Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 2 September 2005 — Page 1

Preparing a conscious community today and beyond Howard Hewitt comes to Indy, Page C3

>The Indianapolis

INDIANA’S GREATEST WEEKLY NEWSPAPER

Volume 110 ■ Number 35 ■ Since 1895 ■ FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2005 ■ www.indianapolisrecorder.com ■ Four Sections ■ 75C

Indiana Fever center Natalie Williams is considered one of the greatest female athletes in the country. After collecting two national championships playing volleyball at UCLA and winning an Olympic gold medal for basketball, Williams is retiring to her home state of Utah. To read more on Williams' career see Page DIO. NEWS BRIEFS

Labor Day parade and fun fest Downtown Indianapolis will have a free family fun fest and parade Saturday to celebrate the Labor Day holiday. The fun fest begins at 9 a.m. at the American Legion Mall, 401 N. Meridian St., with children's activities and music. The parade begins at 11 a.m. at North and Pennsylvania streets and will follow the usual parade route. For more information go to www.indydt.com. Labor Day is Sept. 5. Also this weekend, downtown will be the site for the Rib America Festival Sept. 2-5 at Military Park, New York and West streets. Admission is free, and tickets for food and games are available for purchase. Check www.ribamerica.com for more information. United Water receives recognition United Water received a City-County Special Resolution recognizing United Water's Adopt-A-School Program. United Water adopted Arlington High School in 1994, and has developed a strong partnership through this summer internship ever since. However, this program is much more than a summer job's program, United Water has put its personnel and financial resources into building a vision of learning. The Adopt-A-School program is a yearround initiative designed to provide individual assistance to students through mentoring, tutoring, and job shadowing. Chubby Checker to bring ‘Twist’ to back to school concert The Indianapolis Zoo and Radio Disney 98.3 FM will host legendary singer Chubby Checker for a special back to school concert on Sept. 10, at 2 p.m. under the Kroger Party Pavilion tent at the zoo. The special performance is free with regular paid admission to the zoo, and the public - both young and old - are invited to attend. ► See NEWS BRIEFS, A5

Got a hot news tip? Want to be heard? If you would like to report any news or share your comments, call the Recorder News Hotline at (317) 924-5143 ext 300

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KIPP CONCEPT OFFERS HOPE FOR UNDERSERVED STUDENTS

By BRANDON A. PERRY Staff Writer The stereotype that says Indianapolis is slower to adopt new trends than other cities of its size can no longer be applied to the area of education. By many accounts the local application of the KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) education concept has been a shining example of academic success in the Haughville neighborhood on the city’s near Westside. The school is the first and only institution that has implemented KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program), which is utilized by a network of 38 public schools in 15 states and the District of Columbia. Last August the KIPP Indianapolis College Preparatory School held its first classes under a philosophy that hard work, dedication to excellence and “no short cuts” from teachers or students can lead to phenomenal gains among underserved children. Only a year later, passing scores for the KIPP school’s sixth grade students (who entered in 2004 as fifth graders) jumped from 26 percent to 69 percent in math, and from 19 percent to 33 percent in reading on the SAT 10 test. “I feel very positive about our success,” said Omotayo Ola-Niyi, principal of the KIPP school. “We’re very pleased with ► See KIPP, A2

Above: 5th graders prepare to answer questions at the KIPP Indianapolis College Preparatory School located in the Haughville area of Indianapolis. Educators at the school and city officials have reported remarkable academic progress that KIPP students have achieved in a relatively short amount of time. Left: Teacher Aleesia Johnson offers instruction to her 6th grade novels class. (Photos/J. Hurst)

Bush backtracking on U.S. anti-poverty commitment Activist says, ‘They think we’ve forgotten the promises’ By FRAN QUIGLEY For the Recorder

Leaked documents disclosed last week by both the U.S. and United Kingdom press show that President Bush’s controversial new ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, is trying to block a reaffirmation of the U.S. commitment to lessen global poverty. The commitment, based on a 2000 pledge of wealthier nations to increase the amount of their contributions to fight disease and hunger in developing nations, seemingly was confirmed by the Bush administration as recently as the G8 summit at Gleneagles, Scotland, in July. The apparent Bush-Bolton backtrack on the U.S. promise has inspired passionate international criticism, and censure from local activists as well. “It’s not that surprising to see this administration say one thing and do ► See POVERTY, A2

Police Officer Terrence Gray (right) helps evacuate Lovie Mae Allen and her children from their home in Gulfport on Monday. Allen was among thousands of hurricane Katrina victims who had to seek alternative shelter. See page A4 to learn of ways to assist hurricane Katrina victims.

BMV Commissioner Joel Silverman

BMV to dose Gary branch, but maintain presence in city Staff Report

The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles will maintain a presence in Gary with a new branch service office while closing the existing BMV branch in the city, the agency said this week. The move is part of the BMV’s effort to reallocate its resources and launch a new partnership for BMV services in areas affected by branch closures. BMV Commissioner Joel Silverman said the agency will continue to operate in Gary after striking an agreement with the community. The existing BMV branch in Gary will close at the end of business Sept. 17, but the BMV will open a new Gary office that will provide driver license and identification card services.

By ERICKA C. WHEELER Staff Writer

Since Indiana Department of Correction (DOC) Commissioner J. David Donahue took office early in the year, many changes have occurred. A new faith-based initiative has been placed in several prison facilities; a host of re-entry programs around the state have been enacted and most recently changes that affect Indiana’s troubled

youth.

Two key locations in Central Indiana will begin to see revitalization of their mission. The Plainfield Correctional Facility will change its mission and will no longer hold male juvenile offenders, but will be a facility for

adult males.

Indianapolis’ male ju-

veniles currently housed at the Plainfield facility will begin moving in early October to the Indianapolis Juvenile Correctional Facility, formally known as the Indiana Girls School located at the intersection of Girls School

Road and Ind. 136.

With fewer juveniles being sent to Indiana correctional facilities, a building at the former Girls School site is going unused. DOC officials said moving these male juveniles will make for better use of facility space and

services. “Although it is a good sign that fewer Indiana kids are being sent to the Department of Correction, this trend has caused nearly 1,000 empty beds within the department’s juvenile facilities,” said Donahue. The male juveniles in Plainfield will be moved in an attempt to keep these teens closer to family and re-entry services. The remaining 100 statewide juveniles in Plainfield will also be placed in juvenile correctional facilities closer to their homes throughout the state. “We are trying to get juveniles closer to their homes,” said Tim Brown, a DOC official. “With the juvenile population declining, it makes sense for us to close Plainfield to juveniles and move boy juveniles to the state of the art facil-

ity.”

The juvenile males and females will be in the same facility at the Indianapolis Juvenile Facility but will remain separate from one another. The only things shared will be the food service. “Everyfemalejuvenile sentto the department currently resides at the Indianapolis Juvenile Facility, and yet that facility remains over half empty. The decision to locate male juveniles here will allow this facility to oper-

Morc DOC changes expected The GEO Group, based in Boca Raton, Fla., has been selected by the Indiana Department of Correction to run the New Castle Correctional Facility. The 10-year contract is expected to be signed on Sept. 9. The decision to turn over the facility to private hands was an effort to assist in the growth of the

location.

Current employees at the facility are not guaranteed their jobs,

but have a chance at an interview with the private

company.

The company will begin to move into the facility

in January.

► See BMV, A3

► See DOC, A3

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