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VOLUME 19 NUMBER 936 ; 4 % E .'fi W . o i ; § Phil Kent trusted » - See Editorial ~ P.B Q“”‘ - e 4 2\§ o\& e i e 5 - i s : . / .W. . T - o . 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 | B e SR : L R ey, A A ""vi*f";r. 5 e g t % o* ; Y <, i 5 T . - A ‘ ’J - - ! S A 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 ¢ ~ are . | 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 2000 =.... PR B e iy - r Rem £ 4 / N = ¢ i A "‘ S '\4 P" ” = e bW 3 ” flfiy , %\ s a, ke 8 : i s , . . " vasst £ . s oy § 200 lok rmy e e 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 50 CENTS BULK RATE U. 5. POSTAGE PAID 0. 302 AUGUSTA, GA