mcerned
• • 7*^.
tive Image
By Joe Brown
Poet Ston Writer
An area of low-income families
packed and condensed on a 30-acre
complex too overcrowded to Include
one more home-seeking family. The
*t**eta, more like alleys, are
n*rr°w strips of passageways that
race throughout the complex
which presents a mind-tampering
mate. Brick houses are lined up in
all directions of the compass and
closer to a neighbor than one wants
to be. The colors of blue and white
catch the corner of your eyes as
police patrol cars swerve in and out
the nearby side streets. It is a nest
for crime to run free and dictate the
fear in the residents that call it
home. From this brief report of
living conditions in Piedmont
Courts, one would say this is one of
the worst places to live. The only
disturbing problem is who said it;
Piedmont Courts has taken on the
image as being one of the worst
community problem spots in
Charlotte and in the minds of the
people living outside, that’s all they
know. The residents of the complex
realize the negative images of the
Courts, but the positive things carry
a much heavier weight to them.
It only got bad in the last two
years. The police said five years, but
it doesn't go back that far,” defends
Carie Kelly, a resident bf Piedmont
Courts.
“Back in the 1970s, we could sit in
the back of the house until five
o’clock at night and didn’t have
anything to worry about.1’ Carie
Kelly has been an occupant of
Piedmont Courts for quite some
time, 15 years to be exact, and seen
life conditions change in the over
populated housing project.
"I am not going anywhere. I have
lived her for 15 years and would
another 15 years. This isn’t the worst
place to live. There are some
places where the conditions are even
worse,” points out Ms. Kelly,
leaning back in a yellow-flowered
lounge chair.
The past drug-related shooting
placed a label image on Piedmont
Courts, On November 29,1966, police
reported seven persons wounded
during a shooting spree among
.
USED
MOUNTED FREE
■_■_
■ a iaaa mwiwna vtwtwvtt —
■ BRA ^#M U”" 0^ a a 0*. BA
■ DnA9\Bv "VO QAB BnDfZId #ik
| g w«w»nvw» «rv |
LUBBf OIL, FILTIR JKl^ I
I Call 8tora For Datalla ^— - ,
suspected drug dealers. Since the
incident, police have petrolled the
area frequently to crack down on the
crime problem. '
"Most of the trouble comet from
the people from the outside. There
are people who live In Piedmont
courts who are with these people,"
Ms. Kelly claims.
The climate of fear is one issue that
hangs over the heads of the
residents living in Piedmont
Courts. Clarence Westbrook, a
resident of 10 years, detects no such
fear. The positive thoughts for a
Place pounded by negative media
coverage over the yean is his way of
protecting his home.
"I am pretty much at ease like I
always have been. We see a lot more
police can and we get a lot more
attention,” observes Mr. Westbrook,
relaxing on a Sunday afternoon. "I
think something positive will come
from It. If you get a community
frightened, a lot of things will
happen.”
Everything is pleasant and so
quiet. The police are doing a good
job. It is nice now. They are going to
fix the houses and it’s going to be
nicer,” smiled Ms. Kelly.
Piedmont Courts is a 44-year-old
housing project along Brookshire
Freeway, east of downtown
Charlotte. The public housing
complex holds over 1,500 residents.
The scarred image of the targeted
area tags along viciously to the
adults and children of the Courts
wherever they travel within the city.
They encounter the responses and
reactions of people’s thoughts of
their home.
"If someone told me they didn’t
want to visit me because I live in
Piedmont Courts, I would tell them
they don’t have to come to my house
at all," Ms. Kelly stated clearly.
‘‘The perception of Piedmont
Courts can be changed. We have
programs directed to Ptedmont
Courts. We have ■ lot of good things
going for Piedmont Courts,”
informs Mr. Westbrook who
attends the neighborhood meetings.
The Housing Authority has
planned a 16 million federal grant
for a major renovation of the project
area. This plan will reduce the
apartments by a third and create
more open space.
Clementine Springs works at the
crime Prevention Aid office, 368
Slegle Avenue. She says the center
offers programs such as High School
Completion, Job Bank, Hot Lunch
program, training with Urban
League, Food Co-Op, and the
Piedmont Courts Learning Center.
“We offer our services to help. We
have different agencies to refer
them to," advises Ms. Springs.
Ms. Kelly knows the label image
placed on her and her two children,
but letting people know abruptly is a
personality trait that was forced
upon her.
“People talked about the people in
Piedmont Courts as being
uneducated, but my son is in
college," emphasized Ms. Kelly.
"The place (Piedmont Courts) I
didn’t influence him to do bad
things."
The famous saying, "There is no
place like home,” applies to even the
homes that have been outcast by
and looked down on by others.
"If you’re ashamed of where you
live," Ms. Kelly exclaims, "you
don’t need to live there.
“I am never going to down where I
live."
“I’m proud to live in Piedmont
Courts. Compared to where I moved
from, I'm grateful. I consider this
apartment like a house,” said a
pleased Mr. Westbrook.
_»
Fine Furniture for less during Haverty’s February Sale!
The quality is unmistakable. The prioes are unbelievable! Hurry!
A distinctly* cherry grouping captures
the spirit and grace o! Colonial America
Low Sale Price
Includes the oval
table, 3 side chairs
and 1 armchair.
£*• of elegant dining haa been preserved for all time m
thla claaalc dining room form UNIVERSAL. Styled In warm oberry
Y*n*J**i *"• "American Treawjry" collection features reproduc
tion flddleback chairs, a tasteful oval table that extends to S4"
banquet length plus a mirror back china cabinet with dentil
molding and brass hardware. Extra side chairs, each 1149
2 pc. 57"
China Cabinet
>799
King or Quoon
Contemporary
Wall Badl
*799
Handtomaty tty led in aah aoHda
and varaart, thla contemporary
wan (m« from (WOyhiu makea
the moat of your bedroom
tpaoa The unit loohidaa a low
profile headboard, two 4-drawor d
night atanda and a lighted deed
with mirror back Double drop*
aer and mirror 9499 • Bedding
ftot inotudtd
Wall barf Includaa tha llghtarf
ataraga Hbrf. with mirror* * 2
llghtarf nlghtatanrfa with mlrroral
Draasar and Mirror
ONLY. .*499
Matching Man* Cheat
(not ptoturod)
nowonlySQQQ
Rock, Roclmoor Swlvoll
—^ = *299
Glass top occasional tables
ssyttigTjritViffTf? !.****"*
«W< M I MM IMM MflMM DM* M A ^ ^
g58gssp-"-fe»99
I
s'
■_B-M--IM ~ -
tom M. II to •
tal. II to I, tm. 1 to I
*
Queen Anne Wing Chelr
^ SlNCt 1MS ^
HflVERTY'S
^ /MmttHml ^
REK) THE CHARLOTTE POST EACH WEEK
YOUR RIGHTS
(D® y®QQ
\km\flooo
Insurance Companies CANNOT
discriminate against the services
provided by a Chiropractic Physician.
(GS 57-1) (GS 58-260)
Insurance Companies must recognize the
Certification of Disability of a
Chiropractic Physician. (GS 58-260)
Dr. Dennis Watts
Chiropractor
you have heard it on the news and read it in the paper. Many Insurance
Companies are trying to tell Patients and Doctors what treatment is
“ needed. This is a decision that should be made bv the Doctor and Patient.
If you have had a:
_•Accident Injury • Back-Ache • Headache
CALLTODAY
DR. DINIIIS WATTS
393-3333
_ 2501 A Beatties Ford Rd.
Chiropractic has provided relief to millions without drugs or surgery
____WE ACCEPT INSURANCE_