Information for Persons Attending the Jan 26, 2008 NCDP State Executive Committee Meeting

from WAYNE GOODWIN, Chairman of the 8th Congressional District Executive Committee

* * * *

(1) Morning Auxiliary Meetings and Shuttle Parking

(2) FREE Democratic Victory Luncheon

(3) Resolutions for 2008

(4) Information/Directions

(5) Directions to the Winter Reception of the College Dems at the Hamlet Train Depot

(6) Places to Visit While in Richmond County

(7) Select Things to Know about Richmond County

* * * * * *
(1) Various auxiliary organizations and Democratic Party groups are meeting on Saturday morning on the campus of Richmond Community College, prior to the Party’s business later in the day. … As a courtesy to those of you attending any of the meetings being held in the Grimsley Building across campus, the Richmond County Democratic Party is providing a shuttle van between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. It will be parked in front of Cole Auditorium and will begin making rounds every 5 minutes back and forth between the Auditorium and the Grimsley Building. The van should also have a sign identifying itself, or you may ask one of the volunteers at Cole Auditorium. Please utilize that shuttle.

(2) To save time during your visit and full day of Democratic Party business, and as a function of our hospitality, you are invited to a FREE lunch hosted by the Richmond County Democratic Party and the Eighth Congressional District.

Because 2008 is going to be a Democratic year, we have named it the "Democratic Victory Luncheon".

However, the persons who have made this Democratic Victory Luncheon possible - as well as the subsequent Democratic victories that will follow in November - are the following SPONSORS who have provided the necessary funds to make lunch available to everyone at no cost. The sponsors are:

Lt. Governor Bev Perdue, candidate for Governor
Treasurer Richard Moore, candidate for Governor

State Senator Kay Hagan, candidate for U.S. Senate
Jim Neal, candidate for U.S. Senate

Jim Long, Insurance Commissioner and dean of the Council of State

State Representative Melanie Wade Goodwin and
former State Representative Wayne Goodwin

Beth Wood, candidate for State Auditor

State Representative Pryor Gibson

David Young, County Commissioner and candidate for State Treasurer
Michael Weisel, candidate for State Treasurer

State Senator Bill Purcell

Sen. Janet Cowell, candidate for State Treasurer

Joint Sponsors / Candidates for the Court of Appeals
and N.C. Supreme Court
Judge Cheri Beasley (Court of Appeals)
Judge Kristin Ruth (Court of Appeals)
Suzanne Reynolds (Supreme Court)

Additional friends include: State Rep. Tricia Ann Cotham, State Rep. Martha Alexander, the Moore County Democratic Party, the Union County Democratic Party, the Honorable J. Richard Conder, Judy Gilbert, District Attorney Michael Parker, and Lee Wallace.

Of all the luncheon sponsors, the lead or primary sponsors are the two Democratic gubernatorial candidates.

Lunch will be served between 11 a.m. through 12:30 p.m. in the banquet rooms of Cole Auditorium, located at its proud home of Richmond Community College in Hamlet, North Carolina. (The main campus, adjacent to the auditorium, is on 1042 West Hamlet Ave., U.S. Highway 74 Business.) So that everyone will have time to eat and make it to the 1 pm start of the official meeting, we respectfully request that attendees eat and then make way for others who will be following them in the banquet room line. The room will only hold 322 people at a time so we respectfully encourage you to depart the luncheon room when you have concluded your meal, and proceed to the auditorium.

To learn more about the January 2008 State Executive Committee meeting, please go to www.ncdp.org. An early summary about the occasion also appears in the October 15, 2007 blog entry at "Wayne's World” (www.eighthdistrictdemsnc.blogspot.com)

Remember this: Due solely to the sponsorships by the above candidates, every person attending the State Executive Committee meeting will enjoy a FREE BBQ & Chicken lunch. Please express your appreciation to the above sponsors for their thoughtfulness in remembering attendees of the State Executive Committee meeting. And, of course, remember them at the polls when you vote in May and November!

(3) At the August 2007 meeting of the State Executive Committee meeting we handled all resolutions in one form or another that were in the possession of the NCDP Platform and Resolutions Committee. At that Greensboro meeting I announced that we would accept resolutions from auxiliary organizations after their Fall Conventions and that we must receive them before the January 2008 State Executive Committee meeting. None were received in time for the Resolutions Committee to meet before the January 26, 2008 meeting and still keep to the requirement of 14 days notice within the Party Plan of Organization. At the State Executive Committee meeting in Hamlet you will receive the proposed calendar of town meetings around the State as we once again consider our NCDP Platform and review resolutions.

(4) For information and directions once you arrive at Cole Auditorium at Richmond Community College, look for persons wearing a Richmond County Democratic Party badge or someone at the registration table in the main lobby.

(5) The NC Federation of College Democrats is hosting its first annual Winter Reception. This event will take place at the Historic Hamlet Depot, located on the corner of West Main Street and North Bridges Street, Hamlet. (It is primarily on Main Street.)

To get there from the SEC meeting at Richmond Community College, here are the simplest directions:

As you depart the college, turn left onto U.S. Highway 74 Business, also known as West Hamlet Avenue.

Drive less than 2 miles. When you reach the 2nd stoplight, that is Raleigh Street. That is just after the Piggly Wiggly grocery store. Turn right onto Raleigh Street and drive toward and across the railroad tracks.

Raleigh Street intersects with Main Street. You will see the Hamlet Post Office across the road. Turn left onto Main Street and drive a couple of blocks. You can’t miss the Hamlet Train Depot.

All in all, it will take you ONLY 5 minutes – approximately 2 miles - to reach the reception at the Hamlet Depot.

(6) Here are some places to consider seeing, visiting, etc.:

Hamlet Opera House, located on Main Street

Hamlet Railroad Museum

The site of the Imperial Foods plant, Bridges Street

Rankin Natural History Museum, approx. 15 miles nort from the college on U.S.
220 Highway in Ellerbe

Ellerbe Springs Inn and Restaurant, approx 17 miles north from the college on
U.S. 220 Highway in Ellerbe; Eleanor Roosevelt stayed there and has
a room named for her. Site of the 1996 State Convention of the
Young Democrats of North Carolina (YDNC)

Rockingham Speedway, formerly the North Carolina Motor Speedway;
U.S. 1 North, approx. 7 miles north of Rockingham

Rockingham Dragway; across the highway from the speedway

(7) While you’re visiting Richmond County, please consider this sampling of trivia:

Hamlet was the birthplace of John Coltrane, American jazz great; he later moved to High Point

Hamlet was the birthplace of Tom Wicker, former New York Times editor, national columnist, and author

Hamlet was the home of many professional athletes, including greats such as Mike Quick, Louis Breeden, Franklin Stubbs, and Doug Thomas

Richmond County’s Richmond Senior High School has won NC’s State 4-A High School Football Championship seven times

Former Governor and U.S. Senator Cameron Morrison was born between Rockingham and Hamlet, served as mayor of Rockingham, and also represented the area in the State Senate before moving to Charlotte.

Family Dollar Store had its roots in Richmond County.

NASCAR and drag racing have deep roots in Richmond County as well; note the Rockingham Speedway and the Rockingham Dragway.

The longest-serving Sheriff in North Carolina history – R.W. Goodman – was born and lived here in Richmond County. He was elected 44 years straight, and was the strongest Democrat you’d ever find.

Bucky Covington of American Idol fame is from Richmond County and still has family here and calls the county home. He is now receiving kudos for his first country music album.

At one time, when the railroad was in its hey-day in the 1920s through 1960s, Hamlet was the premier and primary stop between New York City and Jacksonville, Florida.

The movie "Billy Bathgate", starring Dustin Hoffman and Nicole Kidman, was filmed in Hamlet. The soft rock band, Hootie and the Blowfish, filmed a music video at the ruins of an old mill in Rockingham.

Former Governor Jim Hunt’s campaign manager during his statewide races, the late Joe Grimsley, became President of Richmond Community College in 1985 and honorably served the college for many years until he passed away several years ago.

* * * *

ENJOY YOUR VISIT TO RICHMOND COUNTY – A STRONG DEMOCRATIC COUNTY - AND
THE 8TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT!