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36 Pages This Week
Thursday, December 21,1989
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?ton-Salem Chronicle
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~~ "I he Twin City's AwurJ-Wi,^ Week I \ VOL. XVI, No. 17
-^'->5o
Wood, Olivet address controversy over
recall petitions
By ROBIN BARKSOALE
Chronicle Staff Writer s ?. .
* ** - v
Residents of the Northeast Ward are flexing their political muscle as
efforts to recall Alderman Vivian H. Burkeeominue.
Q
Dr. J. Raymond Oliver, chair of the Concerned Citizens of the Northeast
Ward, the group leading the recall effort, said now that the issue has been
.raised, its ultimate outcome rests with the voters of the Northeast Ward and
not with any individual residents or organizations.
^ "I am proud that the people of the Northeast Ward liave available to
them the Democratic right to go to the polls to vote for the candidate who
will best represent ihcm on the Board of Aldermen. That, basically, is what
any effort to recall is about," Dr. Oliver said Tuesday.
Discussion of a recall began shortly after the Dec. 4 Board of Alder
men's meeting. Members of the committee have said that Mrs. Burke's deci
sion to vote with the board's white, and mostly conservatively aldermen,
amounted to a "betrayal" of the Afro*Amerjcan community.
"Those of us who are educated and knowledgeable have the
responsibility, as leaders, to fight to represent, protect and
provide for so many people in our community who may be
unable to protect and provide for themselves."
. - Dr. J. Raymond Oliver
?? r
On Monday, Mayor Martha S. Wood issued a prepared statement, clari
fying her position on the residents' decision to call for Mrs. Burke's resigna
tion and their decision to exercise the. recall option. Mrs. Wood said that as
mayor she could not become involved in the recall process but that she
hoped that both parties in the matter would settle their differences in a man
ner that would be most beneficial for the city at large.
"1 have no involvement of any kind in the effort to recall Alderman
Vivian Burke. As mayor, I cannot become involved in local ward politics,"
read the statement from her office. "My oath requires me to be concerned
about the whole city and it would violate the spirit of that oath for me to take
sides in a dispute between an alderman and her constituents/'
Mrs. Wood said that, while she will remain neutral on the issue, she has
met with both Mrs. Burke and with Dr. Oliver to express her concern that
they reach an amicable solution to the problem in the interest of the good of
the city.
"... Despite the fact that I cannot become personally involved, I do
Please see page A11
Loan fund aids
small business
By TONYA V.SMITH
Chronicle Staff Writer
Small businesses, that otherwise would never exist,
are given the chance to open shop thanks to the city's
Economic Development Revolving Loan Fund.
Implemented in 1985, the loan fund has disbursed 21
loans totaling $547,287 (as of Oct. 31, 1989), and 50 per
cent of those loans were made to Afro-American busi
nesses. In addition, two other loans have been approved
but the funds have yet to be released, said Janet DeCreny,
a city economic development coordinator.
"The loan fund provides financing for small busi
nesses located within the pocket of poverty, or at the F.
Roger Pj|ftBaMnm4B4,T$!*floiogy Center, who are
viable businesses or who have the potential to be viable
businesses but who otherwise can not get bank financ
ing," Ms. DeCreny said.
Winston-Salem's "Pocket of Poverty" has jagged
boundaries, but, roughly speaking, its confines are 25th
Street to the North, Junia Avenue to the South and it
extends as far West as Manlcy Street and as far East as
Stadium Drive. The city's economic development office
has maps and application packets available for people
wishing to apply for a loan, Ms. DeCreny added.
Individuals who can't qualify for conventional
financing programs are eligible to apply for a revolving
loan. If the proposed or expanded business would create
jobs and stimulate development or expansion of the des
ignated area, the business plan could be looked favorably
upon by the seven-member loan pool committee which
decides who will and will not receive funds, Ms. Decreny
said.
The minimum amount of a loan is $1,500 and the
maximum, $30,000. The money can be used to acquire
property for economic development, construction or
rehabilitation of commercial buildings and structures, and
to purchase equipment and fixtures which are a part of
the real estate.
Please see page A11
Just Like Me!
Photo by Mike Cunningham
Nine-year-old Lacherie Mitchell Is one of many^Afro-Ameflcan children who prefer to play
"mommie" to black dolls. However, her mother, JtaCheryl, and countless other black parents
have a difficult time trying to locate the dolls In area toy artf department stores.
Black dolls noHotitfd in many stores
By TONYA V. SMITH Winston-Salem. variety in local retail outlets?
Chronicle Staff Writer Some of the more popular Well, that depends on where
baby dolls that arc advertised you're shopping. During a rcccnt
Santa Claus could have a during the Saturday morning car- visit to Scars Roebuck and Com
difficult time fulfilling the wish- toon lineups cannot be found in pany at Hancs Mall no black
cs of little Afro-American girls the brown-skinned variety. dolls could be found on its
and boys if he shops in some of Exactly how hard is it to find
the toy and department stores in baby dolls of the Afro-American Please see page A9
Board agrees to
contracting goals
Teacher suspended,
Delta group gets property
By ANGELA WRIGHT
Chronicle Managing Editor
School officials made an effort Monday to determine
the extent to which minority contractors and subcontrac
tor* in the area have been discriminated against. But at
Monday's hearing only one of the five people who
addressed the board said she had experienced discrimina
tion as a female contractor.
The Winston-Salem Forsyth County Botrd of Edu
cation held the public hctring in o^cr to set affirmative
action goals for minority contractors, in compliance with
the new state law on public construction contracts.
The law, S.B. 308, directs each city, county, or other
public body to adopt a "verifiable percentage goal" for
participation by minority businesses in contracts awarded
by the entities.
A "verifiable goal" is defined by the law as "written
guidelines specifying the actions that will be taken to
ensure a good faith effort in the recruitment and selection
of minority businesses for participation in contracts
awarded..."
James Grace, representing the N. C. Association of
Minority Businesses and the Association of General Con
tractors, told the school board that he was there to
encourage them to do everything possible to implement
the new law.
"Rather than talk about liow I have been discriminat
ed against, I'd rather talk to you about how we can imple
ment these programs now that they are law," said Mr.
Grace.
His comments were echoed by James Andrews,
president of the Piedmont Contractors Association, and
James Moore of the Metropolitan Dry wall Co. Both said
Please see page A6
Mayor proposes citizens task force for decision on transit center
By TONYA V. SMITH
Chronide Staff Writer
i '
A citizens task force, charged with locating an acceptable site for a
new transit center, would allow those most affected to have a say in
where the controversial facility should be located, Mayor Martha S.
Wood told members of the Board of Aldermen Monday night.
The new mayor proposed the creation of a citizens task force,
members of which would be selected by Mrs. Wood and the aldermen,
after discussing the city's dilemma with city manager Brycc A. Stuart.
Last month the aldermen officially dropped from further consideration
the site at Third and Liberty streets for the proposed S9.3 million center.
James E. Harrington, North Carolina's secretary of transportation,
vetoed the Third and Liberty site, saying it was too far from the down
P? asp#
5 '*?
: " #5. -
"As we continue to work
to improve the school's
image we' 11 find more
and more people coming
in from different areas
and other races. Already,
a number of students are
white, especially evening
students. And we also
need to talk to those stu
dents who are talking
about returning to
school
Dr. C B. Ha user
town riders and a location cast of the area would better serve the city. for a transit center, clarify hs purpose, establish criteria for a location.
In a memorandum to the aldermen, Mrs. Wood wrote, "It seems recommend multiple options for the aldermen to consider and identify
that we have been struggling to resolve this problem for at least 10 the advantages and disadvantages of each option.
years. The pattern has been that professional work was done on site Board members and Mrs. Wood will submit their selections within
options and then proposals were brought to decision-making boards and the next few weeks so that the task force can be formed in January and
the public. _ asked to return a report to the aldermen in April,
"In almost every case, strong opposition to the proposals from par- Alderman Lynnc S. Harpc had several questions about the mayor's
tics adjacent to proposed locations developed and prevailed. This sug- proposal in reference to the make up of the task force but appeared to
gests that any future process be open to review from the beginning, and be relatively satisfied with Mayor Wood's proposal. Alderman Robert
that various interests need to be involved in helping to preside over the S. Northington Jr. said what he liked most about the proposal was that
site study." the task force would have to make a report four months after it formed.
Mrs. Wood suggested, and the board unanimously approved, thai In other business, the board heard the annual report of the Human
the citizens task force be comprised of bus riders, downtown business
people and others. The group would start from scratch - define the need Please see page A9
Piedmont Regional U?
WSSU officials plan regional marketing strategy
By TONYA v smith diversify its student body. Aurelia G. Eller, board members are cr we get a chance, we should tell
Chronicle Staff Writer ^ WSSU revived its Board of Visi- devising ways that the university can people about Winston-Salem State.
tors and appointed 26 professional sell itself to students in Yadkin, "The community doesn't realize
Sincc its founding as Slater and civic leaders to advise the institu- Surry, Davt#, Stokes and Davidson how significant this university is. A
Industrial Academy in 1892, Win- tion and lQ hcjp it rcac^ ncw counties,-J', v large segment of the city looks upon
ston-Salem State University has been goajs> University officials hope" to "Tlta most important thing is State as a black school on the other
known as the Twin City s black uni- mar^el ^ school as a regional uni- better dissemination of how good a side of town. That is not the ease,
vcrstty. vcrsity - retaining the more than 81 place this is," said board member Winston-Salem State is a very capa
In recent years officials at the percent of Forsyth County students Timothy Pcnnell, a professor of ble and quality facility. They have
college have adopted a two-fold pur- who enroll in state universities'out- surgery at Bowman Gray School of had some problems but they're beme
pose: to continue to provide quality side of the region. Mcdicinc. "1 don't think anything
education to Afro-Americans, and to Under the leadership of chair needs to be irumpcd up. but, wherev^ Please see page A6