Newspaper Page Text
AngSEQOGCUS
Vol. 23, No. 1156
- R
The Negotiator
The families of some
Americans being held
hostage in Iraq have
called on Rev. Jessie
Jackson to negotiate
their release. But the
Bush Administration
has made it clear that
they will not cooper
ate. Page 2A
Hot in here
Students at Atlanta’s
all female HBCU,
Spelmen College, are
making it very hot for
rapper Nelly and oth
ers in the hip-hop
industry whose videos
and lyrics sexually
exploit women. Page
3A
:
. Both state and local
Democratic party
swappers are engaged
in a game of self-serv
ing musical chairs that
will leave many of
their supporters hang
ing. Page 8A
R B RN P A AP RS
Powerfest 2004
Aside from Jermaine
Dupre, Juvenile and J-
Kwon not showing,
Powerfest seemed to
go off without a hitch.
Page 1B /
GOOD NEWS
40 years of excellence
Local educator Rosa
T. Beard began work
ing with young debu
tantes in the Augusta
area forty years ago.
The socially-conscious
Beard speaks candidly
_ about her experiences.
Page 4A
INDEX
8u5ine55..........6A
Walker’s running
By THERESA MINOR
Augusta Focus Staff Writer
Former Senate Majority
Leader Charles Walker has made
it official, qualifying to run for
the Georgia District 22 Senate
seat.
Walker says he was mindful of
his commitment to a growing
group of supporters when he
arrived in Atlanta on Monday,
April 26 to pay his qualifying
fee.
“I was thinking that it was
good to be back in an environ
ment where I can make a differ
ence. I was thinking about the
teachers, janitors and state work
ers who had not been given a
raise. | was thinking about all the
programs and services that were
not funded,” he said. “I thought
about having the opportunity to
put Augusta back on the state’s
agenda.”
“ Among his top priorities, Walker says he wants to fight for the
reopening of the MCG Pharmacy and the Augusta Youth Devel
opment Center. He wants to introduce the Public Service
Accountability Act which will require the state to conduct an
impact study before closing state facilities. Walker says he intends
to work to secure the presence of Fort Gordon, jobs at the Med
ical College of Georgia and to establish a career research center
in the CSRA.
As one of the state’s leading Democrats, Walker says he believes
the new court-ordered district lines will give his party a chance
to reclaim the Georgia Senate.
“I think it’s going to be tight, but I think the Democrats can
win the Senate back,” Walker forecasted.
Democrats lost the Senate majority during the 2002 election
SPLOST V: All or nothing?
By HALEY A. DUNBAR
Augusta Focus Staff Writer
Expert opinions are
mixed over the legality of
a multi-question ballot
for the SPLOST V refer
endum in Richmond
County.
A citizens review panel
suggested separating
more controversial items,
such as a $94 million
sports arena and a $25
Proposed sports arena: Your questions answered
Q: Who is the group
requesting public funding
for the proposed arena?
A: Augusta Entertain
ment, which is a company
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vate interest groups.
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Photo by H. Dunbar.
Walker’s surrounded by supporters during a recent rally. Upon qualifying to run for
Georgia Senate District 22, he told reporters “I come back. | bring hope.”
million performing arts
center from capital outlay
projects like drainage and
road improvements. It’s
all expected to be funded
by revenue generated by a
penny sales tax.
While city attorney
Steve Shepard maintains
that using a multi-ques
tion ballot could be ille
gal, the legal counsel for
past City of Columbus
founded by Frank
Lawrence, Billy Morris and
Shivers Hockey Investment.
The company will also
eventually grow to include
Subscribe to the Augusta Focus, Call (706) 722-4222, extension 225
www.augustafocus.com
after four Democrats jumped to the Republican Party, among
them, incumbent Augusta Sen. Don Cheeks. Cheeks, who for
merly resided in the 23rd Senate District, has been drawn into
District 22 as a result of the district changes. He will be forced to
go against the winner of the Democratic primary between Walk
er and Augusta attorney Ed Tarver. Local Democrats could not
hide their amusement at what they see as a no-win situation for
Cheeks.
“As Ray Charles used to say “You got the right one now baby’,”
said Rev. Marvin Mcßae during a recent rally for Walker. “Don
Cheeks can't switch parties and turn his backs on us. We're here
to let him know you got the right oné baby.”
As of the press deadline, Cheeks had not qualified to run in the
new district. The Democratic primary will take place on July 20.
penny tax referendums
tells the Augusta Focus
there is evidence that sug
gests otherwise.
“There are some older
cases in Georgia which
indicates that when mul
tiple projects are com
bined into one general
obligation bond question,
there may be a violation
of the so called ‘multiple
subject matter rule’
ScheerGame Sports Devel
opment, a Greenville, SC
company.
Q: How many people
FIFTY CENTS
resulting in coercion of
the voters. In such cir
cumstances separate ques
tions may be required,”
explained Savannah attor
ney Jim Pannell.
Pannell’s firm, Oliver,
Maner & Gray, ELE
served as bond counsel
for Columbus’ 1993 and
1999 SPLOST referen
dums in which voters
See SPLOST page 12A
will the arena accomodate
and what will it be used
for?
A: The arena will have a
general seating capacity of
approximately 10,000 per
sons for hockey, arena foot
ball, basketball and eques
trian events and up to
12,000 persons for concerts
and family shows. Augusta
Entertainment also intends
to ‘include retractable seats
to allow for such events as
tractor pulls, rodeos and
horse shows.
Q: Where will the arena
be built and who will be
responsible for construc
tion?
A: The proposed site for
the arena is the 85 acres of
property at the intersection
of Deans Bridge Road and
Gordon Highway where
Regency Mall currently sits.
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Although Augusta Enter
tainment will oversee all
aspects of the construction
including selecting a
builder, the City of Augusta
will be responsible for con
ducting studies to deter
mine whether the Regency
Mall site is suitable property
on which to build the arena.
Q: Will the bidding
process for constructing
the arena fall under the
same guidelines as other
county projects which
require that minority
companies be given equal
opportunity?
A: Augusta Entertainment
will recognize that the City
of Augusta encourages equal
opportunity to participate
for all companies including
those owned by minorities.
Sec Arena Q&A page 12A