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http://www.thepost.mindsprlng.com
THE VOICE OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY
THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 11, 1997
VOLUME 23 NO. 13
75 CENTS
ALSO SERVING CABARRUS, CHESTER, ROWAN AND YORK COUNTIES
Gantt group wins McDonald’s
By John Minter
THE CHARLOTTE POST
McDonald’s Cafeteria and hotel
have new owners.
A group led by Charlotte archi
tect Harvey Gantt called
Westside 2000 Ltd. is expected to
announce today the purchase of
the complex on Beatties Ford
Road. The business was once val
ued at more than $2.5 million.
The group plans to renovate the
cafeteria and hotel, then reopen
before Memorial Day. The adja
cent Fun City
theme park will
be dismantled
and redevel
oped.
Work should
begin this
week, with R.J.
Deeper Inc. as
general con
tractor.
Other
Westside 2000 shareholders
include U.S. Rep. Mel Watt, auto
mobile dealer Sam Johnson, Dr.
Gantt
Tfelezee Foster,
and Floyd D.
Young, owner of
FDY food ser
vice company.
FDY would
manage the
restaurant,
which was one
of the city’s
most popular
eating places
prior to John McDonald’s death in
1995.
McDonald’s widow, Eunice
Watt
McDonald, ran the complex after
his death, but financial problems
forced it to close in August.
Mounting debts led to a mort
gage foreclosure. The hotel, which
showed signs of neglect and dete
rioration, was hit by a fire the
week it closed.
The Northwest Corridor busi
ness community had worried
about the impact of losing a high-
profile anchor.
In a statement, the new owners
said, “John McDonald was a
See MCDONALD’S on page 5A
PHOTO/ PAUL WILLIAMS III
Terry Tiamd (left) and Barbara McElney listen to Beth Jones during a discussion session Sunday at the community race conference
at the Charlotte Convention Center. Nearly 600 people from varying ethnic, racial and religious backgrounds attended the summit,
which was called in response to police shootings of unarmed African Americans.
Let’s talk about race
Conference a first step, not an end, supporters say
By John Minter
THE CHARLOTTE POST
Charlotte’s race conference
was a start, but many partici
pants say what’s important is
the next step.
What that step may be was
T unclear after nearly 600 citi-
V zens spent most of two days
■■ talking among themselves
about issues of race relations.
They also got a strong dose of
reality in a series of graphics
depicting disparities among the
races and ethnic groups in
Charlotte.
In most every area, whites
come out on top compared to
African Americans, American
Indians, Hispanics and Asians.
Education and employment
were two areas given highest
priority for action by conference
participants.
Though pronounced a success
by organizers and participants,
conference weaknesses identi
fied by both groups were the
absence of conservatives on the
one hand and many of the
grassroots elements most
affected by the education and
employment deficiencies.
“I think it was a decent start,”
said Tbrry Tiamd, outreach
director at the Afiu-American
Cultural Center. She also
works in the Homeless
Literacy Program at Central
Piedmont Community College.
“I just regret so many more
grassroots level people where
not there to have their input.”
Tiamd noted that one of the
identification of several fragile
neighborhoods, but many of
those residents were not
among conference participants.
Another community issue
where race became a concern
was cruising by young blacks,
first in Freedom Park in south
east Charlotte and then along
Beatties Ford Road on the
westside.
“There were no cruisers
there,” Tiamd said. “Their voic
es are not being heard. Often
when problems are being dis-
PHOTO/PAUL WILLIAMS II
Diversity consultant Elsie Cross encouraged conferees to talk
openly about racial divisions.
cussed, the people affected by
those problems are not in the
discussion.”
Conference organizers,
including Leadership 'Ibam
chair James Ferguson, met
Wednesday to begin preparing
a report that would summarize
what was said by participants
and what next step will be pro
posed. A similar conference
could be held in April, some
organizers said.
Tiamd and others agreed that
this week’s conference, called
for in early 1997 by African
American businessman Bill
Simms and former
Mecklenburg . County
Commissioners chair Parks
Helms was a good idea.
'Tiamd said participants were
told to focus on their feelings
and opinions and not tiy to find
solutions in two days.
“I just hope the ball is not
dropped...that the follow up
does happen,” Tiamd said.
“More people in the commimity
need to get involved.”
Helms, who was ousted as
commissioners’ chairman last
week, said the conference was
necessary.
“I wanted to encourage us to
take the initiative to begin to
deal with the racial divide,” he
said. “Often it is subtle, but
See RACE on page 2A
FILE PHOTO
McDonald’s Cafeteria and the adjoining hotel and amusement park
was sold to a syndicate headed by Charlotte architect Harvey Gantt.
Martin vote riles
former allies
and community
By John Minter
THE CHARLOTTE POST
Martin
Hoyle Martin may have burned his last bridge to the Afiican
American community by supporting the ouster of former Mecklenburg
County Commissioners Chairman Parks Helms.
'The surprise move by Martin last week led
Democrats to reassess its options after Republican
'Ibm Bush was elected chair of the nine-member
board. Democrat Martin voted with the four
Republicans.
'The vote has been the subject of much debate over
the past week, sparking numerous calls to local radio
stations and nearly overwhelming the race confer
ence Sunday and Monday at Charlotte Convention
Center.
WPEG news and public affairs director Shelia
Stewart said callers found it hard to believe Martin could side with the
Republicans.
“That’s the most difficult thing,” she said. “A lot have questioned his
political motives. A lot of them believe since he d’d this he should
become a straight-out Republican.
“This is definitely a wake-up call for the black community”
Helms, who called for the race conference, received a standing ova-
See VOTE on page 3A
School shake-up leaves
Griffin as new chairman
By John Minter
THE CHARLOTTE POST
Griffin
Mecklenburg County govern
ment’s second major shake-up in
a week produced its second
African American school board
chairman.
Arthur Griffin was elected
chairman of the school board
Tuesday after
previous chair
Susan Burgess
resigned after
learning Griffin
had enough
votes to oust
her.
John Lassiter,
an at-large
member from
southeast
Charlotte, was
elected vice-chairman of the nine-
member board.
District 3 school board member
George Dunlap said he was
unaware of the behind-the-scene
maneuvering leading to Griffin’s
chairmanship and denied it was a
“Hoyle Martin situation.”
A week earlier. District 2 county
commissioner Hoyle Martin
broke with fellow Democrats and
helped elect Republican Tom
Bush chairman of the county
board of commissioners.
Some observers wondered if
Republicans had not scored their
second coup of the week.
“Boy, they did it to us again,”
declared Bob Davis, chair of the
Black Political Caucus.
“Republicans did it to us again. It
looks like a deal was struck
between Vilma Leake, Lassiter
and Griffin and other new folks:
on the board. Burgess elected to'
resign rather than be embar
rassed. 'They were going to do the
same thing to her that they did to
Parks (Helms, who was replaced
as counfy commissioners chair
man).”
“I was just asked to support
Arthur,” Dunlap said. “When he
asked me I said yes.”
Dunlap said after Griffin
informed Burgess Monday night
See GRIFFIN on page 3A
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