Newspapers / Winston-Salem chronicle. / May 18, 1989, edition 1 / Page 1
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32 Pages This Week Thursday, May 18, 1989 Winston-Salem Chronicle SOCMtt "The Twin City's Award-Winning Weekly' VOL. XV, No. 38 Drinking's Dangers Project draws attention to hazards of drinking during pregnancy Storm Trooper Resident makes sacrifices to come to aid of tornado victims Jail plans get mixed reviews By TONYA V. SMITH Chronicle Staff Writer Opinions are mixed among East Winston residents concerning a coun ty jail to be built on 6.5 acres in that community. Some community mem bers, led by Alderman Virginia K. Newell, held a "mass meeting" Wednesday night to outline a plan of strategy in opposition to the jail site. However, Clark S. Brown, owner of a funeral home and neighbor to the proposed new jail, summed up the community's sentiments. "No one, of course, wants a jail right in the backyard of where they live or work," said the owner of Clark S. Brown A Sons Funeral Home at 727 Patterson Avenue. "Several peo ple have come and talked to me about it, but you're at a disadvantage, I mean how can I say, how can 1 tell someone else what to do with their own property." R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. announced May 12 that it will donate the land off Patterson Avenue to the county for a new jail and sheriffs department complex. The land is bounded by Eighth Street on the ?? north. Seventh Street on the south and Norfolk and Southern Railway on Phase see page A8 Photo by Sam Qrwnwood Members of the Toddler* Class at ShHohlan-St. Peters Day Care Center enjoy recreational activities. From left are Paige Jackson, Lelyn KlrfcpatrtcH. Nljel Freeman and Eton MeArthur. The class, taught by Annette Lowery, Vicky Williams and Helen Wllllems, Is tor children 15 months to 2 years old. City approves drug patrols By TONYA V. SMITH Chronide Staff Writer Alderman Virginia K. Newell called the city police chiefs new plan of attack on drugs in three of the city's public housing projects insulting. Chief George L. Sweat said the program ? designed to fight the sale and distribution of drugs in the city - would be most effective and well received by com munity residents. But it was the more than 50 residents from the Cleveland Avenue Homes, Happy Hill Gar dens, Kimberly Park Terrace and Piedmont Park communities who convinced the Board of Aldermen to accept a $53,528 grant from the Governor's Crime Control Commis sion to help pay for the special drug patrol. The Governor's Commission offered the grant to fund 75 percent of the city program. The city would match the grant by providing 25 racent, about $17,800, of the pro gram's cost, Chief Sweat said. All but $1,900 -- which will be used to purchase equipment and supplies for the operation - of the money is for overtime pay for police officers, . . Please see page A7 Advisory committee approved; group to advise board on housing needs By TONYA V. SMITH ChronjdeStafMgrig? The Board of Aldermen approved the formation of a Housing Adviso ry Committee Monday night and in doing so acted on one of several rec ommendations made last month by the Housing Tasfr Force. . During the aldermen's April 17 meeting the Housing Task Force told the board that there should be an "on-going citizen body to build on the work of the Housing M Force." The new committee will advise the city board and focus on policy issues as they relate to the delivery of housing services and the develop ment of housing and redevelopment programs and projects, said Dr. Moni ca R. Lett, director of Housinj^eighbornood bevelopmenL The committee would also be expected to function in an advocacy role for expanded housing opportunities within the community and address non-public sector issues/ said Dr. Leu. Seventeen people will iDfmjhc committee. Five of those members will come from neighborhood organizations, at least two representing a current redevelopment area at the time of their appointment. Of the other appointees, two will represent local lenders, one small-scale and one large scale residential builder or developer, two other housing specialists (con sultants or management agents), two real estate agents, a residential archi tect, a rt*l estate attorney arid tw6 lihim tlM IM OHnmunliy M-Utfge. ? "The composition of the membership of the Housing Advisory Com mittee is proposed tabe^diverse in representation, with a specific represen tative cross section of housing providers," Dr. Lett said. Members will serve a three- year term and could be reappointed for one additional term, she said. The committee will select its own chair. The advisory committee responsibilities are as follows: Please see page A2 Johnson named to head academic affairs at WSSU By TONYA V. SMITH Chrorido Staff Writer Directing his personal and professional goals towards the growth of Winston-Salem State University has resulted in Dr. Alex B. Johnson being recently named vice chancel lor of academic affairs at his alma mater. Dr. Johnson has been acting vice chancellor for aca demic affairs for nearly a year but he was officially named to the permanent post May 12. During the past academic year Dr. Johnson has worked to develop and coordinate the university's instnic tion program. Increasing and developing quality faculty members was imperative to meeting that task, he said. As permanent vice chancellor, Dr. Johnson wants to increase the visibility of WSSU. "Our university's mission is to serve citizens in this area, and it's part of our role to develop our public service and attract more high quality students who are better pre pared and make sure they have all the educational support they require," Dr. Johnson said. Maintaining a good working relationship with the public is essential to his task of increasing WSSlTs visibil ity, he said Dr. Johnson's extensive community involve ment helps him keep community members and organiza tions abreast of the university's activities, he said Dr. Johnson is a member of the executive board of the Old Hickory Council of the Boy Scouts of America; the board of directors. Step One; the board of directors, Forsyth Court Volunteers; mediator. Neighborhood Justice Center. His participation in community activities are impor tant for the university's image and growth, said Dr. John son. MI think it's my responsibility also to project the image of the institution and portray that everywhere I am," he said. "A lot of times Winston-Salem State University has been left out of the mainstream because no one wanted to get involved. That changed with the chancellor (Mr. Thompson). What I do internally is to make sure all the resources they, the faculty and staff, require are there." Dr. Johnson oversees the seven directors of the vari ous academic and support areas at the university. There are 150 full-time faculty members and about 35 support staff people that provide services or support to the students, he said, adding that academic affairs is the largest area of the Please see page A8 Photo by Sam Greenwood Dr. Atox B. Johnson Black Power: Real or Imagined? Local elected leaders say blacks don't exercise all their political power By TONYA V. SMfTH Chronicle Staff Writer This is the second in a three part series looking at Afro-Americans and the establishment, pre - sent development and future progression of their claims to political power. Political power was the instrument that enslaved Afro-Americans and took away their rights to be treated as human beings, however, that same power - in the hands of different men - set the captives free and gave the race the right to vote. Today there are some politicians who say Afro-Americans are coming to realize their full political strength. Still there are others, like Alderman Patrick Hairston who say Afro American political power is both weak, and in some instances, non-existent. "If there is such a thing as black political power, then we don't have it in Winston-Salem," said the alderman of the city's north ward. "In order for us to have political power in Winston Salem (on the city Board of Aldermen) it takes five votes, and we only have four (Afro-Ameri can aldermen) on the board. And with the four going in four different directions it's hard to access black political power." Sure, Afro-American aldermen have been able to push some things that directly affect their community, such as economic develop ment projects, Mr. Hairston said. And there are other things the aldermen could do if the Afro American community exercised their political power, he said. "I don't place all the blame on black elected officials," said Mr. Hairston. "Black people, as a whole, bear some of the responsibility. When only 1 1 percent of blacks vote (Afro- Americans make up about 42 percent of the city's total pop ulation) that's telling us something. "Some of us aren't concerned abut our plight or our destiny. Since Tve been an alder man the types of complaints I hear from blacks are that their street wasn't swept or the snow wasn't removed. I have not seen a group of black people come to the board with an eco nomic package - except for the new shopping center - that would create jobs." When Rep. Annie Brown Kennedy thinks about Afro-Americans' political power she thinks of people with the power to make deci sions which will have life-long effects, she said. "I think of elected officials and persons who are employed in positions where their deci sions can have an impact on policies and on black people," said Rep. Kennedy. "People such as city managers, assistant managers, people who have positions in service organizations. Please see page A8 Annual Percentage Increase in the Numbers of Black Elected Officials in the U.S. I mm
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