Library Director, at (919) 496-2111.

This closing schedule will not hinder, impede or preclude early voting conducted by the Franklin County Board of Elections in the Branch Libraries.

Board Continues Work to Improve 911 Communications Across State

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-Press Release, NC DIT 

The North Carolina 911 Board is providing North Carolina residents with technological improvements to 911 communications across the state through the Next Generation 911 (NG911) initiative. These advancements, which include the Emergency Services IP Network (ESInet), ensure that N.C. residents can access 911 services regardless of location or the communication technology they use.

Transitioning 911 to the ESInet enables digital information such as cell phone calls, text messages, pictures and video to be routed to the appropriate 911 call center, or Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), across a closed, private network via location-based call routing capabilities.

To support the implementation of NG911 services, in 2019, North Carolina was awarded a $3.9 million federal grant by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). In addition, the N.C. 911 Board awarded $10.5 million in grants from the state’s 911 Fund to support the migration to ESInet, new PSAPs, and radio and dispatch upgrades.

“We are excited to be on target with 25 percent of the PSAPs having migrated to the ESInet, and the majority of those also took advantage of the hosted call handling solution that is part of the overall NG911 initiative for the state,” said Pokey Harris, executive director of the North Carolina 911 Board. “We appreciate those PSAPs that were willing to be among the first to migrate to ESInet and are excited that North Carolina is leading the way for NG911, being touted as an innovator.”

A total of 32 PSAPs in North Carolina have migrated to the ESInet, with 31 of those occurring in 2019. All 127 PSAPs across the state are required to complete the transition to the ESInet by July 1, 2021. A map of PSAPs and their migration status is available here.

With more 911 centers coming online, in September 2019, the board celebrated the opening of the Network Monitoring and Assistance Center (NMAC), which will play an important role in making sure services run smoothly across the state.

According to Harris, technicians at the NMAC will monitor the ESInet to immediately troubleshoot network issues and help behind the scenes to provide seamless 911 coverage, so 911 telecommunicators can focus on helping North Carolina residents get the assistance they need as quickly as possible.

Technicians also can quickly reroute emergency calls to other 911 centers as they identify increased trends in emergency calls – particularly in cases such as severe weather or major events that draw large volumes of people to a particular area. During Hurricane Dorian, technicians at the NMAC were prepared to assist in rerouting calls from the coast to counties farther inland, however, it was not necessary.

“Residents and visitors to the state are the true beneficiaries of the NG911 efforts that will ultimately improve 911 service delivery,” said Harris.

The N.C. 911 Board is a 17-member board that is responsible for policies and procedures for wireline and wireless 911 communications in the state and administers the state’s 911 Fund used to support equipment purchases for the 127 public safety answering points (911 centers) in the state. The board is housed with the N.C. Department of Information Technology.

For more information, visit https://it.nc.gov/about/boards-commissions/nc-911-board.

WIZS Note: Brian K. Short, director of Henderson-Vance Emergency Operations, reports that his department successfully transitioned to the ESI Net (Next Generation 911) in September 2019, and operations have been running smoothly in the ensuing months.

Alzheimer’s Assoc. of Eastern NC Launches Direct Connect Referral Program

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-Press Release, Alzheimer’s Association

The Alzheimer’s Association – Eastern North Carolina Chapter announced today the launch of its Direct Connect Referral Program.

This free service is designed to work together with physicians and other healthcare professionals to ensure that individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias receive the appropriate care and resources needed to improve their quality of life.

Developed in order to help provide a holistic approach to patient care, this program is the first of its kind in the Alzheimer’s community in all 51 Eastern North Carolina counties for which the Alzheimer’s Association – Eastern North Carolina Chapter serves. Physicians and healthcare professionals at clinic offices, medical centers and hospitals throughout these 51 counties now have an opportunity to participate in the program.

Currently, only 33 percent of seniors age 65 and older with Alzheimer’s disease are aware of their diagnosis. Studies have found that one of the reasons physicians do not diagnose Alzheimer’s — or do not disclose a diagnosis — is a lack of time and resources to provide care planning. However, a disclosed diagnosis is necessary to implement care planning, a crucial element in improving outcomes for the individual.

Care planning has many benefits for the patient and their family, including:

  • Allows newly diagnosed individuals and their caregivers to learn about medical and non-medical treatments, clinical trials and support services available in the community — resulting in a higher quality of life for those living with the disease.
  • Leads to fewer hospitalizations and emergency room visits, and better medication management.
  • Contributes to better management of other conditions that can be complicated by Alzheimer’s.

The Medicare billing code – known as 99483 – introduced in 2018, allows clinicians to be reimbursed for providing care planning to cognitively impaired individuals. In using this code along with the Association’s Direct Connect Referral Program, clinicians will have the time and resources to provide a comprehensive set of care planning services to people with cognitive impairment and their caregivers. All that is involved is completing a one-page, HIPAA compliant form and faxing or scanning it to the Alzheimer’s Association.

“We are thrilled about launching our new Direct Connect Referral Program, which provides an easy way to connect a doctor’s patients with our organization’s care and support services,” said Lisa Roberts, executive director of the Eastern North Carolina Chapter. “We are deeply committed to supporting the family of people on their journey of diagnosis and treatment, while also adding value to the efforts of physicians’ offices. Our Direct Connect Referral Program is a win-win resource for all.”

Physicians and healthcare professionals interested in learning more about this program should contact Peggy Best at pbest@alz.org or at 919-241-5928.

Additional Facts and Figures: (https://www.alz.org/facts/)

  • Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States.
  • Every 65 seconds someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s.
  • An estimated 5.8 million Americans are living with the disease, including 170,000 North Carolina residents, are living with Alzheimer’s, a number estimated to grow to as many as 14 million by the year 2050.
  • More than 16 million family and friends, including 473,000 in North Carolina, provide unpaid care to people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias in the United States.
  • In 2018, friends and family of those with Alzheimer’s in North Carolina provided an estimated 538 million hours of unpaid care, a contribution valued at $6.8 billion.

For more information about Alzheimer’s disease, or the Alzheimer’s Association, Eastern North Carolina Chapter, visit www.alz.org/nc or call 800-272-3900. For the latest news and updates, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.