The AC Phoenix
December 2007
Page 15
THE
T~l-»an a r^ewspapef», C^om m «j n itij I r* stltution
NEmlBMEFS
Using Carbon Monoxide To Preserve Red Meat?
A leading retailer wants the U.S. Department of Agriculture to permit labels
that define meat treated with carbon monoxide. The additive serves to
preserve the color of meat and the request comes despite concerns about its
connection to cancer. Target Corporation is rallying for the labels in the hope
of luring consumers.
Pressure Forces Judge to Keep Jena 6 Triai Open
La Salle Parish District Judge U.P. Mauffray bowed to media pressure and
will keep the Dec. 6 triai of Jena 6 defendant Mychal Bell open to the public.
The judge had said the pretrial hearing for Mr. Bell did not have to be open to
the media and public. But major news organizations objected, saying the
judge's earlier decision to close proceedings was out of step with U.S.
Constitutional and Louisiana juvenile and constitutional law. The Black
17-year-old faces charges of aggravated second degree battery conspiracy for
taking part in an alleged attack on a white student in December 2007 in Jena,
LA.
The Spirit of Marcus Garvey Lives On
PALM BEACH, FL—Marcus Garvey Jr„ the first-born son of the great
Black Nationalist, and his wife were honored guests of the Glades Area
NAACP branch. During the Freedom Fund and Awards Banquet on Nov. 3,
Mrs. Jean Garvey, the daughter-in-law of the historic figure was the keynote
speaker.
Mrs. Garvey noted that her father-in-law was deported from this country
85 years ago at the hands of White opponents. Mrs. Garvey said Black efforts
at economic empowerment are all but non-existent. ‘Where are our shipping
lines, our airplanes, our manufacturing plants?” she asked. “A race without
authority and power is a race without respect.”
The senior Marcus Garvey was founder of the Universal Negro
Improvement Association (UNIA). He was known throughout the world for a
strong position on Black self-reliance and the Back to Africa movement in the
1920s.
Unempioyment?
itry
The Answer is in the Prison
Industry
DRAPER, UT—White employment is scarce around the country; just the
opposite seems to be true for the population of Draper County, the location of
the Utah State Prison. The small town has a job vacancy of 25 percent at its
4,300 capacity prison.
State Department of Corrections executive, Tom Patterson, sees the
circumstance as being on the 'verge of crisis.’ The warden of the facility has
had to assume an additional role, most recently, by putting on a uniform to
cover shifts for his correctional officers.
Christmas
Treors
One of the great
pleasures of
the season is
to express our
warmest thoughts
to those whose
friendship we
value so highly...
Merry Christmas From
Chenita Johnson
Council Member Joycelyn V.
Johnson
joycelyn V Johnson to Leetd
University Communities
Council
Washington, DC -
Winston-Salem, N.C.,
Council Member
Joycelyn V. Johnson has
been appointed to head
the National League of
Cities’ (NLC) University
Communities Council
(UCC) for 2008.
Council Member
Johnson will chair the
UCC for a one-year
term. Also appointed
were two vice chairs,
North Miami, Fla.,
Council Member Michael R. Blynn, and Glendale, Ariz.,
Council Member Phil Lieberman.
The UCC is a voluntary group of elected officials from
municipalities with a university or institution of higher edu
cation within its borders or within an adjacent municipality.
This NLC member group was formed in 1977 to encourage
the active involvement of university communities in the
organization, its policy-making process and in programs at
NLC.
“The year ahead wiil be criticai for the future of this coun
try - and for our cities and towns,” said McCoiium. “During
the eiection debate, we must work to ensure that the needs
of our hometowns are part of the conversation, issues such
as transportation, sustainability, housing and workforce
development along with reliabie sources of funding for
municipaiities are critical to building a stronger America and
must be addressed. I wili look to Joycelyn’s leadership on
this important council to help define our expectations and
sharpen our message on behalf of cities and towns.”
The Council’s objectives are to assist cities, NLC, and
state municipal leagues in gathering, sharing and analyzing
information about opportunities, issues and policies of inter
est to university communities. It also serves to foster a spir
it of cooperation between universities, colleges and city and
town governments. With a diverse membership of urban,
suburban and rural communities, the UCC is governed by a
Steering Committee with a chair and two vice chairs
appointed by the President.
Off-campus student housing, parking problems, student
revelry, alcohol and noise violations, and tax-free properties
may not be significant problems for most cities and towns,
but for cities with universities, these represent real problems
with real cost implications. Conversely, university towns
have opportunities to utilize the expertise of university staff
for scientific and operational problems. University fellows
and student interns assigned to specific projects and joint
economic development projects are examples of productive
city/town partnerships.
The National League of Cities is the nation’s oldest and
largest organization devoted to strengthening and promot
ing cities as centers of opportunity, leadership and gover
nance. NLC is a resource and advocate for 19,000 U.S.
cities, towns and villages, which collectively serve 218 mil
lion people. To learn more about the National League of
Cities, go to www.nlc.org.