Tag Archive for: #towntalk

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 01/31/20

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

 

 

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.

Crossroads Christian School

Town Talk 01/28/20: Trey Snide Named CCS Colts’ Head Baseball Coach

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

WIZS’ own Trey Snide, the recently named varsity head baseball coach for the Crossroads Christian School Colts, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Tuesday at 11 a.m.

Snide said it was a conversation with the Colts’ athletic director Scottie Richardson on WIZS’ Sports Mayhem program that started the ball rolling. “They were looking for a baseball coach; it was vacant. About two weeks after that show, Scottie reached out to me and said he’d love to talk to me about the possibility of being the coach. We met at a restaurant here in town and he pitched the entire Crossroads culture to me.”

While baseball and softball have been part of the Colts’ athletic offerings for years, Snide said the school is looking to build a larger culture of excellence in these programs. “I love what they have going on at Crossroads. I love the culture they are focused on building.”

The opportunity to grow the baseball program appeals to Snide who said he was excited to “take my ideas of how I believe a baseball team should be and how they should act and build it from the ground up.”

Snide’s past coaching experience includes serving as the football coach at Dillard Drive Middle School in Raleigh, the basketball coach for the former Johnston Christian Academy in Smithfield and heavy involvement in the various sports programs at his alma mater, Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, NC, a private college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church.

With baseball season around the corner, meetings with interested players and training sessions began four months ago, including practices over Christmas break. “I told the guys that we are here to build something special. Myself and assistant coaches Wes Collier and Robin Capps are dedicated to making it work,” said Snide.

The Colts’ first official day of spring sports begins February 10. The first game will be played at home on March 3 at 4 p.m. against Crescent Christian Academy. The team schedule is available at www.ccscolts.org.

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

Town Talk 01/27/20: District 3 School Board Incumbent Dorothy Gooche On-Air

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

Dorothy Gooche, the incumbent candidate for Vance County Schools Board of Education, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Monday at 11 a.m.

Serving on the school board since 2010, Gooche faces challenger Sean A. Alston, Sr. for the District 3 seat in the March 3, 2020 primary. Gooche also currently serves on the Board’s Curriculum Committee, Building & Grounds Committee and Community & Business Relations Committee.

Graduating from the Henderson Institute in 1965 and working at Vance-Granville Community College for 32 years before retiring in 2006, Gooche said her ten-year service to the school board has allowed her to continue her passion – helping young people.

“My greatest interest is the students and their academic achievements,” said Gooche. “I believe the children come first, and I strive to make sure that the decisions that are made for the students by the Board are in the best interest of the child.”

Gooche said the positive atmosphere created by VCS Superintendent Dr. Anthony Jackson, his administrative staff and school board members has led to a cohesive team. “I like working with the team that we have; we work well together and have gotten a lot accomplished.”

In fact, Gooche explained that the Board is working together right now to consider the cost and feasibility of moving the current STEM Middle School program. Board members were recently given a tour of the former Henderson Middle School (HMS) facility and later discussed the possibility of relocating the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) program from its current location inside Vance County High School to the former HMS building.

“It is anticipated that both the high school’s enrollment and STEM’s enrollment will grow,” said Gooche. “This move could give the STEM program more space to set up its own labs and have its own cafeteria.”

At its recent meeting, with a unanimous vote of 7-0, the Board approved a motion to proceed with a cost study of moving the STEM program to the former HMS building.

The winner of the March election will undoubtedly be involved in further discussions about the relocation of the STEM program as well as the future of the former HMS building.

The only other school board position that faces opposition is the District 5 seat, where incumbent Linda Cobb faces challenger Clementine Hunter. Hunter previously resigned from the District 5 position and Cobb was appointed to the Board.

For the 2020 election, Cobb is running as incumbent and Hunter filed to re-enter the race as the challenger. WIZS has invited Cobb and Hunter to participate in similar Town Talk interviews.

To hear the interview with Gooche in its entirety, including discussion on recent events involving the school system, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

(This is not a paid political advertisement. Challenger Sean A. Alston, Sr. participated in an interview of equal time with WIZS on January 9, 2020.)

Dale Folwell

Town Talk 01/23/20: NC Treasurer Folwell Assures State Pension is Secure

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

NC State Treasurer Dale Folwell appeared on WIZS Town Talk Thursday at 11 a.m.

Folwell has served as the North Carolina State Treasurer since 2017 and is the former Speaker Pro Tempore of the North Carolina House of Representatives.

Overseeing the 26th largest public pool of money in the world, Folwell explained that his office manages retirement, healthcare and pharmaceutical benefits for 900,000 state and local employees in NC.

“At the end of the day, what I like to say is that we are in the check delivery business. Every 30 days we are spending nearly $750 million. We manage an amount of money eight times that of the state budget.”

Acknowledging that, statistically speaking, 2 out of 10 Town Talk listeners most likely have something to do with the State’s pension, health and/or pharmacy benefit plan, Folwell said those involved in the system can rest assured that employee retirement plans are secure.

“The pension plan is one of the five most solvent and secure pension plans in the United States, if not the world,” said Folwell. “A rating agency just posted us as number one in the country in terms of the ability to fund the pension plan during an economic downtown.”

Reminding listeners that economic downturns are historically “when not if” occurrences, Folwell said he was confident in the strength of the State’s pension system.

On the other end of the spectrum, Folwell said the State’s health plan is “one of the most insolvent in the US. All of our efforts right now are on state healthcare costs.”

Despite rising costs, Folwell said the State is committed to keeping insurance rates as affordable as possible for employees and retirees. “We have frozen all premiums for the second straight year even in light of the fact that costs are increasing at a faster pace than the governor’s budget and legislature’s budget appropriates money to us.”

Folwell said listeners may also be interested to know that the State currently has $700 million in unclaimed property, mostly in stocks and bonds, that can be viewed at any time, by first and last name free of charge at www.nccash.com. To learn more about the Treasurer’s Office, visit www.nctreasurer.com.

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

 

Town Talk 01/22/20: Caregiver’s Cup at Sadie’s & Local Senior Games

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Harvey Holmes, family caregiver resource specialist, and Michele Brigandi, aging projects coordinator – both with the Kerr-Tar Area Agency on Aging, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Wednesday at 11 a.m.

Holmes discussed the formation of a new social group for caregivers affectionately referred to as “The Caregiver’s Cup.” The name is a play on the actual meeting location – Sadie’s Coffee Corner in downtown Henderson – and the metaphorical filling of one’s social cup. The group will meet on the second Friday of every month from 12 until 1:30 p.m. at Sadie’s. All family caregivers are welcome.

Citing statistics that caregivers tend to self-isolate from outside activities and interactions, Holmes said the intent of the group is to promote socialization and, in turn, mental health.

“It’s very easy for caregivers to isolate themselves because caregiving is a 24/7, exhausting job,” explained Holmes. “Everyone struggles and moves in and out of loneliness during their lifetime; this group is here to help ease that loneliness.”

Promoting another great activity to encourage socialization as well as physical health, Brigandi discussed the upcoming Kerr Tar Senior Games that will be held in Franklin, Granville, Vance, Warren and Person counties March through May 2020. Competitive athletic events ranging from basketball to horseshoes will be offered.

“This is essentially the Olympics for active adults 50 and better,” explained Brigandi. “There is something for everyone and it is a lot of fun.”

According to Brigandi, awards are given, and those who place first, second and third in their respective event have the opportunity to compete in the state finals in Raleigh. Those that place on the state level will move on to the national competition.

New on the list of local athletic events offered this year is mini-golf, which will be held at Adventure Island in Henderson on April 28.

For those with mobility issues and/or for those with an interest in the arts, the Senior Games also offers “SilverArts” competitions with a variety of mediums including heritage arts, basket weaving, quilting, painting, photography, dance, comedy, drama, poetry readings and storytelling.

To register for local games or for more information on the SilverArts sessions, please visit the North Carolina Senior Games website by clicking here.

For more information on the Caregivers Cup group, please contact the Kerr-Tar Area Agency on Aging at (252) 436-2040 or email Holmes directly at hholmes@kerrtarcog.org.

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

Town Talk 01/21/20

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Great, positive stories going on in Henderson.

Recap of Rise Against Hunger meal packing event and Area Christians Together In Service food collection.

American Red Cross and Henderson Fire Department and County and Volunteer Fire Department “Sound The Alarm” county-wide smoke detector installation event.

Ruin Creek Animal Protection Society “In The Doghouse” give back efforts.

This is 25 minutes of Henderson, Vance County at its finest.  This is your town, your county, your home, your community!

Town Talk 01/20/20: Democratic Chair Discusses Meeting, Low Voter Turnout

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Marcia Allen, the acting chairperson of the Vance County Democratic Party, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Monday at 11 a.m.

Allen encouraged all registered Democrats, and those interested in learning more about the party, to attend the Vance County Democratic Party meeting to be held Thursday, January 23, 2020, at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will be held in the Commissioners’ Room of the old Vance County Courthouse located at 122 Young Street in Henderson. The elevator is in service for attendees with mobility issues.

Officers are needed and discussions will include precinct organizations.

Describing the Democratic Party as “the party of empowerment, education and inclusiveness,” Allen said the local chapter’s goal is to mirror state Democratic caucuses including African-American, women, youth and the most recently approved – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer or Questioning (LGBTQ).

Allen said the local party is especially interested in finding effective ways to get more young people involved in politics and the voting process. “If we say that young people are our future, then they need to be involved in the process. It’s troubling to hear that young people do not want to take part in the political process when everything that happens politically will affect them.”

Citing statistics from the most recent non-partisan City of Henderson municipal election in October, Allen said everyone should be concerned about declining voter turnout. “We had close to 10,000 eligible voters for the most recent election and it’s troubling that only 13% voted,” said Allen. “That means 13% of the people made a decision for 100% of the community. Our goal is to look at that and to reach out to those who did not vote to see why.”

According to Allen, the number of citizens that are disgruntled about decisions made by elected officials is disproportionate to the percentage that voted. “More than 13% of people are complaining about things that are done locally, yet they don’t vote to make a change about what’s going on,” Allen said.

While voting is at the top of Allen’s list of making sure your voice is heard, she also encouraged citizens to attend Henderson City Council and Vance County Commissioners meetings, reach out to their respective political party and get involved in community activities.

Questions about the upcoming Vance County Democratic Party meeting can be directed to Marcia Allen at mlallen65@hotmail.com or (252) 767-5195.

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