The Olympic Spirit, the Spirit of Bipartisanship, and Health Reform
by The White House
The President takes a moment to congratulate our Olympic athletes. Discussing the unity and pride Americans feel in cheering them on, the President relates that sentiment to his own desire for bipartisanship in Washington. He praises the recent bipartisan meeting and talks about moving forward on health reform.
Watch the address below:
Women’s Skirt-tails and Amarillo’s First Streets and Sidewalks
What follows is the first column of joint columns about streets and sidewalks in Amarillo.
by L. Arthalia Cravin
The adage that “behind every successful man is a woman” also applies to every sidewalk and every street in America. To put it bluntly, there would be no sidewalks, no brick streets, and no paved streets anywhere in America were it not for women—or should I say women’s skirt tails.
Amarillo’s 122-year evolution from “Ragtown,” a camp of about 500 souls, to the settlement of “Oneida” near the Ft. Worth and Denver City railroad, to its current population of 175,000, followed the same pattern of growth as most American towns. The streets and sidewalks that meld a city into a contiguous expanse all began as dusty trails that later became dirt streets for horses and horse drawn vehicles. Early photos of these dirt trails and passageways often show little more than deeply cut ruts carved by wagons and assorted animal hooves. For the men who rode horses and/or drove horse drawn vehicles, rain meant navigating these deeply cuts grooves reduced to a nasty concoction of muck and mire. For women, rain, and even dry weather, meant something entirely different.
Since the beginning of time one of the primary duties of women has been to keep people and things clean. Women have beat dirty clothing on rocks, sloshed heavy britches and coveralls up and down in wash pots, caught rain water dripping from roof tops, and walked miles toting water from creeks and streams to fill dishpans and tin tubs all for the sake of cleanliness. Few people have truly understood the enormity of the challenge facing women to live up to the maxim “cleanliness is next to godliness.” This was particularly truly given the clothing women were required to wear while performing a hundred and one different chores.
The pioneer women who followed men in “every which a direction,” including into the Texas Panhandle, did not do so wearing flip flops, tank tops, and cut-off jeans. Even in the hottest of Panhandle summers, women wore layers of garments under long heavy dresses. This attire was consistent with the notion that women should dress modestly—which often meant that ankles and necks had to be concealed behind high collars and dresses that swept the floor. Observance of modesty continued even in the dark where women often slept in layers of long nightgowns with their heads covered with nightcaps. A typical Day Dress of the late 19th century looked something like this—and herein lies the connection to streets and sidewalks.
The first brick street in the world was laid in Charleston, West Virginia on October 23, 1870. It is no co-incident that this event coincides precisely with long, skirt-tailed, women’s clothing. The connection between these long skirt tails and the laying of brick streets curiously has never been made by historians. (For an excellent article on Amarillo’s brick streets, as well as a history of streets development in Amarillo, please read “Brick Streets Helped Build Amarillo,” by Debra A. Parker, Amarillo Globe News, May 17, 2001; http://amarillo.com/stories/051701new_brickstreets.shtml.)
Ms. Parker’s article chronicles Amarillo’s street development, including its 16 or so miles of brick streets still in use. Still her thoroughly researched article makes no reference to the role of women’s clothing in ushering in Amarillo’s brick streets and sidewalks.
A few years ago during my tenure as chairman of the Anderson County Historical Commission in Palestine, the topic of how some Texas towns got their names came up. I was curious about where the name Quitaque came from. In spite of various historical resources attributing the name to the Native American language meaning “end of the trial, “ or the early settler’s meaning “whatever one steals,” someone on the board said that “quitaque” actually referred to the stuff that came into the house on the bottom of one’s shoe. So, instead of the woman of the house saying “go outside and wipe that_____ off your feet,” someone on the board said that she used the word “quitaque” instead of what would ordinarily appear in the blank. True or not, the story brought a moment of levity to an otherwise dull board meeting. But I do believe that there is a kernel of truth somewhere in the “quitaque” story.
The Day Dress shown above clearly shows a “train” or long shirt-tail dragging the floor. When pioneer women performed their outside household duties– in the chicken yard, in the barnyard milking the cows, or running errands down dirt streets, their dress tails often swept across, not only the dirt, but also whatever else happened to have fallen or been left behind in the dirt. It requires little imagination to conjure up images of expectorations, consisting of sputum of assorted bodily fluids or tobacco substances, horse, chicken, and pig droppings, and some human residues left behind. On a daily basis a woman’s skirt tail came into contact with all manner of “uncleanness” that she carried into her home, especially her kitchen. Now consider the “after the rains” filthy brew of muck and mire that made its way into many a pioneer kitchen attached to a woman’s skirt tail. It was only after much fussing and fuming to husbands and local town officials by angry women about their filthy skirt tails that something was finally done. What was done was the construction of wooden sidewalks and brick streets.
Not too long ago while making a presentation of the recently discovered first cookbook written by an African American woman (written in 1866), I suggested that the audience read a book entitled, “When Hens Crow: The Woman’s Rights Movement in Antebellum America,” by Sylvia Hoffert. Ms. Hoffert’s book documents the various types of early resistance to women’s demand for equal rights. The titled was taken from a northern newspaperman’s observation about the women who gathered in Seneca Falls, New York in July 1848. He attributed the women’s demand for equal rights as little more than “hen’s crowing.” To silence these “crowing hens” male hecklers were often dispatched to the various conventions to shout down any woman who tried to speak. Such treatment was commonplace. The overlooked role of women’s skirt tails in laying the foundation for streets and sidewalks in America is consistent with the “overlooking” of women’s other contributions to American society. Their role in the creation of sidewalks and brick streets is but one example of the many inventions and developments that we enjoy because women dared to protest the state of affairs as they were.
Now read on for the second of these two columns:
100 Years Later–Sidewalks on North Hughes: A Study in Black and White
by L. Arthalia Cravin
Amarillo’s first settlers put down their stakes in 1887 near the watering hole known as Wild Horse Lake. The adjacent flat area just off what is now Amarillo Boulevard and North Hughes was the starting point for Amarillo. Unfortunately this low-lying area was proned to frequent flooding, so around 1890 the town moved eastward to its current location. What is now the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Park is the starting point for Amarillo. From a mud hole on the side of a creek, Amarillo has grown to its current expanse of almost 89 square miles and 174,000 souls.
From 1890 to 1910 Amarillo’s streets were dirt passageways with an occasional wooden sidewalk. According to Ms. Parker’s article mentioned above, in 1910 voters approved $75,000 to pay for paving 28 blocks with brick. If you drive near downtown Amarillo you can experience history as your car rumbles across the still existing 16 miles or so of these brick streets, known by a variety of names. How some of Amarillo’s first streets got their names has been the topic of several Amarillo Globe-News’ articles. An article dated June 27, 1948 entitled, “It’s all Very Simple—Our Streets Are Named for Just About Everything,” says this: When the town grew beyond is original plat, it went first to the west and three streets were named for local people. J. E. Hughes laid out the Hughes Addition to the city and named its first street for himself.–then came Hayden, named for B. B. Hayden, Amarillo pioneer and city marshal and father of George Hayden, veteran Amarillo peace officer. Hughes, longtime Potter County sheriff, named the third street for Frank Ong, another local officer.” The article then identifies the streets and their directions named for Texas heroes, including the glaring omission of Sam Houston. The article then identifies the streets named for the presidents, including the willful omission of Rutherford B. Hayes, whom many thought stole the presidency. The article then recites the history of various other streets including Wolflin, Line, San Jacinto, and T-Anchor.
Of all the streets identified I was particularly interested in Amarillo’s first street, Hughes Street. J. E. (John Edward) Hughes was sheriff and tax collector Potter County (when the two offices were combined) from 1899 until 1910. According to a biographical article written by a Mrs. Hughes Seewald, Hughes was born in Alabama in 1852. His parents, born in South Carolina and Georgia moved to Red River County, Texas in 1872. Hughes worked in a general store and later purchased it. He married in 1878 and later moved to Potter County where he bought land, platted it, then built houses for sale and for rent. (J. E. Hughes was Sybil Harrington’s grandfather.) According to the article, Hughes built his own home between Washington and Hughes between Fifteenth and Sixteenth Avenues. If you travel east on Hughes you know that Hughes Street becomes Adams Street and further east turns into Washington. Going westerly, Hughes becomes Broadway at the Amarillo city limit at NE 24th. According to MapQuest, there are exactly two miles of distance between NE 24th at Hughes going easterly to where Hughes becomes Adams around 6th Street. (I think it’s further than that, but never mind.) Whatever the distance, what happened to Hughes Street between Amarillo Blvd and NE 24th is a study in black and white.
The area, known as North Heights, which lies on both sides of Hughes Street between 24th and Amarillo Blvd has a history worthy of repeating. The city park known as Bones Hooks Park is located at 20th and North Hughes. The park is named for Mathew “Bones” Hooks. A brief biography of Bones Hooks would read that he was born to slave parents in 1867 in Robertson County, Texas, that he started work as a driver of a butchers meat wagon at age seven, became one of the first cowboys to work alongside whites as a ranch hand, raised and broke horses that no one else could ride, operated a grocery store in Texarkana, established one of the first black churches in West Texas, came to Amarillo in 1900 and worked as a hotel porter, then worked as a porter for the Santa Fe Railroad, retired from the railroad in 1930, became a civic leader, established the Dogie Club to reduce juvenile delinquency, was the first African American to sit on a grand jury in the Texas Panhandle, sent dozens of white roses to deserving individuals, and passed away in 1951 at the age of 83. This short biography however cannot do justice to Bones Hooks’ contributions; because, what is often not mentioned in much detail is Mr. Hooks’ role in the creation and settling of African Americans in Amarillo’s North Heights.
According to the 2005 book written by Todd Bruce entitled, “Bones Hooks: Pioneer Negro Cowboy,” finding a separate location for Amarillo’s black population was a major concern for Bones Hooks. In a chapter entitled, “A Negro Town Out on the Prairie: The North Heights Story,” there were “16 or 17 blacks in Potter County in 1900. This number jumped to 149 in 1910 and over 300 in 1920.” (Amarillo’s general population had grown from around 15,000 in 1920 to 43,000 in 1930.) Many of the black residents lived in the Flats in and around 3rd Street and Buchanan and worked as domestics for wealthy whites. Many others however, operated rooming houses, cafes, shine parlors and worked for the hotels, railroads, and other businesses. With the increase in the population, the Flats became overcrowded, but in addition, racism reared its ugly head leading to a range of harassment and other abuses from local whites toward African Americans. During this same time period Bones began investing in real estate in the area known as Miller Heights, just west of the Flats where no one lived. According to Todd, Bones was the first black person to purchase property outside of the Flats and the first black person to make Amarillo a permanent home.
During the 1920s, the vacant land now known as North Heights was part of some 100 acres to the north that was for sale. According to Todd, part of the land had been platted for the Texas State Normal Teachers College, later West Texas A & M University. Instead of locating to the north vacant land, the school chose to locate in Canyon. Bones seized upon the opportunity not only to purchase very desirable land that had a sloping upward topography, but also to move blacks away from the increasingly racist whites near downtown Amarillo. The land was owned by J. O. and Maude Whittington and was for sale for $25,000 with a down-payment of $8,500. Although he was financially able to do so, Bones chose not to purchase the land outright because he did not want the black residents to think he was profiting off them. He turned to Mayor Bivins to help with the purchase and they shook hands on a deal. Bones then set about to convince the black residents of the Flats to buy lots to the north where there was no electricity, water, gas or transportation. On top of this hard sell, Bones had to contend with opposition from, 1) the all white North Amarillo Civic Club (NACC) that wanted to develop and beautify North Amarillo, 2) the white Buchanan Street Methodist Church concerns that their parishioners had to pass through a mostly black area to go to church, and 3) concerns that the white Presbyterian Children’s Home would have to move to avoid close proximity to blacks. In spite of tremendous opposition, Bones set the “pioneer” example and moved north himself, opening a drug store and purchasing a home at 15th and Adams. The North Heights Land Company was formed, over time the North Heights area was annexed to the city, infrastructure development commenced, and, as they say “the rest is history.” But it is a history that unfolded hand in hand with America’s larger, “separate and unequal history,” and a history that is still being played out in North Heights.
A recent posting on the website mentioned that after too many nears of requests and neglected requests, sidewalks will be installed along North Hughes. A week or so ago I noticed what appeared to be some kind of sidewalk ground works at the corner of 12th and North Hughes. My first response was “lipstick on a pig.” (I also wondered who got the bid and how much money from this project will flow directly into North Heights residents’ pockets.) The reason why” lipstick on a pig” was my first utterance took me back to my first summer in Amarillo, June, 1964 when I came to Amarillo from Palestine, Texas to earn money for school clothes. I was sixteen and lived with relatives about three houses off North Hughes on 17th Street. The house has since been demolished. I tried several jobs before landing one that lasted the entire summer. My first day at Amarillo Linen Company was a disaster. While I was pulling hot sheets through a feeder I fainted and was sent home. I next went to the Blackburn’s Brothers Department Store on Polk Street where I got a job “busting table,” on the mezzanine. What I remember most of this short experience were the grilled cheese sandwiches (made with finely diced pimento), cut diagonally, placed on a plate with a long wedge of dill pickle, potato chips, and a glass of lemonade, and served to hat-wearing, white-gloved, white women. I don’t recall how long that job lasted, but apparently not long. Next I tried cleaning rooms at a motel somewhere near the current police station. I lasted there one day because the first room I had to clean was filled with young white, foul mouthed, drunk airmen, who had not vacated the nasty room, but who keep teasing me about being cute. I left immediately and never returned. I next went to the Dalton Brother Grocery Store on North Hughes and found work as a stocker and sometimes cashier. (I wrote my first short essay in 1964 entitled, “You Must Adjust,” showed it to my boss who looked at it, tossed it back to me, and told me that I had a better future stocking groceries than writing.) That job lasted until I went back home in late August. I remember my summer of ’64 in Amarillo well because that was the same summer that Buddy Allen pushed me off the diving board at what is now Bones Hooks Park and I never went swimming again.
Over the years I have returned to Amarillo and upon each arrival, including my permanent return of less than a year ago, I have been dismayed with how much the North Heights area seems to have been forgotten and left behind. One year while visiting I called Mayor Seliger almost daily to complain about all the dust from the unpaved streets just off Polk Street near 14th. The street was finally paved as were other dirt streets in the Heights. But back to the sidewalks on North Hughes. Recently I read an article written by a local realtor about how Amarillo’s Wolflin Area developed. This area was platted in 1923, about the same time that North Heights was being eyed by Bones Hooks. According to Christine Wyly’s article, “After World War II, the Wolflin Addition grew along with many subdivisions in other areas of the country. Today, the Wolfin area thrives. Not only is the area an extremely desirable neighborhood to live in, but the Woflin Village/Wolflin Square shopping area to the west on Georgia Street is booming with increased traffic and business. Initially, the shopping center, once at the outskirts of town when it was built in the 1950’s, boomed. However, as Amarillo grew south and west the shopping area experienced a period of decline. Currently though, the Wolflin Village/Wolflin Square shopping area is experiencing a resurgence of business. The area has new banking centers, trendy shops, coffee stores, and restaurants. The re-emergence of a vital area of commerce adjacent to the Woflin Addition has contributed to the increased desirability of the neighborhood as a wonderful place to live. The convenience of the Wolflin Addition’s location is greatly enhanced by its proximity to downtown Amarillo and the interchange of two major interstate highways. Just a few blocks away, the beautiful campus of Amarillo College sits adjacent to Memorial Park.” The articles includes the fact that Amarillo’s current mayor lives in the Wolflin area.
Of course, my thoughts turned to the comparative development of North Heights, along Hughes, a highly trafficked area, but also an area with the best up-sloping topography. What made the difference between this area and Wolflin? Of course I know the answer. A quick search of a Potter County property website includes the names of only four businesses on North Hughes whose combined market value is less than the average of one house in Wolflin, currently estimated at $183,763 or $89.98 per square foot. I pulled the housing data for North Heights from the 2009 Amarillo Housing Report and it shows that in 2009 three houses sold (through a realtor) in North Heights, average price, $32,300, average per square foot price, $30.22. So what will sidewalks add to this picture? One hundred years later, Amarillo’s first street, Hughes Street, is finally getting sidewalks? Is it truly a case of “lipstick on a pig” given the woeful neglect of commercial and residential development along this corridor? What is to be said or done about the clearly unequal concerns for growth and development among Amarillo’s diverse communities? Who cares that one area looks like Soweto, South Africa while another is awash in every possible neighborhood amenity, including paved alleys? Just as the early panhandle women said “enough” to the dirt streets, and dragging their skirt-tails through muck and mire, who will stand up and say “enough” to the basic unfairness of North Heights residents paying the same effective property tax rate as other communities with sidewalks, streetlights, paved alleys, and other amenities? Who will say “enough” of this neglect? When will Amarillo’s “hen’s crow?” A June 20, 1964 Amarillo Globe opinion page contained the following statement in an opinion entitled, “Better Human Qualities Will Solve Race Relations—Not Bitterness:” “The civil rights problem must be solved for economic as well as moral reasons.” The same is no less true for North Heights. Or is North Heights a continuing legacy of Amarillo in black and white?
Copyright 2010 - L. Arthalia Cravin. All rights Reserved. No part of this commentary may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the author.
BORGER - Linda March Harley, 59, died Saturday, February 20, 2010, in Amarillo.
Services were at 11 a.m. Friday, February 26, 2010 in First Baptist Church in Borger with the Rev. Steve Taylor officiating. A second service will be at noon Saturday in First Baptist Church in Childress with the Rev. Vurn Martin of Greater Mount Olive Baptist Church of Amarillo and the Rev. James Bradford of Oklahoma City as eulogist. Burial in Childress Cemetery by Warford-Walker Mortuary, 509 N. Hughes St.
Linda was born September 1, 1950, in Amarillo. She was reared in Childress and accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior at an early age while attending St. John Baptist Church.
Linda attended the historical J.J. Rhodes School and graduated in May 1970. She attended Clarendon College. She was employed as a correctional officer in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for Clements, Bates and Jordan Units until her health failure.
Linda was an active member of First Baptist Church in Borger under the pastorage of Steve Taylor. She especially enjoyed the Sunday school and special music.
She was preceded in death by two husbands, B.C. Cornish and Larry Harley; a sister, Kathy D. March Pride; and her grandparents, Ruby and O.D. Nickerson Sr.
Survivors include a daughter, Ashley Cornish of Borger; her mother and stepfather, Ruby and Willie Smith of Childress; two sisters, Twanda Taylor and husband Mitch and Teresa March, all of Amarillo; and a number of nephews, nieces, great-nephews and great-nieces and many other relatives.
Connie F. Thomas, 53, of Amarillo died Wednesday, February 17, 2010.
Services were at 1 p.m. Friday, February 26, 2010 in Temple of Praise Community Church with the Rev. Chris Brown, pastor, and the Rev. W. Fifer, pastor of Holy Trinity Church of God in Christ, officiating. Burial in Llano Cemetery by Golden Gate Mortuary, 1416 N. Hughes St.
Connie was born November 29, 1956, in Lockney to Josephine and Minuard King Jr. She was the fifth of 13 children.
After graduating from Petersburg High School, she married Lon K. Thomas. To this union, five children were born.
Connie was employed with Canyon Independent School District. She was a health care provider, beautician and a licensed instructor.
Connie served as a missionary in the Church of God in Christ. She was the former first lady of First Church of God in Christ and Hope Deliverance Church of God in Christ. Recently, she was the first lady of True Vine Church of God in Christ.
She was a loving mother, sister and nana. Connie loved spreading the word of God; always testifying that “Can’t Nobody Do Me Like Jesus!”
She will be missed by all.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Lon K. Thomas Sr.; and her parents.
To cherish her memory she leaves four daughters, Latrell, DeShawn, Tamika and LaToia Thomas, all of Amarillo; a son, Lon K. Thomas Jr. of Amarillo; seven brothers, Ira King, Joe King, Johnnie King, Tracy King and Donnie King, her twin, all of Amarillo, Jack King and wife Mary of Lubbock and Jerry King of Del City, Okla.; five sisters, Nellene Campbell and husband Dirk, Carla Thomas and husband Robert, Amy King, Pam King and Sheila King, all of Amarillo; six granddaughters, Keshana, Dashyla, Jaliyah, Brandasia, LaTavia and LaTashia; and a host of nieces, nephews, uncles, aunts and friends.
Viewing was from 1 to 7 p.m. Thursday, February 24, 2010 at the funeral home.
ARLINGTON - Jackie D. Capiti Minor, 88, formerly of Amarillo died Friday, February 19, 2010.
Services were at 3 p.m. Wednesday February 24, 2010 in Warford-Walker Mortuary Chapel, 509 N. Hughes St., with the Rev. James L. Collins, pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church, officiating.
Jackie was born October 15, 1921, in Mexia. She was reared and attended the public schools of Mexia. Jackie came to Amarillo in 1945. She was a domestic worker. She married Kenneth Minor, a U.S. Air Force sergeant, and he preceded her in death. She was a member of Mount Zion Baptist Church.
Survivors include three grandsons, Christipher Montgomery of Las Vegas, John Walker of Euless and Winston Walker of Amarillo; and a great-grandson, Elliott Montgomery of Fort Worth.
Terry Van Gilbreath Sr., 50, of Amarillo died Thursday, February 18, 2010.
Services were at 2 p.m. Thursday, February 25, 2010 in St. John Baptist Church with the Rev. Austin Ingram Jr. officiating. Burial in Llano Cemetery by Golden Gate Mortuary, 1416 N. Hughes St.
Terry was born July 28, 1959, in Amarillo to Vurnell and the late Edward Van Gilbreath Sr. He was baptized at an early age at Greater Mount Olive Baptist Church by the Rev. L.L. Gipson. He attended Hilltop Elementary and Fannin Junior High and was a 1978 graduate of Amarillo High School. He worked for Tyson Foods, Zium, McKesson Construction and upon his death he was employed as a laborer. He was a devoted son and father, and his enthusiastic conversations will be missed by many family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his father, Edward Van Gilbreath Sr.; his maternal grandparents, Elbert and Rosie Hill; his paternal grandparents, Aaron and Katie Gilbreath; a sister, LaMarra Luster; and a brother, James Penns.
Survivors include his mother, Vurnell Gilbreath of Amarillo; a son, Terry Van Gilbreath Jr. of Amarillo; three daughters, Tenisha Gilbreath, Tedra Gilbreath and Terrikah Gilbreath, all of Amarillo; a stepdaughter, Jayden Kemp and companion Barbara “Shawn” Williams of Amarillo; three brothers, Edward V. Gilbreath Jr. of Amarillo, Maurice Gilbreath of Dallas and Orlando “Chop” Gilbreath of Arlington; and seven sisters, Dorothy Cortez-Conict, Pearlie Penns, Gloria Gilbreath, Beverly Gilbreath, Linda Perry and husband Ralph, Sheila Gilbreath and Gilda “Shan” Gilbreath, all of Amarillo.
The family will be at 1900 N.W. 13th Ave.
Your VA Benefits—What you Need to Know—What You Need to Do.
by L. Arthalia Cravin
A couple of years ago I became an accredited VA lawyer. I am one of approximately 400 such lawyers across the country, and probably one of two in the Texas Panhandle. My accreditation allows me to prepare, present, and prosecute claims for veterans’ benefits before the Department of Veterans Affairs, the VA. This past Thursday through Friday a representative from the VA Regional Office in Waco was in Amarillo to discuss VA pension benefits. The seminars were held at the Park Central Retirement Community at 14th and Harrison in Amarillo. All three sessions were completely booked. I was the only African American in attendance to learn about these important benefits. Let me begin with a brief history of veterans’ benefits.
For as long as there have been wars, there have been individuals who have either died on the battlefield, died as a result of injury or disease associated with their post-military service, or suffered with disabilities or conditions directly related to their military service. Starting in 1636, the colonists provided a pension for men who became disabled because of “defense services” against Native Americans. The first federal pension for veterans was passed in 1789 by the Continental Congress to help veterans of the Revolutionary War. Subsequent laws included veterans and dependents of the War of 1812, and extended benefits to the veterans’ dependents and survivors. When the Civil War started in 1861, the nation had about 80,000 war veterans. By the end of the Civil War in 1865, another 1.9 million veterans had been added to the rolls, prompting President’s Lincoln famous lines in his second inaugural address in 1865, “to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan,” later adopted as the VA motto.
Some 4.7 million Americans fought in World War I. Of these, 116,000 died in service and 204,000 were wounded. World War II war casualties included 405,399 service men and women who died, some 671,8l7 wounded, and hundreds of thousands of dependents left needy. The Korean War created new veterans on top of the millions who came home from World War II. The Vietnam War, The Persian Gulf War, Operations Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom have resulted in the current population of approximately 24 million military vets, broken down as follows: 1.7 million women, 9.7 million over the age of 65, 2.4 million African Americans, 1.1 million Hispanic, 272,000 Asian, 159,000 American Indian, 30,000 Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders. One set of data indicates that several states have 1 million or more veterans: California (2.3 million), Florida (1.8 million), Texas (1.7 million), New York (1.2 million), Pennsylvania (1.2 million) and Ohio (1.1 million). Also, recent statistics indicate that approximately 63 million people are potentially eligible for VA benefits and services because they are veterans, or family members or survivors of veterans. What exactly are these benefits?
by Fransetta Crow
It was 5 years ago in 2005, that the first grant application was submitted for sidewalks for North Hughes Street to the Community Development Block Grant Committee of the City of Amarillo. It was the beginning of a vision I had and still do have from 2005 when the North Amarillo Community Task Force was appointed by Mayor Debra McCartt. I wrote and presented a poem to our Mayor asking her to help clean up our community at a community meeting held at the United Citizens Forum. My vision is to improve my community and the infrastructure of my neighborhood and make Hughes Street a SAFE USER FRIENDLY Street for the pedestrians that have to utilize it everyday .” Changing our streets is an issue that touches on livability in a community for everyone ”, says Dan Burden, the founder of walkable Communities for everyone in the 2007 AARP Bulletin.
The effort of a few concerned and determined community active residents worked together and put together their time and skills to apply for funding , thru a grant from the Community Development Block Grant and the City of Amarillo. Those Involved were : Fransetta Crow, Diana King Smith, Dwight Cowens and other volunteers . Because of our efforts, the main Thurfare in NortHeights Amarillo will finally get sidewalks and handicap accessible ramps to allow disabled people to travel in a safe manner along with many other people that live in the community. This project began today and the construction company has already demonstrated that they are not intendending to improve our community but intend to PIECE MILL the sidewalks and not make it uniformed and in order and compliance with government standards. Not only is this an insult to the NorthHeights residents and tax payers, but a violation of the use of Federal Dollars.
We have waited for over 80 years to get sidewalks for the first time while many parts of the city not only have uniformed sidewalks in their community but paved alleys as well . Now that we finally qualify to get sidewalks, the City has approved the half hearted botching and throwing together a poorly planned project that will not improve the appearance of our community, and will also have to be readdressed in the future if not done right. WE WANT OUR SIDEWALKS TO BE AN IMPROVEMENT NOT A PIECE MILLED JOKE. We need to call the city leaders and complain about this unprofessional mess that has been approved . In the Independent Newspaper last week there is an article that talks about the Revitalization of Downtown Amarillo, and sidewalks are part of the plan. I am sure that they won’t patch up and piece mill the sidewalks while using part of our tax dollar. Something needs to be said,and the community needs to protest the intentions of the City of Amarillo and the Construction Co. that has contracted to half do a job that is long, long, long over do.
” When people walk out their doors, their streets should give them the option to walk, drive, ride a bus or ride a bike “, says Bill Wilkings , executive director of the National Center for Bicyling and Walking. Commitment to pedestrian safety is part of a project known as COMPLETE STREETS. There was a bill in 2007 in the Senate that require any road project using federal funds to meet complete standards. It is also a violation of federal and State equal access disability laws, for failing to maintain and upgrade pedestrian walkways. Improving the infrastructure of a low Income neighborhood by installing sidewalks is not only good for the disabled, Senior citizens, individuals, but the community as a whole.
If you would like more information on the sidewalks contact the Engineering Department at City of Amarillo, Issac Rangel (806) 378-9334 or the Contractor (806) 371-728.
For more information on Complete Streets: www.COMPLETESTREETS.ORG
I AM PROUD TO HAVE BEEN APART OF A PROJECT THAT WILL BE ANOTHER POSITIVE IMPROVEMENT FOR THE NORTHEIGHTS Community and North Amarillo. However there is rumor that there are some people that don’t feel that sidewalks are needed on North Hughes and is a waste of money. Well my reply to them is: “It might not be important to you, but it is to those who use it every day and put themselves in harmsway .” If you don’t live in a community I don’t feel you should have a voice or power to make decisions that affect other tax payers livelihoods. We as Black people should be aware of those that are suppose to be representing us, and or assigned or voted for to render a service for those that voted for them. Black Amarillo we need to wake up!!!
If you don’t feel sidewalks are needed on NORTH HUGHES, write me and comment on what you think. If you Want to comment on the City approving the poor construction of the sidewalks in our community and think it’s wrong speak up now we want you to stand up with us and fight for the right thing. The next Project is to get The DEAD TREES REMOVED FROM OUR COMMUNITY. I hope it won’t take 5 more years, maybe the City of Amarillo will apply some of that Stimulus Money to accomplish that problem also.
Goodbye for Now!
Frankly Fran
Premiums, Profits, and the Need for Health Reform
by The White House
The President points to outrageous premium hikes from health insurance companies, especially those already making massive profits, as further proof of the need for reform. Looking ahead to the coming bipartisan meeting on reform, the President urges members of Congress to come to the table in good faith to address the issue.
Watch the address below: