North Carolina Newspapers

Lou Rawls ‘Parade Of Stars’ Airs Dec. 28th. SeePage 7 RALEIGH, N.C., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26,19 VOL. 51, NO. H) .,c SPIRIT OF JESUS CHRIST SINGLE COPY U IN RALEIGH ELSEWHERE 300 We especially welcome the opportunity to say thank you for your friendship and trust throughout the year. Special Session Catted //• N. C. Lawmakers To Reconsider Redistrictinq (AP)—State lawmakers will mast in spatial session before year’s and to eonaider what to do about tha U.S. Justice Departments rejection of North Carolina’s redistricting plans. House Speaker Dan Blue, D Wake, said that he was concerned politics was involved in rejection of the three redistricting plans. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said in a letter that North Carolina’s redistricting plans failed to protect the interests of black voters. Blue said the decision seems to conflict with the Bush administration’s position on hiring quotas. "I think that if we are going to be consistent about that, that we have to say just as we are opposed to quotas in job opportunities... so are we opposed to the use of quotas in the political process itself,” Blue commented. Blue said the General Assembly plans to return for a one-day session Dec. 30 to decide on chages in filing deadlines. He said lawmakers hope to avoid delays in primaries or elec tions. Until Dec. £0, the staff will exam ine the issue, Blue said. “Well be working on it while eve rybody is walking under the mistle toe and stuff,* he said. “Well be look ing at how you draw lines inaloving way.’ Republicans were optimistic about the Justice Department’s de cision. They said it could lead to adoption of a plan earlier dumped by the Democrat-controlled state Leg islature. Gov. Jim Martin saidhe would call the special session after consulting with the Council of State on Friday. Martin said he approves of Blue’s plan. But he said the Justice Depart ment decision vindicated Republi cans. “During the legislative session, there were many people who pointed out that the maps were flawed," he said. “I took that position." Martin said Blue’s claim that poli tics was involved in the rejection was ironic. “That’s what was involved in the !)rst place,” he said, referring to the Democrat-controlled redistricting ?rOC688. “We’re going to get parts of it,” »aid Rep. Art Pope, R-Wake, of a Depression Era Survivors Find Times Today Almost As Bad As Yeasteryear PASSAIC, N J. (AP)—In the late 1920b, Jessie Bernstein and her husband ran a bustling Newark market specializing in Southern food. It was a happy, prosperous time. Credit was easy to get. People bought cars and appliances on the installment plan. And even small investors speculated in the stock market Then the bottom fell out The market crashed in 1929, and Bernstein's world turned upside down. ‘Everything went," said Bern stein, 82, recalling relatives’ sui cides and her own struggle to sur vive after she lost the market. That was the Great Depression: a time of bread lines and cardboard ' shacks. The jobless rate soared, and people lost everything. Now, some exports are using the word ‘depression” to describe the country’s economy. UJ3. Sen. Bill Bradley, D-N J., said the nation is in a ‘slow-moving” depression. Bui those who lived through the Great Depression and others who have studied it say things aren’t nearly as bad now. "Today we have unemployment compensation, Social Security and two-income families,” said Martin Bookbinder, a political science and economics professor at Passaic County Community College in Pa terson. In 1930, he said, the unemploy ment rate was 26 percent. The na tional unemployment rate in No vember was 6.8 percent. Still, there are similarities. When Bernstein’s store was thriv ing, some unskilled workers and farmers didn’t have a share in the prosperity. And though the reasons were different, the foreign market for American goods was almost nonexistent. “Certainly the common thread is very restrictive monetary policy,” said Robert L. Greenfield, a profes sor of economics at Fairleigh Dickin son University in Madison. “Be tween 1929 and 1933, the quantity of money, which is contracted by the Federal Reserve, fell by 27 percent— a money supply contraction of un precedented proportions. We've seen restrictive monetary policy beginning in 1987.” Harry and Deborah Goldfarb, both 79 and living in a senior dtixen’s complex in Clinton, said they don't think the country is going back to the times when they saw men wan dering the streets of Brooklyn sell ing apples. But they agreed that today’s econ omy is in bad shape at a time when people are expecting a high stan dard of living. “In those days,” Harry Goldfarb said, “there was a breadwinner. A man took care of his family. Today, you cant do it,” Marilyn Berkowitz, a 77-year-old nursing home resident in Cliiton, said her husband weighted eight (See DEPRESSION, P. 2) left to rtfht around tha tret are committee members Lisa Wharton, Rita Hanes, UNar Barnes, Brigitte Peebles, Cathy Peebles Brown and JuHa Shealey, chairman ol the committee. ‘Economic Vision’ Crucial To Success Of African-Americans In The Future BY CASH MICHAELS Contributing Writer With the theme, “Economic Vision for the 21st Century,” this year’s 3.A Dupree Scholarship Fund Banquet not only defined the eco lomic realities facing African Rep. Lewis Seeks Stand On Black Violence; Hoodlums Erode Gains WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.8. Rep. John Lewie (D-Ga.), a former top, young, non-violent civil righte leader who now ie deputy majority leader of the House of Bepreeenta tives, denounced the tide of growing violence in African-American com munitiea during a epeech in hie home etate this month. Speaking at the Israel Williams Memorial Scholarship banquet in Bessemer, Ala., near the area where ■ ''* he was beaten to the ground with other non-violent demonstrators for voting rights during the historic 1964 Selma-to-Montgomery marches, Lewis told the audience, "black-on-black violence... consti tutes the greatest threat to the Afri can-Americaii community in the 19900." "Once again, the time has come for our communities to take a stand to protect our future. We have togalva nize forces as we did in the 1960s. We have to secure our social and economic freedom. And we must stop the drug trade and black-on blade violence that is plaguing out communities,'’ Rep. Lewis declared. "There are young teenage hood lums who are wrecking the gains made by young black and white students who went to jail—and even (See REP. JOHN LEWIS, P. 2) * WILE CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY—WLLfc Radio personalties Bra. Jamas thorns, sacond from right and Rasa Hadga, far right assisted hi tha toad dlstnoutton at tea stattan's Marta Street tocatiaa Thursday afternoon. Pictures atso an happy recipients, who rocotvad tin tret food deviations, Kdo through the generosity of churches, clubs, individual, and businesses. (Photo by Johns Biles)) Americans today, but also provided dramatic evidence of young people striving to succeed, even in the face of an uncertain future. Held at Martin Street Baptist Church on Dec. 16, the 10th annual tribute to noted educator, commu nity activist and radio commentator Prof. O. A. Dupree of Shaw Univer si ty honored three outstanding busi nesspeople of Raleigh’s African American community with the “Liv ing Legacy Awards.” Those honored were Edward Maxwell, owner/operator of several McDonald’s franchises in the Tri angle area; Ms. Vivian Irving, pro prietor of Irving-Swain Press; and Dolphus Pearson, owner/operator of Pearson’s Insurance Agency. Each were cited for their contributions to the community. "As I look at the theme for this year’s banquet,* said Maxwell as he accepted his award, “I can’t help but Shooting Results In One Man Hospitalized A Southeast; Raleigh man has been arrested and charged with shooting two Raleigh men recently. Dennis Leon Williams, of 921 Peace Terrace, was charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflict ing seriousinjury with intent to kill and felony assault^ Records show police arrested the 30-year-old man after he shot at two Raleigh men, hospitalizing one with a wound to the chest. The shooting incident occurred in the 1300 block of Walnut Street in South Raleigh. Willie Summer Foster ,of 1331-B Holman St., was shot in the chest. Williams allegedly shot at, but missed, Marvin Mitchell of 512 S. Person St. Williams was in the Wake County Jail under a $5,000 bond for the assault with a deadly weapon charge and a $500 bond for the fel ony assault. (See SHOOTING, P.2) reflect on the word of God that says ‘a nation without vision will per ish.’* Maxwell, who is also an ordained 1 minister of a ministry called “Sec- 1 ond Chance,” went on to illustrate how African-Americans are not util- 1 izing the economic opportunities < available to them to succeed. “Look at the things that are hap- * pening in the [Soviet Union] to- 1 day.,.,” Maxwell said, referring to the recent economic collapse and * distegration of the USSR. “A lot of ' people can’t understand that we’re ' heading down that same road. Any time our deficits keep getting bigger * and bigger, and we have to borrow « (See ECONOMIC, P. 2) GOP plan that competed with the one aent to Washington. "With the congressional plan, they're 100 per cent behind our plan.” He estimated the Justice Depart ment was 75 percent in line with Republican plans for the state House and Senate. But Blue said legislators are un likely to go along with Republican offerings, including a second major (See REDISTRICTING, P. 2) Holiday Spirit Helps Hamlet Fire Victims BY CASH MICHAELS Contribatliig Writer Two and one-half months after one of the greatest tragedies in North Carolina history, the survivors of the Imperial Foods plant in Hamlet are slowly trying to put the pieces back together. For those who lost family and friends in the chicken processing plant fire that claimed 25 lives last Sept. 11, it is much harder, for not only did they lose people they loved, but their jobs, too. And yet, the outpouring of love and contribu tions from around the country have given many of them hope to survive. “They’re coming out of it, but I think they’re still kind of in shock,* said Ms. Cassandra Smith,^chair person of CARE, a coalition of com munity organizations in Richmond County that came together to help the survivors of the Imperial foods fire. “We’re trying to get them to come out to our meetings to organize things, and more of them have been coming out lately. But with it being the holiday season, the event is still in their minds and close to their hearts, because the holidays always make you think about the ones you love and lost,* she told The CARO LINIAN. Ms. Smith’s group, along with the Black Workers for Justice, the Rev. lesse Jackson and others, raised 130,000in donations from across the nun try for the employees of Impe rial Foods. More than 200 checks for $145 iach were distributed to them re ently at St. Peter’s United Method st Church in Hamlet so that the amilies would be able to do some hing for Christmas. “It helps a lot,* said Thomas lates, III, looking at his check. “The ray things were going, there rouldn’t have been a Christmas.*” Oates worked in the gravy area of he plant the day of the fire, and was ne of the first to get out (See HOLIDAY 8PIRIT, P.2) "i RALEIGH OBSERVES KWANZAA A Raleigh Kwanzaa cele bration is set for Saturday, Deo. 28. The event will start at 6 p.m. and end at 8 p.m. at the Roberts Park Commu nity Center, located at 1800 E. Martin St. This is the 28th anniversary of the Kwanzaa celebration: one-quarter of a oentury and getting stronger. Join us for this joyous and serious cultural celebration, sponsored by the Raleigh Kwanzaa Com mittee. For more informa tion call 833-8269. Please bring a covered dish for the feast. * YEAR-ROUND SCHOOLS EXPAND Going to school in all sea sons—even summer? Yes, that’s what year-round edu cation means for students in Wake'' County. But it also means refreshing breaks from school in all seasons, not just in the summer. Th* Wake County Public School Sjntan b launching itc recruitment drive for the expansion of the year-round education program for the 1998-93 school year. Morris villo Elementary, West Lake Elementary, West Lake Middle, and Durant Bond Elementary are the four "schools for all seasoned that will provide voluntary year round education programs for the system next year. CONGRESS PASSESS JOBLESS BILL Congress recently passed an unemployment benefits extension bill that will give a financial boost to some 80,000 jobless North Caro linians who have been hit hardest by tbs recession. Congress passed the final version of the bill last week that would allow eligible North Carolinians to reoeive an additional IS weeks of (.See NEWS BRIEFS, P. 2)