North Carolina Newspapers

2-1 HIE CAROLINA TIMES—SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 1990 O I'TAWA, ONTARIO — President Mikhail Gorbachev waves to crowd at the Sparks Street Mall after getting out of his car during a tour of Ottawa. (UPI Photo) N.C. Alumni And Directors To Meet June 16 At WSSU WINSTON-SAJLEM — The North Caroliha Alumni Directors Ciiuncil will holds its 2nd annual mei'ting on Saturday, June 16, at the R.J. Reynolds Center on the campus of Winston-Salem State University. The meeting will bring together alumni and administrators from 11 historically black colleges and I Lonnie D. Hammond 286-2344 Janet O. Hammond 286-2344 Hammond & Hammond Bail & Bond Consultants Don’t Worry —Be Happy ^ Clarence O. Rains 596-0654 Princess C. Smith 682-2715 Own your own home Enroll in our FREE Community Home Buyer’s Program. Qualify for special financing and learn howto: • Buy with as little as 5% down. • Identify needed repairs he/ore you buy. • Find the best Inome for your price range . . . whatever that range is. • Establish a good credit record. • Be in control of your household budget. “ Determine the monthly mortgage payment you can afford on your present income. • Negotiate the best price for your new home. • Maintain your home’s value in the years ahead. • And more! Calll today for details or to enroll universities — Barber-Scotia College, Bennett College, Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, Johnson C. Smith University, Livingstone College, N.C. A&T State University, N.C. Central University, St. Augustine’s College, Shaw University and Winston-Salem State University. An opening reception will be held from 8 to 10 p.m. on Friday, June 15, at the Holiday Inn-Old Salem. Registration is Saturday from 8:30 to 9 a.m. at the R. J. Reynolds Center. The program, which concludes at 4 p.m., focuses on the strategic role alumni play in furthering institutional goals, student recruitment and program development. The registration fee is $20, and includes lunch and the opening reception. To reserve a seat, send payment — along with name, address, telephone number and name of alma mater — to Dr. Sampson Buie, Office of Alumni Affairs, N.C. A&T State University, 1606 Salem Street, Greensboro, NC 27411. Overnight accommodations at the Holiday Inn-Old Salem can be arranged by calling (919) 725- 8561. For more information, call Ellis Smith at N.C. Central, (919) 560- 53 63, or Cheryl Harrison at Winston-Salem State, (919) 750- 2125. iViechanics & Farmers Awarded Top Five-Star Rating Mechanics & Farmers Bank of Durham has been awarded a five- star rating, an indication that this institution is one of the safest, credit-worthy banks in the United States. The award is based on zero to five-star rating assigned by Bauer Financial Reports, based on its analysis of the December 31, 1989 financial data as filed with federal regulatots. A five-star rating, for the safest banks in the country, indicates that the bank’s tangible capital exceeds 9.0% of tangible assets, that there are no excessive delinquencies or repossessed assets and that the bank is profitable. "Historically," notes Paul A. Bauer, president, "the five-star rating has been awarded to traditional banks, institutions that serve the local community and watch their bottom line." Bauer Financial Rep analyzes and compiles h,, U.S, banks, thrifts j? unions. A copy of iu brochure is available to FREE by sending a self.i stamped busienss enveC Brochure, Bauer Financial? P.O. Drawer 145510, Cotilr FL 33114-5510 or by « 800-447-0011. In Flori* 441-2062. ‘ Minority Contracts (Continued From From) Chiid Support (919)682-9161 HOME Savings & Loan 115 East Ch;ipel Hill Street Durham, North Carolina 27701 Program availa ble to buyers who have annual household incomes of $48,185 or less and who want to buy homes in Durham and Orange County. Current Properties For Sale: 'Chapel Hill Condominiums —$39,900 Special financing available under affordable Housing Programs. Contact: Brian Coyle or Pat Belk Home Savings & Loan 682-9161 (Continued From Front) be dealt with. The new guidelines "tell the judge how to treat child care expenses, health insurance and other medical expenses, and support provided for children not involved in the case,” Judge Keever said. "The old guidelines set out 'hese and other reasons for varying ;the amount of the award) but didn’t say how." Thus orders in cases involving the same or similar facts could vary |form judge to judge, she said. "The guidelines never told judges how to apply those factors consistently. So judges really varied in how they applied those discretionary factors " "It (the present sc..eme) didn’t work because it wasn’t fair, and when something is perceived as not fair, it’s not respected and it’s harder to enforce,’’ Judge Jones said. Franklin Freeman, Jr., director of ’’We sent it (to Washington D.C.) for two reasons,’’McKay told reporters on April 17. "First, the issues involved in the allegations present problems of a national scope, and second, they involve civil rights issues best handled from Washington D.C. "But even if there was the appearance of a conflict of interest," McKay added, "the case is no longer in our office....actually we’ve been slowly letting go of it for about six months." Charles Adams, head of the Seattle-based Northwest Minority Contractors Association and a prime catalyst behind the grand jury investigation, was livid. "What is it doing going back to Washington D.C., he asked reporters? "The time has come and gone to see some indictments here." Justice Department officials in Washington D.C. won’t comment on the specifics of the case, when or if indictments will be handed out. Nor will they respond to charges that one of its U.S. Attorneys deliberately slowed progress on the case to help an associate. "Really, I am not at liberty to say anything at this point," said Doug Tillct, a spokesman for the Justice Department in Washington, D.C. My understanding is that there has been a lot reported in the press out there (Seattle) and we cannnot. vouch for the validity of those reports." According to court records, assorted correspondence and newspaper accounts, complaints about fronting began in June, 1986 when Vic Knighten, a local' contractor, filed a complaint against Global Construction Company with the State Human Rights Department "in an effort to find out for the minority community and local contractors whether Global had the resources and capabilities to perform contracts underway." Knighten later withdrew the complaint, he claims in a sworn affidavit, after being intimidated and threatened with violence by Global’s principal partner. Hank Roney. In Knighten’s complaint, he stated his allegations against Roney and his company were based upon Roney’s "not owning, renting or leasing equipment, and not having the required expertise for highly complex projects and why Global is getting the majority of contracts while other participation (from other minority subcontractors) is either non-existent or minimal." the AOC, said the purpose of the proposed change "is to ensure that the guidelines are responsive to the situation in front of the judge." The court system administered by Director Freeman’s office collected $231.3 million in 1988-89 for the support of about 300,000 children across the state, a 156% increase in collections in the last five years. Because the proposal takes into consideration the financial resources of both sides, it is fairer. Judge Keever said, and because "it will encourage people to feel they’ve been treated fairly, they will be more likely to obey the order." Other members of the committee were Chief District Court Judge Kenneth C. Titus of Durham and District Court Judge William G. Jones of Charlotte. Both indicated that the present guidelines don’t work from the standpoint of either fairness of uniformity. Referring to factors set out in the existing plan. Judge Titus said. At the urging of Adams and others, the FBI launched an investigation into the facts behind the awarding of over 20 public works projects involving Global, Kiewit and several other prime contractors sometime in 1987, In 1988, information was turned over to a federal grand jury. However, existence of the grand jury did not become public until the Morning News Tribune broke the story in May, 1989. Among the numerous contractors and individuals called before the grand jury was Floyd Davenport, a minority contractor and former vice president of Global from 1980 through 1986. Davenport provided perhaps the most enlightening testimony to the investigating body. According to a signed statement, Davenport told the grand jury that he was in the Global offices with Hank Roney when Roney received a call from A1 Kirkland, an executive with Kiewit Pacific. "He (Kirkland) informed us that he had put Global in for a $3.8 million contract for the Cedcr Falls Dam renovation and that the bid opening would be either that day or the next day." Global won the contract. Davenport said that one of the requirements for operating as a certified minority business enterprise on the project was to own or have control of two major pieces of equipment — a cement mixing batch plant and a front-cnil loader to feed gravel to the batch plant. Global, he said, owned neither piece of machinery. When the project began, Davenport said, Kiewit brought in a batch plant and an operator, placed them on Global’s payroll, and actually performed Ihc work. With regard to the front end loader, Davenport told the graiul jury, 'Wc were told to go down to the equipment supplier's nl'ficc where the purchase of a front end loader had been arranged by a Kiewit Pacific employee who stated explicitly at the time of sale that the front-end loader would belong to Kiewit at the end of the project. Although Hank Roney and I did sign the paperwork indicating it was being purchased by Global, in fact, we did nothing more on tills sale other than the sign ilie paperwork." Davenport also admitted dial although he was named supervisor for the project. "I was on the .site only three brief occasions in a three-year period." Long before McKay sent the ca.se to Washington D.C. minority contractors were expressing their uneasiness over the apparent slowness of the investigation. In response to Adams’ letter to Attorney General Richard Thornburgh on October 17, 1988, Floyd Clarke, assistant director of the FBI’s Criminal Investigation Division assured the contractor tliat "the matter to which yourt? currently under invcstigaij you can be assured app, action is being taken (Jan,,, 1989)." But even after news j confirmed that a grand was in full swing, Adamsi membership were not p) They felt they had providtj than enough information lo, stronger and quicker action "During the past three Adams wrote to Thomberpi on December 1, 1989, "woo,, minorities in the Northwcsi of Washington Stale havei ciiarges or indictments asari investigations conducted ( Federal Bureau of Invesligaii, "In May, the media p information that addrcsscdal grand jury to be formed toe, evidence relative to violaiioi suspected crimes wiiliii construction industry, suspected violations have i over a six-year period, and this time the vast major! women and minority con® firms have been deniti opportunity to participate ai program lo assist all womc minority firms." While Thornburgh's i remains mum on the issue, contractors still aren’t I McKay off the hook. In a release issued on April 191 Northwest Minority Conir: Association, a number of inir questions were asked: 1. If during the six-month while he was releasing case involved civil rights viol, why did McKay retain the until he learned he was a.ssoc ialcd with K r oqioiation? 2, Did McKay Icam of the having national iniplitaiions same lime evidence was pro wrth his link lo the susi Kiewit Construction organirai 3. Should conspiracy ol rights vrolations and other I violations exist on a nau •;.,! who arc the rndivriltiaf rhii allowed violations i(> cx:-.' ,'v lo ten years? 4, When will U.S, .-Vi Bi. hard Thorn!'u:_h or !', rola'io-, former I'oiin \Unoril liusil make a ' civil rifhi lo be vti tri!,' , I Mr. Miuhell Congrcs.or.on Chairman Enter I Edue.aii'a authority enterprise. Mr. Si fiOteman columnist hosed in D.C. writes fri economics, potilie' community issue.s. '■ / una on min. 'o'-mssrysysff.-Ki .mumrm' Travel Service 'S 1725 CARPENTER FIf TCHEP R.DAO . ‘U ji DURHAM, NORTH CAROtiNA 27713" (919) 361-2151 GETAWAY FOR A FUN WEEKEND IN ATLANTIC CITY In The Heart of High season June 15-17,1990 Price Only —$169 per pers Leaves 12:05 A.M. Friday, June 15,1990 From K-Mart Parking Lot, Avondale Drive Price includes roundtrip transporta Hotel/Motel accommodations (double occupa Inside Atlantic City in the Heart of the Casinos block from the Boardwalk. Make your reservation early with DJ Travel Services. $80 deposit required to reserve space. Balance due by June 9,1990. Call (919) 361-2151