Big changes at sheriff’s office–Wilson Times

It was a day of change at the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office.

Friday afternoon, Sheriff-elect Calvin Woodard appointed Willie Lucas to head the Wilson County Detention Center. He also did not reappoint 19 current deputies and other personnel. The 19 will not be sworn in on Monday. (Must be a paid subscriber online to Read more)

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There Is A New High Sheriff In Town – Sheriff Calvin Woodard Sworn In Today

I hate I could not be present to witness and to capture history on video of the new High Sheriff Calvin Woodard being sworn in today.

Sheriff Calvin Woodard is doing what all Sheriffs before him has done making appointments. He has the right to choose who wants to work on his staff. Many folks do not understand the role of the Sheriff and many do not understand that the staff has to be sworn in as well.

I bet there are a generation of folks who have not seen such a swearing in and is not aware of what actually takes place when a new Sheriff takes office.

Yes the Sheriff Office is political.

Heck everything is political.

But yes Sheriff Woodard must make sure he has a staff that he feels will carry out his duties because he holds the highest office in the county.

I am still trying to figure out why the Wilson County Manager feels he holds the highest office when he is hired by the county commissioners and the Sheriff is elected by the people.

Well former Sheriff Gay said it would be a cold day in hell before Sheriff Woodard becomes Sheriff, well it was cold as hell.

Okay it is time for the people to give the new High Sheriff the opportunity to serve his 4 year term and then one can decide if he deserves to be re-elected.

Sheriff Woodard do the best you can and make the people of Wilson County proud. I hope you become just as successful as my Sheriff in Edgecombe County.

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Sheriff’s office taking shape–Source: Wilson NC

The new configuration of the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office is starting to take shape days before the new sheriff is sworn in.

Sheriff-elect Calvin Woodard will take the oath of office Monday afternoon but said he has been working daily interviewing staff members, reading files and putting together his plan for the county.

Woodard said he will have one major under him. Ralph "Tom" Futrell has accepted the position. (Read more)

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It’s time for the voters to decide–Source: Wilson Times (Editorial page will sit out the process of making endorsements.) I wonder why?

On Tuesday voters in Wilson County will be asked to make choices about who will lead this community in key local elected offices and who will represent it in important state and national offices. That civic act is the bedrock of democracy, and we urge residents to go to the polls and make their voices heard. It is a critical responsibility. (Read more)

Note: As a paid subscriber to this paper online and has been over the years, I find this editorial to be quite interesting. I understand you feel as if you have done enough but I feel that sitting out this this year’s election sort of stink. I don’t have to spell it out why I believe it stinks because it should be obvious.

Since Calvin Woodard ran as a Democrat and no other political parties chose to run, the people spoke during the May primary. The Tea Party has ran candidates against other Democrats however they obviously were so sure that Gay would get in that they didn’t run anyone. But why? They were afraid to go after him? So then Farmer switched parties and connected with the Tea Party.

Again I feel that because of the climate in Wilson and all the work you have done, that is all the more reason to endorse candidates. C. Dancy II – DCN Publisher

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Too Much. Too little. Too late–Source: Wilsonian Voices

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Wilsonian Voices

Sheriff Debate Calvin Woodard and John Farmer, Woodard Was Awesome (Finally, The Face-Off The Wilson Times)

The DCN was present to capture the debate live at Fike High School and it will be shown soon on the The DCN TV. The debate was well attended however there were several open seats.

The debate was  sponsored by The Wilson Times and I want to commend them for a job well done. The moderator John Pea who lives in the Charlotte area did a marvelous job. Bradley Hearn of The Wilson Times did a professional job of reading the questions.

Calvin Woodard was awesome. It appears that John Farmer was nervous and followed Woodard as he lead and won the debate if it was based on a score. I have stopped by 2 of Woodard’s fundraisers and one being this past Saturday evening whereby there were lots of supporters present, although I missed those who came before and after me.

I was told that Frank Jones of Wilson an older black male had made a comment that it was not Woodard’s time. Woodard defeated longtime Sheriff Wayne Gay during the Primary Election. After Woodard won by a landslide, Farmer decided he would change his party affiliation and run as an unaffiliated candidate. Woodard is black and Farmer is white.

If Jones actually made that comment he reminds me of when Rev. Dr. Thomas L. Walker came to the Rocky Mount NAACP meeting and stated that it was not time for a black mayor in Rocky Mount when Councilman Reuben Blackwell filed to run against longtime mayor Fred Turnage several years ago. Blackwell was defeated but did a good job after getting in the race late in the ballgame.

I say now is the time. Woodard is the man. I was very much impressed with him during the debate. Woodard showed how professional he is and how serious and committed he is to the people of Wilson and those on the outside that he will be in contact with as it relates to the Sheriff Department. It was as if he had rehearsed the questions. He nor Farmer had not seen the questions before the debate so this means that Woodard is very professional and knowledgeable. Is he qualified? Hell yeah. Is he experienced? Hell yeah? Do I believe if Woodard is given a chance to become the next Sheriff of Wilson County that he will do a great job? Hell yeah!!

The DCN endorses Calvin Woodard for Sheriff of Wilson County.

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Tune In To The DCN TV To Watch The Wilson County Sheriff Debate Featuring Calvin Woodard And John Farmer, Woodard Smoked Him – Watch Video of the Debate

Finally, the face-off – The Wilson Times

Wilson sheriff candidates face off in debate

Wilson Sheriff candidates talk experience, crime – WRAL

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Visit Calvin Woodard’s Website

Visit Calvin on Facebook

Candidates invited to forum Oct. 24 – Source: The Wilson Times

The Wilson Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority will hold a political candidates’ forum at 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 24 at the Darden Alumni Center, 1600 Lipscomb Road, Wilson. (Read more)

Note: You must subscribe to The Wilson Times in order to read online. C. Dancy II – DCN Publisher

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Sheriff’s debate draws near – Source: The Wilson Times

As unaffiliated candidate John Farmer and Democratic nominee Calvin Woodard prepare to share their views on the issues for the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office in Tuesday’s debate, residents can also prepare to hear what they have to say. (Read more)

Note: You must subscribe to The Wilson Times in order to read online. C. Dancy II – DCN Publisher

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Debating the issues – Source: The Wilson Times

There are only three days before the sheriff’s debate between Democratic nominee Calvin Woodard and unaffiliated candidate John Farmer.

About 900 Wilson residents will get a chance to see the candidates talk about the issues Tuesday night in person at Fike High School. Others will get to watch it on television from home. (Read more)

Note: You must subscribe to The Wilson Times in order to read online. C. Dancy II – DCN Publisher

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Do Voters Really Understand What Qualifications Means?

I continue to find editorials like this one, “Vote for the most qualified” to be somewhat comical. It is crucial how one uses words when trying to make a point.

Qualifications means a candidate must be the criteria of the board of elections which is basically you must be a U.S. Citizen, one must not be a convicted felon, one must live in a district, ward and/or etc. to which the board of elections specifies, must pay the fee for entering the race and etc. Qualifications has nothing to do with experience.

I say both candidates are equally qualified.

Experience? Neither candidate has held the position of Sheriff so therefore they both will have to have on the job training.

You must subscribe to The Wilson Times in order to read the editorial however here is my response.

Curmilus Dancy II – The Political Agitator said…

The Wilson County Sheriff race take me back to when Sheriff Phil Ellis in Edgecombe County retired before the end of his term. His 1st in command thought he should have been appointed. I was deeply involved in the appointment because I was the 3rd Vice Chair of the County Party.

Wilson voters felt Calvin Woodard is qualified. Qualifications is to meet the criteria set forth by the board of elections. The voters felt Woodard has enough experience and have confidence that he will go into office and do a good job.

When voting it is about who likes who the most. It is about what one knows about the candidate and whom they are connected to.

The people of Wilson want change in the Wilson County Sheriff Office and to bring about change they felt it was good to elect someone outside of the office instead of re-electing the incumbent.

Sometimes we allow common sense to get in the way. During the May election the voters talked about the issues surrounding the WCSO so why would anyone who is already in the office should feel the timing would be right for them to become Sheriff. I say Woodard’s opponent has allowed common sense to get in his way because he did not get the message. The voters spelled it out clearly.

So I say to Woodard’s opponent, you brought this upon yourself because you did not play to win on this one but created more division among the voters of Wilson.

Friday, September 24, 2010 at 9:33 AM

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‘My fight is for the people’ – Source: The Wilson Times

Ever since Calvin Woodard decided to run for Wilson County sheriff, he said there is no time to waste.

"I’ve been campaigning now for over a year and a half," Woodard said. "First I had to run against Sheriff (Wayne) Gay in the primary. Then he said he would do whatever it takes to make sure I didn’t walk into the office easily. Then Mr. Farmer jumps into the race. So it has been a busy time campaigning straight through with no time to slow down."(Read more)

Note: You must subscribe to the Wilson Times Online to read more. C. Dancy II – DCN Publisher

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Debate tickets go quickly – The Wilson Times

Tickets went quickly this morning for the debate between sheriff’s candidates Calvin Woodard and John Farmer.

The Wilson Times gave out its tickets in just 70 minutes. The story was the same at other sites throughout the county as citizens picked up tickets as soon as businesses opened. (Read more)

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One event canceled, two events added – The Wilson Times

Wilson County’s Tea Party has officially cancelled the sheriff’s debate they were working to organize.

Bobby Pittman, who was helping organize the Tea Party event, said they decided Friday to call off their debate event after he didn’t get a call back from Calvin Woodard, the Democratic nominee. (Read more)

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DEBATE IS ON Sheriff’s candidates agree to Oct. debate – Source: The Wilson Times

The Wilson Times will sponsor a debate featuring the candidates for Wilson County sheriff.

Both Democratic nominee, Calvin Woodard, and unaffiliated candidate, John Farmer, have agreed to take part in the event. (Read more)

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Political forum planned for October – Source: The Wilson Times

The debate over the debate continues.

Yes, there are solutions to the problem. One, I will explain.

Wilson Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is known for the political forums we present each election year. At these forums, local candidates for office on any level are invited. (Source: The Wilson Times)

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