North Carolina Newspapers

NEWS BRIEFS (Continued from, pmgt 1) NAACP has asked the Wake County School Board to take $3 million earmarked for white academically gifted students, and spend it on giving regular stu dents more teachers, and smaller classroom sizes. Rev. H.B. Pickett, in a let ter sent to the Wake County School Board Monday, criti cized county spending on gifted children. Reportedly, Wake County spends three times the state allotted sum on AG students, 78 percent of whom are white. Pickett says that redirecting spend ing toward regular students will give them incentive to learn. "Gifted students are given all these incentives to do something they would normally be doing anyhow,” he said. Educators counter that they are following a 1977 state law that man dates the spending, but the state only provides a third of the cost. VIOLENCE HAS N.Y. CONNECTION Raleigh police say drug related violence is to blame for a rash of killings involv ing New York residents in the last year. The latest kill ing occurred lpst Sunday night when Selwyn Alberty of Brooklyn, N.Y. was shot and killed after fighting several men in the Halifax Court housing project. By press time, police had no suspects, but indicated that several in the area were be ing interviewed. In the last 12 months, authorities say drug runners from New York City have been clash ing with local dealers. In November, the bodies of two Brooklyn men were found in bushes behind Wake Medical Center. Po lice say they were drug “mules.” FORUM TO SAVE BLACK MALES How do we stem the tide of violence and aave our young black males from a life of death and destruc tion? That will be the focus of the Male Alliance for Life Extension, a two-part forum planned for Saturday, June 20, at St. Augustine’s Col lege, and Saturday, June 27, at Shaw University. Discus sion will center around vio lence prevention. The fo rums are sponsored by the Wake County Public Health Department’s “Brothers to Brother” project and are free to the public. NAACP (Continued from page 1) “We see little difference in injus tices perpetrated against human decency in both instances. The not guilty verdicts in the King case are outrageous, a mockery of justice. Clearly, they send an inviting sign to other law enforcement officers so inclined, that anything goes in the name of law enforcement.” Planning for the rally began the next day. Sacramento was selected because it is the state capital and there are several bills before the Legislature dealing with police conduct toward citizens. Dr. Hooks expressed his anger at the verdicts in a number of in terviews with national media, and on May 1, when he and other Afri can-American leaders met with President Bush at the White The CAROLINIAN Newspaper, Inc. ol Raleigh ISSN 00455873 518 E. Martin Street Raleigh, North Carolna 27101 Mailing Address: P.0. Box 25308 Raleigh, North Carolna 27811 Second Class Postage Paid at RaMgh North Carolna 27111 PUBLISHED SB*WEEKLY SUBSCRIPTION RATES One Year.-*28.00 SU Months.-914.00 Payable In advance. Address all commu nications and make al checks and money orders poyabla to Tho CMWLMUN. 1 mlnamNa H **--*-**-*-t—- a> im « WlmyNIMVIl rUWSlmVV) NVv., Sw nSM 45th St, New York, N.Y. 10038, National Ad vtrtfctofl RtprettnUXivt. Tht Publiihtf Is imI iMDOMhlt for riii return of untolictaJ iwwt, pictures or ad vertising copy units* ntcttttyy p^rtigi accomponit* tht copy. Opinion* expressed by coluinniats In tN* nsto*p*p*r do not wcwmty npiowit tht polity,of tho n*w*p*psr. For oddre** oonoctlon nolly Tho CARO UNIAN,P.O. Box 25301, RaMgh, N.C. 27111. nouw, He eleo vehemently condemned the riot that broke out after the announcement of the verdicte in public statemente and ii private meetings with Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley and California Gov. Pete Wilson on May 3 in Los Ange les. At the Sacramento rally, Dr. Hooks told the crowd that the NAACP was marching in the tra dition of the nonviolent protest movement, and because America cannot merely accept a business as-usual posture following the ri ots which saw more than 50 people lose their lives and caused millions of dollars in property damage. Dr. Hooks also announced a list of NAACP demands for national action. *The development of civilian po lice review boards in every city where there are none—and the strengthening of those that do ex ist. •The initiation in every police jurisdiction in the country of psy chological screening for all pro spective employees, and the peri odic screening of those on duty. •The inclusion of sensitivity training in all police training and more racial, ethnic and sexual di versity on police forces. •The invoking of Title 18, Sec tion 241-242 of the Federal Code to ensure that the officers in the Rodney King case face the possibil ity of federal charges. An especially moving part of the program occurred when Camisha Abies, president of the Sacramento NAACP Youth Council, told the audience that what she had wit nessed in the King beating had di minished her faith in America’s system of justice. “I don’t understand how anyone can be beaten like that,” she said, fighting back tears. “Society has compromised our civil rights.” Still, Ms. Abies said that it is up to today’s youth to carry on the fight to justice. “The youth who marched today will carry on,” Abies said. “Youth led this assemblage and we will lead you to the right place.” HERGET (Continued from oage 1) mark when he made it." After Ingram, a bystander to a police raid last November, was shot and killed by Officer Vincent Kerr, an SBI investigation, a grand jury and a police adminis trative review all cleared the of ficer of any criminal or procedural wrongdoing. Kerr, who is black, claimed that Ingram refused his orders to stop, and seemed to be reaching into his coat pocket for a weapon. Investigators found no weapon on Ingram’s person after the shooting. But Ingram’s mother, Ms. Soloana Ingram, and other mem bers of his family have refused to accept the police version of the shooting. They, along with other members of the community, have marched several times from Chavis Way in Southeast Raleigh to the Municipal Building down town. Each time they’ve taken to the streets, marchers demanded “the truth,” or they promised, “No justice, no peace.” Last Saturday, in a driving rain after yet another march, Council man Herget’s remarks gave Ms. Ingram and her supporters still more reason to demand another, and in her opinion, more complete, investigation into her son’s death. “I couldn’t believe what I heard. I couldn’t believe that I was hear ing him say it,” said Ms. Ingram. “He’s supposed to be an educated man, he's a city councilman be cause we voted him in... He’s stu pid!” •> Ms. Michelle Moss,.Ms. Ingram’s niece and frequently a family spokesman since the tragedy, was equally critical. “My first response... My mom and I looked at each other and said, 'This guy must be Dan Quayle’s brother.’ He watches too much TV,” said Ms. Moss. She added that despite what Herget or other members of the City Council think or feel, percep tion To them about the black community’s problems with the Raleigh Police Department are very real to those who have faced those problems. She also com mented that in the only police shooting since the death of her cousin, a dog was shot in the leg, “and even then they managed to only wound, and not kill that ani mal,” she said. The question of the FBI civil rights investigation into the In gram case came only after City Manger Dempsey Benton and Po lice Chief Frederick Heineman an nounced that the U.S. Justice De partment had closed its review of the January 1991 police shooting of Tony Farrell. Farrell, an African-American television engineer, was shot and wounded by a plainclothes Raleigh police detective, after he was mis taken for a robbery suspect. Though Chief Heinemnn said the shooting was justified, the city settled out of court with Farrell for $200,000. As part of a new set of proce dures adopted in the aftermath of the Farrell shooting, the council required that when a Raleigh po lice officer shoots a citizen causing injury or death, the Police Affairs Committee must be convened within five business days for a pre liminary report from the police chief, the SBI must be asked to probe and issue a report to the Wake County district attorney, and that the DA then impanel a grand jury for possible indictment of the officer. Although they acknowledge the option of requesting a civil rights investigation by the FBI, the new procedures do not require it. When Rev. David Foy, community activ ist, raised the question of an FBI investigation during last week’s meeting, many in the hearing room assumed the council had al ready made such a request, until Councilman Herget’s remarks. But according to Special Agent Chuck Richards of the Charlotte FBI office, race does not play a fac tor in whether or not a police of ficer may violate a person’s civil rights. “It doesn’t matter what eth nic origin or race... If you're a law enforcement officer and you make an arrest, you can’t abuse the pris oner,” he said. SAVE CITIES (Continued from page 1) sector continuation of the Kemer Riot and Eisenhower Violence commissions established by Presi dent Lyndon B. Johnson in the late 1960s to address “inner city violence, civil unrest, drug use, the school drop-out rate and welfare dependency.” Most of the recom mendations of the two groups have never been implemented because of lack of funds and now, new pro posals are being considered follow ing the 1992 riots about 25 years later. The organization was founded by Dr. Milton Eisenhower, brother of the late President Dwight D. Eisenhower. "The [proposed new] policy is just common sense. It is based on what works,” Curtis declared. Un like those who claim that the na tion lacks the knowledge or ideas to save today’s youth and cities, the Eisenhower Foundation con cluded, “We know enough to act and can’t afford not to act,” said Curtis. “The issue is not knowl edge or money. The issue is ad equate political leadership and po litical will from both parties. “These problems were not cre ated overnight. We’ve known about them for decades. It stands to reason, therefore, that their so lutions can be no quick fix,” Curtis continued. “However, we don’t need Mother federal study that will drag on for months or years. The solutions that work already have ‘bubbled up’ from the grass roots.” When asked who should pay the price tag set for the foundation’s new recommendations, Curtis re plied, “We need to bust through the budgetary... wall that has blocked the use of military and for eign aid for domestic spending. We found the money for the Gulf War. We found the money to bail out the savings and loans. We can cer tainly find funds to save the youth of inner cities.” Increasing taxes on gasoline, cigarettes and alcohol would pro vide new funds while improving health-related conditions, the re port states. BAKER (Continued from page 1) says giving them a structured pro gram of weekend incarceralior would be an option that would en tail supervised study and work, would help them realize that crirn is not worth it. This weekend in carceration would be an option foi judges to consider to give waywarc youth a chance not to develop £ criminal record. Baker emphasize: that this program would be de signed not to interfere with schoo studies. Several other resource: agencies can input into this mode to help troubled youth and theii parents work together to find the answers. 3. Making the department mori accessible to youth. There will now be a conscious effort on the part o Wake sheriffs deputes to becorra more involved with young peoph through a variety of new pro grams. “Stop and Talk”—officers during their daily patrol will stop to en gage in positive conversatior about their lives and their commu nity. “I want the youth of this com munity to come to know law en —forcement officers ns people, an: HONORARY OE6REES Coon Brewing Co.,... CEO of tlw United Pennsylvania congressman were honorary doctor of humanities till IVWa|»«VIII« VI from WHborforce . i. University. The degrees were swirded at the university's commencement ceremonies held May 16. Loft to right are: Peter Coors; Dr. John L. Henderson, president at Wilberforce University and William Dray i. RECEIVING SUPPORT - "My election Is in God’s hands,” stated Rev. Al Sharpton, second row center) at special endorsement ceremonies at the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church In Harlem last week as he received the spiritual and financial support of the members of the New York State AME Ministerial A la nee for his candidacy as the first American of African descent from New York State for the U. S. Senate in the Democratic Primary on Seot. 15. not just symbols of governmental authority,” says Baker. He wants his officers to visit schools before and after classes to provide a pres ence and engage youth in conver sation. “DARE”—this nationally recog nized anti-drug program has been very effective, and Sheriff Baker wants to secure more funding to expand it to more elementary school children. The Drug Aware ness and Resistance Education program will continue to be a cen terpiece of the sheriffs youth ef fort. “Assembly programs”—Sheriff Baker, along with members of his Crime Prevention Unit, and celeb rity sports figures, plans to person ally visit county schools upon re quest to talk with young people during assemblies about issues surrounding drugs, alcohol and youth crime. Baker sees this as a way to exhibit positive role models to young people. Sheriff Baker also recommended enforcement assistance to the schools to help protect young people from violence and weapons. His department, upon request, will provide canine search on campus for drugs, and metal detectors for on-campus weapons. Baker says his officers will continue their un dercover operations to eliminate drug and weapons traffic through the schools. These are the areas in which I believe that we at the Wake County Sheriffs Department can better serve the citizens of Wake County, in an effort to combat youth crime. We cannot control the home environments of these youths. We can only reach these youths through the institutions that we control, specifically the schools, the courts and perhaps our churches. As for the Sheriff’s Department, I offer these sugges tions and welcome your comments and suggestions. The prize is our young people. I suggest they are worth fighting for,” said Baker. EVA CLAYTON (Continued from page 1) the Clayton campaign, but who lives here in Raleigh, is Bruce Lightner, community activist. “Eva Clayton represents a golden opportunity to elect an Afri can-American female who tradi tionally has been underrepre sented in elective office. I’m very proud to have been a part of her victory, and look forward to help ing Ms. Clayton in the genera! election,” said Lightner. Everett Ward, executive director of the North Carolina Democratic Party, expressed similar pride in Ms. Clayton’s victory. “We are very proud to have Eva Clayton on our ticket. She has a long history of public service, and she has shown that she can bring people together," he said. In other election results, Repub lican Teena Little defeated conser vative African-American Vernon Robinson for the GOP nomination for state superintendent of public instruction., She will face Demo r~ A A ■ratic incumbent Bobby Etheridge n the fall. -CASH MICHAELS PTA Offers Workshops The North Carolina PTA will send leadership training teams tc six different locations across the state during July. These day-long workshops are designed to help lo cal leaders strengthen their abili ties and introduce them to a vari ety of activities, services and pro grams available to them as local unit leaders. The three eastern locations and dates are July 9, Elizabeth City; July 10, Wilmington; and July 11, Goldsboro. The western dates are July 16, High Point; July 17, Union County; and July 18, Asheville. Covering all parts of the state allows local leaders to choose the site nearest and most conve nient. Workshops are offered for presi dents, treasurers, and membership chairmen. --1 Saturday, June 13,1992 Raleigh, North Carolina 5K Run - 8: Call