Newspaper Page Text
VOLUME 21 NUMBER 1052
Power Fest / Kiss
Family Reunion
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Featuring
ASHANTI, IMX
KeKe Wyatt
Naughty by
Nature
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Back from the war
Jacob Seaburg, 6, waves a flag as F-14 jets of Navy fighter squadron VF-102, fly over
Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach, Va., Tuesday, March 26, 2002, after
returning from a six-month deployment aboard the aircraft cafvier USS Theodore
Roosevelt in the war against terror. AP Photo/The Virginian-Pilot, Genevieve Ross
Augusta’s Taking Off!
WAugusta airport
launches upbeat
marketing campaign.
' AUGUSTA
The Augusta Regional Air
portat Bush Field launched the
“Augusta’s Taking Off” mar
keting campaign.
In the six months since the
eventsof September 11, theair
line industry has undergone
massive changes. “We have
been actively engaged in talks
with airlines including Conti
nental,” said Kathryn Solee,
director of marketing and busi
ness development for the air
port. “The purpose, of course,
in getting more carriers to Au
gusta is to generate competi
tiontobringabout lower fares.”
Additional non-stop jet service
to top travel destinations such
as New York, Chicago and
Washington, D.C. would also
make travel easier. Continen
tal, Delta Connection Carriers,
Northwest, Southwest and
United are interested in this
area.
“Augusta asacommunity is
beginningtoseetheairportas
more than just a place of de
parture and arrival,” said Ms.
Solee. Over the last few
months, Augusta leadership
has become aware of the im
mense economicimpact thata
Recovery operations
reach final stages at
Tri-State Crematory
“Investigators have completed
examination of the lake and no
remains were found,” said Gary
W. McConnell, director of the
Georgia Emergency Management
Agency (GEMA). “Right now, we
areinthe process of restoring the
dam and preparing to turn the
property over to the Walker
County Sheriff and District At
torney. They will determinewhen
the property will be turned back
over to the Tri-State Crematory
See TRI-STATE, page 2A
Serving Metropolitan @Augusm, South Carolina and the Central Savannah River Area
vibrant airport hasonthearea.
Inaddition to addinglocaljobs,
ease of travel to and from the
CSRA will encourage more
businesses to locate here in-
The idea that
Augusta Re
gional Airport
can again be a
center for air
travel, and the
realization that
the airport has
massive eco
nomic potential
is finally taking
hold.
stead of opting for other cities.
The idea that Augusta Re
gional Airport can again be a
center for air travel, and the
realization that theairport has
massive economic potential is
finally taking hold.
®@Since January, there has
been an addition of over 1,200
seats a month as current car
riers responded to the local
demand.
®Businesstravelersarecon
sidering Augusta Regional Air
Bi-partisan ethics hill passes Senate
.After several weeks of behind-the
scenes negotiating, the Senate passed
the most comprehensive ethics re
form bill in decades. 58285 is
authored by Sen. Mike Polak (D-
Atlanta). Sen. Michael Meyer von
Bremen, the chairman of the Senate
Ethics Committee, and Sen. Tom
Price (R-Roswell), the Senate Re
publican Whip, along with Lt. Gov.
Mark Taylor, President Pro Tem
pore Terrell Starr, Senate Majority
Leader Charles W. Walker '(D-22)
and Minority Leader Eric Johnson
closely participatedin the dn,(ting of
Saturday,
March 30
Diamond Lakes
Recreation Park
12 noon - 7 p.m.
portagainbecauseofthehassle
factor at Atlanta Hartsfield.
BAtlanta Hartsfield’s sizeis
beginning to work against it,
and Augusta is thelogical ben
eficiary.
B Airlines are pursuing
point-to-point service since
September 11.
“Airline executives areagain
going to bein town, talking to
local residents,” said Ms.
Solee. “This time, to see if
there is a groundswell of local
interest in flying out of Au
gusta.” When considering the
benefits of having new air car
riers here, it is powerfully im
portant that the citizens of
Augusta talk positively about
its future and what it can pro
vide. The addition of one or
more airlines in Augusta will
provide the potential for: lower
fares, point-to-point travel,
jobs and economic impact.
Ms. Solee listed several rea
sons why the airlines should
look seriously at the CSRA:
®Weare on the North/South
corridor next to the world’s
busiest airport.
BWe are geographically
close to two capital cities.
@We are the second largest
metroareain the state of Geor
gia.
BWe have a huge medical
See AIRPORT, page 5A
MARCH 28 - APRIL 3, 2002
ATLANTA
the final bill.
“This is how the process is sup
posed: to work — acknowledge a
problem and work together to solve
it,” said Johnson. “Good govern
ment requires it.”
Thebillincludes proposals pushed
by Republicans and Democrats for
the past four years. Even former
Senator and Republican candidate
for Governor, Sonny Perdue, has a
key provision included in the pro
posal. The bill includes the follow
ing:
- Legislators and candidates must
disclose the businesges and occupa
“
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R T f HOHE MO
Halle, Denzel overcome
BFor the first time
ever, African-American
actors win top honors.
By Shun Norris
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
AUGUSTA
During the 74* Annual Academy
Awardson Sunday, March 24, Halle
Berryand Denzel Washington made
history by claiming the award for
best actress and actor in a leading
role.
Berry became the very first Afri
can-American woman to claim the
best actress award in the history of
the Academy and Washington was
only the second African-American
man to be recognized for best actor
after Sidney Poitier’s win in 1963
for Lilies of the Field.
Happiness and joy of this event
not onlycaptured the sudden atten
tion of Hollywood but right here in
Augusta as well.
Founder ofthe Augusta Mini The
atre, Tyrone Butler, says the two
actors deserved the award long be
fore now.
“I'followed them for alongtime. I
love their work. This should be an
see BERRY, page 2A
Williams to lead
civic center solo bid
By Shun Norris :
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
AUGUSTA
After five years of private management, Au
gusta Civic Center officials hired general man
ager Reggie Williams to head the arena with
out the use of a private management company.
The Augusta-Richmond County Coliseum
Authority voted 5-4 during a March 26 meet
ing to keep Williams, terminating months of
speculation of who would take over responsi
bilities of the civic center when the contract
with SMG ends.
SMG’s contract expires June 30, but accord
ing to Williams it may be sooner.
“SMG and the Coliseum Authority both
agree that they’ve have enough of each other
and would like to accelerate the expiration
date as soon as possible,” he said.
With about 30 employees under SMG,
worker’s compensation as well as medical and
health insurance bids be must in place before
the contract can be completely voided. The
most responsive bids will be put on the table
and then “they can cut the string.”
With no private management company hov-
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Best actress Halle Berry and best actor Denzel
Washington pose for photographers with their
Oscars during the 74th annual Academy Awards
on Sunday, March 24, 2002, in Los Angeles. AP
Photo/Doug Mills
tions of their spouses, parents, sib
lings and children.
- Any fees or honoraria received
for speakingby elected officials must
be disclosed.
-Candidates and their spouses who
are “consultants” must disclose
where they receive their income.
- People who use their influence to
obtain state contracts must be dis
closed.
- Employers of lobbyists must dis
close all expenditures on an elected
official.
1 Legislators and their children
ering, Williams is ready to
take on the responsibility.
“I’'m ready to take it to
another level and take a
newinitiative,” hesaid. “In
this particular case, the at
tention is focused on big
events but we have to re
sign ourselves to the fact
that we are a small market,
not bad just small.”
The type of facilities that
areinplacearea factor and
areinneed of deferred main
tenance, said Mr. Williams.
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Williams also noted that events held such as
the religion services and Sesame Street shows
provide quality of life in the community.
“We have the opportunity to provide that
(quality). Tax dollars are in this place.”
Since SMG’s decision in December not to
renew its contract, board members have been
divided on the issue of hiring a new manage
ment company.
Board members David Bell, Millie Cox,
Frederick Reed, and Bonnie Ruben all voted no
to hiring Mr. Williams. &
must report business with the state
and local governments. :
The bi-partisan group promised to
continue their efforts to address other
issues in the future such as the
make-up, power and funding of the
State Ethics Commission. For now,
however, the Senate shifts their fo
cus to trying toget the House to pas§
the bill. ~
“We cannot solve every issue in
one bill. But, this is a giant leap
forward and we hope the House joins
the Senate in this effort,” said Seq.
Price. fio ",
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