^Oi.
WONT COST
NOTHING
“Love Don’t Cost A
Thing” a tired urban
remake of 1980s
teen comedy/1 D
Christina Milian
and Nick Cannon
CHRISTMAS TALE
Should parents
push the idea of
Santa Claus/1 B
it’s not the birds
and bees, but a
tough cali to
make anyway
Voiume 29 No. 14
www.thecharlottepost.com
Cfiarlotte Boit
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The Voice of the Biack Community
THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 18-22, 2003
Also Ser*;|c:(r**;t:^:t;^^;t:;K^5-bTRTT
JAMES B. DUKE LTBRARY
100 BEATTIES FORD RD
CHARLOTTE NC 28216-5302
6 S13 P
}unties
New mayera old frictions
challenge school hoam
First pupil assignment vote signal shifting of power, priorities
By Chens F. Hodges
and Herbert L. White
THE CHARLOTTE POST
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg School
Board has new rnembers and a lin
gering problem: Delivering a clear-
cut vision for N.C. largest public
school district.
The new board’s first act last week
was to reverse a student assignment
decision voted by the previous board
dealing with the student assignment
plan. The board approved a change to
the student assignment plan that
would modify the current Lansdowne
Elementary School boundary to
allow a small area (Mays Chapel
Lane, Gardner Lane, Brookfield
Place, and Summer Darby Lane) to
have Elizabeth Lane as a home
school. That area will feed to South
Charlotte Middle and Providence
High instead of McClintock Middle
and East Mecklenburg High.
Vice Chair Kit Cramer said she
voted for the change because it was
what Superintendent James
Pughsley wanted. Although the
item was not on the agenda,
Cramer said board members
should debate issues when neces
sary.
“The superintendent said this
was a decision that needed to be
Please see CMS B0ARD/6A
Cramer
PHOTO/CALVIN FERGUSON
Earl Worth, who has worked as Santa in the Charlotte area since
1997, has been unable to find work this holiday season. His
inability to portray jolly Saint Nick robs African American kids of
a chance to interact with someone who looks like them.
Last hired: Prospects dim for this Saint Nick
By Chens F. Hodges
FOR THE CHARLOTTE POST
In a time when many people
are having a hard time finding a
job, this time of year, Santa is
the last person who many would
expect to find in the unemploy
ment line.
But for one Charlotte Santa,
that is where it seems that he
will be spending Christmas.
It isn’t shaping up to be a
Merry Christmas for Earl
Worth, an African American
Santa.
He has been donning a red suit
since 1997. But Worth says he
can,t find a job this year.
Worth got his start at the
Outlet Market in Fort MiU.
“It was great,” he said of his
first Santa gig. “The parents and
the kids were excited. The black
parents wanted this.”
Worth said it is important for
children to see a Santa that
looks Uke them. He was hired at
big discount stores and parties.
“Black Santa” was a hit. When
Worth plays Santa, he comes
with his own photographer so
that children can have a memo
ry of the day.
But, Worth said, things
changed last year.
He didn’t get called for parties
or at several stores or maUs. “AU
these major stores where black
people shop won’t hire me,”
Worth said.”It’s because I’m
black.”
Worth said he has tried to get
work at several stores and malls
with no avail. He even tried to
get on at Eastland Mall, he said,
a diverse shopping area in East
Please see W0RK/2A
Proposed hospital puts focus on children’s health
By Herbert L. White
herb, white @ thecharloitepost. com
Carolinas Healthcare
System wants to build a chil
dren’s hospital that would
boost pediatric care in the
Charlotte region.
The planned $85 million, 11-
story hospital would be built
on the campus of Carolinas
Medical Center. CHS’s board of
directors has approved con
struction plans. A certificate of
need application will be filed
Jan. 15 with the N.C..
Department of Health and
Human Services and a deci
sion is anticipated later next
year. The new hospital -will be
named Levine Children’s
Hospital, and would open in
2007. When completed it will
encompass 230 beds including
53 existing neonatal intensive
care nursery beds.
‘With an influx of more than
95,000 children expected in the
area over the next 10 years,
providing a child- and family-
centered facility will be vital to
keep pace with the growing
need in our region,” said James
E.S. Hynes, chairman of the
CHS board.
The hospital is the largest
single capital expenditure in
Carolinas HealthCare System
histoiy. The hospital is named
in honor of Sandra and Leon
Levine, who gave $10 million
through The Leon Levine
Foundation. The remainder
will be funded through
Carolinas HealthCare
Foundation, and Carolinas
HealthCare System.
“Sandra and I believe ardent
ly that children are our com-
munitys most important
asset,” said Leon Levine,
founder of the Family Dollar
Please see PROPOSED/2A
CJiarlotte
misses on
N.C. jobs
Legislature votes to
send tax breaks to
Triangle and Triad
By Cynthia Dean
THE TRIANGLE TRIBUNE
RALEIGH - The Charlotte region missed out on
North Carolina’s job stimulus package.
Merck, one of the nation’s largest pharmaceuti
cal companies, will offer 200 jobs with a starting
salary of $55,000 a year at Treybum Corporate
Park in Durham.
In a special legislative session
called by Gov. Mike Easley Dec. 9,
the General Assembly approved
spending $24 million to lure
Merck to the northern Durham
industrial park.
Legislators also voted tax
breaks for R.J. Reynolds Tbbacco
Co.’s wishes that would add about
800 jobs in the Winston-Salem
area.
Rep. Bernard AUen, D-Wake, said he felt the bill
was an effective piece of legislation because it
stimulates economic growth.
“Anytime we have jobs coming to North
Carolina, I’m for it,” he said. “I think we did the
right thing. I commend the Department of
Corhmerce and the governor for getting Merck to
come here.”
Members of the Legislature took a five day tour
throughout the state, making 35 stops along the
way. The lawmakers attended town hall meetings
where residents discussed their most pressing
ne^eds.
Allen
Please see CHARLOTTE/3A
Support of black
voters no sure
thing for Dean
By Hazel Trice Edney
NATIONAL NEWSPAPER PUBUSHERS ASSOCIATION
WASHINGTON - Although Democratic presi
dential front-runner Howard
Dean has received several key
endorsements, including one from
former Vice President A1 Gore, he
does not have a lock on the black
vote, political analysts say.
“If Dean reaches out to the rank
and file, when he reaches out to
grass roots Afncan-Americans by
addressing the issues, by asking
for their support, then Howard Brazile
Dean will have a leg up in the
race,” says Donna Brazile, Gore’s former cam
paign manager. “In terms of the black vote, I think
the black vote is up for grabs.”
Gore’s endorsement of Dean at the National
Black Theatre’s Institute for Action Arts in
Harlem last week, caps several important
endorsements, including those by Congressmen
Bobby Scott (D-Va.), Major Owens (D-N.Y.), and
Jesse Jackson Jr., (D-Ill.); the American
Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees (AFSCME); and the Service
Please see AFRICAN AMERCAN/6A
Inside
Editorials 4A
Weather 8A
Life 1B
Religion 8B
Sports 1C
Real Estate 5C
Business 8C
A&E ID
Classified 4D
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© 2003 The Charlotte Post Publishing Co,
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