Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 7 October 1999 — Page 6

The Muncie Times, October 7, 1999, page 6

Briefs from page 5

the Illinois Maternal Child Health Coalition (IMCHC) is targeting two communityes to test a program, which it hopes will help alleviate the problem. IMCHC Executive Director Robyn Gabel said that while the infant mortality rate has dropped among black women, preterm low birth rates (PLBW) are rising. PLBW refers to babies born at less than 37 weeks and weighing less than 5.5 pounds. The pilot program will center on recent studies linking low birth weights to bacterial vaginosis (BY) and douching. African American women are twice as likely to give birth to infants with PLBW than European American women. The two Illinois communities targeted for the program were chosen because of their high rates of PLBW. HUD cuts could cost Pittsburgh millions Pittsburgh could lose more than $9 million in funding if

the U.S. Congress votes to approve cuts in the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) 2000 budget. According to a recent HUD report, the $1.6 billion cuts would have a “devastating impact” on America’s poorest people. In Pittsburgh badly needed programs, such as the Community Development Block Grant program, which funds job and housing startups would be lost, said local HUD coordinator Richard Nemoytin. Some 490 jobs will also be lost, as would 764-new lowincome family housing units, he said. Losses in the surrounding county would include 429 new jobs, and 506 low-income homes. Meanwhile, national NAACP President Kweisi Mfume said the cuts would slow the economic recoveries of America’s cities and weaken efforts to fight housing discrimination. Students, faculty attack new CUNY admission plan

Several CUNY faculty, perspective students, and their parents, have filed a. complaint against the City University of New York (CUNY), charging that its new admission policy disportionately impacts people of color based on invalid testing. The complaint asks the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) investigate the policy, adopted by the school Jan. 25, which is scheduled to begin in fan. 2000. Under the new policy remedial cources in the scchool’s 11 senior, 4-year colleges will be phased out over a 2-year period. The first five colleges include 2 in Brooklyn, and Queens. Students who fail the Freshman Skills Assessment Tests (FSAT), in reading or math, will be forced to attend CUNYs community colleges. CUNY Professor William Crain said the policy is politically inspired, since the one it replaces worked well for years. Another professor, Susan DiRaimo, said the college is already seeing fewer students.

This contradicts statements by CUNY board of trustees Chairman Herman Badillo, who projected increased enrollment over the nest 4 fall semesters, beginning next year. In fall 1998, African American students made up 48 percent of CUNY freshmen. Petitioners seek to save baby dumper from jail A petition signed by nearly 500 Memphians has been sent to the district attorney’s office in hopes of saving a young woman, who abandoned her newborn child in a garbage dumpster, from jail. Barry Harris, an elder in a local church, started the petition, which urges authorities to look into the background of LaKendra Jeffries to discover why she abandoned her child. He said profiles of the young woman show tht her actions were desperate. A mother of another child, she had reportedly suffered abusive living conditions,

including being raped, Harris said. Jeffries, who is African American, was arrested at her home shortly after abandoning the child. Her secret was discovered after an employee at the daycare center where she worked noticed blood on the bathroom floor. The police were called and they discovered the child in the dumpster. The baby is reported in good condition. Programs to create young new capitalists A new market initiative developed by U.S. Labor Secretary Alexis Herman focuses on young black males. The effort will help prepare young black men for success in the new global economy. It coincides with a new shopping center in South Los Angeles and other business developments. Herman says she believes the program will help to create some entrepreneurs among its participants.

Re-Elect Barbara Demaree

Republican City Council At-Large

Standing up for good government Building on an established foundation Proud wife and mother Serving our community

Integrity

Remember on November 2 EXPERIENCE IS THE KEY! Paid for by the committee to re-elect Barbara Demaree