editorials
PEOPLE
The Burkes:
tradition of
latnily politics
PAGE B5
The dust has settled;
now It's time to ask:
What did NAACP suit do?
PAGEA4
War on AIDS
focuses on
black community
PAGEA6
"^on-Salem Chronicle
Tile Twin City's Award-Winning Weekly
||. XIV, NO. 43
u S.p.a. 910
Winston-Salem, N.C.
Thursday, June 16,1988
34 Pages This Week
ask force gets
)Kto hire East
1/jnston adviser
fALERlE ROBACK GREGG
[inicie Staff Writer
The haze clouding the future of East Winston began
isperse Monday when the Winston-Salem Board of
erraen finance committee voted to grant up to
,000 to the East Winston Development Task Force
(he hiring of an economic development consultant.
The grant will be considered by the full board Mon-
City Development Director J. Allen Joines said,
the committee's support will allow the selection of a
sultant to proceed.
The study will provide the task force with informa-
necessary to promote and develop East Winston,
;s said. Previous economic development studies of
city will provide the task force with some informa-
but have often left out East Winston, according to
1: Force Chairman Ernest H. Pitt.
"We don't want to develop East Winston in a vacu-
Pitt said. "That's what makes this so vital to the
munity. We want others to include the East Win-
community in efforts to attract developers. We
\ want East Winston to be isolated. That's pan of
ptoblem."
East Winston may now attract some residential
but is falling behind the rest of the city in com-
tial growth, Pitt said. "Look all over Winston-
amd there's development, but not East Winston,"
"It makes sense (for the city) to expand east
^ilj Kemersvillc. With the (Greensboro Regional)
on close, it’s the logical place for Winston-Salem to
in April, the Board of Aldermen created the East
ision Development Task Force to help implement
economic aspects of the East Winston Area Plan and
port the goals of the East Winston Community
i'elopment Corporation. The area plan is designed to
the Forsyth County Planning Department develop
accurate comprehensive plan to guide county
wth, The development corporation is designed to
Please see page A2
' I
A legacy of love
Luclle Douthit was well known In the local com
munity for dedicated service to others.
Lucile Douthit dies
By ROBIN BARKSDALE
Chronicle Staff Writer
The Twin City community lost one of its most dedi
cated woricers earlier this week with the death of Lucile
Douthit
The 72-year-old Mrs. Douthit died following a linger
ing illness that had plagued her for the past few years.
She was a teacher in the local school, system for 11
years and also spent time as an announcer at radio station
WAAA. In addition to her responsibilities at the radio sta
tion, she found time to act as a church reporter for the
Winston-Salem Chronicle. She is remembered by the
paper's publisher as a ”q)ecial person" who will be greatly
Please see page A3
’ubiic Safety Committee to rule on vicious dogs
Marshaii defends
county settiement
Community leaders say 'no deal'
By ANGEU WRIGHT
Chronicle Managing Editor
Many Afro-American community leaders have voiced
opposition to the agreement reached between the NAACP
and Forsyth County concerning the method for county elec
tions. But, Waller Marshall, head of the local NAACP chap
ter, says the opposition is "just a basic fear of change."
Sources say, however, that community leaders met in a
closed-door session with Marshall Wednesday evening in an
attempt to understand why such an agreement was reached
and what their options are now.
The NAACP had filed legal action in 1986 on behalf of
three Afro-American citizens and the registered Afro-Amer
ican voters of Forsyth County challenging the form and
method of election of the Forsyth County Board of Com
missioners. They contended that the at-large, staggered term
method of election diluted Afro-American voting strength.
The complaint sought a court-ordered, single-member
district system of county elections and was due to be heard
in federal court June 6. But the NAACP and a few mem
bers of the board of commissioners met on the evening of
June 5 and settled out of court.
The settlement calls for a plan which allows for district
nomination of candidates during primary elections, but
maintains an at-large system of election for the general elec
tion. Under the plan there is one 92 percent Afro-Ameri
can district.
Community leaders opposing the plan say it does not
give Afro-American voters the guaranteed representation
they would liave had under single-member disuricts. Mar
shall says the single-member districts would have ultimately
worked to the disadvantage of Afro-American voters.
"Do you vote your way into a position where you've
got somebody to talk to, or do you vote yourself into a posi
tion of isolation?" he asked. He said that Afro-Americans
needed to maintain their ability to influence others on the
commission.
But many Afro-American leaders, and some members
of the local NAACP, are calling upon Marshall to explain
why he settled out of court and are trying to determine if the
Please see page A10
VALERIE ROBACK GREGG
tfonide Staff Writer
Some dog owners in Winston-Salem
II have to change their ways if the reg-
iiions backed by the city's Public Safe-
I^Committee become law.
The committee voted Monday to
^port strict regulations on vicious dogs
[the city's residential areas. A pro-
fseti ordinance including a two-dog
'’it for residential lots within the city,
’cific fencing and leash requirements,
r ^sware of Dog” signs will be pre-
hled by City Attorney Ronald G. Seev-
|2t the next committee meeting.
Almost 20 city residents voiced con-
i. fear and disgust to the committee
^ft pit bulls and other vicious dogs
,’ich they say have paralyzed their
'tghborhoods. City resident Lily
ninrell presented the committee with a
unsanitary conditions, it's unbearable,
and no one should have to live like that."
The Forsyth County Sanitation
Department recently gave Cecil Rouson,
the pit bull owner who lives next door to
Cuihrell on Woodcreek Avenue, 10 days
to clean up his yard and Rouson did. He
accepted blame Monday for some of the
problems, but protested the committee's
proposal to limit the number of dogs
allowed on residential lots. "It's uncon
stitutional for anyone to tell me how
many dogs I can have just because
they’re pit bulls," Rouson said. "I do
accept some blame. I looked out my
window one morning and saw a rat
climbing up one of my dog pens. I was
paying some young people to clean my
yard and the job was not getting done."
Several people, including committee
members, said they were afraid to work
in their yards or walk down the street
Police brutality hearing tabled
PALERIE ROBACK GHEGG
yntoe Staff Wrifar
city's public safety commiil^
r^ed consMeratiem Mtmday of the
f allegations of police
and its call for public b^ngs
15!^^ i^l*ce/communi^ relations.
INAACP President, Walter
Will address the committee at
ff- - Monday, before the regularly
puled meeting of the Winston-
PmBoard of Alderman.
I Marshall wrote the board asking
Assistant Ci^ h^iager AlexaidCT R.
Bea^ to review toe iiaemal regulations
of pdice department and "deiennine
why many policemen axe using ques
tionable tactics in toeir investigations
and ariesis of minority and poor citi
zens.”
He also asked toat public hearings
be held to discuss poli«i/community
relations and deteimine if external diy
controls, such as a citizens' review
board, are n^essaty. The issue was posi-
pcmedbecauseoftimeconstrainls.
Ifim people living near
I „. Douglas Recreation Area.
I dogs, and I
I my home because of
I ench and rats," Cuthrell said,
f ure 10 to 15 dogs there. I can’t
'vindow or have a cookout. It's
because of vicious dogs on the loose. I
am afraid of dogs, I don't care how small
they are,” Alderman Vivian H. Burke
said.
Forsyth County Animal Control
Officer Jeny Canady said he supported
the proposals approved by the commit-
Pit bulls owned by Cecil Rouson on Woodcreek Avenue may be affected
by a Public Safety Committee action on vicious dogs.
tee. "I agree with the provisions, espe- Alderman Burke encouraged con-
cially about limiting the number of dogs cemed citizens to inform the county
within the city limits, but all breeds, not commission about toe importance of the
just pit bulls," he said. "Also, the owner leash law.
should have $100,000 of liability insur
ance for all vicious dogs." Keeping or breeding dogs for fight
ing is a misdemeanor under North Car-
A definition for "vicious dogs" will olina state law, but is a felony in some
be proposed by Seever at the next com- states. "Pit bulls are transported into
mittee meeting. Alderman Larry W. North Carolina en masse and fight dogs
Womble said he did not want to wait in pits," Womble said. "There was an
until a dog had bitten someone to declare elderly man last year who was auacked
it vicious. "That first bite may be the last by a pit bull, put in the hospital and
bite," he said. almost died. For no apparent reason he
was attacked. There are some dogs toat
The (tounty, including the city of by nature are like that. I'm not going to
have that in Winston-Salem...The citi
zens need to be free from fear."
Winston-Salem, has a leash law, but
Canady said it is not well enforced.
"Because of toe agreement between the
county and the city, the dog warden
enforces (the leash law) only as time per-
The committee voted to support
Womble taking this concern to the
mils,” Canady said. "Enforcing the leash League of Municipalities to campaign
law, that's a low priority." for stricter stale measures.
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Jackson's brother probed
CHICAGO - Jesse Jackajn’s half-brother, No^
Robinson, who faces criminal charges in South
Carolina, denied any wron^oing in accepting
contracts for minority businesses and subconcact-
ing toe work to white-owned firms.
TTie Chicago Tribune reported that Robinson
has often applied for programs aimed at helping
minority-owned companies under his business
name, but has hired white-o’wned companies to do
the acuial work.
Black heroes seek medals
WASHINGTON --A of cemgressmen who
are working to have the first Medals of Honor
awarded to black servicemen who fought in toe
two wOTld wars say theyll take their ca^ to the
White House if toe f^magOT can't be swayed.: !'
Sgt. Henry Johnson and Seaman Dome Miller,
were among toe 1.37 million black Americans
who fought for toe United States during the two
world wars.
Police manacle Tutu's wife
SOUTH AFRICA — Archbishop Desmond
Tutu said his wife was handcuffed, chained and
dtfeatened by police when she answered a sum-
mons fm" a traffic violaion.
"Once they had established her identity they
handcuffed her to a door (at a branch traffic
office)," toe black jM'elate said in a statement from
Cape Town. "When her hand, after a while
became numb, she hit toe door. The response of
the oflicere was to chain her foot to toe door.”