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http://www.thecha,rlottepost.com Cf)arIotte ^osit 1B LIFE JAN - 9 prirw THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2004 Group seeks to eliminate sodas in schools By Lindsey Tanner THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CHICAGO - Soft drinks should be elimi nated from schools to help tackle the nation’s obesity epidemic and pediatricians should work with their local schools to ensure that children are offered healthful alternatives, the American Academy of Pediatrics says. In a new policy state ment, the academy says doctors should contact superintendents and school board members and “emphasize the notion that eveiy school in every district shares a responsibility for the nutritional health of its students.” Some schools already limit contracts with ven dors of soft drinks and fast foods, though the soft drink industry has fought efforts by some states to mandate such restric tions. While some schools rely on funds from vending machines to pay for stu dent activities, the new policy says elementary and high schools should avoid such contracts, and that ..those with existing contracts should impose restrictions to avoid pro moting overconsumption by kids. The policy appears in the January issue of Pediatrics, being pub lished Monday. “The purpose of the statement is to give par-, ents and superintendents and school board mem bers and teachers, too, an awareness of the fact that they’re playing a role in the current obesity crisis, and that they have mea sures at their disposal” to address it, said Dr. Robert D. Murray, the policy’s lead author. About 15 percent of U.S. youngsters aged 6 to 19 are seriously over weight. That is nearly 9 milUon youths and triple the number in a similar assessment from 1980. Soft drinks are a com mon source of excess calo ries that can contribute to weight gain, and soft drink consumers at all ages have a higher daily criorie intake than non- jpensumers, the acade my’s policy said. It cites ^ta showing that 56 per cent to 85 percent of echool-age children con sume at least one soft drink daily, most often sugared rather than diet sodas. -The National Soft Drink Association, which irepresents most soft drink makers nation wide, said the new policy is misguided and goes too far. “Soft drinks can be a part of a balanced lifestyle and are a nice treat,” said Jim Finkelstein, the associa tion’s executive director. On the Net: Pediatrics ww’w. pediatrics.org Nouveau soul food Chicken and waffles a new culinary staple making the rounds to Charlotte eateries By Artellia Burch anellia. bwvh @ thecharlottepost.com N ew businesses and an influx of people from around the world have helped to make Charlotte a world class city. Along with new faces showing up in this area so are new tastes. Cuisine like the famous Chicken and Waffles that was once a western staple has made its way to the Queen City. Chicken and Waffles isn’t a new dish. Rumor has that the sweet and spicy mixture can be linked far back to Thomas Jefferson. According to legends Jefferson brought a waffle back to Virginia after serving an ambassadorship in France. Actor-rapper Will Smith, the former star of “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” would make refer ences on the show to Roscoe’s chicken and waffles and .it was featured in the movie “Jackie Brown.” Waffles and chicken has become trendy and profitable for East Coast restaurants that specialize in southern cuisine like Gladys (Knight) and Ron’s Restaurant in Atlanta. And the combination has also come to Charlotte’s historic Coffee Cup. “Chicken and waffles is a known favorite in the LA region and has made its way east,” said Gardine Wilson, co-owner of the Coffee Cup. “Places like Gladys and Ron’s have embraced the phenomenon.” Wilson says due to the overwhelming request of customers his restaurant had to be added chicken and waffles to the menu. “It’s the soft texture and sweet taste of waf fles and syrup combined with the spicy crunchy texture of good down home fried^ chicken that creates a beautiful melody in mouth,” he said. Waffles and chicken is also available at Dave & Fran’s and at the International House of Pancakes on North Tiyon Street. Coffee Cup co-owner Anthony McCarver shows off a plate of chicken and waffles. Haitians’ suit against video game moves to U.S. federal court THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A lawsuit that claims a top selling video game is danger ous to society and asks that it be removed from store shelves will be decided in federal court. Haitian civil ri^ts groups filed the lawsuit because the game, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, instructs players to “kUl the Haitians” and awards points for each Idll. The New York-based Rockstar Games Inc. has agreed to remove the offensive . fine from future versions of the award-winning video that has sold 11 rmlLion copies. But the Haitian organiza tions, led by the Haitian- American Coalition of Palm Beach Counly, have also asked for more than $15,000 in dam ages. The suit was filed Dec. 23 in state circuit court in Palm Beach County. Attorneys for Rockstar Games opted to move the case to federal court, and that motion was granted Tuesday. No hearing dates were immediately set. The lawsuit takes on heavy weights in the video game industry, including Rockstar Games, its parent company Take-Two Interactive Software Inc., Sony Computer Entertainment, the Microsoft Corp., and retailers Target, Wal-Mart and Best Buy. The manufacturer of the game, in which an ex-convict is hired to recover stolen drug money in the streets of Miami, has been harshly criticized for its portrayal of Haitians. Earlier this month, about 100 Haitian-Americans demonstrated outside a Wal- Mart Supercenter in nearby Boynton Beach chanting, “Stop \fice City.” Attorneys for the Haitian oi^anizations and the video game manufacturer did not return phone calls.
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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