Newspaper Page Text
VOLUME 19 NUMBER 936
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Phil Kent
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Mdoupe Olatunii, of the Brooklyn borough of New
York, lights candles signaling the start of the
weeklong African-inspired holiday called Kwanzaa
Sunday, Dec. 26, 1999, in New York. For seven days,
FBI reports says:
Y2K extremists will target minorities
By CHAD ROEDEMEIER
Associated Press Writer
ATLANTA
Civil rights groups are warning that extremist hate
groups likely will target minorities and homosexuals in
the year 2000, and those groups must be alerted to the
threat of violence.
The Center for Democratic Renewal in Atlanta sharply
‘riticized the FBI Wednesday for not sending out more
sopies of “Project Megiddo,” which says racist groups are
‘clearly focusing on the millennium as at time of action "
Curtis Mayfield dies
Mayfield smiles during an interview ot
@ New York hotel in this Sept. 18, 1996,
file photo. Mayfieid, best known for
", the soundtrack to the film
: , died Sunday, Dec. 26, 1999 in
son Atlonta hospital ot age 57. The
Yeouse of death hos not been released.
. WiAP Phototjoe Tabacce. File) Dl
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Serving Metropolitan ™™= Ayqysta, South Carolina and the Central Savannah River Area
observers light candles and explore the principles of
the holiday; unity, self-determination, collective work
and responsibility, cooperative ecorromics, purpose,
creativity, and faith. (AP Photo/Lynsey Addario)
“Thas is an emergency . It's an emergency for the nation,
but it's a far greater emergency for minorities,” said the
Rev. C.T.Vivian, chairman of the board of directors for the
Center for Democratic Renewal.
The greatest threat on New Year's Eve may be at large
gatherings and at churches, Vivian said The center urged
black churches to designate security teams, but not to be
intimidated by the threat of violence.
The FBI researched apocalyptic hate groups that attach
special significance to the year 2000 and circulated the
See FBl, page 2A
Bill seeks to prevent race
based traffic stops in S.C.
By MARK PRATT
Associated Press Writer
COLUMBIA, S.C
A state senator has prefiled a
bill tooutlaw the practice of mak
ing trdffic stops based on a
motorist's race even though there
is no evidence that any law en
forcement agencies in South
Carolina engage in the practice.
Sen. Robert Ford, D-Charles
ton, wants tooutlaw racial profil
hg:y.SanhCnohm police.
says hegets frequent com
plaints from constituents, mostly
young black men in later model
cars, but he has been a victim too.
“Fiveor six months ago | rented
a car to drive to Florida and | got
stopped by a county policeman,”
Ford said. ] was leaving a ser
vice station and was on a second
ary road heading to the inter
state when | w‘p‘d over. |
wasnt speeding, 1 hadn't done
anything wrong. There wasn't
any reason for him to pull me
over.”
Ford said he was let go without
a ticket when the officer found
out he was a state senator.
DECEMBER 30, 1999 - JANUARY 5. 2000
“We have some of the best law
enforcement people in the coun
try in South Carolina, but some
times people get these badges
and just go crazy,” Ford smid.
The NAACP also gets com
plaints about the practice, said
Dwight James, state branch ex
ecutive director.
“Peopie don't call the first time
it happens, but they will call af
ter a pattern has been estab
lished, so it probably wun
more than we hear,” he said.
James knows of mfl:*—
cies in the state & g
policy of racial-profiling.
it is a practice that is silently
said .
he said. ;s
Ford’s bill, cospensored by Sens.
and McKinley Washington, 5:
Ravenel, specifically referstothe
S o e o ¢
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See DWB legisiation, poge 2A
Negligence,
construction,
real problems
in fire damage
By Timothy Cox
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staflf Writer
‘ -t - AUGUSTA
Rupondxngwmmtbembyand
watched as flames i an Augusta
apartmer.t complex just days before Christ
mas, Fire Chief Ronnie Few raised questions
concerning the facility’s construction and de-
Of a letter written by Fran Hall, manager of
the River Creek Apartments, a few days after
16 housipg units were destroyed by fire. Chief
Few said, “It's not a fair assessment of our fire
services. No fireman wants to see anything
burn up. I don't blame the residents, but the
fire department did not cause the fire. Further
more,” added the chief, “This was a negligent
fire. A resident put fireplace ashes in a plastic
bag, then into a paper box and placed it along
side a wall outside the apartment.”
Trained firefighters would immediately rec
ognize the fire's path as having smoldered
outside the residents’ door, burning the exte
rior wall, then, reaching up to a common attic
shared by all units in the complex. The apart
ment facility was constructed with a type of
plywood the chief described as “highly combus
tible.” The second-story fire occurred on Dec
19, and was a total loss for all tenants
In the letter which appeared in The Augusta
Chronicle on Dec. 28, Ms. Hall states, * .
witnessed a truly dis
turbing situation. ...
No, I do not blame
Chuef Few for the start
of the five. I blame him
for the loss of the entire
building.” In her let
ter, Ms. Hall also saud,
“I blame the command
staff and Chief Few,
who did more
than m"m watch
this unfold and talk on
a cell phone.”
While at the fire
scene, the chief ac
knowledged talkingon
a cell phone — but, to
members of his staff
— ensuring that other
parts of the city and
county were under
control, he said. While
River Creek is located
off Washington Road
in west Augusta, the chief said another fire
broke out on Old Savannah Road in the same
time period his crews were battling the River
Creek blaze. s
_ The firstcalls to the firedepartment were not
Residents who initially smelled smoke and
heard al wms blaring, should have called much
Inresponse tothe first alarm, the fire depart
ment issued an 11-man crew with twoengines,
a ladder truck and a battalion chief, said the
chief. Subsequent to the first arrival, three
more engines, another ladder truck and an
1300
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County firefighters botile biaze in o single-family home in
the Loney-Walker district. Phowo by smmy Caner
N - -
Chref Ronnie Few the actions of
his department. Photo by Jmmy Caner
equal number of personnel arrived on the scene
to control the situation. But, according to Chief
Few, by the time firefighters arrived, damages
had taken its toll
“The fire had been burning for about three
hours before we got a call. Flames were shoot
ing out of the roof. | had men over at Stein Mart
{on Washington Road), so, our response time
was about three or four minutes," he said Asa
27-yvear veteran firefighter who learned
firefighting tactics from the lower ranks to top
admimistration, Chief Few said he resents Ms
Hall's accusations that hus leadership abilities
aresubstandard. “Wefirefighters) have lots of
pride, and [ take exception to anyone speaking
negatively about us. It's an insuit to say we
mm‘n&:gMWehveadlfi:
department, and training is we
m:mufdd&md
East Point, Ga. Fire Department. He was ap
prhhhm-pp:nhum
See FIRE IN COMPLEX, page 3
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