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[ ] fi_ MS.JEANNIE LEDFORD GA NEWSPAPE PROJ CHIPS DEPT, MAIN LIUGA ATHENS, GA 30602-1641 Serving Metro Augusta, South Carolina and The CSRA - November 11 -18, 2004 HIV assault A Washington man, Anthony Whitfield, has been convicted in a serial HIV assault case. The case has sparked racially charged retaliation. Page 2A For the first time since Reconstruc tion, Georgia has elected a black State Representative. Willie Talton is from Warner Robins, Ga. Page 3A OPINION Bush, God and the vote Bush supporters are unanimous in their belief he possesses God-like qualities. But has the GOP exploited religion? Page 8A Kelly, Jay Z at odds Recording artist, R. Kelly is suing rap phe nom Jay Z for $75 million over a botched concert tour. Page 1B Kettle time v The Salvation Army is kicking off its annu al Kettle Drive at the Augusta Mall. Page 4A INDEX ARTbeat ..........1B 8u5ine55..........6A City/Regi0n......3A Classifieds ......6B Good New5......4A Happenings ....2B Living «enesusenl4A Nation/World ..2A Opinion ...cceeene-.BA Spirit.ccconsnssesensdß Vol. 23, No. 1183 Republican efforts to stop Walker loosing steam Local delegation brace for challenging session By THERESA MINOR Augusta Focus Staff Writer No one is underestimating the formidable challenge local Democrats face in the next ses sion, least of all Senator-elect Charles Walker. In addition to returning to politics after a two year absence confronted by a Republican powerhouse, some have suggested that Walker would not be allowed to be seated as a legislator because of a pending federal court fraud trial. There has apparendy been a softening of that posi tion. Senate President Pro Tem, Eric Johnson of Savannah sug gested to the Atlanta Journal 4 P 4 B Loeae N 3 g 3 W“':'/’T‘)’& s *.' " b b \?" “&L S &@f indicted Atlanta GA - Former Geor ia School Superintendent, Finda Schsaukis i 45 1 count indictment alleging that she funneled federal fimz into her failed campaign for gover nor in 2002. The indictment maintains Schrenko stole $250,000 of a $614,000 federal grant for her mrl\r,lipalgn war chest. erle Temple, the state’s for mer deputy superintendent and Stepglan Botes, Schrenko's gubernatorial campaign man ager were also nama:gjin the indictment, accused of stm]jx;fi more than $500,000 in fede funds. Pete Theod;o}fiovr‘lfiu Schrel&dnko’s artorney, asfiys she will plead not to all charges. gu‘{l]?i,nda did not steal an money and we very much looK forward to having our day in court so that the truth can come out.” Theodocion is uoted as saying in The fllthnta—]oumal Constitution Schretr)le%o’s SCFl;(eigrl;lledCo to a ore a urt Mpagistrate on Nov. 14. MCG takes part in study of new treatment for blacks with heart failur The Medical College of Georgia has joined a national study to determine whether a unique combination of drugs can help blacks with heart fail ure live longer, healthier lives. MCG is enrolling patients in the African American Heart Failure Trial, the first prospec tive study of a heart failure treat ment specifically for blacks. The sru% tests whether or not BiDilO, a nitric oxide enhancing medicine that com bines the drugs isosorbide dini trate and hydralazine, is effec tive in reducing mortality, hos pitalization and improving quality of life in African-Amen cans. Half the study partici pants will receive the new ther apy in combination with their existing drug therapy; to ensure objectivity, remaining partici ‘ m*‘ ; . 4 ¥y . RSI { PR : : i 3 )‘ ¢ { o # | 8 KW . g ‘ ¢ ' Photo by Theresa Minor Above, Senator-elect Charles Walker gets enthusiastic congratula tions from supporters on election night, Nov. 2. Walker says the Rich mond delegation has its work cut out for it. Turnout for Bush strong among black voters BE‘{'OE DAVIDSON BET.com Political Columnist Washington —A strong turnout by African Americans on Election Day wasn’t enough to defeat Pres ident Bush. Despite cases of voter intimidation, he beat John Kerry fair and square. And Bush did it with greater support from black voters than he won four years ago. Bush made a modest inroad into the black community, but that’s more than enough to let Republi cans crow. Surveys of voters after they left the polls indicated that 11 percent of African Americans voted for him, up at least two points from 2000. In some places, like Ohio, Bush took 16 percent of the black vote, an increase of seven points. Kerry won a solid 88 percent of the national black vote, but that was two points lower than Al Gore’s African American support in the last presidential election. Bush’s 51 percent of the total vote gave him a popular vote majority, quite a contrast to his popular vote defeat (that was followed by an Electoral College win) last time. No Thievery And, unlike four years ago, you pants will continue their usual drug regimen and receive a placebo. MCG is participating in the final round of clinical trials of the new therapy; earlier trials have indicated that the two drug combination may be par ticularly helpful to blacks says Dr. L. Michael Prisant, cardiol ogist and director of Hyperten sion and Clinical Pharmacolo gy at MCG and a principal investigator on the study. The dlinical trials are required before the Food and Drug Adminis tration will consider approving a new treatment. Congestive heart failure, a condition in which the heart can no longer adequately pump oxygen-rich blood throughout the body, affects nearly five mil lion Americans, according to Subscribe to the Augusta Focus, Call (706) 722-4222, extension 225 can’t say the Republicans stole the election. Although, the Election Protection Coalition says it took 70,000 calls about Election Day complaints, there is not the same sense of fiasco and thievery that America experienced in Florida last time. So if he didn't steal it, how did a president who presides over dou ble digit black unemployment rates increase his black support even marginally? How does a man who fights affirmative action get increasing affirmation from African Americans? One thing the pundits ponder is the impact so-called “moral issues” and religion-related poli cies had on the electorate in gen eral and black folks in particular. Bush used his faith-based policy that funnels money into churches for social programs to gain sup port from some black preachers. Gay Marriage Miscue? Black people also can be socially conservative folks,” and Bush’s opposition to gay marriage struck a positive chord with African Americans. A majority of them agree with him on that point, even if they don’t support his call for a constitutional amendment to ban 'same-sex marriage. Even the the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Blacks are twice as likely to experience heart failure as whites and have higher death rates. Hypertension and heart attacks are major contributors to the condition affecting an increasing number of Ameri cans, especially those age 55 and older. Heart failure leaves patients short of breath; in later stages, patients often say they feel as if they are smothering, Dr. Prisant says. About half of patients will die within five years of learning they are in heart failure; the condition is the most common diagnosis for hospital patients age 65 and older. “Statistics tell us that this unfortunately common condi tion is even more common in . ‘ www.augustafocus.com Constitution that he does not plan to challenge Walker. “The people of the 22nd District have made their choice and they are entitled to the consequences of that choice,” Johnson told and Atlanta Jour nal reporter. “We will appro priately welcome Senator-elect Walker back. At this point, I think the Senate is going to want to move forward with taking care of the people’s busi ness and let the judicial process play itself out.” Sull, some might see local lawmakers as the ultimate party crashers —the majority Democratic Richmond Coun ty legislative delegation in a blacks but there have been no studies looking for the best treatment for these patients,” says Dr. Prisant. In fact, previ ous studies, which included some black participants, have provided evidence that current heart failure therapies, includ ing angiotensin converting enzyme or ACE inhibitors and beta blockers, do not benefit whites and blacks equally. However previous studies look ing at isosorbide dinitrate and hydralazine separately have shown they may benefit blacks with heart failure, Dr. Prisant says, noting the hypothesis that blacks may not produce enough nitric oxide in their blood vessel system. “So here’s the dilemma: We have all these studies that show mortality benefits for predomi majority Republican con trolled statehouse. They are not taking the fact that they are outnumbered lightly, but nei ther are local lawmakers ready to abandon ship. Senator-elect Walker believes that the well-being of the state will override any political con sideration. “Georgias a very diverse state. The state breaks down philosophically to being 38 percent Democrat, 38 percent Republican and the rest some where in the middle. No dom inant political party can afford to alienate that many con stituents,” he said. Sec Walker, page 12A .~ Rl TR ‘ ,/ 3 : : y s B 0 b & m:'etw-.smmxn.«wmwmw civil union alternative has little support in black communities. It's a subject that Washington radio talk show host Joe Madison says resonates with callers to his program on WOL/XM “The Power.” “They just simply believe it's a man and a woman that should be married,” he said. “They aren’t strong on that liberal viewpoint (regarding gay mar riage). They don’t like it.” Bush didn’t make gay marriage a central issue of his campaign and See BI.IST,;;g;:TZK nately whites. We have very scanty data for African Ameri cans. That is the reason we are involved in this study,” he says. “We want to know if there is a better way to treat these patients that will prolong the quality and length of their lives.” Study participants were fol lowed dg:cT;' Pfstr] up to 18 months and received extensive medical evaluation at no cost, document heart function and electrocardi that meas ure elearifi activity of the heart. Those who participated il:ll;:ldl:sded male and female 18 and older in three oargefi)ur heart faflum.s"la;fiz drug company, NitroMed, Inc. stopped the study in July after findings nationally of the signif icant survival benefit to patients. PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID AUGUSTA GA PERMIT NO 302 FIFTY CENTS