urged 0 pa
et decent
tb ir righ .
Thi w the m ge of pe e hop po ored
by th Detroit ety Council t th in Library I t wee
ten di tributed by th commi ion noted that federal
ho in legisl tion required 18 nd local govemm n
receiving federal fun to dopt Comprehensive Housing
Affordability Strategy (CHAS) a pi nde cribing the housing
needs of people, th condition of ho es the money, materi 1
and people vail ble to provide decent and affordable ho -
ing and the programs and policie that e ' t or will be created
to provide uch housing.
A CHAS i uppo ed to e amin the n d for v ry low
income, low income and moderate-income housing.
DELO WEB A City Planning Commi ion taff
member, explained that federal regulations require that
grassroot residen and community organizations have a ay
in planning for uch housing.
She urged people to get together with other groups to make
me public officials li tened to them.
She noted that residents "know the neighborhood" and
could provide necessary input about what the conditions and
needs are. .
"Form a p rtnership with the city to make this the best
eRAS in the nation," he said.
Robert Davi , another city staff member, warned that "The
nation faces the greatest housing crisis since the great depres
sion.
Engl r plan
chool
comp itlon
LANSING- Under a
plan propo ed by the
Engler administration,
teachers and principals
would receive public
funds to start their own
schools within existing
school districts.
The new schools
would be open to all stu
dents in the district in
which the school is lo
cated. If the number of
st uden ts ' applying ex
ceeds the number of
spots open, then stu
dents would be selected
at random by a drawing
to void baving only the
best students selected.
The new schools
would receive state fund
ing at the current per
pupil level in the district,
or the state average,
whichever is higher.
Certain reporting re
quirements would be
lifted.
"THERE IS a gap between what we can afford and what
we can pay for - widening every day, as familie which used
Health care
cri i
DETROIT- It can take
patients up to seven
hours to get a bed in
some metro Detroit
hospital emergency
rooms, according to a
study reported in the
Detroit News.
Detroit was cited as
one of three u.s. cities
whose hospitals arcV'"
over loaded by violence,
drug abuse, AIDS and
homeless ness.
The other two cities
are New York and Los
Angeles.
I n part, the crisis
comes because people
don't have access to a
family doctor or neigh
borhood clinic, experts
say.
SUMMER TIME - There's more than one
hot summer day. (pboto by N. Scott)
in planning
turin jo now ve two jo
ingle omen ith . to
in e,
" e hope you with your insight and your experience, your
day to day experience can help Identify of
problems fur federal mon y to be used and get a ord ble
ho in."
Davi noted ways that the city plan could be corrected.
D MOD T while the CHAS plan could be
charged, it w more effective to incorporate community
plans in the plan, while it was being m de.
Marilyn Mullan , an attorney for Michigan Leg 1 Ser
vic , rai ed concerns that the limited amount of federal aid
might be not be given to low income people, where the Deed
i greate t.
She noted that there would be serious problems with
homelessne , because of severe cuts Michigan Governor
John Engler made in ocial service and his plans to complete
ly eliminate General Assistance, stating there hould be an
amendment to the city' CHAS to cover evere cu or
elimination of social ervices.
Mullane suggested Citizens could form a coalition group
to set up a "people' "plan for the CHAS, just as an organiza
tion called SOS a few years ago establi hed a "people' "plan
for the city budget.
Mullane also uggested that in exploring re ources,
citizens should 100 into provisions of the Community Rein
vestment Act, ensuring banks doing business with the city
inve t in the community and other money available in tate,
federal, and private ources.
SHE.SUGGESTED communities can explore ways
'a • \ to d1 -
turbanceandalotofme ," he aid.
Several Sunday churchgoers ex
pressed hope that Ms. Sims' return
would not mean a re urgence of the
problems that had plagued her tenure
as a council member and mayor of
thi town of2,170 residents.
"My desire is to bring the town
back on track and get all that stuff
behind us and get on with the real
" concerns of the town," said Robert
Blackman, 33.
Michael Bynum, a member of
Macedonia Missionary Baptist
Church said it was" ad for anyting
like this to happen to such a small,
minority community."
into a lot of official da ,
·experts."
However, it oted,"J t beca e inform uon i 'offici
information" imply other people' val and interes
hiding behind fancy covers ... Some official data i not very
ccurate, including U.s. Cens data."
"P G I political P metim made to
100 highly cientific 0 only the ezpe can particlpa ," the
booklet said, ad . ing citizens to "rely on what you know and
see in your community to question data and P'll forward your
ideas about what can be done to make more housing available
for very low income people. "
The City Council and ety Planning Commission will be
holding hearings in local in September and October.
For information bout the times and pi ce, call the aty
Planning COmmission t (313) 224-6225.
, Those who are not able to come, can rite their views to
ety Planning Commission, RooJll202 City County Building,
2 Woodward, Detroit. Michigan 48226 and Detroit Planning
Department. 2300 Cadillac Tower, Detroit, Michigan 48226.
Those who wi h information on tbe program can ttend a
free wor hop 6:15 - 8:45 p.m. WedDtaday Sep ember 11 at
the Maine library Explorer' Room.
SAGINAW, Mich. (AP) _ Many
Black Americans are choosing to
regain their lost heritage for their
children by christening them
with African names. '
Erskine and Sherry Draine
Williams of Saginaw recently at
tended a ceremony at the three
day Saginaw African Cultural
Festival to have an African name
bestowed on their newborn
daughter.
The couple had already named
their daughter Kala.-an African
name meaning tall and trong.
Last week, Yoruba Priest
Omotolokun Omokunde chris
tened the girl .Adubefa "one who
is Black like I fa. ' ,
Some parents look to African
and Muslim name books and use
accompanying cassette tapes to
learn the correct pronunciations.
Other parents at the fe tivaf
asked 'friends and relatives for
sugge lions.
Saleem Mannan 'and hi wife,
Mu limah, gave their children
African names becau e of their
religion. Mannan changed his
name from Anthony Albert when
he converted from the Bapti t
religion to Muslim in 1975.
"When I wa a Baptist, it ju t
didn't answer enough que tion
for me. Islam offered the best ex
ample of progres ," he aid.
Mannan aid many Blac have
retained the names bestowed on
their family by slave owners.
Today, a growing number of
Blac parents are choosing
names that more closely identify
themselve and their children
wi th their culture.
"If all the African American
wi tched to African name , it
would revolutionize America,"
Mannan aid. "We'd be' aying to
the world that we realize that
we're not your property
anymore. We have our own cul
l ure and we recognize it."
Mannan named his 17-year
old daughter Hurriyah, meaning
• 'virgin of paradi e." Hi 10-
ye r-old daughter is Zakiyyah
Zarinah - which mean "intel
ligent" and "of God." "It feel
Black community looks warily
to future after Mayor's acquittal
BATONVIlJ...B. Pla. (AP) _ Mayor
Ada Sims was back in office Mon
day following her acquittal on a
charge of election fraud, and this his
toric, mo tty-Black community
looked warily to the future.
The controversy and ensuing
charges against Ms. Sims, 56, and
four supporters stemming from the
March 2 town council election crys
tallized Eatonville's split into oppos
ing polltical factions and brought
some ervices to a standstill.
Many residents and communi ty
leader don't think the political
problems were resolved by the
mayor's acquittal in circuit court on
Friday. They are anxious to see what
changes will accompany her return
to power.
Others hoped for peace and
unity, allowing th Central Florida
town founded in 1887 to tackle
pres ing problems of upgrading its
water and sewer system, recruiting
business and industry, fighting in
creasing drug-related crime and ob
taining a designation from the Na
tional Register of Historic Places.
"It had been stagnant under her ad
ministration," said Pauline
Alexander, who has lived in Eaton
ville ince 1945.
MS. SIMS COULD not be
reached for comment. She said after
her acquittal that she didn't harbor
any hate toward anyone.
"But it dis urbs me greatly that
omeone can hurt someone like I've
been hurt. I think the town will see
Parents remember heritage by
selecting African names
funnyfto have a name no one el e
ba ," Zakiyyah said. "But I like
it" Raymond and Lynn Presley
named their I3-year-old Kwame
Toussaint "a bright child born on
Saturday" and ll-year-old
Ashaki Afi, "a beautiful spiritual
child. "
"A name must have significant
origin or meaning because a
name makes a child," said Mrs.
Presley, a founding member of
the Black Cultural Alliance, the
umbrella group for the organiza
tion that plans the fe tivaI. "A
name molds a child into a posi
tive image," she said.
PROSECUTORS contended the
mayor and others conspired to use
the absentee ballots to help three of
her supporters in the town council
election. The ballots decided two of
the races and led to the defeat of a
charter amendment to restrict the
mayor's powers.
She w barged with witnessing
an absentee ballot without being
present when the voter signed it. The
governor suspended Ms. Sims pend
ing her trial.
Two campaign workers pleaded
no conte t to a misdmeanor con
nected wi th "the case. Charges were
dropped against a third worker, and
newly elected Councilman Anthony
Grant is awaiting trial on a imilar
voter fraud charge.
Temporary Councilman Eddie
Cole, who filled the seat Grant va-
cated cbarp. d not
cheer . Sims' return. •
"I think it' ,olng to mean •
regre ion for the town," Cole said.
"It will poll alJ the things we di4
this summer." :
INTERIM MAYOR Harry Bin
and Cole gave a majori ty to the op
posing faction on the council durin I
the election controversy. "EatOIlr
ville has had a lot of quality leader'r
ship in her place," argued Bynum .:
Councilwoman Merrile Glover
Gambles, a longtime Sims upporter,
said personality clashes between the
two side are likely to remain a prob�
lem. .
"Over the past, they've Ooate4
two recall petitions and civil sui
against her and haven't had any suc
cess," she said. "They just ought to"
lay this thing down and allow t�
lady to do her job. The citizens vote4
her in ---6he was their choice."
Even before questions were
raised about the election, Ms. Sims
had been criticized for hiring and
firing key staff members without the
connell's required approval. She also
had failed to follow bylaws requirin
council approval when making pur ..
chase for the town. ,
"They're going to be W lehin.
her every move. There' going to be
orne friction," predicted Selma
Johnson, who sings in the choirat tbe
Eatonville Church of God in Christ.
Wilder: A sa sinating
Saddam would add tablllty
RICHMOND (AP) _ Has he seen one too-many Rambo films?
Or \s he trying to out-Bush George? Out-of-touch with his roots
for ure, Presidential hopeful -and Jesse Jackson torpedo to
many -Gov. Douglas Wilder is expected to win hea<Mines "with
remarks made in an interview with PBS Monday at the Capitol
before leaving for a two-day presidential exploratory trip to New'
Hampshire.
Assassinating Iraqi President Saddam Hussein would promote
long-term stability in the Middle East, as Wilder said.
The interview will be broadcast this weekend by 200 PBS
tation on a weekly foreign policy show, "American Interests."
When Wilder wa asked how he would have handled Saddam
during the Persian Gulf War, he said, "He wouldn't be around,
I don't think."
"The question i , what would bring stability," Wilder added
later. "I don't know that assassinating him right now would
change anything a all. But I think in the long run, if he continues
to be a menace ... to the extent that he might be removed by
whatever purpo e, means that we could use, then that would be
the case."