Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / Aug. 24, 1995, edition 1 / Page 1
Part of Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
For Reference Not to be taken from this library North Carolina Room Forsyth County Public library 660 West Fifth Street C #710' mm ?? Winston-Salem, Nj Winston-Salem Chron m U "(I jo ' The Choice for African-American News and Informat ... THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 1995 *' Power concedes nothing without o v/ // 020 1 96DA62 FORSYTH C NT Y PUB LIB. f\iC ROOM t>60 W 5TH S T ? !, UJ I NST ON - SALE M NC 2 /ID Irt'dcrick VOL. XXI, No 52 (left) Avon Ritffin, Charlie L. Kennedy, WUUe M. Kennedy , Lou Rawls , Marilyn Richards , and Frances Wimberiy pose for photographers during the evenL Rawls says the college fund is for all students regardless of race. The Grammy award winner singer performed briefly for the audience . Event | Raises I $62,0001 By JOHN HINTON Chronicle Senior Staff Writer [ c The 1995 Kennedy Evening of Ele gance raised more than $62,000 for the College Fund/United Negro College Fund last week end, surpassing the amount raised in previous years. More than 300 people attended the event which included an appearance by Lou Rawls, the founder of the UNCF Telethon and Grammy award winning singer. Last year, the event raised $40,000. Dr. Charles and Willie Kennedy hosted the affair at their luxurious home in Northwest Winston-Salem. The $62,000 raised this year see EVENT page 12 Howell: Postal Officials Evading EEOC's Ruling ByJOH i.iNTON Chronic U' Senior Suff Writer 'i| A Winston-Salem man, who prevailed recently in a racial discrimination case against the U.S. Postal Service, says that postal officals are evading a ruling of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The federal agency, however, believes that it is complying with the EEOC's Office of Federal Operations. The EEOC ruled in June that Timothy W. Howell, an African American, was discriminated against on the basis of race when his supervisors fired him in 1992 while he was learning his duties. Two other transitional employees, both white, were allowed to continue on the job by the acting supervisor even though records "were not signifi cantly superior" Howell's after 60 days, the com mission said in its ruling. The EEOC ordered the postal officials to offer Howell an opportunity for reinstatement into his position as a transitional employee city carrier within 30 days to work toward meeting the stan dards of the position. Jeffrey F. Perrotta, a labor relations specialist in the postal service's Greensboro district, notified mg too slow in complying with the EEOC ruling. see HOWELL page 13 ? "" City Officials to Keep Liberty St. Ramp Closed By MAURICE CROCKER Chronicle Staff Writer ... . Tbe Ubqrty Stroei.exiuamp leading back to U.S. 52 has been closed for two years, and according v to city officials it will remain that way. "At this time there are no plans to reopen the ramp," said Brent McKinney, the city director of transportation. According to McKinney, the city decided to close the ramp, because of a study performed con cerning traffic accidents. "The study showed that there were numerous accidents caused by traffic coming off the ramp," McK inney said. "After reviewing the study the city saw some long term benefits and decided to close the ramp." close the ramp was upheld by the N.C. Dept. of Highway Safety. "We reviewed the study and agreed that the ramp should be closed, we didn't close the ramp, we just agreed with their recom mendation/' said Doug Waters, a state highway engineer. Since the ramp has been closed, studies show a reduction in the number of accidents at the ramp. 'Traffic is flowing a lot better and the transactions on U.S. 52 are a lot smoother," Mc Kinney said. Although the closing of.the ramp made traffic transactions smoother, it made business transac tions rougher. - THttUttn ia wan mc mne, w hasn't increased any," said Margie Pitts, manager of Branco Food Mart Branco is located at the cor ner of 25th and Liberty Streets. Pitts said since the ramp has been closed business has slowed down tremendously. "Our business may decrease more or it may stay steady you never can tell," Pitts said. Pitts also said that no matter what happens, they plan to hang m there. see CITY page 13 ? I Area Business Owners Unaffected by Hunt's Order on Contracts i By MAURICE CROCKER Chronicle Staff Writer Local minority business owners aren't reaping the benefits from Gover nor Jim Hunt's decision to reissue an executive order, that is intended to help minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. The order is designed with a four percent goal for the use of minorities, Women, and persons with disabilities, for the state purchase of goods and ser vices. But according to area> busuess Owners, the order isn't having muA of in affect : "Nothing has changed with rift, I haven't received contracts to bid on or anything," said Frank E. McKissick, owner of FM Supplies. McKissick, who has been in accounting business foT over 1 1 years, says he doesn't see any changes being made until something else is done. "Unless they're going to put some teeth into it, then I don't see any differ ence," he said. . McKissick suggests that Hunt set down and meet with minority business owners to find what their needs really are. According to Katie Dorse tt, secre tary for the N.C. Dept. of Administra tion, the N.C. Division of Purchase and Contract has surpassed the four percent each year since 1989. Five percent of the contracts in 1993-94 fiscal year were awarded to minority business owners. These contracts totaled more than $97 million. "The order encourages minority business to bid on these contracts and it also encourages state agencies to use minority business," said Priscilla Smith, director of public information for the Administrators Department. According to Smith, over the past six years the state has met or surpassed the four percent goal. Some business owners said the order would not have an affect on their business one way or the other. "It hasn't had that much of an affect on our business, I don't see it/' said Grady McRae, owner of Graymac Elec tric Supply Inc. in Kernersville. "If you meet a certain criteria then why shouldn't they give me the opportu nity to bid," McRae said. According to McRae, the only thing the order will allow him to do is bid, which he does already. "In some cases it (the order) may be good, but we don't pursue bids on a minority basis," he said. McRae, who has been in business for five years, said the only state agency he has done business with is the N.C. Dept. of Transportation. Another business owner who does n't see the order having any affect on their business is Kathy F. Messer. Messer, owner of Mesco Forming of Winston- Salem, says she doesn't think the order will have any affect on her business. "We have never got a job because we were a minority business," Messer said. Although Messer's company has n't received any bids because of its minority status, she admits that the order could be helpful. "If our bid is close to another com S see HUNT'S page 13 Piggott Honored for Teaching Love Not Hate By MAURICE CROCKER Chronicle Staff Writer A Winston-Salem man will be hon ored by Gov. Jim Hunt, D-N.C., for his dedicated service and work to. increase peace among African- American youths. Ben Piggott is one of the state's final ist to receive an award from the N.C. Human Relations Commission. The award is given annually to an individual for their outstanding service to a Commu nity, and the betterment of human rela tions among all people. Piggott will be honored on Friday September 29, at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel Convention Center in Research Tri angle Park. The guest speaker will be Clifton Davis, who played Reverend Ruben Gregory onlhe television program "Amen." "Even if I don't get the award it is a pleasure to be recognized by the governor for my efforts," Piggott said. Piggott will be recognized for the work he has done at the William C. Sims Recreation Center in the Happy Hill Gar dens Community. Happy Hill Gardens has been stereo typed as one of the roughest areas in Win ston-Salem, because of drugs and vio lence. Piggott said that he and others have worked hard to tear down those negative stereotypes, and replace them with posi tive ones. "A child shouldn't be put down because he or she comes from a certain community," Piggott said. "Every child should have the right to becom# what they want to be, without someone telfing them otherwise" Piggott also says he feels that the chil see PIGGOTT page 13 ? FOR SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION PLEASE CALL 722-8624 ^
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Aug. 24, 1995, edition 1
1
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75