Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 7 January 2005 — Page 1

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Preparing a conscious community today and beyond Recorder’s Year-in-Review, inside

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INDIANA’S GREATEST WEEKLY NEWSPAPER

Volume 110 ■ Number 01 ■ Since 1895 ■ FRIDAY, JANUARY 7 r 2005 ■ www.indianapolisrecorcler.com ■ Four Sections ■ 75C

Shirley Chisholm, D-N.Y., the first Black to run for president and a retired congresswoman died this week. Chisholm, 80, passed away in her Florida home after suffering several strokes. See page A3 for more information on Chisholm. NEWS BRIEFS

Danny Glover to speak at Butler Danny Glover, a familiar and respected actor and producer, will speak on Wednesday, Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m. in Clowes Memorial Hall as part of Butler University's Celebration of Diversity Distinguished Lecture Series. Glover has served as the goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Development Program since 1998. In 2001, he assumed the board chairmanship of TransAfrica Forum, the African-American lobbying organization on Africa and the Caribbean. The event is free of charge and open to the public, although admission tickets must be obtained at the Clowes Hall box office. Interim NAACP president returns home Cathedral High School and the Office of Diversity are proud to welcome Indianapolis native Dennis Courtland Hayes, Interim President/CEO and General Counsel for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) as the featured speaker at the campus celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Hayes will address the Cathedral student body at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration on Friday, January 14 at 9:30 a.m. in the Robert V. Welch Student Activity Center. Former Indy resident raises aid for tsunami victims Seven 747 airplanes will be flying food to Sri Lanka and seven of the countries ravaged by the devastating tsunami. Lucretia Cotton, formerly of Indianapolis, has partnered with Lee lococca and Nourish the Children to give our communities an opportunity to make a difference in Indonesia. Nourish the Children distributes a special food product ideal for disaster situations because it only requires water for preparation. Two bags of specially designed food will supply the nutritional needs of 60 children or 30 adults. One hundred ► See NEWS BRIEFS, Page A4

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National elections and local changes make 2004 memorable

By ERICKA C. WHEELER And BRANDON A. PERRY Staff Writers

Hoosiers opened the year 2004 to major IndyGo bus routes setbacks. In early January, IndyGo administrators announced the cut of 14 inner-city bus routes, citing a major budget deficit within the organization. After months of public negotiations, IndyGo administrators decided to make basic changes to its routing system. In May, Hoosier voters cast their votes at the polls for presidential, gubernatorial, legislative and city-county candidates. During this primary election, some citizens were unable to cast their votes due to a shortage of ballots at the polls. In between the primary and general election cosmetic changes of ballots in Marion County were investigated, as well as the proper function of voting machines. The November general election was one of the most important developments in recent political history, not only nationally and statewide but on the local level as well. A record number of African Americans and young voters across the nation showed up at the polls. The presidential race demonstrated that Americans are still closely divided along party lines, as President George W. Bush beat back a challenge from Democratic Sen. John Kerry, DMass. Kerry visited Indianapolis in July when he spoke to delegates at the Indiana Convention Center during the national conference of the A.M.E. Church. Although Democrats in the U.S. Congress remained in the minority, the party did restore African-American representation in the Senate. Barack Obama, an Illinois assemblyman

► See 2004, Page A2

2005 General Assembly opens on fast track Black legislators outline priorities as leadership changes BY BRANDON A. PERRY Staff Writer

Shortly after the 2004 election season came to an end, Gov.elect Mitch Daniels advised lawmakers to “buckle up” for an unforgettable legislative ride. Indeed, the 2005 session of the Indiana General Assembly will review some of the state’s most pressing fiscal problems, and craft structural reforms that can present the most sweeping changes in state government in decades. “In judgment this can - and must - be one of the most historic sessions,” Daniels said on Monday. “Our state faces great difficulties, but with difficulties also comes opportunities.” Daniels and Lt. Gov.-elect Becky Skillman will be officially sworn in Jan. 10. But in the meantime all 150 members of the Indiana House and Senate took their seats Tuesday during the first gathering of this year’s General Assembly. “It was an exciting day for all participants and we got off to a fast start,” said Rep. Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, the new speaker (or procedural leader) of the House. In a departure from previous sessions, several bills were quickly introduced on the first day, and some citizens began to utilize new computer technology that will allow them to monitor meetings of the General Assembly over the Internet. Among the many time sensitive issues that must be addressed this session (which ends

► See ASSEMBLY, Page A2

Lilly addresses ADD drug issues

By ERICKA C. WHEELER Staff Writer Second of two parts In late 2002 Eli Lilly & Co. received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to sell its non-stimulant, prescription only Strattera drug. The first and only medication on the market to specially treat Adult ADD would be the only of its kind until the drug Adderral hit pharmacy shelves nationwide. But what Lilly may not have been prepared for was the increase in negative press. Media outlets around the country pointed the finger at Lilly claiming its marketing tactics to promote Strattera was one to simply boost sales and not educate

the American people about the disorder Adult ADD - a loss of focus, disorganization and misplacing things. “You don’t market medications before they are approved by the FDA,” said Jennifer Bunselmeyer, communications associate for Eli Lilly. “Lilly takes educational outreach to consumers very seriously. We work closely with medical and regulatory experts to make sure these efforts help patients.” According to about.com from January to June 2003 Strattera jumped out of the gates grabbing nearly 12 percent for the pharmaceutical market. By 2004, the drug sold $483 million in the first three-quarters. After booming sales of the drug Strattera, Shire Pharmaceutical Groups received approval from the FDA in August 2004 to dis-

tribute its Adult ADD drug Adderall - in the past Adderall was approved simply to treat children with ADHD. “There has been an unmet need for treatment among the adult population despite an increasing awareness of ADHD’s potential impact on quality of life,” Greg Flexter, executive vice president and general manager of sales and marketing, Shire North America said in a statement. Both Lilly and Shire use online sample quizzes as marketing tactics to inform consumers about their chances of living with ADD. The quiz can be found on nearly any Web site that educates or markets the awareness of ADD.

► See ADD, Page A4

Daniels appoints 2 African Americans to lis adminisfrafion

By ERICKA P. THOMPSON Staff Writer

Gov.-elect Mitch Daniels is beginning to fill the positions he will need to help run Indiana as his inauguration day approaches on Jan. 10. Daniels recently announced that he asked Indiana State Excise Police Superintendent Alex Huskey to continue serving the state and he agreed, saying, “Daniels has a very clear vision about how state government should look,” he said. “I accept the challenge of finding new and innovative ways to improve law enforcement service and cooperation and am grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve.” Residing in Marion, Ind., Huskey, 40, was appointed superintendent of excise police in July 2004 and is a veteran law enforcement official. He previously served ► See DANIELS, Page A4

Democrats' joy tempered by council leadership crisis

Steve Talley

By AMOS BROWN III Recorder Correspondent

The euphoria felt by Marion County Democrats over their impressive wins in 2004 has been dashed by a looming leadership crisis that will come to a head at Monday’s CityCounty Council meeting. It is expected then that a

Democratic councilman, supported by Republicans, will give control of the council back to the GOP. At Monday’s council meeting, CityCounty Councilman Steve Talley, an Af-rican-American Democrat, plans to accept votes from the council’s 14 Republican members, becoming the next council president, ousting Democrat Rozelle Boyd. Several top council Democrats told The Indianapolis Recorder that they fear

Councilman Talley has promised that Republicans will chair key council committees and receive other considerations in return for their votes in Talley’s bid to oust Boyd. Seven weeks ago, The Indianapolis Recorder first broke the story of Talley’s bid to replace Boyd as council president. In a Nov. 27 e-mail to The Recorder, Talley flatly said that if ► See DEMOCRATS, Page A6

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