Latest news with #AmandaCook
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cook to challenge Brockman
HIGH POINT — High Point City Councilwoman Amanda Cook has announced plans to run for a seat in the N.C. General Assembly in next year's elections. She revealed in a social media post in March that she will seek the N.C. House of Representatives District 60 seat, currently held by state Rep. Cecil Brockman, a High Point Democrat. Candidate filing opens in December 2025 for the March 2026 primaries, with the general election to follow in November 2026. Brockman said in a text message Wednesday that he plans to seek reelection to a seventh term in the state legislature. When asked for comment on Cook's challenge, he replied, 'My only comment is this: Anyone has a right to run and anyone has a right to get beat.' A first-term council member elected in 2023, Cook holds one of the two at-large seats on High Point's governing body. She could not be reached for comment on her decision to run against Brockman, who has come under criticism from some fellow Democrats for missing votes and siding with Republicans on budget bills. Cook's website and Facebook page for her campaign contain only one apparent reference to Brockman, which she posted in announcing her candidacy: 'It's time for a representative who truly shows up and stands up for US. Let's bring change together!' Her campaign website outlines a platform of broad issues traditionally supported by Democrats. Cook's term on the council goes until December 2027. If she wins the state House seat in 2026, she would have to resign from the council, and her colleagues on the council would choose a replacement to finish her term. Brockman is the only High Point resident in the 170-member legislature. The 60th House District covers most of the city. He has defended his record, citing $40 million in state funding he helped secure for High Point needs and projects. Last year, Brockman faced a Democratic primary challenge for the first time since he won the seat in 2014. Brockman edged out a victory with 50.7% of the vote against former High Point NAACP President James Adams, then comfortably won the general election against Republican challenger Joseph Perrotta, with 63% of the vote.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Council OKs charter school permit
HIGH POINT — A startup charter school in High Point has obtained city approval to operate its campus. The City Council on Monday approved a special-use permit for Triad International Studies Academy at 622 E. Lexington Ave., where it plans to open in August offering pre-kindergarten through second-grade classes with a projected enrollment of around 150 students. Offering a 'language immersion' curriculum with classes in Chinese and Spanish, as well as core subjects, the school is renovating two former church buildings on the property for classroom space. The school plans to grow to a K-8 enrollment with a maximum capacity of 390 students and eventually add four modular classrooms. City planners recommended limiting the school's maximum enrollment to 250 students because of concerns about this relatively small 1.5-acre tract being able to handle on-site vehicle queuing during drop-off and pick-up times, as well as other impacts of the development. The council went against the staff's recommendations in granting the applicant's wish for the 390-enrollment capacity. The council approved the school's proposal to operate a staggered drop-off and pick-up schedule 45 minutes apart with a maximum of 195 students during each. The applicant pledged that this would keep traffic from stacking up on E. Lexington Avenue at the school's entrance and exit. City staff said they were concerned that a staggered schedule would be too difficult for the city to enforce as a condition of the permit. The council included a requirement that the school submit annual reports to the city showing that they're adhering to the staggered schedule and keeping vehicles from queuing in the road. The N.C. Department of Transportation, which owns and maintains E. Lexington Avenue, is not requiring the addition of turn lanes into the site, which is in the middle of a residential neighborhood. The applicant agreed that only emergency access would be permitted from Bridges Drive at the rear of the site. The council approval was on a vote of 8-1, with Councilwoman Amanda Cook opposed, saying she preferred to adhere to the staff's recommendation for the smaller enrollment capacity.
