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12A MARCH 3v, 2000 State leaders encourage policies to grow women-owned businesses ATLANTA Senator Connie Stokes, along with Governor Roy Barnes and Lieutenant Governor Mark Tay- Alternatives (CPA) and Bell South Corporation in a press conference recently to release findings from State Venture Policy: Investing in Women Entrepreneurs. The CPA released findings at the Georgia state capitol on women's entrepreneurship, laying out policy recommendations for states to better tap this sector of the economy. Georgia is one of the top 10 states in women-owned busi nesses, with 239,000 women owned firms employing over 1.1 million people and generating $lB2 billion in sales. Gov. Barnes, Lt. Gov. Taylor and Sen. Stokes be lieve these recommendations are essential to growing Georgia's economy. Overthelast dozen years, annual sales of women-owned busi nesses have grown by an unbeliev able 436%, including sales revenues that jumped 232% from 1992 to 1999. These companies employ over one-quarter of U.S. workers and generate over $3.6 trillion in sales. Despite the fact that they are contributing to the economic pros perity in every state, and are effec tivein creating new jobs, the CPA’s ground breaking study, State Ven ture Policy: Investing in Women Entreprenuers, discovered that even more can be done to leverage this powerful engine of growth through targeted state invest ments. “When states do not focus on and serve this sector they effectively forego opportunities to bolster the economy and the livelihood of en trepreneurial companies. Women owned businesses have been par ticularly effective at creating jobs and at being successful while pro moting progressive workforce ben efits. There are lessons to be learned for state economies,” stated Linda Tarr-Whelan, president of CPA. State leaders have an opportu nity to create cooperative, commu nity-centered initiatives that le verage this growth and bolster the livelihood of employees of these entrepreneurial companies. Given that states are expecting to see Rights groups seek U.S. action on policeabuse WASHINGTON, D.C. (NNPA) In light of recent con troversial police shootings of Black men and the mounting federal records of police violence against Blacks and other minorities, the National Association for the Ad vancement of Colored People has joined with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, the National Ur ban League, La Raza the Ameri can Civil Liberties Union and other civil and human rights groups to propose legislation to congress that aims to create a national approach to police ac countability. Representative John Conyers (D-Mich.)submitted the proposal, HR #3981, to the House Judiciary Committee earlier this month. The committee is chaired by Henry Hyde (R-Ill.) Congress man Conyers has put the full weight of his office’s strength be hind the legislation. At least 20 representatives have already Joined Conyers in co-sponsoring the bill. “The catalogue of high-profile incidents of police misconduct grows with each passing day,” Conyers said. “With the rampart perjury scandal Amoudou Diallo shooting and Abner Louima as sault, it should now be clear to all members and the nation, that police misconduct is an issue that congress must address.” Civil rights groups have decided to work together to push for this legislation in order to address national concerns regarding po lice conduct with regard to minor ity communities. “This proposal would eliminate the hodgepodge of what is accept able behavior by law enforcement officials,” explained NAACP presi dent and CEO Kweisi Mfume. “This, in turn, leads to a variety of problems and an overall lack of accountability to the community these law enforcement agencies serve.” La Raza, a non-profit Hispanic organization based in Washing ton, D.C. that lobbies in support of Hispanic issues, also stands in firm support of the measure. AUGUSTAFOCUS unprecedented sound fiscal health for a sixth year in a row, the gov ernment and private sector can play a key role in partnering for positive solutions to expand women'’s enterpreneurship. State Venture Policy: Investing in Women Entrepreneurs, funded by the Bell South Corporation, iden tifies both unique obstacles faced by women-owned businesses and opportunities to catalyze more growth in this sector. Key findings include: Women owned businesses are under-rep : . CA conslant reminder W %a[ywmn& ROLEX \q/ : : " o : S o B g' e -:n Q ’ \ada T . ' ./' wiE B - g ‘ y e 4—-3 ¢ 7,;*" .:LY ‘ F "vl -’ . fl 4” : . 2 - k‘;"‘{ e \{‘ e o ”‘"~,~ “ T ‘ § 08 RN . A ' ¥ D’:D 4‘»&*» L . o \\‘)‘ 5 - & St 7o SR M VN o N\ 4 i 3 ~7.~ w “3( > % ¥ - \l:“:»ul'a " - ‘.-“j: 5 ‘\ :‘ o/ .Y <. N o g || | - a 1 .y Q EROILED 14y N —— gAY e I e L b & -é- e:L - ‘ < @ »b B t = * ; <;‘. 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JEWELERS . v __ ‘ National Hills 2635 Washington Rd Augusta, Georgia 30904 : (706) 738-7777 Now Open ‘til 9pm Mon-Sat resented in programs designed to assist business; while many states offer training and education pro grams for women business own ers, women have trouble accessing these programs due to problems concerning cost, time and trans portation. While the majority of states are engaging in the global economy, they are not integrating women-owned businesses intothat strategy. Technology is beginning to change how states work with women-business owners. The report lays out recommen dations for states to better tap this sector of the economy. Policy rec ommendations for states include: measuring the impact of entrepre neurship in general, and women owned businesses in particular, on their state’s economy; developing policies that promote business growth from the micro level to mid sized level, building public/private partnerships to support the start up and growth of women-owned businesses; and developing inno vative community investment strategies that allow for progres sive workforce benefits for employ ees of small and mid-sized compa nies. State Venture Policy also pro vides examples of best practices across the states. A copy of this report is available online at HYPERLINK http:// www stateaction.org or by calling (202) 387-6030 extension 141. CPA is a progressive, nonparti san public policy and leadership development center working across the 50 states to realize solutions for Amenrica's future. - Orientationto 3 higilight weight N loss options i AUGUSTE The University Health Care System Nutrition Center provides free onentation sessionson Thurs days, 5-6 p.m., to explain weight loss options for individual needs. Registered and licensed dietitians teach all sessions. Pre-registra tion 1s required by calling 706/ 774-8917