Tag Archive for: #election2022

TownTalk: Sandy Smith Speaks At Local GOP Rally

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Sandy Smith is running for U.S. Congress in North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, which includes Vance and Warren counties. Smith, a Republican, joined other GOP candidates in Henderson last week for a Vance County GOP fundraiser.

Smith spoke to the crowd of about 300 for just more than five minutes in the afternoon heat at the former Charles Boyd Chevrolet location on US Hwy 158.

It was a fitting spot for her to bring up increased gas prices and what she called “out of control inflation.”

Smith said she travels in a 40-foot bus on the campaign trail, and said she dared not tell how much it costs to fill that tank. It runs on diesel fuel.

“We need to open the pipelines and be energy independent,” she proclaimed, which drew cheers from the audience. “And after we are energy independent again, we are going to focus on being energy dominant through the world,” she continued.

She vowed to protect the Second Amendment right to bear arms. “As your representative, I’m going to fight to protect your Second Amendment with every fiber of my being. We are not going to pass any red flag bills…we are not going to take away your Second Amendment right. Our gun rights are absolute rights.”

The fundraiser was held on June 24, the same day that the Supreme Court reversed the Roe v. Wade abortion rights law. Smith used that news to illustrate the importance of Republican lawmakers and their role in government.

“Our work is just beginning,” Smith said. “We need true, Constitutional conservatives” in office.

“We also need to protect our children who are being targeted in schools and indoctrinated,” Smith said. The self-professed pro-life candidate said she believes life begins at conception, and that there are two genders “decided at conception by our Creator.” She said schools need to get back to the basics and that children need to learn how to read, write and do basic math. “They don’t need to be discussing their sexuality.”

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TownTalk: Sara Coffey Discusses Her Ward 1 At Large City Council Candidacy

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Incumbent Sara Coffey wants another term on the Henderson City Council. Coffey holds the Ward 1 at large seat and faces challenger Clementine Hunter in the May 17 primary.

Coffey spoke with John C. Rose as part of WIZS’s election coverage; the recorded and unedited interview aired during Tuesday’s Town Talk segment.

She draws upon her experiences in law enforcement – both as a law enforcement officer and in her business as a bail bondsman –  to help guide her work on the city’s public safety committee.

“I can spot safety issues,” Coffey said. “I have been trained to be aware of problems in the criminal element and the justice system,” she said.

And she said she has the knowledge to deal with issues that Henderson faces when it comes to public safety as well as other challenges.

She said she fully backs construction of a third fire station. “If all for it,” she said. “We have a dire need for it” somewhere in the Dabney area. “Our firemen are cramped in the quarters they’re in now.”

She said she and her fellow Council members have become a cohesive group, collaborating to address challenges in the city. And she said she’d like the opportunity to continue to build on the progress that the council has made in areas like beautification and affordable housing.

“We don’t have enough housing – affordable housing,” Coffey noted. “I mean decent, affordable housing,” she added, not substandard units.

A second issue – trash – she said is probably linked to the low home ownership rates in the area.

She said the city’s trash problem is one of the worst trash issues she’s seen in the various places she has lived over the years.

Renters in substandard housing to begin with, she said, may be less motivated to keep their place tidy. “You’re renting…your house is halfway torn up to start with – it kind of spirals from that and we end up with a big trash problem,” she said.

She would like the council to work with landlords on a continuing basis to offer better homes to rent to city residents. Having some restrictions and standards in place would make things better for residents and for the city overall. “We need to find a happy medium,” she added.

Coffey is a native of Vance County. She moved back to the area and opened her business in 1998. Just like with her clients, she said she has an open door policy when it comes to hearing from her constituents. As an at large member, she represents all city residents, not just those in a particular ward.

“I was brought up to be honest,” she said. “There’s really no hidden agenda for me – what you see is what you get.”

One tradition she enjoys is feeding city employees as a show of appreciation. She recently fed who she calls her “city guys” at the operations center. She brings in food as a show of thanks for their hard work and dedication to the city and its residents. She said she tries to do that a couple of times a year, as well employees of the fire department, jail, 911 call center and animal control.

“That’s my way of saying thank you,” she said, “and you mean a lot to me and your service means a lot to me. I’m very proud to be a part of that.”

 

Note: WIZS contacted challenger Clementine Hunter, who kindly declined the opportunity to be interviewed.

 

 

TownTalk: Burnette And Gupton Discuss Clerk Of Court Candidacy

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Candidates running for the office of Clerk of Superior Court in Vance County spoke on Monday’s Town Talk.

Amanda Burnette is challenging incumbent Henry L. Gupton in the May 17 primary and each discussed how their experiences will help them fulfill their duties if elected.

Amanda Burnette

Burnette began her career as a deputy clerk in Vance County in 2001, and then was promoted to assistant deputy in 2013. Since 2017, she has been working in the Franklin County Clerk of Court’s office since 2017. Burnette lives in the Cokesbury community, where she was born and raised, and said she wants to come back to serve her fellow county residents.

“It is my goal, my dream, to come back home to all citizens of Vance County,” Burnette told John C. Rose in an interview that aired Monday.

Burnette said she has the experience necessary with the inner workings of the clerk of courts office, coupled with the compassion necessary to treat people with respect and fairness.

She has worked with bookkeeping and record keeping, she said, but “without a doubt,” I love working in the special proceedings division,” Burnette said.

This division processes, among other things, adoptions. “When I see a child smile and hug me after signing an adoption decree,” she said, “it makes my heart sing.”

Other issues have the potential to be a bit more contentious, she said, noting that land issues and guardian issues sometimes bring out difficult and complicated family dynamics.

“It’s always my goal to listen to both sides equally and fairly before making a decision,” Burnette said.

She said she  spends a lot of time researching the North Carolina General Statutes to conduct the business of the court. “We have to know it,” she said of state law, “but we can’t practice it.” Local clerks of court depend on the state’s Administrative Office of the Courts legal team to assist in providing legal interpretations.

“I will be ready to work for you on Day One,” Burnette said, adding that she would have an open-door policy to listen to citizens and their needs.

She said she would make sure the clerk of court staff is courteous to the public and assist them to the best of their abilities.

Effective communication is key to maintaining an efficient courthouse, she said, adding that she enjoys working with the district attorney’s office, judges and the public to provide the best services possible.

Henry Gupton

Gupton, first appointed to the job of clerk of superior court in 2017, iwas first elected to the office in 2018. He said his 30-plus years as a Vance County deputy and magistrate provide him with the experience necessary to oversee the work that goes on in the clerk’s office.

His previous experience with those facets of the law help especially with the criminal and civil law matters that come through the clerk’s office.

That’s the majority of the work of the clerk’s office, he said, but he said the citizens of Vance County also come to the courthouse when they’re handling estates, adoptions and name changes, too.

“I just enjoy helping people,” Gupton said in an interview with John C. Rose, adding that he is available to talk with citizens whenever and wherever needed. “I’m not an individual behind closed doors,” he said.

Gupton said in 2018-19 the office handled more than $6 million through payments of such things as fines, fees and cash bonds. In the course of a routine state audit, no deficiencies were found, he said. “That much money comes through the clerk of court’s office and we don’t have any problems,” Gupton said.

He said he’s proud of his staff, which includes 12 deputy clerks and five assistant clerks, who work hard every day to serve the people of Vance County.

“I really care about my staff,” Gupton said. “They do a wonderful job for me and for the citizens – we all work for the citizens…I can’t thank my staff enough for what they do.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Gupton said he worked closely with Granville-Vance Public Health director Lisa Harrison to ensure that safety protocols were in place to protect both courthouse personnel as well as the public who had business with the court.

He said he and Harrison had several meetings, created a plan, and were able to keep the courthouse up and running.

The courthouse breezeway even became a spot where folks could get their shot; Gupton said it seemed like a central location to provide citizens another opportunity to be vaccinated while doing their business in the courthouse.

As a way to reduce courtroom backlogs, Gupton said he and Judge John Dunlow are working together to try and to come up with ways to help. He said he would like to get his staff some help from temporary workers to help staff and whittle down the backlog.

 

 

TownTalk: Alston And Wilder Discuss Candidacy For County Commissioner

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Sean Alston is challenging incumbent Gordon Wilder in the race for Vance County Commissioner in District 3 and their conversations with John C. Rose aired on Wednesday’s Town Talk.

Early voting begins Apr. 28 for the May 17 primary election. Alston and Wilder talked about issues affecting the county, including community centers with after-school programs for young people and the continued need to bring jobs to the county.

Sean Alston
Alston, a Democrat, said he would expect the community to hold him accountable. “I want the people in my district…to know that they do, and will have, a voice” in county government.

He said he wants to offer the community as a whole, not just the district 3 that he would represent, that he will strive for more transparency in government. “The people just want to be heard, the people just want to be updated. I can’t guarantee or promise anything,” he said, “but I will be accountable and available.”

His platform focuses on civic participation, building up the community, transparency, accountability and community involvement.

“I feel like I can do what the people need and I feel like I can do what needs to be done,” Alston said. “At the end of the day, it comes down to accountability. I am not going to tell you one thing and do another – I will represent the voice for change.”

Alston is a local businessman and also offers his time as a coach at Vance County High School. Coaching, he said, allows him to interact with parents, youth and with teachers, and he said it’s helped him understand more about what the community needs in terms of support. Teachers need better pay, he said, and parents need a safe place for their children to be when they’re not at school.

“In order to help this county, this community, it has to start with the youth in some form or fashion,” Alston said. After-school programs located in the community that provide meals and homework help would be a good start. Teachers, he said, could get some extra pay to spend a couple of hours after school and children would have a safe place to be while parents are working second- or third-shift jobs.

People in the community, working on the same team as the school system and public safety, can help to support the youth and keep them off the streets and out of trouble, he said. “I just want to be on the team,” Alston said.

Gordon Wilder

Wilder, a Democrat, is seeking his fourth term as commissioner. “I decided to run again because I feel like we have a good board that works together. I feel we’re moving forward and I wanted to be a part of that progress.”

He said jobs is a key issue for Vance County – retaining employees and attracting new businesses and industry to the area are vital to the county’s economic health.

Companies looking to locate here may be attracted by the county-wide zoning plan or the improvements and extensions to the water system, he said. The industrial park shell building concept may also attract prospective employers.

“We need to get jobs to our county and retain those jobs and give our citizens a chance to work and improve themselves,” Wilder said. “Jobs are key,” he said. When people have opportunities for employment, they can improve their own situations as well as contribute to the county’s economic well-being. “We all win,” he said.

Local jobs means workers may be more likely to stay in the county, raise their families locally and spend money in the local economy – a real win-win situation, he said.

Wilder, a retired educator in Vance County Schools, has spent almost 50 years in Vance County serving in various capacities with the Vance County and Epsom fire departments and in his church.

“Those who have called me know that I listen and I want to help…I generally can meet their needs, answer their questions,” he said.

Wilder mentioned the recent renovations to the former Eaton Johnson campus, now home to the Department of Social Services and Senior Center, as an investment in the county’s infrastructure; improvements to the Dennis Building downtown, courthouse and county administrative offices also have come about as part of a capital improvement plan.

“I believe my experience sets me apart,” Wilder said. “All I want to do is seve the county and to move the county forward.”

 

 

TownTalk: Patrick Bailey And Jonathan Collier Discuss Candidacy For Sheriff

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The Republican candidates whose names will be on the May 17 primary election for Sheriff of Vance County spoke on Tuesday’s Town Talk in WIZS’s continuing coverage of local races and the candidates vying for office.

Patrick Bailey and Jonathan Collier spoke with John C. Rose and their remarks were recorded for presentation. Increased drug activity, crime rates and increased training for sheriff’s office staff are a few of the issues that both candidates spoke about.

Patrick Bailey

Bailey, who has worked with the Henderson Police Department as well as in business management, said he has the skills needed to be the county’s head law enforcement officer. The sheriff oversees and administers staff and programs, and makes sure that the office is functioning “accurately and appropriately within the laws of the state of North Carolina. You really need to be on top of it before something happens and you’re in a position where you don’t want to be,” he said.

Bailey said in conversations with people across the county’s 12 townships, he has heard stories of drug deals “yet they see no enforcement action being taken…to try and curtail that in any way.” He described the opioid epidemic in Vance County  as “astronomical.”

The drug issue must be addressed and sheriff’s officers need additional training to be able to combat the problem. Bailey said he wants to reinstate the drug interdiction program and put officers on I-85, U.S. 1 and N.C. Hwy. 39, all of which he said are major points of access into the county. This will allow officers to get the drugs before they can hit the street and be distributed.
“We need to try to focus on the drug dealers and put them out of business,” he said. Putting officers in place to combat problem areas begins with adequate training so officers know how to accurately and responsibly handle various situations and avoid inappropriate behaviors that get them in trouble.

It stands to reason that increased drug arrests means more people who will be serving time at the detention facility, which Bailey said needs much improvement. Granville and Warren counties both have new detention facilities and Bailey said the Vance jail is antiquated and out-of-date. “Once I get elected as sheriff of Vance County, I’ve going to have to work with the county commissioners… and see where the money is being spent,” he said.

Bailey said he would have an open-door policy as sheriff. “I feel like we need to have the policy more open to the citizens of the county to let them know that they can talk to the sheriff about any issue in the county.”

Jonathan Collier

Collier said his experience working with both Vance County and Granville County sheriff’s offices, as well as the Henderson Police Department will serve him in the role of sheriff.

“The first order of business is to ensure that we have individuals that are properly trained and properly educated on the general statutes and federal law – that is going to be the first step,” Collier said. Making sure officers are trained properly and are “doing the job that the county of Vance and its citizens are paying them to do.”

Collier said he is hearing from people in the community who don’t feel safe, whether in their own homes or at the corner convenience store. “It’s a problem when those individuals don’t feel safe,” he said, adding that it is the job of the sheriff’s office to ensure their safety.

The youth in the community need support, too, he said. “We need to figure out a way to get in front of our youth and start mentoring our youth and teenagers,” Collier said. Having positive role models to help keep youth on the right path will help them avoid run-ins with the law and participating in criminal activity.

In his work with narcotics and with firearms-related offenses Collier said he believes that law enforcement officers must exercise effective communication skills as they work and interact in the community.

“It’s paramount,” he said. “If you don’t have it,” you’re most likely going to fail when working in a team function.” He said as a law enforcement officer, it was important to have conversations with individuals to understand and try to get in front of the problems presented in society and said he considers himself a teacher and a mentor, not just someone who enforces the law.

As for the condition of the county detention center, Collier said he has heard that it is outdated and of problems keeping it fully staffed.

Collier, who is retired from the U.S. Coast Guard, said he appreciates and relies on utilizing the chain of command. He will use that policy to help the flow of the sheriff’s department, he said. And will make sure it’s followed. He also said he would make it a priority to bring accreditation to the Vance County Sheriff’s Office, having in place policies and procedures help guide and inform officers when they are on duty or off duty and to help him address any issues that may arise with the ranks.

Collier said he will listen to community concerns, too.
“If an issue is brought forward to me, it will be addressed,” he said. He said he enjoys a “great working relationship” with local agencies and those in surrounding jurisdictions, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s office. Those relationships will continue if he is elected sheriff as he works to make the county safer for its citizens.

 

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TownTalk: Walker And Brame Discuss Candidacy For Sheriff

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See full text and audio at the bottom of the post for complete details.

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Sterlin M. Walker, Jr.

Sterlin M. Walker Jr., a Democratic candidate for Vance County Sheriff, said he would strive to to offer transparency and accountability to the citizens of Vance County if he is elected sheriff, and would focus on recruitment and retention of officers, increased quality of training, better pay, and streamlining the functions of the sheriff’s office.

In addition, he would like to explore developing a mentorship program for the youth in the community, focus on cybercrime and said he would “definitely…concentrate on cultural diversity and inclusion of everyone in our law enforcement community. I want to look at hiring more Hispanics, more minorities,” he said during a recorded interview with John C. Rose that aired on Thursday’s Town Talk.

Walker is challenging incumbent Curtis R. Brame in the May 17 primary election. The winner will face the Republican challenger in the November 2022 election.

Walker talked about his career in law enforcement and how his experiences have shaped him personally and professionally.

He said the people of Vance County should trust the sheriff’s office and the officers who serve them. “We are all servants of this county and it’s our duty to serve them,” he said.

He joined the Henderson Police Department in 1996 and rose to the rank of sergeant.

“When I first came to Henderson… in 1996, my first assignment was working undercover in narcotics division,” Walker said. From there, he went to the patrol division and eventually promoted to detective – just as cases he’d worked on when he was in narcotics were coming to trial.

“I’ve worked everything from larceny to homicides to bank robberies,” Walker said, adding that he is the only candidate who can claim a 100 percent conviction rate on every homicide for which he was lead investigator.

Officer recruitment, retention

“The first issue that I want to look at is recruitment and retention of officers in the Vance County Sheriff’s Office,” Walker said. “We can hire them, but we seem not to keep them.”

He said officers often can supplement their primary pay with off-duty security assignments. There also are opportunities for local officers to become instructors at the community college; Walker was an instructor for more than 20 years at Vance-Granville Community College, teaching in the basic law enforcement training and in specialty areas of pursuit and precision driving, Taser and active shooter training.

“The opportunities are out there,” he said, “you just have to avail yourself to the training and to those opportunities.”

His experience being an instructor allowed him to network with other agencies, department heads and other recruits, Walker noted.

“They know what I look for in a recruit – I’m looking for honesty and integrity.

It’s ok to make a mistake, as long as you learn from your mistake and keep pushing on,” he said.

Pay options

Better pay for officers is something that he would work with county government and elected officials on, too. He said there are many state and federal grants that may be available to compensate officers for overtime pay for particular programs or targeted issues.

Recruits should know that “you can come to Vance County  and you can bring your skills and your mindset and we welcome that. We also have something to offer,” he said. “It’s more than just a paycheck.”

Detention Facility

“We do need a new jail. The jail needs to be modernized – it needs to be brought into the 21st century,” Walker said.

Accountability

“We want your best effort at all times, even if you make a mistake. As long as you acknowledge that mistake and it’s an honest mistake, we can work around that. That’s not a problem. We’re all human.”

Walker said the sheriff ultimately has the responsibility for his officers’ actions, “I can’t control what the deputies do, but I can control how I administer the application of disciplinary action of the sheriff’s office.” He said anyone indicted for a crime, especially one that involved the sheriff’s office, would be suspended without pay. “It’s not fair to have someone being paid and not doing their job,” he said.

“I believe you’re innocent until proven guilty…if you’re charged, it doesn’t mean you’re guilty…you will have your day in court. It’s not my job to judge you, but I’m not going to have you in a position that you could possibly influence people who may be involved in this case one way or another. The scales of justice are supposed to be blind,” he said.

“Nobody should be putting their fingers on the scales of justice to tip it one way or the other. If there’s enough information out there for you to be indicted, then we put it before your peers and the citizens of Vance County to judge whether you are innocent or guilty. I will stand by that until the day I meet my Maker.”

Walker had to take a medical retirement in 2017 as a result of injuries received in a motor vehicle accident – an impaired driver going 100 mph struck his car as he was on the way to the office to check evening reports.

Now, after several years of physical therapy, Walker said “I’m back, I’m strong and I’m able…ready to come out of retirement and offer my skill set to the citizens of Vance County.”

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Curtis R. Brame

Curtis R. Brame is running for a second term as sheriff of Vance County. He faces Democrat Sterlin M. Walker, Jr. in the May 17 primary. In an interview that aired Thursday on Town Talk, Brame spoke with John C. Rose about his first term and what his hopes to continue working on if re-elected.

The 37-year-veteran of law enforcement said he is the only candidate who currently is a sworn officer of the law. “I’m experienced, honest, trustworthy and approachable.”

Brame has had to deal with several incidences involving sheriff’s officer personnel, and he said that each incident was dealt with in a transparent manner. He has called the SBI in for help with investigations and other outside agencies “to be fair and impartial.”

As for the issues facing the sheriff’s office and the citizens of Vance County, Brame said the opioid epidemic and gun violence are top concerns.

He said parents come to talk to him and ask what can be done about the opioid problem; “I feel for them, I really do,” he said. But the death by distribution is a hard case to charge and a hard case to prove, he added. “I will continue to work hard to make sure that people are brought to justice for selling narcotics in this county,” Brame said.

He implored people to get involved and to report incidents they see in the community. “Report it. Call 911,” he said.

Brame said part of his job as sheriff is to build rapport within the community, and he said that work is going great. “I have an open door policy,” he said, adding that citizens are welcome to call, email, text or meet with him to discuss issues. “I personally call that person back and see what’s going on and try to meet those needs,” he said.

“I go to the churches and civic organizations – I try to go to any meeting that I’m invited to and talk,” Brame added.

The sheriff is viewed as the chief law enforcement officer of the county, and Brame said he tries not to confuse power with authority. His job gives him authority to enforce the laws of the country, but the power belongs only to God.

Pay options

Brame said he has had many conversations with county commissioners and with the county manager about pay options for officers. The sheriff’s office has multiple openings, and he says his office is not alone. “Now we have jobs and people are just not applying for them,” he said. “I  hope this pay study goes into effect the first of July and attracts new employees to the Vance County Sheriff’s Office,” he said.

Detention Center

The detention center is “antiquated and outdated,” Brame said, adding that he will continue to push for a new facility as long as he is sheriff. The current facility is unsafe for employees and for inmates. Brame acknowledges that a new facility will be costly, but he said a new facility could cut staffing costs. “I want the people to understand there’s a desperate need for a new detention facility,” Brame said.

Administration

The role of sheriff is a 24/7 commitment, Brame said. He deals with 110 fulltime employees, dozens of part-time employees and more than 100 inmates at any given time – not to mention the safety and welfare of the county’s 47,000 residents. “The administrative part is very, very important,” Brame said. He has a $10 million budget to work with and administer, and then there’s the court system, enforcement and corrections.

It’s not for the faint of heart,” Brame said.

When asked what he would do if he were king for a day, Brame didn’t hesitate with an answer: “I would make sure that all of Vance County employees are well compensated.” He said the detention staff is equally important as sworn officers and he considers all employees of the Vance County Sheriff’s Office as part of the same team.

Personnel challenges

Brame addressed several incidences involving sheriff’s office employees.

A School Resource Officer (SRO) at the middle school was involved in an incident. “I think it was handled appropriately,” he said. The school board attorney notified Brame on a Friday and the SRO was first suspended and then fired the following Monday. The SBI came in, he was formally charged, came to court and pled guilty, Brame recalled.

A second incident involved a deputy who was charged with inappropriately touching a person in his custody. Again, the SBI was called in, the deputy was fired and charged. His case is pending in the Vance County Courts.

As for the third incident that has resulted in the indictment of three sheriff’s office employees, Brame said he is bound by a gag order issued by the state of North Carolina. “I know the DA went before the grand jury and they were indicted,” Brame said. The three were suspended with pay, pending the outcome of the proceedings.

“In the state of North Carolina, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty,” Brame said. “I have not found those facts yet to say those officers are guilty. What information I had on my investigation proves different and contradictory to the state’s evidence.”

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Click Play for Full and Unedited Audio of Both Candidates