CME Church names second
female presiding elder. i
75 cents
"The Twin City's Award-Winning Weekly"
VOL. XVII, No. 48
"I've done nothing __
wrong. I'm very con
fident this will be
shown and proven."
- Larry Womble
Larry Womble: Calm before the storm
By SHERIDAN HILL . four African trips: a stringed instrument made of an
Chronicle Staff Writer ? animal's horn fitted on the neck of a hollowed gourd,
a fur-trimmed wooden case for a dangerously sharp
Alderman Larry Womble lives^ in a- small- brick? spear,. severaL masks,, bronze-plated figurines ^_and_
home in the heart of his precinct, the Southeast two etchings of Masai warriors.
Ward. A small dogwood stand* alone in the closely Womble stands and reaches for one of the
cropped yard; a few sparse boxwoods dot the front of Masai prints. He does not try to camouflage his
the house. height: his back is always erect, his jaw level. It is an
Two sofas crowd the narrow living room. They appropriate posture from which to face the sudden
are long enough to accommodate Womble's 6'4" crisis in his life.
frame. The crushed velvet upholstery is worn, as if A four-year FBI investigation ended this spring
he has spent many late hours working here, on the when Womble and three other local black leaders
phone with constituents, making late-night calls to were charged in a 28-count indictment alleging rack
officials, or talking with parents of students at eteering, conspiracy, extortion, and money-launder
Kennedy Middle School, where he is assistant princi- ing.
pal. ? ? .. ;v:~r ... "The Masai live out in the bushes," he says,
The brick hearth is crowded with souvenirs from admiring the noble face, its high cheekbones and
squared jaw. "They are hired as body guards for peo
ple that live in the city. They sharpen their teeth with
fitesT* ? : :
"This is the first time anything
like this has happened to me.
It has truly humbled me to see
the way people have come out
in support!"
Below the drawinp, small print reads, "The Masai
are known and respected for their legendary
courage. Before the advent of the white man, they
dominated East Africa. Now they are predominantly a
pastoral tribe, roaming the land."
In the months to come, Wombte will need the
courage of a Masai warriorrOrrOctober 2t7+ie wtH
tried on charges of extorting money to influence his
vote on the board of aldermen. He faces 120 years i n_
prison and a $1 .5 million fine.
An FBI informant says that in 1988 Womble
asked for $10,000 "to be of service whenever he
needed." One source close to the case maintains
that Womble did not solicit funds; rather, that he was
approached and was offered money, which he
planned to use to offset expenses for a dinner for
N.C Black Elected Municipal Officials and to start a .
scholarship fund for black athletes.
Womble, along with former alderman Patrick T.
Please see page A2
N*A*T?!*ON'A*L
NEWS
Clark blasts school system
' '? * ? '"r* v W v'-- -V'-H ?
NEW ORLEANS (AP) ? Noted bat-wielding
and bullhorn-toting principal Joe Clark took
swings at the nation's public education system
and affirmative action during a speech before
southern lawmakers.
Clark, a black Republican from N.J. who was
the fOcus of the movie "Lean on Me," told more
than 1,000 delegates to the Southern Legislative
Conference that parents should be given money
by federal and state governments to send their
children to the school of their choice.
Galas says he'd leave in April
LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Nearly five months
after the videotaped beating of a motorist, Police
Chief Daryl F. Gates finally agreed to step down,
butJnJiis own time> next April.
. "People of this city at long last can have this
trauma behind them,M said Mayor Tom Bradley.
suffered, our image has suffered on a
nationwide basis and around the world." The
tough-talking Gates fought tears and his voice
faltered as he fold his officers in a videotaped
message Monday of his plans.
Ubarlan refugees dying of disease
WATERLOO, Sierra Leone (AP) ? Libertan
refugee* risked everything to escape civil war at
hbme and a rebel invasion of this neighboring
country. They are safe how. but some'srs dying
of disease. ' ' :
Measles, diarrhea1 and malnutrition are the
main killers and most victims am children, said
James Collier, chairman of the Liberian
Refugees Committee. Comer pointed to a ceme
tery next to the camp, which shelters 5,600 peo
ple, and two do?h had died since May.
mkW ., ?? *? ? ??' . "V .. -.?*?
Cotton Club murder trial elosss
LOS ANGELES (AP) ? An ex-girlfriend of a
prominent Hollywood producer and three former
bodyguards were convicted of murder today in
the 1MS "Cotton Club" slaying of a New York
However, Karen "Laynie" Greenberger and
co-defendant Robert Lowe were convicted of
aecond-degree murder, thus escaping s possible
death sentenoe.
On top of the world L
Ik
*
?
* \
4 ^
as Mr. and
.C. Benton Conven
:. Cook
. Ail wln
thalr choice.
or university of
COMMON VISION
Hope for East Winston?
By SHERIDAN HILL
Chronicle Staff Writer
Nancy Young, Director of Corpo
rate Affairs for Sara Lee Corporation
and treasurer for the East Winston
Community Development Corporation
(CDC), also called for widespread sup
port of the plan.
"People who don't live in East Win
ston donl realize how important devel
opment in that area is to the entire
community. Look at what happens
when a city gets desertion in the down
town area," said Young. "Each part of
the city makes up the whole."
Other suggested plans for East
Winston include a library branch and a
Forsyth Technical Community College
satellite campus, re-developing or
demolishing Skyland School, and con
struction of 15 homes in Lake Park
subdivision.
Also in the plan are suggestions
that address minority business devel
opment, minority employment opportu ?
Allen Joines, Director of Develop- nity, venture capital, and educational
ment for the city, pointed out thaLa needs including developing Winston
number of the programs in the plan are Salem State University as a major
already underway. regional institution with masters-level
"Putting them together gives them programs.
the support of the entire community, The Forsyth Community Develop
which is essential," said Joines this
week. Please see page A2
Two weeks ago the Forsyth Com
munity Development Council released
a strategic development plan for the
county. The report, entitled "Common
Vision," marks the first time that a plan
for East Winston development has
been formally included in the county
plan.
Projects named for East Winston
economic development include:
? monitor progress of Martin Luther
King Jr. Boulevard extension
? monitor progress of 14th St.
widening
? recruit three tenants for New
Walkertown Shopping Center
? recruit three tenants for Eastway
Plaza Specialty Shopping Center
? study the street network in East
Winston ? =
Improving upon success
Parks joins local UNCF
By YVETTE N. FREEMAN
Chronicle Staff Writer
The local office of the United Negro College
Fund (UNCF) has a new assistant area development
director.
James Parks, a native of Kannapolis, NC,
assumed tiis new position in April of this year. He ~
was formerly with Miller Brewing Company as a mar
keting/promotions manager.
Parks has a number of ideas in mind to help
improve the fundraising campaign of the UNCF.
"There are a lot of things that I would like to see
done. But at the-same time, 1 must say that Winston
Salem has^had, for a number of years, a very good
campaign tfith some very dedicated volunteers.
There are some special events which we would like
to add to the program this year in Winston-Salem,
and hopefully that will improve it. But we're trying to
improve upon something that's already very success
ful," he stated. He added that there are about four to
five "sizable promotions on the drawing board right
now," all of which may or may not result in major
local campaigns. But he said. "We think they are
things which will definitely give us considerable more
^visibility and increase Our fundraising ability in the
local area."
Parks said that he would also like to see a few
changes in the fundraising campaigns. "In our
fundraising efforts, I don't think we have taken full
advantage of the things that our graduates have
done," said Parks. "There are UNCF graduates all
Please see page A3
FOR HOME DELIVERY CALL ? 722-8624 ?
Photo by Mike Cunningham
James Parks is the new assistant area devel
opment director ol the local UNCF office.