Besse picks up another endorsement ? in his bid to be Lt. Gov. SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE ? The N.C. Chapter of the Sierra Club has endorsed Democrat Dan Besse for Lieutenant Governor. In announcing the endorsement, Chris Dowdle, chair of the N.C. Sierra Club political committee, said, "Dan Besse has dis tinaiii ic, which infects over 18 percent^ of the adult population of South Africa. She is currently the Co Chair of the CBC Task Force on HIV/AIDS. She has introduced legislation to allow people in developing countries like South Africa to have access to generic HIV/AIDS drugs at affordable prices, and she is working with her colleagues to increase fund ing for international HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention pro grams. Spending from page AI services. The figures come from the N.C. Institute of Minority Economic Development's research. Grandberry said he believed that most of those in attendance at the lunch and learn, which included several business and community lead ers, were surprised that minor ity dollars pack such a punch. "I don't think people know that; I really don't think that they under stand the power that they have," he said. "We have so much that we could be doing in this community, and I'm glad that the Urban League is part of "the solu tion " Mayor Pro Tempore Vivian Burke was among those who braved dreary conditions to attend the three-hour event. "I love the dollar because I know the dollar demands respect," Burke said as she greeted the group. "You should make sure that your dollar is respected and that you're not taken for granted." The audience members murmured in agreement. The N.C. Institute of Minority Economic Development enlisted the help of Dr. James Johnson Jr., of UNC Chapel Hill's Kenan Flagler Business School, to gauge minority spending habits across the state. Johnson compiled the data derived from research he and Dr. John Kasarda, also a UNC profes sor, conducted. Johnson and Kasarda have been crisscrossing the state to present their findings to the public. "I think it's both a form of enlightened self interest for (black people) as a community and politically it makes good sense because ... there's an assumption out there that we cost more than we contribute in the economy," Johnson said of the research. "Someone has to set mat recora straight." Johnson spoke at length about the Hispanic population's impact on the greater economy, even debat ing the pros and cons of illegal immigra tion with audience members. "I think the most important thing is to recognize that our native-born population is aging, aging out of the childbearing years and the viable working ages. We're not reproducing at a rate in this country that we'll have a well-trained, viable work force in the years ahead," he asserted. "My hope is that we understand the nature of demo graphic change and thai the tolerance is tied to also anoth er important word - competi tiveness - we need people; we need talent ... if you can't develop it on your own, you figure out how to import it." For more information about the NC Institute of Minority Economic Development, visit www.ncimed.com . Grandberry Photo* by Lay U Fmott Liberty Plus customer Shannon Fair, from left, with store cashier Wendy Ferguson and Manager Shannon Moya. Below: Raul Gonzales and Louis Melendez of Martinez Repairs. Merchants from page A1 have to worry about all this parking," he said of Liberty Street, where his shop, Cutt Creator Barber Shop, now stands. "1 felt like Liberty was a good area; it wasn't a shop around so, com petition wasn't all that stiff, and just to help the communi ty " Though Cunningham is comfortable on Liberty Street, he's aware that not everyone shares his sentiments. "I have some customers ... that really they want to get their hair cut before it gets dark because they figure that's when the crime, all that stuff starts," he said. The Liberty Street CDC has been working on the, corri dor for the past five years, tearing down old buildings, encouraging new business; and tackling the ever-present crime rate. Cunningham says he has seen a real difference since the CDC moved in. "They have really cleaned up this area," he said. "I know it's going to take a slow process, but they are really doing a great job." The corporation recently announced the formation of a Merchants' Association, where shop owners like Cunningham can work togeth er to improve the conditions in the area for their business es. "We felt that (through the association) the business peo ple on Liberty Strfcet would be able to communicate with each other, be able to help each other and then assist Liberty CDC in bringing other businesses to town and fixing up the older businesses on Liberty Street," said Board Chair Jim Shaw. "We got some good response the last two meetings and hope we can get them involved in partici pating in the meetings and doing some new things on Liberty." The presence of the organ ization is welcome news for Becky Flowers. She and her late husband J.D. Vickers pur chased a swath o?>land along Liberty Street in the 1980s and have operated several dif ferent businesses there since. "This is really a growing area through here. We get a lot of traffic that passes by," she said. "It's really kind of stayed the same for a long time... but lately, it is really booming." Flowers is an active mem ber of the Merchants' Association. She currently owns the Liberty Plus gas sta tion and convenience store Her Cruise One travel fran chise is housed in the adjacent building, which she also owns. The remaining square footage is rented to other business owners. She says she is excited about the upward mobility of the area, which she credits largely to the efforts of the CDC. "It's just growing; I would say in the next few years, it's going to be the place to b%," she happily declared. "There's still room for improvement but it's getting there." Anesthesiology Cardiothoracic Surgery Cardiology DERMATOLOGY Emergency Medicine ? ? 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We care for: ? psoriasis ? hair and scalp disorders ? acne and rosacea ? eczema and itch ? skin cancers and lesions ? ethnic and pigmented skin disorders ? aging ? laser rejuvenation ? vascular and hair laser, and ? cosmetic dermatology. To make an appointment or get more information about all the services offered in our clinics, call 336-716-3926 or visit wfubmc.edu/dermatology. KNOWLEDCE MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE. Dr. Omar P. Sangiieza ; Debro Copeland-Sizemore, PA; Dr. Steven R. Feldman; Dr. Rita Pichardo-Geisinger; Dr. Gil Yosipovitch; Dr. Alan B. Fkischer Jr.; Dr. Joseph L. Jorizzo ; Dr. Amy 1. McMichael; Adele Clark, PA. Not shown: Dr. Phillip M. Williford. Since 1993, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center has been consistently ranked as one of America's best hospitals by U.S.News & World Report WakeForest University Baptist i n r r. r i? Wake Forest University Physicians