Augusta focus. ([Augusta, Ga.) 198?-current, January 05, 1995, Image 3

Augusta focus., January 05, 1995, Page 3, Image 3

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Newspaper Page TextCommission starts new year with vilification of Freddie Lee Handy From page one in the cold with many of his col leagues and constituents, many of whom have threatened a re venge. “Handy ain’t nothing but a black Judas,” James Riles, owner of alocal convenience store, said. P . e LA A HANDY: Opponents are talking ‘recall.’ Photo by Jimmy Carter “He has set black folks in this community back 100 years by backing Sconyers,” Mr. Riles con tinued. “It’s time for arecall, and agroup of business people is look ing into getting one.” Mr. Rilesadded that Mr. Handy claims he’s self-employed, but really has no job. “Every time you turn around, he’s owing somebody some money. A man with no job — there’s no telling what he'd do.” Some say he’s resorted to sell ing his soul to the devil while selling out the black community in the process. Immediately after the meet ing, during which Mr. Sconyers nominated Mr. Handy for vice chairman, members of the audi ence rushed Mr. Handy with questions. “Mr. Handy, how much did you cost?” asked James Webb, a black business owner. His words fell on deaf ears, as Mr. Handy bla tantly ignored the question that weighed heavily on many angry people’s minds. According to Commissioner Moses Todd, there was a price tag on Mr. Handy’s vote. “We know that there was a deal cut that kind of fell apart,” Mr. Todd said. “He pulled a coup on the black community, so the black commu nity should pull a coup on him,” Mr. Todd said. Initially refusing to talk to the media, Mr. Handy issued a press release that he said he prepared Miller calls for law to restrict driving times for young drivers ATLANTA (AP) Gov. Zell Miller wants to keep teen-age drivers off the road in the early morning hours as part of his campaign to make Georgia’s highways safer. Miller said Friday he will propose legislation to make it illegal for 16- and 17-year-olds to drive in Georgia between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. “Common sense tells us that teen-agers have no busi ness driving after midnight,” Miller said in announcing that initiative and arenewed attempt to toughen Georgia’s drunken driving laws. He said an insurance industry study found that 16- year-olds have twice the overall accident rate of other teen-age drivers and were eight times more likely to be involved in a crash than adult drivers. A companion bill Miller said he will introduce would require all passengers riding with 16- or 17-year-old drivers to wear seatbelts. Young drivers caught driving during the forbidden period would be charged with a misdemeanor, which could be punished by a fine of up to SI,OOO and a jail term of up to 12 months. “I think it’s wonderful,” said Sybil Collins, who heads Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) in Georgia. “1 think this legislation is definitely going to save lives.” As he promised during his re-election campaign this summer, Miller said he will offer new anti-drunken driving bills which include: — Mandatory jail time for anyone convicted of drunken driving, including first offenders. The minimums would “be 48 hours for a first offender and up to 10 days for a third-time offender. Maximums would be 12 months in jail. 5 s — Elimination of the nolo — or no contest — plea by which ' a person can accept punishment without pleading guilty. - Miller’s past efforts to eliminate that plea encountered stiff ' resistance from defenseattorneysinthe Legislature, andthe ' new effort is certain to find more of the same. Miller said he ‘is optimistic about his chances because “there’s been sub . stantial change in the Legislature.” ' __ Confiscation of the license plates of habitual violators. Also, Miller said he will renew his bid for “zero tolerance” r drinking drivers under 21. It is illegal for people under atagetobuyliquororbeservedadrink inGeorgia, butthey have a blood-alcohol level of up to .04 percent before they be charged with drunk driving. 1 a.m. the day of the meeting. In the release, Mr. Handy stated that voting for Mr. Sconyers was the “appropriate thingtodo.” Mr. Handy also said Mr. Sconyers assured him that he will “work aggressively for a plan that will give minorities, women and other small busi nesses a greater opportunity to share in the con tracts let by the Richmond County commission.” Mr. Sconyers con firmed Mr. Handy’s statement. “Mr. Neel, myself, and the whole commis sion are going to get together and come up with something for all small busi nesses in Richmond County so that we can educate them on how to pur chase property and what it takes to get into the bidding process,” Mr. Sconyers said. e 19 TODD: “He (Handy) pulled a coup on the black commu nity, so the black community should pull a coup on him.” Mr. Sconyers’plan is strikingly similar to Commissioner Lee Neel’s substitute proposalinlate December, which black commis sioners and many black business owners say is too weak. As for the future of the com mission, including the lingering minority business disparity is sue, Commissioner Willie Mays, former chairman, said there are “a lot of question marks.” Not surprised by Mr. Handy’s support of Mr. Sconyers, Mr. [.ocalNews » s 1 ; . : Y ",\‘(:—&r‘ 50 b ; Phpow | \ L7A 8 4 e e r i b e %"u . e 3 B o o N i ’ -k? ; ‘ 3 ; it r;( o " N ;’f’ . oo g L THE PRINCIPALS: Commissioners Handy (L) and Larry Sconyers confer at Mr. Sconyers' first commission meeting as chairman. Photo by Jimmy Carter i . . Lo o o ; |k e 1 : 2 s : ; 4 0‘:;-;:,;;:«5;;:‘:"%15. __;:_::“’-._-,,ﬁ, —— ; 2 e A ¢ e 7':;5;;‘%2:-?;.‘:::::,;;,,;.;:“a..»._ 5 ‘ 7 ,‘g g A R oo N " C A o fR— W Ny 4 ,‘ y 4 ~~; % e 2 $ % ; sy : £ R A gy e F o § g/ ) e & . «}(?ﬁw .:-:‘»:'-'.0 TEAM PLAYERS: Commissioners J.B. Powell (L), Lee Neel, Jerry Brigham and Freddie Lee Handy (R). Photo by Jimmy Carter Mays said, “We have no perma nent friends or permanent en emies, only permanent inter ests.” In reference to Mr. Handy’s allegationsin his press release of “political threats from some fel low commissioners, other politi cians, and some community lead ers not to vote for Larry Sconyers,” Mr. Mays said heisn’t aware of any such threats. Mr. Mays said Mr. Handy may have interpreted some of his con stituents’ remarks as threats. “Whatever comments his con stituents make, so be it,” Mr. Mays said. “It’s like old folks O, DU gRu\‘IZG&STER ~, i e ‘i o ‘,’J , SRR N R R i & ol - ‘ -At i ("‘z%“‘ (. a’% ;z :k A ( w b ’ %AEw o ;.«...‘. | R IR ) ’Q" ‘ ‘% ” COLLEGE . Wie, jal Registration For SpringPh ster Is January 10" ih]'“‘ 4 . 1 A g ‘ \‘ 2 i - X 133 COUNSEL;#E;G. " P NN TRV )Lo NS SIG FAL BN A A 240 Izlpfeﬁ}og'cfy, Felg IMor,;e\;ﬁ’&gn“or-ro' A : . A £F ; ; s > L el I;z!,ﬁmgq,aﬁ’kQ 3-921 Shop Augusta Focus Classifieds used to say, ‘if the shoe fits, wear N In addition to Mr. Handy, Mr. Neel, and freshmen Commission ers J.B. Powell and Jerry Brigham took their oaths of of fice. Mr. Powell and Mr. Brigham replaced Hobson Chavous and Don Grantham, maintaining a racially balanced board. Despite opposition from Mr. Todd who wanted to give other attorneys an opportunity to vie for the position, county attorney Jim Wall was rehired. Mr. Todd voted against the rehiring and Mr. Mays abstained from voting. AUGUSTA FOCUS January 5, 1995 Handy gets bone From page one posal was soundly repudiated by black commissioners, including Mr. Handy, on the day that the commission deadlocked on the minority business ordinance. IfMr. Handy is swayed by such sleight-of-hand assurances it is clear why he acts the way he does. The man does not appearto understand the political process. Or does he? Clearly, Mr. Sconyers under stands that his constituency can not abide by affirmative action initiatives. That is why he, and every white commissioner who had a vote, scuttled the minority business bill. Clearly, Mr. Chavous understood that he could not goout on that very long limb. Yet, hereis Freddie Lee Handy responding to imagined assur ances that fly in the face of every thing we know to be cold, hard political reality. He is more concerned about maintaining Larry ‘The Rib King’ Sconyers as a political ally than he is about fighting for the future welfare of hisown children, unless of course, Mr. Sconyers has assured the Handy family unlimited barbe cueribs and pigfeet into the year 2000. More immediately, however, Mr. Handy is settling for chair manship of the influential public works committee and vice chair manship ofthe commission. That deal was struck prior to the Jan. 3 vote.ln addition he was ap pointed to the Planning and Zon Consolidation From page one ment would be headed by the chief elected official of the city. The chairman of the county commission would also serve on the transition government until 1996. Each term of office would be for four years. Time of service would be limited to 8 years or two 4-year terms. An election would be held in 1995 on a date sanctioned by a SINBAD PHIiL HARTMAN He came. He ate. He slayed. H T , ._Y_.; s E e ey 1 ‘I Lo : b i — i HOLLYWOOD P'CTURES presents in association with CARAVAN PICTURES « RANDALL MILLER rim “HOUSEGUEST" TSRO e INN 3 wites MICHAEL J. DI GAETANO & LAWRENCE GAY "y JOE ROTH an¢ ROGER BIRNBAUM LT m = s- [, e (B iy Distributed by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, Inc. Oﬂony'm; m‘um Company NOLIYWOSD R STARTS FRIDAY, JANUARY 6 AT THEATRES EVERYWHERE SNEAK PREVIEW SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31 ing Commission board and the Chamber of Commerce board. Each assignment is a definite plus for an ambitious business man, For the moment, it appears that the atta boys and additional perks he is receiving from the downtown money peddlers is sufficient to shield him from the scorn heaped upon him by the black community. Some people have suggested that Mr. Handy had no choice but toback Sconyers becausethat is what the big boys have or dered him to do. How much does Mr. Handy's decision have to do with the $53,00010an he received less than six months ago from a downtown banker? [See The Handyman and the Downtown bankers, side-bar]. Questionable motives aside, Mr. Handy’s behavior exploded a heretofore powerful minority coalition on the county council that has always been only one vote away from being able to be serious about political empow erment. The effects of the Handy “defection” will be felt long after he is compelled to come back home to the camp that puts pro gressive politics on the front burner. His actions bespeak an unforgivable political blunder and a serious tactical error. Because Handy has chosen to become the ‘swing vote’ for the white power bloc of the commis sion, he has undone all of the progress gained from at least two decades of struggle and coalition building by black commission ers. It is a sad day, indeed, for black political progress. county-wide referendum con ducted in March, 1995. « = = No one would be billed for services not received and the new government would be a municipal form of government. Mr. Walker is prepared to work for the passage of the leg islation, but is not seeking to engage in fruitless dialogue. “I intend to take the lead in trying to develop the consen sus, but I won'’t spend the en tire time on it. 3