Caucus Chair Has Big Ideas for Congress

WWW.TRIANGLE TRIBUNE.COM The Triangle Winston-Salem chancellor retires RIBUNE with legacyBy Donna Rogers intact TTHE TRIANGLE’S CHOICE FOR THE BLACK VOICE THE CHRONICLE WINSTON-SALEM – It was a long time coming, but Donald J. Reaves, 68, achieved his desire to be the leader of a historically black VOLUME 16 NO. 24 WEEK OF JANUARY 11, 2015 $1.00 college or university. “I always said that I would like to lead an HBCU,” he said in an interview. His career path took him to opportunities to be high in the chain of command, such as chief financial of- Hillside girls and ficer, but the Winston-Salem State chancellorship allowed him to be a chief executive officer. Jordan boys “This job was kind of the capstone in higher education,” he split Tuesday said, because it called for all of the skills he had developed over several decades. His chancellorship ended on Dec. 31. night in junior Reaves said what he takes the greatest pride in is: “I believe Reaves that our body of work in Winston-Salem over the last seven varsity action. years has resulted in improved perceptions of the institution by virtually every constituency that matters. (Six or seven years ago) “This institution wasn’t held in the highest esteem. We think that we made a lot of progress in that regard. We’ve improved the quality of everything.” Please seeCHANCELLOR/2A WCPSS board discusses strategyBy Latisha Catchatoorian Sickle cell [email protected] CARY – The Wake County Public Schools System Vision trait 2020 strategic plan is still in the works as team members continue to iron out details – right down to the wording of related to certain statements. Board and committee members met Tuesday to discuss the plan during its work ses- kidney sion. Also on the agenda were school enrollment caps. Marvin Connelly, co-chair of PHOTO/LATISHA CATCHATOORIAN diseaseBy Latisha Catchatoorian the strategic plan work team, said they had over 11,000 re- A resident rides through the Washington Terrace complex on a sunny afternoon. [email protected] spondents to a countywide African-Americans who carry survey on the plan. A town the sickle cell gene face up to a hall meeting drew 700 partic- twofold risk increase for chronic ipants. kidney disease, according to the “Our strategic plan work Journal of the American Medical team convened with commu- Association. The outlined find- nity and business leaders, Bright future for ings in a published paper of the board of education members, journal include data from nearly principals, teachers, students 16,000 people. and central services staff. The sickle cell gene carries po- slowly redevelop the property for These teams met every two By Latisha Catchatoorian $548. tential for the hereditary disease residents. weeks over a three month pe- [email protected] TerraceLast December DHIC received a sickle cell anemia, which is ab- “It would be done in phases, but riod to synthesize all the $150,000 grant from Wells Fargo normally shaped red blood RALEIGH – Washington Terrace, it would certainly look to provide input taken from the stake- & Company Housing Foundation cells. These crescent shaped a well-known affordable housing affordable replacement housing holders,” he said. “As the re- to support the revitalization of cells make it hard for blood to complex in Southeast Raleigh, for the residents there,” he said. sult of this work, the team Washington Terrace. flow in the blood vessels, caus- looks like any other neighbor- No residents are being pushed developed vision, mission “This grant from Wells Fargo ing discomfort and various hood. You can see a little boy out, but the units whose tenants and core belief statements, as will be used to expand affordable health problems. walking his dog, neighbors talk- do move out are being left vacant well as a goal statement and housing opportunities for fami- Dr. Rakhi Naik, Johns Hopkins ing outside their homes, and the for now. Employees in the leasing key objectives.” lies in our community,” Warren University assistant professor of remnants of holiday decorations office said they were not allowed Phil Kirk, also a co-chair of said in a press release. “It demon- medicine and the paper’s first on various front doors. to comment on the new manage- the work team, said school Su- strates the confidence Wells Fargo author, said she wanted to in- Early last year, DHIC Inc. offi- ment or serve as a spokesperson perintendent Jim Merrill has in DHIC and the belief that vestigate the possible conse- cially purchased the property for DHIC, but did say that they are asked him to take on the re- community revitalization of quences of having the sickle cell with a $3 million loan from Com- currently not leasing to any new sponsibility, and the whole Washington Terrace is important trait. munity Housing Capital after re- residents. team worked hard. Merrill for the City of Raleigh.” “It’s generally under-studied. ceiving approval from the Raleigh “When they move out, they said they wanted to create a Though official phases of revi- There’s conflicting information City Council. Previous property (property owners) aren’t opening plan that represented all audi- talization have yet to commence, and scant evidence out there owner Ocwen Financial Group ac- them back up,” said resident ences and all desires. residents seem happy with the about the implications of (sickle cepted a bid of $4.75 million in Sarah Turner, who speculated it’s Vision 2020 lays out this vi- new management and the way November 2013. DHIC is the Tri- because DHIC plans to renovate Please seeSICKLE CELL/2A sion statement: “All WCPSS things are going. angle’s oldest and largest non- the apartments and doesn’t want students will be prepared to In 2013 real estate company profit housing organization to have to ask people to move reach their full potential and Cushman & Wakefield sent out a “dedicated to the development of when the time comes. lead productive lives in a prospectus on the property call- high-quality housing communi- The rents have not gone up – complex and changing ing it a place “ripe for gentrifica- ties” in the area. yet. Warren previously assured world.” tion” which set some residents on House Before the official purchase, that rents would remain low with School board member edge. Warren previously said that DHIC President Gregg Warren said modest increases from year-to- Susan Evans said a vision the last ownership was “without that over time they were going to year. Rents currently average statement helps them focus Please see TERRACE/2A speaker and “hopefully provides us some unity of direction.” She said they wanted the statement to be focused on the talks students and not on the school district. The vision statement should speak to what educators want students honestyBy Gary D. Robertson to do beyond graduation. Associated Press “WCPSS will provide a rele- vant and engaging education, Caucus chair has big RALEIGH – Tim Moore has and will graduate students spent almost all his life in Kings who are collaborative, cre- Mountain, an old textile town ative and critical thinkers,” more than 150 miles southwest the mission statement reads. By Herbert L. White than the previous, and so I’ve got Butterield is cautiously optimistic, of Raleigh with perhaps more in Board member Christine [email protected] some big shoes to fill and I’m pre- especially with a reduction of Tea common with South Carolina ideas forpared for the challenge.”CongressParty influence. than North Carolina. Its name Kushner discussed the pro- U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield originates from the Revolution- posed goal statement: “By spent his first day as chair of The CBC’s membership is over- “The first challenge is to see what ary War battle just south of the 2020, WCPSS will annually the Congressional Black Cau- whelmingtly Democratic, with posture the Republicans will take in state line. graduate at least 95 percent of cus sizing up Capitol Hill. Utah freshman Mia Love the lone controlling the flow of business in the But the small-town attorney its students ready for higher Congressional Republicans, Republican to express an interest Congress,” he said. “They’re in control never has been too far from the education, career, and pro- who control the U.S. House of in joining. U.S. Sen. Tim Scott has of both the House and the Senate and thick of North Carolina politics ductive citizenship.” Representatives and Senate. declined membership and Rep. there have been some overtures pub- as an adult, from a university This statement ignited a lot The caucus, made up of 46 Will Hurd, a freshman from licly from the Republicans that they student government leader to of conversation and debate. African-American lawmakers. Texas, has not indicated his in- will work in a bipartisan manner. the parliamentary traffic cop Kushner said the work team Himself, the caucus’ 24th tentions. We’re in a wait and see mode. We’re and agenda enforcer in the state discussed having a singular chair. Hurd, like Love, represent a hoping the Republicans will govern House. goal versus various goals and Butterfield, a Democrat mostly white district. from the center, or at least near the As Rules Committee chairman landed on something singular from Wilson, N.C., has a goal: In seizing control of the Senate center and we will be able to get bipar- under House Speaker Thom that would be quantifiable. forge links to pass legislation in November’s elections, Republi- tisan legislation passed.” Tillis, however, Moore avoided She said the goal statement that impact underseved com- cans hold the legislative initiative High on the CBC agenda is job cre- the worst relational pitfalls the “would be our elevator munities.

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