JCPC members share community event calendar; NC Safe campaign, gun locks and medicine locks discussed

Council members and community partners used the April 17 meeting to publicize upcoming youth-focused events and discuss safe-storage outreach.

Karen Pearson (Teen Court executive director) invited council members to a team/teen court event at the Buncombe County Courthouse on Monday, April 28, with a Q&A at 4:30 p.m. and teen-court hearings beginning at 5 p.m. The event will feature participation by students, SROs and community partners.

Brandon Priest (JCPC vice chair) announced he is organizing a youth job fair on May 6 targeting ages 16–24 (open to all), and asked staff to circulate the flyer to JCPC contacts. Angel (Umoja/partner organizations) and others said they would help publicize the event.

Angel and community partners also announced a talent show on May 17 at Stevens-Lee Center focused on violence-prevention themes.

DJJ and JCPC staff discussed the NC Safe statewide campaign to promote secure firearm storage and distribute gun locks. Sergeant Craig Loveland (Asheville Police Department) said his community engagement team would welcome additional gun locks; Angie Gardner said she had a box of gun locks to share with the department. Judge Reg Dodson Smith proposed pairing distribution of medication locks for household medicines alongside gun-lock distribution at community events.

JCPC administrative funds may be used for small expenditures to support youth-oriented activities this spring, such as Camp Greer refreshments, printing the youth resource guide, or purchasing books for a DJJ book club; Hannah Leiderton estimated those needs might total between $300 and $500 depending on choices. Staff and members agreed to coordinate on the spend-down approach and to bring any items requiring a vote to the special meeting or executive committee as needed.

Staff will circulate event flyers and coordinate distribution of gun locks and other materials for the events.