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Woman battles debilitating disease, red tape
By BRIDGET EVARIS
Tm Gmkmku Si?ff Writer
t
Twelve yean ago, the world was
Janette Elles' oyster, and she was
more than ready to pry it open.
The Davie County native had just
graduated from the University of
California at Los Angeles with hon
ors. She planned to work as a
researcher in psychobiology and
eventually become a clinical physician
in the field of neuroscience.
Prior to her successes at UCLA,
Elles had already compiled a list of
accomplishments to last a lifetime.
Whik at Davie High School, she won
a number of local, regional and state
oratory competitions, actively partici
pated in a host of clubs and organiza
tions and mastered eight musical
instruments.
Elks had transferred to UCLA
from Western Carolina University for
her junior year. "I was a big fish in a
little pond," she said. "I wanted
more." At UCLA, Elles continued to
volunteer in school, community and
church activities.
The first tragedy struck in 1985.
Elles and five other young black
UCLA students were traveling on
the 405 Freeway when their Toyota
Corolla was struck by a semi. The dri
ver of the 18-wheder was drunk.
The three passengers sitting in the
back of the Corolla were killed; Elles,
the driver and the other student in the
front seat survived. However, Elles'
injuries left her with an epileptic con
dition. The condition causes violent
seizures of such magnitude that Elles
has broken 42 bones in the twelve
years since the accident.
In 1988, about one year after Elks
moved back to North Carolina, mys
terious symptoms began to plague
her. She sought out doctor after doc
tor, and in 1993, was diagnosed with
Systemic Lupus, a chronic disease
that affects the immune system.
Almost all of her major organs ?
heart, kidneys, lungs ? have been
affected by the disease, and she must
See LUPUS on A*
L fSeente Winston-Salem Greensboro High Point Vol.xnv l
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winston salem nc 27101-2755
what ftmjr porcotvo at tho madla't poor portrayal of tho school.
Supporters blame media for
Dudley High's bad image
By BRIDGET EVARTS
The Chronicle Staff Writer
GREENSBORO?Most people
don't know that Dudley High
School has produced some of the
most outstanding scholars in
North Carolina, say the historically
black school's students.
Instead, say the students, people
think that the school is crime-rid
den. The students chalk up this per
ception to one-sided media
coverage of "bad" incidents. But i
the camera is never trained on
Dudley when its students and i
alumni receive awards and honors.
Dudley High School parents,
alumni and students, joined by
ministerial alliance the Pulpit
Forum, vented these frustrations at
an Aug. 28 press conference held at
New Light Missionary Baptist
Church. However, it was the recent
suspension of principal Larry F.
Lewis that served as the impetus for
the press conference.
Fire marshal E.G. Apple filed
two misdemeanor charges against
Lewis Aug. 25, for failure to main
tain a proper alarm system and for
not heeding warnings to cease dis
abling the school fire alarm sys
tem. Lewis has been suspended
with pay pending an investigation.
The students and parents
claimed that the criminal charges
against Lewis are unprecedented
See DUDLEY on A6
Mayor's race heats up
Mark A.
?;*I Thomas
Jotmph A.
Almxandmr
Uln n r|
WUUU
By BRIDGET EVARTS
The Chkonicu Staff Writer
Candidates in the fall municipal pri
mary election are already hitting the
straat^nd pressing the flesh.
Primary elections, held to pare down
candidates by party for the November
election, can sometimes decide an elec
tion, if there are only challengers from
the incumbent's party.
While this is true in two aldermen
races, the mayoral race is another story.
There are six candidates running for
mayor of Winston-Salem, two
Republicans and four Democrats.
The four Democratic contenders for
mayor are Mark A. Thomas, Richard
Lambert Newton, Joseph A. Alexander
and incumbent Martha S. Wood.
Thomas, Alexander and Wood were
available for interviews.
Each offered his or her vision for the
future of Winston-Salem, and specifical
ly, for the African-American community
of the city.
The candidates spoke on the most
pressing concerns faced by African
Americans in Winston-Salem, and about
how they would assuage these problems.
"When I was first elected (in 1989),
the primary concern of the black com
munity was the increasing crime rate,"
said Mayor Martha S. Wood. During her
first term, crime in Winston-Salem
reached an all-time peak.
The solution, said Wood, was in creat
ing opportunities for residents in high
crime areas to find their own solutions.
People, not programs, reduced criminal
activity, said Wood.
Wood relied on those she felt best
knew how to deal with crime on a daily
basis, and modeled the city-wide
Violence Reduction Task Force after the
efforts of public housing residents.
"[Crime] is a problem that is always
with us," said Wood. "I don't want to let
up on that."
Challenger Joseph A. Alexander
thinks that the mayor's approach to prob
lem-solving takes too long, though. "Ms.
Wood gets together committees, and
studies the problems and then acts," said
Alexander. "The reaction time is a little
slow, and I think the city has stagnated in
growth."
Alexander, the only black mayoral
candidate, is a 35-year-old native of
See CANDIDATE on kj
Williams
Advances
(AP Photo/Clise Amendola)
Venus Williams returns to
South Africa's Joannatta Krugor
at tha U.S. Opan Sunday
Aug. 31, 1997. Tha 17-yoar-old
mads it to tha samifinals of
har first U.S. Opan with a 7-3,
7-3 victory ovar Sandrina Tastud
Tuasday night.
Tha 6-foot-1 Williams grabbad a
railing and hoistad harsalf up to
kiss har mothar aftar tha match.
Williams naxt moats Irona Splrlaa,
who has mada no sacrat of har
dlslika for tha attantion toons
lika Williams ara getting
before thay win even
ana tournament.
Easton SPLASHs
MppMtA) , "J '<?;,< j ' jMi v/' ?'??' ? . ? V/. " /r'i~ ?>'. "J
f " MS "? " ' ' 5, 1 . \ -'5^1
into Lafor Day
with sock hop
BpPBLBCIA P. MCMILLAN
S^tadtaTHS CHkONKLE , j
Although Labor Day marks the end of summer,
fa# student* at Easton Elementary School, it defi
; afcety does not mark the end of fan. Students,
teachers, parents and even administrators removed
their Aoaaand got on the good foot on Friday, Aug.
29 in the school gym.
The walls were decorated with balloons, poodle '
skirts, poster* of positive student graffiti, and album
covers from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. As students
add teachew danced to the sounds of B.T. Express, <
the Isley Brothers, the Spinners, Erykah Badu,
Snace Jam and others, shouts of "Go Betty! Go
Betty!" or "Go Shawnte! Go Shawnte!" {Bled the
gym, and students formed dance circles, cheering
oqe another on. They h|M hands, they screamed,
Set SOCK HOP on M
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