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VOLUME 20 NUMBER 996
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DESTINY’S CHILD won two Grammys at the recording industry’s most important
awards celebration on Wednesday. The talented trio were voted best R&B Perfor
mance by a duo or group with vocal for “Say My Name.” The song, “Say My
Name,” was also voted best R&B Song of the Year. From left, are Kelly Rowland,
Beyonce Knowles and Michelle Williams. Above, the group performs at a recent
concert in Washington, D.C. AP Photo/Suzanne Plunkett
ieader dead, spokesman says
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KHALID Abdul Muhammad, national chairman
of the New Black Panther Party, is flanked by
two uniformed secret service officers in this
Saturday, Oct. 14, 2000, file photo taken in
front of the Israeli embassy in Washington D.C.
AP Photo/Ron Thomas
By JUSTIN BACHMAN
Associated Press Writer
MARIETTA, Ga.
Khalid Abdul
Muhammad, a black mili
tant known for harsh
rhetoric about Jews and
whites but revered as a
heroicrevolutionary by his
followersin the New Black
Panther Party, died Sat
urday after a brief illness.
“Minister and Dr. Khalid
Abdul Muhammad has
made his transition to the
ancestors,” party spokes
man Malik Zulu Shabazz
said at a news conference
outside Wellstar Kenne
stone Hospital, where
- Muhammadhadbeentaken
earlier in the week.
Fifth District Challenger
Rev. Bobby Hankerson makes early
announcement for Brigham's seat ~ story Below
Weatherman Jefferies returns
See PEOPLE, page 4A :
Serving Metropolitan gAulgusm, South Carolina and the Central Savannah River Area
He would not say how.
the 53-year-old
Muhammad died, saying
only that it was of “natural
causes.” Muhammad, who
split histimebetween New
York and Atlanta, had
shown no sign of illness
before he was hospitalized
Tuesday, he said.
Citing the wishes of
Muhammad’s family, the
hospital would not release
anyinformationabout him,
spokeswoman Elaine Mor
gan said Saturday.
Shabazz wassurrounded
by some of Muhammad’s
family and eight party
members wearing black
uniforms, combatbootsand
See KHALID, page 2A
FEBRUARY 22 - 28, 2001
Hankerson to
@
challenge Brigham
mPolitical activist wants to be the next preacher
on the Augusta-Richmond county commission;
Brigham camp says he will seek reelection.
By Timothy Cox
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
AUGUSTA
If the voters in District 5 choose to
unseat its incumbent spokesman in
the fall, Augusta-Richmond County
Commissioners: could add a new
preacher to its lineup.
Atleast that’s what the Rev. Bobby
Hankerson hopes will happen since
announcing his bid to become the
District srepresentativeon thecity’s
board of commissioners. In making
his announcement at a Feb. 19 press
conference in front of the city’s mu
nicipal headquarters on Greene
Street, Hankerson quickly reacted
to the notion that he could become
the next “man of God” to become a
Charter commission sets
sights on "racial divide" in
county government
By Timothy Cox
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
AUGUSTA
The 11-member charter commit
tee charged with making recom
mendations on a new city charter
continued its mission by agreeing
to attack what they consider aroot
problem plaguing city government
— charges of racism.
During their second meeting at
Paine College, the group, led by
chairman Bill Thompson, set a
March 1 meeting date to tackle the
Battle lines formover
predatory lending bill
By Maynard Eaton
AUGUSTA FOCUS Capitol Reporter
ATLANTA
Dorott:y Dumasis an elaerly Atlantawoman
living on a fixed income. In 1996 she took out
a loan to add a bédroom to her modest home.
She was charged $24,500.
“I’ve been paying since 1996 and I still owe
$24,500,” she told the Senate Banking Com
mittee. “I’ve been hassled by the mortgage
company. He’s called aslate as 10:30 at night.”
Betty Ferguson is a retired Atlanta educator
who took out a mortgage loan in 1993 to
consolidate her mounting debt. Her annual
interest rate is 12.5 percent.
“I wanted the exact amount I needed for my
debt consolidation, but the woman who helped
me got the loan, was very persisient and per
suasive, and encouraged me to borrow more
than I thought I needed,” she testified. “For
the 15 year loan term I will be required to pay
more than twice the amount that I borrowed.”
Ferguson, whose mortgage payments are 50
percent of her income, will also pay more than
SB,OOO over the life of the loan in credit insur
ance. “I did not know that purchasing this
city representative in atwo year pe
riod. “In November 1999, Rev.
Marion Williams upset incumbent
commissioner Freddie Lee Handy in
gaining the District 2 seat.
To date, Hankerson is the only
candidate scheduled to run against
incumbent commissioner Henry
Brigham in the November election.
Candidates can qualify for the race
mid-September, according to the
Richmond County Board of Elec
tions.
“Being a pastor certainly helps,”
assured Hankerson, minister at
Hammond Grove Baptist Church in
North Augusta. While his church is
located in South Carolina across the
See HANKERSON, page 3A
racism lssue.
The group was formed a month
agd in response to a Richmond
County grand jury panel which has
recommended sweepingchangesin
county government. Charges of a
divisiveracist climate was a signifi
cant part of the latest grand jury
report released in January.
Committee member Mallory
Millender, a Paine College journal
ism professor, suggested that the
group focus on the race issue. "Let us
See COMMITTEE, page 3A
MR. 808 HENNEBERGER
GEORGIA NEWBPAPER
UNIVEASITY OF QA . .
ATHENS QA 30602 5/3/014
“Predatory lending is an
atrocious, egregious act
against poor and low
income people through
out the state of Georgia.
It is a problem that must
be dealt with.”
— Sen. Charles W, Walker
‘insurance was optional.”
Both women, Dumas and Ferguson, are vic
tims of what is known as predatory lending. Tt
is a pervasive problem that is ruining tne
financial lives ofhundreds of poor-income Geor
gians. Now that the state flag fight is finished,
predatory lending has become the number one
issue among African-American legislators.
“Predatory lending is an atrocious, egre-
See LENDING ABUSE, page 2A
’
NASCAR’s Earnhardt
remembered as hero
o
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NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt of Kannapolis,
N.C., holds the series championship trophy in
victory lane at the North Carolina Motor
Speedway, near Rockingham, N.C., Oct. 24,
1994. Earnhardt, one of the greatest stars in
auto racing history, died Sunday, Feb. 18,
2001, from injuries in a last-lap crash at the
Daytona 500. He was 49. AP Photo/Alan Marler, file
By Timothy Cox : :
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
AUGUSTA
The tragic death of stock car driver Dale Earnhardt
Sr. hassignificantly impacted the sports world, includ
ing racing enthusiasts in Augusta.
In the early 19905, James Cagle found himself rent
ing an apartment in Daytona Beach Fla., just behind
the famous racetrack where Earnhardt lost his life. “I
saw him race there a couple times. He was one of the
best,” said Cagle, an avid drag racing and stock car
enthusiast who makes his living driving for Federal
See EARNHARDT, page 2A
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