North Carolina Newspapers

Thursday, January 2,1997 NEWS/The Charlotte Post 3A Rebel flag stirs passion in Md. Continued from page 1A Vehicle Administration spokesman Jim Lang. “Now that we are aware of its being offensive, we certainly are going to take a look it,” Lang said. ; Similar controversies have propped up in the South. Despite pohtical opposition, the governor of South Carolina recently proposed removing it !from atop the last Statehouse to Interacial adoption becomes law in U.S. fly it. But Maryland, a border state that remained in the Union during the Civil War, has usually steered clear of such dis putes. Sons of Confederate Veterans has about 25,000 members in the United States, Europe and Brazil, said Maureen Poole, office manager in the organiza tion’s Columbia, Tenn., head quarters. Membership is limited to men who can prove an ances tor was a Confederate veteran. Griffin said the Maryland chapter meets monthly and usu ally has a program centering on a wen-related topic. Confederate cemeteries or monuments. The group has condemned groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and opposes the Klan’s use of symbols such as the Christian cross and Confederate flags, Griffin said. The battle flag “is a revered banner by the Sons of the Confederacy and should not offend anyone,” he said. Delegate Frank Boston, a Baltimore Democrat, said any thing that symbolizes the Confederacy “would be insulting to the African American com munity.” “In my mind, when I see the Confederate flag, it says that this person that’s displaying this flag ... is glorifying days that were oppressive times and very painful for African Americans,” he said. o KINGSP^ apartments Ctean, safe, quiet community conveniently located on bus Hne. Affordable 2 bedroom sarden and townfiouses. Refriseratof, ransc, AC aid water included in rent. Helpful resident manaser and maintenance staff. Call 333-2966 M-F 9:30-6:00 Getti^ Married? We Have Everything You Need at PAPERTOWN Join Us For January 5th, 1997 10am- 5pm Adam's Mark Hotel By Amy Kuebelbeck THE ASSOCIATED PRESS TONKA BAY, Minn. - The way Jan and Steve Sharp see •it, their cherished daughter •was wrenched from their 5iome after nearly three years ^because she is black and they *are white. ’ The Sharps brought “Baby •^D” home from the hospital ■when she was four days old to •be her foster parents. When fthe happy, talkative baby ’turned 1 and they had heard nothing from relatives, they asked to adopt her. Days later, the county told them it had found the tod dler’s grandmother, and the fight began. The Minnesota Supreme Court ultimately ruled - based on a Minnesota law requiring the state to give preference to relatives and same-race families when plac ing children - that Baby D must go to her black grand parents in Virginia. She was moved days before her third birthday. “She was hysterical. She was pleading, ‘Don’t leave me,’” recalls Jan Sharp, tears welling at the four-year-old memories. Now comes a new federal law, effective Jan. 1, that pro hibits states from using race as a reason to delay or keep children out of an adoptive home or foster care. An older federal law designed to place American Indian children in same-race families still stands. “In some small way, this fed eral law may have vindicated us,” said Steve Sharp. Arkansas and California also specifically required race-matching for government placements, but all states had similar vmofficial policies. Strict race-matching policies began out of concern that too many black children were being placed with white fami lies. The National Association of Black Social Workers has called interracial adoption cul tural “genocide” and endorsed it only if exhaustive attempts to find relatives or same-race adoptive parents fail. 1/2 Price GiEARAMESAit^^^ Kids Kloze 3842 E. Independence Blvd (704)566-0203 Brand Name New & Consignment, Oothing Accessories, Toys and Equipment Shop early for best selection H-FIO-I UT.10-8 iTask force looks to ifuture of local schools 'Continued from page 1A ’school rather than East ^Mecklenburg High. T The call for neighborhood •schools was renewed, with some •school and county officials not- ’ing that it could cost $2 biUion to ’provide equal facilities for inner .;city students. The charge of the task force is 'to determine “how (will) we • assure equity in this period of 4 rapid changes: equity in terms of ^ accommodating a growing stu- ■’dent population; equity in terms i^of diversity; equity in terms of '•facilities; and equity in terms of ;• balancing the needs of the stu- '• dents and the needs of taxpay- ^ers.” ’ The first meeting will be later ’this month. ’ Bertha Maxwell-Roddey, a for- • mer UNC Charlotte professor • and Charlotte-Mecklenburg edu- • cator, will co-chair the group ’with John Kramer, a Smith- ■’ Barney vice president. ’ Other African American mem- ’bers include: Bob Davis, presi- i'dent of the Black Political • Caucus; Anthony Hunt, a local • business owner; Theresa ’ Bethea, a children’s advocate; \ Barbara Atwater, a neighbor- • hood activist; the Rev. Rickey 'Wood and Gwen Brown- • Johnson. • Davis, a frequent critic of • school officials, said this is the • first time he has been appointed ’ to such a committee. ■*, “Usually I have my input from I the outside in,” Davis said. “This ’ time I will have it from the ’ inside out.” ■* ’ Davis said he’s optimistic > about the group’s impact, recaU- ;* ing dismissal of the ill-fated ^ Committee of 25 after that ’ group issued a report critical of ’ magnet schools. “I feel good about the possibili ties of this new group,” Davis said. “We have a new superin tendent with new ideas. I’m open-minded and optimistic, 'nfis may work better than the Committee of 25. Davis said Smith seems to understand the system’s respon sibility to educate all children. “If he can withstend the pohti cal influence of the powerful peo ple of Charlotte, I think he can get the job done,” Davis said. “Not discounting them, but not rolling over and playing dead.” The furor caused by the new pupil assignment plan led to appointment of the task force, which some hope will help site new schools in areas more easily integrated with minimal busing. “I’m pretty sure one of the issues is what to do with aging schools,” Davis said. “Even if they are completely renovated, they would never be of the stan dards of new schools. “The building pattern seems to be further and further out into • the suburban areas, mainly the south and east. After that, build ing will be in the north. There’s nothing planned in the west. That would be a good place to put the high tech school. Unless we get the high tech school on our side of town, there won’t be much progress on that issue.” “But the real issue is what goes on in the school. That’s my focus, coming out of the old seg regated system. We learned imder the old conditions. I favor clean and attractive schools. Floors should shine and bath rooms do not have to stink. That does not require new schools. “But schools where plaster is falUng and tiles is coming off the floor will not work,” Davis said. “Kids feel like they are being dumped on in that situation.” ^ , New & Used Computers At Wholesale Prices!! BUY • SELL • TRADE Full Service Department COMPAQ 486/SX33 - 4Meg RAM 270 Meg HDD ■ Keyboard, Mouse Sale Price S334.00 Compaq 14” SVGA Monitor Sale Price $199.00 3633 E. Independence Blvd • (704)567-6555 http://www.netcom.com/~Skyscott I or Great Christmas Gifts HEY CHARLOTTE! Crime is on the rise in the Queen City. Estimates are 1 in 3 in the metro area will be a victim of crime, especially women. Prevention is the best defense. We have the latest in state-of-the-art Personal Protection Products, i.e. Pepper Spray, Stun Guns, Home Alarms and morel Not cheap imitations, and you won’t find them in stores. Call i3r write for your free mini-catalog to: Douglas Global Industries, Inc. 5413 Albemarie Rd., Suite J Chariotte, NC 28212 Phone# 536-2789 or Fax 531-2430 * Internet DINDUST@AOLCOM Mention you saw it in the Post arnS receive 10% off your first orderl {An African-American owned & operated business.) Remnants As Low as... 9x12 12x15 12x18 12x21 i39”M69' Carpet/Vinyl Charlotte’s Largest Showroom 599-6101 4600 rvl. TTryon St. (Old I—.o-wos KuiilciinK> Homeowners Will Get $1,047 Cash For The Holiday Season ■ Which is when we ali need it the most By JACK SORENSON For the firet time in Charlotte Dan King has created a program that wiii aiiow 27 homeowners to get $1,047 cash right now for the Holiday Season, Plus, get a new heating and air condi tioning system without taking one penny out of their pockets. My question when talking to Mr. King was... Why Would He Make This offer? His answer made sense. He said “At this time of year I’m 6ced with a dev astating problem and I know this can solve my problem. You see, during this Christmas season I already have two strikes against me: 1. The really cold weather hasn’t hit us, so we don’t get a lot of repair calls. 2, People have to spend so much for Christmas that they will do whatever they can to put off spending money on anything else. Now I know many homeowners are faced with their own problems....They have all these things that they want to do this Christmas, but many of them don’t know where all the money will come from. Well, this creative plan will take care of their problem and mine. I believe that by giving homeowners this tremendous opportunity, these 27 systems will keep all of my employees busy into the new year. I realize we don’t have the profit in these jobs that we normally do, but it’s worth it just to keep all our people working instead of having to send them home.” After discussing the advantage to the homeowners I believe Mt King will wish he had enough employees to put in more than 27 systems, and I’m sure many homeowners will too. Here Is How The Hooieowners Benefit • They can finance a new heating and air conditioning syston without taking one cent'out of their pocket. Then Ml King will give them a check for $1,047 • Fdr homeowners that decide to pay cash, instead of financing, ML King will reduce their price by $1,047. • Either way the homeowner can save $1,047. Just imagine, with the holidays here many of these homeowners can enjoy it like they never have before. That’s because these homeowners will have $1,047 cash to pay their Christmas bills. Here Is Another Part Of This Concept That Impressed Me The homeowners that are replacing and old system will get a guaranteed energy savings of 25% during the first year or Ml King will pay them the dif ference, Plus, he will take care of any repairs on the new system FREE for the next 5 years. And get this Ml itiog said “Many of our customers have found that the money they save on their ener gy and repair bills is more than their monthly payment.” My hat goes off to Ml King for creat ing a remarkable program. Just look at everything the homeowner gets: • A new system without taking one cent out of their pocket. • $1,047 cash at the time of year that they need it the most. • A $1,047 discount if they decide to pay cash instead of finance. • A system that could cut their ener gy and repair bills by more that their monthly payment The Only Way Homeowners Can Lose Is If Their CaU Comes In Too Late Because, according to Ml King. Once the 27 systems are sold this pro gram will have to end. Homeowners can request more information (or schedule a fiee survey) by calling QAR KING PLUMBING at 536-3851. Here is my advice if you are interest ed in taking advantage of this opportu nity. .. Do not delay calling. WE CARE FOR YOUR EYES DAYS Official Eye Care Provider for the N.C. State Wolfpack Big Savings! No-Line progressive bifocal lenses Our highest quality, no-line plastic CR-39 bifocal lenses, with scratch-resistant coating. 100% satisfaction guaranteed. Includes Sola VIP or XL and Silor Adaptar lenses. Coupon must be presented at time of purchase. No other coupons, discounts or insurance plans apply. Offer expires 2/28/97. f99 Signer f rames Ultimate Lenses Two pairs: $169! Includes selected Marchon or Savvy frames & single-vision plastic lenses with a scratch-resistant coating. Additional fees for bifocals, transition lenses, UV and tint. Coupon must be presented at time of purchase. No other coupons, discounts or insurance plans apply. Offer expires 2/28/97. opiQMemic €Y€GVRCCeKT€R Brad Hearn, O.D. 3205 Freedom Mall • Charlotte 394-2962 9:00 a.in. til 7:00 p.m. Monday thru Saturday Wc accept niosl major insurance plans including medicaid and medicare • One Hour Service! • .