Triad Today

Looking back on 2020, no one would disagree that COVID-19 was the biggest story of the year, but for much of the first quarter, it wasn’t a story at all. We began the year with President Trump being impeached for alleged abuse of power. Not surprisingly, the Republican-controlled Senate voted not to convict. Trump was emboldened by the verdict and looking to ride a strong economy into a second term. Ten months later, he was denied that prize by Joe Biden, then spent his lame-duck period trying to prove the election was rigged.

Speaking of politics, North Carolina was in the national spotlight as Democrat Cal Cunningham mounted a challenge to incumbent Sen. Thom Tillis in what would turn out to be the most expensive Senate race in history. Coming down to the wire, Cal had the race all but won when his campaign was derailed by a sex scandal. Meanwhile, Congressional candidates were scrambling to figure out which newly gerrymandered district they might run in. GOP Rep. Mark Walker decided not to run for another term because his 6th district had been redrawn to favor a Democrat. That left the Triad with an open seat, and five Democratic challengers, including Greensboro attorney Kathy Manning, and former Guilford Commissioner Bruce Davis.

Over on the Republican side, local party chair Lee Haywood and data analyst Laura Picardo vied for the nomination. Manning would go on to trounce Haywood in the general election, and Walker would announce his intention to run for retiring Richard Burr’s Senate seat in 2022. Burr made headlines himself early on in 2020, as the FBI launched an investigation into his dubious stock trades based on alleged insider information that he had heard about a new disease called COVID-19. Ironically, as the pandemic grew, Burr’s scandal was all but forgotten. By all rights, the two stories should forever be linked because Burr’s silent greed and failure to share what he knew about the virus probably cost lives. So did Donald Trump’s endless delay in taking COVID seriously.

Meanwhile, other lives were being lost, not just by the virus, but by out-of-control cops and violent white supremacists. George Floyd’s death and the shooting of Breonna Taylor became rallying cries for much-needed reforms in police and sheriff’s departments around the country. In that regard, at least those tragedies served to awaken a majority of Americans to the inequities of criminal justice. Unfortunately, though, racism is ingrained in other Americans, like the three Georgia rednecks who chased down and murdered a black man just for jogging through their neighborhood. That kind of hate can’t be fixed systematically, but it might be less emboldened by new leadership in the White House.

Speaking of race, 2020 marked a year full of debate over Confederate statues and over buildings that were named after slave-owners. One by one, many of those monuments were taken down, and objectionable names were removed from buildings. Confederate flags even disappeared from NASCAR, thanks to Richard Petty and his young driver, Bubba Wallace. Perhaps now, we can begin to erect long overdue monuments to African-American leaders, such as Larry Womble, a pioneering former state lawmaker who led the fight for compensating victims of forced sterilization. Larry passed away this year, but the legacy of his work survives.

Had my friend Larry lived a little longer, he would have been angered (but not surprised) by voter suppression efforts here in North Carolina and throughout the nation. Those included efforts by Greensboro’s own Louis DeJoy, who, as Trump’s postmaster general, removed mailboxes and high-speed sorting machines, in addition to cutting back on employee hours, all of which could have resulted in mail-in ballots arriving too late to be counted. When these and other actions were widely reported, DeJoy denied trying to suppress votes and quickly began to restore human and technical resources in local post offices.

All of this comes full circle with a record number of people voting by mail because they didn’t want to expose themselves to COVID. In fact, avoiding in-person gatherings became a way of life for most Americans. Governor Cooper closed schools, put thousands of small businesses out of business, and threw tens of thousands of folks out of a job. Parents had to become at-home teachers, and students had to forfeit social interaction in favor of online learning.

As this column goes to press, over 300,000 Americans have died from COVID-19. The good news is that vaccines are being shipped to our area, with a promise that we might really turn the corner on this deadly virus by late spring. In the meantime, Gov. Cooper has put new curfews and restrictions in place in an effort to minimize the spread of COVID until such time as vaccines are available to all who want them.

2020 left us with two unresolved pandemics, one clinical and one racial. It left us with a bad taste in our mouths about politics in general, and sycophant politicians in particular. And, it left us a divided nation with deep wounds that need to be healed. It also left us with hope that things can get better in 2021.
 
 

As we do our best to 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.

Party-going restrictions of COVID-19 notwithstanding, this holiday season is still the perfect time to remind folks not to drink and drive. Unfortunately, it’s a reminder that needs to be uttered in every season. That’s because, according to the Centers for Disease Control, intoxicated drivers get behind the wheel no less than 112 million times per year, and cause the deaths of 30 people each day. The CDC also reports that one person dies every 48 minutes due to an alcohol-related crash, while the National Highway Safety Administration says 16,000 people die each year in such crashes. No doubt, making it illegal for kids under 21 to buy booze has helped to keep these statistics from growing at a faster rate. However, the number of young people who drink and abuse spirits is still a major problem, and that brings me to the recent hare-brained scheme by New Mexico State University.

Last month New Mexico State became the first university in America to launch its own brand of booze. Pistol Pete’s Six Shooter Rye Whiskey, as it is called, is bottled by Dry Point Distillers in Las Cruces, who is also a partner in the venture. But hold on. Pistol Pete Rye is not NMSU’s only foray into spirit making. The University began offering golden ale in 2017, and this past October, added wine to its roster of drinks. Speaking of which, the Associated Press reports that over twenty colleges now license their own brand of craft beer, while several others (including Wake Forest) have entered the wine market. The question is why? The answer, according to NMSU athletic director Mario Moccia, is simple: money.

“For us to be the first, I think it’s a source of pride…because in today’s day and age when the budgets are being reduced, it’s incumbent upon us to do things to generate our own revenue,” Moccia told the AP’s Susan Bryan.

Moccia justifies the new business by blaming pandemic-related cutbacks, but how does he justify saying that making whiskey is a source of pride? What’s next? Post secondary craft cigarettes? Hey, I get that a growing number of colleges have ties to the wine industry, but that’s usually because they are located in an area replete with local wineries, and can better offer courses to students who seek employment in that field. But licensing your own brand of hard liquor is something no university should be engaged in, especially given what’s going on today with binge drinking. In fact, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) published a report in which college presidents say binge drinking is their “most serious problem on campus.”

Together, CSPI and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism offer us a litany of statistics and consequences to ponder, among them:

• 7.2 million students are binge drinkers;
• 44% of students attending a 4-year college drink at binge levels;
• 600,000 college students receive unintentional injuries while under the influence of alcohol, and each year over 1,800 of them die from those injuries;
• Nearly 700,000 college-age students are assaulted by another student who has been drinking;
• Nearly 100,000 college students are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape;
• 30,000 college students require medical attention after binge drinking;
• About 25% of all college students have academic problems due to alcohol use, including missing class and poor grades; and,
• Each year, more than 150,000 students develop an alcohol-related health problem, including depression, anxiety, and suicide. The CDC concurs, adding high blood pressure, stroke, heart and liver disease, and cancer to the list.

Meanwhile, the CDC reports that more than 95,000 Americans die each year from excessive alcohol use, and that binge drinking specifically is most common among younger adults. Maybe I’m missing something here, but given these statistics, I just don’t get the whole “source of pride” thing that New Mexico State University officials espouse when describing their involvement in a whiskey-making venture. To my way of thinking, any college president who claims to oppose binge drinking while being involved with a distillery, is guilty of and is engaged in a dangerous hypocrisy. It’s akin to Melania Trump excoriating bullies while being married to one, only worse.

I dare say that every college in America now has a stated or implied zero-tolerance policy when it comes to things like sexual harassment and racism, and most have also taken a stand against drinking on campus. Therefore, licensing and selling your own brand of whiskey is, at best, inconsistent with those and other moral prohibitions, and is, at worst, being an enabler of deadly behavior.

As we do our best to 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 out of work, the problem has worsened. Meanwhile, at-risk students who had to learn from home much of the year, found themselves without the nutritional safety net that schools provided. To help alleviate the hunger problem, Second Harvest Food Bank has stepped up its efforts to distribute food to churches and nonprofit agencies that feed hungry people in an 18-county area. The Food Bank 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 HungerNWNC.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, medication and financial assistance, providing equipment and supplies, offering peer support groups, and much more. 90% 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 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.

Mtn. 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 six regional offices, 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.

Say YES to Education Guilford provides qualified students with college scholarships, and much more. Say YES to Education Guilford 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. Say YES relies in part upon donations from companies and individuals. To learn more about scholarships, or to make a donation, visit SayYesGuilford.org.

Carolina Donor Services and Red Cross … There can be no greater gift at 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 at CarolinaDonorServices.org. You can call the Red Cross at 336-333-2111, or via the internet at RedCross.org.

Please remember that your donations of time, money, or goods to area community organizations is 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.

I applaud President-elect Biden for moving quickly to create his own COVID task force, and for stacking it with people who actually know about and recognize science. Among other things, the task force is assessing the development of effective vaccines, and making plans for distribution and administration of same. That’s all well and good, but keep in mind that a vaccine is a preventative, not a cure, and that brings me to the here-and-now.

Last month, less than a week after the CDC first reported 100,000 new cases of COVID in one day, that number jumped to 185,000, and by the time this column goes to press, we’ll probably be well over 200,000 cases per day. Experts predict that unless we take steps to curtail the virus, we’ll see half a million cases per day by March. And guess what? Young adults are contracting COVID at a higher rate than the elderly, and they’re taking longer to recover than when the pandemic began. Meanwhile America’s death toll continues to rise, with over 2,000 people dying each day. The reason for these spikes is simple: as more and more states relaxed their guidelines for closures and public gatherings, people began to congregate in larger numbers, AND doing so without wearing face masks. That means until such time as a vaccine is readily available, only three things will stop the spread: social distancing, keeping everyone at home, or mandating the wearing of face masks.

The problem with social distancing is that there is no medical consensus on how far apart we should be. At first we were told to stay six feet apart from other people, then that was upgraded to ten feet, then back to six. Now, some reports indicate that COVID droplets hang in the air much longer than originally believed. Translation? Maybe even ten feet apart isn’t enough. So what about a lock-down option? Thus far, Biden hasn’t embraced the idea of shutting down the country, and I hope he never will. First of all, it would throw us into a major depression. Second, it would only delay the spread of COVID, not wipe it out. In the early days of the pandemic, a number of states, including North Carolina, operated under stay-at-home orders, primarily to keep hospitals from being overwhelmed, and to that extent, the strategy was effective. However, the various shut-downs and limits on crowd size proved devastating to businesses, and to millions of people who depended upon those businesses for a living. By process of elimination, then, our only hope to save lives over the next six months is a national mask mandate, and that’s something Trump will never call for. Therefore, cities and states are stepping up to the plate in the interim.

Over the past week, an increasing number of Governors and Mayors have issued mandatory mask orders which carry with them stiff penalties for anyone who doesn’t comply. For example, North Dakota’s Doug Burgum, a Republican, was one of the first governors to enact a $1,000 fine for anyone not wearing a mask in public, and last week, Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines went one better. He added jail time to the fine. Given that our unmasked breath could kill someone, I think these penalties are reasonable. So do researchers at the University of Washington, who just released a report in which they concluded that if 95% of Americans would wear masks consistently, over 68,000 lives would be saved by March 1.

Of course, there are those who say mask mandates would violate their individual freedoms, but the fact is, we already live under a set of laws that do just that. We do not have the freedom to run a red light or drive drunk, or at high speeds. We do not have the freedom to smoke in most buildings, or carry a loaded gun into most stores. We do not have the freedom to take whatever we want without paying, or hold a parade without a permit. In truth, we would be a much freer society under a mask mandate. If everyone wore a mask, we’d be free to once again attend indoor concerts. We could go to bars, hotels, restaurants, gyms, tourist attractions and sports arenas. And we’d be able to attend large family gatherings, fill up a church pew, and be better able to visit immediate family members who are hospitalized or home-bound. Our economy would rebound faster, and so would our mental state. Best of all, under a strictly enforced mask mandate, the American people would eventually kill off COVID, instead of the other way around.

Presidents are only human, so they make mistakes. Bill Clinton hooking up with Monica Lewinski, or Donald Trump calling neo-Nazis “very fine people.” 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 twelve 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 because of the pandemic, many of us will have to forego our traditional Thanksgiving gatherings. We’ll celebrate with loved ones via Zoom, Skype, and old-fashioned phone calls, and we’ll remember those who are no longer with us. And despite the tragedies and restrictions of 2020, we will find a way to give thanks for what we have and whom 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.

God bless, and Happy Thanksgiving.
 
 

Not too many years ago, North Carolina was considered to be a politically inconsequential state. That’s because our voting patterns were predictable, and our presidential primaries were held so late that we hardly ever figured into the nominating process. But as our population grew in both numbers and diversity, we became known as a “purple” state, and when we moved our primary from May to March, suddenly our 15 electoral votes became a valued prize for anyone seeking to occupy the White House. It is no surprise, then, that as 2020 began, North Carolina was deemed by many pundits to be THE battleground state to watch. In fact, both Biden and Trump made so many trips here in the closing days of the campaign, that they could have qualified for in-state tuition. In addition to our importance to the presidential contest, North Carolina was also home to America’s most highly touted U.S. Senate race, in which our votes could decide the balance of power in Washington. But a funny thing (or two) happened on the way to November 3rd.

First, the courts allowed us to accept military and overseas ballots up until November 12, and that delayed our being able to certify final outcomes until after the presidential election had already been decided. Second, the polls were wrong about everything, including that Biden would win North Carolina. But when the dust settled, we had changed colors again, this time from purple back to red. Finally, our aforementioned Senate contest lost steam over some steamy infidelities. Cal Cunningham, who had presented himself as a straight-arrow patriot and family man, managed to cheat on his wife with not one but two different women, one of whom was married to a disabled veteran. Cal’s double-digit lead over incumbent Republican Senator Thom Tillis dissipated amidst the sex scandals, he ended up losing the race, and Democrats ended up losing a legitimate chance to control the Senate.

Our gubernatorial contest also lacked suspense as Roy Cooper predictably beat Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, but the race was closer than had been expected. Democrat Cooper had been up by as many as 12 points in one poll, and ended up beating Forest by only 4. Still, I wonder if Forest might not have closed the gap had the news media focused more on Mrs. Cooper’s middle finger and less on Cal’s indiscretions. It seems that just days before the election, Kristin Cooper shot the bird to a group of Christians assembled for a get-out-the-vote rally because one of the families was holding a Trump flag. Later she arrogantly tweeted, “Was flipping off a brainwashed kid my finest hour? Probably not, but I can live with it.” Clearly the state’s First Lady had a dislike for Donald Trump supporters, but there was plenty of disdain to go around in this year’s elections.

Forest, after all, had sued Governor Cooper for overstepping his authority in handling the COVID pandemic. Meanwhile, Forsyth District Attorney Jim O’Neill is suing Democrat incumbent Attorney General Josh Stein for airing TV ads in which O’Neill was accused of mishandling rape kits. And just about every other North Carolina candidate accused their opponent of being corrupt. One thing’s for sure: these candidates spent a ton of money to spew their accusations, and I don’t just mean on TV. I went to my mailbox on the afternoon of November 3rd, and there, awaiting me, were no less than ten brochures advocating for Joyce Krawiec, and four more opposing her. My mailbox was so full of political ads that I couldn’t hardly get to my junk mail.

The only bright spot in this vitriolic campaign year is that we North Carolinians turned out in record numbers to exercise our right to vote. According to the State Board of Elections, over 5 million people voted, and that means nearly 75% of us made our voices heard. In addition, most of us split our ballot to vote for the person rather than the party, a not-so-surprising fact, considering that “unaffiliated” folks like myself now rank second among all registered voters. Perhaps North Carolina wasn’t the swing state that everyone had predicted for 2020, but that might change in four years, at which time we’ll probably all be voting by drones, and I will have collected over 15,000 Joyce Krawiec flyers.

Soon after the polls closed, I emailed YES Weekly publisher Charles Womack and editor Katie Murawski to let them know I would not be turning in a column for this week’s paper. For one thing, I wanted to write about how our state performed on election day, but since military and overseas ballots won’t even be processed until after November 12, such a column would be premature. Second, I was burned out from a year of writing about politics. Then, as I settled in to watch what turned out to be five days of election coverage on CNN and FOX, I became increasingly incensed by claims from Donald Trump that “they are trying to steal the election”. I wasn’t just angry because Trump lied, because he’s been lying about everything for four years. I was angry because he insulted the memory of my late mother, and no matter how burned out I was, I couldn’t let that insult pass.

My parents were dyed-in-the-wool Republicans, and not just as voters, but as volunteers. From the 1950’s through the 1970’s, Mom served in a number of capacities, including as an election “judge”. Along with her Democrat counterpart, Mom made sure folks were voting in the correct precinct, observed proceedings throughout the day, and then helped tabulate votes by hand when the polls closed. She would leave the house before 6am and return home way after dark, exhausted from a long day of service.

Last week, cable news outlets frequently showed live video of poll workers, tabulators, and observers from around the country toiling tirelessly, just as Mom had done six decades before. I could see the fatigue in their faces, but I could also see the resolve. And for volunteers in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and Pennsylvania, that fatigue and resolve didn’t let up for five straight days. In most states, volunteers first counted ballots from people who voted in person on Tuesday. Next, they processed ballots from people who voted early in person. Finally, they counted votes from ballots that were mailed-in. It was no secret that more Republicans voted on election day, and more Democrats voted by mail, thus, Trump looked strong in the early returns, then faded as the days wore on. In fact, he wanted it that way. He told his supporters to show up and vote in person, and when they followed his orders, he thought he was being cheated. The question is, cheated by who?

Over and over again, Trump said and tweeted, “They are trying to steal the election.” Of course he had no proof, but liars never do. He said that Republicans were not allowed inside while votes were being counted, and that was another lie. In every processing center throughout the country, Republicans worked side-by-side with Democrats to count, supervise, and observe. At one point, FOX host Dana Perino commented that Republicans were not being allowed inside the Philadelphia tabulation center, only to be rebuffed by her own correspondent, Eric Shawn, who said, “That’s not true. It’s just not true. Republicans have been in this room exactly where they’re supposed to be, alongside Democrats. The claims from the President and the Trump campaign are not true. It is false.” Nevertheless, the Trump narrative was repeated on social media, along with other baseless conspiracy theories. My favorite one was when Trump appeared at a White House press briefing and said, “In one city, a water pipe broke and all vote counting stopped for four hours, and bad things happened.”

Unfortunately, words matter, and Trump’s lying words ignited protests immediately following the announcement that Joe Biden had been elected. The Associated Press reported that in cities like Tallahassee, Bismarck, Boise, and Phoenix, angry crowds chanted, “This isn’t over”, “Fake News”, and “Stop the Steal.” Newsflash Donald, the volunteers who counted votes didn’t cheat, they didn’t destroy ballots, and they didn’t steal anything from you. Like my mother, all they did was make sacrifices to assure that democracy works. I don’t know about any water pipe breaking, but I do know that bad things have been happening, and I know who’s responsible. That’s why I’m looking forward to January 20.

In May of 2018, the Broad Center, a nationally respected organization that develops and assists educators, published a report subtitled, “Big-District Superintendents Stay in Their Jobs Longer Than We Think.” That report concluded that an average school superintendent’s tenure is six years. Dr. Angela Hairston must not have received her copy of that report, because just over a year after being hired to lead the Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, she turned in her resignation, and on December 1, will take charge of the Danville, Virginia school system. Hairston’s reasons for leaving Forsyth County were both nostalgic (she grew up in Danville), and logistic (her husband currently works for the Danville Police Department). Nevertheless, her announcement shocked the community, and left WSFCS in the lurch.

First let me say that I was a big fan of Dr. Hairston. She appeared on my Triad Today television program multiple times to discuss various policy initiatives, and I can tell you that she was the real deal. Angela didn’t need any on-the-job-training or adjustment period. She hit the ground running, was a good listener, and wasn’t afraid to make decisions. Her proposals didn’t always meet with board approval, but when extra money was needed for increasing teacher pay, Dr. Hairston successfully lobbied voters to pass a sales tax referendum to cover the cost. Not an easy task considering Forsyth County had rejected a similar tax hike just two years before. She was also the kind of leader we needed in case the school system was ever faced with a crisis, so when COVID-19 appeared, Angela effectively navigated the school system through state-ordered shut downs, implementation of online learning, and a confusing set of mandates for re-opening. Hairston’s handling of the pandemic was masterful and comforting, yet, as the Broad Report warned, “It’s problematic if educators adjust to one leader’s vision for the district if that person then leaves as plans are coming to fruition.” Translation? It’s not a good idea to leave your job in the middle of a pandemic, regardless of the reasons.

Dr. Hairston’s sudden departure is unusual by local standards. In fact, all of the WSFCS superintendents in recent memory have remained on the job for at least three years. Angela’s immediate predecessor, Beverly Emory served for 5 years, Marvin Ward who presided over the system for much of the 1960’s and ‘70’s, served for 13 years, and Don Martin (who preceded Emory) held the post for 19 years. A typical superintendent’s contract runs for two to four years, with the board offering extensions in one to two year increments, so no matter how you spin it, Hairston’s exit is an anomaly.

Speaking of contracts, in the old days, a superintendent who left the job early was required to reimburse the school board for the moneys they spent on recruitment. According to the North Carolina School Board Association, the average cost to search for and hire a new superintendent is around $15,000, but that figure is much higher whenever a national head hunting firm is employed. Sources tell me that no such reimbursement clause exists in Hairston’s contract, but it should. As much as I admire Angela, and as sympathetic as I am to anyone who wants to return to her roots, there should be a price to pay for abandoning ship just after leaving port.

Going forward, all local school boards should include a reimbursement clause in every new contract. It costs a lot of money to find the right person, and it costs a lot of momentum when that person leaves early. Someone needs to pay for the damages.

Thanks to this year’s legislative exercise in gerrymandering, the newly formed 13^th Congressional District now stretches across all or part of ten counties, including Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Davidson, Davie, Iredell, Lee, Person, Randolph, and Rowan. What hasn’t changed is the political make-up of the district, which, like its predecessor, remains strongly Republican. That’s why incumbent congressman Ted Budd elected to stick with the new district, and this time around he is being challenged by Democrat Scott Huffman. Budd is a businessman from Davie County, and Huffman is a Navy veteran and small-business owner from Rowan. Earlier this month, the two men appeared together for a taping of Triad Today. What follows are highlights of that discussion.
(To watch the full discussion, see the video at the bottom of this page.)

JL: Experts predict a huge surge in COVID-19 cases this fall. Should Congress enact a nationwide mask mandate?

TB: Absolutely not. Individuals are smart. We know a lot more than we did [in] February. People can be sensitive to their situation. If they have someone sick at home, someone with a co-morbidity, then certainly there’s a sensitivity for a mask, but there are other situations where it’s not necessary, and I want to leave it up to individuals’ intelligence.

SH: Absolutely, because if the death of 214,000 Americans are not enough to convince this President and Ted Budd that we need to wear a mask, then obviously, science and the experts should. Almost 400 people in this district have already died from this pandemic.

JL: Speaking of healthcare, do you support Medicare for All?

SH: Absolutely, because if anything, this pandemic has shown that so many people have lost their healthcare due to no fault of their own because we don’t have leadership in Washington telling people to respect science, listen to the evidence and wear a mask. So yes, we need to make sure everybody has healthcare, that way they can go to the doctor, get the services that they need, and not worry about going in debt if they don’t have healthcare [insurance].

TB: Absolutely not. I don’t think it’s actually merciful. Look, the bottom line is, we want more people to have access to really high-quality healthcare at an affordable price. I don’t think that defining people below the poverty line is a very merciful way which is what Medicare/Medicaid does, And also, a lot of great doctors that everyone needs access to, don’t take Medicaid.

JL: Senators Warren and Schumer have proposed that we forgive college student loan debt up to $50,000. Do you support that proposal?

TB: I think we need to be very intelligent when people take on debt. I think they need to understand how they’re going to repay it; for example, is the degree they’re actually taking on debt for going to be able to repay itself? I think there are ways out, but I do not believe in all debt forgiveness because it leads to a lot of bad incentives.

SH: If we can give tax breaks to the top two percent, then we can help out those at the bottom who are struggling to pay for their education. I believe we need to forgive some of that because we’ve forgiven so much at the top. People are out of work right now, they can’t pay their healthcare bill, they can’t pay off their education, so we need to help them. And right now we’re not doing enough.

JL: What one thing did you learn from your parents that will help you be an effective congressman?

SH: I think the fact that my mother was a single mom raising three kids, working as a truck-stop waitress in Salisbury helped define my working-class values, and how I want to help folks in the district. And that’s why I’m running. I’m running to be that public servant listening to the voices who are screaming out loud in our district that need help.

TB: I had a granddad who was born in 1890, died in 1953 and I never got to know him. He had a saying which is “Just do what you say you’re going to do”. That was his motto, my dad’s motto, and my motto. I’ve done what I said I was going to do, and I look forward to continuing that.

For more information about the candidates, visit ScottHuffman.com and TedBudd.com.

Congress and governor candidates election special

A year ago, Republican incumbent Mark Walker fully expected to be running for re-election in 2020, but thanks to some very strange gerrymandering by members of his own party, the 6^th District was re-drawn, and Walker had little chance of retaining his seat. That’s because Democrats far outnumber Republicans within the new boundaries, which include all of Guilford County and part of Forsyth. It’s also the first time in history that Greensboro, High Point, Kernersville, and Winston-Salem will all fall into the same Congressional district. After Walker announced he would not seek re-election, a slew of candidates from both parties threw their hats in the ring, and when the dust settled, Kathy Manning won the Democratic nomination, and Lee Haywood got the GOP nod.

Kathy Manning is an attorney, businesswoman, and philanthropist from Greensboro. Lee Haywood, of Summerfield, is a businessman and chairman of the district Republican Party. Earlier this month the two candidates appeared together for a taping of Triad Today. Here are some highlights from that discussion.
(To watch the full discussion, see the video at the bottom of this page.)

JL: Experts are telling us to expect another surge of COVID-19 this fall and winter. If elected to Congress, would you support a federal mask mandate?

KM: I think that a mask mandate is appropriate, I think CDC guidelines have demonstrated that mask wearing stops the spread of the virus, and not only keeps the wearer safe, but it also keeps everybody else safe.

LH: I would not. I would leave it up to the states and the governors of those states to implement whatever safeguards they feel appropriate.

JL: Do you support Medicare-for-all?

KM: I believe we need to build on the Affordable Care Act. It provided insurance for 20 million more Americans. It is a great act, it’s not perfect, and it needs improvement, and I support adding a robust public option, I support allowing people to buy into Medicare at a younger age. I believe our government needs to negotiate with big pharmaceutical companies to bring down the outrageous prices of so many prescription drugs.

LH: My opponent thinks there’s some pot of money up in the sky that just rains down every day that pays for these programs, and any program that she implements as far as Medicare-for-all, will be at the peril of 180 million policy owners that have their own personal policy, and what are we going to do with them? I believe we should start from scratch, and try and implement a true market-based system for our healthcare and our insurance.

JL: Would you be in favor of forgiving all college loans up to $50,000 as Senators Warren and Schumer have proposed?

KM: No, but I believe we need to address the student debt issue. First of all we need to make sure that our students are getting the best possible rate when they get their student loans.  You know, right now, students can borrow a certain amount at a good rate, but then they’re subject to the whims of whatever borrower they happen to get to for the remainder of the loan, so we’ve got this byzantine system and we have 17-year-olds trying to navigate this system.

LH: I think it’s a great idea if you live in a utopian world. When you sign on that dotted line, you commit yourself to paying for these debts. The higher education system in our country has gotten out of control and some of these universities have billions of dollars in the bank, in their endowments. Why don’t we start tapping into those, and start giving these kids a free education? Why do I have to pay for these kids’ education?

JL: If elected, would you vote to make the sale and possession of assault-style rifles illegal?

KM: It is long past time for us to take common sense measures to address the gun violence that has ravaged this country. We know that the vast majority of Americans believe we need to have universal background checks, we need to close those gun show loopholes, we need to ban bump stocks and high-capacity magazines. I cannot think of any reason why a 17-year-old needs an assault weapon that is designed for war.

LH: I think we need to be careful who we issue conceal-carry gun permits to, but it should be as available as possible if that person is deemed worthy and safe to own one. The 2^nd amendment should be protected in this country at all costs.

JL: Do you support term limits for congresspersons?

KM: I would definitely consider it.

LH: I would, maybe a limit of four or five terms.

JL: What one thing did you learn from your parents that would serve you well in Congress?

LH: Honor and integrity and always tell the truth. If the good citizens of the 6^th District elect me, you will always get the truth and I will represent you honorably.

KM: I learned so much from my parents. I learned the importance of family, of faith, of hard work, and integrity.

For more information about Lee Haywood and Kathy Manning, visit LeeHaywood.com and KathyManningForNC.com.

Congress and governor candidates election special

“The best laid plans of mice and men oft go astray,” so wrote Robert Burns, a Scottish poet who, in 1786 was imagining North Carolina’s 2020 race for United States Senate.

The Cunningham/Tillis match-up has been highly anticipated because the eventual winner could affect the balance of power in Washington. Former state senator Cal Cunningham has held a slight lead over incumbent senator Thom Tillis throughout much of the campaign, but the outcome was anything but certain. Both men spent record amounts of money on TV ads, and each one accused the other of all sorts of things, from corruption to being a member of the Communist Party. And while a great number of those ads have been negative, Cunningham has also spent a lot of money touting his sterling character, especially his status as a Bronze-Star-awarded veteran and a devoted husband and father. The latest polls showed Cal’s good-guy image ads were working, as he opened up a comfortable lead over Tillis. But a not-so-funny thing happened on the way to October.

NationalFile.com, a conservative website, broke the news that Cal had been sexting a PR consultant in California, and, later, the Associated Press reported that the couple even had an intimate encounter here in the Old North State. Meanwhile a former campaign worker came forward to say that Cal had been having an affair with her best friend since 2012, and that her friend was now angry with Cal for his other extra-marital activity. So much for the devoted husband routine. And last week, the military confirmed it was investigating Cunningham ( a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve) because adultery is a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So much for the honorable soldier routine. The combination of these revelations sent Cal into hiding, and avoiding media appearances that he had promised to attend. More on that in a moment.

Ironically, the same day that the NationalFile story broke about Cunningham’s indiscretions, Tillis announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19, and, like his opponent, he was going to have to disappear from the campaign trail for a while. Politics aside, we all wish Thom a full and speedy recovery. However, the irony within the irony is that Tillis was pushing for a hypocritically speedy confirmation of President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, and, to celebrate that nomination, Thom and about a hundred of his cohorts attended a crammed-in celebration at the White House. That party turned out to be a mask-less, super-spreader venue for COVID-19, with over a dozen attendees contracting the virus within days of the event. Last week Tillis said he regretted not wearing a mask. You think?

OK, so if Thom and his buddies had adhered to their own protocols and held off on Barrett’s nomination until after the election, he would be COVID-free. And if Cal had adhered to his marriage vows, he would be scandal free. “The best laid plans”, and all that. I won’t pass judgement on Cunningham and Tillis for the personal and political behaviors that back-fired on them, but I will reserve the right to be pissed off that neither man showed up for my Triad Today Voter Education forum last week.

Thom initially said he couldn’t attend the Triad Today taping because he would need to stay in D.C. and vote on the Judge Barrett confirmation. Then he contracted COVID-19, and that kept him away from both the Senate and my TV show. Cunningham, meanwhile, had given me his word that he would show up for the Triad Today session, but on the eve of our taping, the scandal-ridden candidate went into hiding, and said he would not be participating. Bottom line? Thom was M.I.A. from both his job and Triad Today because he hung around with unmasked Barrett supporters, and Cal was M.I.A. because he was afraid to show his face, and reneged on a promise. Tillis showed a lack of judgement. Cunningham showed a lack of character. Postscript, Triad Today went off without a hitch, sans Tillis and Cunningham, and featured conversations with congressional and gubernatorial candidates who all kept their word and showed up.

When the campaign for the Senate began, Thom and Cal probably thought that the month of October would springboard them to great heights, and voters in each party thought their guy would make them proud.

This year, the news media has been focused on the presidential election, and understandably so. Here in North Carolina, we’ve also been bombarded with ads about candidates for the House, Senate, and state legislature. But ask most people who’s running for State Insurance Commissioner, and you’ll get a blank stare. It’s ironic because very few elected officials have more impact over our everyday lives than does the Insurance Commissioner. During a recent taping of Triad Today, I spoke with Mike Causey (right photo), the current commissioner, and Wayne Goodwin (left photo), who preceded Mike in that job and now wants it back.

JL: Most folks aren’t aware of all the things that the State Insurance Commissioner regulates, and the responsibilities he has.

MC: When I was campaigning in 2016, I’d go around the state and introduce myself. I’d say, “Hi I’m Mike Causey and I’m running for State Insurance Commissioner.” And people would say, “Well, what kind of insurance do you sell?” And I’d tell them, “We don’t sell insurance, we regulate it.” Folks just don’t know what all falls under the Department of Insurance. The Commissioner is also the State Fire Marshal, overseeing all fire departments and fire training. We’re over engineering codes and building code inspections. We regulate manufacturers of modular homes and mobile homes, which is a huge industry in our state.

WG: The Insurance Commissioner’s office has fairly broad regulatory authority. Not just about regulating insurance agents, but insurance companies and insurance rates. You also regulate bail bondsmen and collections agents. You provide education about Medicare for every senior citizen in the state.

MC: We also have sworn law enforcement officers to investigate fraud and arson. In fact, North Carolina was the first state in the nation to put sworn officers in the Department of Insurance.

WG: It’s a huge office with great responsibility.

Both men know something about responsibility. Before holding the commissioner’s job, Causey was an Army veteran who came up through the ranks in the insurance industry, while Goodwin is an attorney who took on big corporations.

MC: No offense to my attorney friends, but I think it’s a good idea to have an insurance commissioner who actually has experience in the insurance business. I’ve gone through the ranks as an agent, agency manager, superintendent of agencies, and I’ve been in all aspects of insurance. That not only helps me understand the agent’s point of view, it helps me understand the consumer’s point of view and what they have to go through. That’s why last year alone, we were able to help over 258,000 people in this state.

WG: During my two terms as Insurance Commissioner I saved us $2.4 billion dollars, had refunds of $206 million dollars, and we had the lowest car insurance premiums in the country right here in North Carolina because of the decisions I made.

JL: With all of the responsibility and stress that comes with the job of Insurance Commissioner, why do you want the job again?

WG: Because for as long as I can remember, even as a kid, my passion in life was I wanted to solve problems and help people.

MC: We had an agriculture commissioner years ago named Jim Graham, and he would tell everybody, “I love my job.” Well, that’s the same for me. I love my job and I love helping people.

For more information about Mike Causey and Wayne Goodwin, visit MikeCauseyNC.com and WayneGoodwin.org. To learn more about the NC Department of Insurance, visit www.NCDOI.gov.