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Volume 9, Number 14
THE C HARLOTTE POST. Thursday, September 15, 1983
Price: 40 Cents
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Keia Albright
West Charlotte sophomore
Beauty Within Is What
Keia Albright Possesses
By Teresa Simmons
Post Managing Editor
Beauty within the soul is
often overlooked for the ap
pearance that meets the
eye. But that beauty within
is what Keia Albright pos
sesses,..a special caring
for others and the deter
mination to achieve her
highest goals.
“i’ve always wanted to
attain my Ph.D. and have a
career working with peo
ple. I like to help people
and see them accomplish
better things for them
selves in their lives. I like
ing others along.”
s. Albright is a tenth
grader at West Charlotte
Senior High School. Even
at this youthful age she has
realized the importance of
her studies and the value of
using one’s time properly.
‘‘I think one should make
the best of each day,” Ms.
Albright interjected. In her
spare time she enjoys
reading, swimming and
talking..
Her favorite subject in
school is Spanish. “It’s a
subject that in order to be
good at it, you have to work
at it,” she described.
Born in Philadelphia, our
beauty has been in Char
lotte now for two years.
“I’ve lived in Philadelphia
and in Washington, D.C.
People are more active
in both of these places
compared to Charlotte. But
people are friendlier here
and I like the city.”
ASCD To Decrease Threat
Of Sickle Cell Disease
By Angela Alston
Special To The Poet
September has been de
signated Sickle Cell
Anemia Month and the As
sociation for Sickle Cell
Disease has been very
active. Besides continuing
to offer its regular ser
vices, ASCD has sponsored
many other activities for
September.
ASCD is located at 951
South Independence Blvd.
with Peggy Beckwith as
executive director. It pro
vides a program used to
identify carriers of sickle
cell and related diseases.
Through the use of this
program, ASCD hopes to
decrease the threat of
sickle cell disease.
Its program is divided
into five areas: education,
screening and testing, la
boratory, genetic and
educational counseling and
referral and follow-up.
The purpose of the edu
cational segment is to raise
awareness of sickle cell
an**0 correct any mis
inMFmatlon concerning the
disease. ASCD carries the
education into schools,
businesses and other com
munity sites
wnMM
A fo^hvays finds some
f Ire him.
In coordination with the
educational area, screen
ing and testing is also
conducted throughout the
community. A Health Edu
cator, R.N. Medical Tech
nician and a Medical La
boratory Technician all
work together to provide
this area of SCD’s pro
gram.
The laboratory is used to
correctly diagnose hemo
globin types, normal or
abnormal.
After the screening and
testing, counseling is pro
vided to explain the result
of any procedures to the
client. During counseling
sessions, specific informa
tion is given concerning
sickle cell anemia. Ap
proximately 90 percent of
those tested and found to
have any hemoglobin re
lated disorders are coun
seled.
Referral and follow-up
services are offered to at
risk clients. This means
working with other avail
able services. ASCD offers
no medical treatment and
does refer its clients to
other agencies that can
assist them medically.
All services provided b/
ASCD are free of charge
While these services are
available all year, extra
activities are planned.
September has and will
include events planned by
the' Sickle Cell Volunteer
Citisens Committee.
A tennis tournament
was held September 2-4 at
Hornet’s Nest Park and on
September 10, a golf tour
nament took place at the
Pawtuckett Golf Course.
Events still to be held
include a softball tourna
ment and an awarda
banquet. The softball tour
nament will be held Sep
tember 10-is at Hornet's
Nest Park.
The daughter of Dr. and
Mrs. Robert L. Albright
she has one brother, Lance.
In the ninth grade at J.T.
Williams Junior High
School she was a cheer
leader, on the ninth grade
committee and was Home
room Representative. Pre
sently Ms. Albright at
tends services at Simpson
Gillespie United Methodist
Church.
She has been influenced
by her parents, one reason
perhaps for her involve
ment in extracurricular
and religious activities. “I
admire both of my parents.
They both have made a lot
of themselves and both
have reached their goals.
They have taught me,” Ms
Albright continued, “that if
you want something bad
enough it is not impossible
to achieve it.”
These, however, are per
sonal qualities Ms. Al
bright has acquired.
She is also concerned with
national and international
problems: occur ranees she
hopes will be resolved
soon. “I would like to see
crime abolished and for all
poverty stricken people in
America to receive aid.”
From her thoughts of
helping others, to her con
cern for those in poverty
she has revealed her be
yond-the-surface beauty.
Ms. Albright has that
special beauty that will last
a lifetime.
Poet Announces
F und-Raiaing
Program
You can help raise
money for Sickle Cell Ane
mia, Cystic Fibrosis, Mus
cular Dystrophy, March of
Dimes, or your favorite
charity - or your church.
You can also earn valu
able gifts for an early start
on your Christmas shop
ping: GIFTS for your
spouse, GIFTS for your son
or daughter, GIFTS for
your mom or dad, or
GIFTS for yourself 11
Would you like to have a
106 pc combination stone
ware set for 8, flatwear
set for 8, and glassware for
6:
Would you like to have an
Atari video game?
Would you like to have a
new color TV?
Watch this section of
your Charlotte Pest for
details about how you can
have these and many more
exciting gifts.
Watch this section of
your Charlotte Post for
details about how you can
raise cash money for your
favorite charity or your
church.
Legislative Action Is
Coalition’s Next Goal
12 Vie For
3 At-Large
Seats
By Karen Parker
Post Staff Writer
..Seven Democrats and
five Republicans are in the
at-large political battle for
the Charlotte primary, Sep
tember 27. Only three at
large vacancies exist.
The Democratic lineup
consists of Willie Stratford,
Bob Davis, Ed Harris,
Mary Hopper, Herb
Spaugh Jr., Cam Keyser
and Bob Wilson. Republi
cans seeking at-large seats
are Minette Trosch, Jim
Hutchinson, Richard
Morton, Sue Myrick and
Richard Vinroot.
Stratford, 60, is a retired
public relations coordinat
or for Charlotte Postal
Service. He is concerned
with Charlotte’s unemploy
ment and encourages con
tinued alliance between the
city’s businesses, govern
ment and labor. When
asked what he can bring to
city council, Stratford
replied, “I bring myself in
that I’ve been able to work
with people."
Another candidate seek
ing city council election for
the first time is Bob
Davis, the former chair
man of the Democratic
Party. Davis supports im
proved health facilities in
west Charlotte. He feels the
level of service needs to be
raised in that community.
Davis, 54, has an apparent
interest in politics, stating,
“It’s the lifeblood of any
community.”
After frequent encour
agement, Harris, 38, de
cided to announce for city
council this year. He is
especially interested in
taking the development
load off southeast Char
lotte and distributing more
in the downtown, north and
northeast areas. One with
experience in community
development, Harris is pro
fessionally associated with
real estate investment and
development.
Well-known to most peo
ple involved with the Black
Women’s Political Caucus
and other women’s groups
is city council primary
candidate, Mary Hopper
Age 42, she is public re
lations director for Char
See 12 On Page 5
f—
A new Beatties Ford Road Medical Office
is now under construction. Architects for
the building include Raqeeb A. Albaari,
Timothy F. McMullen and Michael A.
—..■ — ■ ~ — L-J
\lartin of ARCH Architecture, pictured
in front of structure. (Post Photo By
Teresa Simmons)
New Medical Center
To House Three Doctors
By i eresa Simmons
Post Managing Editor
At one time the row of
houses and beautiful lawns
on Beatties Ford Rd. was a
sign of eminent prestige for
black Charlotteans. That
was a time when strolling
down the stretch was the
highlight of a Sunday after
noon. >
Today, however, Beat
ties Ford Road is becoming
a business zone. As years
pass businesses keep
cropping up along the strip,
many of them owned and
operated by black entre
preneurs. Perhaps this will
be the beginning of more
monies being turned over
in the black communities
Statistics show that today
the black dollar turns over
only once in the black
community. It should turn
over at least four times
According to a special
publication entitled “Ame
rica’s Black Population:
1970-1982 - A Statistical
View,” the median income
for all black families in
1981 dropped 8.3 percent
from 1971 and dropped 5.2
percent between 1980 and
1981. Also "In 1971, the
median income for black
families was 60 percent of
the median income of white
families - $14,460 versus
$23,970 By 1981 this ratio
was 56 percent.”
McDonald’s Cafeteria,
Tena's House of Charm,
Bitsy Bounty Shopping
Center, and the Burger
King franchise are just a
few of the established
black businesses located on
Beatties Ford Rd. Not only
do they provide jobs for
blacks, but they also in
spire a sense of much
needed pride for the black
populous.
One of the newest black
ventures on Beatties Ford
Rd. involves a Medical
Office which is now under
construction. Even before
its completion, planned for
November, 1983, blacks are
being gainfully employed
Doctors Rosamuel
Dawkins Jr , M.D., Victor
B. Olowpfqyeky, M D and
Francis T Ozim, M D , had
originally planned to reno
vate an old house on the
property. Extensive
damage by termites to the
structure made the idea
unpractical.
Starting frbm scratch
meant hiring architects,
mechanical contractors, a
plumbing company and
electrical contractor
The building, located at
1406 Beatties Ford Road.,
has been designed by three
black architects, owners of
ARCH Architecture
It'i true that Robert "Bob” Davit la on
the march to aid Charlotte but hi*
•upporter* are also beating a path to hi*
campaign headquarter* on the third Boor
of the Independence Plata to make *ure
he It elected. Above Dorothy Triplett
give* a donation for the Davit campaign
to Ram Young, a Davit campaign work
er. (Poat Photo By Bernard Reeves)
Charlotte Timothy F
McMullen, Raqeeb A.
Albaari and Michael A
Martin began their busi
ness a little over three
years ago. McMullen and
Martin both earned their
B S. degrees in Architec
ture from A&T State Uni
versity while Albaari
graduated with his B S. in
Architecture from the
University of Miami, Fla
Their office is located at
207 North Myers Street,
Suite B
Contractors include
Chavis Properties, Inc.
Contractors and Mechan
ical, Northwest Plumbing
and Sam Jones Electric
Contractors.
The new medical build
ing will house the practices
of Dr Dawkins, Internal
Medicine and Gastroente
rology and Dr. Olowofo
yeky and Dr Ozim, both
general surgery practition
ers.
“The building will con
sist of 4,000 square feet,^
McMullen stated “There
will be space for lease for
other tenants as well An
attempt was made in the
design to cfeate an inter
esting addition for the
area, while blending with
the residential scale of the
surrounding neighbor
hood “
Both McMullen and Dr
Dawkins agree that Beat
ties Ford Road is becom
ing a major thoroughfare
for businesses “Eventual
ly Beatties Ford Road will
be a major gateway to
Charlotte,” Dr. Dawkins
commented. “There is
large potential for business
development for the future
In the past Beatties Ford
Road was the central
location for many black
doctors that was several
years ago before we were
centralized. Today many
have migrated away from
Beatties Ford Road.”
Not only will the medical
center bring three more
capable doctors to the area
but McMullen feels the
project will spur more re
novation work along Beat
ties Ford Road Another
important factor, accord
ing to McMullen, is the
needed assurance that
growth patterns will be
controlled.
Group To
Focus On
Jobs, Peace
Washington, D.C. - The
“second phase" of the
March On Washington's
program to enact specific
legislation concerning jobs,
peace and freedom has
been announced by Con
gressman Walter E.
Fauntroy and other lead
ers of the New Coalition of
conscience.
These 'necessary first
steps’’ will be the focus of
national and local lobbying
efforts by the more than 715
national organizations in
352 cities which came to
gether for the 20th an
niversary March On Wash
ington and which have
pledged to work together to
achieve the legislative
agenda
“More than 300.000
marching feet revived Dr
King’s dream of jobs,
peace and freedom for all
Americans," said Con
gressman Fauntroy "Now
the millions of Americans
represented by those
marchers must let their po
litical leaders know that
the march was only the
first step in making that
dream a reality.
"The second step will
come in the State House:
halls of Congress, and
election booths next No
vember," he added
The D C. police official
estimate of the number of
marchers on August 27
totaled at least 300,000,
said D C. Police Chief
Maurice Turner.
The reason why indivi
duals from across the
country were marching
was as important as how
many were marching - and
neither was clearly de
fined in the media, ac
cording to Fauntroy.
“I want to clarify that we
were all marching to
gether • all the various
elements of an admittedly
historically unprecedented
coalition - with, however,
sharply focused goals
jobs, peace and freedom
for all Americans,' said
Judy Goldsmith, president
of NOW and one of the
coalition co-chairs
“We may all have se
parate agendas we will
work on, but we have all
decided to lock arms on
these issues and to trans
late those goals into con
crete bills with numbers
like H R 1036, S 400, S.
1220, S. 888 and H R, 1020,”
she said.
The coalition supports
these and other measures
currently pending in Con
gress which, though
neither ideal no panaceas,
are “necessary first steps"
toward achieving its ob
jectives
Two pieces of legislation
targeted for passage by the
coalition - H R. 1036, the
Community Renewal Em
ployment Act introduced
by Rep, Gus Hawkins, and
S 400, the King Holiday BUI
- are scheduled for congres
sional action early this fall
Grass roots organizers
across the country will
place special emphasis on
generating support for
these measures in the
coming weeks