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Show 00¢ Mountain West Minority Reporter Serving more Keeping Hope Alive as We Fulfill the Dream VOL. Senti and than 200,000 nel AUGUST 1. NO. 6 24, 1990 Group claims US WEST ‘Lifeline’ less accessible to poor program by Mike Gorrell The Public Service Commission has been asked to hold a hearing into the declining use of the ‘‘Lifeline’’ program that helps low-income people afford telephones. The Community Coalition of Utah, an organization primarily of elderly and handicapped people, contended in its request to the PSC that the practices of US WEST have made the program less accessible to eligible lowincome people. US WEST spokesman Jim Farr denied the accusation and said the telephone company would welcome a hearing if the program is not operating as it should. “‘US WEST’s intention is to have people who qualify use it,’ he added, noting that a hearing may disseminate more information about the program’s existence. Coalition chairwoman Rosemarie Rendon said 2,400 fewer people were using the system at the end of 1989 than at the beginning of the year. She also said less than 20 percent of the people eligible for financial suEpor knew it was available. The Lifeline program gives eligible Data processing students. participate in the program, allowing the money to sit idle, because US WEST hasn’t done enough to let people know the service exists. “‘There’s nothing in the -(white- pages of) telephone book or the billings,’’ Ms. Rendon said. ‘“The information is not readily available. Nothing is broadcast through the employee. ’’ She and Mr. Farr suggested that information about the program should be included in the front portion of the white pages and that US WEST service representatives should mention that the program exists when people pay their bills or make arrangements with the company to have a telephone installed. ‘I’m concerned that when people go to get their telephone number, they’re not told (the program) is available and some of their charges can be taken of,’’ said Ms. Rendon. ‘*For some people, the telephone can truly be a lifeline. It may be for a physical need or simply to talk to someone. *‘We don’t truly have aLifeline if you don’t tell anybody about it,” ” she _jow-income pecole a credit of $7 per - added. Mr. month on telephone bills. Eligibility is determined by the state Department of Social Services, Mr. Farr said. The credit is funded with a charge assessed on every telephone customer. The charge* has been 10 cents a month, Mr. Farr said, but US WEST has made an overture to have it reduced to eight cents monthly because a large sum of money has accumuiated in the Lifeline fund. The coalition estimates that sum exceeds $1 million. The coalition maintains thousands of eligible low-income people do not Heart attack claims Joe Turner, jazz pianist, in Paris Paris Data entry students _ The Utah Opportunities Industrialization Center (UOIC) produced the nation’s highest achievers on the GED. UOIC is part of a network of comprehensive employment training programs conducted across the country. School program has high success ratio Since 1985, Dr. Aileen O. James has headed the NAACP’s ‘‘Back to School/Stay in School’’ program, whose mission is to help reduce the school personnel with those students who have been identified as being “‘at risk,’’ in settings outside of the formal school setting. schools and to reduce the rate of absenteeism. | The ‘‘Back to School/Stay in School’’ program provides a number According to Dr. James, working with the students outside of the formal school setting eliminates their being stigmatized by their peers. The students receive incentives such as, savings bonds or athletic of services for its students including guidance counseling, tutorial publicly recognized at ceremonies at high number of African American children who drop out of the nation’s assistance, and recreational activities. Prospective enrollees are identified by teachers, principals, guidance counselors, and other school officials who believe the NAACP program can be beneficial for them. Uniqueness describes operates is the word that best the program because it on an almost totally volunteer basis on a national basis. _ NAACP volunteers donate their time and work with teachers and other shoes in addition to their being the end of the program, all of which help to improve the students’ self image and self-esteem. ‘*These incentives are important,’’ Dr. James said, ‘‘because they are based on attendance levels and achievement.’’ ‘‘We have had a success rate of 80 to 90 percent,” she added, “‘which we calculate on the basis of whether or not the students attend all of the session.’ Continued on page 2 (AP) — Jazz pianist Joe Montreiul hospital, helped make famous the “‘stride style’’ of piano and US WEST spokeswoman Carol Dunlap said the telephone company has made efforts to educate the public about the program’s existence. In the last year, they said, the company has advertised in A new and innovative coalition was recently organized to serve as a support group for African-American women. The Utah Coalition of African-American Women (UCAAW) is a network of African- American women who seek to empower themselves and the communiby becoming more effective through personal, social, educational, and professional growth. According to E. Faye Wine, founder and president of the coalition, ‘‘What we are about is summed up in our motto. We are “Women United to Make a Difference.’ When in jazz history beside pianists like James P. Johnson, Fats Waller, Art Tatum, and .Willie ““The Lion’’ often have difficulty assimilating in Utah’s unique communities. The Smith. as number one threat to us is lack of Turner was born Nov. 3, 1907 in Baltimore. At 18, he left the city to pursue his musical career in New York. A big break came in 1928, when he was hired to play in the Benny Carter orchestra. He joined group in 1930. Turner used to play Armstrong’s in Harlem clubs, and in 1935 he replaced Art Tatum, who was ill. He performed with jazz singer Adelaide Hall and went on a European tour with her. Drafted during World War IL, Turner played piano in the U.S. Army orchestra directed by Sy Oliver. After the war, he settled in Europe and played with Rex Stewart. He had lived in Paris since 1962. No information was immediately available about survivors or funeral arrangements. services, Mr. Farr said, noting that underutilization of the pro- gram is responsible for the Lifeline fund’s growth. That growth prompted the request to reduce the monthly charge on customers’ bills. « US WEST also finds itself ‘‘between a rock and a hard place’’ in knowing how to alert eligible people about the program, he noted. The company could be subjected to considerable criticism if it used large sums of money from the fund to pay for expensive advertisements about the program’s existence. Just knowing how much advertising is acceptable might be a positive development of a PSC hearing on the coalition’s contention, Mr. Farr said. Ms. Dunlap added that US WEST “instigated Lifeline in Utah to meet the needs of low-income people ... this is a social program US WEST believes in. But we have to work in concert with the groups familiar with these programs.”’ women is organized in Utah I organized the first meeting in March 1990, I told the women involved that as African-American women we playing. His work earned him a place telephone Coalition for African-American ty Turner, who played with such greats as Louis Armstrong and Benny Carter, has died of a heart attack in Paris. He was 82. ~ lurner, who died at a suburban | Farr a senior citizen publication, prepared flyers, and distributed press releases to the media. US WEST also works closely with state social-services officials on the program, Mr. Farr said, characterizing the telephone company’s role in the process as a fee collector and general administrator of the program for Social Services. Money collected for the Lifeline program cannot be used for other organization. Low visibility in the community allows the general public not to address or recognize our problems and needs.’’ One of the coalition’s first objectives is to conduct a survey among Utah’s African-American women to asses the needs and concerns with the community. A survey may be obtain- ed by writing to the coalition. Recently, some of the members of the coalition were certified as AIDS instructors. The coalition intends to use these certified instructors to conduct AIDS presentations concerning ‘ue prevention of AIDS in the comMUPLY, The Utah Coalition of AfricanAmerican Women is a newly form- ed and organized non-profit Utah corporation. Meetings are often held at the University of Utah in the Annex Building, but sometimes they are held in the Layton/Ogden area. Executive officers include: E. Faye Wine, president and customer relations specialist at Utah Power and Light; Jerri A. Harwell, first vice presi- dent and _owner/president of EDIT-WELL; Yasmin Battle, second vice president and a computer operator at TRW; Delores Hardaway, secretary and procurement clerk with the Bureau of Reclamation, division of procurement and contracts; Gladys Martin, treasurer and a measurement analyst at Northwest Pipeline Corporation; Julie Edwards, Parliamentarian and a material analyst at Northwest Pipeline Corporation; And Simone Fritz, historian and an admissions advisor at Weber State University. Celebrate Women’s Equality Day The University of Utah Women’s Resource Center will welcome the first public forum of the Utah Coalition of African-American Women on Friday, August 24, at 7 p.m. The meeting will be in the west ballroom of the Union Building on the University of Utah campus. State senator Frances Farley will be featured. Free parking is available and the public is welcome. |