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For Entrepreneurs
PHOTO tv FRANK J. WILLIAMS
Farmers First In Fund Raising For Westside Business Incubator
The Small Business Center
and Metrolina MSDC will spon
sor a series of business work
shops throughout March in Con
ference Room 800, at The
Gallery. Outlet Square, the cor
ner of Kings Dr. and Indep>en-
dcnce Blvd.
The workshops include.
"Positive First Impressions: The
Building Blocks of Customer
Goodwill" on Tuesday, March 8;
Organization" on Tuesday.
March 15: "Strategies of Super
vision" on Tuesday. March 22:
and "The Fundamentals of
Starting a Small Business" on
Tuesday, March 29.
Each workshop will be held
from 6:30 to 9 p.m.. There is no
charge for admission. For more
information call Small Busi
ness Center, CPCC, telephone
342-6900.
LAY-A-WAY NOW FOR
EASTER
At the last meeting of the West Trade Beatties Ford
Merchants Association (WTBPMA}, the organiza
tion kicked off a fund raising drive to finance the
building of a Business Incubator on the campus of
Johnson C. Smith University. One of the flrst con
tributors to the project was Mechanics A Farmers
Bank. Shown here, Lem Long (4th from left).
Chairman of the Board of Mechanics ft Farmers,
presents the first Installment of a $5,000 pledge
the black-owned bank has made to go towards the
Incubator. Naslf Majeed ( 3rd from left). Chair
man of the Business Incubator Board, accepts the
donation. Attending the presentation were (1-r)
Joe Martin of NCNB, co-chairman Business Incu
bator fund raising; Louise Sellers, President of the
Five-Points Biddlevllle Community Organization:
Majeed, Long. Eleanor Washington, President of
the University Park Improvement Association;
and Laura McClettie, President of the Carolina As
sociation of Black Women Entrepreneurs. Harvey
Gantt is also a co-chair of Business Incubator
fund raising.
DRESSES
Sizes 18 V2 -60
BLOUSES
Sizes 38-54
Get Credit Now
Down-Side Of Rapid Refund
There Is an old saying about
things that seem too go^ to be
true. They usually aren't good or
true In the long pull. Around
this time of year we all need to
reflect on that. It's coming up on
Income tax time. True, none of
us like to be reminded that the
IRS lies In wait right after 'Val
entine's Day and Easter, 'lhat
seems obscene. We come out of
our winter doldrums with Cu
pid's little arrows rekindling ro
mance In our spirits. Then we're
revived spiritually by celebra
tion of the Resurrection.
And this year we feel especial
ly blessed. It marks The End for
Ronald Reagan In the White
House. Oh. the Joyl But then, just
when we think things are look
ing up. It hits us between the
eyes like the flat part of an axe.
The Taxman arrlves---extendlng
his grasping, greedy, bony hand.
But wait. As Shakespeare said,
methinks 1 wax too philosophi
cal. Sometimes I forget that my
editor likes Main Street to be full
of practical advice and Informa
tion.
So be It. then. I>et' talk about
Income tax refunds. They are the
only real bright spot In dealing
with The Taxman. But lately a
dark cloud has come rolling In
to shadow the Joy we take In
cashing that old federal check
when It comes In the malllxjx.
The dread Rapid Refund Is upon
us.
A better label might be Rlp-OIT
Refund. It works like this. We
don't enjoy the usual ten-week
wait between filing our tax re
turns and getting our refunds
back, right? Well, some clever fi
duciary bean counters came up
with a neat little scam. They
promise to get your refund In
your hot little hand within ONE
week after filing. Of course,
there's always a fish hook In the
old fatback. They charge about
$60---over and above what you
pay to get your return fllled-out
and filed.
H&R Block had been the big
gest promoter of Rapid Refund
until a few weeks ago. The firm
stopped hawking the scrvlce---
clalmlng It could not keep up
with the volume of demand.
However, the NC Attorney Gen
eral's Consumer Protection Di
vision Is looking Into whether
Rapid Refund violates our state
usury laws. And It Is taking a
hard look at the H&R Block pro
gram, according to Associate At
torney General Phil I>ehman.
Now, back to how much Rapid
Refund will cost you. The mini
mum refund on which you can
get this service Is $200. It Is ac
tually a "quickie" loan made by a
financial institution. They pay
you now—-then they get your re
fund money when IRS processes
your return. Uncle ^m does
this through a special account
arrangement with the lender.
Sounds like a sweet deal, right?
Well, here's the salt In the cof
feepot. You could borrow $200
on your credit card for ten
weeks—-and it costs you about
$7.00. Say what? That's right.
Babe. State law allows only 18%
Interest on credit cards. That's
1.1/2% per month. Rapid Re
fund will cost you more than
165% Interest on that same
$200. If you got that kind of
money to throw away, give It to
your grandfolks.
In other words, you could bor
row the $200 on a bank card
then pay It back ten weeks later
when you get your IRS refund
check. You could even come out
better than with Rapid Refund
by borrowing $200 from a fi
nance company. Main Street
doesn't usually advise this---but
It's a viable alternative this time.
The only way you could do
worse than Rip-Off Refund---
oopsi Rapid Refund---Is If you
Send Us A Picture of Your
Lawn. See pg. 16B For
Details.
Main
Street
by Jimmy Brock
--but I'm double parked." Ihen
go home and sweat out the IRS.
Or borrow the bucks on your
bank card If you need It right
now. Or from your brother-in-
law. Satchel Paige once said the
best way to double your money
Is to fold It up and keep It In your
fwcket. Incidentally, the words
"rapid" and "rape" come from the
same latln root word. So. caveat
emptor, y'all. But don't let Neon
Vincent get you. either.
Get National Credit Cards
(even if previously rejected)
Increase Your Credit Limits
(if you now have aedit)
Repair Your Credit
(if you've been turned
down for a loan)
Cut Your Monthly Payments
(easy once you learn how)
Wipe Out Your Debts
(without bankruptcy)
LORNS FOR
HOMEOWNERS
For debt consolidation
business or personal
needs. Any amount
up to $50,000
iPhone For FREE Details'
CALL: (704)598-6214
SLACKS
Sizes 34-54
SHOES
Sizes 8-12WW&EEE
^OUEEN SIZE, Inc.
Fashions for tho Larger Woman at Prices you can afford
Darby Acres Shopping Center Beside A&P
4463 Central Ave. 532-6800
Monday-Fridoy 10:00 om-8:00 pm. Sat. 10:00-6:00
went down to the street and got
the money froirt Neon Vincent
the IvOan Shark. Think this thing
through. Fellow babies. Keep It
In mind before you sign, as
Jesse Jack-son might advi.se.
There's more. Thousands of
people nationwide have com
plained to their respective state
agencies that Rapid Refund Is
not rapid In many cases. A lot of
folks have waited three weeks
and more to get their money.
And some have waited up to
twelve weeks. That's longer than
IRS usually takes.
So. here's our advice. If the
people who prepare your tax re
turns start talking about quick
refunds, don't bite. Say. 'Thanks-
HOMEOWNERS!!
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r
COMPLETE FININACING AVAILABLE
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1167 Commerical Ave. (704)342-1790
Bill Consolidation Available-Call Now!!
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C)C)C)C)C)Cu^t)C>^ CT15
WEVE OPENED
OUR OWN NEW
ALLSTATE OFFICE.
TOM MORRISON
Senior Account Agent
LIFE MILLIONAIRE
LUTC Graduate
For a long time, we've Now'Allstate has given us
the opportunity to open
our own separate office,
convenient to you.
MIKE MORRISON
Associate
been serving your
insurance ne^ from
our regular Allstate
office
Same helpful service.
And our valued friends
will find that we're just
as easy to reach and talk
/lllstate’
Same good values in AutoFlome to. So call us-or come in!
and Life insurance
AJOU(0 muf»ftC0 ConYuntr
AitttM# UH rmnnc9 Cowymof
8927-8929 J.M. Keynes Dr., Suite 390 Charlotte, NC 28213
Bus. 704 547-1146 Claims 704 547-8300 Res. 704 399-7160
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SALE ENDS SATURDAY
Sears exclusive
Men’s Store
dress shirts
11
Our superb styling always
looks great!
Long
sleeves,
feg $13
The cost of doing business
just went down! Classic broad
cloths of easy-care polyester
blended with soft, breathable
cotton. In blue, tan, white
Stock up now'
*3 OFF Our Men’s
Store ties
Build versatility
into your ward
robe! Choose
from a wide as
sortment of high energy solid
colors and patterns.
Reg
$10
Men’s briefs
and T-shirts
i
y N
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Wash after wash . . . Sanfor-Knit*
underwear will still fit him to a "T"'
Spring-ready washed separates
for misses...now $2-^9 OFF
6
99
Pkg of 3.
reg $8 99
Comfortable basics of combed cot
ton and long-wearing Kodel * poly
ester. Choose shirts in crew,
V-neck or athletic style. White.
Get ready for carefree days in these casual week- YOUR CHOICE
end separates! Begin with garment-washed twill
jeans with pleated front and front pockets or slim
snap-front skirt. Finish with a button-front shirt in
stripes or solids. In an ^irray of earth-tone neutrals
All 100% cotton. Misses' sizes.
Sty^ shown are representative of Sears assortment Bells not included
/4
99
EA
Jeans or skirt reg $24;
shirt reg $18 each
Bo*er shorts also on sale
Satisfaction guaranteed
or your money back
c Sears, Roebuck and Co., 1988
CONCORD MALL-CONCORD 786-6111
EASTLAND MALL 568-9100
SOUTHPARK 364-7750
'e