E-rT-"-" THE CHARLOTTE POST ~~
^ * BLACK MABKIT
“The Voice Of Ihe Mark GmummUr ' c*11 374
Volume 11, Number 43 T||E CHARL0TTE POST Thursday March 27 1986 --Price: <0 Cents
Marian Yalta
...jut? ■■iii. i Mj m iM1 ~ ■ >' **
Area Chapter. To Host
,. • .p -ns •
'• Mid-Atlantic
| Regional Coafereace
Story On Page I1A
Massive Clean-Up
Campaign Scheduled
For April 12
Story On Page 14A
Metrolina Theological
Center Will Nest Its
Anneal Fellowship Service
A
Story On Page 6A
Dr. Riddick
KIMBERLY “Kim” THOMAS
09»90j4dntir&$ Mayor Gantt
's
“Kim” Thomas Has
• * • • T % 'J '• • •
On A Career
By Jalyne Strong
Port Staff Writer
At the very young age of 12 years,
Kimberly “Kim” Thomas has
already decided on a career as an
architect. It’s a dream she’s had for
some time. “I like to design and
draw and I'm good in geometry,”
relates Kim as her developing
qualities for the Job.
She agrees that Mayor Harvey
Gantt, a professional architect, is a
kind of role model for her. “He is the
only architect I know about,” Kim
states matter-of-factly.
. But Kim, a seventh grader at
Cochrane Junior High, has several
years of education to go before
becoming an architect.
At school, this young lady says her
favorite subjects are Language Arts
and Lunch-if it can be called one.
Language Arts is special to Kim
; si nee she likes studying about lan
guage and she states, “I’m very
good at spelling.” And who can deny
that Lunch has ever been anything
but fun
; When not In School, to keep herself
busy, quite busy, Kim has many
diverse interests.
; For instance, she's an amateur
“hack” on her Commodore M per
sonal computer, she reveals.
Playing on her computer, says Kim,
is one of her favorite hobbies. “I can
make color schemes, do arithmetic
. and play games,” she rotates as the
functions she’s capable of. Her
computer's used to help her with her
.Jiomework sometimes
Kim first became acquainted with
computers at school. “We use them
for math and communication
*kiU*’>8he
" mwm W,
Utey tctl im an optimtat laugh*
to forget and a pmstmlat forgets
■ t*tau«h K,,; .
computer came with an instruction
book and Kim says she’s “so-so” at
operating many functions. “I still
have to learn about the graphs,” she
admits.
When she turns off her com
puter, Kim may do a little draw
ing, or listen to the music of New
Edition and El DeBarge, or dance
the latest dances, “The Cabbage
Patch,” and the “Network;" these
are other favorite activities for her.
Then again, Kim is probably
spending most of her leisure time
these days preparing for the Sigma
Gamma Rho Debutante Cotillion
that she's a participant In. She's
been doing a lot of fund raising for
the event and confesses that she’s
looking forward to the possibility ol
being a winner at the April 11
Cotillion. Kim also states that the
occasion is a great opportunity to
“make a lot of new friends.’’
Kim has another interesting
hobby. That is, she’s a collector ol
stuffed animals. She has am amaz
ing assemblage of 72. Additionally
she's taken dance and piano. She it
also active in the Girl Scouts and li
excited about taking a trip with the
Scouts to the Bahamas, Puerto Ric<
and St. Thomas this summer.
All her activities do not keep her
so busy that Kim neglects her
studies, though. She says she enjoys
school. “At school you are taught tc
have goals,” she points out. Kim
also maintains good grades. "So 1
can succeed through high school and
college," she assures.
Kim Is the youngest In her family.
She has one older sister, Sherry,
who's M. Kim says she likes being
the youngest. “1 get the chaace to be
a brat,” she laughs She also
believes that sometimes she gets on
her sister’s nerves. "But sometlmei
she likes K,” Kim notes. Being the
baby in the family entitles her U
"get a lot of things” and she
confesses that she's “klnd-of
spoiled."
Her parents, Mr. and Mr*. Julius
Thomas, are the people Kim most
admires. "They raised me. They
pay my bills and give me clothes and
all their love." she praises. This
week's beauty advisee all young
people to "honor their mothers and
fathers. And don't get Into thiiepi
that cause trouble. "
Kim attsmfc Bbeneeer Baptist
Church and she sings on the Youth
Choir
Jerry’s Celebrating 24 Years
Of Service To Black Community
T ' Mir ii ■ ■ ■■■ - — i --
By Joe Brown
Post Staff Writer
i Can you recall an old time
service station with homemade
produce stand (about 20x30 in size)
along Statesville Road? That was
some time ago when a young man
and his mother were selling road
side produce with a smile. The
produce stand has been abandoned,
but the business hasn’t, especially
since you can drive a mile or two
back down the road and find the
same business expanded today
called Jerry’s Curb Market.
"Back then we sold sausage and
had our own milk man and bread
man. It was just a little produce
stand," remembers Jerry, shaking
his head with the memories.
Jerry Wike, owner of Jerry’s
Curb Market, 4237 Statesville Rd„ la
celebrating his 24 years in business
this March, jerry started his bust
• ness back in lW2 and since then the
old produce sland lias grown into &
market building.
“The first 15 years I never took a
day off," began Jerry.
“I first started with produce and
hauled my own produce. Today, we
specialize in meats. You name it we
got it.
"If you want to buy a live cow, I
could probably hustle it for you," he
replied jokingly.
We owe our mothers a great deal
and Jerry is no exception, because
his mother, Sadie Wike, was one of
the keys to starting his business
years ago.
"Mommy and I started out with
$200 worth of produce She paid my
first light bill,” told Jerry, showing
the receipt dated 1962
"She is 84 years old now in a
resting home, but she worked for six
years with me.”
Jerry moved from the old pro
duce stand along side the road to a
new location in 1967 Since the last
nine years, the building has been
added on to twice, but the customers
are always the same people -great
people.
"The greatest thing around here is
the atmosphere. We take care of our
customers,” emphasized Jerry.
"We serve the local customers,
Ken Marze
...Popular meat cutter
but people come from all over the
United States and buy from us. A
woman from Washington bought
about $200 worth of groceries to take
back with her the other day. Most of
the customers who are passing
through will stop by the store to buy
the fresh fruits by the bags to take
back with them
“Even the children who grew up in
the store, come back to buy or are
regular customers now,” Jerry
pointed out.
Jerry was asked, “How have the
prices on foods changed since you
started years ago?”
"Everything has tripled in price.
Rack then, fresh vegetables were 10
to 19 cents a pound. You could buy a
watermelon for 50 cents to a $1 25.”
Jerry's Curb Market is a neigh
borhood grocery store with a
hometown atmosphere that serves
the Charlotte community. The
market is known for its fresh meats
and customers come especially for
the private style service. It also
features nice sausages, country
ham, frozen fresh blackberries, ami
other home style foods llis em
ployees love to work in the store.
Some have been there as long as
some of his faithful customers
.Jerry has 24 employees working in
the store. He said there was once a
time when he had 32 employees. Sue
Crowe has worked there for nine
years. "She was the third person I
ever hired full time ’’ Jean
Carpenter has worked at the store
for four years and is the bookkeeper
and head cashier
“It's been great I enjoy the people
who come here. Out of the clientele
we do sell to, I would say !)9 percent
of them are great customers,"
stated Mrs Carpenter.
Jerry’s wife, Patricia, has worked
with him for six years which proves
to tie a loving spouse, and his
youngest son, David, 21, is the
manager.
“David has worked here since he
was 12 years old If my boy doesn't
YMCA To Hold “Community
Family Worship Service”
By Audrey C‘. I.oriato
Post Staff Writer
The YMCA of CharloUeMecklen
burg is sponsoring a "Community
Family Worship and Fellowship
Service” on Sunday, April 13. The
featured speaker will be Bill Curry,
head football coach at Georgia Tech
and ACC Coach of the Year,
According to Harry Brace,
General Executive, the service Is an
outgrowth of the Y's Metropolitan
Christian Emphasis Committee,
whose goal is to bring Into greater
focus the YMCA’s Christian prin
ciples
Brace said he hopes the w./rshlp
service will become a yearly
event.
Methodist Bishop Bevel Jones will
be presiding over the service,
which will include hymns, scripture
readings, and prayer led by a priest
from 8t. Patrick's Cathedral. “It
will be an ecumenical service,” he
noted.
Following the service, which la
scheduled for 6 p.m at First United
Methodist Church, Ml N. Try on St.,
a light meal will be provided. A free
will offering will be accepted.
Bill Curry, known as "the archi
tect of Georgia Tech's football
' Bill Carry
.....Football roach
resurgence," has overseen the
team's return to national pro
minence. He played for the Green
Ray Packers In the first Sopor Bowl
In 1986, for the Baltimore Colta, the
Houston Oilers, and the Loa Angeles
Rams.
Curry la a firm believer in help
ing student athletes earn a mean
ingful degree. 'Motivation and
teaching are central to my coaching
philosophy,’’ he said. "All we new! to
become successful in our lives is
either a boost, a hug or a shove at
some point My goal is to be that
kind of person, that kind of coach "
Brace commented that, although
many people think of the Y as a
secular organization, "it was
founded as a Christian organization
with the purpose of developing
Christian personalities and a
Christian society.”
The YMCA’s Christian emphasis
permeates its programs, according
to Brace. The focus is on "The
application of Christian principles in
our daily living rather than the
teaching of the Word,” he said.
The YMCA was founded In 1844 by
George Williams The Charlotte
Mecklenburg Y completed Its liith
year of service at the end of 1985.
During its past year, the Y served
56,000 people in its seven locations.
Facilities are located at 400 E.
Morehead St , 3801 Beatties Ford
Rd.. 3035 N. Davidson St., 6824
Democracy Dr., 5800 Quail Hollow
Rd.. in Cornelluo, and Camp
Thunderbird In Clover, SC.
Programs offered Include youth
sports, summer day camps, swim
classes, parent child programs, and
fitness classes.
let me down, I am going to build
another store one day," predicts
Jerry He has three more sons -
Terry, Reggie, and Gary
This businessman also owns a car
lot which is his hobby called North
21.4500 Statesville Road It features
several model cars Jerry's adven
ture in business is not as easy as it
was years ago. he said “Rack then
you could have a little and grow, but
now, you can't open with a little and
do well." Jerry advises.
"One reason you don't have
growth now is because places like
McDonald s I had growth every
year for 21 years straight and it fell a
little."
Herry was asked, “What were
some of your hard times?"
He answered, “When times get
rough, you work a little harder ."
Troopers Get
Ready For Easter
Holiday Traffic
Italrigh Many families across
North Carolina are making travel
plans for Hie fiist holiday weekend
of the year, and Stale Highway
Patrol plans lo make the highways
as safe as possible
During the four day Paster holi
day weekend, troopers will patrol
the highways and interstates,
paying special attention to speeders
and impaired drivers Colonel Jack
Cardwell, Commander of the High
way Patrol, said. "Studies show that
half of the car crashes and resultant
deaths are alcohol related."
Past year, there wet e 1,19? traffic
accidents during the long Faster
holiday weekend Fourteen people
were killed and 983 were injured.
“There are ways to reduce the
number of fatalities and injuries this
year. Drive at the posted speed
limit, obey traffic laws, wear your
scat belt and if you must drink, don't
drive," said Colonel Cardwell
The Faster holiday period begins
at (i p m. Friday, March 28, and ends
at midnight on Monday, March 31
NAPFE Awaits
Postal Selections
Special To The Post
Washington. I)C- "Mergers .and
reorganization designed to promote
greater efficiency in the II S Postal
Service may prove to tic 'hi teeh'
methods of eliminating minorities
and women from key management
positions," said National Alliance of
Postal and Federal President,
Kobert I, White, commenting on
recent developments within the U S.
Postal Service
In his first two months of office,
U S Postmaster General Albert V.
Casey has eliminated 42 U S P S.
district offices, realigned the
boundaries of the five U.S.P.S.
regional offices and altered the
management structure at postal
headquarters. Postal operations will
be based on approximately BO key
mail service centers which are being
redesignated divisions The remain
ing mail service centers will report
to the divisions Postal officials are
meeting this week to make selec
tions for division chiefs.
According to NAPFE President
White, some block postmasters of
key mail centers have indicated they
have already been advised they will
not even be considered to head
newly designated divisions And,
White is gravely concerned White s
Union sounded the alarm for Mack
postal managers in mkkFetmiary,
after the Union's leadership re
bdewed postal person.* statistics.