Newspapers / The Carolinian (Raleigh, N.C.) / Jan. 24, 1991, edition 1 / Page 13
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AKA’s Get Contract To Operate Cleveland Job Corps Centers Aloha Kaooa Aloha Sororitv. Inc.. AIT A final a 120,000-member service organiza tion, has received a $15.5 million federal contract to operate the Cleveland Job Corps Center (Ohio) for a two-year period beginning Feb. 1. AKA is one of only four black and two female contractors chosen to operate one of the nation’s more than 100 centers, which provide basic education, vocational training, hous ing and work experience for disad vantaged youths. With slots for 530 corpsmembers, the Cleveland Center is a mid-size facility. While there are four centers with slots for more htan 1,000, the size of the others ranges from 125 to 735. operate the Cleveland Center in 1965, \ but for the past 10 years has survived t strong challenges from giant cor- s porations which operate most of the { centers. < Mary Shy Scott, AKA international t president, said she was particularly i pleased to have received the contract ( at this period in history. “It is critical t now more than ever that these at-risk i youths be given a second chance, and ‘ despite federal cutbacks and the t recession, this contract ensures that AKA can continue to provide that se- s cond chance and make a positive dif- c ference in their lives,” Ms. Scott said, v In addition to offering vocational s training in career areas from child v BY BARRY COOPER If you walk Into a grocery store to buy, say, a carton of eggs and a gallon of milk with a $100 bill as pay ment, you can expect a mighty strong stare from the sales clerk. That is because the $100 bill has developed a bad rap. It has become agoo<fway of drawing attention to yourself. Merchants are so afraid of taking in counterfeit bills that many are reluc * tant to accept $100 bills. In South Florida, where the drug trade is heavy, some banks are requiring customers to have an account before cashing $100 bills. Other banks are forcing customers to sign affidavits ( leclaring that the bills aren’t fake. Even some post offices are requir- t ng driver’s licenses before taking the £ 1100 bill. t This paranoia over the $100 bill ( :ould be wide-ranging, as .more and nuhfb mSrchahts seek to help cut losses, what with the country ap- t sarently headed into a recession. c The issue could affect the average f man or woman, too. “If the bill is bad, • whoever holding it is stuck,” said an t official with the United States Postal e Service. B That means that if you take in a s Scams On Rise With New Advertisina BY BARRY COOPER There are some folks out there who are spending a lot of time these days trying to think of ways to separate you from your hard-earned dollars. Here are some scams to look out for: • “One-shot” credit cards. Some companies have begun marketing credit cards that may seem Just like the major credit card issued by your bank. But be careful before paying any fee for these cards. Consumers around the country who have paid as little as $35 for the cards have discovered that the cards are good only to buy products from a specific department store or catalog. And often the merchandise made available for sale is at an inflated price, and the credit card carries a higher interest rate than other cards. Companies marketing these “one shot,” “guaranteed approval” cards generally aim their advertising at consumers who have credit problems or low income. If you are looking around for a credit card, stay with the names you are familiar with. Even consumers with poor credit can obtain one of the major cards. You will have to place some money in a bank—at least $800—for collateral, and the interest rate likely will be slightly higher. But you will have a legitimate credit card that is accepted worldwide, and by making your payments on time, you will be improving your credit. • Bogus health-care products. Some ripoff artists are targeting elderly people, promising them that a cure has been found for various ailments such as arthritis or im potence. Some senior citizens have fallen for these scams, only to find themselves having purchased $600 worth of vitamins. See a doctor before buying any expensive health care items. •Work-at-home schemes. Con sumers should carefully investigate any work-at-home offers that seem too good to be true. There are many such scams today, ranging from advertisements seeking housewives to address envelopes at home for $10 an hour, or for people to assemble kids’ toys on commission. One recent advertisement offered $10 an hour for people who would agree to stay at home and take credit applications for a company. In nearly every case, all such offers should be avoided. Consumers end up paying fees to the company for materials and that is the extent of the scam. For example, in the case of the toyi scam, consumers are asked to buj hundreds of dollars worth of toy parti to get started. Then, once the con sumer starts to send in the toys for commission, the company rejects (See AD. SCAMS, P.18) Oprah Donates To Poor, Less Fortunate Ones Responding to the plight of the less fortunate, talk-show host Oprah Win frey, who is known for her generous spirit, recently gave $50,000 to help a church in San Francisco fund its an nual holiday grocery giveaway. The Glide Memorial United Methodist Church has been distributing thousands of groceries to the poor since 1979. However, last month the church reported that holi day contributions were down and ask ed for public donations. vote w avvvuuuugi uiv piwgiaui |»v vides the opportunity for corp smembers who do not have a high school diploma to earn a GED and gives those who have a diploma the chance to earn college credit. While all craters provide a core curriculum and basic services, Ms. Scott said that corpsmembers at the Cleveland Centra receive an addi tional benefit because AKA members are actively involved in the centra. “We provide special, personal touches,’’ Ms. Scott said. Such touches include celebrations and events which are held at the centra, care packages, scholarships which AKA sets aside for corp smembers, and social and etiquette workshops and/or experiences fake $100 bill from say, a friend as payment for some service, you are out of luck. Your only choice would be to press charges against your friend for passing bad bills and then seek to collect payment through small claims court. There are ways to spot counterfeit bills, however, and just as the banks and merchants are protecting themselves, so should the average citizen. Here is what to look for: •Check the serial numbers on the ’ bill. The serial numbers on counterfeit bills sometimes are im properly spaced and aligned. •Beware of odd coloring on the bill. Red and blue fibers are imbedd ed in authentic bills. Counterfeit bills may have red and blue fibers simulated by surface printing. • Check the Federal Reserve seal, which has a large “J” in the middle. If the bill is counterfeit, the saw-tooth points on the circumference of the seal likely will be uneven, blunt or broken off. • Examine the portrait of Ben Franklin. Hie portrait should be clear and vivid unless the bill is ob viously worn through years of use. The portrait on counterfeit bills ap pears to be lifeless and merges into the background, with the hairlines in distinct. AKA Celebrates Founders Day In January Sunday, Jan. IS, marked an ex traordinary Founders’ Day program celebrated by Sigma Tau Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., of Cary. Chapter members and guests united in worship service at the historic St. Paul AME Church in the city. The affair was held at the Velvet Cloak Inn in Raleigh. Basileus Robin D. Whitaker conducted the program and rededication ceremony. The sorors then listened to an inspira tional message from guest speaker Soror Lucille Piggott, a former Mid Atlantic regional director from the (See FOUNDERS DAY. P. 18) Reebok THE CAROLINIAN Are • The • Proud • Sponsors • Of Reinvestments —- Community GROUPS TOLD TO U8E SAVINGS ' IN SELF-HELP PLANS Fra CAROLINIAN Stall Report! National black organisations across the United 8tates are being urged to either scale back or cancel their 1M2 conventions and use those dollars in a self help economic development plan. The proposal is being advanced by television Journalist Tony Brown, who is the host of “Tony Brown’s Journal” on Public Television. “Each year, 156 national black organizatons spend |3 billion In white hotels discussing white racism and black poverty,” said Brown. He pointed out black groups should redirect convention dollars that would have been spent on travel, meals, lodging and entertainment to form a capital base for new business enterprises. Buying hotels would be a start. “This Is a self-initiating wealth creation program. In effect, we are rechanneling our own wealth back into the community," Brown said. “We can’t rely any longer on government program* to stimnlate our business economy.” Brown mM he aelected hotel* as the first phase of the pl^n, “because there Is a definite need on our part tp use them and they could create an immediate cash flow.” In 1M3 black organisations would resume national conventions in those black hotels. Economists and Mack organisations say Brown’s convention plan is a progressive alternative to government programs for tackling social problems and promoting black financial independence. To date, no major black organisation has canceled convention plans for 1M2. The National Association of Black Journalists, with 2,*00 members, .the Black Data Processing Associates, 5*0 members, the Tuskegee Airmen, 050 members, and the Progressive National Baptist Convention, 10,000 members, are among groups that plan! to hold *02 conventions in Detroit at the (See REINVESTMENT, P. 18) 'Reinvestments in the Community" is a weekly column appearing in API publications throughout the USA. NEA Conference Opens-Up Major Planning, Tool WASHINGTON, D.C.-The Na tional Education Association will open up its two major conferences in 1901 for the first time to the full education community and to others who have an interest in technology and partnerships in education, an nounced NEA President Keith Geiger. In the past NEA conferences, which explore new dimensions and trends in the education field, have been restricted to participation by its members. “If genuine education reform is go ing to happen, everyone has to buy in to it—from the planning stages to ac cepting responsibility for its im plementation,” Geiger said. The first conference, set for San Francisco March 8-10, will examine public education’s access to and use of technological advances. “It’s a revolution limited to the business sector so far. All segments of the public, our schools and our classroom teachers, must be ac quainted with its dimensions and be allowed to participate,” said Geiger. The second conference, set for Pitt sburgh April 19-21, will consider how all of the nation’s resources can be mobilized to, address the governors’ natdiohal education agenda goals. (See NEA MEET, P. 18) I _ INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANT-Eva M. Clayton, President of Tochnlcal Rotourcot International, Ltd., and Commissioner of Warren County, with WMam Hibson, Cantor for RaOgion, Ethnic and Social PoNcy, Comal Univorslty. Ithaca, Now York wH roprosont the Presbyterian Church (USA) as an International consultant on environment In Some. Switzerland. Host Families Needed For Foreign Students me international r nenasmp pro gram at North Carolina State Univer sity has put out a call for volunteers to serve as host families for interna tional students. An orientation course for new hosts is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Jan. 24 ip the Green Room of the NCSU Univer sity Student Center. The IFP program has been a catalyst for cultural exchange since the 1970s. Host families help interna tional students adjust to life in the United States, says IFP coordinator Louise Eiswirth. Each semester she recruits volunteer hosts willing to make a one year or one-semester commitment to befriend a student or student family. About 20 new hosts are needed to meet requests from international students arriving at NCSU for the spring semester. “There are 1,100 international students at NCSU, representing 93 countries,” Eiswirth said. “About 125 of them request host families each academic year. The first year far away from home and family is always the most difficult for them.” Hosts, who include single people, couples, people with children or retired people, are asked to help the students understand the American way of life, the language, customs and community. Special events sponsored by the IFP help “break the ice” for hosts Lit Our Exporta Ktop Your Car In Top Shaptl BRAKE REPAIR DRUMS & ROTORS TURN KI> TUNE VPS BATTERIES TIRES COMPUTER BALANCE I • OFFICIAL Lioansa<l Inspection Station! Credit Cards Honored TEXACO - EXXON - MASTERCARD - VISA AMERICAN EXPRESS-WSCPVERY DUNN'S TIX ACO SIRVICKNTIR "See Us Per Coa^'te Car Or*/" ftmmskrrS ana stuaenis aiuce, n-iswirm saio >, Valentine social, planned for the NCSU University Student Center on Feb. 10, will introduce students to slice of pure Americana—square dan cing. Ordinary activities can be mutual!, rewarding for host and students, Eiswirth added. One student helped her host pick strawberries at a local farm. Another helped put in a row of tomato plants in his host’s backyard garden. Later, they all enjoyed the fruits of the harvest American style—strawberry shortcake and tomato sandwiches. Don Roberts, director of the NCSl International Student Office, said too IFP experience “always turns ou‘ be a surprise’’ for the American ho- s as well as the international students. (See NEEDED, P.18) Etactncal Contrmcttx Cenmerciat Residential RUBIN COMMAND i,wd 17 Of 839-5683 Per Week S i ATE LICENSED
The Carolinian (Raleigh, N.C.)
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Jan. 24, 1991, edition 1
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