CAROLINA TROPHIES “Awards for All Occasions”
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Volume 117 • Issue 8
Wednesday, February 22, 2023
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Cherryville Historical Museum primary topic of last Monday’s council meeting CFD; CPD chiefs give End-of-Year (2022) reports for their respective departments by MICHAEL E. POWELL Editor michael@cfmedia.info
While there weren’t all that many line-item topics on the Monday, Feb. 13, 2023 Council agenda, the biggest and most passionately discussed topic of the meeting – and the one that wasn’t listed on the agenda – was that of the Cherryville Historical Museum and its proposed sale by the City of Cherryville. Pastor G. Scott Homesley of St. John’s Lutheran Church opened the meeting with a prayer, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. After the council approved
the past agendas, Mayor H.L. Beam, III commented the council would “… dispense with the Mayor’s Comments due to the number of people we have signed up to speak.” Fire Chief Jason Wofford gave the 2022 End-of-Year Report to council, noting their total calls of 1,174 was “…up 200 (calls) from the previous year.” Chief Wofford also said, referencing a pie chart on the report, that their largest volume of calls was from Rescue & Emergency Management (46.42 percent), followed by Service Calls (36.37 percent). “Fire losses amounted to $101,000,” Chief Wofford said. “Our off-duty response to calls were as follows: Assistant Chief Colby Heffner with 59 calls; myself with 36 calls; Trent Rayfield with 24 calls; Nathan Bowman
Cherryville City Council members listen to comments from individual speakers at last Monday night’s, Feb. 13 regular council session held at the Community Building. (photo by MEP/The Eagle/CF Media) with 23 calls; Jason Ledbetter with 8; Doyle Brown with 6; Kaylee drum with 3; and Chad Duvall with 2.” Chief Wofford said the department is “slowly recovering from our COVID
years.” He also noted the average time for them to get to a call was four minutes and 57 seconds with an average turnout time of one minute, 40 seconds. Total training hours, according to Chief
Wofford, were 6,159.1, and certifications received by full-time personnel were by Doyle Brown, who received his NC Firefighter Certification; Colby Heffner, who received his Fire Inspector III,
making him, the chief said, “…a full Fire Marshal.” Chief Wofford continued, “Assistant Chief Colby Heffner and Capt. Nathan Bowman also received their NC Pyrotechnics Operator Certifications, and it is under their licenses we are able to do our fireworks for our July 4th celebration.” Additionally, the CFD has completed 200 inspections. Councilwoman Jill Parker-Puett congratulated Chief Wofford and his department on a job well done. Cherryville’s new Chief of Police, Brandon Hunsucker, took the podium and gave the Police Department’s 2022 End-of-Year Report starting with an organizational chart. Chief Hunsucker told See COUNCIL, Page 9
McHenry rejects ‘wokeness’ Chavis Middle School allegations in Financial will soon have a new, Services Committee agenda
colorful sign out front
by CAROLINA JOURNAL STAFF Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-NC10, is receiving pushback from conservative media for language on “diversity and inclusion” in the jurisdiction descriptions for each of the subcommittees of the U.S. House Financial Services Committee, of which he took over as chair following the Republicans’ narrow victory in the 2022 midterms. Washington Free Beacon led with the headline, “Woke Agenda Survives: These House Republicans Are Sticking With ‘Diversity and Inclusion,‘” and a
Come April, the bright blue, orange school colors, and vivid LED screen of the new sign will enhance the school’s look by MICHAEL E. POWELL Editor michael@cfmedia.info
REP. PATRICK MCHENRY headline from the American Conservative read, “The DEI Republicans.”
But in Jan. 24 comments to Carolina Journal, See WOKENESS, Page 2
Medicaid expansion bill glides through committees in the state House of Representatives by ROSE HOBAN North Carolina Health News
Often legislative committee hearings are sleepy affairs, attended by lawmakers, lobbyists and the occasional person interested in the intricacies of government. That was not the case Tuesday, Feb. 14, on the sixth floor of the legislative office building. The size and excitement of the crowd looked more like someone had a s m a l l Advocates handed out little baggies of chocolates stash of with encouraging messages to lawmakers, along with an information sheet with statistics about See BILL Medicaid expansion. Page 6 (photo by Rose Hoban/NCHealth News)
John Chavis Middle School Principal Matt Rikard said recently the school will soon have a new sign out front, and everyone is excited about it, having seen images of what it will look like. Rikard said the school’s current sign is “…aged and will no longer light up properly at night.” He continued, “The school has many upgrades inside and out thanks to GCS and the support of the bond, and we feel like that a new sign will continue to modernize the look of the school. It will also provide us a way to instantly communicate with our parents in a new and dynamic way.” As for who is going to build it and install it, Mr. Rikard noted a company called Sign Connection out of Gastonia, designed it and will build it. As for the cost, he added, “The cost will vary based on final design.” When asked if the new sign will be larger or smaller than what is currently out there, Matt said, “The new one will be larger and contain See CHAVIS, Page 2
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This computer-generated rendering of what the new JCMS outside sign shows the vivid colors and logo of the school, also known as “The Home of the Wolverines”. (photo provided)
The older JCMS sign out in front of the school. (photo by MEP/The Eagle/CF Media)