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TRANSCRIPT
BlueNote
Volume 4, Issue 3 www.ncfop.org May June 2020
The Voice of Law Enforcement
Inside This Issue
President’s Message
By Randy Hagler 1
Directory 3
Chaplain’s Corner with Phil Wiggins
3
BlueNote Information 5
State Biennial Conference 5
Past President 7
Grand Lodge Update By Dennis McCrary
9
Legislative Update to CORVID-19
15
General Assembly 17
Message from Chairman of Trustees
17
Lodge 97 19
Lodge 74 19
Trivia! 20
Fraternal Order of Police
Official Publication of the North Carolina State Lodge
President’s Message
By Randy Hagler – State President
Welcome to May/June 2020 issue of the official publication of North Carolina Fraternal
Order of Police, The BlueNote. If you receive this publication via email or download it
from the ncfop.org website, please share it with all of your law enforcement friends, family,
and supporters. It contains important information concerning our organization and law
enforcement across the State.
The COVID-19 crisis that has swept the country over the past two months has changed our
lives and our profession forever. I believe this crisis will come to an end eventually, but we
are certainly not there yet. I believe medicine will be developed/discovered that will
combat the effects of COVID-19 and our lives will return to a more normal pace. As of
now, we have lost 82 officers across the country to this deadly disease and that number will
rise higher before this is over. Our officers and other first responders do not have the
luxury or choice to stay home and away from the virus. We must educate ourselves on best
practices and work hard to make sure we follow all of them. If you work for an agency that
is not providing the proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), find out why and demand
better efforts on their part. Please contact the State Lodge if your agency is not providing
you with proper PPE and we will do our best to assist.
The National Fraternal Order of Police, lead by President Pat Yoes and the National FOP
Legislative Office, has been at the front of the charge to protect our nation’s law
enforcement officers. President Yoes and Executive Director Jim Pasco have worked
tirelessly to make sure everything that can be done is being done to protect our law
enforcement officers. President Yoes has sent letters to all our nation’s governors to amend
their State and local workman’s compensation laws, through either executive order or
legislative action, and establish a presumption that law enforcement officers who contract
COVID-19 did so in the line of duty. President Yoes has also been in contact with U.S.
Attorney General William Barr requesting the same as he did of our country’s governors,
that any death benefit claim in which COVID-19 is a contributing factor in the cause of the
officer’s death shall be presumed to be a “line of duty injury” as defined by law unless
competent medical evidence establishes that the exposure and contraction of COVID-19
was unrelated to the underlying cause of death. This would mean an officer’s family would
Continued on Page 13
North Carolina
Fraternal Order of Police
1500 Walnut Street
Cary, NC 27511
(O) 800-628-8062
(F) 919-461-4958
Web Site
www.ncfop.org
President
Randy Hagler
Immediate Past President
Terry Mangum
Vice President
Robert Gaddy
Secretary
Lynn Wilson
Treasurer
Chet Effler
2nd Vice President
James Shores
Sergeant-At-Arms
Greg Brown
Chaplain
Phil Wiggins
National Trustee
Dennis McCrary
Chairman of Trustees
John Byrd
www.ncfop.org 3
Chaplain’s Corner
Like many of you, I am trying to find ways to cope and make the best during this COVID-19 pandemic and having to stay home and limit any unnecessary travel. It reminds me of the movie Groundhog Day where Bill Murray portrays Phil Connors, a cynical TV weatherman who is dispatched to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to do an annual puff piece on Groundhog Day. You know the story, once there he finds himself trapped in a time warp, living out the same 24 hours over and over again. Does this sound familiar to some of you? The movie certainly reflects what the emotional stress and anxiety can have on a person doing the same routine day in and day out. Even in the movie, at one-point, Phil loses hope and tries different means of suicide.
We are certainly not in a movie. This is real life for people around the world. Doctors and research scientists are working tirelessly trying to find a cure. Our national leaders are now talking about how soon people can safely go back to work. At the same time, our law enforcement and first responders are putting their lives on the line, and putting their families at risk, serving and protecting our communities.
This has caused many problems for families. Parents are having to home school and many have never done it before, issues for children who depended on schools for their meals, and people in abusive relationship who are now confined with abuser. Those who are dealing with loneliness are put more at risk. And the list goes on and on.
I guess looking back at the movie causes me to think how important it is to find good in each day and be good neighbors and friends to those around us. Make a phone call and give words of encouragement, make a grocery store run for the elderly and offer to help in other ways. We are God’s voice, hands and feet to a hurting world. God has not promised that we will not suffer in this life, but he has told us that he will walk through our valleys with us. He will be right by our side, and his grace will be enough.
One of the hardest things to do as a Christian sometimes is to have faith that God is working, and to not be afraid of all the things that come our way. Psalm 27:1 “The LORD is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid.” Psalm 121:1-2 “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” Matthew 6:24 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
God’s Blessing,
Phil Wiggins
NC State FOP Chaplain
Cell 919-451-2801
www.ncfop.org 5
BlueNote Information and Submission Dates for 2020 By Terry Mangum – Executive Editor
I hope everyone enjoyed the March/April 2020 issue of the BlueNote. We would love to hear from you.
The May/June issue, which you are now reading, contains important information for you and our profession. I
would encourage you, after you finish reading your copy, to share it with your fellow officers, your family
members, and your friends.
Also, please consider submitting an article on your Lodge’s activities. We all know Lodges have activities
throughout the year which would be great material for a BlueNote submission. So, begin now preparing for the
July/August 2020 BlueNote issue. Let our members from across North Carolina hear about your Lodge
activities. All you have to do is write an article and submit it to me. If it needs any doctoring, that will be taken
care of and your article will be publication worthy.
The BlueNote is your publication and your lodge articles are needed to help us continue to provide an
interesting and beneficial publication. E-mail your articles and photos to my e-mail address
[email protected] by the due date.
Remember to please visit our BlueNote advertisers’ websites. These advertisers support the North
Carolina State Lodge through their advertisements and we need to visit their websites and support them
in return.
Below are the Article Submission Due Dates for the remaining 2020 issues of the BlueNote. Clip these dates
out and post them on your computer, refrigerator, etc., where they will be visible as a reminder.
Article Submission Due Dates for 2020:
July/August issue: Due by June 19, 2020 September/October issue: Due by August 21, 2020 November/December issue: Due by October 16, 2020
As always, I am here to serve you and our membership. If I may be of assistance to you, or if you have any
questions or concerns, please contact me.
State Biennial Conference Upcoming Elections By James Shores – State Second Vice President
I would like to take this opportunity to let all of our members know how much of an honor it is to be your Second Vice President of the NC State FOP. Over the last couple of years, the Executive Board has worked diligently and tirelessly together. I have truly enjoyed representing this amazing organization in Washington DC, Raleigh, and many other FOP events and locations.
I take this honor of representing the members of the North Carolina Fraternal Order of Police very seriously and very rewarding. When I go to the North Carolina Legislature and bring issues to our Legislators and help the Executive Board in obtaining better benefits and procedures for our great organization, it is extremely rewarding to know I was able to help my fellow brothers and sisters. It is with this in mind that I announce my intentions to run for a second term as your State Second Vice President during our State Biennial Conference at Carolina Beach in September. I hope you will continue to support me in this endeavor. I know we can work together to continue to grow our great organization and bring even better benefits to this honorable profession we have chosen.
I thank you for your support and I truly look forward to working together in the future as we continue to advance the greatest organization in law enforcement, the Fraternal Order of Police.
www.ncfop.org 7
Reflections from the Immediate Past President By Terry Mangum
It was with great sorrow and sadness that I learned of the passing of Jean Novellino. My thoughts and prayers
are with Bob, their daughters and their grandchildren. Jean served the North Carolina State Lodge for over
twenty-five years as our Office Manager and had just recently retired due to health issues. I feel fortunate to
have had the opportunity to work closely with Jean, for many of these years, during my tenure as State Vice
President and State President and then as Chairman of the Legal Aid Committee. Most of our members have no
idea of the volume of work that Jean performed for our State Lodge on a daily basis. Jean loved her job and the
Fraternal Order of Police. She knew her job, what needed to be done (both in the Office and at the local lodge
level), and how it should be correctly accomplished. Jean was always willing to assist local lodge officers,
especially the Secretaries, with teaching them the correct and proper procedures in completing the necessary
paperwork and calculating the various benefit payments. She even prepared a manual for the Secretaries which
explained, step by step, how to perform their duties. And you had better believe that she checked it all when it
arrived at the State Office. If there were any errors, you could count on hearing from Jean on the needed
corrections. Jean was extremely dedicated to the Fraternal Order of Police and to performing her job as a
professional. She will truly be missed. May you Rest in Peace, my Dear Friend. You served our Order well!!!
On April 25 the North Carolina State Lodge held of Spring Board meeting by teleconference due to the
Coronavirus restrictions on in-person meetings. This meeting was dedicated to the memory of both Phillip
Ferguson and Jean Novellino. We were honored to have National President Pat Yoes drop in for a brief time.
He provided an extensive overview of National activities for our members in attendance. During the meeting
we adopted our budget for the coming year. Additionally, the Board of Directors (State Trustees and Executive
Board members) voted to send four State Lodge Constitution and By-laws amendments to the delegates for a
vote at our State Biennial Conference in September. The first two amendments just change the fiscal year for
the State Lodge, the third one removes the Death Benefit (which had been eliminated) wording from the By-
laws, and the fourth one is for a much needed per capita increase. Your Lodge State Trustee can provide you
with more information on these amendments. For our first time of conducting a State Lodge teleconference
Board meeting, I feel that it went well and was very productive. Hopefully, we will all be able to return to
“normal” activities very soon.
I hope you are all staying safe during these difficult times. If I may be of assistance to you, or if you have any
questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. As always, I am here to serve you and our
membership.
The Following Business and Professional Friends Pay Special Tribute to Our Officers for Keeping Our Community Safe
YARBRO FARM
1824 SHELBY ROAD
KINGS MOUNTAIN, NC 28086
704-739-2123
PR GIBSON CONTRACT CARRIER
2501 LANE STREET
KANNAPOLIS, NC 28083
704-932-6170
URGENT CARE OF MOUTAIN VIEW
2872 S. NC HWY 27
HICKORY, NC
828-270-3604
UNION AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES
1224 WAXHAW INDIAN TRIAL RD.
INDIAN TRIAL, NC 28079
704-821-5547
PEAK STEEL
1610 N. SALEM STREET
APEX, NC 27523
919-362-5955
SHELL RAPID LUBE
MOORE COUNTY REAL ESTATE
131 AMPERSTAND
ABERDEEN, NC 28315
910-420-2630
WEBB CARPET COMPANY
2825 RAEFORD RD.
FAYETTEVILLE, NC 28303
910-485-5865
www.ncfop.org 9
GRAND LODGE UPDATE By Dennis McCrary – NC National Trustee
Many of you have just attended the NC Board of Directors’ meeting on April 25 by webinar. This was
certainly a first for the NC FOP but I do think it went very well. Since this article is being written so soon after
our webinar, there is no new information to report to our membership from your Grand Lodge. I apologize to
the State Trustees and Board of Directors because most of the information in this article is the same as in my
written report for the board meeting. Most of our members by far do not receive the written reports from the
board meeting so they do not have access to the Grand Lodge information in my report. I will take this
opportunity to update all NC members on what has been happening with your National FOP.
All of you should already know the National FOP has a website with update information especially as it relates
to working law enforcement officers and Covid19. This site is https://fopcovid19.org/ and please go to it for up
-to-date information as it relates to your profession. President Yoes and the Grand Lodge have been working
on many Covid-19 issues which are related to our members. President Yoes joined us on our webinar on April
25th and gave us a live update on Covid-19 issues. Some of these have to do with making certain any officer
that contracts Covid-19 is presumed to have contracted it from his job and be fully covered by Workman’s
Compensation. The Public Safety Officer Benefit for death in the line of duty has already been approved with
this concept in mind. Many states have obtained or are trying to get governors or legislatures to implement this
same concept on a state level for Workman’s Compensation. I know that President Hagler has been working
on this issue with Jeff Gray and hopefully North Carolina will be one of the states that will adopt this policy.
There are many other issues the Grand Lodge has been working on as it relates to Covid-19 and I encourage
you to go to the Covid-19 website or Grand Lodge website to see all of them.
Closely related to the Covid-19 issue is the National FOP’s relationship with Aetna Insurance. All of you
should have heard by now that Aetna is offering a Medicare Advantage Program to all FOP members. It
appears to be a very competitive plan for those needing this coverage. At this time it is only for Medicare
eligible members but we hope to expand it to pre-65 members. Aetna has promised the FOP that if we can get
at least 25,000 members to sign up for the Medicare Advantage Program, they will offer the pre-65 plan to all
members, spouses and dependents. These appear to be very good plans and great rates. The Grand Lodge did
have to establish a for-profit corporation for receiving any profits from this Aetna program. Aetna will pay a
small donation for each member that signs up for coverage. All local and state lodges will soon be receiving
information about webinars that will be available to all members to learn more about these programs. Anyone
interested in this type of coverage can go to https://fop.aetnamedicare.com for more details.
There are still negotiations taking place in reference to the publication of the FOP Journal Magazine. We are
moving to an electronic version that will save the membership thousands of dollars. Those wanting a printed
copy should still be able to obtain one from the Grand Lodge. The Grand Lodge app that we have discussed in
the past should be operational by the end of May. We hope this will be a great tool to improve communication
for our 350,000 members.
The National FOP Board meeting was scheduled to be in Kansas City March 20-21 but it of course was not
held. The entire board did meet on March 25 by webinar that lasted for over 8 hours. Several items I explained
above were discussed in that meeting and an April monthly online president’s update but I did want to mention
some other issues. The Executive Board of the National FOP had not received a raise in salary for the past 3
Continued on Page 11
www.ncfop.org 11
Grand Lodge Update Continued from Page 9
years. It was approved by the Board of Directors to give them a 5% raise effective March 25. The DART
Committee also reported progress was being made to get the National FOP Dart trailer ready for deployment.
In addition, the California State Lodge donated a very high quality mobile kitchen to the Grand Lodge. This is
a great addition to the DART program and should prove very useful. The FOP has been in talks with Starbucks
about negative incidents that have occurred at some of their locations. Their Executive Vice-President, John
Kelly, had planned on attending our meeting in Kansas City to address the Board. Since the meeting was
cancelled, he sent a video of his remarks and it was played during the webinar. He advised that his stores
across the country had participated in over 1500 “Coffee with a Cop” events in the last several years. He also
pledged to work very closely with the FOP and officers to make certain they worked together to help our
communities.
The Grand Lodge and President Yoes continues to work on a variety of legislation that our members need
enacted. One of these is some changes to the LEOSA conceal carry legislation that would address officers not
being able to qualify as needed because of Covid-19. We hope to have this approved in the near future.
Another is to increase the amount of credit IRS allows for each officer to pay for health insurance premiums
from the current $3000 to $6000. Another is to allow some of the future stimulus legislation that may be
forthcoming to be used to help cover officers’ salaries, benefits, etc. States and local governments are
definitely going to see some serious loss of revenue as a result of the Covid-19 shutdowns. Some are already
cutting salaries, laying off personnel and cutting benefits. The original stimulus package did not allocate any
monies that could be used by the departments to help pay for public safety. This is very likely to become a
serious issue in the near future as governments struggle with significant loss of revenue.
Members need to make certain they check the Grand Lodge website for the many benefits that are available for
their use. Several new ones approved and added during this meeting were:
Home for Heroes – Organization of real estate professionals that give a rebate to FOP members and a
donation to FOP if they purchase a home through one of their members.
Direct Mortgage – Lender that provides forgivable grant equal to 2% of purchase price and possible
seller concession for closing costs.
College Ave – Online student loan lender.
Colonial Life Voluntary Benefit – Provides dental, vision, critical illness, life insurance and accident
plans to FOP members.
American Specialty Health and Fit – Gym membership.
Burnalong – Online fitness, health and wellness site.
Please go to the Grand Lodge website if you have an interest in any of these or the many other benefits that are
available to members.
We are all very disappointed that we will not be able to gather in Washington this May to honor those officers
that died in the line of duty. The Memorial Service had to be cancelled and the Grand Lodge has been
searching for ways to still recognize the sacrifice our heroes made. A 24 minute video honoring the 185
officers that died in the line of duty in 2019 is being prepared and will be available in May. A separate part of
that recognition will be a slide show of the officers that died and information about their service. You will hear
more about this in the near future. In May of 2021 the Memorial Service will honor those that died from 2019,
2020 and Covid-19.
Continued on Page 13
www.ncfop.org 13
Grand Lodge Update Continued from Page 11
President Yoes sent out a letter to lodges about the many challenges lodges may be facing because of not being
able to hold meetings during this difficult time. It addressed such issues as election of officers and conducting
needed business. This letter is available on the Grand Lodge website. There is very limited case law on the issue
of violating an organization’s Constitution and By-Laws during unusual times but there is at least one case that
gives some guidance. The bottom line is that lodge leadership should take reasonable action to provide for the
stability of the organization during these difficult times. The reasonable action will eventually be judged by the
membership when normal meetings can continue.
As most of you know, I serve as the Chairman of the National Disaster Relief Committee. We had some very
severe storms recently strike parts of the country. The destruction was catastrophic in many areas. We do offer
grants to those members who suffered substantial loss during such events. Please keep our members and all
citizens that were affected by these storms in our thoughts and prayers.
These are some of the issues that your Grand Lodge has been addressing during the last several months. We are
certainly in some very difficult times for our members and their families. I pray each day especially for our
officers still working the front lines but also for all of our members and their families.
Many of you know that on April 23 I had some surgery on my shoulder for a serious injury. I appreciate the
calls, cards and emails that I received. I am very proud to serve as your National Trustee and please let me know
if I can be of assistance to you or your lodge. I would also like to ask for your support as I am running for
reelection as your National Trustee at the State Conference in Carolina Beach this September.
Presidents Message Continued From Page 1
be entitled to receive benefits under the Public Safety Officers’ Benefit Act (PSOB). Since that letter was written Attorney General Barr has supported the issuance of new PSOB guidelines that now cover these deaths. A comprehensive list of all FOP action taken over COVID-19 can be found at www.fop.net and clinking on the COVID-19 banner at the top of the page. I also wrote Governor Roy Cooper asking that his office issue an Executive Order that would recognize COVID-19 as an occupational disease and presumed to have been contracted in the line of duty unless it can be exclusively proven that the exposure occurred off duty. The Industrial Commission responded to my letter to the governor and said that he would be unable to issue an Executive Order for this and that it would need to be changed legislatively. Our Legislative Agent, Jeff Gray, began work on that immediately and I am very proud to say that Representative Darren Jackson (D-Wake County) has agreed to introduce legislation that supports and strengthens the workers compensation safety net for workers on the COVID-19 front lines. I would also like to thank Representative Carla D. Cunningham (D-Mecklenburg) for agreeing to sign on the bill as a co-sponsor.
Please keep in mind that our 2020 State Biennial Conference is scheduled for September 13-17 in Carolina Beach and our Brothers and Sisters in Lower Cape Fear Lodge #58 are planning for a great State Conference. They have selected an outstanding hotel for the State Conference, which is the Courtyard Marriott Oceanfront, and their planning stage for many activities while we are there are well underway. Please contact your Local Lodge for more information about the upcoming State Biennial Conference and make plans to attend.
Please never hesitate to contact me or the State Lodge if there is anything we can do to assist you, your members, or your lodge.
Stay Safe.
www.ncfop.org 15
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Legislative Response to COVID-19 By Jeff Gray – NCFOP Legislative Agent
Very quickly on the heels of the Governor’s first Executive Order declaring a state of emergency in response to the Coronavirus outbreak, House Speaker Tim Moore appointed a House Select Committee on COVID-19 consisting of 75 Representatives plus Speaker Moore as Chair. These 75 were broken down into “Working Groups” (not subcommittees as is typical) by area of focus; the four were Health Care, Continuity of State Government Operations (Emergency Services, Elections & Public Safety), Economic Support and Education. For the last month, up until the convening of the Short Session on April 28th, these working Groups have been meeting at least twice each week and taking advantage of technology by engaging in virtual meetings to discuss proposed relief bills so as to have them ready for consideration by committees and before the General Assembly during the Short Session.
The Senate had a similar, but less structured process among its members.
Because of the urgency, the legislature will likely only consider non-controversial and bipartisan legislation in the session that convened on April 28th. (See, separate article, “2020 General Assembly Short Session to be Unprecedented.”)
One of the main reasons I was monitoring these Working Group meetings, in addition to generally monitoring any legislative committee considering public safety issues, is that the Grand Lodge, and President Randy Hagler on behalf of the State Lodge, are trying to get the governors of the United States to include pandemic viruses as an occupational disease for purposes of Worker’s Compensation. President Hagler wrote Governor Roy Cooper on April 1, 2020 asking that he do so by Executive Order, similar to what he had done for unemployment benefits, but was told by a staff attorney that the Governor lacked the authority to do so. With that, I was instructed to find a legislative solution.
I had hoped to have such an amendment included in an omnibus bill arising out of the Working Groups’ recommendations but quickly learned that there was not a consensus among legislators for the inclusion; there was a fear that too many employees would make claims. So, I then suggested a “carve-out” for just law enforcement, firefighters, EMTs, jailers and prison guards. (Note: The Worker’s Compensation laws in North Carolina apply to all employees, not just select categories.)
I am pleased to advise that Rep. Darren Jackson, the House Minority Leader, has already prepared a draft bill to amend N.C. Gen. Stat. § 97-53 to add “pandemic infection contracted by a covered person,” and then defines a covered person as above. I am currently lining up co-sponsors for Rep. Jackson’s draft bill, which could be introduced in this very brief start of the Short Session, but more likely will be introduced in July.
As of the deadline for this BlueNote article, six bills addressing COVID-19 relief have been introduced in the House and the Senate passed a relief budget bill on the second day.
www.ncfop.org 17
2020 General Assembly Short Session to be Unprecedented By Jeff Gray – NCFOP Legislative Agent
Despite the various Executive Orders by the Governor, urgings to stay at home, and “social distancing,” the North Carolina General Assembly convened as scheduled for its short session beginning Tuesday, April 28th, but it will still be a long way from “business as usual” for the state’s lawmakers.
Access to the Legislative Building is being stringently restricted in order to protect legislators and their support staff from the possibility of contracting COVID-19.
On April 22nd, Senate leadership announced that the General Assembly legislative building will remain closed through May 8th. Only members, credentialed media, and support staff needed for the legislature to function are allowed into the facility. All persons entering the building will have their temperature taken before admission is allowed, and masks and gloves will be provided.
The leadership in the House has also announced changes from the regular protocols. For at least the first part of the Short Session, members are being allowed additional time to cast floor votes so that social distancing guidelines can be observed and will not be called to the floor until needed.
The session is expected to last only a few days and it will primarily concern itself with considering important relief measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic. (See, separate article “Legislative Response to COVID-19”)
Following this brief session, the General Assembly will recess once again and return during the Summer. Predictions are for July, hopefully after the worst of the crisis has passed in order to consider further COVID-19 relief measures as needed along with budget and substantive issues normally covered in a typical Short Session.
A Message From Your Chairman of Trustees By John R. Byrd Sr.
Brothers & Sisters,
I hope this edition of the Blue Note finds everyone well and dealing with the COVID-19 Pandemic as best as
you can. We just came off our first ever virtual Board of Directors meeting this past Saturday April 25th and all
things considered I think it went very well. I think we had 42 of the 50 lodges represented in some shape or
fashion. I want to give a big shout out to Vice President Gaddy for putting the meeting together and
administering it. He did a great job.
As everyone knows by now our former Office Manager Jean Novellino passed away prior to the meeting. A
motion was made by Brother Bob Hodge and passed unanimously to hold this meeting in memory of Jean and
Phil Ferguson. A more formal recognition of both will be made at our State Biennial Conference in September.
Speaking of the State Conference, the dates are September 13 – 17 at the Courtyard Carolina Beach Oceanfront.
You should make your reservations by calling 888-616-4655. Please make sure you and your Lodge delegates
attend. We will have some especially important business to consider, not the least of which will be the
discussion about what to do about the state office. Also, there will be some votes needed on the amendments
that are being brought forward from this past Saturday’s meeting.
Continued on Page 18
www.ncfop.org 18
A Message From Your Chairman of Trustees Continued from Page 17
Brother Tony Staley has shared some information with me concerning Lodges that hold raffles. A representative
with NC DOR advised the best thing for our lodges to do prior to conducting a raffle is to send a copy of their
lodge’s IRS Determination Letter with a short letter requesting a Full-Time Exemption to conduct raffles, and
send this request to:
NC Department of Revenue
Corporate TP 1
P.O. Box 871
Raleigh, NC 27602-0871
Raffles in our State fall under the NC Gambling Laws under G.S.14-309.15. A violation of the raffle laws is a
Class 2 misdemeanor in NC and a corporation such as FOP lodges can be charged with a criminal offense in
NC. With the climate out there now, we don’t know that a local DA wouldn’t try to prosecute a lodge for a
violation of this law, but at the least some other LEO organization might seize on the fact to publicize a FOP
lodge for raffle and gambling violations which would be detrimental to our reputation in this state. Thank you,
Brother Staley, for this information.
Some highlights of my activity over the past couple of months are:
• January finalized the merger of Hubert E. Tyndall Lodge #33 with Person County Lodge #74 to form the
new Hubert E. Tyndall Tri-County Lodge #74 serving Granville, Person and Vance Counties.
• Attended Lodge #74’s Annual Awards Banquet Thursday night January 30th at 6:30pm at the Homestead
Steakhouse in Timberlake, NC
• Attended Brother Jessie Jernigan’s brother’s funeral along with President Hagler, Past-President Mangum
and Chaplain Wiggins who performed the service on Monday March 23rd.
• Participated in virtual E-Board Budget meeting on Sunday March 29th.
• Meet with President Hagler at State Office in Cary on Monday April 20th.
• Attended virtual E-Board Meeting at State Lodge in Cary on Friday April 24th.
• Attended virtual Board of Directors Meeting at State Lodge in Cary on Saturday April 25th.
• Submitted Blue Note article on Tuesday April 29th.
As always, I am here to serve you. You can call me anytime at 335-504-8173 or email me at
[email protected]., if I can be of any assistance to you or your lodge in any way.
www.ncfop.org 19
Davidson County Lodge 97 Presentation By James Shores – President
On Tuesday, April 28th, 2020, I presented Sheriff
Richie Simmons of the Davidson County Sheriff’s
Office with twenty-five sets of Peerless handcuffs
and leg shackles. Earlier this year, it came to the
attention of the Davidson County FOP Lodge 97
that the Sheriff’s Office was in dire need of these
items for their jail facility. The members of the
Davidson County FOP Lodge 97 immediately
wanted to assist the Sheriff’s Office by purchasing
the handcuffs and shackles. Due to the COVID-19
restrictions the entire DCFOP Executive Board
could not be at the presentation. However, Sheriff
Simmons stated that when the restrictions are
lifted, he will be happy to redo the presentation so
they can all be in attendance.
Lodge 74 Executive Board
The Executive Board for the new Hubert E.
Tyndall Tri–County Lodge #74 (serving
Granville, Person and Vance Counties) L-R:
Sgt. Dustin Harris, Person County SD -
Lodge Trustee, Sgt. Chuck Gentry, Person
County SD (Retired) - Sgt. at Arms,
Trooper Adam Norris, NCSHP - 2nd VP,
Inv. Bryan Carey, Granville County SD -
Vice President, Cpl. Mark West, Granville
County SD - Lodge Trustee, Sgt. Eric
Coghill, Oxford PD - Secretary/Treasurer,
Lt. John R. Byrd Sr., Durham PD (Retired) -
President/State Trustee/Chaplain
www.ncfop.org 20
TRIVIA
Extra!!! Extra!!! Read All About It!!! We Have A WINNER!!!
For this Trivia contest we once again have a repeat winner. Byron Highland, State Trustee of Pitt-Greenville
Lodge 69 is the grand prize winner of the March/April BlueNote TRIVIA contest. Byron quickly and
correctly identified the two individuals in the Trivia photograph as, left to right, Keith Turney (National
Sergeant at Arms) and Phil Wiggins.
Many thanks to everyone who played TRIVIA and sent in a response.
If you have neither participated in nor won a TRIVIA contest, do not give up. Keep submitting your answers
and maybe you too can be a BlueNote TRIVIA Grand Prize Winner like Byron.
Remember, it is never too late to submit your guess. Don’t think there is no need to send in your answers
because you never know how quickly or slowly readers submit their responses. However, with Byron playing
TRIVIA, you need to send in your response quickly. I hope to see your name listed as the BlueNote TRIVIA
grand prize winner in the next issue.
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DRUM ROLL PLEASE!!!
Now here is your chance to participate in another exciting round of BlueNote TRIVIA.
Put on your thinking caps. Can you identify the five (5) individuals in this photograph? Remember to send me
your answer as quickly as you can.
If you can identify these five individuals, send an email to [email protected] with your answer along
with the name and number of your Lodge.
The correct Trivia answer will be posted in the July/August 2020 issue of the BlueNote along with the name of
the first individual submitting the correct answer.