candidates

I wanted to create a thread for folks to share their thoughts on the school board candidates and what you'd like to see in the election, especially since the filing day thread has devolved into old attacks and counter-attacks.  And especially since we school board candidates always get the shortest stick in any media coverage (note the CH News editorial today which only had TC candidates).

The CH News did print one story similar to the one on Town Council races today.  Unfortunately (or not, for me), they only gave any details on the challengers.  

So the candidates for 4 four-year seats are (in order of filing)...

As usual, there's some good in the Independent Weekly's endorsements, and some bad, and... oh hey, there's a judicial race this year?  Wow, thanks for the heads up, Indy.

They recommend Renee Price for Commissioner District 2, and Barry Jacobs for the At-large district. I'm sure some of you readers will respectfully disagree and prefer Joal Broun, but I think she's fine where she is and I'd would rather see Barry continue his good work on the Board of County Commissioners.

The surprise for me was that they chose to endorse 28-year incumbent Lindy Pendergrass for Sheriff rather than former Hillsborough Police Chief Clarence Birkhead. There is no doubt that Pendergrass has served us well (for longer than some voters have been alive), but Birkhead seems more in line with Orange County values today.

For Orange County School Board, they picked Debbie Piscitelli, Anne Medenblik, Donna Dean Coffey, Laura Nicholson. But they didn't offer much explanation for not endorsing Brenda Stephens, I thought.

Here's the Indy's entire slate: