34 Pages This Week
?Thursday, April 26,1990
50 cents
'The Twin dry's Award-Winning Weekly'
VOL. XVI, NO. 35
Photo by L B. Speas Jr.
of th eBl ngha m car fslf smashed -In, bufl et-rTd<31 ed Tuitfc.
Black legislators flex
muscle as session starts
By JOCELYN DANIELS
Senior Writer, Capitol Coverage Service
RALKIGH - If numbers mean
strength, then the North Carolina
Black legislative Caucus seems to
be getting stronger each legislative
year.
The Caucus' two newest mem
hcrs were recently appointed to fin
ish terms. They arc Dr. James
Green, D-Vance, and Howard Lee,
D-Orangc. Dr. Green, who was
appointed to fulfill the unexpired
term of the late Sen. William T.
Watkins, joins four other Afro
American state senators. Mr. Lee,
who replaces Rep. Wanda Hunt,
who resigned, joins 13 other Black
/?I 1 ^ | L Lfr'iiir'n /\f
Representatives.
So when the General Assembly
reconvenes May 21, the Black Cau
cus will number 19, the highest
number of Afro-American state
lawmakers in this century.
This caps a 21-year period of
growth that began in 1969, with just
one Afro-American legislator.
The two new members of the
Black Legislative Caucus each
bring more than additional numbers,
both to the Caucus, arid to the Gen
eral Assembly.
Dr. Green, for example, adds a
new dimension to the legislature
bccausc of his occupation.
"There's not a physician in the
legislature," he pointed out recently
in a phone interview. "I'm the only
one. So I see part of my role as
directing the legislature in matters
of health."
Dr. Green's interest in the legis
laturc actually culminated in 1988,
even before the appointment.
"I ran for the legislature in
1986 before the appointment," he
Please see page A11
Black Community Outraged
SBI probes death of
former WSSU student
By TONYA V. SMITH
Chronide Staff Writer
Witcher been a white
man, ihe same "stupid" protocol used two
years ago when Michael Hayes shot and killed
several people while sheriffs deputies looked
on, would have been followed and the 19-year
old would be alive today, said R.B. Nicholson.
-Mr. Ntchoteott's son, Thomas, was Called
by Mr. Hayes during his shooting spree off Old
Salisbury Road. Since that time, Mr. Nicholson
and other family members of Mr. Hayes' vic
4ims have-cruiclzed E. Preston OldhSm and thd
Forsyth County Sheriffs Department, alleging
incompetence.?
When -Mr. Nkholsorr watched television -
and read the newspaper accounts of how Mr.
PJease see pane A9
Photo by L B Speas Jr
Mayor Martha Wood, seated, signs proclamation in support of children as ACES
members Beverly Brooks, left, and Rosemary Cole look on.
Governor Martin wants more money for prisons
RALEIGH -- Gov. Jim Martin wants lo spend S49()
million to build new prisons, hut a legislative commit
tee contends that the suite doesn't need that much addi
tional prison space.
The governor wants North Carolina voters to
NEWS ANALYSIS
By Milton C. Jordan
approve this money in a bond referendum. He is
expected to ask the General Assembly to endorse the
concept during its "short" session that convenes May
21.
Gov. Martin's proposal, announced in December,
would add 9,MX) beds to the state's prisons, pushing
capacity lo about 25,(XX) inmates. He also wants voters
to approve a constitutional amendment that allow
judges lo sentence convicted criminals to mandatory
community based alternatives to imprisonment. These
alternative programs include electronic house arrest,
and IMPACT, a "b<x>i camp" approach to rehabilitation
for youthf ul offenders.
Experts agree: Black
athletes win more
on field than in class
By TONYA V SMITH
ChronicJo Staff Writer t
For the Afro-American child growing up in the
low-income areas of the couniry's inner cily's, athletics
can be ihe only wjy out. However, .or thousands of
youth ihe trip from poverty to prestigious while uni
versities is a round trip ucket lhal lands ihcm back on
the street corners they thought they had escaped.
Such was ihc sentiment of several Afro-American
members of a fynel of noicd experts discussing "The
Black Alhlele: Winners or Losers in Acadcmia?" The
live, national video-conference, sponsored by "Htlack
Issues in Higher F;ducalion ' on April IX,.featured pap
Please see page A11
Bui Slate Senator William N. Martin, D-Guil?_
ford, said in an interview this week that the General
Assembly would he mistaken to go along with the
Staff Photo
Clarence "Bighouse" Gaines to be honored at
weekend fund-raising gala.
governor's plan.
"Trying to develop a deliberate, long-range strate
gy for dcating with a very complex issue such as prtsotr
overcrowding takes much more than just building more
prisons, "Sen. Martin said. "We believe some additional
space is needed, but not nearly as much as the governor
proposes. We feel that we need to expand alternatives
to incarceration, and strengthen those other programs
that support the alternatives concept. One of the very
critical issues is to reduce recidivism."
Sen. Martin said the Spccial Legislative Committee
on Prisons will likely proposal that the state build about
3,500 additional prison beds.
Currently new prison space costs about $60,000
per bed, and another $20,000 annually in operating
costs, according to State Sen. Frank Ballancc, D-War
ren.
"Without a doubt that's too much money," he said.
"We've got to find something else to do."
Recidivism refers to the percentage of prisoners
who arc released from prison, but return. North Caroli
Please see page A8
Stage is set
for Gaines gala
By CRAIG T GREENLEE
Winston-Salem State basketball couch Clarence
"Bighousc" Gaines will take another stroll in the lime
light Saturday when national sports celebrities and dig
nitaries pay homage to the legend at a black-tic
fundraising banquet at the Joel Coliseum.
The festivities arc scheduled to begin a 6 p.m.
But while Games will get all of the attcnuon, the
real story is that Bighousc wants to build a solid finan
cial base lor the WSSU athletic program via the schol
arship fund that bears his name.
That's whs the price is set at SUM) a plate,
Gaines, whose XOft career victories make him col
Please see page A11
A sign is left to mark the occasion of a' grisly
.scene on Patterson Avenue.
Group pushes child
support enforcement
By RUDY ANDERSON -
CPiromeie Managing Editor ? t?
More than a quarter of a million children in North
Carolina are being .denied the child support payments
due them because at least one parent is neglecting that
responsibility. A local group, seeking to become part of
a national organization called the Association for Chil
dren for Enforcement of Support, wants the focus on the
child's needs as opposed to parent needs.
Mayor Martha Wood signed a proclamation Friday
AprifT9. supporting the Winstori^Salcm cftapicr of
ACES as an organizauon dcdicatcd to the rights of chil- _
drcn who are disadvantaged by parents who fail to meet
their moral ai\d legal obligations. She proclaimed
Wednesday April 25, as Child Support Awareness Day.
Members of ACES kicked off a membership drive with
a candlelight vigil at Miller Park Amphitheater to "light
a spark of hope in the hearts of non-payers to support
their children" and to increase public awareness of chil
dren's needs.
Koscmary-Cole, aJocal chaptcr membcr,fecallcd_
recently what life was like for her and the three chil
dren she had to raise alone. She said her story is similar
in many ways to those of single parents, both women
Please see page A11
f Winston-Salem Chronicle^)
i ?sr mmmm?
Gantt may emerge to challenge Helms
RALEIGH - Whether arch-conservative U.S. Sen. Jesse
Helms can be defeated this year may be determined in
large pari by black former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt.
Observers believe that Mr. Gantt haws a good chance of
winning the Democratic Party primary on May 8 because of
his strong base of support among the state's blacks. None
of the white candidates is generating much enthusiasm.
More state and national news ...
Please see page A3
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