🧵 In Today’s Edition

1. Immigration Agents Detain a Father-to-Be in Greensboro
2. The Agenda
3. What We’re Reading

Jasmine Lopez and Marlon Ivan Mendez before his detention in Greensboro. (Photo courtesy of Jasmine Lopez)

Immigration Agents Detain a Father-to-Be in Greensboro

This was supposed to be the most exciting time in Marlon Ivan Mendez and Jasmine Lopez’s lives.

In just six weeks, they expect to welcome their first child, a daughter they want to name Kailani. The baby shower was planned for last Saturday. But on the afternoon of June 2, Mendez was unexpectedly detained by federal agents outside a Greensboro laundromat, Lopez said.

Lopez fears Mendez, a 23-year-old undocumented immigrant from Guatemala, will be deported without due process. She worries about the future for their daughter. With ICE detaining more people at courthouses, immigrant rights groups like Siembra NC are developing response plans.

Read the full story here.

                                         

— Sayaka Matsuoka

Thanks for reading The Thread, a 3x week newsletter written by Greensboro editor Joe Killian and reporters Sayaka Matsuoka and Gale Melcher. Reach us with tips or ideas at greensboro@theassemblync.com.

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The Agenda

Your Guide to Local Government in the Week Ahead

Good morning! Here’s what’s happening in local government across Guilford County this week.

Guilford County Board of Education
Tuesday, June 10 at 5 p.m. @ Guilford County Schools at 712 N. Eugene St. in the board room

This week’s agenda includes public hearings considering the:

  • Proposed closure of Madison Elementary School, Southern Elementary School, Vandalia Elementary and Washington Elementary Schools.
  • Proposed attendance boundary adjustments—changes to the public schools to which students are assigned—for: Brightwood Elementary, Monticello-Brown Summit Elementary, and Reedy Fork Elementary Schools, Allen Jay Elementary, Sumner Elementary School, Bessemer Elementary, Bluford Elementary, Falkener Elementary, Frazier Elementary, Gillespie Park Elementary, Pleasant Garden Elementary, and Simkins Elementary Schools.


The district is considering changes to its attendance boundaries to “ensure that its limited funds are used efficiently,” according to the school board.

If approved, Madison, Vandalia, and Washington will remain open next year for the 2025-26 school year. They would close in June 2026. The new school boundaries would go into effect for the 2026-27 school year, and Southern Elementary will remain open through the 2026-27 school year or until Allen Jay and Sumner elementary schools reopen with larger capacities.

They’ll also discuss spending increases totaling more than $19 million for projects at Sumner Elementary, Swann 6-12 Visual and Performing Arts, Lindley Elementary, Allen Jay Elementary, Sternberger Elementary, and Erwin Montessori.

City of Greensboro

Traffic Stop Policy Panel Discussion & Community Conversation
Tuesday, June 10 from 5-6:30 p.m. @ Barber Park Event Center, 1502 Barber Park Dr.

The city is seeking to improve safety and trust during traffic stops. Join local leaders, policy experts, and law enforcement officials for this community conversation. The event was scheduled after footage of a controversial traffic stop response by Greensboro Police Department officers last month went viral on social media. The city’s Human Rights Commission will moderate the discussion. Topics will include current traffic stop procedures, community concerns and experiences, transparency and accountability, as well as ideas for enhancing public trust. Light refreshments will be served at this free and family-friendly event. For more information and any questions, reach out to the city’s Human Rights Department at 336-373-7980 or inclusion@greensboro-nc.gov.

Greensboro Transit Agency’s Quarterly Public Information Session
Wednesday, June 11 from 6-7 p.m. @ J. Douglas Galyon Depot, 236 East Washington St.

This meeting is intended to share information about transit service operations with the public and receive feedback from riders. It will be held in the public meeting room of the GTA Customer Service area at the J. Douglas Galyon Depot, 236-C East Washington Street. For participants who cannot make the meeting, Zoom access is available. 

City Council Special Meeting
Thursday, June 12 at 11 a.m. @ Melvin Municipal Office Building, 300 W. Washington St.

The agenda for this meeting has not been posted yet, but will be located here when it drops. This is an economic development incentive hearing, according to a text to The Thread from Mayor Nancy Vaughan,

Links to local board meetings and agendas:

Guilford County – Board of Commissioners

Guilford County – Board of Education

Greensboro – City Council

Greensboro – City CalendarHigh Point – City Council

— Gale Melcher

Read this newsletter online or contact The Thread team with tips and feedback at greensboro@theassemblync.com.

What We’re Reading

Demanding Change: The Greensboro police officer who appeared to threaten to shoot a Black passenger in a May 14 traffic stop video must be fired, members of the group F.R.E.E. Guilford said at a news conference last week. The News & Record has the story.

Sticks and Stones: There are no victims in politics, the old saying goes—just volunteers. City Council Member Zack Matheny has been the focus of persistent criticism since he waved away concerns about conflicts of interest to simultaneously serve on council and as CEO of Downtown Greensboro, Inc. During a recent council meeting in which business and property owners asked to leave the Business Improvement District overseen by DGI, he was accused of ethical violations and targeting political adversaries. Matheny’s fellow council members said his critics have crossed a line into harassment. The News & Record has the story.

Making Ends Meet: The Greensboro City Council is looking to avoid a tax increase. Everything from raising parking rates to reconsidering employee bonuses is on the table. Fox 8 has the story.

Gale is a Report for America corps member and Greensboro-based reporter for The Assembly. She previously covered local government and community issues for Triad City Beat. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from N.C. State University.

Sayaka Matsuoka is a Greensboro-based reporter for The Assembly. She was formerly the managing editor for Triad City Beat, an alt-weekly based in Greensboro. She has reported for INDY Week, The Bitter Southerner, and Nerdist, and is the editorial/diversity chair for AAN Publishers.