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VOLUME 19 NUMBER 960
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Tiger Woods holds up the winner’s trophy after capturing the
100th U.S. Open Golf Championship at the Pebble Beach Golf
Links in Pebble Beach, Calif., Sunday, June 18, 2000. (AP Photo/Eric
Risberg)
Grand Slam -
much more -
By DOUG FERGUSON
AP Golf Writer
PEBBLE BEACH, California
The next stop on Tiger Woods’
record-breaking run into history
takes him to the home of golf.
Woods will be an even bigger
favorite next monthinthe British
Open at St. Andrews, where he
will try to complete the career
Grand Slam in only his fourth
year of professional golf, one fewer
than it took Jack Nicklaus.
Apology resolution revived
amidst ‘Juneteenth’ reveling
By KATHERINE RIZZO
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON
America will continue to be
haunted by slavery until the gov
ernment makes amends, begin
ning with a formal apology, an
interracial group of lawmakers
said Monday.
“Thisissue ... is still with us. It
will not go away,” said Rep. Tony
Hall, a white Democrat from
Dayton, Ohio. “This hurt lingers
unless you settle it.”
As Hall described his proposal
for Congress to apologize and set
up a commission to look at
slavery’s continuing impact in
America’s society, the shouts of
dozens of marchers echoed down
Independence Avenuein celebra
tion of “Juneteenth,” the anni
versary of June 19, 1865, when
the last slaves officiallv were
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and perhaps
awaits Tiger
That should be the least of
anyone’s worries.
After his historic performance
at Pebble Beach, where he won
the 100th U.S. Openby shattering
records set more than 125 years
ago, Woods was concerned more
with how much he can improve
than how much he already has
accomplished.
“We all play golf, we all have a
bug,” Woods said. “We’re all try-
See TIGER WOODS, page 2A
freed.
Hall offered an apology resolu
tion three years ago, but he failed
to consult with black lawmakers
and leaders before introducing it,
and it went nowhere. This time he
sought advice from black lawmak
ers and others.
Among co-sponsors of the apol
ogy resolution is Rep. John Lewis,
a black Democrat from Georgia
and a prominent veteran of the
civil rights movement.
“This is a very serious issue for
our country. We need to deal with
it,” Lewis said.
Along with an apology, the reso
lution recommends that the gov
ernment appoint a commission to
examine slavery’s legacy; issue a
publicschool curriculum about sla
very, and consider setting up a
scholarship fund. It also proposes
See JUNETEENTH, page 2AL'
Area hospitals cope with financial challenges
- Augusta to host the 2002 Georgia Games
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The Los Angeles Lakers’ Shaquille O’Neal slam dunks as
Indiana Pacers defender Austin Croshere looks.in the second
quarter of Game 6 of the NBA Finals in Los Angeles, Mon
day, June 19, 2000. (AP Photo/Michael Caulfield)
Lakers finally found
winning combination
By KEN PETERS
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES
The Lakers finally found the
winning combination: Superman,
the Kid and the Zen master.
Thedefining moment of the mix
— and of Los Angeles’ season —
came late in Game 7 of the Na
tional Basketball Association’s
Western Conference champion
ship series against Portland.
Kobe Bryantlofted the ball near
Area hospitals adapt to financial pressures
®While some area .
hospitals are doing
better than others, all
have been challenged
by changes in the
healthcare industry.
By Timothy Cox
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
AUGUSTA
Area hospitals are feeling the
effects of an industry-wide de
pression — characterized by ris
ing costs, dwindling Medicare and
Medicaid reimbursements and
unfavorable insurance company
practices.
While all hospitals are strug
glingtoremain ahead ofthe game,
some are weathering the economic
storm better than others.
In attempting to rebound from
JUNE 22 - 28, 2000
the top of the backboard, out of
reach for most mortals. But
Shaquille O'Neal launched his 7-
foot-1(216-centimeter), 330-pound
(148.5-kilogram) body far above
the floor, grabbed the ball,
slammed it through the hoop, then
joyfully pumped his arm asheran
down court.
On the sideline, Phil Jackson
smiled knowingly.
The Lakers thus passed their
See LAKERS, page 2A
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MCG hopes it’s new company will turn its operations into a
profitable venture. Photo by Timothy Cox
City retreats from
newsignordinance
Unpopular measure headed
back to the drawing boards.
By Eileen Rivers
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
AUGUSTA
Downtown business owners
filled the commission chambers to
capacity on Monday morning,
throwingcomplaintsat Mayor Bob
Youngand the commission, overa
newly enforced ordinance which
prohibits Broad Street business
owners from placing signsin front
of their shops.
The June 19 public hearing
ended with a bit of a compromise
— three Broad Street merchants
were selected to meet with Rich
mond County planning and zon
ing commissioner George Patty,
licenceand inspection director Rob
Sherman, county attorney Jim
Wall, and Randy Oliver, county
administrator, to battle out the
ordinance.
In the meantime business own
New attractions
hoost tourism here
BEvents like the CSRA
Classic adds to the in
creasing number local
events that visitors find
irresistible.
By Timothy Cox ‘
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
AUGUSTA
Thanks to visitors who are in
creasingly drawn to Richmond
and Columbia counties, the local
area experienced a six percent
l‘i) CENTS
BULKRATE
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NO. 302 AUGUSTA, GA
ers will have a three month re
prieve from its enforcement.
During Tuesday’s meeting,com
missioners passed a 90 day mora
torium, allowing business ewn
ers to place one sandwich board
signoutside oftheirbusiness,with
no penalty — giving the planning
and zoning commission and com
mittee of downtown merchants
time to discuss any possible
changes to the ordinance. '
But smaller cities like Athens
and Savannah, that have sur
passed Augusta in tourism dol
lars, remain unaffected by the
law — portions of which are dic
tated by state mandates — mer
chants said. & W
“Well we're not Savanngh,”
Youngsaid. “We’re enforcingthis
law because people are always
complainingthat we don’t enforce
our ordinances enough.”
increase in tourism spent locally
in the period between 1998 and
1999. ;
According to Barry White, ex
ecutive director of the Augusta
Metropolitan Convention and
Visitors Bureau, the increase “is
a direct reflection of the commu
nity developments we have seen
in the last few years.” v
Commercial developmentslike
the shopping centers in west
Augusta, alongwith retail growth
in Columbia County including
new hotels and restaurants on
See TOURISM, page 3A - _ ~
a $25 million deficit in the past 24
months, the Medical College of
Georgiais about tolaunch a mgs
sive reorganization beginting
July 1 when a private firm'calléd
MCG Health, Inc. takes over the
teaching facility’s hospital and
clinicoperations. Under thel¢ad
ership of CEO Donald Snell, the
new firm will seek to achieve prof
itability. Under the new reorga
nization, only the employees who
continue working for the aca
demic portion of MCG will fe
main state employees. N 0
The future at St. Joseph’s'Hos
pital, however, is more question
able. In the past six months, be
tween 30 to 50 employees have
been let go, according to soureés
at the 85-year-old facility. An ii
dependent agency, The Lane Co
nsultant Group, headed by Adam
Russo, has been charged .gith
See HOSPITALS, page 3A A
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