[This text is machine generated and may contain errors.]
BY: CASH MICHAEL
THE WILIMINGTON
JOURNAL
Despite dramatic drops in the
number of families from the
welfare and public assistance rolls
since 1996, the number of chil- .
dren in poverty. continues to grow
across the country, and here in
North Carolina, according to the
latest report from a noted child
advocacy group.
The Children Ts Defense Fund, a
nonprofit Washington, DC based
organization, reports in its oThe
State of America Ts Children:
Yearbook 2000", that oSeventy-
four percent of poor children
today live in working families
who cannot make enough to
escape poverty. ?
One in five children in America,
or 13.5 million, are poor, accord-
ing to CDF Ts research, based on
US Censos and US Dept. of
Health and Human Services fig-
ures
Thirty-two percent of those chil-
dren belong to Black families
making less than $13,003 annu-
ally. What may be surprising to
some people, however, is that
62% are white (which includes
Hispanics).
In North Carolina, according to
the latest US Censos figures, there
were 1,919,774 children in 1998,-
25.4% of the total state
population.
Based on 1989 income (the most
recent figures used for the 1990
US Censos since calculations
from the 2000 Censos won't be
ready until 2002), of NC Ts
Don Tt Forget To Vote Tuesday, May 2nd!
eae aa _ : whet You See ss Attinat You Get, What You Read Is What Kaew snd Seve. |
Many Children Continue
to live in Poverty
272,923 children under 18 who
are poor (17.2% of total children Ts
population). 35.9% are Black,
9.3% are white, and 24.2% are |
Hispanic.
The country with the highest
percentage of poor children is
Hyde with 40.8%. Over 264,079
children received food stamps in
fiscal year 1998. In FY 1999,
815,665 children received free,
reduced-price or full proced
school lunches through the child
nutrition program. Over 261,223
were enrolled in the school creak-
fast program, and 43,299 were fed
through the summer food pro-
gram.
In terms of incidence of low birth
weight babies, 13.6% for Black
mothers. compared to 7.1% for
whites, and 6.1 for hispanic
mothers. For infant mortality,
Blacks again led whites----15.7 to
6.9% for 1997, the latest year for
figures.
The teen birth rate overall in NC
has gone down to 61.3% in 1997,
the lowest since 1990. from a high
70.5 in 1991.
In education, NC clearly has what
could be called a crisis, according
to US Dept. of Education figures
for 1998, 72% of the state's fourth
graders are reading below profici-
eny level. The pupil/teacher ratio
is 16-1, according to 1996
figures. and high school comple-
tion from 1995-97 was 87.1%.
When it comes to child abuse.
NC is prominent as well, accord-
ing to the US Dept. of Health and
Human Services. Between 1990
and 1997, the number of child
abuse victims jumped 34% from
24.880 to 33. 347. Neglect
accounts for the highest type of
abuse---87.1%. Sexual abuse is
4.1%, while physincal abuse is
4.5%.
If there is one area of good news,
it Ts firearm deaths of children and
teens 19 and under from 1995-97.
During that three-year period, the
state Ts total number dropped from
150 to 92. The most prevalent are
homicides, which went from 77 to
1995, to 45 in 1997.
In America, nearly 12 children
die each day from gunfire, accord-
ing to figures compiled: by the
Children Ts Defense - Fund.
Children under the age of 15 are
12 times more likely to die by
gunfire than children in 25 other
industrialized countries.
The CDF report recommends that
states like NC ensure education,
training and work at a decent
wage for poor families with
children, that more money be
invested in early childhood inter-
vention programs like Smart Start,
that children be taught how to
reslove their differences without
violence, and that states not return
hundreds of millions of unspent T ~
public assistance funding to the
federal government, but be al-
lowed to spend it to enhance
training and opportunities for the
poor.
oDo what you can right now to
mentor and support a child and
advocate for all chiildren ? ? CDF
Executive Director Marian Wright
Edleman wrote in the report. * Do
not wait for everyone to come
along. ?
oThey never will. ?
enior Citizen's Gathering
" oo
Senior Citizen's Gathering shown at Snow Hill's Senior citizen gathering on the campaign trail brother
Jim Rouse along with very popular Snow Hill resident Jerry Green. As well as another citizen who is
popular in the Black Community
house of Representatives.
Brother Brit all encourage you to get out and vote for Jim Rouse NC
Photo by Abdoul Rouse
Martin County
posing for the "M" Voice camera along w
Cleary and long time Martin County reside
nty Democratic Women, Brother Rouse who was campaigning in Martin County is T Shown
ith the Collard Green King Mort Hurts as well as Sandra Mc
nt Miss Manson, The fellowship was strong and very friendly,
Photo by Abdoul Rouse
)
Edgecombe County Democra
lad
May 2nd, you have the opportunity to vote for the canidate of your choice. Voting has the power to create
change and make things happen. Edgecombe County Commissioner Florence Arnold Armstrong is shown
with Edgecombe County Sheriff Knight and newly appointed House of Representative John Hall. All
encourage you to get out and vote. Photo by Abdoul Rouse
it
Easley Leads in the Polls 53%.
By Stephen Johnson
Editor
Candidates. endorsed by the
Durham Committee on the Affairs
of Black People have been
judged to be capable of improving
the lives of Black citi-
zens.However several people ar-
.gue intimidation from the Political
Committee played a part in this
year's.-endersements, primarily: its
open vote policy.
oThe process just wasn Tt quite
correct ? city council member and
Political Committee voter Jackie
Wagstaff said. oBecause it was an
open ballot people had to be seen
they couldn't vote with their
hearts. And it Ts a shame in a
political process that you have to
vote that way.
oits sort of like being under a
slumlord rule. The slumlord has
all the power and the tenants feel
powerless ? Wagstaff said fear
was particle evident in the com-
mittee Ts gubernatorial endorse-
ment , in which it endorsed Lt
Governor Dennis Wicker over
Attorney General Mike Easley.
Some voters lobbied for a secret
ballot but failed to get enough
support.
Because Easley leads Wicker in
the-pells and -has-appointed blacks
to high powered positions and
tackled issues pertinent to blacks,
Wagstaff said he would have been
the more favorable choice if votes
were done by a secret bal-
lot.According to a new WTVD
poll released Tuesday, April
18.2000 conducted by Survey
USA showed Democrat Mike
Eastley maintain a significant lead
in the gubernatorial primary.
Easley 53% Wicker 24% other
11% undecided 11%
In recent news Attorney General
Mike Easley announced that
Medicaid recipients are now eligi-
ble for the Lifeline/Link-Up dis-
count telephone programs. the
Lifeline program allows persons
in need to receive telephone
service T at a discounted rate while
the Link-Up program provides a.
discount for their initial hook-up*
of- phone--service. Citizens-who-
have questions regarding eligibil-
ity for the Life/link-Up programs
should contact their local phone
company, the North Carolina
Utilities Commission at (919)
733-2435 or the Attorney
General Ts Consumer Protection
Section at (919) 716- 6000
Some information in this article
taken from the Triangle Tribune.
Clebration 2000 may be held in Greenville
CELEBRATION 2000 TO BE
HELD IN GREENVILLE MAY
26 & 27
Greenville, N. C., April 12, 2000
Eastern Carolinians for Unity and
Spiritual Renewal, a group com-
prised of many of the principals
involved with the highly success-
fid Franklin Graham Crusade in
Greenville in 1998, will conduct a
follow-up spiritual rally " in
Williams Arena, Minges
Coliseum May 26 and 27, 2000.
Nationally recognized speaker
Arlee Griffin of the Berean Batist
Church in New York Citv will be
the featured speaker on Friday
night May 26th. Griftin. who has
eastern North Carolina ties, now
ministers to one of the largest
"~ Vote for Sh
Congregations in the USA with a
chuch membership of around
6.000 members. Griffin, a gradu-
ate of the University of North
Carolina-Chapel Hill also holds a
PHD degree from Boston
University and is currently serv-
ing on the Board of Directors at
Shaw Universtiy in Raleigh. N.C.
On Saturday night. May 27, the
speaker will be local evangelist
Reverand Tom Holtsclaw. the
pastor of Jarvis United Methodist
Church in Greenville. Reverand
Holtsclaw was one of the facilita-
tors of the Franklin Graham
Crusade in Greenville and is now
called on by the Graham orgaini-
zation to speak to Communities
across the USA on behalf of the
crusade.
The event will also feature a
Mass Choir Comprised of singers
and musicians from area
churches. There is no admission
charge for any Celebration 2000
events.
Organizers feel the timing for a
Franklin Graham Crusade follow-
up is right considering the prob-
lems the area has suffered in
recent months with the flooding
following Hurricane Floyd and
recent problems. in local govern- .
ments that have caused a divsion
and created philisophical differ-
ences There is a sense that
bringing the eastern North
Carolina community together in
the name of Jesus Christ once
again will create healing and:
comfort along with spiritual re~
newal.
acklefort
.
Shown posing for the "M" Voice camera candidate for Coun Commissioner Brother '$
with Jim rouse, Both on hand at Snow Hill Senior Citizen's paharing. hacklefort along.
te
gon?
ye oe
ath
Photo by Abdoul Rouse "
