District Court judge seeks re-election

As the filing period continues, a sitting District Court judge from Marion talks about why he is running for re-election. Also, another Republican is seeking to become the next congressman from western North Carolina.
The filing period for candidates started at noon Monday, Feb. 8 and will continue until noon on Friday, Feb. 26. Persons can file to run for office at the McDowell County Board of Elections, located on the second floor of the County Administration Building.

District Court judge
Judge C. Randy Pool filed Friday for re-election to a fourth term as a District Court judge for Judicial District 29A.
Pool was appointed to the bench in August 1999 by Gov. Jim Hunt. Based on his qualifications and experience, he was appointed to the office of chief District Court judge on Dec. 1, 2005, when Judicial District 29A was formed from McDowell and Rutherford counties.
In a prepared statement, Pool, 54, said he has more than 30 years of extensive legal experience and hopes to continue his service on the District Court bench for the next four years. The race is non-partisan. He so far faces one challenger, Marvin Ray Sparrow of Bostic.
Pool said he's greatly contributed to the advancement in the areas of courthouse security, mediation, drug and crime control, child support and the prevention of abuse and domestic violence. Courthouse security and a new mediation program were two big accomplishments made during his last four years.
"Mediation has proven to be a great tool in the court process as it provides an opportunity for parties to come together with a certified mediator to resolve issues before their cases come to trial, saving time and expenses of litigation," he said.
Pool said a new model truancy program was started in the McDowell County School System under his leadership and direction. It helps keep kids in school and increase the graduation rate. In what has become known as "truancy court," the judge meets with high-risk students and their parents to make certain "they understand the value of education and the law's requirement that they be in school."
"I value my opportunity on the bench to shape the lives and values of our young people," he said. "I believe that strong enforcement of our truancy laws will help keep our children in school each day and give them an opportunity to be successful as they mature into adulthood."
In addition, Pool said he would continue to work hard to strictly enforce drug laws and impose appropriate punishments on those found guilty. "I also believe in strong enforcement of our DWI laws to keep drunk drivers off our highways and our citizens safe," said Pool.
A graduate of McDowell High, Pool received his undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University and his law degree from the Cumberland School of Law. He worked as a lawyer in Marion for 18 years before being appointed to the bench. He formerly served as county attorney for McDowell County and as a trustee for McDowell Technical Community College. He now serves on the board of governors for District Court Judges Association of North Carolina and, with other elected officials, created the Judicial Council for District 29A which governs local issues arising from the use of the courthouse and assists with the administration of justice. He was a member of the Marion Civitan Club for more than 20 years where he served several terms as president. He and his wife, Kathy, are members of St. Mark's United Methodist Church in Pleasant Gardens.
In his statement, Pool said he looks forward to continuing as a District Court judge and is committed to being fair and impartial. He said he "seeks to apply reason and common sense in deciding all cases that come before him, as well as continuing to make good things happen in our community."

U.S. House of Representatives
Another Republican has thrown his hat into the ring in the race for the U.S. House. On Friday, Dan Eichenbaum of Murphy filed as a candidate for the 11th Congressional District seat in the U.S. House. Democrat Heath Shuler now holds this seat.
Marion attorney Ed Krause is another Republican candidate for the 11th Congressional District seat. James "Jake" Howard of Franklin also filed as a Republican candidate for the U.S. House.