8A
©®o
NEWSWtt CSatlotte $««
Thursday, May 4, 2006
PEOPLE OF NOTE
Post editor earns national romance author recognition
Cheris Hodges has been
named best
Genesis Press
i
romance
author for 2005
by Shades of
Romance mag-
Hodges
Hodges, fea
tures editor at
The Post, was
one of Shades
Johnson C. Smith
University
graduate and
Bennettsville,
S.C., native.
♦ Keva
Walton has
been named
Walton
of Romance’s award winner’s
from romance, fiction and
self-publishing houses, short
story authors'and poets. She
semor vice pres
ident of strate
gic partner
ships by the
Charlotte Chamber. He will
help cultivate and sustain
strategic relationships in
Charlotte and the region.
Walton is vice president of
workforce development at
Goodwill Industries, where
he ovCTSees key services in
the operation of career train
ing centers in the southeast
ern Piedmont-
• Lewis Young Jr. has
earned an AXA achievement
scholarship. He is one of 52
students nationally to win
the scholarship.
Young, a senior at Phillip O.
Berry Academy was nomi
nated for his ambition and
drive to set and reach goals as
well as his potential to suc
ceed in college. Young, who
was diagnosed with astigma
tism and near-sightedness as
a child, organized a free ^au-
coma screening and eye^ass
drive, in which more than
350 pairs of glasses were pro
vided to low-income people.
He is ^0 an Eagle Scout and
vice president of Future
Business Leaders of America.
• Darius Rankin has been
named an All-American
Scholar by the U.S.
Achievement Academy
Darius, who attends
Spau^ Middle School, was
nominated by Justin
Liberatore for excelling in
academic disciplines and
earning a minimum 3.3
grade point average.
Darius will appear in the
All-American Scholar year
book, which is published
nationally
• Justin Duren has success
fully completed requirements
to attain the rank of Eagle
Scout, die highest rank of
Boy Scouts.
Justin is the son of Pamela
Duren and grandson of
Theritha Duren.
Swann candidacy creates friction for Pa. GOP
Football great runs for governor
By Peter Jackson
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
HARRISBURG, Pa. - The
last few weeks have been
rov^h for Lynn Swann.
The GOP gubernatorial
candidate, whose fame as a
former Pittsburgh Steeler
and longtime sideline
reporter on
national TV
draws crowds
of autograph-
seekers when
he appears in
pubhc, has not
been receiving
a lot of respect
er money - finm
Then Sam Smith, the GOP
majority leader in the state
House of Representatives,
told a Haiiisbiorg audience
Swann should abandon his
attacks on Democratic Gov.
Ed Rendell’s failure to deliver
property-tax cuts because the
GOP hopes to sign off on a
compromise package very
Swann
his Republican Party
There was U.S. Sen. Arlen
Specter dispensing xmsolidt-
ed advice, suggesting that
Swann, who is black, culti
vate black voters’ support by
becoming “conversant” on job
training and other issues
important to African-
Americans and talking about
them in Philadelphia and
Pittsburgh.
‘His race coidd be a very
strong factor, but not in a
shirt and tie,” Pennsjivania’s
senior senator told the
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
“Have him go into the com-
mcmity and get his hands
dirty”
“The worst thing that could
happen to Lynn Swann
would be to beat the governor
because he didn’t achieve
property-tax reform, and
then he (Swann) has to come
in and come up with a magic
solution,” Smith, R-Jefferson,
told a Pennsylvania Press
Club luncheon. “Beheve me,
there is nobody out there that
has a perfect magic solution
or it would have been done by
now.”
Aides said Swann was hun
kered down for a long week
end of last-minute appeals for
cash before Monday’s dead
line for contributions that
will be listed in campaign-
finance reports due Friday
His fundraising total through
March was an anemic $2 mil
lion - one-eighth of Rendell’s
war chest.
Swann’s people appeared
unfazed by the intraparty
fiiction.
Mark Holman, who serves
as a pohtical adviser to
Swann, characterized both
Specter and Smith as
“fiiends” of the campaign
“No offense taken,” said
Holman, a Washington lobby
ist who served as Gov Tbm
Rise’s chief of staff “We are
in this to listen, learn and
ultimately win.”
Campaign spokesman
Leonardo Alcivar pointed to
Swann’s recent appearances
in black neighborhoods in
Philadelphia, Johnstown and
Pittsbm’^ on three succes
sive days as evidence of his
commitment to reachir^ out
to black voters.
Smith’s warning notwith
standing, Swann has not
indicated he is wiUing to back
away from his mostly secret
plan to rein in local property
taxes. In fact, he criticizes the
proposal now taking shape in .
the Legislature - more than
$1 billion a year in property-
tax reductions, which would
be one of the biggest tax cuts
in state history - as a piece
meal, inadequate approach.
Legislators and the Rendell
administration are “talking
about patches, and they’re
talking about tax-shifting,”
Holman said. “Our effort is
bigger and broader.”
Swann’s campaign says his
proposal wUl become clear
when he unveils it in May,
but one key element that he
has already made public
could take years to imple
ment.
Tax experts outside the
pohtical arena said Swarm’s
plan to cap homeowners’ tax
rates for as long as they own
the property woiild violate
the • state constitution. -
Amendir^ the constitution
requires votes by two succes
sive legislatures and voter
ratification in a statewide ref
erendum.
How it all plaj^ out
remains to be seen. But at
least one loc^ Republican
leader - Pike Coimty GOP
Chairwoman Kathleen E.
Hummel, who backed former
Lt. Gov BiU Scranton for the
gubernatorial nod before he
abandoned his campaign in
February - is keeping an open
mind
Swann “is a newcomer to
the pohtical scene,” she said.
‘He probably has a lot to
learn, but he probably also
has a lot to offer.”
Richard H. Moore
North Carolina State Trenyurer
NCCash .com
$500 mltHon in lost money and
property Is waiting at the Department
of the State Treasurer.
■ There’s a 1-in-S chance that some
may be yours.
It’s easy, and it’s tree!
S
/
‘It’s my job to put your cash
back in your pocket. Please
check out NCCash.com.
It’s easy, and it’s free.”
Richard H. Moore. State Treasurer
AccuWeather.com* 7-day forecast for Charlotte, NC
Thursday
-S'
Friday
possible
mmwm
Sunday
Partly sunny
IsmmsM
Monday
The patented RealFeel Temperature* la AceuWealher's s^u
ve index of the effects of tern
' rr mvi fmm’™ nrf
oerature, wind, humidity sunshine, precipitaljcr, and elevation on the human Pody
1 Weather Trends This Week I
stihl:
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
City
Hi
Lo
W
Hi
Lo
W
Hi
Lo
W
Hi
Lo W
City
Hi
Lo
W
Hi
Lo
W
Hi
Lo
W
Hi
Lo W
Aiken, SC
89
61
pc
81
59
t
80
56
c
75
50 pc
Memphis, TN
82
58
t
70
54
t
69
50
pc
72
57 s
Augusta, GA
80
60
pc
36
60
t
82
56
c
78
50 pc
Myrtle Beach, SC
80
65
s
80
65
t
78
64
pc
71
57 pc
Charteston, SC
86
65
s
86
64
pc
82
58
pc
77
57 pc
Norfolk, VA
77
60
pc
75
59
pc
73
60
68
52 pc
Coiumbia, SC
88
63
s
82
61
.1
62
59
74
53 pc
Raleigh, NC
84
60
po
80
58
78
52
0
72
48 po
Durham, NC
84
61
pc
80
59
t
76
55
c
70
48 pc
Richmond, VA
80
59
pc
77
56
pc
74
54
c
71
47 pc
Greensboro, NC
80
60
pc
81
55
t
75
54
c
69
49 pc
Roanoke, VA
75
56
pc
73
54
po
69
49
c
63
46 po
Qreenviile, SC
83
60
pc
78
57
t
74
55
c
71
49 pc
Savannah, GA
88
61
86
62
pc
83
59
pc
78
54 ee
Knoxville, TN
79
58
75
55
t
70
48
t
65
48 pc
Wilmington, NC
83
64
s
82
65
79
63
po
74
55 pc
Lynchburg, VA
76
54
pc
72
51
pc
■ 73
52
c
65
Wnston-Salem, NC 82
61
pc
78
56
72
55
68
49 pc
U.S. Cities I
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
City
HI
Lo
w
Hi
Lo
W
Hi
Lo
W
HI
Lo W
City
Hi
Lo
w
Hi
Lo
W
Hi
Lo
w
Hi
Lo W
Atlanta
82
61
pc
75
59
pc
71
49
t
69
51 pc
Miami
88
73
g
89
72
s
87
72
s
87
71 pc
Boston
64
52
pc
68
50
pc
68
48
pc
57
47 sh
Minneapdis
58
42
pc
52
36
pc
62
46
s
65
47 s
Chicago
66
43
pc
62
40
pc
58
39
pc
62
45 s
New Orleans
36
70
pc
84
68
pc
83
61
t
79
62 pc
Cleveland
71
48
pc
63
44
pc
56
40
r
56
42 pc
New York City
75
56
pc
70
52
pc
68
50
r
59
48 pc
Dallas
84
61
t
75
54
t
76
57
s
82
61 pc
Orlando
92
64
94
66
90
66
t
88
64 pc
Denver
56
33
pc
58
38
pc
65
42
pc
70
44 pc
Pittsburgh
74
52
pc
70
46
pc
60
42
r
58
42 sh
Detroit
70
46
pc
64
41
pc
58
40
pc
60
43 pc
Phoenix
92
67
s
91
68
s
93
67
pc
94
59 s
Houston
90
63
pe
86
66
t
82
58
c
84
60 pc
San Francisco
66
52
s
69
52
pc
68
51
pc
66
51 pc
Kansas City
67
46 pc
62
44
pc
66
47
pc
72
54 s
Seattle
68
46
s
63
45
pc
58
45
59
45 sh
Los Angeles
69
56
pc
72
56
pc
72
58
pc
72
58 pc
Washington, DC
80
59
pc
75
55
pc
72
53
66
51 pc
World Cities I
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
City
Hi
Lo
W
Hi
Lo
w
Hi
Lo
W
Hi
Lo W
City
Hi
Lo
w
HI
Lo
w
Hi
Lo
W
Hi
Lo W
Amsterdam
66
54
c
66
54
pc
63
52
pc
61
50 pc
Paris
75
54
po
75
54
sh
66
52 sh
63
48 r
Berlin
72
52
pc
70
48
pc
66
45
pc
66
48 sh
Rio de Janeiro
74
65
76
66
s
75
66
po
72
66 pc
Buenos Aires
64
54
s
64
48
pc
59
48
c
59
54 pc
Rome
74
56
pc
72
51
c
69
52
pc
71
55 c
Cairo
85
66
s
87
64
pc
93
74
pc
91
72 pc
San Juan
86
74
pc
86
74
pc
86
76
pc
87
76 s
Jerusalem
69
50
s
73
58
po
80
58
pc
78
59 pc
Seoul
61
49
po
70
52
po
74
60
70
49 r
Johannesburg
65
48
s
61
49
pc
64
44
po
63
39 s
Sydney
68
54
s
70
55
5
68
59
s
70
54 pc
London
68
54
pc
84
54
0
61
50
r
59
48 c
Tokyo
68
55
s
70
60
pc
72
57 pc
72
56 pc
Tvlewco City
75
51
pc
79
51
pc
78
52
po
75
54 pc
Toronto
68
44
pc
66
44
pc
56
40
r
50
32 pc'
Moscow
62
41
S
55
32
S
55
34
pc
59
42 pc
Zurich
75
48
pc
69
48
sh
66
48 sh
63
43 r
i '129
FS 45 Trimmer
95
NOW^
l*i5r
Easy to use, well-baianeed homeowner trimmer. Lightweight
with fast-cutting double-line AUTOCirPTapAc!ioo"“ head.
Prlmsf bulb and throttle lock for fast, easy starts.
^MAS-a»P
w/ tTimnrer attachment
Customize poi,
your Kombif
8G 55 Handheld Blower
195
Suy one power head "■ Trimrow^^,
then pick your choice ehswSW”’
of optional attachmems. /
Charige the easv'to-switeh
attachmems with a turn
of the knob!
1h at kas! one wb
Makes cleanup work much easier.
Primer bulb and throttle lock ensure fast starts.
Two-stage air filter is easy to remove and replace.
STTHL' 8)000 Servicing Dealers Nationwide!}
Chiflottt
Certified Lawn
Mowers
4720 Natiorts CrosBwg fload
704-527-4279
ChadOKS
S.T.I. Turfeare
Equipment
108 iibeihgrie Road
Weathei |W) e-sunny, pe-pamy cloudy, eloudy, ah-showars, t-thundarstorm'
Steele Creek
Lawn Equipment
l3S02yafkRoad
Mount Helfy
Mount Holly
Farm Supply
120 South Main Street
704-827-44J1