1§M THE CHARLi >TTE Pi 1ST
"Uiariotte s t astest Growing Community Weekly” | black consumers
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LfecoTo
Aid Voter
Registration
For the purpose of promot
ing voter registration and to
make residents of District 3
aware that Ron Leeper is
seeking a seat on the City
Council to represent District 3,
a disco will be held Saturday,
July 23 at the Dalton Village
community center from 2 to 8
p.m.
Leeper will attend the disco
to answer any questions resi
dents may have. Registrars
from the Board of Elections
will also be there to register
residents.
Any persons 18 or older, who
has moved from one precient
to another, must re-register in
order to vote in the precient
they moved into. The regis
trars will be there from 2 to 8
p.m. to assist residents in any
areas needed. No test is need
ed in order to register.
If transportation is needed,
call 374-0557, Thursday and
Friday between the 5 and 7
p.m. Also, calls will be accep
ted for any questions.
Consumers Urged
To Conserve
Electricity
•TC.. kT_iL. O_•>_ _ itiiiiii
*t»v nviui vai uuiia^f UUUC9
Commission Wednesday war
ned that with continued hot
weather it is likely that de
mand for electricity may ex
ceed the available capacity
f«T generating power. Consu
mers are asked to move as
much of their electric loads as
possible to off-peak times in
the early morning and late
evening hours, and to espe
cially conserve electricity us
age during 4 to 6 p.m. peak
hours to avoid any possible
crisis situation. Air-condition
er thermostats should be set at
higher temperatures.
The Commission indicated
this action was necessary be
cause of the unusually hot
weather with record setting
temperatures, causing elec
tric power requirements to
reach new peak levels. These
new peak demands for electric
power are resulting in a tight
electric capacity supply situa
tion because of outages at
several major electricity gen
erating stations.
Movement of electric loads
to off-peak hours is important
throughout the year, however,
in times of high temperatures
such as those projected for the
next few days, shifting of
Joads to off-peak hours is
especially important.
The Commission will con
tinue to monitor demands for
electric power and the utilities
efforts to restore major un
available generating equip
ment to full service and will
take further action as neces
sary.
ff* _ Of_1 Of__
a i aim: ot^nai -
Gets New Location
The traffic signal sign shop
of the Traffic Engineering
Department has moved from
its 1200 Otts Street location to
3701 Craig Avenue. It also has
a new phone number 374-2315.
The old quarters will be
taken over by the Fire Depart
ment for its fire alarm main
tenance division and to use as
storage.
lIKUPttU
If you are a self starter -
your boss won’t have to be a
CRANK.
MISS DIANE OWENS
...AES Secretary
Miss Diane Owens
Is Beauty Of Week
oy jen narvey
Post Staff Writer
Diane Owens "is a quiet
spoken young woman who
doesn’t consider herself beau
tiful. Chosen as the POST
Beauty of the Week, she said,
“Of course I’m flattered but I
don’t consider myself any
more beautiful than the next
person. After all, you’re only
as beautiful as you feel on the
inside.” We can agree with
Diane while still calling her a
beauty, for her inner glow
definitely shines through to
the outside.
The daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Isaac Owens, Diane is a
native of Morven, which she
told us is near Wadesboro. She
moved to Charlotte shortly
after completing high school
in Morven three years ago,
and enrolled at CPCC where
she graduated with an Asso
ciate Degree in Executive
Secretarial Science. Now em
ployed as a secretary at the
Agricultural Extension Ser
vice on Billingsly Road, Diane
would like to return to school
eventually to prepare for a
career as an instructor of
business education.
First of all. howover rnmH
a church wedding on Septem
ber 17, when she wiH become
Mrs. Billy Streeter. Billy is
from Chesterfield, South Caro
lina and is co-owner, with his
brother, of a seafood market
there. He is also employed at
the Brass Construction Com
pany of Pageland, S.C.
Of all the instructors she’s
had during her academic ca
reer, Mrs. Dora Johnson, head
of the Business Department at
CPCC, stands out as the one
who moat influenced and moti
vated Diane. "She's more
than a teacher. She's a counse
lor, friend, everything," Di
ane explained. "I can call her
right now and she'll listen to
my problems whether they
are job-related or personal
She'll advise and encourage
me whenever 1 need It. She’s
quite a lady."
Diane speaks in very soft
tones, but firmly, when she
~ discusses women's rights.
City Receives Grant
The City of Charlotte has
received an engineering de
sign grant from the Environ
mental Protection Agency for
the preparation of plans and
specifications for the McAl
pine Creek Plant upgrading,
the Sugar Creek int^rc^r’or,
the Matthews interceptor and
the Toby Creek interceptor
marriage, ner reugious views
and civil liberties. “I feel that
a woman can develop her
potential career-wise and as a
human being within the
framework of marriage as
long as the two people have
a mutual agreement as to the
importance of the individual. I
would never do anything
knowingly that would hurt my
future mate, but I always
intend to retain my sense of
self. I can only make him
happy if I am reasonably
happy also,” was how she
explained it. “I have certain
Christian values which were
instilled in me as a child and
they help me to make deci
sions that might otherwise be
difficult. But don’t get me
wrong,” she quickly added, “I
like a good time. Billy and 1
love to go to parties and
dances. We both used to be
very shy but since meeting,
we each seemed to help the
other overcome this. We’re
really compatible.
Dr. Jesse Jackson is some
one whom Diane admires,
both for his ideals and his
dynamic speaking style. She
feels that Dr. Martin Luther
King's influence lives on even
though he is gone, but sees
many areas where the black
and poor are still deprived
We hope Diane will use her
intelligence, moral and Chris
tian beliefs to help try to
correct some of the wrongs we
see around us.
Titus Ivory Elected Banking Officer
By Deborah Gates
Post Staff Writer
Titus L. Ivory, a native 01
Rock Hill, S.C, and a 1967
graduate of West Charlotte
High School has been elected
Banking Officer at Wachovia
Bank
ivory joined Wachovia in
1974 as a Management Train
ee. In 1976 he was appointed
Manager of the Commerce
Center Office. In July 1977,
Ivory wfcs named the new
manager of the Arrowood Of
fice.
A graduate of Morgan State
College with a degree in Busi
ness Administration, he is
married to Carlenia Ivory of
Fayetteville, N.C. They have
one child "on the way." Ivory
said he has worked for the
First National Bank of Boston,
in Boston, Mass I enjoy
being back in Charlotte after
being away for three years,"
Ivory said, adding, “I feel
Charlotte is where I will esta
blish myself and my home."
Also elected as Banking Of
ficers were Robert N. Clark,
Ann J. Ferguson, Frank W. Ix
and Michael Stephens
Clark joined Wachovia in
1974 as a Field Representative
in Charlotte's Retail Loan De
partment. He was named Re
tail Loans Collection Manager
in 1976. Gark is a native of
Charlotte and holds a business
degree from Western Carolina
University.
Ms. Ferguson joined Wa
chovia in Raleigh in 1963 as an
auditor In 1964 she went to
Greensboro where she worked
in the Retail Banking Depart
ment as Head Teller Ms
Ferguson then transferred to
Charlotte in 1966 where she
performed as Head Teller. In
1970 she assumed the duties of
the Mortgage Loan Processor.
In 1973 Ms. Ferguson became
a Personal Banker at tits
Providence Road Office. Ms.
Ferguson is a native of Ra
leigh.
Ix joined Wachovia in 197S
as a Commercial Bank Train
ee in Winston-Salem. In De
cember of 1975 he moved to
Charlotte with the responsibi
lities as Corporate Loan Ad
ministration Representative.
Ix is a native of Demarest,
New Jersey He holds a degree
in Economics from Boston
College and a Masters Degree
from the University of Virgi
nia.
Stephens joined Wachovia in
1975 as a Commercial Trainee
in Winston-Salem In 1977 he
moved to Charlotte as the
. Bank executive
Assistant Manager of the In
ternational Department Ste
phens is a graduate of the
University of North Carolina
with a degree in Business
Administration
^ t W V.
With Law-Making Bodies
Mrs. Willie Smith Advises
BPC To Establish Liaison
r ood stamp
Eligibility
Increases
vrrtonnMu i urN-Assisiani
Secretary of Agriculture Carol
Tucker Foreman today an
nounced an increase in income
eligibility limits for one and
two-person food stamp house
holds because of a recent
increase in the Department of
Agriculture’s income poverty
guidelines.
The new monthly net in
come limits in the 48 states
and District of Columbia are
set at $262 for one-person
households and $344 for two
person households.
Net monthly income limits
have been set for the past year
at $245 for a one-person house
hold and $322 for two-person
households. These limits e
qualed the Department’s in
come poverty guidelines in
effect from July 1,1976 to June
30, 1977.
According to Assistant Se
cretary Foreman, the new
income limits, effective July
1, reflect an increase in the
Department’s income poverty
guidelines. These guidelines
are adjusted annually to re
flect changes in the Consumer
Price Index.
Announcement of the new
income limits will appear in
the Federal Register of July
lO
Liz Hair To
Attend U. S.
Commission Meet
Mrs. Elizabeth G. Hair,
Chairman of the Mecklenburg
Board of County Commission
ers, will participate this mon
th in a meeting called by the
U.S. Civil Service Commission
to discuss reorganization of
federal personnel manage
ment. *
The meeting will be in At
lanta on Wednesday, July 27,
at the regional offices of the
Commission.
Regional Director David
Caldwell says that the Atlanta
meeting will be one of several
such meetings to be held in
each of the 10 Civil Service
Regions "to obtain ideas, sug
gestions, comments and input
from persons who have a
direct interest in personnel
management."
BUSINESSMAN PHILLIP OSBORNE
.—With his prized bentley
Phillip Osbome-The Man
And His Unusual Business
By Jacquie Levister
Post Staff Writer
I have only one life and I
need for the big portion of it
spent working to be enjoyable.
No, it's not a spin-off of the
Schlitz commercial. It’s Phil
lip Osborne of Phillip Osborne
and Son, Car Restorations.
Because of his attitude about
working, the risk of giving up
a steady job was a secon
dary consideration when Phil
decided to go into business.
According to Osborne, who
had been employed by GM
since 1967, "I saw the kind of
profits dealerships were mak
ing, knew I couldn't afford a
franchise, but after having
been a warranty representa
tive (service operative to 20
dealers in his district) and
looking at the incentive pro
grams dealers were offered, I
decided that I was just as
sharp as anyone else and
needed to be on my own.
When Osborne started with
GM he was the 39th man in
order of authority in the area
Upon his leaving the firm he
had progressed to the number
two position, as a warranty
specialist and troubleshooter
Even though he was never di
rectly supervised he felt it
would be worth $10 thousand a
year 10 De ms own doss Witn
that philosophy it, in Osbor
ne's vernacular, would take a
much smaller figure to break
even the first year.
Osborne purchased his first
MG in 1961 and felt he was not
getting proper service for the
vehicle. Beginning as a me
chanic at Second Ward High
School under the guidance of
Milas Frazier, he used that
mechanical experience and
began servicing his own car.
After going to GM and becom
ing certified in all areas of
Chevrolet maintenance, he
pooled all his technical exper
tise, re the automobile, and
made the final plunge into
business.
“Diamond on Wheels,"
“Love Story” and "McMillian
and Wife” were three of about
seven hollywood productions
that promoted the usage of the
classic MG. The business he
officially opened in Nov 1975
specializes in the classic MG,
those made between 1930 and
1955 and his present inventory,
of about 27 cars in various
stages of disrepair, is dated
from 1944-55 Included in this
stockpile of automobiles are
MG's, Austin Haleys and Bug
Eye Sprites.
Osborne, his son Phil Jr and
part-time employee Donald
Lewis work together to com
pletely build, restore, and-or
make mechanical repairs. Os
borne and Son Restorations
has the capabilities to start
from stratch, (using parts,
cutting and finishing wood
work. sand-blasting body, re
building the engine and wiring
electrical circuits* to turn out
a brand new 1945 or any other
year, “new car "
Approximately 65 percent of
all business done by the com
pany is from out of state.
Puerto Rican, and Hawaiian
customers send their cars to
Osborne by way of Jackson
ville, Fla From Jacksonville
they are loaded on trucks and
delivered to his business at
3307 Statesville Avenue When
the job is complete the process
is reversed.
The major goal of Phillip
Osborne is to retire at the age
of 50. He then intends to
release the business to the
management of his son Phillip
Osborne Jr., who at his fa
ther's retirement will be 21.
From the very beginning of
the business Phil Jr has been
working along with his father
and at the young age of 13.
knows the business thorough
ly
Though the business inven
tory consists of 27 classic cars,
Osborne does not own a classic
MG at this time •‘Everylime I
build one for my personal use
someone comes along and
offers me a deal I can't refuse
and I end up selling it,”
related Osborne However, the
personal cars he owns are a
1969 Chevrolet Camaro, a 1970
MG GT and a 1951 Rolls Royce
Bentley Silver Dawn
The MG is a classic because
of the fact that none have been
made since 1955 British Ice
land the present manufactur
er of the MG bought the
company in 1969 The new
models are extremely com
mercial according to Osborne
That fact along with the fact
that the molds for the classic
design are no longer in exis
lance has caused the classic to
escalate in price by approxi
mately 23'j percent A car
that sold for *1,875 in 1950
brand new, was restored by
Osborne and equipped with all
the options that were avail
able when the car was origi
nally placed on the market
BPC Needs
Contact
People
By Hoyle H. Martin Sr.
Post Executive Editor
Charlotte's Black Political
Caucus (BPCi was advised at
its regular monthly meeting
last Sunday to appoint liaison
or contact persons with the
various public law-making bo
dies in order to keep abreast of
political developments and to
know when and where the
caucus' influence can be best
utilized.
Mrs. Willie Smith, an active
BPC member and director of
District 6 of the North Caro
lina Association of Educators
told the 35 members in atten
dance that her experiences
with the educator's organiza
tion has clearly demonstrated
the significance of having con
tact persons in the two houses
of the state legislature, the
Mecklenburg County Commis
sion, the City Council, and the
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Scnool
Board. She noted also the need
for a telephone - night letter
service “if the Caucus is going
to begin to have the kind of
political impact it needs in
orde to be of meaningful ser
vice to the community and to
the black community in parti
cular.”
Thn nil...*!..._-J_Si_
late Mrs. Smith told her atten
tive audience also that the
contact persons should be re
quired to attend all BPC meet
ings to provide feedback re
ports on development in the
public sector. "This is the only
way that the Caucus can be a
really effective force in the
community." Lastly, Mrs
Smith, who was serving as
chairperson of the meeting in
the absence of Caucus presi
dent Robert Davis, told the
group "all elected officials
should be invited to BPC
meetings regularly to keep
them conscious of our exis
tence and concerns "
As a second term member of
the 25- person State Democra
tic Executive Committee, and
through activities in the edu
cators group. Mrs. Smith said
in an interview following the
Caucus meeting, "I have seen
and experienced what a liai
son person can do in influenc
ing lobbyist and legislators on
vital issues " The Black Politi- -
cal Caucus, Willie Smith em
phasized "needs visibility in
Raleigh so that we can be in a
position to act rather than
re-act to important issues "
As planner and chairperson
of a workshop sponsored by
the BPC and attended by 55
people last Saturday, Mrs
Smith said she shared with
them her views on liaison
needs and received a favor
able response Among those in
attendance at the workshop
were state Insurance Com
missioner John Ingram and
his assistant Robert Ray,
County Commissioner Bob
Walton, City Councilman Har
vey Gantt, school board chair
man Phil Berry, and election
board member Phylis Lynch
Since the issue of liaison or
contact persons was not on the
agenda for the BPC meeting,
no formal action was taken,
however, Mrs Smith will offer
such a proposal at the next
meeting
Robert Davis, president of
the Black Political Caucus,
was out of town and not
available for comment on
Mrs Smith's ideas