LUMBERTON — With today’s deadline to file for municipal elections, the number of candidates on Thursday grew by six, with two Pembroke Town Council incumbents wanting to keep their seats.
Theresa Locklear and Channing Jones will both be seeking another term on the council.
Locklear, a mother of two, is a graduate of The University of North Carolina at Pembroke and has degrees in Pre-Law, Social Work and a master’s degree in Social Work.
“I would consider it an honor and a privilege to continue to be a servant to the town of Pembroke and its people,” she said. “I’m committed to listening to residents, solving problems and taking action toward positive change to make our community a better place, a place we can be proud of.”
Locklear has been a criminal investigator with the Robeson County Public Defender’s Office for the past 18 years. For the past seven years she has worked part time with Riverbend Services as a licensed social worker.
Jones, 40, is the current mayor pro tem. He is vice president of Workforce Development and Continuing Education at Robeson Community College.
“I’m very proud to have served as mayor pro tem of Pembroke. The town has attributes that benefit our residents and local businesses,” he said. “If re-elected I promise to work hard and diligently to ensure safety and well being for our residents, to work with local and potential businesses to increase economic development in the town, and to invest in infrastructure that prepares the town for the future.”
A Pembroke native, he has a bachelor of science degree in Biology and Chemistry from The University of North Carolina at Pembroke. He is currently doing graduate work at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Jones serves on the Southeastern Regional Medical Hospital Foundation board, is past chairman and current member of the Robeson County Committee of 100, and is a member and past president of the Lumberton Lions Club.
An active member of CrossWay Church in Pembroke, he is married to Emily Jones. They have three children.
Challengers Allen Dial and Joseph White previously filed for the council.
In Red Springs, Nekia Shaw filed for the Board of Commissioners, her first run for elected office.
Shaw, 36, has worked as an exceptional childrens teacher at Red Springs High School for the past 11 years.
“I want to give back to my community and improve the town for future generations,” she said.
A native of Red Springs, Shaw graduated from Red Springs High School before attending Methodist University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Social Work with an add-on special education license. She has a master’s degree in Special Education from Grand Canyon University.
Shaw is a member of the North Carolina Association of Educators, Dixie League baseball treasurer for Red Springs, and attends Beaver Dam United Methodist Church in Laurel Hill.
DeAndre “Kane” Gillispie, James Tew, Latora Ferguson, Elma Marie Patterson, Murray McKeithan and Neal Lea’kes also are seeking a seat on the Red Springs board.
The other three people who filed on Thursday did not provide information to The Robesonian.
In Rennert, Neal Locklear filed for re-election to the Board of Commissioners, and in Fairmont, Monte McCallum filed for another term as a commissioner.
In Lumberton, James Worley became the third person to file for the Precinct 5 seat now held by John Cantey. Samuel Love is also a challenger for that seat.
The filing period ends at noon today. The municipal elections will be held Nov. 7.
