Augusta focus. ([Augusta, Ga.) 198?-current, May 30, 1996, Image 1

Augusta focus., May 30, 1996, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextLT T ISR (AT = = 1 SR¥ P . e RN, L $ £ g e L 2 : { i Bk s .a 0 A R e i R ¥ S s iy e "”,’} L ‘?“f I i . i ettt R P i ol i ;éf:,ﬂ.f:f;v@- B e gy TN Tl G TR g TR R e Voo, a W G A RPRE R s 3 i A eR R B R: o 4 i Vit : b v it sy g g Sy J SR L s e PR § Bl el G By : LL . : e st g ee o g ;3:3‘1‘35 by e e BT . e G B e e L b T G . o SRR e EDDIE - See Page 6 The Roberts ‘lynching’ Daily newspaper lies and distortions attack reputation of civic center G.M. By Frederick Benjamin Sr. AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer AUGUSTA The false alarm sounded by The Augusta Chronicle last week about alleged abuses by civic center act ing manager Linda Roberts was a callous, libelous piece oftrash journalism. The fol low-up editorials, presum ably by editorial page edi tor Phil Kent, were equally vicious and disgusting. Kent is an idiot on top of being a right-wing bigot. The headline of the May 23 article set the lying tone. It read, “Hoteliers criticize Roberts.” The accompany ing story is so full of inaccu racies and distortions as to be laughable. What is not funny, however, is that most people who read will mis takeit for the truth. The big loser is Ms. Roberts, who is guilty of nothing but doing her job and those of three other people. That her sal ary was upgraded to reflect that reality is something the Coliseum Authority should be proud of. The story begins by say ing that several area hotel managers say they will do everything they can to see that Linda Roberts is not named permanent general manager of the civic center complex. This is a lie. When Augusta Focus talked to Darryl Leech, gen eral manager of the Radisson Riverfront Hotel Augusta, and David Jones, general manager of the Sheraton Hotel Augusta, they denied having any problems with Linda Rob erts, personally. “What we said was not E s Giin - 4 b i T & . r . . e Boyracer speeds to Red Lion Pub. See p. 6 ® World/National New5............cccceee..... 2 B Local/Regional New5..............cc........... 3 MEBoDIe o . e R MARTOORE 1.0 o ivibielbicni it B WEAROBBL ...l i 8 A CIOBRLLOOK (/.o i i i@ W EAVINE bl i 10 BMOhureh NOWR ..o 12 W OO a 1 WMOCBIenARY .Lk s A 8 Classitionn ... 0 i ks 19520 Article of Analysis & LTSy YRI directed toward Linda Rob erts personally,” said Mr. Jones. “It was not meant to slam Roberts.” When asked about the headline indicat ingthey had a problem with Roberts, Mr. Jones said, “That’s sensationalism. They [Augusta Chronicle] are looking to sell newspa pers. We want the [Coli seum Authority] board to make good decisions.” According to Mr. Jones and Mr. Leech, they were frustrated upon learning that the Coliseum Author ity had received some 30 resumes, yet had not inter viewed anyone for the posi tion. They want someone, anyone, in that position who can bring more business to Augusta. , “If Linda Roberts is the best qualified for the job, she should have it,” Mr. Jones said. “Idon’t wanttoattack her personally,” said Mr. Leech. He is concerned, however, that the new general man ager have the needed skills. “When you have 30 candi dates and don’t interview any, there’s a problem,” he said. No one has been able to prove that, given the oppor tunity, Ms. Roberts will not be able to get the jobdone. A Paine College graduate, Ms. Robertsjoined the civic cen ter staff in 1990. She has See COLISEUM, page 3 B South Carolina’s schools have pockets of segregation despit« the 1954 Supreme Court mandate on school desegregation. COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)In 1896, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled separate but equal was appropriate where blacks and whites were concerned. South Carolina had already passed laws separating the races in schools, housing and public places. Butblacks received much less than equal treatment. A century later, with race-re lated stories — from the burning of black churches to the governor’s commission on racial relations trying to find common ground — making the headlines, some say little has changed. “At best, when change has oc curred, it has been marginal,” says Rickey Hill, a political sci entist at historically biack South Carolina State University. “At worst,” he toldThe (Colum MAY 30 - June 5,1996 VOL. XV NO. 753 -8 'S Y »M M : .""I—"‘ e o t o W ";\; v‘i’ "; ,l "“ 4.\ 8 % gl “-." * o T A &"’,@W T 4 % .4 La . v Tl e o L e W R et P — | Tl ¢ ‘ - : - “4\‘?3{‘ I,_‘,W & f Z&‘u g ":é!\‘%‘"‘ i ‘"rfr;_ I ; ¥ -{ S i o , il ] _*} g%@ % R M L g TR e/ &Y y' $ N oe - - : , e ) g [ 30 \ i e A i ; o h o A ﬂ- e \‘f. eSOPP ; A\ B ¥ NN bk | " .- _ ? LN % i EBA BAR / ' ) \ . ';- o \ | et . \, i , THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT for these Bethlehem Center Pre-K graduates. Thirty-two students graduated to the next level. Teacher aide Teshia Johnson looks on. After the ceremony the students and their family celebrated at BL's Restaurant. Photo by Derick Wells. - Roberts gets industry support By Frederick Benjamin Sr. AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer AUGUSTA All civic center acting manager Linda Roberts wants to do is show up in the morning and do a good day’s work. Six of nine vot ing Coliseum Authority members thinks she is do ing that exceptionally well. At least that many feel that, given the chance, she would make an excellent general manager. She may get that opportunity. Judging by correspon dence from industry proses- 100 years after separate but equal, S.C. tries to catch up FOCUS METRO AUGUSTA’S FINEST WEEKLY NEWSPAPER A = - L L ; 5L anilln o PR Rt . i | T A H e 7 i G iR o o S s s iy i i S L e e ) & oo+ g 4 i i - By v “For a while there, | would’ve said we were further along, but you know, lately -the gap of achievement between black and white is not narrowing.” — Barbara Nielsen, S.C. State Ed. Supt. bia) State for a story Friday, “there is much work tobe done.” At the turn of the century, the state spent $1.30 a year to edu cate a black child and $5.55 for each white child. In some counties, the first schools for blacks weren’t pub licly financed, they were set up by missionaries and philanthro pists from outside the South. Even in those schools, the times dictated that white and black students remain separate in the classroom and on the play ground. Acting civic center gen eralmanagerLinda Rob erts has wide support from some of the top agencies in the business. sionals, including some of the most reputable agen cies in the business, Ms. Roberts will be a winner. Steve Lassiter, Southeast agent for the William Mor ris Agency gives his en dorsement. “After doing business with Linda for the past few years, she hasheen extremely helpful with building information and availabilities. Sheis always timely in returning calls and very knowledgeable about the facility. I would recom mend her for the position of See ROBERTS, page 3 In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court considered five cases filed by black parents seek ing equal education for their children, one of them from Clarendon County. The lead case, Brown vs. the Board of Education, was filed in To peka, Kan. The Supreme Court used that case to strike down sepa- ‘ rate schools. Although South Carolina’s public schools have been de segregated, some districts remain predominantly black. State Education Superin tendent Barbara Nielsen wor ries that racial inequalities in schools could worsen. “For a while there, I | would’ve said we were fur theralong,” Nielsen says, “but you know, lately ... the gap of | achievement between black I and white is not narrowing.” ] White schools historically | were larger and better | equipped than black schools. } Butcommunity activist Ethel Bolden, who remembers at- i See SCHOOLS, page 2 | éq,lsa elia Coru2 Afro-Cuban Diva headed for Atlanta See Page 7 - B Confiscated weapons often find their way back onto the streets, but in the CSRA, law enforcement officials work to see that they remain out of circulation. By Timothy Cox AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer AUGUSTA On May 26, an Augusta man reported his gun sto len from the glove compart ment of his pickup truck. On May 10, Richmond County Sheriff's Depart ment deputies took a gun away from a man who was arguing with two other men in a grocery store parking lot. On May 5, a weapon was taken by authorities after a shooting incident at a pizza restaurant on Washington Road. That same week, a Ger man-made gun was stolen from a car parked at a local nightclub. As this scenario occurs repeatedly inthe local area, confiscated weapons can accumulate quickly. In the past, some law en forcement agencies sold the guns back to the public through special auctions. Those days are gone. So, what are police agen cies doing with the guns they collect on the streets? Each local police agency hasits own way of handling their situations. Richmond County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Ronnie Strength is determined tosee that guns are notre-circulated into the general population, lessen ing the chances that the weapons will be reused in Former NAAGP official to he jailed BY MONA BRECKENRIDGE ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER COLUMBIA, S.C. Former state NAACP Di rector James Felder told the judge he still had much to offer the world — but was sentenced to six months in federal prison for cashing a phony check anyway. “It has been embarrass ing,” Felder told U.S. Dis trict Judge Dennis Shedd before Thursday’s sentenc ing. “I'still think I can make a contribution.” Felder pleaded guilty in December to interstate transportation of a coun terfeit check after he cashed a fake $96,000 check. Felder refused to com ment after the sentencing. Several witnesses, in cluding three ministers, testified on Felder’s behalf and asked the judge for a light punishment. “He is a difficult man to understand,” the Rev. Redfearn 11 said. “I would hope in your sentence to day there is an abundance of mercy.” National Black Arts Festival S — HA SN - | it ™ e S W L ¥ i I” ! S iﬁ" A 4 “ / criminal activity. “Seized weapons are not sold and distributed to pawn shops, or auctioned off in any way,” said Chief Deputy Strength. He also said if weapons areusedina crime, they are “condemned” to never be used again by the owner. The gun then becomes Rich mond County property, he said. In Columbia County, gun violators can have their weapons returnedifthe gun legally belongs to the owner, and isn’t part of a weapons violation. “If we have no legitimate reason for withholding it, we must give it back,” said Lou Ciamillo, chief deputy of the Columbia County Sheriff's Office. “We don’t sell them back to, or trade them, to fire armsdealers,” he said. Chief Deputy Ciamillo said some guns are stripped of work able parts to be used in the repair of guns owned by the Sheriff’s Office. The body of the gunisthen melted down, See POLICE, page 3 He told Shedd that Felder has a “little quirk that pops up now and then.” Felder’s lawyer, Joy Goodwin, asked Shedd to consider a sentence where Felder would teach peer mediation at state Juve nile Justice prisons. “If we look at what is in the greater good of the whole community... what I would propose, your honor, is a community ser vice program,” Goodwin said. But the judge said Felder’s former criminal record, which includes a federal wire fraud convic tion, called for at least minimum prison time. Shedd could have sen tenced Felder to as much as a year., This sentence by me isn’t any indication that I think youareevilor anything like that,” the judge told Felder. “I don’t challenge anything said about you today.” Felder will remain free on bond for about a month until the federal Bureau of Prisons decides where he will serve his sentence.