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VOLUME 1 7 No. 853 g ot VNt iy i jh) . Sl ‘«Mq,}.«v.j:,, pon 3 e 4 it b P R SRS iy Fipn i & (.% v‘yw! ’7:{:: tornpia oyt M o R ot e Ay o A s 57 A St LAY it JF i, f .fkf,.,.,‘. g . wd packi, dog f st il R SR+ i j . A Wf. TUMA; sl g B ciind oT O P CUNCR. v . ST s ook e o ,)-»w*wni - PR «,!,-,} wighord - W iy Yy eszoms v i " u.‘,,.,.v1,ag;’ “R o prssebiia . 1 iok 7 o Gl ol r-lu-; 4 i _ ~ . ANEH.. SN B R " i e « ke o | ».. B iaep 5 v fi gl b ) i Vg i T e p! o 5 Bgunirity ¢ - 4 R el i gy ' i ¥ i b\\ by, \. il bl 2y R s b o Wit ‘*u{g"’v‘»' B~ b 4L g, g o ‘!\"v‘ o ,I \_‘ o . F ',\ 40l s 8a P - i T b L Wy “\ Tl s o e e Foris. o Y 4 ARG eof APR / PN . ey e PN ;,g. 4 B i : o - Jia ; bl i A Sy 3 P ossner, iWA g ... Q‘ 5 ek \gt e o SIS oisasion: duy s Iy K% Aé’,‘ \ T : : " 7 bo ‘ ¥ i “:‘;; ' \ ) & . » A Y e 1A b 0 ‘:” #" : J‘ i L i ‘ ot ; ‘?:1'-.;' b = I‘j ¢ bT - P B h T bR 7 s yg}%‘ \‘ : ‘,'l 4 o ;,4: Y 5 " Wk R s b 2 A b ol | it ’i £k ; gg,fi; o w gy & { TOY3,< e ; % : = T A 3 0 o % . i A R . R 7 4%:, i Y i G R i by ‘v:‘j i } . 7 %».s’f‘i W T ® ‘ S 0 i N - ; oy A b (’/}m“b??" L o e 4 R o i At PEARCN LN RS A ¥ L A T e e _,":Mr ; bt i b A R ey bR ; ‘ 1 hyw'@;fl‘“m \%{% g\ N s g { TR Fx e , A TOOTHY ARRIVAL: Janice Jackson, of McComb, Miss., displays the two teeth in the mouth her newborn daughter Kristina Thursday, April 23, 1998, at Southwest Mississippi Reglonal Medical Center in McComb. Kristina was born on April 23, 1998, weighing 5 pounds, 9 ounces and was 19 1/2 inches long. (AP PhotoMcComb Enterprise-Joumal, Aaron Rhoads) Criticism of Detroit hospital grows over no-blacks vote EBlacks told not to enter white patient’s room. . DETROIY (AP) Critics say Sinai Hospital" should have fired a nursing super visor who posted a note saying no blacks should enter a white patient’s room. The City Council was expected to vote today to condemn the ac tion. About 30 pickets gathered outside the hospital this morning chanting and carrying signs in protest of the hospital. The groups later moved inside the hospital to seek a meeting with hospital rep resentatives. Relatives of the 90-year-old white man said he was senile and feared black people. They asked that no black nurses, housekeep ing staffers or other workers be allowed to enter his room. Inside Test bour l See Page 2B SNational/International ............................. 2A BEQtOrialOPinion .............imieene.ccne. BADA RNI e B MY .o iinsis irsisisonsssicpss O BClassifieds/Employmen. ..................... 68-7 B | Maythru Julyinthe CSRA *See 6A | Serving Mefropolitan g Augusta, South Carolina and the Central Savannah River Area “Until further notice, please as sign the patient ... to white staff members,” the white nursing su pervisor said in a note posted April 14 in a nurses’ break room. “This is per family requests in an at tempt to decrease his confusion and agitation.” The patient’s sister said a black man attacked him several years ago, the note said. The Detroit Medical Center, which owns the hospital, said the note was removed the next day and the patient’s request never was honored. It later apologized for the nursing supervisor’s ac tion and said cultural sensitivity training for all employees began in November. But critics say the hospital should have done more. “I find it insulting. It’s ridicu lous, it's truly ridiculous,” City Are you OK? BF'ire Department’s “Are You OK?” program is receiving the commynity’s appreciation. By R.B. Woods AUGUSTA FOCUS Correspondent AUGUSTA At 7 am., Hattie Jones’ phone rings. When she answers, she hears, “Hello, this is Chief Few with the Augusta-Richmond County Fire Department, and we want to know, are you OK? If you need help, please hang up and dial 911. If you are OK, hang up and have a nice day.” Those reassuring words allow Jones to knowu.ththerwdlbeingilnotbeinghkmbr gran “I think it's wonderful that someone checks up on me everyday to see how I’m doing,” Jones said. “I live alone. I am glad the fire department is doing this for u'-" The “Are You OK?” Computerized Telephone Reas surance program is a free service, initiated on April 1 by the ARCFD, which contacts senior citizens and individuals with disabilities living independently throughout Augusta-Richmond County. A computer ized telephone system makes routine, daily telephone calls to each subscriber at precisely the same time each day. Subscribers choose the time to receive their calls. “We have had over 200 participants to sign up so far,” said ARCFD public information officer Katrice Bryant. “The system can also be adjusted to provide - Councilwoman Brenda Scott said. “To be told that the DMC has characterized what has occurred a mistake is not going far enough,” said City Councilwoman Sheila Cockrel, sponsor of the resolution condemning the action. “It really ought to be condemned by DMC as horrible.” Hospital spokeswoman Julie Nemeth did not return messages seeking comment Wednesday on critics’ demands that the supervi sor be fired. Ms. Cockrel’s resolution said the council viewed the event “notas a ‘mistake’ but as a sorry commen tary of the current state of race relations in southeastern Michi m'n The Anti-Defamation League also condemned the supervisor’s See HOSPITAL, page 2A APRIL 30 - MAY 6. 1998 Books: Alice Walker’s activist call to ams rae brake on emotions BThe GBI has managed to do what “peace” rallies and meetings have been unable to do — calm the public rage over the killing of a young black man. Their probe is about to enter its 11th week and talk about the Davis killing is losing its edge. By Frederick Benjamin sr. AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer AUGUSTA Even the most wary conspiracy theorist could not have predicted that the investigation into the shooting of Alfaigo Davis on Feb ruary 21 would still remain unre solved at the beginning of May. Transit planners hopeful, despite revenue plunge BThe Augusta bus system has been winding down over the past decade. Abandoned by the feds and prodded by city budget jockies to trim the fat, the system somehow manages to make strides. By Mark Ofiphant AUGUSTA FOCUS Correspondent AUGUSTA Despite the elimination of rider transfers, the trimming of bus utes, and reduced hours of ser L i e ,' ’ . ,‘._l' . .\ T \ N “Mamie Mobley-Schultz, 94, and great grandson David Williams Jr., 8, in the lobby of the Peabody Towers discussing her per sonal safety with the “Are You Ok” program. Photo by R.B. Woods N 4 1 I E Richmond County Sheriff's deputies Gary Clark Jr. (L) and Nicholas Capoblanco (R) shot and killed Alfaigo Davis on Feb. 21. Hours and days after the shooting, family members of Davis were calling for the officers to be tried for murder. But here we are. And while fears of a public insurrection shortly after the killing were, at best, wishful thinking by sensation-seeking media types, the talk and mood of many in the black community was. caustic and laced with condemna- vice, the Augusta Public Transit department is not content merely to exist, but seeks to prove that it is an efficient transit system that is working harder to better serve the community. Nevertheless, transit officials ex pect to get an earful at a transit hearing on May 4, where the public* will learn of a new round of auster ity measures. In March, the Augusta Commis sion approved the department’s proposal to eliminate the 35-cent transfer in a cost-cutting move. Cutbacks in federal dollars is leav ing the system in the awkward po sition of having to collect a full 75 cents each time a rider changes buses. According to Augusta Public special messages which allow individuals to know about dangerous heat indexes, chemical spills, special health awareness or whatever public safety message is necessary for the community.” If a subscriber does not answer the phone after two attempts, the automated system goes into “alert” mode. “At that point, we will contact a neighbor who has previously agreed to assist in the case of an emergency, and a fire official will be sent out to the individual’s home and check out a possible emer gency,” Ms. Bryant said. The department’s communication center can tem porarily suspend calling services whenever subscrjb ers plan to be away. They can also change their calling times whenever necessary. The department alsohasa coordinated coverage system to ensure that all other services are fulfilled while handling special “Are You OK?” calls. Oneappreciative subscriberis Mamie Mobley-Shultz, 94, of the Elbert Peabody Apartment Tower. Mobley- Schultz explained that she suffered a stroke about a year ago and is happy to have this emergency service available. She said that she has known of people who were unable to call anyone for help and believes they “If they didn’t die, they did not receive the emer gency attention that they needed,” continued Mobley- - Schlutz. “I would rather live alone. I don't feel like being bothered all the time. I think it's a useful program and will provide the attention I need.” . Mobley-Shultz made these comments while seated inside the lobby of the Elbert Peabody Apartment Tower on Walton Way, accompanied by her great grandson David Williams Jr., 8. Williams said he only gets to see her on weekends. The apartment complex caters to senior citizens. “I'm happy that someone else can help look out for : 5 - See FIRE DEPARTMENT, Page 13A : 50 CENTS BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID V. 302 AUGUS GA tion for the cops. Ten weeks later, it is as if it had never happened. The Davis family hasshunned publicgatherings and statements on advice of legal coun sel. Many who stepped forward and were thrust into the glare of media attention shortly after the killing are no longer commenting on the matter. The Alfaigo Davis Defense Fund (beginning admin istered by the family) has not been heard of since its initial offering of T-shirts. The Nation of Islam, which hosted arally with the Davis family about three weeks ago, has turned its attention to black-on black crime and the discussion of a police review board has dried up completely. The calm, however, belies the magnitude — legal, financial, and social —of the impact of a report that might show that the officers acted improperly. If that happens, See POLICE SHOOTING, page 3A Transit planner Juriah Lewis, the” FTA cut its funding to the depart ment by 81 percent over a two year span (1997-98), from $312,000 to $58,000. “The federal government is cut tingback on our operation expenses, and at the same time expect us to extend our routes,” said Lewis. “With the new work elemeht that now exists in Georgia, such as Wel fare to Work, new industry isn’t coming to downtown. They’re go ing to outlying areas. We are ex pected by the government to find ways to get our people to work and hardly have enough to do so.” The total annual operating bud get for the APT is $2.6 million, with See TRANSIT SYSTEM, page 3A --