u?<a Published Every Thursday in Pembroke, NC
' f?n<S>LINA INDIAN VOICE
"Building Communicative Bridges in a Tri-Racial Setting"
VOLUME 29 SUM HER 14 THURSDAY, APRll. /. 2002 25c i'ci (opy
Jo Ann Locklear to Run
for Third Term
Incumbent Jo ann l.ocklear
filed for a third term as clerk of
Superior court. Locklear served
as an assistant clerk of court for
15 years and as a deputy clerk fro
12 years. Mrs. Locklear faces no
opposition in the primary or general
election.
She is a member of the North
Carolina association of clerks of
superior court. She is appointed
by the Director of the Administrative
Office of the Courts to
serve as chairperson of the Judicial
forms committee. This committee
reviews all proposed new
forms and all changes to existing
forms used by the North Carolina
court system to ensure that they
are necessary, usable, and consistent
with new law and appellate
opinions.
She is a past member of the
board of trustees of UNC Pembroke.
past chairperson of the
Robeson County Democratic
Party and a former Parent Teacher
Association president. She is a
member of Mt. Olive baptist
Church in the Saddlertree Community
where she has served as
church clerk for more than 20
years and is presently Director of
the Children's Church.
Mrs. Locklear states. "I pledge
to continue exercising the duties
of my office with discretion and
sound business practices and pre^
m M ?
serving the integrity of the office
by maintaining and enforcing high
standards of official and personal
conduct. I will keep myself accessible
to the public. I appreciate and
thank the people of Robeson
county for their support and I look
forward to continuing my service
to you."
Locklear and her husband
Grover live in the Saddletree community.
They are the parents of
three children. Lisa L. McCoy of
Garner. Dr. Bobbi Stanley of Cary
and Kevin Locklear of Phoenix.
Arizona. They have eight grandchildren.
I ^
^2
Left to right beth Williamson, Pembroke BP it' President, Marie Moore >
and Mary H'alter. Both Mary and Beth are employees of Edward Jones [
Investments. c
Pembroke Business and Professional
Women's Organization News >
The Pembroke Business and Professional Women's organization c
has been busy scheduling programs, raising money for scholarships. J
and attending district meetings. '
Maintaining an interest in the welfare of women. Edward Jones Investments
representative Mary Walter spoke to the group in March
about wise investments that women have an opportunity to experience.
Public Schools of Robeson County former board member. Beth
Williamson, accompanied Mrs. waiter at the meeting. For the month
of April, Sharon Prevatte. associate director for the Southeastern Regional
Mental Health. Developmental Disabilities and Substance
Abuse Services, spoke to the group about the various services that her
program offers and how women need to take time out for themselves
to release stress and tension from their jobs and everyday life.
The organization sponsored its annual Spring gala in March at the
Pembroke JC Hut. Proceeds go towards scholarships for women who
wish to pursue a college degree.
President elect. Yvonne Dial attended the annual district meeting in
Sanfnrrt
+ ^ m
i ne Keai ataxes in Nortn Carolina s Kedistricting case
By Representative Ronnie Sutton
If the Republicans who filed suit over legislative redisricting win
their case in the North Carolina Supreme Court, the losers will be the
people 6f our state.
If the lawsuit is successful; legislative campaigns will become more
costly- and more dependent on TV ads. The clout of big money, special
interests and wealthy candidates will grow, and the cause of campaign
finance reform will suffer. Average people will have a harder
time contacting their legislators, and fewer good people will run for
the legislature.
All of these trends have been decried in the past by North Carolina's
news media? and by advocates of better government, ttut, surpnsingly;
the media has paid liftleattehtion to how the redisricting scheme
developed by the Republican legislative leadership will make the problems
worse.
The fundamental issue is: should redistricting rely more on singlemember
of multi-member districts? The legislature adopted a plan
that emphasizes single-member districts. The lawsuit would impose a
plan emphasizing multi-member districts.
What difference does it make?
In a single-member district, a member of the House would represent
around 67,000 North Carolinians. In a district the at size, candidate
can drive around, talk personally to voters and listen to their
concerns.
But the republicans who filed suit take the opposite approach. In
Mecklenburg and Gaston counties, for example, they propose to create
one mega-district that would have 670,000 people and 10 representatives.
Mecklenburg is not the only mega-district that some Republicans
would force upon us. The 14th District in Wake county would elect
eight representatives. The sprawling 31st would elect seven House
members from six counties: Catawba, Cleveland, Henderson. Lincoln,
Polk and rutherford counties.
Across the state, more than two in every five districts would be
multi-member districts. In the polling place, voters could be forced to
choose among multiple candidates for four, eight or ten seats.
What's worse, a legislative district could have more people and
comer more land than the state's congressional districts!
How will legislative candidates campaign in big districts? They certainly
won't have time to drive around talking personally to 300,000,
400,000 or 600,000 people. Instead, they'll do what congressional
candidates and statewide candidates do: raise big money and run television
ads.
They won't go door-to-door in your neighborhood or meet with -and
listen to-- small groups of interested voters. They'll be attending
high-dollar fund-raising events, phoning potential contributors and
putting on makeup in television studios.
Contest Seeks Spiritual Poems From
Pembroke-area Poets
Great news for poets. The Texas Poetry Alliance is offering a
$1,000.00 grand prize in their annual spiritual poetry contest open to
the public. There is no entry fee and everyone is invited to submit a
poem.
"Our goal is to encourage new talent." says Poetry Director l.arrie
Green. "In a world where poetry is the Cinderella of the Arts, we arc
helping poets to find their glass slipper. Spiritual poems, which may
be written on any subject and using any style, tend to inspire the reader,
thus our desire for entries of a spiritual nature."
To enter, send one poem 20 lines or less to: Free Poetry Contest,
3412-A Moonlight Ave, El Paso, Texas 79904. Or enter on-line at
www.freecontest.com.
The deadline for entering is April 15. A winner's list will be sent to
all entrants. The editors enjoy the right to publish the winning poems.
Ten Star All Star Basketball Camp
Applications arc now being evaluated for The Ten Star All Star Summer
Basketball Camp. The Camp is by Invitation Only. Boys and Girls
ages 10-19 ate eligible to apply. Past participants include: Michael
Jordan, Tim Duncan. Vince Carter, Jerry Stackhouse, Grant Hill and
Antawn Jamison. Players from 48 States and 7 Foreign countries attended
the 2001 Camp. College Basketball Scholarships are possible
for players selected to the All-American Team. Camp Locations Include:
Boiling Springs, NC, Thousand Oakes, CA, Babson Park, FL.
Gainesville, GA, Champaign, IL, Greencastle, IN, Dubuque, IA,
Hillsdale, MI, Saint Paul, MN, Rochester, NY, North Canton, OH.
Lock Haven, PA, Bristol, Rl, Athens, TN, Commerce, TX. Blacksburg,
VA, Olympia, WA. There is also a Team All Star Camp for School and
A.A.U. Teams. Team Camp Locations Include: Boiling Springs, NC,
Thousand Oaks, CA, Babson Park, FL, Greencastle, IN, Hillsdale. Ml,
Lock Haven, PA, Blacksburg, VA. For a free Brochure, call (704) 5686801
ANYTIME.
9
Nothing could be worse for politics in North Carolina today than
going down this road. It. takes us in the wrong direction. It favors
wealthy candidates. It favors the special interests that raise big money.
It makes it harder for you - as a citizen and a voter- to get the ear of
your state representative. And it makes it harder than ever to persuade
good people to run for the legislature.
The lawsuit claims that splitting counties into sing!e-member districts
violates the North Carolina constitution. Yes, the Constitution
does say that counties should not be split. But there is more to the
story.
In 1983, a distinguished panel of three federal judges- Dickson
Phillips. Earl Britt and Franklin Dupree- handed down a vvell-reasoned
decision on the county issue. They held that the whole-county
provision is not enforceable in the 40 counties that are covered by
Section 5 of the U. S. Voting Rights Act, which prohibits racial discrimination
in elections.
The court held that, when the whole-county provision was included
in the Constitution, it obviously was not intended to apply to only half
the state. So the court concluded that the legislature is not bound by
the Constitutional provision at all.
The lawsuit now asks the North Carolina Supreme Court to reach a
mush different - and illogical - conclusion. The Republicans who sued
want the court to say the whole-county provision of the state constitution
covers half of North Carolina and not the other naif.
Illogic of this magnitude shows that the lawsuit is based on politics,
not principle. It is also interesting to note that the same Republican
legislators who now support multi-member districts sponsored measures
last session to prohibit multi-member districts.
Clearly, it is well-nigh impossible to take party politics out of redisricting.
You could more easily take the jumping out of NCAA basketball.
But it is possible to devise a redisricting plan that gives voters
more voice in the election of their representatives. Many legislators
Democrats and Republicans - believe the plan passed by the
General Assembly does just that. By dividing counties into singlemember
districts, the plan benefits the people of North Carolina.
Unfortunately, some Republican legislators and party leaders favor
a plan that would give rich candidates, big money and big media campaigns
more clout.
So don't be misled by the scant media coverage these issues have
received. And don't be fooled by those Republican legislators who
championed single-member districts before they suddenly converted
to this new-found faith in multi-member districts, much to the chagrin
of many of their Republican colleagues in the House.
Look at the facts, and decide for yourself which direction is best for
North Carolina.
Representative Sutton, of Pembroke, is co-chair of the House Committee
on Legislative Redistricting.
Farmers to Recieve Drought Relief
On March 1.2002, Secretary of Agriculture, Ann M. Veneman declared
a major disaster area in the State of South Carolina, due to
damages and losses caused by the drought.
Farmers may qualify for Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency
(F.M) loan assistance, pursuant to the contiguous county provisions
of the consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act. North Carolina
contiguous counties are: Anson. Brunswick. Cleveland. Columbus,
Gaston. Henderson. Jackson. Macon, Mecklenburg. Polk, Richmond,
Robeson. Rutherford. Scotland. Transylvania, and Union.
Giles B. Floyd. County Executive Director. Robeson/Scotland FSA.
said that effective March 1, 2002, farmers in Robeson and Scotland
counties may apply for EM loans for physical and production losses.
November 1. 2002 is the deadline for filing an application. The local
office is located at 442 Caton Road, Lumberton, NC and has office
hours of Monday through Friday. 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Floyd said that
any farmer who suffered a production or physical loss should contact
his/her office for additional information.
Kindergarten Registration for Pembroke Elementary
The registration day for children who will enter Kindergarten next
school year will be on Wednesday, April 17, 2002, in the school library
from 9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Your child must be five (5) years old
by October 16. 2002 to be eligible for Kindergarten.
You are asked to do the following: 1. Complete the registration
form and bring it with you on registration day. 2. Make sure that you
bring your child's immunization (shot record) information with you
on 'April 17th. 3. Bring a certified birth certificate. We cannot
accept a mother's copy. 4. Bring your child's social security card
number. 5. Bring your child's tribal enrollment card (if applicable).
Please contact the school at 521-4204 if you have any questions
concerning registration or need a registration form.
V . i
Wilkins named manager for New
Downtown Lumberton Office
Worth Harris Carter. Jr Chairman unite Board ad President of Peoples
annual Bank is pleased to announce the following
Daryl 1. Wilki ns has been elected as Assistant Vice President b> the
lank's Board of Directors and appointed Managing ufficer of the
)o\\ ntow 11 ofHce in L.uiuberton. N't' which opens on April 5
Wilkins.a native of Lumberton. is a graduate ofLittlefield High School
nd has completed numerous courses and seminars at UNC-Pembroke
nd Robeson Community college
The veteran of over 2') years in the banking profession resides in
.umbcrton and attends Chestnut Street United Methodist Church vv ith
icr husband. Jimmy The couple has three daughters and seven grandluldren
"1 am excited about the opportunity that exists for Peoples National
Bank in Lumberton." said Wilkins "Peoples has worked hard foi over
15 years to be a good cili/cn in the areas it setxes. and our conveuentlv
located office at <><)4 North Chestnut Street will allow us to
irovide our unique blend of personalized services to a brand new
aistoiner base We tire simply ti down-to-earth, community-oriented
tank aimed tit satisfy mg the needs of the avcrtige customer
"Peoples national Bank understands the challenges faced-by those
vho inust work long hours to make a liv mg for their families.'' con.
luded Wilkins "It will be part of our mission in the Lumberton area to
litikc life a little less complicated for our customers by prov idutg hours
ind products w ith the community in mind ."
Red Cloud Indian Art Show
Red Cloud Indian Art Show w ill be held this year from June 2nd to
August 11th. 2()(t2. The Art Show is held at the Heritage Center on the
Red Cloud Indian School campus at Pine Ridge. South Dakota
Benefactors of the Indian Arts hav e prov ided more than $5,800 in
awards for this year 's Show
Now in its 34th year, the Red Cloud Art Show" is open to all Native
American artists, eighteen years and older Applicants must have a
tribal enrollment number
Sponsored by tlv^Heritage Center of Red Cloud Indian School, it is
the nation's largcd shovv of its kind, with amsts of more than 30
different tribes represented
All works entered must be for sale. No entry fees arc charged to the
artists and the shovv is admission free to the public. June 2nd to
August 11th. Entries must be receiv ed by May 22.2002
Artists wishing to enter the Red Cloud Art show can get entry forms
and details by w riting to the Heritage Center. 100 Mission Driv e. Pine
Ridge. South Dakota 57770.
Metropolitan upera btar to
Perform at UNCP
Micheal Raulis
Christine Weidinger
PEMBROKE, N.C - The Music
society of the University of
North Carolina at Pembroke announces
a "Gala Scholarship fundraiser"
Friday. April 12 at 7:30
p.m. in Moore Hall Auditorium.
Featured guest artists for the
evening are former Metropolitan
Opera Star Christine Weidinger.
well known North Carolina tenor
Michael Raulis, pianist Ellen
Robison and Gail Morfesis. a
UNCP faculty member.
To reserve tickets call 910-521 6230.
ticket prices are SI2 for
adults and S2 for students, and all
proceeds will benefit UNCP music
scholarships.
A soprano. Weidinger made her
singing debut on the stage of the
Metropolitan Opera as Musetta in
"La Boheme" with Renata Scotto
and Luciano Pavarotti. An instant
favorite with the public and the
New York press. The New York
Times called her. "a young artist
well worth watching."
Weidinger nonetheless chose to
leave the Met after three years to
obtain experience in European
Verona. Italy, in a concert of operatic
selections for the Italian
National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
he was hailed by the local
press as "another Corelli!" I le is a
regular guest soloist with the North
Carolina, the Raleigh, the Winston-Salem
and the Wilmington
symphonies.
Morfesis. soprano is an active^
performer, faculty member at
UNCP and the public relations director
for the Moore Hall Recital
Scries. She has performed
throughout the Northeastern U.S.
with such companies as the Opera
Theatre of Rochester. N.Y.. Piccolo
Opera of Philadelphia. Opera
of Central Kentucky, as well
as performing in concert in Graz.
Austria. Since moving to N.C.. she
has performed in concerts throughout
the region as part of the West
End Series, the UNCP Moore Hall
Series and on other stages.
Morfesis completed her doctoral
degree in music and vocal performance
at the University of Kentucky.
Her undergraduate work
was done at the Eastman School.
theatres, she went on to star in
most of the world's major opera
houses, among others Milan's La
Scala. the Liceo of and the Teatro
Real of Madrid, where she costarred
with Placido Domingo.
She is generally regarded as one
of the finest Mozart singers in the
world. Critic Alan Rich called her.
"one of the pillars on which the
world-wide revival of "be! canto"
music (the operas of Rossini.
Donizetti and Bellini) rests. In an
interview with "Opera Rara" last
year, superstar Joan Sutherland
named Weidinger as her most
likely successor in the roles for
which she was so famous.
Weidinger has performed
around the U.S. with Burgaw.
N.C.. physician Michael Rallis.
who she considers to be one of the
finest operatic tenors in the world.
Dr. Rallis has studied singing since
entry into medical school, is one
of the few traditionally trained
Greek Orthodox cantors in the
U.S.. and. even as an "amateur"
opera singer, he has won high critical
and public praise. Last year in
R . Hester. N.Y.. and the Peabody
i uUservators of the Johns
t.ookmsl niversitv in Baltimore.
Md.
Pianist and accompanist Lllcn
Robison is a member of the music
faculty at UNC at Wilmington and
the music director of Wilmington's
Opera House T heater. She is one
of the region's most sought after
accompanists and vocal coaches,
Robison has also served as music
consultant for the "Matlock"
TV series and has composed a
score for the soon-to-be-debuted
TV series "Glory." She has accompanied
Weidinger in concerts
all over the southeast and in Italy.
She has also helped her prepare
roles for La Scala and Barcelona.
Reserve your tickets by calling
910-521-6230. Ticket prices are
$ 12 for adults and $2 for students.
Don't miss out on this exciting
concert opportunity and remember
your ticket price is a tax-deductible
gift to the University Music
Society. All proceeds will benefit
UNCP music scholarships.
i v