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golume 13, Number 1 *** CHARLOTTE ^ST ' Thumday, June 4, 1987_Price: 50 Cents
Black Legislators
Host Town Meeting
The North Carolina Legisla
tive Black Caucus, in cooperation
with the North Carolina Associa
tion of Minority Business, the
North Carolina Institute of Mi
nority Economic Development
and the North Carolina Minority
Business Development Agency,
will sponsor a Town Hall meet
•ing ns a feature of the Third An
nual Legislative Weekend, Fri
day June 19 from 2 to 5 p.m.
The meeting will provide an
opportunity for minority firms to
express concerns about problems
unique to their businesses. In an
effort to insure that the problems
are addressed appropriately, rep
resentatives from minority busi
ness assistance agencies will be
present.
The meeting will also help the
N.C. Legislative Black Caucus
develop an agenda of priority
items related to minority busi
ness development.
A highlight of the Town Hall
meeting will be
a special seg
ment devoted to
the five percent
goal in minori
ty business and
historically
black gbllege
particioption in
defensjfe pro
jectar^bis is
Cunningham ^ndad to pro
- ^ vide an unique
opportunity for minority busi
nesses and historically black col
leges to increase their participa
tion in defense projects.
The Town Hall meeting will be
followed by a reception which will
allow interaction in a relaxed en
vironment that may lead to the
creation of productive business
relationships. It will also allow
for caucus members to meet and
further interact with minority
business owners.
The North Carolina Legisla
tive Caucus consists of the 16
black legislators in the North
Carolina General Assembly.
Rep. Daniel T. Blue (Wake) is
chairman; Sen. William Martin
(Guilford) is vice chairman;
Rep. Thomas C. Hardaway
(Halifax) is secretary; and Rep.
Herman C. Gist (Guilford) is
treasurer of the caucus.
Other members include: Rep.
Howard C. Barnhill
(Mecklenburg); Rep. Logan
Burke (Forsyth); Rep. William
"Pete" Cunningham
(Mecklenburg); Rep. Chancy R.
Edwards (Cumberland); Rep.
Milton F. Fitch (Wilson); Rep.
William Freeman (Wake); Sen.
Ralph A. Hunt (Durham); Rep.
Luther R. Jeralds (Cumberland);
Rep. Annie Brown Kennedy
(Forsyth); Rep. Sidney A. Locks
(Robeson); Rep. H. M. Michnux
(Durham) and Sen. James F.
Richardson (Mecklenburg.)
For more information on the
Town Meeting, please contact
Gwen Reynolds 8t (919) 733-5959.
TbarmitfMpmaij rate Croup, Sparkle, proved to be realorowd-pleaacra drawing a large number ofWeatFeet revelers’’’*’*0 C«M» Fergus,
to the aovmd 9ap> to bear aaaay renditions of papular thjflfp, Aar more scenes of the wcstside utreet festival see page 8A.
For more information on the
Town Meeting, please contact
Gwen Reynolds 8t (919) 733-5959.
Rise In State Enterprise
RALEIGH — North Carolina
hns averaged better than two new
plant announcement a week for
the first five and a half months of
1987, Governor Jim Martin told
the state Board of Economic De
velopment today. Speaking to the
board's quarterly meeting in Ra
leigh, Martin said, "North Carolina
continues to perform well in busi
ness development even though
competition for new investments
has increased dramatically."
The Governor said preliminary
Commerce Department figures
report a total of 40 new invest
ment announcements of more
than $1 million in the first five and
a half months of 1987. Nineteen of
the announcements exceed $5 mil
lion. In all, Martin said, the De
partment has identified $351 mil
lion in investment in new facilities
since the beginning of the year.
Expansion announcements are not
included in the preliminary statis
tics.
The Governor said job an
nouncements associated with the
new invest
ments totaled
6,669.
The roll call
of these firms
includes Rocco
Turkeys, Gold
en Poultry, Ta
keda Chemical,
Eastman Ko
dak, Praxis Bio
Martin L0*0'- Carvar
Boat Company,
White Consolidated Industries,
Ace Hardware, Okuma Machin
ery Works, CPC International,
Dart Container, Sheller-Globe, and
still mors," aaid Martin.
Martin also cited other recant
repeats which reflect tha overall
■trength of tha state's economic ef
forts.
"Just last weak," noted Govern
or Martin, "tha Southern Industri
al Development Council reported
that North Ceordlina lad tha South
east in ISM in tha creation of new
manufacturing jobs and placed
second In tha amount of new man
ufacturing investment
"Baaed on preliminary figures
from the Commerce Department, .
Martin aaid, "thoaa rankings
counted 24,682 job announce
merits in North Carolina and $2.5
billion in investment last yenr.
North Carolina also continues
to show well in opinion polls of
American corporate executives."
the Governor said.
A national survey of corporate
real estate directors released by
Manufacturing Week magazine in
March of this year, shows that
North Carolina continues to rank
number one as manufacturing ex
ecutive s first choice for a new lo
cation.
"Nearly one-quarter of the exec
utives questioned said that within
the entire continental United
States, North Carolina would be
their most likely choice for a new
plant site," said the Governor.
Texns and California ranked sec
ond with 21 % each.
The Governor said North Caro
lina's economy is also continuing
to show the benefits of strong eco
nomic growth.
Unemployment Drop
"Unemployment fell to 5.3% in
1986,” said Martin. "That's nearly
two points below the national av
erage, and the lowest rate for
North Carolina since 1979.
"And while unemployment hns
gone down - total employment has
gone up,” Martin said. "More
North Carolinians were working
in 1986 than ever before in our his
tory. Average total employment in
North Carolina climbed above
3,000,000 for the first time; and
manufacturing employment
reached its second highest level
ever.
"Even in the textile industry,
where we've lost jobs in recent
years, there were job gains.
"Finally, 1986 was also a year
for strong gains for our travel and
film development initiatives.
"Travel revenues in 1986
reached $5.1 billion - a gain of
over 10% above 1986, and the first
time the industry has crossed the
. $5 billion mark," the Governor
continued.
"In the exciting new area of film
development,we saw 22 major
motion pictures produced in
North Carolina in 168$ with a total
economic impact of $268 million."
"North Carolina's economic de
velopment has never been healthi
er and its future never brighter,”
Martin concluded.
I
By Jalyne Strong
Poet Managing Editor
"It's like a huge reunion. I've
seen old friends, acquaintances,
and teachers Fve had. Plus I was
able to work as well as participate
in the ftin. It's been the greatest
thing that could happen for my
business. The exposure I received
is worth a lot"
Barbara Garnette, owner and
operator of Bedspreads Etc.,
couldn't say enough to describe
how. much she was enjoying
WestFest 87, the northwest street
festival that took place at the in
tersection of Beatties Ford Rd.
and LaSalle St. last Saturday.
Garnatte's company was one of
the several, mostly black-owned
businesses which participated aa
vendors at WastFest this year.
Garnette, herself, enjoyed the
sun, camraderie and promotion
;al aspect# of the festival. But most
•*of all, Garnette explained, Tm
•proud (WestFest) is on the west
•wide, where I grew up."
- On Saturday, from 10 a.m. un
til 7 p m., 25,000 people came to
•njoy the festivities of the second
-annual WestFest. The tempera
M' • ^ J- At' *
ture had reached the 90'e by mid
day, but the crowd of revelers ei
ther decided to enjoy the heat or
just not complain about it.
There were plenty of other
things to do.
People came to see gospel per
forming groups (seven), and/or
the contemporary music perform
ers (seven); the various and var
ied wares sold by the vendors; to
meet and greet representatives
from the 36 community organiza
tions which displayed informa
tion booths; and to enjoy the rides
of the mini-amusement park.
They also came to witness the
barbecue contest; perhaps to enter,
and maybe win. Plus they could
savor a wide choice of edibles
(one of which was a delicious,
spicy dish called Caribbean
Chicken). They also rushed to
enter a raffle for a trip to Jamai
ca. And they were compelled by
the African beat to the area where
the congo drums played.
As all thass activities were go
ing on simultaneously, there was
newer a lull atWestFest.
"I’ll be back next year," as
sured Robert Robinson, owner of
I. ^ ^ J*
General Merchandise and a par
ticipating WestFest vendor.
Henry and Cheryl Martin
brought their four-month-old son,
Jared, to experience his first
WestFest.
"It's very nice," Cheryl point
ed out about the festival. "It's a
great turnout and it shows good
community support."
Henry agreed and added,
"It's a good event. I think West
Fest is an excellent opportunity to
see people you haven't seen in
awhile. And, it provides a nice
cultural entertainment mix."
Sam Young, chairman of
WestFest, Inc, assessed this
year's event saying, "WestFest
'87 afforded the community an
opportunity to come out and
blend. Blacks came together for
fun and the betterment of our
community."
Captain Bill Enaley of the
Charlotte Police Department who
waa one of aeveral police officers
monitoring the crowd called
WeatFeat a "very peaceful and
calm, large crowd."
"There were no fights or ar
rests, which is very unusual for a
crowd this size," described the of
ficer. "The police had nothing
more to do than be there and
handle the traffic. It was a very
good group."
State Alexander, a member of
WestFest, Inc., comments,
"We're happy with the outstand
ing turnout.
"WestFest can't do anything
but get better,” Alexander contin
ues. "The best thing is how the
community worked along with
us. I can’t thank enough the vol
unteers who pitched in.”
By 8 p.m. last Saturday night,
the sun was almost down and the
large, happy and peaceful crowd
began leaving the intersection of
LaSalle and Beatties Ford Rd.
They had enjoyed the food, festiv
ities and fun of the largest party
on the west side. They had plenty
to go and tell there friends about.
Maybe they already saw many of
their friends at the celebration.
As Alexander says, "WestFest
brings a lot of people together."
Planned Parenthood Challenges State Abortion Rule
.. Planned Parenthood of Greater
Charlotte, the directors of the Dur
ham and Aaaon countiea Depart
menta of Social Sarvloee and taro
phyeiciane filed cult to challenge
the North Carolina Social Sarvicaa
Commlsaion'a new rulee on the
State Abortion Fund, scheduled to
taka effect June 1,1987. The com
plaint will be filed in Wake County
I INSIDE THIS WEEK
Page#
Editorials 2A
Lifestyles 8A
Church News 1QA
Entertainment IB
•ports 8B
Classified 14B
Superior Court.
The Social Service Commii
eion'e new rulee require county so
cial service workers to ask all poor
woman seeking assistance from
the State. Abortion Pund if they
would like to see models of fetal
development and require social
service dnartment directors to re
port to • district attorney any
State Abortion Fund applicant
who claims to have been a victim
of rape.
The complaint seeka both in
junctive relief and a declaratory
judgement against the rules be
cause:
the rules exceed the administra
tive authority of the Social Servic
se Commission;
the rulea violate the constitu
tional right to privacy of appli
cants for the State Abortion Fund;
the rules violate the equal pro
tection clause of the North Caroli
na Constitution and the 14th
Amendment to the U.S. Constitu
tion; <
the rape and incest reporting re
See Abortion Rule on Page SA
Plants For Black Political Convention
f lv In Preparation For’88 Election*
i*.
Washington,pc - The heads
of the nation s major black politi
cal organisations announced re
cently tfcat they trill convene • na
tional conference of black elected
and appointed officials at the
Orand jiyatt Hotel in Washing
ton, DC, January 20-23,1088.
Tha dontferenee, officially called
Tha Fifth National Policy Institute,
will involve mors than 1,000 elect
ed and appointed officials from
across Jhe country. These officials
will develop political strategies,
diacuta public polity laauoa, and
ax pi or a tha problama of gov am
mantaa thay ralata to tha black
community. „rffi,
Tha confaranoa will ba coordi
nated by tha National Policy Insti
tute of tha Joint Canter for Politi
cal 8tudiss. Tha Ca*tar's Institute
program grow out of tha Fourth
National Policy Institute of public
officials which watfcald in 19*4.
Spanking on bahalf of Ota spon
sors of tha Fifth National Policy
Institute, Eddie N. Williams, presi
dent of the Joint Center for Politi
cal Studies, said, The delibera
tions of the nation • black elected
.and appointed officials will make
a valuable contribution to the pres
idential selection process."
Black public official* hav* mot
nationally four time* before, in
l»6?f 1969,1976, and 1984. Begin
ning in 1988, the national meet
ing* will be held every lour year*,
coinciding with presidential elec
tion year*.