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South Carolina and The CSRA e
January 8-14, 2004 Vol. 23, No. 1139
INSIDE
>
Walker Magnet
School named one
_of top in state
' Wafi(er Traditional
Magnet School is
among 26 in the state
named a Georgia
School of Excellence.
Page 3A
Site commemorates
landmark decision
Construction on a
site commemorating
Brown v. Board of
Education is near
completion in Tope
ka, KS in time for
the 50th anniversary.
Page 2A
OPINION
Hankerson fiasco
Commissioner
Bobby Hankerson’s
failed attempt to
“become Mayor Pro
Tempore has put his
political credibility
on the line. The
maneuver back fired
resulting in Commis
sioner \)lfillic Mays
etting the post. But
ghec pgloy could be
costly for Hankerson.
Page 8A -
ARTBEAT
‘Black folks’ talk
Augusta Mini The
atre founder, Tyrone
Brooks, presents a
satire that chronicles
‘“What Black Folks
Say About Black
Folks.’
Page 1B
Student chosen for
National Leadership
Forum
Richmond Académy’s
Christopher Diggs Litsey
has been chosen to shad
ow the nation’s leaders in
Washington, D.C. as part
_ of the National Leader
ship Forum.
~ Page 4A
INDEX
ARTbeat ..........1B
City/Regi0n......3A
Classifieds ......6B
Good New5......4A
Happenings ....2B
mnfl 'll.“ll.lll' 1‘
Nation/Worid ..2A
Opinion ... 8A
Spirit...cconsornanenndß
Beard leaves rich legacy
‘I didnt get involved in
Augusta politics for the money. [
did it because I wanted to be a
servant to the public. I wanted
to show people that when you
‘make It,” you should go back
and help others. And I believe
Tve done that. Tve worked for
the people.”
-Commissioner Lee Beard,
1935-2003
By HALEY A. DUNBAR
Augusta Focus Staff Writer
News of Commissioner Lee
Beard’s passing is difficult to
comprehend for those who
knew, worked along side and
respected him.
He is being remembered as
one of the city’s greatest cham
pions. An educator turned
entrepreneur turned public
servant, Mr. Beard possessed
an unparalleled love for this
city. He believed strongly in
Augustas potential for great
ness, despite arguments to the
contrary, and his contribu
tions — much like his death -
will impact the area for years
to come.
“The city is moving for
ward. We've obviously had to
work through difficulties with
the consolidation and that will take time but we're moving for
ward. And anybody who says Augusta isn't doing anything is
either living in a vacuum or they're stupid. Take your choice,”
Commissioner Beard said in a September 2003 exclusive inter
view with the Focus.
Born in Appling, GA in 1935, Beard moved to Augusta at
seven to live with an older sibling after his mother died. He
was educated in Richmond County’s then segregated public
school system and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree
from West Virginia State University and later a Master’s in
Mayor discredits, takes credit for ANIC
By THERESA MINOR
Augusta Focus Staff Writer
Just two weeks after
Mayor Bob Young request
ed a state investigation into
the Augusta Neighborhood
Improvement Corporation
(ANIC), he is taking credit
for the creation and success
of the urban revitalization
organization.
In the January, 2004 edi
tion of Georgia Trend maga
zine featuring the state’s
100 most influential
movers and shakers, Young
is credited with creating
ANIC, “a national model
for urban housing develop
ment.”
“Successful cities take
what is unique about their
community and capitalize
on that,” Georgia Trend
New Augusta YDC contract questioned
By THERESA MINOR
Augusta Focus Staff Writer
Local lawmakers and for
mer employees of Augustas
youth detention center are
taking a hard look at a private
firm recently contracted to
run the facility.
Youth Services Internation
al, a subsidiary of Sarasota,
Fla.-based Correctional serv
ices Corp. earlier this month
won a five-year contract to
run Augusta YDC. It replaces
Augusta-based Unique Solu
tions as the management
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Newly appointed Commissioner Betty Beard will pick-up where her late husband, the
Honorable Lee Beard, left off.
quotes Young.
The irony is glaring in
that Young has publicly
attacked ANIC in recent
weeks, questioning its use
of S2O million to revitalize
Augusta’s downtown.
Among the issues Young
stated for concern is a
$750,000 allocation toward
the construction of the
Augusta Common. While
city records indicate that an
agreed upon payment
schedule for this project has
been implemented with the
first of four $187,500
installments, the mayor
failed to mention this fact
in his request for an investi
gation.
The director of the Pub
lic Works and Engineering
Department, Teresa Smith,
writes in 2 Nov. 19 letter
firm. The move comes even as
local lawmakers continue to
try to iron out a compromise
with the state following the
controversial decision to pri
vatize YDC and terminate
nearly 300 state employees
more than six months ago.
Compounding the skepti
cism is the fact that Youth
Services International is
embroiled in a S3B million
wrongful death lawsuit and
has faced several complaints
stemming from its operation
of youth facilities in other
states.
Subscribe to the Augusta Focus, Lall (706) 722-4222, extension 225
Guidance Counseling from Indiana State —a good platform for
a career path chosen more by circumstance than his own desire.
“I wanted to be a lawyer when I started college — my degree
is in political science. But at that time, in the late ‘sos, black
kids were graduating from school and going into teaching
because there was nothing else for us to venture into,” the late
Commissioner Beard said.
Nonetheless, Beard made the most of it, returning to his
hometown to teach in the still segregated public school system.
Sec Beard, page 10A
thanking ANIC CEO
Robert Cooks for the pay
ment, “I would like to take
che opportunity to thank
you for this submission.
This is one good example of
successful partnership
between the City and the
private sector and we-look
forward to this continued
level of support and mutual
cooperation.”
Young failed to return
repeated calls from the
Augusta Focus for comment.
However reaction to the
apparent about-face has
been quick - ranging from
amusement to anger.
“m miffed. The disap
pointing thing is that he
wants the credit for ANIC
but wants to kill it in the
same breath. The commu
nity needs to continue
“This has been a travesty of
the legislative system the way
they handled our people.
The same criteria they (the
state) used to privatize the
facility, the company that was
hired has the same charges
against them,” said State Rep.
Quincy Murphy (D-97).
Murphy’s comments refers
to a GBI investigation into
allegations that state employ
ees were involved with selling
drugs and pornographic
materials to the juvenile
offenders among other
things. That investigation
www.augustafocus.com
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Mayor Bob Young
investing in the organiza
tion,” said Cooks.
ANIC board member,
Quincy Robinson expressed
confusion over the issue.
“It’s just unusual that he
was dropped for lack of evi
dence. However it was used
by the former Commissioner
of Georgias Department of
Juvenile Justice, Orlando
Martinez, to justify privatiza
tion and firing the entire staff.
Former YDC staff member,
Patricia Walker, is among
those who remain in litiga
tion with the state over her
termination from the facility.
Walker says in spite of the
state’s new contract with
Youth Services International,
she feels that there are things
in motion that will reverse the
FIFTY CENTS
Beard succeeded
by his widow
By HALEY A, DUNBAR
Augusta Focus Staff Writer
A successful effort led by
Commissioners ~ Marion
Williams and Willie Mays
ended with unanimous
appointment of Betty Beard
to the District 1 commission
seat. Mrs. Beard will fill the
position, left vacant by the
death of her husband, until
a special election is held later
this year — leaving many
politicos to wonder how this
recent turn of events will
change the face of Augusta
politics.
During the year’s first
meeting of the Augusta-
Richmond County Com
mission, the governing body
voted to appoint Mrs. Beard
interim District 1 Commis
sioner after her husband lost
a brief barttle with cancer.
Commissioner ~ Williams
explained before the meet
ing that he believed the
recently widowed Beard
would make a great addition
to the board.
“She’s committed to many
of the same causes that
Commissioner Beard was
and she’s fair and open
minded. I don’t think she’s
interested in the position
permanently but for the
time being I think she’ll be a
See Widow, page 10A
would take credit for an
organization he wants the
governor to pull the plug
on. I just dont know what
to make of it,” said Robin
son.
deal.
“] feel like it’s (reversal) still
in the making. I'm just hop
ing that they (lawmakers) will
right a wrong,” said Walker.
Murphy, who favors the
state resuming control, says
there has been precedent for
the state to get out of the con
tract. He says a similar con
tract in Athens was terminat
ed by the state when the com
pany ‘failed to provide “ade
quate service.”
Youth Services Internation
al officially takes over in Feb
ruary.