Newspaper Page Text
Page 2— Wednesday, January 12, 2022, The True Citizen
Concert series to
present jazz star
Karla Harris
From Staff Reports
Jazz vocalist Karla Harris
hits the stage this weekend
along with her seven-piece
band in a much anticipated
show brought to the commu
nity by the Waynesboro-Burke
Concert Series.
Harris will perform Sat
urday, Jan. 15, at the Burke
County Office Park, beginning
at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:30.
Ticket information is available
at burkeconcert.org.
The evening will feature
music from Karla's Certain
Elements CD, pop classics,
Latin jazz as well as original
tunes. Harris, known for her
dynamic delivery, diverse
arrangements and musical nu
ance , has captivated audiences
across the globe. Her art lies
not only in expansive vocals
but also in tapping into the
emotion of a tune.
An artist-in-residence with
Kennesaw State University,
Harris teaches Applied Vocal
Jazz to aspiring singers pas
sionate about this uniquely
American art form.
She has performed for
audiences from Portland to
Provence, including events
such as the Sarasota Jazz
Festival, Portland Jazz Festi
val, Oregon Coast Jazz Party,
Nantucket Arts Festival, At
lanta Jazz Party, Atlanta Jazz
Festival and a TED Talk.
The show, which opens
the WBCS 42nd season, is
sponsored by Keystone Power
Company Financial Planning
Team.
MLK
Continued from front
In commemoration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the Burke County Improvement Associa
tion is sponsoring the 22nd annual MLK Parade in Waynesboro Saturday, Jan. 15 at 1 p.m.
“A 1980 Census for Burke
County, Georgia revealed that
although 53.6% of the popula
tion was comprised of black
citizens, they made up only
38% of the voting population.
The Burke County Board
of Commissioners consisted
of five members who were
elected at large to concur
rent four-year terms by all
those qualified to vote within
Burke County,” according to
Casebriefs.com. “To be nomi
nated, a candidate must have
received a majority of the vote
in the first primary or general
election. No black citizen had
ever been elected to the BOC.”
During that period, Lodge
was the executive director of
the Burke County Improve
ment Association. Its members
supported him through the
legal process.
“At that time, there was vot
ing at-large in Burke County
and a person of African de
scent would never be elected
and so we went to the Supreme
Court and they ruled that at-
large voting was unconstitu
tional” Larkin said. “This is
how we got people of African
descent elected to the Board of
Commissioners.”
Larkin insists the group is
not losing momentum. Like
most organizations, Coronavi-
rus stifled the group’s ability to
meet. Pre-pandemic, the mem
bers met monthly. Since the
onset of the vims, the members
meet quarterly via conference
calls. Although the association
is registered with the Georgia
Secretary of State’s Office, the
group did not renew their 501
(c) (3) status after it expired
approximately 10 years ago,
Larkin said.
In commemoration of Mar
tin Luther King, Jr. Day, the
association is sponsoring the
22nd annual MLK Parade in
Waynesboro Saturday, Jan. 15
at 1 p.m. This year’s theme is
"Dream for Justice". The pa
rade will begin on Brentwood
Drive, proceed down North
Liberty Street and end on West
Pauline Jenkins Street.
“King was the chief spokes
person for nonviolent activism
in the Civil Rights Movement,
which protested racial discrim
ination in federal and state law.,
“ Larkin wrote in an email.
“Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is
a federal holiday honoring his
life and legacy and marking his
93rd birthday in 2022.”
The Federal holiday, ob
served annually on the third
Monday of January, is also
known as MLK Day of Ser
vice, Larkin said. The obser
vance challenges Americans
to transform the King Holiday
into a day of citizen action
and volunteer service. Lo
cal citizens are encouraged
to volunteer to improve their
communities.
“One of King's quotes im
plies community service,
‘Life's most persistent and
urgent question is, what are
you doing for others?" ’ Larkin
wrote.
The Burke County Improve
ment Association is open to
anyone who is interested in
participating. However, the
group stopped its annual mem
bership drives. Anyone inter
ested in finding out more about
the group can contact Larkin at
706-554-2991.
Additionally, the Burke
County Sheriff’s Office is in
viting any motorcycle group,
organization or individual rider
to join the department at the
Waynesboro Exchange Club
Fairgrounds for participation in
the MLK procession. Lineup is
at noon and the bikes will roll
out at 1 p.m. sharp. Motorcy
clists are asked to contact Sgt.
Derwin Butler or Sgt. Anthony
Bennerman at (706)554-2133
to reserve a spot.
Sworn in
(left to right) Councilmembers Richard Byne, Willie R. Williams and Dr. Maurice McBride were
sworn into their positions January 3 during a called City Council Meeting.
Probate Judge Ashley Moore Jr. swore in Keysville’s Councilwoman Maggie Terrell (left)
and Mayor Linda Wilkes Davis (right) Jan. 10
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