County Manager Shontell Robinson discusses new changes to the Medicaid program.
November 2026 - Vol. 26
Mike Ford, president of the Ford Presidential Foundation and son of President Gerald Ford, speaks during a panel on trustworthy elections on Oct. 8. Also on the panel are Board of Elections Members Joyce Krawiec and Catherine Jourdan, Elections Training Specialist Jessica Loasching and Elections Director Tim Tsujii.
Forsyth County Votes!
Forsyth County has seen a great turnout so far in this year’s General Election, with 104,264 people casting their ballots during Early Voting, which ended on Oct. 31.
Election Day is Nov. 3. If you vote on Election Day, you’ll need to vote at your assigned polling place, and polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. Any voter in line at their assigned polling place at 7:30 p.m. will be able to vote. You can visit the Board of Elections website to look up your polling location and sample ballot, along with election results after the polls close.
The “I Voted” sticker for Election Day was designed by Paloma Kuzmovich, an 11-year-old student at The Arts Based School, who won this year’s “I Voted” Sticker Contest.
Horizons Park Multi-Modal Trail Grand Opening
Forsyth County Parks and Recreation is holding a grand opening for the new Multimodal Trail at Horizons Park on Nov. 17 beginning at 10 a.m.
There are several activities planned - weather permitting - at the opening ceremony, including a nature/birding walk by Forsyth Audubon, an exploratory hike by Foothills Sierra Club and a trail walk or a group bicycle ride by Creative Corridors Coalition.
The new 7.44 miles of trails are natural‑surface and average sixteen feet in width. From the central primary trail, multiple spurs branch off with varying terrain and lengths. The paved trailhead parking area includes an informational kiosk with trail maps and details, picnic tables, hitching rails for horses, a drinking water fountain, nine trailer parking spaces and seven passenger vehicle parking spaces.
The Multimodal Trail system consists of a central primary trail (Beech Trail) measuring 2.62 miles, with four connecting spur trails: Cedar Trail (approximately 2.34 miles), Poplar Loop (approximately 0.82 mile), Oak Loop (approximately 0.50 mile) and Pine Trail (approximately 1.16 miles).
The new trail is funded by the voter-approved 2016 Parks and Recreation bonds.
County Manager
In This Issue
County Commissioner Update
The commissioners kicked off November by participating in the Winston-Salem State University Homecoming parade. It was an honor for commissioners and county staff to take part in this annual celebration of the rich legacy of WSSU
Here are this month’s meetings:
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Monday, Nov. 9
10 a.m. Bimonthly Morning Discussion Session
2 p.m. Briefing - Thursday, Nov. 12 6 p.m. Meeting
- Monday, Nov. 30 2 p.m. Briefing
- Thursday, Dec. 3 6 p.m. Meeting
During briefings, staff brief the commissioners on the items they'll vote on in that week's meeting. During meetings, they vote on various items and hear from residents during their regular public comment session.
All commissioner meetings are held at the Forsyth County Government Center, 201 N. Chestnut St. Meetings are streamed live in their entirety on Forsyth County YouTube and Facebook, as well as the Forsyth County website and are also broadcasted live on WSTV13 on Spectrum cable.
Forsyth County Fire Engineer Mike McCoy drove the truck pulling the float in the Winston-Salem State University Homecoming parade. Aboard the float were Forsyth County Manager Shontell Robinson, Deputy Manager Denise Price, County Commissioners Dan Besse, Malisha Woodbury, and Tonya McDaniel.
Diabetes Awareness Month Events
Our Minority Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) is holding two events during National Diabetes Awareness Month in November.
MDPP Enrollment Session
Monday, Nov. 2, at 6 p.m. at Carl Russell Community Center, 3521 Carver School Road
MDPP is a 12-month diabetes prevention program, approved by the CDC, and proven to prevent/delay Type 2 Diabetes through 3 core methods: healthy eating, physical activity and stress management. Classes will meet on Monday at 6 p.m.
If you or someone you know is at risk for Type 2 diabetes and would like to join the program, please register by contacting Dr. Kasey Wilkie at (336) 703-3219.
Free Screenings
Thursday, Nov. 12 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at Forsyth County Department of Public Health, 799 Highland Ave.
Screenings provided by Novant Health include A1c testing, glucose, blood pressure checks, cholesterol, BMI, weight and height. Register for a free diabetes screening by Nov. 12 at 2:30 p.m.
All participants who register, attend and screen will receive a free smoothie and MDPP branded items.
Opioid Settlement Meeting
Forsyth County and Municipalities Annual Opioid Settlement Meeting and Public Input Session will be held Nov. 5 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Annex 1 Auditorium, 725 Highland Ave, Winston-Salem.
The session will include an update on how the settlement funds are being used and the status of the opioid epidemic locally. Forsyth County residents, community partners, people with lived experience and local organizations will have an opportunity to share their recommendations on how opioid settlement funds should be used. The session helps the county understand current community needs, hear what is working, identify gaps and gather ideas to help guide future funding and opioid response efforts.
Hunger And Homelessness Panel
A panel discussion for Hunger and Homelessness will be held at the Forsyth County Central Library on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 6 p.m.
Centering on the expertise and voices of directly impacted individuals, this panel discussion, held by Forsyth County Behavioral Health Services, flips the traditional agency-led narrative to highlight community members who have navigated housing instability, unsheltered homelessness and food insecurity firsthand across Forsyth County.
Observed every November, National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Month—highlighted by National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week (November 15–21, 2026)—serves as a crucial national campaign to shed light on poverty, systemic housing instability and food insecurity across the United States.
Forsyth Elections Director Receives State Honor
Congratulations to Elections Director Tim Tsujii for receiving the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the state’s highest civilian honor, from Governor Josh Stein on Oct. 14.
As Forsyth elections director, he leads an organization responsible for conducting elections in Forsyth County, maintaining voter records, verifying petitions, and auditing campaign finance reports. The election staff also recruits and trains poll workers, secures adequate polling places, tests and maintains voting equipment, and audits ballots cast to ensure the accuracy of election results.
Tsujii was one of 15 North Carolinians, including Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines, who were inducted into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine during the ceremony.
County Buildings Go Green to Honor Veterans
To honor veterans from Nov. 4-11, we'll have green exterior lighting at the Forsyth County Government Center, the Forsyth County Courthouse, the Forsyth County Central Library and the Carolina Field of Honor at Triad Park as part of Operation Green Light.
Operation Green Light is an initiative of the National Association of Counties (NACo) and the National Association of County Veteran Service Officers that encourages counties nationwide to display green lights in support of veterans from Nov. 4 to Veterans Day on Nov. 11.
Businesses and residents are encouraged to participate by displaying a green light in their windows to show their support for veterans.
Employee Service Awards
We held our Employee Service Awards at the Tanglewood Clubhouse last month, honoring current and retired employees for their many years of service. Pictured is Retired Sheriff's Officer Lt. Donna Ballard, who is shaking hands with the County Commissioners before receiving the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the highest award for state service granted by the Office of the Governor. For photos of the event and all awardees, visit our Flickr page.
Infant Mortality Story
Hear the story of the Tindal family who lost their infant daughter, Averie Tindal, in this video that was played during last month’s Walk a Mile to Save Our Babies and Community Baby Shower.
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