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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 ~?»fég,%%fi? A ! N Y i : oo P i ] Al T R e : ey X . B ety A H P . o 'gi‘r: B i P B n"' ’ PTN s PR S 5l o S v o TR .?r . ) %’W? & ' A 5 4£{%a§’ ;;?? ,} ’?'?"”-:,; e .@ & _u_ f" A" ; s S ol y - s B &Y | e el s o image courtesy of ScheerGame Sports Development The $94 million sports arena will be largely funded by public monies and operated by pri vate interest groups. B , ol Y R 5 e o :oe - g E!A % 4 y 4 & B, » : i 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. PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID AUGUSTA GA PERMIT NO 302 Qualifying Candidates” Augusta-Richmond County Commission District 1 - Berty Beard, incumbens. ZIR v District 3 S BT TR e - David Moretz -Le i Georgia Senate UL Be E R R R 0 TSI ST P B TV T R Georgia Representative ~ District 120 ~ Quincy Murphy (D}, incumbent _ District 121 — Henry Howard (D). ;:ICtnzi\b¢n§ : District 123 - Alberta PR s T o e BPP@ T R T P Haold V. Jones il - SRS R oPV Y R D Max TN ‘incum'-" RS G AT ei T SRR ETL 0 SR P b T R PR T e Johnuy lssakson (R} - Mac Collins (R} ~ i‘i’(’r_n.mn_'_C,ai’r.{ §ietel L eR T R 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