' R&f # j c, aii i -.y, >-\ Yufe I k '-^fedK 36 Pages This Week Thursday, December 21,1989 ?AI-^ 1 ,v ' M. r i i ^ ^ * * '-c- ? ^ '0/">c5o Wood, Olivet address controversy over recall petitions By ROBIN BARKSOALE Chronicle Staff Writer s ?. . * ** - v Residents of the Northeast Ward are flexing their political muscle as efforts to recall Alderman Vivian H. Burkeeominue. Q Dr. J. Raymond Oliver, chair of the Concerned Citizens of the Northeast Ward, the group leading the recall effort, said now that the issue has been .raised, its ultimate outcome rests with the voters of the Northeast Ward and not with any individual residents or organizations. ^ "I am proud that the people of the Northeast Ward liave available to them the Democratic right to go to the polls to vote for the candidate who will best represent ihcm on the Board of Aldermen. That, basically, is what any effort to recall is about," Dr. Oliver said Tuesday. Discussion of a recall began shortly after the Dec. 4 Board of Alder men's meeting. Members of the committee have said that Mrs. Burke's deci sion to vote with the board's white, and mostly conservatively aldermen, amounted to a "betrayal" of the Afro*Amerjcan community. "Those of us who are educated and knowledgeable have the responsibility, as leaders, to fight to represent, protect and provide for so many people in our community who may be unable to protect and provide for themselves." . - Dr. J. Raymond Oliver ?? r On Monday, Mayor Martha S. Wood issued a prepared statement, clari fying her position on the residents' decision to call for Mrs. Burke's resigna tion and their decision to exercise the. recall option. Mrs. Wood said that as mayor she could not become involved in the recall process but that she hoped that both parties in the matter would settle their differences in a man ner that would be most beneficial for the city at large. "1 have no involvement of any kind in the effort to recall Alderman Vivian Burke. As mayor, I cannot become involved in local ward politics," read the statement from her office. "My oath requires me to be concerned about the whole city and it would violate the spirit of that oath for me to take sides in a dispute between an alderman and her constituents/' Mrs. Wood said that, while she will remain neutral on the issue, she has met with both Mrs. Burke and with Dr. Oliver to express her concern that they reach an amicable solution to the problem in the interest of the good of the city. "... Despite the fact that I cannot become personally involved, I do Please see page A11 Loan fund aids small business By TONYA V.SMITH Chronicle Staff Writer Small businesses, that otherwise would never exist, are given the chance to open shop thanks to the city's Economic Development Revolving Loan Fund. Implemented in 1985, the loan fund has disbursed 21 loans totaling $547,287 (as of Oct. 31, 1989), and 50 per cent of those loans were made to Afro-American busi nesses. In addition, two other loans have been approved but the funds have yet to be released, said Janet DeCreny, a city economic development coordinator. "The loan fund provides financing for small busi nesses located within the pocket of poverty, or at the F. Roger Pj|ftBaMnm4B4,T$!*floiogy Center, who are viable businesses or who have the potential to be viable businesses but who otherwise can not get bank financ ing," Ms. DeCreny said. Winston-Salem's "Pocket of Poverty" has jagged boundaries, but, roughly speaking, its confines are 25th Street to the North, Junia Avenue to the South and it extends as far West as Manlcy Street and as far East as Stadium Drive. The city's economic development office has maps and application packets available for people wishing to apply for a loan, Ms. DeCreny added. Individuals who can't qualify for conventional financing programs are eligible to apply for a revolving loan. If the proposed or expanded business would create jobs and stimulate development or expansion of the des ignated area, the business plan could be looked favorably upon by the seven-member loan pool committee which decides who will and will not receive funds, Ms. Decreny said. The minimum amount of a loan is $1,500 and the maximum, $30,000. The money can be used to acquire property for economic development, construction or rehabilitation of commercial buildings and structures, and to purchase equipment and fixtures which are a part of the real estate. Please see page A11 Just Like Me! Photo by Mike Cunningham Nine-year-old Lacherie Mitchell Is one of many^Afro-Ameflcan children who prefer to play "mommie" to black dolls. However, her mother, JtaCheryl, and countless other black parents have a difficult time trying to locate the dolls In area toy artf department stores. Black dolls noHotitfd in many stores By TONYA V. SMITH Winston-Salem. variety in local retail outlets? Chronicle Staff Writer Some of the more popular Well, that depends on where baby dolls that arc advertised you're shopping. During a rcccnt Santa Claus could have a during the Saturday morning car- visit to Scars Roebuck and Com difficult time fulfilling the wish- toon lineups cannot be found in pany at Hancs Mall no black cs of little Afro-American girls the brown-skinned variety. dolls could be found on its and boys if he shops in some of Exactly how hard is it to find the toy and department stores in baby dolls of the Afro-American Please see page A9 Board agrees to contracting goals Teacher suspended, Delta group gets property By ANGELA WRIGHT Chronicle Managing Editor School officials made an effort Monday to determine the extent to which minority contractors and subcontrac tor* in the area have been discriminated against. But at Monday's hearing only one of the five people who addressed the board said she had experienced discrimina tion as a female contractor. The Winston-Salem Forsyth County Botrd of Edu cation held the public hctring in o^cr to set affirmative action goals for minority contractors, in compliance with the new state law on public construction contracts. The law, S.B. 308, directs each city, county, or other public body to adopt a "verifiable percentage goal" for participation by minority businesses in contracts awarded by the entities. A "verifiable goal" is defined by the law as "written guidelines specifying the actions that will be taken to ensure a good faith effort in the recruitment and selection of minority businesses for participation in contracts awarded..." James Grace, representing the N. C. Association of Minority Businesses and the Association of General Con tractors, told the school board that he was there to encourage them to do everything possible to implement the new law. "Rather than talk about liow I have been discriminat ed against, I'd rather talk to you about how we can imple ment these programs now that they are law," said Mr. Grace. His comments were echoed by James Andrews, president of the Piedmont Contractors Association, and James Moore of the Metropolitan Dry wall Co. Both said Please see page A6 Mayor proposes citizens task force for decision on transit center By TONYA V. SMITH Chronide Staff Writer i ' A citizens task force, charged with locating an acceptable site for a new transit center, would allow those most affected to have a say in where the controversial facility should be located, Mayor Martha S. Wood told members of the Board of Aldermen Monday night. The new mayor proposed the creation of a citizens task force, members of which would be selected by Mrs. Wood and the aldermen, after discussing the city's dilemma with city manager Brycc A. Stuart. Last month the aldermen officially dropped from further consideration the site at Third and Liberty streets for the proposed S9.3 million center. James E. Harrington, North Carolina's secretary of transportation, vetoed the Third and Liberty site, saying it was too far from the down P? asp# 5 '*? : " #5. - "As we continue to work to improve the school's image we' 11 find more and more people coming in from different areas and other races. Already, a number of students are white, especially evening students. And we also need to talk to those stu dents who are talking about returning to school Dr. C B. Ha user town riders and a location cast of the area would better serve the city. for a transit center, clarify hs purpose, establish criteria for a location. In a memorandum to the aldermen, Mrs. Wood wrote, "It seems recommend multiple options for the aldermen to consider and identify that we have been struggling to resolve this problem for at least 10 the advantages and disadvantages of each option. years. The pattern has been that professional work was done on site Board members and Mrs. Wood will submit their selections within options and then proposals were brought to decision-making boards and the next few weeks so that the task force can be formed in January and the public. _ asked to return a report to the aldermen in April, "In almost every case, strong opposition to the proposals from par- Alderman Lynnc S. Harpc had several questions about the mayor's tics adjacent to proposed locations developed and prevailed. This sug- proposal in reference to the make up of the task force but appeared to gests that any future process be open to review from the beginning, and be relatively satisfied with Mayor Wood's proposal. Alderman Robert that various interests need to be involved in helping to preside over the S. Northington Jr. said what he liked most about the proposal was that site study." the task force would have to make a report four months after it formed. Mrs. Wood suggested, and the board unanimously approved, thai In other business, the board heard the annual report of the Human the citizens task force be comprised of bus riders, downtown business people and others. The group would start from scratch - define the need Please see page A9 Piedmont Regional U? WSSU officials plan regional marketing strategy By TONYA v smith diversify its student body. Aurelia G. Eller, board members are cr we get a chance, we should tell Chronicle Staff Writer ^ WSSU revived its Board of Visi- devising ways that the university can people about Winston-Salem State. tors and appointed 26 professional sell itself to students in Yadkin, "The community doesn't realize Sincc its founding as Slater and civic leaders to advise the institu- Surry, Davt#, Stokes and Davidson how significant this university is. A Industrial Academy in 1892, Win- tion and lQ hcjp it rcac^ ncw counties,-J', v large segment of the city looks upon ston-Salem State University has been goajs> University officials hope" to "Tlta most important thing is State as a black school on the other known as the Twin City s black uni- mar^el ^ school as a regional uni- better dissemination of how good a side of town. That is not the ease, vcrstty. vcrsity - retaining the more than 81 place this is," said board member Winston-Salem State is a very capa In recent years officials at the percent of Forsyth County students Timothy Pcnnell, a professor of ble and quality facility. They have college have adopted a two-fold pur- who enroll in state universities'out- surgery at Bowman Gray School of had some problems but they're beme pose: to continue to provide quality side of the region. Mcdicinc. "1 don't think anything education to Afro-Americans, and to Under the leadership of chair needs to be irumpcd up. but, wherev^ Please see page A6