Replacement named

for retiring clerk of court
By Jason Reagan

Superior trial-court coordinator Wanda Howell will serve out the remainder of retiring Watauga County court clerk Glenn Hodges’ tenure.

Senior resident Superior Court Judge James L. Baker named Howell to the interim post on Friday afternoon.

Hodges announced his retirement this week and will leave office March 31, one day before Howell takes office.

The clerk’s seat will be up for election in November 2010, at which time Howell, a resident of the Howard’s Knob area, may choose to run for it.

Howell is no stranger to the clerk’s office — in 1987, she served as deputy clerk for clerk John T. Bingham.

She continued in that position when Hodges took office in 1992, later accepting the job of judicial assistant with former Superior Court Judge Charles Lamm in April 1993.

Later, she became trial-court coordinator for the five-county 24th Judicial District and has now worked for almost 22 years in the local and district court system.

“She has been employed by members of both political parties, and has served with distinction in all her duties and responsibilities,” Baker said in a press release.

Gina M. Byrd, a Watauga County resident, will replace Howell as trial-court coordinator.

‘I appreciate the confidence Judge Baker placed in me in appointing me to be the successor of Glenn Hodges,” Howell said.

“The hardest part about this decision is leaving Judge Baker’s office. He’s an awesome boss,” she added.

A graduate of Watauga High School, Howell has two children, Jason Harmon and Chasity Rominger, as well as two granddaughters. Harmon recently graduated from law school and plans to take the state bar soon.