om premier preacher, Bishop T.D. €s, reacted swiftly and sternly to a published report where the Na- tional Newspaper Publishers Asso- ciation (NNPA) censured him for not advertising with Atlanta’s Black Press prior to his hugely successful Mega-Fest 2005, one of the largest 7 ge Pa Bishop T.D. Jakes shares his mess walks of life. The ga Photo: Potter’s House by Maynard Eaton -Atlanta Voice ATLANTA (NNPA) -The nation’s ie 2 : a e of ering spotlighted such Bishop Jakes was incensed, de- fiant, and defensive and dismayéd with how he had been portrayed. Fol- lowing his speech to the National Association of Black Journalists ear- lier this month, he pulled this re- _ porter into the Hyatt Regency Ho- tel downtown's kitchen corner — or- _ to keep his en- tourage and others at a distance — dered his security | religious conferences ever. “To be called cheap in that ar- ticle was an insult,” said Jakes heat- edly to this reporter. “It also upset me that rather than come to ine di- for resolution, this matter was ed publicly in the press.” rec discu : hope and encouragement during Woman, opening night of MegaFest 2005 and on the left MegaFest indicates how Mega Fest draws on people from all €. ih gosple singers as Cee Cee Winans and Comedian Steve Harvey. | . nel . — waac g Eastern North Carolina's Minority Commun | ~ BC RE SBE I lc" SN gm ee eatin ee SS aaa ee am ote Oe Seaaaagaaae Ww 0 Oo 5 ‘ a Des G er (1 Lomplimer | > Tea — 5 oy - He THe Ae e's ail pie FS ff Z ; ie agen ahiy to ss ME es a fee snd ? a 1) ane ee? | Ba wen _, (Retail Value: §0 ce 5 oy 6 tek aa. icichetadiahenete = , a . VOL XVIIENO. X Aug.1-31,27 25. een : : 7 rd GS re} nalism.” . That rebuke brought this retort from Atlanta Voice editor Stan Washington who witnessed, but was not allowed to participate’ by Jakes’ security in the interview: “It’s only yellow’ journalism if it is untrue or it is a deliberate attempt to smear someone. The story was neither. It was the truth. No one is out to slan- ff és Art Loosed! on the i hou and harangued and reprimanded this reporter with a blistering retort to my previous story. “Every time | don't spend money now I am a bad guy,” he asks in- credulously? “You don't resolve a business conflict with ‘yellow’ jour- Jackie Robinson Season Champs, Second Place and Runner ups League /Head Coach: Jackie Robinson NORTH CARE Baseball Tournament/ : James Stockton. BACK ROW: Brandon ? Regular Season Champs - Phillips, Zack Haywood, Tim Jones, Ricky Johnson, Da Da Parker, Loranzo Dainiels and Mike Joyner, Mullins, Jiomni House, Jr. FRONT ROW: Boone Mooring, Dionta Jehneil House, Taquan Hardison and Kelvin ership Institute, successfully drew der Jakes or his organization.” In that Atlanta Voice story-— which was subsequently re-printed in dozens of Black-owned papers across the country — NNPA Presi- dent John Smith, Sr. lamented that much to his chagrin not one single Butterfield and Cornerstone Church Hosts By Susie Clemons GREENVILLE, NC - Saturday, August 20, 2005, Congressman .G.K Butterfield, in artnership with the angression ‘cus Political Education-and‘Lead- Black Caii- dime was spent with Atlanta's Black press by Jakes’ Mega Fest extrava- ganza that drew some 150,000 people to Atlanta. The snub followed a June speech by Jakes to the NNPA, a federation of more than 200 Black news pa pers, where he pledged reconcilia- tion between the Black church and the Black press.” “The story was not unfair,” says Smith, publisher of the Atlanta In- quirer. “In my conversation with (Jakes), he said the story was one- sided but we did not know how to get to him.” “The same person that they reached me for when they invited me (to their convéntion), that we worked out arrangements for, that scheduled the appointment was (Washington D.C. publicist) Ofield Dukes,” counters the esteemed Jakes. “All they had to do was talk to Ofield and it would have been fine. I just resented the fact that the way Black people in America do business is done in the press and not in person.” “If I had known Ofield Dukes was his conduit then I would have done that,” replies Smith: “For someone to have to jump through that many hoops in order to get to him in order for him to have a say ~ whether it is one-sided or not - I think that is his fault. But by the mere fact that he told me in Chi- House of Representatives Daniel “Dan” Blue; former Majority leader of the North Carolina House of Representatives Judge Milton “Toby” Fitch; Congressman John Lewis of Georgia and venerated North Garo- lina Congressman Mel Watt. Rev. Sidney Locks, Pastor of Cornerstone Missionary Baptist Church and host to the panel discussion on Voters Rights is pictured along with Walter Cafo to get in touch with his people, I though that was an insult to me.” For his part, Bishop Jakes says he came to the Black press offering an olive branch and agreeing to write a weekly column for the NNPA News Service free of charge. “They invited me to the Black press (convention) and we did say that we were oing to work to- gether,” he readily admits. “They did not say that the cost of admission was how much money I spent. No one said that in the entire meeting And, it chat was the about, I don't have to come speak "for that. They need to send a busi- ness proposal to a marketing direc- tor. And it can't be done in June for a (MegaFest) meeting that occurs in August because we bought our ads months and months ago, and we do it nationally and not locally.” The Atlanta Voice Sales and Marketing Director Cheryl Mainor offers this account. “The sales de- partment began talking to Gheryl Thomas with Potters House in Janu- ary. In May they committed to run- ning an ad before Mega Fest. « In July, Jacquelyn Jakes called and said they had exhausted their local advertising budget and would we like to barter for tickets to their entertainment events, The Atlanta Voice declined and checked with other Black-owned At- lanta newspapers — none of them had and to ensure the election of Black officials. "The Voting Rights. Act of 1965”, according to Congressman Butterfield, “has changed the politi- cal landscape of the First District.” In 1953 Butterfield witnessed his fa- é ge theis’ historicél election to the Wil- son Board of Aldermen in a district election system that was soon there- after modified to an at-large elec- tion adopting anti-single shot vot- ing, an act that dismantled concen- trated voters. Alderman Butterfield was strategically defeated in the fol- lowing election. It would be nearly two decades until the Wilson Community of minority voters would again have Representation. Butterfield ac- knowledges, “Had the Voting Rights Act been in place in the year 1957, not only would such changes require approval by the Department of Justice but minor- ity plaintiffs would have had the Proviso to bring lawsuit against meeting wad, ~ received any advertising, either.” Adds Dallas Weekly Publisher and Atlanta Voice President James Wash- ington, “After all you don’t preach a - sermon and not pass the collection plate.” “Iam not opposed to market- ing in the Black press, but the ar- ticle makes it sound like I put money into other print media and that I deliberately snubbed the Black “press when, in fact, this is simpl not the truth,” he later e-mailed, “With the exception of ads we ran in the papers of our MegaFest me- i@ sponsors and the ad we fan in. the’ Atlanta Journal Constitution _ thanking the city for their hospital- ity and announcing, as we did last year, mext year’s conference dates, we did not buy ads in any newspa- pet, including the Black press.” Jakes, who has been dubbed “America’s Best Preacher” by TIME “Magazine, calls the NNPA criticism and the story appearing in most of the NNPA ranted and unfounded attack. “Itis an integrity issue—to print it, to write it and to slander me was not being fair,” argues Jakes, a hugely popular TV evangelist who. heads the Dallas-based mega-chutch Potters House. “The only ing they accused me of was not giving them: a piece of money and that is not a See Jakes Cries Foul - Page 9 Panel Discussion on Voting Rights Act of65' porary provisions of the VRA, sec- tion 5 is the most important--sec- tion 5 has been and is ‘crucial to minority political empowerment.” North Carolina, D- Congress- man Mel Watt was arlier captured saying, “While thé Voting : Acts Tae bag teat progresey there is\still mich work to do. ...loday 40 years ‘later the voting rights of minorities are still in jeop- ardy, so Congress’ reauthorization of the VRA is not an option, it’s im- perative. The members'of the Con- gressional Black Caucus are com- mitted to renewing and strengthen- . ing the Voting Rights Acts,” And that progress is tvident to- day in North Carolina with elected African American officials number- ing 263 inclusive of: 3 Clerks of Court; 51 County Commissioners, (7 chairmen of their boards), in the Ist Congressional District; 8 Dis- trict Court Judges; 73 members of Boards of Education; 5 General As- sembly members; 18 Mayors; 91 Lawrence. LAST ROW Head Coach and Asst. Coaches: Robert Jones, — Fauntroy along with Brad Miller, NC - D and G.K. Butterfield, NC - D. the discriminatory election sys- City Council Members, 3 Register. Sylvestor Tyson and Mike Jones tems- including the use of literary of Deeds; 4 Sheriffs; 6 Superior a gathering of well known politi- They along with a host of other tests as voting requirement.” Court Judges, cal visionaries’ to Cornerstoné Jackie Robinson League Baseball ‘To ner-up Regular Season - SERTOM Coach Curtis Keyes, Greg Suggs, Kenny Karmon MIDDLE ROW (left to right): urnament Champs/2nd Place Run- A HORNETS (Left to Right): Asst. Coward, Head Coach James Nick Summerall, Julien More, Cam Grice, Montey Hardy and Chiistopher Bridgers. FRONT ROW (left to right): Deshawn Payton, Jakeel Andrews, Mi ¢ Suggs, Justin Brown Marcus Bell, Josh Cox (Not pictured T.S. O’Neil and Josh Ward), dima Missionary First Baptist Church in Greenville, for what was just a much a reunion of great minds spanning decades of positive so- cial change for African Americans, as it was a panel discussion on eliminating barriers to black po- litical participation to commemo- rate the 40th anniversary of the fed- _ eral Voting Rights Act of 1965. Those in attendance were former member of Congress and one of organizers of the 1963. March on Washington Walter Fauntroy; former speaker of North Carolina trail blazers and political pundits were present to share historical data on voter discrimination and other strategies enacted to deny African Americans access to the polls, in a day long event of workshops focus- ing on the progress, hard won suc- cesses and future of voting rights for minorities. Historically, North Carolina has been a hot bed for political eq- uity for African Americans, many of whom have and. continue to wage a successful battle to ensure the protection of voting rights for the African American community “Literary Tests”, according to NAACP Counsel Alaina Beverly advised during the second work- shop session, “may have again taised its arm in North Carolina with the current voting rights liti- ation of whether provisionary Ballots can be counted.” Also Beverly advised, “that while many sections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) are permanent, some are temporary. It is the tem- porary provisions, found in section 5, section 203 and sections 6 through 9, that are up for reau- thorization in 2007. Of those tem- To that end, Congressman Butterfield reminds all minority voters that, “The blood the Edmund Pettis Bridge, in Selma Alabama in 1965 and. throughout the South, forms the foundation upon which we stand and what we commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.” Remember, the message of the movement of 1965 remains largely unchanged today: if you don't vote, you don’t count, Susie: Clemons is a staff writer for the Minority Voice. North Carolina Mutual Launches Partnership with ni AAR htaeohenncwnn Area Clergy pany announced the launch o ; Parker, Jr. of ac Hill | dang ) with area clergy « fn Missionary Baptist Church, Sharo an overview of the company’s programs infouta an unwar- ights shed on fg (atolina Mutual Charitable nator, presented af ack Robinson League Baseball 2nd Plc Runner-up Regular Season | Rey, Haywood T. Gray, B3 tary- Treasurer for the General Baptist State Convention of North Ca FUZION: FRONT ROW (left to right): Hunter Wilson, C.T. Blow, Jalen | ¢ | y : Bap Atkinson, Ryan Harris, Travis McCormick and Kevi. Jefferson, MIDDLE ROW (left co. right): Mike Bowman, Miles Gibbs, Savage and i Clark, BACK ROW (left to Frankie Atkinson, Asst Coach: Leron Gibbs and Asst ly, Scott Harris, Akeem right): Head Coach oach: Carl Harris. * a General Baptist State Convention, “Campaign 750,” and spc ee GREENVILLE, NC - For a cen- tury, it was standard practice at many » American in- surance com- ‘panies that when it came to burial insur- ance, blacks Were charged © more than i whites for the | ‘Same coverage. he policies Were small, pay- ing out just enough for a modest funeral, but millions of them were sold, many to poor black fami- lies in the South. Now the industry is being called to account. Insurance regulators in many states have filed complaints. Lawyers representing black families have brought class- action lawsuits. Companies with policies sold by scores of insurers, unwilling to defend what is now viewed by society as indefensible racial discrimination, are settling out of court. . ~ Between 2000 ‘and 2004, 16 major cases were settled. Those cases covered 14.8 million policies sold by 90 insurance companies between 1900 and the 1980s. Together, the settlements require the companies to pay more than $556 million most of It Is restitution to policyholders or their survivors. The two biggest settlements: American General Life and Accident Suejette Jones hat’s in By David Sylvester I recently completed a chari- table bicycle trip in Africa, a riding over 7000 miles ‘yom Cairo, ypt to ff Cope Town, Mm South Af- _ tica. The |. trip made me the first afd only Af.- a I have plenty of great and fascinating stories. Many are funny, others bittersweet, some are poignant, but all are enter- taining. Surprisingly one story has stood out and if it was not for the fact that I have a picture of it, many would never believe it. It is for that reason that I am sharing it with you. I have traveled all over the world and have never seen a store by the name of “Jew Dev- ils,” “Spic Bastards,” “Muff Divin’ Dykes” or anything like that - only the store called “Niggers.” While in Lilongwe, Malawi, I came across a store by the name of “Niggers.” That's What Blacks can do The problem with African Americans is their heavy reliance on politics. An example is the remark- ably ill-informed, polemical cam- paign against Sudan. In Sudan, both the American left and right have ptacticed subtle forms of self-sery- ing, symbolic politics that hinder the development of a positive Ameri- can consensus on assistance. Afri- can Americans have bought into po- litical policies that prolonged a dev. astating war and curbed any discus- sions of means to sustain Sudan's economic capacity. America’ interest in Sudan mushroomed largely due to cam- paigns led by missionary groups sod, African-American churches, resulting in an unusual alliance. of right-wing politicians identi- fied with the Republican Party and members of the Democratic _ Congressional Black Caucus, While they've been goading Af- rican-American activists to pro- test. and march against Sudan, fight-wing politicians and their id projects have been generat. ing money in and about Sudan. ~ When Black Americans cease being a part of the prob- lems of Sudan, they will realize that spawning solutions can be- come became a worthwhile en- terprise. A U.N, survey ranks Sudan as the sixth-richest coun- try on the planet in terms of ‘te- Torces. It. is Aftica’s largest country. It has vast water ree sources and possesses the late irrigated farm in the world, Gezra Project. It's the world’s gest producer of gum arabic, ch & world consumes bil- lions of times a day in fizzy evant ed Co. of New York agreed in } greed in 2002 to pay $157 million for 1.9 million pmilicies. Other companies which surance Co. of Decatur, Alabama, Liberty Life Insurance Co.,of Greenville, §.C, and ic Coast Life Insurance Co. of South Carolina. One spokesman for the Ameéri- can Council of Life Insurers, a trade group, said the insurance industry settlements are best understood “in the context of America’s complex history of race relations,” * Burial insurance,also known as industrial, was originally developed in Britain for sale to factory work- ers. Introduced in the United States in 1875, it spread nationwide, taking especially strong hold in black neigh- borhoods’in the Southeast. There, insurance agents peddled the poli- cies door to door. Typically agents stopped by weekly to collect the pre- miums—often a dollar or less. Through these regular visits, the agents could see when families were growing and pressed to insute each new member. Instead of consolidat- ing multiple policies into a single one ata Deter rate, black customers were encouraged to uying individual ones for their woe families poli- cyholders say. . By 1955, the high-water mark for burial insurance, American in- surance companies held more than $40 billion worth in 155 million a Name? Hi right “Niggers!” The other riders, who were all White, could not wait to inform me of this to see my reac- tion. Initially, | ned...Lawauite 1 policies. Some industry giants, in- his son says, “Thar was kind of 1i- _luding Metropolitan Life, built ~- their business largely on profits from burial insurance in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, according to at racial bias was built into these policies was long an open secret in the insurance industry, Insurance forms asked the applicant’s race, and blacks were routinely charged more than whites for the same coverage, the insurance industry now publicly acknowledge. For decades, the insurance in- dustry defended the disctiminatory practice, arguing that blacks on av- erage didnt live as long as whites, making them a worse insurance risk. However, attorneys for black policyholdeps say, many insurers continued the practice long after it became known that it was poverty, poor medical care, and risky jo not race—that contributed to shorter life span. That meant blacks contin- ued to pay more than whites who faced similar risks. In many cases, industry critics say, premiums paid over the years | greatly exceeded the payment value of the policies. One couple spent $585 in premiums for a policy that cy paid a benefit of $60 according to one lawsuit. Another paid $728 in remiums over 20 years for a $520 Penefi, One black railway worker and truck driver paid premiums regularly for more.than 50 years, Yet the insurer eventually told him that some family policies, including the one on his life, had somehow lapsed, Bowser, who died on 9/11. Here I am, a Black man tiding across the world on his bicycle in thought that it was a very bad joke but when the other riders were adamant about the existence of the store, I had to see it for myself. What I found was a store +, Selling what the owner called ‘hipspop: style-clothing. Ie was ia manned by two gentlemen - one of them asleep! (Talk about iv- ing up to or in this case down to a stereotype). I asked the guys what was up with the store name. After hearing my obvious non - Malawian accent and figuring out that I was from America, the man thumped his chest proud] and said “P-Diddy New York City! We are the niggers!” My first reaction was to laugh because many things when isolated can be very funny, but it quickly dawned on me that this was so not funny at all. It was pathetic. I did these bicycle trips across the USA and through the ‘Mother -Land’ in honor of one of my good friends, mentors and fellow African Americans, Kevin drinks and chocolate bars. Sudan has oil reserves rivaling those in honor of an-: other Black “la Malawian] man thumped man, tidin his chest roudly and said “P- | ‘home’, an Diddy New York City! We are | what do see? the niggers!” Some Afri- cans calling themselves Niggers. They were even so proud of it they put it on their store front to.sell stuf. When I relay the story to folks back home in Philadelphia, moge, of them laugh too and ratio- nalize it by saying ‘well, we can sa it to each other’ or ‘there is a dif- ference’ or even ‘they just spelled it wrong. It should have been ‘niggas’ or ‘niggah’s’. Gee, like that would make a difference. The issue is not the spelling. I was wrong. We are wrong. There is no justification for an infraction of this magnitude. The word and the sentiment behind it are flat out wrong. We have denigrated and degraded our- selves to the point that our back- wards mindset has spread like a cancer and infected our source, our brothers, our sisters, our Mother Land. I have traveled all over the world and have never seen a to help government of the north. Like Garang, Blacks need to felt h vernment and corporate accounts. : Bifsetry ous, you paying premiums all your life, but you don't have any cov- ‘erage? What were you buying?” He »: As tecent as January 2005, the Associated Press reported that the Bank of America and Bank One are happens to B! t bias policies! discussing’ possible settlements of | class action: lawsuits filed by black consumers who say they were charged more for auto loans than whites pay, That ‘didn’t necessarily break the law, said. one lawyer for the policyholders. Bur he added, “It’s part and parcel of what we consider A< he + wie: a scheme to take advantage of Afri- can-Americans, 9 Note: This article caught my attention | I, myself filed a class-action sist with Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. In June 2004, I received a settlement check ‘on behalf of my late father who died in 1945. . . . Respectfully: submitted SITE oF THEUNION, “Two Years itfo THE ROR WAR oe, GREAT AVERION WAYor Lite, FEST ASSURED. Fae. Ming 4 store by the name of “Jew Dev- ils,” “Spic Bastards,” “Muff Divin’ Dykes” or anything like that- only the store “Niggers.” I am to blame-for this. Ey- ery time I said the word, I con- doned it. By not correcting oth- ers or by rationalizing it, | gave it respectability. By looking the other way when others said ‘hey nigga what’s up’, and when I pur- chased CDs, DVDs, T-shirts and Africa and preached Marxism, Garang be- came the darling of America’s en “While White Americans take advantage of economic ventures in have little knowledge of opportunities in their own homeland. The money is in Africa. I don't care how humanita comes to economic opportunity and economic potential, we have done ourselves and Africa a disservice by talking much about the problems and not about the opportunities,” - former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. And: Urban League's 65 Annual Conference Saudi Arabia, but politicians preach “disinvestment” over in- vestment there. The untimely death of John Garang has thrown the Compre- hensive Peace Act (CPA) that formed Sudan's new unity gov- ernment into question, forcing African Americans to choose between politics of protest or programs for peaceful progress in Sudan. | The CPA brought hope to war- ravaged regions of” Sudan and en- sured wealth and power would be shared. Mr. Garang was to be presi- dent of the newly established South. ern Sudan government and vice- president of the new United Gov- ernment of Sudan. After six years, the south will vote on whether to remain part of Sudan. The conflicts, which Ameri- can politics had a hand in pro- mulgating, wrought vast devas- tation in Sudan. Ten million people were dislocated from their homes and lands during the world’s longest war. Two million ple died in 21 years of fight. le in the south of Sudan be- tween. the Christian-endorsed Sudan People’s Liberation Move- ment and the majority-Muslim take advantage of the opportu- nity at hand. Though he once rew Young, town hall meeting on - _ Africa that benefit them, African Americans White people are rian they are; I don't care edy to go where the money is, w religious they are. When it ‘Africa and Diaspora,” National Religious Right. Through that alliance, Sudan’s profile became p-Hop’s African Influence other stuff, I enriched it. I now see the error in my ways and | am so sorry Black men and women, The flame that we called en- tertainment, that was only to warm and entertain us, now en- gulfs us and scorches our own self esteem. If a child only knows to refer to men and women as niggers, bitches, pimps and hoes, then what is he/she to grow emselves negative in America. Evangelical hristian groups fastened on to the cause of Garang’s Southern rebels, saying they were “a be- leaguere Christian minority” and victims of “the Arab gov- ernment.” Mobilizing around charges of slavery, genocide and terror- ism, Washington activists gave Sudan a pariah status. If Black Americans concen- trate on peacemaking in Sudan, thy can turn an Affican disas- up thinking of themselves? The bottom line is this: I rode over 12,000 miles on two conti- nents through 15 states and 13 countries and broke two bikes in the process to get to a store in Africa called Niggers. I am will- ing to step up and admit my part in the havoc that we have wrought on our mindset but I think that -we all are to blame. I will finish with 4 things: if - you don’t like being called a Nigger, Bitch, Faggot, Dyke, Spic, Jew Do » Wop, Towel Head or anythin of that ilk, then think. Think before you speak those - words, write those lyrics, support that rhetoric: And most of all think * before you ‘purchase! Purchasing is akin to compliance. | may like the beats and rhythms of some songs but J can not support it any more. You rappers are intelligent. Find another word to describe yourselves, A picture is worth a thou- sand words. For larger view _ click onto hetp:// playahata.com/ images/gallery/ hiphopafricaninfluence.jpg. David Sylvester is a personal trainer, who teaches health to adults in Philadelphia. He e- mailed this story initially to 35 friends. They forwarded. the e- mails, and Sylvester has received more than 300 responses, includ- ing responses from Japan since the initial e-mail on July 20. er ter into the continent’s richest country. They can become real players there, while making Garang’s peace agreement a last. ing accomplishment. If Blacks break away from the fractious forces, they'll sideline warmon- gers who favor sanctions against udan and move Darfurian rebels with the Justice and Equal- | ity Movement and the Sudanese Liberation Army to actually ne- potiare in Abuja, Nigeria, and ring “the world’s worst humani- tarian crisis” to an end. Such steps will enhance business in- terests we all should have for, and in, Sudan, aie 2 ee . Coopers Commentary Mz. Bs sco é A The global impact of high & prices on the Black Bas community consumer needs to be ted abour the implications f Is prices and steps to promote fuel efficiency and sav- ings, Though some believe neal ng can be done to deal ef. vely with the issue, there are i€ strategies that, if imple- nted, would | station nk twice about price use common sense. If igher than that of gas station “J t8 customer vohtime base Tod wn Sam's Club's gas hp d pump prices, we need to be 1 : Pome the impicicual t ve A sells gas that isp blocks down the road, - t gas si ti nA cial hen it loses too much — ecents per a In terms of savings, this will pay for itself within a very short pe- tiod of time, Dae a is hop Consumers need to 4 my for lig As of now, a rel of cru oil is $66. Experts, like AAA and oil industs nalysts, stantially in the near future. Since: crude oil costs. slitics, vis-d-vis the’ Aiddle East, wea scence around of. agit to educate consur | The Minority Voice Newspaper is Published by The mnortty Voice, Inc. Jim Rouse Publisher/Founder Gaius O, Sims, Sr, Operations Manager/ Graphics and Story Editor Home Office Evans St. Owned & Operated Jim Rouse Communications, _ also dba WOOW Radio Greenville NC. Wm. Clark: Gen, Mgr. and WTOW Radio, Washington, NC. Our Subscription Rates Are A re S20 te vent or so Parse ona pe anon yeaa i i, , ‘ 5 Man By Mark Memmort SPARTANBURGS - Police in Spartanburg, S.C., said Friday they've arrested a man for the murder of Tamika Huston, the 24-year-old African-American who became a symbol for critics of the national media's apparent lack of interest in missing adults unless they're young, attractive, white women. Huston’s disappearance be- came a rallying point for critics who decried media attention to other cases. - Under arrest: Christopher Hampton, 25, an acquaintance of Huston’s who ‘was released from federal prison Friday. He ad been in prison for an unre- lated crime. ae ated wh n Huston disappeared in May 2004. At that time, Police: Remains of LaToyia Figue ret teeta a roof vest ury- erasey artially wooded lot in Chester, 3 mi s from Philadelphia. A few dozen members of the Figueroa fam- ily and supporters arrived at the scene shortly after daybreak; clustering close tothe police tape and embracing each other, “Now she can rest in peace,” said the woman's father, Melvin Figueroa. “All I want is justice with that peace.” The woman's uncle, Jose | _ ‘. See of cay ibe as the dis 5 — covery of th was, it puts an end LaToyia Figueroa to the weeks of fear and not knowing PHILADELPHIA - Police discovered about LaToyia, who was five months the remains of a missing Pregnant pregnant at the time of the disappear- woman and qui | ance. “We Ex-boyfriend taken into custody arrested the father can actually ofher unborn child | J ame try to go in case of missing pregnant woman Saturday, ending an back to a exhaustive, normal life,” monthlong search. he said. Lynas A Abshen’ sid Sagi tives and friends have papered the cay ney Lynne M. Abr saic en — tives i : the ci Poaches would ‘be with two with flyers and hel large-scale Peto harap bes et enses searches for any sign of Fi neroa, re- or the deaths of 24-year. LaToyia cently marking one month since her Figueroa and her fetus, = _ disappearance. A reward fund for in- Authorities did not ptovide a formation had reached $100,000, in- motive‘ or say what led them ‘to sus- cludi donations from the restaurant - Hampton was not incarcer- Spartanburg Director of Public Safety Tony Fisher said Friday, Hampton was living in an apart- ~ ment where a significant amount “cause of the femains were found. The newspa- arge per said au- amount of 7 thorities blood dis- 30% of the missing per- hope 0 i cases are positively rie ° P sore serie are men... identify the ment. Fisher remains, said “foren- which may. of Huston’s blood was later \found. Huston is presumed dead be- Sing young women finall arge with Murder in the Tamika Huston Case ' The arrest may also have led - to the discovery of Huston’s bod Friday. The Spartanburg Herald- Journal reported Saturday that at some point in the day Friday po- lice were led by Hampton to some woods in the area where human sic evidence” has given his de- artment what it needs to charge Fampton with murder, but he would not comment further dur- ‘ing a news conference in Spartanburg. roa found where she worked. The case attracted a brief flurry of television attention after several Philadelphia-area Dloggers waged a campaign urging networks to give the same attention to Fugueroa, who is black and Hispanic, as they did to Natalee Holloway, a white woman who disappeared in Aru Pooks lawyer, Michael Coard, has repeatedly spoken to journalists of his client, including na- tional television appearances in which he noted that Poaches has spoken to investigators voluntarily and that he has consented to have his home and his vehicle searched. Police Commissioner Sylvester M. Johnson said Saturday that Coard'’s public relations moves would nothold up. . “He has an attorney who has ba- sically tried this case in the news me- | dia and has depicted him to be‘inno- cent. We are saying today that he is not innocent and we are going to con- | vict him and he will go to whatever he deserves to get,” jt said. — Coard did not immediately re- turn a phone. call seeking comment after Saturday's news co Figueroa, who also is the mother _ of a 7-year-old itl, was last seen on bmg uly 18 in West Phila- nettieenusetee . * 661.1640 PO Box 1847» Greermle, NC 2783 » 55.5 y a Ye Ae eat ey on ry he ie ee yee 5 | OPTION 1: Fixed Price OPTION 2: Price Cap By choosing the Fixed Price option, cus- The Price Cap o ion, introduced in tomers lock-in a rate for a 12-month billing 2000, sets celleg pee wach eet I | period (Oct. 2005 - sept, 2006). 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Our Customer Service Representatives | __ will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Sign Up Through September 30! be Huston’s. While the cases of Laci Peterson, Lori Hocking, Natalee Holloway and other young white women dominated cable news net- works, Huston got almost no na- tional attention for nearly a year er she went missing. When her case finally got significant cover- age, the stories were mostly about € national media's lack of inter- €st, compared to cases involving young white women. The stories also noted that young white women are by no means the “typical”, missing per- sons: Slightly more than half of missing adults are men and nearly 30% are black, even though blacks account for just 13% of the U.S. population. The FBI has nearly 50,000 active cases involving miss- ing adults. Rebkah ~ Huston’s aunt, Howard, is spokeswoman for the missing woman's family. She said Friday the family feels some. relief _ networks and major newspapers, e a after Hampton's arrest but feels “as if we're only halfway there. At the time of Hampton's’ arrests, Howard said, “we still don’t know where Tamika is and we know it will be a lengthy process before he’s ever convicted.” The last confirmed sighting of Huston was May 27, 2004 in Spartanburg. Family and friends became concerned several days later when they realized she hadn't been to her apartment for some time. Huston’s dog, Macy, had given birth to puppies in the ap ment and it was clear no one had been there for the births or to care for the animals. Immediately after reporting Huston’s disappearance to Spartanburg police, her family be- gan trying to call attention to her case. Howard, who is a public re- lations professional in Miami, alerted newspapers and TV sta- tions in South Carolina. The fam- ily handed out fliers and held candlelight vigils. A reward fund was created. The efforts paid off: Local media did stories about Huston’s disappearance. By mid- June 2004, her case was atop the local media's agenda. Then Howard contacted na- tional media. They had given heavy coverage to the disappearance of Peterson, from Modesto, Calif., in 2002-2003. Peterson’s husband Scott was convicted of her mur- der earlier this year and was sen- tenced to death. Laci Peterson was 27. Howard talked to all four TV & Stainless Greta ‘Van. Susteren briefly noted oun including , USA TODAY. Fox News Channel's On’ the Record with Huston’s disappearance last Au- gust. But no other national media outlets were interested. . At the same time, however, most national news media were de- voting airtime and newsprint to the July 19, 2004, disappearance of: Hacking, 27, of Salt Lake City. Her husband later pled guilty to her murder and was sentenced to between six years and life in prison. a mer Huston’s full story wasn’t told nationally until March this year, on the Fox network’s America’s Most Wanted. Then in May and June, National Public Radio.and USA TODAY did reports about Huston and the lack of media in- terest in her disappearance com- ared to the intense coverage of runaway bride” Jennifer Wilbanks and missing Alabama teen Holloway. Ske disappeared in Aruba on May 30. Howard, Huston’s aunt, is convinced that national media at- tention can make a big difference to solving a missing person’s case. “I have a huge amount of re- spect for the Spartanburg Public afety Department and they de- voted an enormous amount of time to Tamika’s case,” she said. “But I know the national media attention we finally got only helped. It brought new Jeads and it did keep a fire lit urider the po- lice.” » China, Flatware, Down Comforters, Quilts, ‘ather Beds, eed itiels Men’s Suited Men’s Sportcoa ASIA AB wh ALL 1,2 ; oe TT Leo 1g1eS’, Petite’s & Jewelry, Sep Arates tS & More! va keolastela bas Moderate sportswear, Men's, Women's Dress S, Intimat: ¥< uny Mi n’s i, unto A Les « AA oe nl Sip mMmodgerat > Furnishin °S, Sheet STORI ACN r’S Apparel, Sti Kid's Tale let Apparel i sportsw i” S, Pillows ric sURS OAR « OPM SAqgT J PAA See Millions of Americans Get By on Social By John Waggoner Mary Rathbun gets an $809 check €very month from Social Security and an additional $100 in food stamps. The 74-year-old Ormer nurse pays $550 in rent for