County clerk of court appointed new judge
GUILFORD COUNTY — Longtime Guilford County Clerk of Superior Court Lisa Johnson-Tonkins has been named a county Superior Court judge.
Gov. Josh Stein announced the appointment Wednesday to fill the judgeship for Guilford County Judicial District 24A left vacant by the recent retirement of Judge Lora Cubbage.
Johnson-Tonkins, a Democrat, was first elected Guilford County Clerk of Superior Court in 2014. She has won her primary and general election races by comfortable margins. Johnson-Tonkins was unopposed in her last general election race in November 2022.
'Serving the citizens of Guilford County as the elected clerk has been a tremendous honor, and I am extremely humbled to have the opportunity to serve as a Superior Court judge,' Johnson-Tonkins told The High Point Enterprise. 'I pledge to uphold the highest standards of honor, dignity, compassion, fairness and integrity in every aspect of my judicial duties.'
Johnson-Tonkins received her bachelor's degree from North Carolina A&T State University and her law degree from the North Carolina Central University School of Law.
An interim Guilford County Clerk of Superior Court will be named to fill the unexpired term of Johnson-Tonkins through the end of next year. The clerk contest will be on the general election ballot in November 2026.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Politico
38 minutes ago
- Politico
Senate rejects Susan Collins amendment to boost rural hospitals, raise taxes on wealthy
Democratic Rep. Dwight Evans said Monday he will not seek reelection 'after some discussions this weekend and thoughtful reflection,' opening up a solid-blue seat in Philadelphia. Evans faced mounting questions about his ability to serve after suffering a stroke last year and missing months of votes. He insisted until recently he still intended to run for reelection, though several primary challengers were already starting to make moves. 'Serving the people of Philadelphia has been the honor of my life,' Evans said in a statement. 'And I remain in good health and fully capable of continuing to serve. After some discussions this weekend and thoughtful reflection, I have decided that the time is right to announce that I will not be seeking reelection in 2026.' Evans, 71, has served in Congress since 2016. He succeeded Rep. Chaka Fattah, who resigned after being indicted on federal corruption charges, and is one of six Pennsylvanians on the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee. His retirement announcement comes amid generational upheaval in the Democratic Party. Longtime Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) said earlier this year she wouldn't run again. The party base has looked to their leaders to mount a more vigorous response to President Donald Trump, with some in the party calling for primary challenges to senior leaders. Evans' retirement could kick off a fierce battle between establishment Democrats and progressives for the Philadelphia-area seat, and several possible candidates are already weighing campaigns. Democratic socialists have made headway in the city, particularly at the state level, and pro-Israel groups and the liberal Working Families Party are eyeing the race, according to multiple Democrats. 'This is completely wide open,' said a high-level Philadelphia Democrat who was granted anonymity to speak frankly. 'There is not one person I can see who I would deem the front-runner.' State Sen. Sharif Street, chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, has expressed interest in running for Evans' seat. A second Democrat granted anonymity to speak freely said Street could kick off his campaign as early as Tuesday, though other Democrats said an official announcement could come later. State Rep. Morgan Cephas, who is close to the city's influential building trades unions, is eyeing the seat as well, as is progressive state Rep. Chris Rabb. 'Me and my team are strongly considering a bid,' Cephas told POLITICO Monday. 'But first and foremost I wanted to express my overwhelming gratitude to the work that Congressman Evans has done for the city of Philadelphia.' Rabb said in a text that 'I am seriously considering running for this seat.' State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, another progressive, said his supporters have 'encouraged me to consider a run.' But he said he has 'nothing to announce,' adding that 'today is about Dwight Evans' and 'honoring his legacy.' In a sign of how hotly contested the race could become, some Democrats are already attacking Street publicly and privately before he jumps into the contest. J.J. Balaban, a Democratic consultant who lives in Evans' district, said he opposes a potential bid by Street because in 2021 he worked with a powerful Republican to craft a proposed congressional redistricting map. His plan was not ultimately successful. 'Any good Democrat should hope it's not Sharif Street because of how he tried to sell out the Democratic delegation,' said Balaban. 'We would have fewer congressional seats if he had carried the day.' Street did not immediately respond to a request for comment. At the time, Street defended his work with Republicans, saying 'it's our job to negotiate the best that we can.' Street has made some recent efforts to make inroads with progressives, including by endorsing liberal Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner in his successful primary reelection campaign this year over a more moderate challenger. The extent to which Evans does — or doesn't — get involved in helping determine his successor will also shape the race. A Democrat familiar with Evans' thinking said he is 'going to wait and see what the field will look like' before deciding whether to endorse a candidate in the primary. 'Plenty of time to make a decision,' the person added. Rumors have swirled for months about Evans' future, and some Democrats speculated that he might step down in the middle of his term, which would have given power to the city's Democratic ward leaders to choose a nominee for a special election. But Evans said Wednesday that he 'will serve out the full term that ends Jan. 3, 2027.'
Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
Philadelphia city workers strike after contract talks fail
Parker, a pro-labor Democrat, promised that Fourth of July celebrations in the nation's birthplace would go on as usual. 'Keep your holiday plans. Don't leave the city,' she said at a Monday afternoon news conference that followed hours of last-minute negotiations. City officials urged residents to be patient and not hang up should they need to call either 911 or the city's non-emergency helpline. They said they would open drop-off sites for residential trash. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Parker said she had offered raises that amount to 13% over her four-year term and added a fifth step to the pay scale to align with other unionized workers. District Council 33 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees is the largest of four unions representing city workers. Advertisement 'We believe it's a fair offer and still fiscally responsible for the people of this city,' said Parker, who took office last year. Union leaders, in their initial contract proposal, asked for 8% annual raises each year of the three-year contract, along with cost-of-living hikes and bonuses of up to $5,000 for those who worked through the pandemic. The union also asked the city to pay the full cost of employee health care, or $1,700 per person per month. Advertisement 'District Council 33's members contribute as much blood, sweat and tears as does anyone else,' they said in a demand letter. 'We all make the city work. Our contract must reflect that reality.' In November, the city transit system averted a strike when the parties agreed to a one-year contract with 5% raises.
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Trump will visit a remote immigration detention site in the Florida Everglades
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is making a day trip to Florida's Everglades on Tuesday for a firsthand look at a new immigration detention facility that the White House suggests will be especially secure given that it is 'surrounded by alligators.' The detention facility is on an isolated airstrip about 50 miles (80 kilometers) west of Miami and could house 5,000 detainees. It's drawn protests over the potential impact on a delicate ecosystem and criticism that Trump is trying to send a cruel message to immigrants — while some Native American leaders have also opposed construction, saying the land is sacred . But a key selling point for the Trump administration is the site's remoteness, and the fact that it is in swampland filled with mosquitoes, pythons and alligators. The White House hopes that conveys a message to the detainees being housed there and the world at large that repercussions will be severe if the immigration laws of the United States are not followed. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt noted that the center is 'informally known as Alligator Alcatraz,' a moniker that has alarmed immigrant activists but appeals to the president's aggressive approach to deportations. 'There's only one road leading in, and the only way out is a one-way flight,' Leavitt said. 'It is isolated and it is surrounded by dangerous wildlife and unforgiving terrain.' Crackdowns on the border and harsh immigration policies have long been a centerpiece of Trump's political brand. During his first term in 2019, Trump denied reports that he floated the idea of building a moat filled with alligators at the U.S.-Mexico border. 'I may be tough on Border Security, but not that tough,' he said at the time. In his second term, Trump has suggested that his administration could move to reopen Alcatraz , the notorious and hard-to-reach island prison off San Francisco. And Leavitt said the new Florida detention center's inhospitable location — and dangerous nearby fauna — were pluses. 'A detention center surrounded by alligators, yes, I do think that's a deterrent for them to try to escape,' she said. Former U.S. Rep. David Jolly of Florida, a former Republican who is now running for governor as a Democrat, called the facility a 'callous political stunt.' The White House has similarly promoted the political shock value of sending some immigrants awaiting deportation from the U.S. to a detention lockup in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and others to a megaprison in El Salvador . U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees are in detention facilities for immigration reasons, like entering the country illegally or overstaying a visa. They are either waiting for ICE to put them on the next flight or bus ride home or are fighting their removal in immigration court. If an immigrant is accused of or has committed a violent crime, he or she is tried and held in state or federal criminal jurisdiction, separate from the immigration system. In those cases, they may be transferred to ICE for deportation after completing their criminal sentences. State officials are spearheading construction of the Florida facility, but much of the cost is being covered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is best known for responding to hurricanes and other natural disasters. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, whom Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has credited as the architect of the Everglades plan, first debuted the proposal with a slickly produced video, complete with custom graphics featuring red-eyed alligators and backed by a hard rock soundtrack. The Florida Republican Party has fundraised off the facility, selling branded T-shirts and beverage container sleeves. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suggested Monday that the facility could be open and 'ready for business' by the time Trump arrives. DeSantis said the site has obtained approval from the Department of Homeland Security , which posted an image of alligators wearing ICE hats and sitting in front of a fenced-in compound ringed with barbed wire. The governor, who challenged Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, has also played up the fact that the site will be hard to escape from. 'They ain't going anywhere once they're there, unless you want them to go somewhere, because good luck getting to civilization,' DeSantis said. 'So the security is amazing.' ___ Gomez Licon reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Associated Press writers Kate Payne in Tallahassee, Florida, and Elliot Spagat in San Diego contributed to this report. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
