Newspaper Page Text
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US POSTAGE
PAID
s AUGUSTA GA
PERMIT NO 302
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Serving Metro Augusta, ,u,.,{:;“mpm ,
South Carolina and The CSRA AT ABR. Y CHpe
February 26-March 3, 2004
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‘Haiti heatsup
Attempts to overthrow
Haitian President Jean
Bertrand-Aristide have
ignited turmoil in the
streets of that island
country and are setting
the stage for a 2 mass exo
dus. Page 2A
Sharpton in GOP
pockets
Presidential candidate,
Rev. Al Sharpron, is in
hot water among party
loyalists for taking cam
paign funds from lead
ing Republicans. Page
2A
‘Local teen wins state
title
~Danielle McKinley has
won the Miss Black
Georgia Teen crown.
.The 17-year old Evans
_youth now goes after the
national title. Page 3A
. Kerry for president
. The best chance to
get off of the Bush trail
‘of deception is with
" John Kerry. Page 8A
ARTBEAT
ta by storm
~ The haunting voice of
little known jazz artist,
Jimmy Scott, found a
- new generation of fans
‘during a concert at
Paine College recently.
Page 1B ]
GOOD NEWS
Smith is employee of
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- Mark Smith is the city
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Vol. 23, No. 1146
I's done! ANIC buniaing complete
By HALEY A. DUNBAR
Augusta Focus Staff Writer
Its been a long time coming
and a lot of pitfalls along the
way, but finally the Augusta
Neighborhood Improvement
Corporations (ANIC) Laney-
Walker office building is fin
ished.
Delayed by a number of cir
cumstances, in recent months
the project had become a tar
get for ANIC adversaries, a
“litde engine that could” for
its supporters. Now, some
two years after its inception
and 14 months since it’s
groundbreaking, ANIC and
its two county government
department tenants are slated
to move into the edifice this
week — bringing with them
the economic wherewithal to
keep the ball rolling on the
revitalization of the historic
Laney-Walker District.
“Reaching this milestone of
completion is a great point in
ANIC: future,” said ANIC President and CEO Robert Cooks, who went on to explain that,
“establishing a building so that ANIC can become an institution for this community is a piv
otal point for the revitalization of Laney-Walker.”
ANIC was created more than three years ago with the goal, among many others, of revitaliz
ing Augustas blighted areas and making them ideal living environments. Toward that end, the
organization has purchased and cleaned up a number of overrun lots and dilapidated structures
in the Laney-Walker area and replaced them with quality, affordable homes. The three-story,
nearly 18,000 square foot building is just the latest in their scheme to breathe life back into the
historic district, once a Mecca for many of the city’s African-American businesses and families.
In a sort of a two-pronged effect, ANIC has re-built homes and now relocated their business
office to Laney-Walker Boulevard in order to encourage commerce in the area with the hope
that other businesses will follow suit. While many in the Augusta area have a vested interest in
the revitalization process, Cooks says his organization has stepped up as a leader, a sort of bench
mark in the effort.
“It doesn't happen over night and if somebody's not willing to take the risk to establish the
market, to establish the quality of construction, to establish the standard by which the neigh
borhood will change, it won't happen,” he said. !
Cooks went on to explain that people already in the community will benefit from seeing the
structure because it serves as an example of the changes that are currenty underway and may
give them hope that their neighborhood will someday be as aesthetically pleasing as neighbor
hoods in other parts of the city.
The building was originally scheduled to be completed last August however under the weight
of days lost to inclement weather and stalled architectural plans, ANIC officials watched the
See ANIC, page 12A
Walker talks politics, economics
with local NAACP
By HALEY A. DUNBAR
Augusta Focus Staff Witer
State senate hopeful Charles
Walker, Sr. addressed the
Augusta Chapter of the
NAACP during its recent
General Membership meeting
held at the organization’s 11th
Street office. The former Sen
ate Majority Leader discussed
what he believes to be the
most pressing political and
economic needs of African-
American communities across
the city and around the state.
Frequent nods of approval and
Community Center gets, gives fresh start
By STEPHANIE AARON
Special to Augusta Focus
For Christina Wit, 2 16 -
year-old from Augista, this
could be the best chance she
has to get a fresh start in life.
“I can't go back to any of
Richmond County schools so
I knew 1 had to get my GED
- Wi, is among about 40
. people enrolled in the qurren
e e
hopes of graduating and going
Subscribe to the Augusta Focus, Call (706) 722-4223, extension 225 ”
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ANIC will move into its three-story Laney-Walker Bivd. office buliding this week. Local officials and area residents
will celebrate the grand opening with a barbeque and open house, Saturday, Feb. 28.
occasional applause indicated
that his message was well
received by a group that,
according to one member, is
ready for a change.
“Many of us feel like the
whole state of Georgia is losing
right now. After watching
YDC and the MCG Pharma
cy shut down and hearing
about the changes they’re try
ing to make to the HOPE
Scholarship that would leave
so many kids — and not just
black kids but poor kids peri
od — basically out on the street,
unable to afford college, we're
on to another level in life.
Although the center has been
open for a while, on Feb. 21,
the facility was formally dedi
cated with a grand opening
ceremony. The center has a
long history with the under
served community in which it
is rooted. In 1912, the United
in Augisa was the it o be.
copeied by de s, In
1929, the current building was -
erected and with the help of
ready for a change. Its show
time,” said long-time NAACP
member Moses Dunn.
The NAACP is a non-parti
san organization and therefore
does not endorse political can
didates. According to Dr.
Charles Smith, president of
the local chapter, the group
invited Walker to speak not as
a part of his campaigning but
as a person who owns a busi
ness in the Laney-Walker
community and who is well
versed on issues like the ones
See NAACP, page 12A
extensively renovated leaving it
with a look that is as good as
new. The building hopses six
classrooms along with a techni
cal lab, conference room,
kitchen and dining hall.
In the past, The New Bethle
hem Community Center
housed a school for the youth
and dlasses for the elderly of the
community. Now, in 2004
after being closed for some 10
Executive Director for the cen-
See Conter, page 12A
vw.augustafocus.com
Teen shot by
golice sentenced to
etention center
By THERESA MINOR
Augusta Focus Staff Writer
Christopher Todd Mills,
16, shot twice by a Rich
mond County Sheriff’s
deputy in December, has
been found guilty of
aggravated assault and
committed to the Depart
ment of Juvenile Justice.
The decision came dur
ing a Juvenile Court hear
ing into the incident.
Mills was shot by Deputy
Timothy Herring while
the deputy was answering
a domestic disturbance
call. The youth had report
edly ingested antifreeze,
held family members at
knifepoint and kicked out
a car windshield prior to
the officers’ arrival. He
was still in possession of
the knife when deputies
arrived at the scene.
According to testimony,
shots were fired within
seconds. However the
attorney for Mills says the
evidence does not support
ithat the teen ever threat
ened deputies.
“Our contention is that
he was not making any
moves toward the officers.
He never raised a knife;
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The New Bethiehem Community Center hopes to breathe
new life in the surrounding community. The center's :
iocated at 1336 Conklin Avenue. ;
FIFTY CENTS.
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Christopher Todd Milis was
found guilty of aggravated
assault.
never put the officers in
danger. According to the
deputy’s own testimony he
was eight feet away,” said
attorney Ben Allen. “I
believe if we had a more
experienced officer on the
scene they would have
waited this out. It just
doesn’t make any sense.”
Mills is said to have lim
ited use of his arm as a
result of his gunshot
wounds. The Department
of Juvenile Justice will
evaluate the case before
deciding on the sentence
which could range from
incarceration to probation.::