102 Jamz morning show host teams up with Greensboro Police Department

B Daht with GPD Chief Wayne Scott.

Bridging the gap between cops and the community

GREENSBORO – Last week, Brian “B Daht” McLaughlin, host of the 102 Jamz morning show, “3 Live Crew,” and cast member on MTV2’s Nick Cannon presents: “Wild ‘N Out,” teamed up with the Greensboro Police Department and became a cop for the day.

Greensboro Police Chief Wayne Scott invited the radio personality to be the first citizen to undergo an abbreviated police training session and ride along with Officer Scott Davis to patrol the local community.

“Being exposed to a mere fraction of the situations police officers encounter daily was eye opening,” said B Daht. “Officers have about half of a second to make a decision that could alter the lives of themselves, a perpetrator, and local citizens. In addition to their obligation to protect and serve the community, they have an obligation to their families to get home safely. It’s a tough job, but I appreciate them for putting their lives on the line daily.”

“The Greensboro Police Department thoroughly enjoyed hosting B Daht as our ‘Officer for a Day’,” said Police Chief Wayne Scott. “Like many of our great citizens, he quickly learned about the many challenges police face every day as they serve the community. He was an excellent student and a fast learner. We are honored to have him join our ranks.”

Chief Scott also appeared on the 102 Jamz morning show, “3 Live Crew,” to discuss the ride along in more detail and respond to listeners who called in with a variety of questions from how extensive background checks are for being an officer to protocol for being pulled over.

Both Chief Scott and Brian “B Daht” McLaughlin hope to partner on future events that will continue to bridge the gap between the Greensboro Police Department and its community.

About Brian “B Daht” McLaughlin

Brian “B Daht” McLaughlin, a native of St. Louis, Missouri, is an actor, comedian, entertainer, and radio show host. In 2009, B Daht and his colleague, Raeshard Mills, co-founded a comedic troupe known as the Freestyle Funny Comedy Show (FFCS). The FFCS consists of four comedians, including McLaughlin. B Daht is the host of WJMH 102 Jamz’s “3 Live Crew” Morning Show, where he leads a team of two other co-hosts. He also is a cast member on MTV2’s highest rated show, Nick Cannon presents: “Wild n Out.” McLaughlin is a devoted husband and father of two, beautiful children.

About Greensboro Police Department

The Greensboro Police Department is comprised of 785 sworn and non-sworn employees dedicated to the mission of partnering to fight crime for a safer Greensboro. We believe that effectively fighting crime requires everyone's effort.

On November 9, 1986, the Commission for the Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies awarded accredited status to GPD, making it the first law enforcement agency in North Carolina to be accredited. The process of self-examination and assessment by independent assessors served to strengthen all areas of the department and placed GPD in the forefront of police professionalism.

The department strives to be a national model for exceptional policing through our commitment to excellence, selfless public service, and effective community partnerships.  To find out more, visit www.gsopd.org.
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- a press release

Greater High Point Summer Reading Kick-Off

Kick-off event will be held on Friday, June 26

Greensboro – For the fourth year in a row, the Kiwanis Club of High Point has generously sponsored High Point students with an opportunity to enhance their reading skills and combat the summer slide. The summer reading program will be offered again to students who attend one of the various participating sites: Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater High Point, Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club-Cloverleaf, High Point LEAP, Macedonia Community Center and the Carl Chavis YMCA. The High Point community is extremely excited to have five schools offer their school’s computer labs: Fairview, Oak Hill, Parkview, Pruett Scale and Triangle Lake Montessori.

“We are excited to partner with Guilford County Schools to provide this opportunity for students to enhance their reading skills during the summertime,” said Claire Robinson, Kiwanis Club of High Point president, “Last year, over 700 students participated and read over 12,000 books. We are looking forward to increasing the number this summer.”

The kick-off event for the summer reading program for students and parents will be held on Friday, June 26, 2015 from 3 to 5 p.m. at Morehead Recreation Center. 102 Jamz will provide music and there will be a special appearance by Ronald McDonald. Through Book Time with Ronald McDonald, Ronald will highlight the importance of reading. Using magic, music, audience participation and storytelling, Ronald brings home five important lessons: Have some Book Time Every day, Books Are Our Friends, Explore the Library, Take Care of Books, and Read with Excitement.

Also, Johanna J. Smith will read an excerpt from her book, “Star Gazer, the Horse Who Loved History.” Smith combines her passionate love for children, horses and history in this moving story that emphasizes world peace.

The summer reading program uses the online computer based Reading Eggs-Reading Eggspress software designed to enhance the lives of school age children by providing them a hands-on interactive web-based reading experience. Each site will meet during the one hour designated time Monday through Thursday until August 7, 2015.

For more information or to register your child to participate, please visit one of the participating sites or feel free to contact Mrs. Lavonne Rosbor-Sanders, Western Region Student Services Administrator at 336-253-0720 to get registered online.

- a press release
 

SUPERJAM returning to Greensboro Coliseum

102 JAMZ PRESENTS

SUPERJAM

RETURNING TO

Greensboro Coliseum Friday, June 27

Tickets on Sale Friday, May 16^th at 10AM!

Greensboro, NC (May 9, 2014) -102 JAMZ (WJMH) has announced SuperJam will return to Greensboro Coliseum on Friday, June 27 at 7:30 p.m.

Artists are to be announced.

An annual summer tradition, the 2014 SuperJam will mark the concert’s 18^th consecutive year at Greensboro Coliseum. 

Tickets start at just $10 and will go on sale Friday, May 16 at 10 a.m. at www.ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster outlets, charge-by-phone at (800) 745-3000 and at the Greensboro Coliseum box office.

EVENT:                                   SuperJam

(artists TBA)

DATE:                                     Friday, June 27

TIME:                                      7:30 p.m.

VENUE:                                  Greensboro Coliseum

TICKETS ON SALE:              Friday, May 16 at 10 a.m.

TICKET PRICES:                   $10 and up. All seats reserved.

A Press Release

An inability, or lack of desire, to coordinate

It's no surprise that Trayvon Martin's murder sparked outrage and action in Greensboro, as it has around the world. Yet from my vantage point receiving one press release after the other, it's difficult not to wonder why the groups of people organizing protests and marches on the issue seem incapable or uninterested in coordinating their efforts.

Just this morning, I read a press release from the UNCG NAACP calling for a related march on April 11 and another from RockStar Church Inc. announcing plans for prayer vigils on the issue every week this month (April 5, 12, 19 and 26). As part of the demonstration against the new Guilford County Jail on April 12, there will be a Trayvon Martin youth contingent. On top of that, there is an open mic event about the issue tomorrow.

Greensboro has already seen back-to-back protests related to the case, first with an action at the post office called by DJs from 102 JAMZ and then a rally and march at Governmental Plaza the next day. I am terrible at estimating crowd sizes, but both events drew hundreds of supporters. A week later, an event about Martin at the International Civil Rights Center & Museum reportedly turned out hundreds as well.

There's nothing wrong with having separate or multiple events that highlight the same issues, in fact it may be more effective for keeping the conversation about the case — and everything it brings up — going. It makes sense that an open mic event, which is a significantly different format, would exist as a stand alone event. But it seems like two things are happening here.

First, some of the organizations calling for protests appear to have conflicting interests and do not want to work together. I am not surprised that a prayer vigil beginning at 6:30 a.m. doesn't appeal to the people organizing a demonstration against the new jail. Even though there were brief religious references at the march at Governmental Plaza, where the two largest banners were from the International Socialist Organization, I am not surprised that an explicitly religious group wants to go it alone.

Similarly, the ICRC&M and 102 JAMZ have their own agenda and names to promote, their own style of organizing to offer. I am not questioning whether anyone is genuinely taking action around the case — my perception is that all parties involved are — but it seems that self interest is also playing a decisive role in keeping these actions separate.

Secondly, there appears to be a huge lack of communication. Why not have the UNCG NAACP march on April 12 (a day after it is planned) beginning with a separate rally and turn into a feeder march to the new jail in coordination with the Trayvon Martin contingent? Do these groups even know about each other's events? Could the post office action have been scheduled for the end of the march at Government Plaza instead of two similar events a mere 25 hours apart?

In my experience doing this type of work in Greensboro and talking to people regularly who are involved in it, social justice work (or however people want to refer to it) happens in silos here. There is amazing and important organizing happening, but even groups working on the exact same issue seem unable to coalesce and cooperate. There are certainly legitimate reasons for different groups to approach the same issue differently, but when every single group appears to be trying to fight it alone, it's hard to imagine their isn't a more effective approach.

I'd love to hear more people's thoughts on this issue. It's possible that I am totally off the mark, but I've heard this complaint from people working on immigration, homelessness, get out the vote campaigns and so many other issues. The local efforts against Amendment One seem to be a notable exception, but maybe people on the grassroots level of the issue see it differently. What do you think?