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^^ISIZSSL——_“Oiarlotte’s Fastest Growing Community Weekly" BLAC K c °^SUMERS
Fhoto by Jerry Curry
16-YEAR-OLi) WANDA MOBLEY
—Olympic basketball star
Attractive Wanda Mobley
Is Post’s “Beauty Of Week”
L.. cnrni r*c*kt
Post Staff Writer
Wanda Mobley, a 5'7”
basketball guard on the
women’s team at Olympic
High School, is the Post’s
beauty for this week.
A junior, 16-year-old Wanda
has been playing varsity
basketball since her
sophomore year and is an
ticipating playing another
season during her senior year.
A sports enthusiast, Wanda
said that playing varsity
basketball is^o.k.’’ As far as
winning is concerned, she
said, “we haven’t won yet - the
season's just now getting
started really!”
Wanda said that she is not
involved in any other ex
tracurricular activities.
“I’m too busy with
basketball,” she said, "we
i To Prepare
■'V*.
jjTax Returns For Poor
ay ousaim KLLSWORT11
Post Staff Writer
The Charlotte Chapter of the
National Association of Black
Accountants is offering to
prepare state and federal
income tax returns free of
charge for low income
families and individuals.
Persons are eligible for this
service if their gross income is
$7,000 or less for single in
dividuals, or $10,000 or below
for individuals filing jointly.
The service will be offered
on alternating Saturdays
between Belmont Regional
and the Greenville Neigh
borhood Centers, according to
Ann James secretary of the
Charlotte Chapter of the
NABA.
Information necessary to
prepare tax returns will be
collected from taxpayers on
Saturday and returned as
follows: At the Greenville
Center information will be
collected Jan. 20 and returned
Feb 3j collected Feb. >3 and
returned Feb. 17; collected
Feb. 17 and returned March 3;
collected March 3 and
returned March 17; and
collected March 17 and
returned March 31.
The Belmont Regional
Center will have information
collected on Jan. 27 and
returned Feb. 10; collected
Feb. 10 and returned
February. 24, collected Feb.
and returned March 10;
e acted March 10 and
__ March 24; Collected
Ma 24 and returned March
a
has
his
mcmucia ui UK Will
be at the Belmont Regional
Center from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30
p.m., and at the Greenville
Center from 12:3Qa.m. to 5:00
p.m. No information will be
collected or distributed by the
neighborhood Centers
Department personnel.
The NABA prepared 1,000
.returns last year while
working in conjunction with
the Charlotte Neighborhood
Centers Department.
Will Carter ,
Approve Higher
Wage Contracts?
Indications that the Carter
administration will approve
labor contracts that promise
wage hikes higher than seven
percent is welcome news and
! hould be duly noted by North
Carolina General Assembly
members, C.Stewart Stafford,
NCAE president, said last
week.
Alfred Kahn, the Pre
sident's chief anti-inflation ad
viser, has quietly ruled that
wage hikes higher than seven
percent are all right if Inflat
ion continues at double-digit
levels.
“Inflation,” said Stafford,
“gives every indication of
doing just that.”
Kahn made his ruling in a
case involving Pako Corpor
ation of Minneapolis, Min
nesota.The .nm was negoti
ating a new contract with its
employees and asked the fed
eral government if it could
agree to offer to raise salaries
more than seven percent in
the last two years of a three
year contract if inflation ex
ceeded that figure the Los
Angeles Times News Service
reports.
Pako proposed to raise sal
aries as much as the rate of
inflation, up to It) percent a
year Kahn’s offi'-e approved
He said the record clearly
shows that NC'Afc members
have lost a considerable a
mounl of purchasing power
over the last three years and
that if "it is permissible to
anticipote inflation in the fu-]
lure it only makes sense to
make up for its pasl ravages ”
practice a lot in the af
ternoons."
She also plays on her
school's volleyball team.
Playing tennis is also
another favorite sport of hers.
Wanda's favorite subjects in
school are French and
English. “I’m pretty good in
English," she remarked
“I’ve been taking advanced
English since the third grade
I like French because it is
easy tq understand.”
Afifrr high school, Wanda
wants to matriculate at
college, preferably an art
school.
“I do art," she commented.
“I’ve been doing it for about
four years but I’m just really
getting into it this year.”
"I want to be a commercial
artist," she stated, “because
they draw almost anything
and do quite a bit of
travelling." She added, “I
like being creative.”
An alternate career choice
would be to engage in the
extensive area of sports. “I’d
probably become a gym
teacher," she said.
Wanda describes herself as
a quiet, hardworking, cheerful
person who acknowledges her
parents as having the greatest
influence in her life.
“Both of my parents en
courage me in sports and with
my drawing (particularly my
father),” she said.
Wanda said that she did not
make any resolutions for this
year, however, she hopes to
“pass all my subjects and do
pretty well in my basketball.”
The second oldest of four
children, Wanda is the
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John
Mobley.
Senior Citizens’ Confrontation
****** •
Surprises Memorial Hospital Staff
by Sherleen McKoy
Post Staff Writer
Members of Senior Citizens
United will wait 60 days to
give the staff of Charlotte
Memorial Hospital time to
begin working out the prob
lems presented to them in a
meeting last week
Johnsie Evans, spokesman
for the local group united to
secure benefits for the elderly
as well as others, said that the
most important issue centered
around the Hill-Burton Act
which provides funds for hos
pitals and other health facil
ities to construct new build
ings
"In return for this money,
hospital officials agree to pro
vide persons who cannot af
ford medical services with
free or reduced service,” Ms
Evans explained "Once a hos
pital receives this money, it is
required by law to provide a
certain level of free or below
- ^ • ,vv V^IILS
Black Ministers Call For
Compromise To End Strike
Food Aid
Important
Public Issue
WASHINGTON--Food
prices, food safety, human
nutrition and food aid will be
important public issues in
1979, said economist Thomas
A. Stucker of the U S.Depart
ment of Agriculture.
"The price of food is of
primary concern to con
sumers.The rapid rise of retail
food prices, averaging 1.4 per
cent per month in early 1978,
outpaced average price rises
of 0 8 percent for all items.By
year end, food price increases
will still be greater than for
prices generally.
Meat products are the lar
gest single contributor to con
sumer food costs. They ac
count for more than 32 percent
of the overall food-at-homp
Hoy, Palmer:
“Our People
Have Suffered
Long Enough”
By Sl'SAN ELLSWORTH
Rost Staff Writer
Ministers Conference No. 2
called for compromise and an
end to the bus stnke on local
television. WBTV, Channel 36
on Mon.. Jan 15
"The 25 year old Minister's
Conference speaks only when
the situations within the city,
county or state become a
crisis announced Rev.
James E. Palmer, president
of the Conference and pastor
of the University Park Baptist
Church in Charlotte.
Fifty pastors and ministers
comprise the Conference
which is one of the most active
groups of black ministers in
the city
Lr his remarks Rev Palmer
reflected the consensus of the
Minister's opinion
"Rev. William Lee Jr ,
chairman of the program
committee with its members
have mapped out our plan
step by step against I he strike
However, we hope that we
don’t have to execute all of
them.” Rev Palmer stated
"Our concern comes
because of the many appeals
made to us by our members
and concerned citizens
throughout the city telling us
how inconvenient the city bus
strike has made their way of
living They were faced with
this problem during Christ
mas Some have lost jobs,
many have been docked pay
because of being late for work,
low income families and
people living on a fixed in
come can't pay the special cab
fare to get to places for
special help, medical
attention or even to«get '
medicine from the uptown
drug stores," he continued
3
"We feel that our people
have suffered long enough,
because it is our people who
roll the buses in the first place
- especially when 80 percent
A hundred idled city buses and 12,000
passengers await the settlement of Char
lotte's bus strike. A March to get the bus -
ri o . i i c.
rolling again will begin at 3 PMSaturaay at
The bus garage.707 N.Brevard (Photo’ by
Eileen Hanson)
iirif numruuy siju'rriiMtn
Aroused Black Groups To
March To Get Buses Rolling
price index. A large food grain
harvest in 1978 will provide
moderately priced food for
livestock and poultry produc
tion in 1979.The expected re
sult will be larger broiler
supplies and a large increase
in pork supplies, he said.
Beef prices are expected to
increase again in 1979.Re
duced supplies will again be
the primary reason unless the
breeding herd is reduced fur
ther than expected, which
would lead to even tighter
supplies later.
“But commodity prices are
only part of the food price
picture,” Stucker said.“The
remaining 6 percent of retail
food costs are attributable to
marketing-costs for process
ing and distribution.The ad
ministraton’s wage and price
guidelines may help hold
marketing cost increases to
lower levels than would other
wise be the case."
These factors point to
smaller food price increases
in 1979 unless unfavorable
weather conditions reduce ag
ricultural commodity produc
tion, as happened in early
1978.The forecast is for food
prices to average 7>-i percent
higher, he said.
“Food safety will continue
to be an important policy issue
in 1979.Scientific evidence
linking food and feed additives
to human health condition is
growing.
Oy EILEEN HANSON
A march to support bus
riders and drivers will be held
Sat. Jan. 20 at 3 p.m The
march will begin at the city
bus garage (707 N. Brevard >
and go to City Hall (600 E
Trade).
"We are marching to call on
City Council to get the
management company to
negotiate, not just stand pat,"
according to march
organizers. "What’s the sense
of voting people into office if
they don’t work for us."
Saturday's march is called
by People United for Justice,
Charlotte’s Central Labor
Union and the Equal Rights
Council.
According to Rev. James
Barnett, president of People
United for Justice, “If the
union was all white this would
have been settled long ago
But because most of the riders
and drivers are black, the city
is in no hurry to get it over
with."
Approximately 90 percent of
the bus riders are black; 70
percent of the drivers and 45
percent of the mechanics are
black.
"We re the lemons and they
keep squeezing us.'* said
Barnett.
In a related action, the
Black Ministerial Alliance
urged City Council to take
action to reach a settlement in
the 7-week strike.
Speaking for the Alliance.
Rev. James Palmer of
University Park Baptist
Church, said. ‘‘If City Council
sits on the bus strike, they
may find themselves sitting
out after the election."
Palmer said he plans «o
participate in Saturday's
march, but- the organization
took no official position
Petitions will be circulated in
the churches Sunday calling
on City Council to take action
I>ast Monday 100 bus riders
and drivers turned out for the
City Council meeting, but
were not allowed to speak
They were told to return Jan
22 at 2 p m ✓
One rider. Mary Lay no of
Piedmont courts said she was
there to suDDort the drivers'
effort for a good contract
"1 want the bus to start. I'm
75 years old and can't go
anywhere without the bus,"
said Ms. Laync. "I’m here to
help the drivers." she said,
giving a hug to her bus
driver, James Davis on Route
No 4 “Why should the man
downtown hold up the buses
while we walk."
Many people at the meeting
wore buttons "I support the
bus drivers' strike" issued by
the Equal Rights Council.
Representatives of several
unions and community groups
are urging their members to
march on Saturday
"This affects all unions,"
said Bill Brawley. head of the
Central Labor Union
"They're trying to cut the guts
out of the union - make it
powerless "
Hattie Harris, President of
the Residents' Advisory
Council of public housing
residents wants to see the
buses rolling because the poor
people are suffering
“You seldom see a rich
person ride the bus unless it's
to use the free pass down
town," she said "But it's not
a black and white issue Being
poor has no regards for
color " Senior citizens groups
are also participating on
Saturday according to Harris
Bus drivers' families are
also feeling squeezed by the
long strike "I'm feeling it
hard, said Mildred Harrison a
driver's wife "I'm the only
one working and the bills are
piling up We were turned
down for food stamps " The
Harrisons were among 2(1
people who held a vigil outside
Mayor Ken Harris' church
Sunday. Jan 14
The strike began Nov 2<j
after the United Tran
sportalion Union rejected the
proposed contract of Transit
Management by a vote of 162
to I The Union has reduced
their wage demand more than
half, but says that proposed
changes in work rules and
benefits would hea step back
wards for their 40-year old
union Management says they
have made (heir final offer
However, when negotiations
resumed t.m 16 both side*
See HI * on page »H
of the riders are black and 60
percent of the drivers are
black We must look at this
with deep concern for our
people." Rev Palmer
stressed
"We are appealing to all
sides involved in this strike to
go back to negotiating tables
and slay there until some
liveable agreement is made
We are saying in the language
of the prophet Isiah. “Come
Now and IA Us Reason
Together," he emphasized
“As long as both sides stand
firmly nothing can be done
Therefore both sides must
realize that each will have to
give up something and reach
some sort of compromise,"
Rev Palmer warned
“We are strongly appealing
to our mayor and City Council
to intercede on behalf of this
strike until the buses are
rolling again We voted for the
best leadership of our city and
its time for that leadership to
prove it to the citlsens who
granted them the opportunity
to serve us We don't want this
as an issue when they Come up
for reflection The people
Burton Act and questioned
them as to why they did not
publicize this information.
According to Ms. Evans, the
group demanded that the hos
pital take the following steps:
inform their staff and com
munity groups and agencies,
post larger and understand
able signs in conspicuous
places throughout the hospital
(the sign they have is in the
Emergency Room on a side
wall where it is not easily
seen),give written inform
ation about the HiiKBurtonAct
to each patient at the time of
admission or any other time it
is asked for and that a follow
up meeting be set for further
discussions
Other issues centered a
round the problems of long
waits at the clinic and Emer
gency Room, haphazard ap
pointments, poor communi
cation on the part of doctors
towards patients, a ailleren.
doctor every visit, insufhcient
wheelchairs and walkers at
the right places and a staff
shortage in helping patients
After members of the group
related numerous incidents ol
unsatisfactory treatment they
received previously at the
hospital. Ms Evans said that
the staff commented that they
"didn't know that people felt
that way about Memorial Hos
pital.”
"The senior citizens were
talking for everybody," she
said, "and not only them
selves"
The group lurther demand
ed that H. C. Green. Director
of the hospitaj. should make
this recommendation to the
Board and HA at their next
meeting
At the conclusion of the
discussion, the group stated
that during their waiting
period they would send a
follow up letter to reiterate
their problems and demands
Sherleen r .
cost care to any person meet
ing the hospital’s income
guidelines.”
Among hospital staff mem
bers present were:Bland
Burkhardt, Deputy Director;
Frank (tinker. Associate Di
rector; Dr. John Baker, Chief
of Emergency Room; and Dr.
Carl Lyle, Chief of Outpatient
Services.
Ms Evans said that the staff
was surprised when she con
fronted them with the Hill