Triad Today

If there was a competition for who gets the most media exposure it would be a tight race between Donald Trump and Blake Lively. Both are well known. Both are engaged in lawsuits. Both demand to be the center of attention. Both have been in high-profile relationships, and both create chaos in their respective workplaces. The only thing that sets them apart is that only one of them insists on having an intimacy coordinator during sex.

The truth is that you can’t pick up a newspaper or magazine, or search online for news without having to first navigate around the latest story about Blake Lively. That’s because she has become the latest poster girl for the Me Too movement in its fight against sexual harassment. Don’t get me wrong. Women have been and continue to be harassed by misogynist males who think it’s OK to make lewd comments to female co-workers, or touch them inappropriately. It’s even worse when that behavior is generated by male bosses. But lately, we have been bombarded by news of alleged harassment in Hollywood, particularly when a film or television production involves scenes of intimacy.

In Lively’s case, she claims that co-star/producer Justin Baldoni acted verbally and physically inappropriately during the filming of It Ends With Us. I won’t get into the specific, he said/she said elements of this particular case, except to say that over the past few years, film studios have increasingly assigned intimacy coordinators to be on set as a guardrail against unwanted actions that might otherwise be construed as sexual harassment. In fact, the intimacy coordinator profession has grown into such a cottage industry that there’s even an organization to represent it. Intimacy Directors International was established in 2016 to define the responsibilities of intimacy coordinators, including being on set to ensure that actors “continually consent to all scenes of intimacy.”

These coordinators are welcomed by some actresses and scoffed at by others, especially old-school performers like Gwyneth Paltrow who recently told Vanity Fair that she feels stifled by using an intimacy coordinator. While filming a number of sex scenes with Timothy Chalamet for the upcoming Marty Supreme, Paltrow was asked by the intimacy coordinator if she felt comfortable with a particular sexual position. Paltrow’s response was, “Girl, I’m from the era where you get naked, you get in bed, and the camera is rolling.” Another Hollywood veteran, Kim Basinger also told Variety that intimacy coordinators are unnecessary. “Either we work it out or we don’t. I don’t see the need for supervised visits,” said Basinger.

Granted things can get out of hand when an actor and actress are heating up the sheets during a racy scene, so much so that Nicole Kidman had to take a break from filming Babygirl. Meanwhile, other performers have allegedly just let nature take its course during filming, such as Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie in Don’t Look Now, and Michelle Borth in HBO’s Tell Me You Love Me. On the opposite end of the spectrum, there are actors who refuse roles just to avoid intimacy of any kind. Such is the case with Yellowstone villain Neal McDonough who says acting in sex scenes goes against his marriage vows, and Pat Boone who once declined to even kiss Shirley Jones in April Love without first getting permission from his wife.

I suppose the public will always be interested in what goes on behind the scenes in Hollywood, so it’s no wonder that the internet is inundated with the latest juicy gossip about all things sexual. I just wish there was less vitriol and more funny anecdotes to read about, like what happened during the 1974 filming of The Towering Inferno. As it so happens Faye Dunaway was nervous about her upcoming sex scene with Paul Newman, so in order to break the ice and put everyone at ease, just before Dunaway got into bed, Newman threw back the sheets to reveal that he was wearing cowboy boots and spurs. The prank broke everyone up, the tension was eased, and there was no need for either an intimacy coordinator or a bunch of attorneys to file lawsuits for harassment. Where’s Paul Newman when you need him.

 
 

Throughout the 2016 presidential campaign, Hillary Clinton enjoyed a solid lead in the polls over political newcomer Donald Trump. And why not? Clinton was thought to have been the most qualified presidential candidate in history, having served as First Lady, United States Senator, and Secretary of State. She was also very smart, savvy, and ruthless, having allegedly manipulated superdelegates, the DNC, and the primary rules in order to disenfranchise Bernie Sanders’ voters. 

Meanwhile, Trump had dispatched the GOP primary field with ease, despite the fact that he had no credentials, no sense of decorum, and was functionally illiterate. Still, pundits all agreed that Trump stood no chance of beating Clinton. But Hillary had two things working against her. First, she was not personable, and second, she was arrogant to a fault. The latter trait would be her undoing. Coming down the stretch, Bill Clinton, a successful and still admired two-term president, advised his wife to focus on the Rust Belt states, and to make as many trips to that region as possible. According to numerous insider reports, Hillary angrily dismissed Bill’s advice. On election night she wished she had listened to him. Though she garnered more votes than Trump, Donald beat her in the Rust Belt, and it was enough to prevail in the Electoral College.

By 2020, Americans of all stripes had grown tired of Trump’s bullying ways and his mishandling of the COVID pandemic, so they voted Joe Biden into office. Democrats were hopeful that the Biden/Harris victory would launch an era of political dominance for the blue team, but it wasn’t to be. Uncle Joe’s age caught up with him, so much so, that staff limited his interaction with the press. But they couldn’t keep him totally out of the public eye, and on those occasions, his speech became increasingly jumbled, and at times he didn’t seem to know where he was. Meanwhile, Biden managed to let over 2 million illegal immigrants cross our borders in less than four years, and food prices were continuing to rise.

When Democratic leadership finally forced Joe from the 2024 race it did so without a cohesive plan for naming his successor. And when Harris was anointed without so much as a mini-primary, the party opened the door for Trump to become the first president since Grover Cleveland to win two non-consecutive terms. During her abbreviated campaign, Harris avoided tough interviews because she was widely known for her word salad answers. To make matters worse, she couldn’t defend her failed immigration policy (Biden had put her in charge of the border crisis) and even said there was nothing she would have changed about Biden’s policies. Unfortunately, her gender and skin color also worked against her due to an increasing number of voters who were misogynistic and racist. But perhaps those hurdles could have been mitigated had it not been for Kamala taking her eye off the ball. Just as Hillary had ignored Middle America in 2016, Kamala refused to move her politics to the center and listen to what Middle America was trying to tell her. Americans didn’t want illegals streaming across our borders. They didn’t like having to choose between food and rent. And they also had grown tired of Democratic wokeness. Americans were tired of having politically correct pronouns forced on them, and tired of having biological men invade women’s sports. Biden never got that message, and Harris didn’t know how to adapt to it. Thus, Republicans easily won the White House, Congress, and the Senate, all in one night.

The question is, have Democrats learned their lesson? The answer is no, and I’ll cite one policy issue as an example. After Trump declared that there are only two genders, all Democratic politicians should have followed California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s lead when he came out against young men playing women’s sports. After all, girls and women have been seriously injured when competing against biological males, and Democratic elected officials need to understand that.

Instead, most of them have continued to double down on their out-of-touch wokeness. Earlier this month when a Senate bill was proposed that would have officially banned trans athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s sports, not a single Democrat supported it. And then there was the testy exchange during a recent White House summit in which Maine’s Democratic Governor Janet Mills told Trump that she would not obey any presidential order that barred biological males from participating in women’s sports. But perhaps the most telling incident of how Democrats haven’t learned their lesson occurred last week during a congressional hearing. GOP committee Chairman Keith Self introduced Sarah McBride, a trans representative from Delaware, as “Mr. McBride.” McBride then snarked, “Thank you Madam Chairman.” That’s when Democrat Congressman Bill Keating angrily scolded Mr. Self and refused to let the hearing proceed until the Chairman introduced McBride in a politically correct manner. Channeling the McCarthy hearings of the 1950s, drama queen Keating said, “Mr. Chairman have you no decency?” Rep. Self then adjourned the hearing, and the people’s business was put on hold, while yet another Democrat had a temper tantrum designed to shame middle Americans for not embracing multiple genders.

It’s no wonder that a recent CNN poll shows the Democratic Party’s favorability rating is at an all-time low. Truth is, average Americans of all faiths, genders, and races just want to feel like our elected leaders are “woke” to our everyday concerns, and if they can’t manage to do that, then it will be a cold day in Hell before Democrats take back the White House.

 
 

Hollywood’s most enduring acting couple is making it easier for fans to acquire mementos of their illustrious careers.

Award winning actors William Daniels and Bonnie Bartlett have relaunched BillAndBonnieDaniels.com, an online store offering a variety of items, including some from their personal collections.

Daniels began his career on stage and originated the role of John Adams in 1776. He is, however, most famous for his starring roles in St. Elsewhere and Boy Meets World. He also supplied the computer voice for KITT on Knight Rider. Bartlett starred as Bill’s wife in St. Elsewhere and his love interest in Boy Meets World. Both performers also appeared in numerous other television shows and films. Bill starred alongside Warren Beatty in The Parallax View, and opposite Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate. Bonnie’s film credits include Primary Colors in which she starred with John Travolta, Kathy Bates, and Emma Thompson.

The iconic couple who has been married for 75 years, made television history in 1987 by winning EMMYs for the same show on the same night (St. Elsewhere).

Up until now Bill and Bonnie, ages 98 and 96 respectively, have personally handled fan requests, but the task became too taxing. “We are getting too old for this, so we turned everything over to our son Rob to manage requests and the online store,” said Bonnie.

Items available for sale include autographed photos, signed first edition copies of the couple’s autobiographies, unique t-shirts, and one-of-a-kind items from Bill and Bonnie’s personal collection such as ties worn by Bill as Mr. Feeny in Boy Meets World.

 
 

were grown. “Hey, I don’t have any kids in school, so why should I pay more taxes to support education?”  The answer to that question is that today’s students are the folks who might one day be the paramedic who saves your life, or the lineman who, during a severe storm, helps restore power so that you’ll have heat in your house. Funding for education is important because education benefits everyone in the long run. The same can be said of child care except that child care accrues immediate benefits to our economy.

When it comes to public and private funding for child care, there is understandable resistance from some of the 80% of North Carolinians who do not have a child under the age of 6 living at home. But these folks have no idea what child care costs these days. According to NC Child, the average annual cost of day care for an infant is $13,000, while the annual cost of daycare for a toddler is $11,500. In addition to being cost prohibitive for young parents, quality day care is not always readily available. In fact, 44% of North Carolinians live in child care deserts.   

Late last year, the North Carolina Commerce Department and NC Child released a report, titled “Empowering Work”. Their findings (as reported by the Winston-Salem Journal’s Richard Craver) are alarming: fewer parents of younger children are in the workforce because of the lack of public and private support for child care assistance.

That follows a report from earlier last year by the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce Foundation which estimated that our state’s economy is losing between 5 billion and 13 billion dollars per year because people who can’t afford child care aren’t working. Proof positive is the fact that in 2023 there were 100,000 less working-age parents with young children in the state’s workforce than there were in 2019. More specifically the Foundation’s report concluded that if we got our act together and supported various working parent initiatives, then the state would gain as many as 68,000 jobs by putting those parents back into the workforce.

To their credit, some of our Democratic state legislators have tried to introduce bills that would help parents, day care operators and businesses by making child care more accessible and affordable. Unfortunately, those attempts have largely fallen on deaf ears thanks to the Republican majority in Raleigh. Those bills such as SB 822 would have increased the child tax deduction amount and provided financial assistance to child care providers. HB 322 also never received a committee hearing. It would have created a public/private partnership to share the cost of child care equally between employers, employees, and the state.

Perhaps I am naïve, but I can’t help but think that there are a number of employers who would have gone along with the aforementioned proposed legislation. For one thing, a 2024 “Employer Need Survey” found that employers’ biggest problem is lack of job applicants. Moreover, 20% of North Carolina employers attribute their hiring challenges directly to lack of access to child care.

Making child care more accessible should not be a political issue, especially when those who block progressive legislation are guilty of hypocrisy which is wrought with irony. They say they want to create jobs, but then refuse to support programs that would put over 60,000 parents back to work.

Last year, Vice President J.D. Vance indicated that parents don’t need to pay for child day care because grandparents can do the job. That math-challenged logic comes from the same man who told us that Haitians in Ohio were eating people’s pets. The fact is that not every toddler has a grandparent who lives close by or who is physically able to provide child care.

Last year NC Commerce secretary Michelle Sanders told the Journal, “Expanding access to child care is essential to developing the robust workforce that our state needs.”  Here’s hoping that GOP lawmakers will wake up to that reality soon. Either that, or we’re going to have to start manufacturing more grandparents.

 
 

After a long career in law enforcement, including time spent as a police officer in Winston-Salem, and as a special agent for the D.E.A., Bobby Kimbrough could have retired and turned his back on public service. But Bobby isn’t one to rest on his laurels or to sit idly by when presented with a challenge. In 2018 he was persuaded to run for office against a long-time, popular incumbent, and, against all odds, he unseated Bill Schatzman to become the first African American sheriff in the history of Forsyth County. And while most political newcomers are afforded a honeymoon period, Bobby had to confront two pandemics head-on after barely a year on the job. One pandemic was COVID, and the other was racism.

In 2020, COVID-19 swept through the nation, eventually killing over a million of our neighbors and loved ones. That same year, George Floyd, a Black man, died as a result of excessive force by a White Minneapolis police officer. That incident stirred nationwide protests against systemic racism in law enforcement, and an understandable decline in the number of people (especially people of color) applying to work for police and sheriff’s departments. There was also an ill-timed call by some politicians and disenfranchised populations for defunding the police at a time when, ironically, violent crime was on the rise, including in our public schools.

Sheriff Kimbrough and I have had many conversations over the past six years, during which time a host of other public safety issues has arisen, ranging from an increase in gang activity, to the way in which violent juveniles are prosecuted. I thought now would be a good time for review and reflection as he settles in for the last half of his second term in office.

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JL: Before becoming Sheriff, you had extensive law enforcement experience on both the local and federal levels, and yet, I’m wondering if anything about your current job surprised you that first year?

BK: Of course. Budgeting and navigating the political landscape were entirely new to me. I learned that there are hundreds of demands placed on the sheriff, many of which have little to do with law enforcement. Also, I had to learn quickly how to adapt while maintaining the level of service necessary to create a top-tier law enforcement agency. More importantly, this position has given new meaning to prayer in my life. It has become a daily necessity.

JL: School shootings are on the rise nationwide. What kinds of security measures should we take to prevent those tragedies from happening?

BK: As it relates to school security and school as a whole, we must first recognize and prioritize what is truly valuable. I will never forget meeting Rabbi Charlie who told me, “A budget is a reflection of what you value.”  When it comes to school security and our protective measures, we have not placed enough value and resources on what matters most -our children and their educators. I can’t help but ask, “Why are our courthouses and college basketball games more secure than our schools?” The reason these places remain secure is the resources allocated to ensure safety of those entering and participating in the events there. The key word is “Resources”.

JL: We are starting to see more minors being tried as adults in cases of violent crime. Is that a good idea? and, if so, is it deterring 16 and 17 year-olds from violent behavior, such as assaulting teachers?

BK: While we are charging juveniles with adult crimes, we must remember that we are dealing with undeveloped minds. Time will ultimately reveal whether these decisions were wise or flawed. Once again, resources are critical. If applied effectively on the front end, they can positively impact outcomes on the back end. We must never forget that decisions create conditions.

JL: How prevalent is gang activity in our area, and what resources do you need to combat it?

BK: It’s no secret that gang activity is present in our area. Again, though, resources are the key to solving any problem, but that doesn’t only mean handcuffs or incarceration. Resources include jobs, tutoring, and housing.

JL: Back in 2016 you authored a book titled, Surviving the Stop, which is sort of a primer in how people (especially people of color) can avoid confrontation with police during a traffic stop. Are police and sheriff’s departments making any progress in lessening incidents of excessive force?

BK: Training is essential to advancing any agency. It involves understanding the community that it serves, addressing conflict resolution, and improving practices. Training has always been a priority for us. 

JL: Not so long ago, your office had a lot of openings. How have you been doing with recruiting?

BK: You recall several years ago we had 135 vacancies just on the detention side. Today we’re down to only 30. We’re also fully staffed in terms of sworn officers. I have to give a shout out to our County Commissioners and County Manager for raising salaries. The new color of hope is green, and people do these jobs for money.

JL: What are your biggest challenges as Sheriff for 2025 and beyond?

BK: I don’t see challenges, I see opportunities. This includes requesting additional manpower, advocating for increased technology funding, and advancing the premier law enforcement agency in the State.

JL: Following the tragic death of your wife in 2005, you had to raise seven sons by yourself. Have any of them pursued a career in law enforcement?

BK: Yes, Jordan is employed with the Guilford County Sheriff’s office. Christian is currently with the Atlanta Police Department, and Bryce is in the process to become a deputy at a sheriff’s office in California.  

JL: What has been gratifying to you about being sheriff?

BK: One of the most gratifying aspects of my role is being able to serve the town where I grew up. It’s an incredible feeling to know that the people have entrusted me with this office and believe in me. The love and support they show me are what drives me, even on the toughest days. I am deeply grateful and thankful.

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When attorney David Daggett commits to something he goes all in, whether it’s a commitment to family, clients, or athletics. His exploits as an Iron Man competitor are legendary, and so is his support for numerous charities and organizations, ranging from the Down Syndrome Association to his signature Safe Sober initiative, now in its 35th year. In 1982, while attending Wake Forest Law School, David hooked up with Big Brothers, Big Sisters (BBBS), and became a mentor to then 11-year-old Chuck Lewis, who today owns a successful delivery service. It’s a friendship that has continued for over 40 years. I recently caught up with David and Chuck and asked them to talk about their long relationship.

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JL:  David, why did you want to be a Big Brother?

DD:  I had a desire to help younger, underprivileged people and make a difference, so my friend John Smith and I started a chapter of BBBS at the law school. We started out with maybe 10 matches among our group.

JL:  How did you get paired up with Chuck?

DD:  I went down to the Big Brothers office and met with the executive director, and he and his team made the pairing.

JL:  Chuck, what path were you on at that time?

CL:  I was getting into trouble, mainly fighting at school to defend myself because I was overweight. There was no dad in our home, so my Mom had to be both mother and father.

JL:  What activities did you and David do together back then?

CL:  He would take me to various sports events at Wake Forest. Sometimes we would make pizza, which was my favorite thing to do. Once he took me to meet his parents in Boone and while we were there, we went snow skiing.

JL:  How has David’s mentorship had an impact on your life?

CL:  He showed me that I could be more in life in terms of a career, and he also demonstrated what true friendship is really like. He didn’t look at the color of my skin (I’m Black), instead he looked into my need.

JL:  David, do you and Chuck still stay in touch?

DD:  Yes. We text and email quite frequently and get together for breakfast occasionally. In addition to running a business, Chuck is quite a musician and over the past five years I’ve asked his band to play at the annual Smiley Triathlon for cancer research that I produce.

JL:  Chuck, do you mentor young folks today?

CL:  Yes, I work with high school students who come to me when they have a problem. I’ve had students say that I was like a father to them, and that makes it all worthwhile.

JL:  David, who was your mentor when you were young?

DD:  I was very fortunate to have a lot of role models and mentors, including, of course, my father. But also, my wrestling coach, Coach LeBeau, who passed away a number of years ago. Who knows where I’d be without him. 

JL:  Why are adult mentors so important?

DD:  The biggest thing is that young people need to know someone cares. There was a recent study done that showed the common denominator of a successful person was that they had one person outside of their own family who took a special interest in them and love them. That special interest and love turns into a two-way street, and Chuck and I have certainly had that over the years.

JL:  Why should business and professional folks become Big Brothers and Big Sisters?

DD:  You will be making a difference in the world, one piece at a time, and it changes lives FOREVER!

CL:  I still consider David my Big Brother and will do so for the rest of our lives.

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According to BBBS CEO Shawan Gabriel, since 1977 the agency has served over 20,000 boys and girls in Forsyth and Davie Counties alone, and today more than 300 children are enrolled in the program. But, says Gabriel, “there is a waiting list, and 130 kids are still hoping to be matched with a Big Brother.” For more information, visit  BBBSNC.org.

 
 

As sometimes happens, two seemingly unrelated news stories get reported on the same day, yet when taken together they are revealed to have a lot in common. That’s what happened last week when we finally got to see Jack Smith’s report on his derailed prosecution of Donald Trump, while concurrently we learned about a Forsyth County official who committed a new crime by hiding an old one. The two stories tell us a lot about what’s wrong with our political and judicial systems on every level. I’ll start with the Smith/Trump saga.

Donald Trump has been in and out of court so often that it’s hard to keep track of his convictions, which include one for defaming a woman he allegedly raped, and 34 felony counts relating to a hush-money scheme. Trump also had some near misses in New York and Georgia (for bank fraud and election interference respectively) when those cases were dropped after the Supreme Court granted him presidential immunity for anything and everything he’s ever done or ever will do. Had those cases not been delayed for various reasons, Trump would have been serving prison time before the high court even got involved. And that brings me to special prosecutor Jack Smith whose rock-solid case against Trump for trying to overturn the 2020 election was also derailed by the court’s immunity ruling.

Last week Attorney General Merrick Garland released Smith’s scathing 130-page report which detailed Trump’s criminal activities. Smith wrote, “When it became clear that Mr. Trump had lost the [2020] election and that lawful means of challenging the election results had failed, he resorted to a series of criminal efforts to retain power.” The report, which Trump did not want made public, made it clear that had the case gone to trial, he would have been convicted and on his way to the slammer. Critics of the judicial system like to say, “If it had been any other person who committed all those crimes, that person would be doing hard time.” The fact that Trump has set a new standard for avoiding punishment of any kind brings me to another political story that unfolded last week involving a Triad area agency.

The Forsyth County Soil and Water Conservation Board is an agency that doesn’t get a lot of attention, but they do important work. Board members assist property owners with “conserving soil and water and other natural resources.” They also offer technical and financial assistance to individuals, schools, and corporations on soil and water-related matters. Sadly, we don’t hear much about all of the great things they do, but as of last week, we’re hearing a lot about something its newest member didn’t do.

Edward Jones was elected to the board last November by 63% of the 93,000 Forsyth County residents who voted. According to the Winston-Salem Journal, prior to the election Jones was forthcoming about a lot of things including that he had been shot 37 times, and about his faith in God and his career as a rapper. But Jones neglected to reveal that he was a convicted sex offender, something that he apparently never disclosed to anyone outside of the state of New Jersey where his crimes had been committed. The problem is that North Carolina General Statute 163-106 requires anyone running for elected office to fill out a “Notice of Candidacy” form and to disclose any prior felony convictions on that form. 

Thanks to reporting by the Journal’s Scott Sexton we now know about Jones’ failure to disclose his felony conviction, which in itself is a Class I felony. We also know that Jones will probably escape punishment and remain in office because no one seems to know exactly how to make him accountable for his most recent crime. For example, the State Board of Elections says there’s nothing it can do because the election results have already been certified. 

One SBE official told Sexton, “You would need to contact the Forsyth Soil and Water Conservation Commission regarding this matter. Since the candidate is already serving in this office, this is not an election-related matter.” But Forsyth elections chief Tim Tsuji contradicts that assessment, saying the matter, “is in the hands of the State Board of Elections.”

Meanwhile, George Teague, a past chairman of the State Soil and Water Commission says that the Forsyth Soil and Water Board can only remove Jones if he stops showing up for meetings or is found to have committed some wrong-doing in carrying out his duties. In other words, there’s no one willing to prosecute Jones because he’s already been elected. Call it a kind of convoluted immunity, sort of like what Donald Trump has used to escape punishment for his crimes.

Is it any wonder, then, that most voters have become apathetic about political criminals? We’ve gotten used to elected officials breaking the law in part because they’re rarely held accountable for the laws they broke. And if they’re not punished that must mean they were wrongly accused. As a result, men like Trump and Jones become victims rather than convicts, and our elections continue to be polluted by men who think laws only apply to other people.

 
 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for interstate commerce, but for the life of me I can’t understand why, when it comes to trade between North Carolina and Virginia, it always has to be a one-way highway. During Prohibition, for example, North Carolinians had to drive across the state line to buy liquor. Later in the century, we had to drive up to the Old Dominion to buy lottery tickets, cheaper gas, and wager on horse races. In recent times we also had to travel into Virginia to buy marijuana. And over the past year and a half, those of us in the Piedmont have gotten into our cars and driven to Danville to play blackjack, poker, craps, and slots, first in a temporary casino, and now in a permanent facility which opened on Dec. 17. All of this historic one-way traffic has put millions of North Carolina dollars into Virginia’s coffers while our state legislators continue to drag their feet on creating new revenue streams from non-traditional sources.

Yes, Cherokee’s gambling resort has been up and running for a while, but Caesar’s Danville complex has all the same Vegas-style amenities and is much more convenient to the Triad. That’s why it’s not surprising that the Danville parking lot is always filled with cars from North Carolina, and that brings me to the point of this column.

In 2020, the Virginia legislature identified five possible cities that could establish casinos providing that people in those localities held referenda and voted to allow gambling in their back yard. Those five cities were Bristol, Danville, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Richmond. Residents of Bristol, Danville, and Portsmouth approved casino gambling, Norfolk is still working on their project, and Richmond voters rejected gambling within city limits, giving way to Petersburg to launch its own project. What’s most important to note is that the Virginia General Assembly only selected localities that were economically distressed, and that’s something that our elected officials in the Piedmont Triad should consider.

Though our three largest Triad cities have relatively strong economies, several counties in our immediate area are, by definition “economically distressed.” That is the conclusion of the North Carolina Department of Commerce whose most recent ranking of 100 counties identified dozens of distressed areas, including three within the Piedmont Triad region, those being Randolph, Rockingham, and Surry.

If our General Assembly followed Virginia’s lead and designated five economically distressed counties to hold referenda on casino gambling, it stands to reason that one of them would be in the Piedmont, say for instance, in Surry or Randolph. A casino in Mount Airy would make sense because of its close proximity to both the Triad and southern Virginia, so we could actually draw gamblers from the Old Dominion. On the other hand, Randolph has lots of land available and can draw patrons from the entire region. And while we’re mentioning that county, the wild card in the deck could be High Point, a small sliver of which is actually located in Randolph, therefore, a casino could theoretically be located in or adjacent to the furniture city. In that case, Triad area residents who now drive an hour to Danville to gamble, could roll the dice 15 minutes from home. It also means that the Piedmont would gain over a thousand new jobs and the state would accrue at least another $40 million dollars per year in revenues that could be used for everything from teacher pay and school security, to infrastructure projects.

Interstate commerce should be a two-way street, and building five more casinos in North Carolina could level the playing field with Virginia.

 
 

2024 will most be remembered for the political comeback of Donald Trump, facilitated by the votes of 77 million Americans who forgot that his insurrection killed several police officers and injured hundreds more. They also forgot about his 32 felony convictions. In short, 2024 was all about how we as a society forgive and forget criminal behavior in general, as was evidenced by the success of two dog murderers: South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem who Trump has picked to lead Homeland Security; and former NFL star and FOX Sports personality Michael Vick who was just hired to lead Norfolk State’s football program. The sad part is that instead of being rewarded with important new jobs, Vick should just now be getting out of prison and Noem should just now be going in. Let’s begin with Governor Noem.

52-year-old Kristi Noem was born in Watertown, South Dakota, and graduated from Northern State University with a degree in political science. She was elected to the South Dakota legislature in 2007, served in Congress for eight years, then was elected as the state’s first female governor in 2018, and re-elected in 2022. Noem came to national prominence in 2024 as a potential running mate for Trump and looked like the front-runner for that post until the media latched onto some disturbing excerpts from her newly released memoir, No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward.

In an effort to show her toughness under fire, Noem bragged about having shot her 14-month-old pet dog Cricket because the canine was “untrainable” when it came to hunting pheasant. Cricket’s crime was that she chased the birds and went “out of her mind with excitement, having the time of her life.” Having raised dozens of dogs over the years, I can tell you that puppies get excited and distracted, but I’ve never once punished or killed a dog for being disobedient. Of course, Kristi’s abuse of animals didn’t end with the murder of Cricket. The governor also admitted to executing a goat for being “nasty and mean” and smelling bad.

Public reaction to Noem’s behavior was overwhelmingly negative, thus killing her chances of serving as vice president. Yet Noem remained fiercely loyal to Trump and stumped for him at every opportunity. That loyalty was rewarded late last year when the president-elect tapped her to be his secretary of Homeland Security. With Republicans controlling both houses of Congress, her confirmation is a lock, meaning that a woman who brags about murdering innocent animals will soon be in charge of keeping us safe from folks who murder innocent people.  

Noem was never charged with animal abuse, which in some states carries a 5-year prison sentence for each offense. The fact is that people who abuse, torture, and kill pets rarely get what’s coming to them, and that brings me to Michael Vick.

Vick was born in Newport News, Virginia and lived in a crime-infested area of the port city. Michael gravitated to football as an escape from the projects, and distinguished himself on the field, earning him a full scholarship to Virginia Tech in 1999. That year he led the NCAA in passing efficiency and the following season Michael was named MVP of the Gator Bowl. Not surprisingly the NFL came calling and Vick left Virginia Tech after his sophomore year to sign a lucrative deal with the Atlanta Falcons. 

As he was in college, Michael was an electrifying player in the NFL, earning millions of fans, millions of dollars, and collecting an entourage that engaged in all sorts of illegal behavior. In 2007, it was discovered that Vick owned and operated an illegal dog-fighting facility on land that he owned in Surry County, Virginia. That summer Michael was indicted on federal charges which included financing an interstate dog fighting operation and the gruesome execution of scores of dogs. Vick later admitted to personally hanging and drowning eight of the dogs himself after torturing them with brutal beatings. The Feds were prepared to send Vick to prison for five years, but, as many animal murderers do, Michael cut a plea deal in which he only had to serve 23 months. It was a slap on the wrist for a man who should have been slapped with substantial prison time for each murder. He began his sentence in 2007 and was released in 2009.

Rather than exit Leavenworth as a social pariah, Vick returned to the NFL where fans treated him like a conquering hero and bought his jersey in record numbers. He played out his pro career with the Eagles, Jets, and Steelers, then was picked up by FOX Sports as a football analyst. Late last month he left FOX to become the head coach at Norfolk State University, despite the fact that he has no coaching experience, is a college dropout and has a prison record to boot. Nevertheless, he was welcomed with open arms by NSU Athletic Director Dr. Melody Webb, who obviously thinks that a dog murderer is a good role model for young men.

And Webb isn’t alone. Following the NSU announcement, social media blew up with overwhelming support for dog killer Mike.

“You rock!” wrote thanos1045.

“He rose from the ashes and became a man that I admire,” said swiftcurrent326.

“He was shafted,” wrote kerrytodd3753.

“He’ll have the DAWGS fighting for their life,” said virginiabrinkman9106.

“Michael Vick did NOTHING wrong,” wrote iamthemanmiddleagednerd1053. 

 Obviously, there are those who believe that criminals can be rehabilitated, and some can. But an adult who tortures and murders animals doesn’t deserve to be an employee of the largest HBCU in Virginia, just as a governor who executes her own pets doesn’t deserve to oversee our Homeland Security.  But hey, we Americans love to forgive and forget all sorts of criminal behavior, so bring on the Norfolk State jerseys and the MAGA caps.

 
 

As we celebrate this holiday season, let’s not forget that there are people beyond our immediate circle of family and friends who are suffering, and could benefit from our love and generosity. Over the past decade, I’ve been able to showcase scores of community organizations on my Triad Today television show, and in the process, I’ve learned that there are several ways we can help these agencies help others. The first is to donate goods. Second is to donate money. And, third is to donate our time. Of course, some nonprofit groups can benefit from all three types of giving. Here, in no particular order, are just a few organizations to which you might lend your support.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC: Even prior to the pandemic, the Piedmont Triad had one of the worst food insecurity problems in the nation, and that included the problem of childhood hunger. Now, with thousands more of our neighbors in need, the problem has worsened, including for children. To help alleviate the hunger problem, Second Harvest Food Bank has stepped up its efforts to distribute food to nonprofit agencies who feed hungry people in an 18-county area. The Food Bank has also partnered with a number of area companies to provide meals for kids. You can write a check directly to the food bank, or you can drop off non-perishable food items at a number of locations in our area. For more information call 336-784-5770, or visit SecondHarvestNWNC.org.

Cancer Services, Inc.’s stated mission is “to enhance quality of life for those living with cancer, and to provide the gift of life through education.” Their services include patient advocacy, financial assistance, providing equipment and supplies, offering peer support groups, and much more. Ninety percent of funds donated to Cancer Services, Inc. goes directly to providing client services. In addition to money, you can also donate used equipment and supplies. Call 336-760-9983, or visit CancerServicesOnline.org.

Greensboro Urban Ministry is on the front lines when it comes to providing emergency assistance. Greensboro Urban Ministry provides homeless families in Guilford County with a safe, temporary environment. Volunteers are needed to prepare and serve meals, manage shelters, tutor children, and perform a variety of other duties. Monetary donations are also much appreciated. Call 336-271-5959, or visit GreensboroUrbanMinistry.org.

Mountain Valley Hospice is a nonprofit agency that serves an 18-county area in North Carolina and Virginia, and provides personalized care for patients at the end of life, as well as comfort to families. Mountain Valley Hospice has offices throughout the region, and operates two hospice homes. They also specialize in care for terminally ill children and veterans, and offer grief support for kids and adults. To give money or inquire about volunteering, call 1-888 789-2922, or visit MtnValleyHospice.org.

The Petty Family Foundation: NASCAR legend Richard Petty and his family support a number of charitable organizations including Paralyzed Veterans of America and Victory Junction Camp, the latter of which provides an uplifting experience for children with severe disabilities and terminal illnesses. To make a donation or learn more, visit PettyFamilyFoundation.org.

Shift_ed provides qualified students with college scholarships and much more. Shift_ed also provides students with support services that are designed to help them be successful in life. Their equity-based program begins in kindergarten and includes everything from tutoring to career counseling. Shift_ed relies in part upon donations from companies and individuals. To learn more about scholarships, or to make a donation, visit Shift-ed.org.

Carolina Donor Services and Red Cross… There can be no greater gift this holiday season than the gift of life, and that’s why you might consider donating blood and signing a donor card. Either gesture requires only a few minutes of your time, and will almost certainly result in saving someone’s life in the future. You can reach Carolina Donor Services at 1-800 200-2672, or CarolinaDonorServices.org. You can call the Red Cross at 336-333-2111, or visit them online at RedCross.org.

Please remember that your donations of time, money, or goods to area community organizations are vitally important, not just now, but throughout the coming year. It’s also a way for us to expand the circle of people we care about, and that’s something worth celebrating in this season of giving.

 
 

No one knows who first opined about second chances, but African author Lailah Gifty Akita said it best when she wrote, “We all make mistakes, everybody should be given a second chance.” It’s hard to argue with that sentiment, at least in theory. For example, if someone who is struggling to support his family robs a bank and gets caught, then he deserves a second chance when it comes time for parole. But if that same man kills the bank clerk during the commission of his crime, then he deserves to serve his full sentence, whatever that might be. The difference between the two scenarios seems obvious, except for North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper who has been rather lenient with his commutations over the years.

Thirty-two years ago, then-15-year-old April Barber was tried as an adult and was convicted of killing her grandparents. The judge gave her two life sentences. But in 2022 the North Carolina Juvenile Sentencing Review Board determined that Barber was now ready to take her place in civilized society again. After all, she had been an exemplary prisoner, having earned her GED and a paralegal certificate. The problem is that there was nothing civilized about the crimes Ms. Barber committed.

April Barber had not been misidentified or wrongly convicted. There were no extenuating circumstances. She hadn’t been abused by police or held hostage by terrorists who forced her to commit a crime. There was no DNA mix-up, she didn’t act out of self-defense, and she freely confessed to both murders. In fact, April and her 30-year-old boyfriend carefully planned, and then deliberately set fire to her grandparents’ house, killing both of them. Why? Because April was pregnant, and according to her testimony, April’s grandparents had threatened to have the boyfriend charged with statutory rape if she didn’t abort the pregnancy.

Cooper agreed with the board’s recommendation to release April, perhaps because he felt that a 15-year-old didn’t know it was wrong to pour gasoline on a house, set fire to it, and trap two elderly people inside. Pardon my language, but that’s bullshit reasoning. Anyone old enough to get a driving permit, get pregnant, and plot a double murder, is old enough to know right from wrong and deserves to have served her full prison term. But I guess Roy didn’t hear what Jack Shepherd heard on that fateful night in 1991. Shepherd who lived next door to the Barbers, told the Greensboro News & Record that, “She [April] could hear her grandmother crying and screaming in pain, and hollering for her, just as well as I could.” The fire had blocked all exits to the house, so there was no escape for the loving couple who had been caring for April since she was a child. In March of 2022, Cooper commuted Barber’s sentence to time served. Nine months later, our governor decided to open the cell door for another mass murderer.

In 2002, 23-year-old Janet Danahey (a former Olympic torch bearer) was upset because her boyfriend, Thad Johnson, had just broken up with her. She could have slashed his tires or egged his lawn to exact revenge, but instead, she set fire to a sofa on the porch of his apartment building in the middle of the night. Some residents escaped the fire, but four did not. Twenty-one-year-old Rachel Llewellyn and her sister 24-year-old Donna died in the blaze. So did 20-year-old Beth Harris and Ryan Bek, age 25. The four victims had tried to escape via a wooden staircase, but it had already burned down. Rhonda Colwell was one of the lucky ones who escaped the fire on that tragic February night. She told the Greensboro News & Record, “You heard screaming. All of us were in such a state of shock.” 

Danahey had been given a life sentence for the six people she burned to death, but thanks to Cooper she was released from prison at age 44. That brings me to last month when “Law and Order Roy” was at it again as he commuted the sentences of four more violent criminals. One of them is Terence Smith.

In 2000, Smith, now 42 years old, was involved in a robbery in which three people were shot and injured. The following year he was convicted of three counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury. He was also convicted of robbery with a dangerous weapon. Even though Smith (then 17 years old) didn’t do the actual shooting, the judge sentenced him to a prison term of from 40 to 52 years. Last month Cooper released Smith who has only served half of his sentence, saying, “While in prison, Smith participated in community college classes, drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs, and self-improvement classes.” Cooper also made Smith promise not to commit any more felonies, own a gun, or assault anyone. Good luck on that. 

In March of 2009, Kriston Angell was charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of a 74-year-old Davie County man and attempted murder of two other men, but he later struck a plea deal and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. The judge sentenced Angell to a prison term of from 25 to 33 years, but last month good old Roy commuted that sentence to the 15 years already served. And why not? After all, while in prison, Angell graduated with honors from the College of Southeastern in its field ministry program and ministered to younger inmates at the Foothills Correctional Institute. I guess he advised the youth not to murder people.

None of this makes any sense to me, but Roy Cooper is proud to double down on his commutations of convicted murderers. In a public statement last month, Cooper said, “We carefully consider recommendations made by the Juvenile Sentence Review Board to commute sentences for crimes committed by minors. All of these individuals are deserving of clemency.”

Too bad the victims of Terence Smith, Kriston Angell, April Barber, and Janet Danahey aren’t alive to tell Governor Cooper what they think of his policy on second chances. It’s something they never got from their murderers.

 
 

Presidents are only human, so they make mistakes. No, I’m not talking about Bill Clinton hooking up with Monica Lewinski, or Joe Biden once saying there are 54 states in the Union. I’m talking about John Kennedy, and how he misread history, unintentionally insulted the Commonwealth of Virginia, and was compelled to make amends.

The story begins on Wednesday December 4, 1619. That’s the day 38 English settlers from the London Company navigated their ship down the James River and onto Berkeley Hundred (Harrison’s Landing), in what is now Charles City, Virginia, just 20 miles upstream from Jamestown, which had been settled 12 years prior. The landing party was led by Captain John Woodlief, who, as prescribed in the company charter, ordered a day of Thanksgiving to be observed upon their arrival, and every December 4th thereafter.

Over time, Berkeley became known for its historic firsts. The first bourbon whiskey was made there in 1621 (by a preacher no less). “Taps” was played for the first time while the Union army was encamped at Berkeley in 1862. And, of course, it was the site of America’s first Thanksgiving. More on that in a moment.

In 1907 Berkeley was purchased by John Jamieson who had served as a Union drummer boy during the army’s encampment at the plantation. Ownership later fell to his son (and my friend) Malcolm, who passed away in 1997. Mac loved Berkeley and was aggressive in marketing the historic site, including through the use of promotional videos and commercials which I helped to produce. He invited the public to tour the house and grounds, sold Berkeley boxwoods and bourbon, and held an annual Thanksgiving pageant which attracted tourists from across the country. But the celebration wasn’t always widely recognized.

One hundred years after his father beat the Yankee drums at Berkeley, Mac was upset by something another Yankee did. In the fall of 1962, President Kennedy issued his yearly Thanksgiving Proclamation in which he recognized his home state of Massachusetts as the site of America’s first Thanksgiving. And so, on November 9th of that year, Virginia state Senator John Wicker was prompted by Mac to write to the President, and point out Kennedy’s faux pas. In his telegram, Wicker referenced historical records about Berkeley’s celebration, which took place one full year before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth in 1620.

Later that year, Kennedy confidant and noted historian Arthur Schlesinger sent a reply to Wicker with a tongue-in-cheek apology from the President. According to Berkeley records, Schlesinger “attributed the error to unconquerable New England bias on the part of the White House staff.”

The following year, on November 5, 1963, President Kennedy had to eat crow during his annual Thanksgiving proclamation, saying, “Over three centuries ago, our forefathers in Virginia and Massachusetts, far from home, in a lonely wilderness, set aside a day of thanksgiving.” Kennedy’s New England bias wouldn’t allow him to disavow Plymouth entirely, but Mac was happy that Berkeley finally gained official recognition for holding the first Thanksgiving, even if it was a shared honor. Sadly, it was to be Kennedy’s last proclamation. He was assassinated seventeen days later in Dallas.

The holiday season is now upon us, and that means gathering together with friends and family to share food, gifts, and goodwill. And, despite the personal and financial losses we might have endured over the past few years, we will find a way to give thanks for what we have and who we’re with. Perhaps we would also do well to emulate those weary English settlers, and just be thankful for surviving another day of our long journey. So, here’s a Berkeley bourbon toast to Captain Woodlief, a little drummer boy, old Mac, and to that Yankee president who finally set the record straight.

May God bless, and happy Thanksgiving.