F BRUARY 1 2.
2
Some move y little R-E-
S-P-E-C T from Areth Franklin
would go Ion y, would a
6 chec for uling her furni­
ture.
Gro e Point Moving Com­
pany pre ident John Steininger
aid hi company been trying
for months to get th Queen of
Soul to p y for wor it performed
for her July 18 and 25.
"We've even gotten a judge­
ment against her is mall claims
court, but she has totally ignored
it," Steininger aid.
Franklin' attorney, David
Bennett, declined comment. "I
have no information bout it I
know nothing about it," Bennett
said.
Steininger said Franklin hired
his company to move her property
from an apartment along the
Detroit River to a nearby
townhouse. He said she was sup­
pose to pay on delivery but didn't.
Steininger said the the com­
pany has been unable to collect
despite a 36th District Court judg­
ment Dec. 18 because it couldn't
serve her with papers.
STATE LOTTERY
CANCELS
CONTRACT
REV. LESTER TO
BE ARRAIGNED
The Rev. Loyce Lester, ac­
cused of trying to hire a police
informant to break the legs of his
ex-brother-in-law, was order to
stand trial in Detroit's 36th Dis­
trict Court.
In court Friday, two tapes
recorded without Lester's
knowledge were played. On one
tape Lester gives an informant the
plate number of his ex-brother-in­
law's car and says he will provide
an address and photo of the man.
On the other tape, Lester says he
will pay $500 to injure his ex­
brother-in-law.
, The main witness against
Lester Terry Wilson, a convicted
felon turned police informant, said
Lester once told him he had pre­
viously hired someone to kill his
ex-brother-In-law, but the man
tookofIwith the money.
According to Wilson, on
several occasions Lester said he
wanted to inj ure or kill his ex­
brother-in-law.
Judge Vesta Svenson allowed
Lester to remain free on a $5,000
bond and set an arraignment for
F�.�. '
GROUP HOMES
FOR PREGNANT
TEENS TO CLOSE
The last two group homes for
pregnant teens in Detroit are in the
process of closing.
The state-funded group homes
provided teen parent support
programs and pregnancy preven­
tion programs. The programs were
designed to teach parenting and
, living skills to pregnant teens.
Most of the programs -) 44 in
all, have closed since their $2.4
minion in annual state fupding
'was eli.m.iJlated in November.
The Michigan State Lottery
Bureau abruptly terminated its
long-term contract with the South­
field-based advertising agency
WD. Doner and Company. The
cancellation, to take effect April 3
, comes 18 months before the con­
tract was due to expire.
Lottery Commissioner Jerry
Crandall aid the lottery needs a
"new direction". Lottery sales
dipped 5 percent in fiscal 1991.
Lottery Commissioner Jerry
Candall said the lottery would
seek an interim agency to cover i
advertising after April 3 and then
open up bidding on a long-term
contract.
o - Caims by Engler
tary John Truscott that
erLe i . Dod .
bloc . g greement on p of the
no- ul t insurance 1 w for heavy
c mp ign contribution ren't
being upported by new financial
reports.
. Doda' campaign funds came
from the Michigan Trial Lawyers
Association.
The report, filed January 31,
how that the oci tion' con-
tributions made up only 2,000 of
th $51,775 total raised in 1991 for
the Birch Rund Democrat.
Political analysts are calling the
claim by Truscott and Senate
Republicans little more than cam­
paign rhetoric and an election-year
device.
DODAKSAID TBATis exact­
ly what it is.
"I don't believe there were ex­
cessive contributions to anyone of
the Democratic candidates," Dodak
aid. "It's just cheap shots."
But Truscott said that he still
believes that the Michigan Trial
Lawyers ociation has an undue
influence on House Democrats
through campaign contributions.
"It' just a fact," Truscott aid.
"All the indications are there and
everyone in this town knows it."
Senate Republican spokesman
Guy Gordon and Sen. Paul
GORDO , WHO i pokes­
man for Sen. Dic Posthum , R­
Alto, aid the Trial Lawyers gave
Dodak"hi marching orders" and
that i the main reason a olution
hasn't been re ched yet on key
parts of Michigan' no-fault I in-
urance law, which expire March
31.
Gordon aid that even if
Dodak' 1991 campaign tatement
doesn't indicate huge donations
from the Trial Lawyers, they still
have had a strong influence on
House Democra ' autonomy. He
claims the association made more
than $161,000 in contributions to
Democratic campaigns in the 1988
election cycle and more than
$263,000 in the 1990 Democratic
legislative campaigns.
"In both cases, Republican can­
didates got only 4 percent of the
Mlchigan Trial Lawyers
Association' total contributions
and Democrats got 96 percent," he
said.
A political analyst for Public
Sector Consultants, Inc., a Lansing­
based think-tank, said the ituation
isn't as simple as Truscott, Gordon
Wartner say.
You h ummlt to
, 0 Ie p ople
know we'r . there
By BEN SCHMITT
C.pt/./ NWI. S.rv/c.
lANSING-Early this spring, 300
youth from the tri-county Detroit
area will have their own "summit" to
learn they can influence issues im­
portant to them.
Community service will be of the
issues discussed at the national
Youth Service Day Summit on April
28 at the University of Detroit­
Mercy conference center.
The program will have
roundtable discussion run by youth
leaders and focus on questions in­
cluding "What can I do as a youth in
my school and community?" and
"What do I feel administration and
government should be doing?" The
youth will introduce mechanisms for
designing service projects and fund
development.
Joshua Moore,' 17, is the only
youth on the board of directors for
the Youth Volunteer Corps of
Metropolitan Detroit. He said the
summit will educate people on youth
service and show others that kids are
. involved in community service.
"I THINK thi summit is very
worthwhile," he said. "It's good for
a lot of people to show politicians
and communities that the youth are
out there and participating, more and
more, in ervices."
Moore's main focus of the sum­
mit is to, "Let people know we are
there."
The Youth Volunteer Corps is on
the planning committee for the sum­
mit, and recruits people, ages 12-17,
from school and youth groups from
Detroit and its suburbs to team up in
community service projects.
Program Coordinator Kathleen
Denni -Gamble called the summit a
"mi ion statement" to increase
youth involvement in community
service.
"The ummit brings kids together
to discuss youth issues and gives
them the power to work together in
addressing those issues," she said.
OTHER ISSUES, besides com­
munity service, that will be dis­
cussed include: safe sex vs. no sex,
'teen economic survival, school drop
outs, and homelessness.
Cynthia Scherer, a Youth
Engaged in Service (YES) ambas­
sador for the Points ofUght Founda­
tion, is also on the planning
committee for the summit with her
associate Trabian Snorters.
Points of Ught has a goal of
trying to engage everyone ages 5-25
involved in community service.
YES ambassadors have been ap­
pointed in test areas, including
Michigan, Pennsylvania, California
and Washington D.C. Scherer, from
Mount Pleasant, said she is working
closely with the Youth Volunteer
Corps iri developing the summit.
"It's a great experience to bring
together 300 kids form diverse back­
grounds to talk about is ues that con­
cern them," she aid. "The summit
will show them how they can in7
fluence things to do with community
service."
Shorters, form Pontiac, will speak
at the summit's "Speak Out" portion
designed to answer questions and
concerns of the program par­
ticipants.
"OUR SLOGAN IS 'Do Some­
thing Good. Feel Something Real,"
he aid. .
"Helping yourself by helping
other people make a person uni­
que."
For more information on local
volunteer progr m call the
Michigan Commission on National
an4 Community Service at (517)
335-4295 or the toll-free national
number 1-tKlO-879-5400.
"I 0 thi you'll find that
insurance companies' political ac­
tion committee contribute sig­
nificant amounts to Senate and
House Republicans," Faverman
aid. "It's part of the governor'
and the Republicans' confronta­
tional rhetoric."
Richard Stoddard, president of
Michigan Citizens Lobby, aid the
claims by Truscott, Gordon and
Wartner are false.
"It' purely a smoke screen to
divert attention away from the fact
that the Republicans and the gover­
nor are aligned with the insurance
companies," Stoddard aid. "The
key thing is that regardless of the
amounts you track down, the state­
ment Truscott made is just wrong."
Stoddard said the lack of
progress on no-fault insurance
solutions is more likely the result of
a philosophical stand-off.
Democrats have traditionally
supported consumers and
Republicans have traditionally sup- .
ported business on issues like this,
he said.
"CONFLICT WAS in-
evitable," he aid. "Eventually, the
voters will just have to decide what
kind of people th y want repre-
entin them."
William Sederbur vi
dent of Public Sector Co ultan
nd former republican tate
nator, aid he that h thinks the
cl im by Republi indi te
problems wi th the wythe rule are
written governin campaign con­
tributions, r ther than with in­
dividual candida .
"I don't think it' m tter of
ethics," Sedeburg aid. "the whole
i ue points to the importance of
campaign mon yin talling legisl -
ti i ue. It' matter of the way
campaign rul are drawn, allowing
campaign contributions to be tied to
i ue."
"I've always thought that there
ought to be a prohibition on cam­
paign contributions until after the
candidate registration deadline (in
an election year)."
Truscott said a majority of th
Legislature favors the Wartner­
Stallworth bill that is trapped in the
House. Debate over the i sue
centers on controversial proposals
for mandatory rate reeducations, a
cap on personal injury protection
and tort reform.
IF PUBUC Act 10 i allowed
to expire on March 31, insurance
rates will change drutically inmost
areas of the state. Detroit area
drivers would get about an $80 rate
cut, while rate increases of 1 to 16
percent would go to mo t drivers
outside the Detroit Tri-County
area.
on't even let the bill
oor for vote," T
cott . d. Y i fraid to let
it up for a vote? Beca '1110
that vote. d that' the bottom
line."
Dod ted that be ill
ccept only 20 percent mandatory
rate reduction and no reductio in
policy benefits in n I urance
pack ge.
"Confrontational rhetoric" ap­
pears to be typical trategy in
Engler dmini tr tion politic,
Faverman id.
• How many volunteer?
58% of the American
teenage population
• How much time do they spend?
3.9 hours per week
• How much Is their work worth?
$4.4 billion in 1989
• Where do most teens learn of
volunteer opportunities?
Religious institutions
IT' m E people are
till fighting the 1990 election bat­
tle," Faverman said. "the civility
that h typically characterized
Michigan politics i gone for the
present."
Republicans control the Senate
and hold majority of high level
tate government po itions.
Democrats retain control of the
House for now. All Ho seats
will be up for re-election thi year.
Terms for the Senate won't expire
for two more years.
Faverman aid thi year' elec­
tion battlefor control of the House
could be a fierce one. Because of
population hifts and legislative
redistricting, the Republicam may
now have the best cbana=s for cap­
turing both ho of the Legisla­
ture they've had in 20 years, be
aid.
But, he dded, "I personally
think it's not going to happen.
Teenage Volunteers
SOURCE: Tbe Gallup Orlanlzadoa
Capital News Service graphic by Patrick Slnco
Harri on introduce 'bill
to allow homele s vot
State Representative Charlie J.
Harrison, Jr. (D-Pontiac) today in­
troduced legislation that would
allow homeless citizens to register to
vote in the city or 'township where
they live if they declare that
municipality to be the place the elec­
tor currently resides.
"I am pleased that more than 30
of my House colleagues have joined
me in introducing this legislation,"
Rep. Harrison said. "Homeless
people should not be denied their
fundamental right to vote simply be­
cause circumstances prevent them
from maintaining a permanent ad-
dress." because they do not have what is
Rep. Harrison's legislation would considered a permanent address.
allow a homeless person to declare "Every day people in Michigan
residency in a city, township or vil- are losing their job and homes be­
lage if they sign a registration af- cause of the recession," Rep. Har­
fidavit declaring their residence, - rison said. "These people should not
whether they live with friends, fami- also lose their voice and repre-
ly or in a homeless shelter in the entation in government and hould
municipality. be allowed to vote. Now more than
Under current Michigan law, a ever, they need to express their views
permanent address is required to on issues and candidates on the state
register to vote. and national levels. "
The bill was referred to the House
HOMELESS PEOPLE current- Elections Committee.
ly are not allowed to register to vote-
Afncan-Arnencan children at increased
risk of cardiovascular disease
SOUTHFIELD, MI - February 3,
1992 - Childhood should be full of
adventure and hunger for living and
learning. The fact is, that ome
habits and lifestyle are dangerously
affecting our children's futures. In
orne instances, there is an immedi­
te danger. Risk of cardiovascular
d' ease (CVO) for minority children
i considerably higher than for other
children.
The American Heart Association
of Michigan' (AHA/MI) mi ion of
reducing death and di ease and
troke extends itself to children, as
well adul.
Approxim tely 4.6 million
African-American children have
blood cholesterol levels that m y
place them at risk for developing
CVD. An estimated 40 percent of
Black males, and 50 percent of Black
females, aged 0-9 years have blood
cbolesterol l . 1$ of 170.milligrarns
per desolator (mg/dl) or more. The
figure of 170 mg/dl in children is
comparable to a level of 200 mg/dl
in adults, which denotes borderline
ri k for high risk of developing
CVD.
Robert Ross, M.P., a pediatric
cardiologist at Children's Hospital
of Michigan, and an AHA/MI inve -
tigator, says that, "A edentary life-
tyle and obesity can compound risk
when prim�r.y ri k factors like
diabete arj(J' bypertension already
exist. Both of these conditions are
especiall y common among African­
Americans. Children who are diag­
nosed with diabetes mellitus are at an
increased ri k for the premature
onset of coronary artery disease.
There is an urgent need for ac­
celerated research in this area. 1be
AHA/MI funds research which in­
cludes pediatric cardiology. If you
wish to help or would like more in­
formation, contact the American
Heart Association of Michigan at
(313) 557-9500.