Frost Illustrated (Newspaper) - August 9, 2000, Fort Wayne, Indiana makes sculptures from old sneakers and other odds and See page 9. Party of Lincoln trying to recapture black Seepages 2 & 3. Queen of Blues to give Fort Wayne fans a blistering See page 8. New coalition tackling central city health issues Photo by A.A. Minister Chris Bell to the founder of CPT directs the organization's youth choir at last week's Festival on Pontiac The choir was one of a number of community groups that participated in the The now in its eighth featured a number of cultural events including music and Afrikan as well as food and art vendors for the shopping organizers also sponsored garner and other activities for Black Farmers challenge Democrats on agriculture settlement claims By Dodie Miller In a continuing battle over the settlement of claims filed by black farmers against the U.S. Department of members of the Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association charged that congressional Democrats are hindering the settlement process and as a black farmers are prepared to withhold votes from Democrats during the year 2000 In March 1999, the filed suit against the USDA on behalf of black farmers whom they said had been systematically discriminated against by the federal In June the two combatants sighed a consent decree that would give the farmers monetary compensation for those past officials say the money has been slow in Republican legislators recently proposed a resolution urging the government to quickly settle those but black have not supported that proposal arousing the ire of President Gary Grant expressed his anger toward the Congressional Black which is made up of black Democratic elected We 1/1/ are declaring war on anyone who doesn't support It is time thai black elected officials understand the time for taking the black vote for granted is President al are declaring war on anyone who doesn't support It is time that black elected officials understand the time for taking the black vote for granted is he Congressional support for black farmers could come in the form of legislation that would expedite the rate at which settlement checks were free the recipient from incurring a tax from the IRS and prevent those receiving large sums from being subject to an FBI which occurred when a farmer was compensated at the Problems between the two groups were exposed in May when Congressional Democrats overwhelmingly opposed and worked to defeat House Resolution 296, proposed by Jay Dickey The resolution expresses the need for the federal to settle all lawsuits filed by black farmers although would not have the force of law behind it. Congressional Democrats claim that Resolution 296 is a political ploy on behalf of Dickey who is up for reelection in his home but their lack of support for the measure strikes a negative chord with shouldn't take the black vote for is a chance for the Congressional Black Caucus to bring money back to their districts if farmers in those districts get he The warned that the traditional support the Democrat Patty has come to count on in recent years is in been doing it so long that we just continue to dp it because supposedly they are the liberal party helping to keep people out of Its seems to be keeping people Grant The political void left by on page 13) By Robbin L. Melton For some local central city quality health care and preventive health information is a taboo subject that only brings about at thoughts of a luxury beyond their Several local community and health have banded together to erase the fear and financial barriers surrounding quality health Representatives of the Interdenominational Ministerial Minority Health Fort Wayne Medical Midwest Alliance for St. Joseph Hospital and the YMCA of Greater Fort Wayne announced July 25 the formation of the Central City Healthy Family Health Building on some of the groundwork laid down by the Minority Health the new group seeks to improve access to health services and serve as a political advocate for those typically left out of the following the lead of the Minority Health Coalition under the banner of the Ministerial said the Rev. Mike Central City's publicity Minority Health Coalition is one of our It holds our community together by working to improve the delivery of health The formation of a new health explained was triggered by several including the restructuring of St. Joseph Hospital and the recommitment to the Coalition members determined that combining their efforts would enable them to reach those who typically fall through the particularly senior men and people of Despite free to health screenings and other services available throughout Fort Rev. Mike Nickelson too many central city explained continue to ignore or minimize their health problems and concerns because of doubts and fears or a lack of financial By streamlining already established health programs and making them more Nickelson and others are confident that the Central City coalition can help alleviate those problems and ' already know what health issues are integral to said need to get people in front of doctors in non-threatening settings to help them get In conjunction with Minority Health Coalition Central City will provide its clients with access to dental and medical and offer screenings for sickle cell prostate diabetes and other Central City clients will also benefit from a new Minority Health Coalition With financial support from the Lutheran the Minority Health Coalition recently began tracking its clients as part of a three-year Midwest Health Alliance research Clients screened by Minority Health representatives are logged into a database that allows coalition representatives to identify individuals through family health history follow-up care and complete health Screened clients also receive a comprehensive read-out of their health assessments to learn how to take control of their own Call Tony Davis at 422-6486, ext. 215 for more information about the Central City Healthy Family Coalition and its services or the Minority Health Coalition at 456-4566 for Midwest Health Alliance participant