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ÎWJE CHARLOTTE POST
*&/λ. ^ "Charlotte's Fastest Growing Community Weekly'"
VOL 5 NO 7
BLACK NEWSPAPERS
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BY FAR. MORE
BLACK CONSUMERS
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA 28208-THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14. 1978
PRICK 30c
Senior
Citizens Win
Bus Fight
by Sherleen McKoy
Post Staff Writer
Senior Citizens United, a pre
dominately black group of
aboyt ISO senior citizens was
victorious in securing bus
tickets at a very low cost from
the Charlotte Transit system,
according to L.C. Coleman,
organizer for the group.
"In the scope of four years
tickets went from full to half
price and now senior citizens
can p4)fk:hase twenty tickets for
one dollar-ten free and ten for
ten cents," said Coleman. "Also
senior citizens, the blind and the
handicapped will be issued
identification cards by Central
Piedmont Community Col
lege."
Coleman said that the group
meets two times a month to
discuss business projects. The
victory was celebrated
September 13 after the business
meeting and a celebration
picnic was enjoyed from L-4
p.m. by the members and
guests.
Coleman was very excited
about the victory because he
said that as many senior citizens
as there are in Charlotte, this
small group was primarily
responsible for the action taken
by the Charlotte Τransit System
which will benefit all senior
citizens, ' the blind and the
handicapped.
The senior citizens are not
stopping to rest after this
victory but are now pushing for
free ambulance services.
Coleman said that the city has
already approved their
paçkageddeml concerning free "
amjfclance services and the
County Commission has
promised to analyze it but the
result* are still impending.
School transportation
ι ne cnua you see every
morning waiting for the school
bus is just one of more than
750,000 public school students
in North Carolina that will bç
boarding bright yellow buses
for the ride to school each
morning this year. Getting
them there is no easy job.
Mechanics - 876 of them -
have been working hard all
summer to ready North Caro
lina's fleet of 12,000 school
buses for the fall. The me
chanics, who are paid by the
state, work in 100 school bus
garages located in all Nôrth
Carolina counties. "We have
a fleet of buses that's in the
best condition they've ever
been in," says Louis Alex
ander, director of the Division
of School Transportation.
School bus transportation ir
the state has come a long waj
since the General Assembly
legalized transportation oi
pupils at public expense it
1911. While most school child
ren ride what are callec
"regular" school buses
others need vehicles that art
Cewhat different Smallei
β that carry 16 to 21
passengers eacn are used tc
carry certain physically and
mentally handicapped child
ren to their classes. Some ol
the smaller vehicles have seat
harnesses, for example, so
that the child who has muscu
lar dystrophy won't slide out
of his seat. Some are also
equipped with chair lifts to
ease the way of the wheelchair
student into and out of the
school bus, as well as to save
time he can use for other
objectives.
. According to Alexander the
state is also trying hard to
eliminate standees on school
buses. The 1977 General
Assembly appropriated the
necessary funds to provide
seats for all school bus pass
engers and superintendents
have been notified and have
been sent seating charts com
plying with requirements in
this area. Local administra
tive units will -be working
during this school year toward
providing seats for all pass
engers.
The 1978 General Assembly
also appropriated $1.15 million
dollars for the transportation
of pupils living 1V4 miles of
school who walk through haz
ardous conditions. It was
estimated in November, 1977,
that 66,000 students walked
, through dangerous walking
areas in certain administra
tive units on their way to
Γ»1·""1 Allotment* Till be
! made to administrative units
that · have expressed the
greatest need for these funds.
It was also determined that
the funds would transport 40
percent of the pupils reported
to be walking through the
hazardous conditions. Local
ooards of education are now in
the process of working out
transportation for these pu
pils.
City Update*
Services Brochure
A new, updated version of
he brochure Your Home In
Charlotte has been published
by the City's Public Service
and Information Department.
The eight-page booklet high
lights more than 20 programs
and services available to Cha
rlotte residents
The brochure has brief
descriptions of such services
as animal control, building
inspection, fire police, licens
es, and permits, litter control,
mobile dtv hall neighborhood
, centers
ENGAGING GWYN BYERS
....Statuesque beauty
Lovely Gwyn Byers
Is Beauty Of Week
Dy Monica urown
Post Staff Writer
"Beauty...an outward ex
pression of personal satisfac
tion with self"...true in the
case of the Post's statuesque
Beauty of the Week, Gwyn
Byers.
Gwyn says "the key to
enhancing the black womans'
looks is when .she honestly
mekee every effort to take
good care of her body."
Exercising for at least one
hour a day and well balanced
meals accounts for her now
slim 120 pounds. "I feel more
confortable now," she said.
She lets on however that the
task was not an easy one.
because it required "super"
will power.
Gwyn knows from experi
ence that historically speak
ing black women have not
always had the Flori Roberts,
Ultra Sheen, and Fashion Fair
cosmetics. She said, "1 used
to use Mary Kay products,
but they were not suited for
me...now I am into Fashion
Fair...I think they are the best
une οι cosmeuc avauaDie to
the black woman now, be
cause they really bring to life
black beauty at it's best."
As an aspiring model, Gwyn
realizes how difficult it is to
break into the profession.
"The competition is great but
I know 1 can make it...! have a
lot of determination and that's
what it takes," she said.
The 24-year-old willowy 5'9
"Miss" graduated from CPCC
and for the past four years,
has been employed as a credit
investigator for General
Motors. She is also affiliated
with the G.H. Limited Produc
tions of Charlotte and TRIM,
both are modeling firms.
For relaxation she enjoys all
sports but especially likes to
play tennis and swim and
dances to her favorite per
forming artist Earth, Wind,
and Fire.
Gwyn is a firm advocate of
independence. She said, "it is
important to set very high
goals and then strive to attain
them."
Here October 19-22
State-Wide Convention To
Attract500NAACP Delegates
Competency
Tests To Be
Discussed
Eileen Hanson
The Charlotte Equal Rights
Council will hold a program on
"The Crisis in Education and
the Competency Tests" on
Thursday, September 21 at 7:30
p.m. at the Main Library. The
meeting is free and open to the
public.
The proposed competency
tests, to begin this year in North
Carolina high schools, have
caused controversy especially in
black and low-income
communities where preliminary
results showed that children
from low-income families—
both black and white—did
poorly on the standardized
tests.
Under the new plan, it will be
required to pass the tests before
receiving a high school
diploma. Those who don't pass
will receive a certificate of
attendance.
Members of the community
are welcome to participate in
Thursday's discussion, which
will be led by Carrie Graves, a
member of the Equal Rights
Council.
Following the program there
will be a discussion of equal
rights issues in Charlotte
presented by various local
organizations.
The Charlotte ERC is
affiliated with the Equal Rights
Congress, a national umbrella
of organizations that have
come together to struggle for
equality of all people who have
been discriminated against
bccause of their nationality,
color, religion, sex or economic
status.
For more information
contact Tim Lund. 523-8081 or
Carrie Graves, 374-0557.
Gradiiatkm Schediie
Commencement exercises
for 1979 school year have been
scheduled as follows: June 13 -
Garinger, 2 p.m., Coliseum;
Independence, 5 p m., Coli
seum; Harding, 5 p.m., Audi
torium : South Mecklenburg. 8
p.m..Coliseum; and North
Mecklenburg, 8 p.m.. Ovens
ELLA MAE ROLAND WITH HER CHILDREN
—Lv/ι/ι. Kt'lvin and Lttnutnt
Dalton Village Resident
Ms. Roland Faces F.virtion
Dy tileen Hanson
"It doesn't make sense. Every
penny we get has to go to the
rent office." That was the
feeling of 17-year old Kelvin
Roland the day the sheriff came
to evict him, his mother,
brother and two sisters
from public housing.
They had been living in tear
of the knock on the door since
April, when the Housing
Authority notified Ella Mae
Roland of 2305-B Farmer
Street in Dalton Village that her
lease would terminate due to —
"serious and repeated
violations of the lease." Her
violation was rent failure.
Federal law requires that the
public housing authorities
cannot charge rent more than
25 per cent of a tenant's
adjusted net income which is
figured on annual income less 5
per cent, less $300 for each
dependent child.
For public housing residents,
any change in family income
means a rent change
"Ynil finallv a*» » ir»K f%r*A «-·
off public assistance and food
stamps, and they raise your
rent. You're back where you
started," said Beatrice Gaines,
president of Earle Village
residents' organization
If a teen-age child gets a part
time job. the extra dollars must
be added to the family income
and the little extra spending
money they counted on goes to
the rent office instead
"You just can never get
ahead." said Gaines
In Roland's case, her
monthly rent has gone from $66
a year ago. to $94 in December,
to $108 in January.
But in December Roland lost
her job at Wesley Nursing
Center, and unemployment
didn't start coming until
March. Meanwhile the rent
accumulated
For awhile she worked one
day a week at medical personnel
pool. Jt paid just 52.75 an hour
and the work was irregular
Her 18-year old daugher got
a part-time job. which (he
Housing Authority quicklv
added to the family income. But
she lost her job two weeks ago.
The Housing authority said
Roland could pay S70 a month
on her back rent bill, but the
current monthly rent would
have to be paid too. That was in
March.
In June her unemployment
ran out.
"We've had no income since
June." said Roland. "I filled out
hardship papers and requested
a hearing, but the project
director said there was no
reason for it."
Her church loaned her
money to avoid eviction in
June But at the end of Augusl
she again owed 54ΓΓ
This time the sheriff came,
tacked up an eviction notice
and promised to return in 48
hours to physically move the
family out
He did return on Thursday
with his crew But he didn't
move anything
"1 guess he couldn't do it
when he saw our tears my
"We had m> placc to go "
She had already borrowed
from everyone she knew There
was no one else to turn to All
weekend she tried to find a
solution On Monday she
begged the Housing Authority
for more time f hey gave her an
hour
On I uesdas morning a
family friend showed up who
learned of her plight for the first
time and lent her the money
"But thai was three weeks
ago Here is September and I
owe SI OK again, plus all those
loans And no money is coming
in." said Roland
According to Donnel
Wilson. Director of Manage
ment and Occupancy, the
Housing Authority eviction
process starts six working days
after a tenant fails to pay rent
They are sent a 15-day notice
Then if they have not paid,
court papers are then Tiled and a
judgment is usually reached
in two to three weeks
During this time the tenant
may pav the rent and stop the
eviction process, but it must be
paid in full, including current
charges If nothing i« paid, a
writ of possession is taken out
and then the sheriff is notified
to serve notice on the family
According to Wilion. each
See Koiand on page 5
John Ingram
Will Be Guest
Speaker
by Eileen Hanson
Charlotte will be the site of
the North Carolina NAACP
annual convention on October
19-22 About 500 people are
expected to attend the 3-day
session at the Radisson Hotel,
representing more than 100
NAACP chapters across the
state.
According to Alan Rousseau,
President of the Charlotte
Mecklenburg Chapter, the
convention is open to all
members and the public. Only
delegates will be allowed to
vote.
Senate candidate John
ingram win oc guesi speaner at
a banquet Friday. October 20.
His opponent Senator Jesse
Helms was also invited, but
declined.
"We don't endorse cand
idates," according to Rousseau.
But we do want people to be
informed on the issues and to
vote."
The convention will also
include a representative from
the U.S. Department of Labor
and workshops for local branch
officers.
Education is a key issue of
concern for the NAACP. The
new state competency tests are
certain to be a subject of lively
discussion at the coming
convention.
"We are against the
competency tests as it is
proposed," said Rousseau. "It
stigmatizes a child when he
fails. Tell him he's dumb and he
will be dumb."
NAACP attorneys have
studied the results of the
preliminary tests. According to
Rousseau the study showed
that economic background was
the key factor in failure.
"It's not a black versus white
issue It's economic," said
Rousseau.
"Good teachers aren't paid
enough. They leave the state to
get better jobs elsewhere," said
Rousseau.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg
chapter of the NAACP runs a
federally funded reading
program at Greenville Center, a
job referral program and a
youth program.
I.ast Saturday the chapter
held a disco at the Excelsior
Club to raise funds for its
special projects. "We are a
totally voluntary organization
We have always denended on
TUKflMM*
Life is an everlasting strug
gl« to keep money coming ir
end TEETH and HAIR froir
coining out.
Rev. Ben Chavis Seeks "Brief
Dialogue " With President Carter
by SHIRLEEN McKAY
Poet Starr Writer
The Family of Rev Ben
jamin F Chavis, Jr., has
written a letter to President
Carter requesting a brief
"dialogue with him" con
cerning the Wilmington Ten
during his meeting in
Asheville, scheduled for
Friday, September 15.
The letter stresses that Rev.
Ben Chavis continues to be
"unjustly imprisoned in the
state of North Carolina" and
further reminded President
Carter that throughout his
administration he has
repeatedly said that the "issue
of human rights is the cor
nerstone of his foreign and
domestic policies.
Therefore, we pointedly ask
you," the letter stated, "to
exhibit your stated concern
for human rights in the United
States by allowing us the
privilege of briefly meeting
with you on September 15 in
Asheville, North Carolina,
where you will be speaking at
a fund raising event for the
Democratic perty."
The request also states that
the case of the Wilmington
Ten has become the single
most internationally known
case of flagrant human rights
violation and "if the United
States is to be a symbol of
human freedom and
democracy, then thé crusade
to insure human rights should
be concretely exhibited inside
the United States and par
ticularly in North Carolina
where there are in fact
political prisoners."
The letter was signed by his
mother, Elizabeth R Chavis,
his sisters, JuneC. Davenport,
Dr. Helen C. Othow, and his
children. Natalie Michelle,
Paula Denise and Benjamin
opportun»? time for him to at
least spea k to the members of
the family "
The fam ily plans to talk to
President Carter ahout in
tervening in the case since it is
now before the federal courts
and to tell him that the only
way the Wi Imington Ten can
receive just ice is through the
federal courts
"As Près ident he should
speak out for complete vin
dication beca use even though
the members of the
Wilmington Ten have been
paroled, the fuel is that they
will be labelled as ex
convicted felons for a crime
they did not c ommit," con
tinued Dr Otho w. "which is
an atrocity in it.· ;elf Finally,
people are w»
''ill κ to see what
course of action t he President
plans to take concerning the
case "
See Chavis on page II
Rev. Ben Chavis
.. Political prisoner
F Chavia III.
Dr Helen Othow said
Tuesday that even though
President Carter has not
responded to their request she
is still optimistic that he will
comply with their wiahes "I
(eel it's an urgent matter."
she pxplained. 'and a m net
our membership to keep the
organization going," said
Rousseau
For more information about
the NAACP Convention, call
Alan RoUsseau at 376-*>909 or
374 2573
Michael Myerson
Will Talk Here
September 19
Michael Myerson, noted
journalist from New Yourk
and author of "Nothing Could
be Finer," will speak in Char
lotte at the University of North
Carolina at Charlotte, on Sept
ember 19 in McKnight Hall of
the Student Union,beginning
at 7 30 o'clock and at Johnaon
C Smith University'» Church
on September 21, beginning at
10 a m "Nothing Could Be
Finer" is a scholarly docu
mentation of the CivilfUghta
struggle in North Carolina