Crutchfield takes final trip as delegate
to the Democratic National Convention
by G. Darby Heath
Mary Inez Crutchfield, State
Executive Committee Woman
for Tennessee, 19th Senatorial
District and one of the four representatives
from Tennessee on
the Democratic National
Committee (DNC), a super delegate,
has been a member of the
DNC since Geraldine Ferraro
was nominated for vice president
at the Democratic
Convention in 1984. Mrs.
Crutchfield said after being a
delegate at seven conventions,
she decided this year’s convention
is her last one:
“After about 30 years, I feel
that it is time for me to step
down and allow someone else to
have this opportunity. As a member
of the DNC, I have done so
many things that I would never
have been privy to. I have had
the opportunity to meet every
U.S. President since President
Jimmy Carter. I have had the
opportunity to dine in the White
House, dinner with the President
and I have had breakfast with the
vice president,” said Crutchfield.
“I have also met such wonderful
people from Tennessee as well
as from across the nation.
“As a young women, from
Watertown, Tenn., I never
thought I would have had such
an opportunity. And my last year
as a delegate could not have
been better designed…what a
historical year.”
Crutchfield also serves on the
party’s credentials committee.
Mrs. Crutchfield, 83, is a retired
professor from Tennessee State
University (37 years) in the
Department of Health and
Physical Education.
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Tennessee receives $6.1 million for
crime victim services
$6,106,000 has been awarded
to Tennessee to enhance crime
victim services in Tennessee. The
funds, awarded through the
Victims of Crime Act, are provided
from the Crime Victims Fund
established by the Office for
Victims of Crime, a federal
agency within the U.S.
Department of Justice.
“Healing begins when crime
survivors acknowledge that they
cannot change the past but do
have the power to make a difference
in the future,” Tennessee
First Lady Andrea Conte said.
“This funding is a lifeline to
crime victims’ organizations in
Tennessee that are so important
in helping survivors continue to
live and thrive.”
The funds are made available
through VOCA’s Victim
Assistance Formula. Each year,
states and territories receive
VOCA funds to support community-
based organizations that
serve crime victims. The grant
money is used to support domestic
violence shelters, rape crisis
centers, child abuse programs,
and victim service units in law
enforcement agencies, prosecutors'
offices, hospitals, and social
service agencies. These programs
provide services that include crisis
intervention, counseling,
emergency shelter, criminal justice
advocacy and emergency
transportation.
Tennessee gives priority to
programs serving victims of
domestic violence, sexual
assault, and child abuse.
Additional funds are set aside for
underserved victims, such as survivors
of homicide victims and
victims of drunk drivers.
Conte is founder and president
of You Have the
Power...Know How to Use It, a
nonprofit corporation dedicated
to raising awareness about crime
and justice issues. In April of this
year, she received the National
Crime Victim Service Award
from U.S. Attorney General
Michael Mukasey in
Washington, D.C. The award
honors national leaders for extraordinary
efforts in direct service
to crime victims.
As First Lady, Conte worked
to create a statewide Commission
on Crime Victims Assistance.
Established in August 2003, the
citizen commission is responsible
for providing recommendations
regarding benefits and other
issues associated with the
Criminal Injury Compensation
Fund. Conte also helped establish
‘A Tennessee Season to
Remember,’ an annual memorial
event honoring Tennesseans who
have lost their lives to violent
crime.
In 2004, Conte launched a
walk across the state to raise
awareness of child sexual abuse
and the role of Tennessee's Child
Advocacy Centers in helping
children recover. Her journey
took her more than 600 miles and
raised more than one million dollars.
By. Hazel Trice Edney
NNPA Editor-in-Chief
DENVER (NNPA) – U. S. Sen.
Barack Obama has officially
accepted the Democratic nomination
for president of the
United States before an audience
of as many as 90,000 adoring
supporters, who also cheered the
possibility of his becoming
America’s first Black president.
The euphoric moment was
played out before millions who
watched by TV and the internet
around the world. It transcended
politics as it shattered doubts
that Americans of all races and
backgrounds can unite behind an
African-American candidate for
president. Moreover, it raised
hopes that people of color can
soar above intrinsic White
supremacy in a nation that for
centuries embraced slavery, Jim
Crow and modern-day institutional
racism.
“With profound gratitude and
great humility, I accept your
nomination for the presidency of
the United States,” Obama told
the crowd of flag-waving, cheering,
chanting, applauding,
stumping and crying supporters
at Invesco Field at Mile High in
Denver.
He immediately recalled his
2004 speech to the Democratic
Convention as a then candidate
for the U. S. Senate.
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Republican Convention gets turbulent
start due to Hurricane Gustav
By. Hazel Trice Edney
NNPA Editor-in-Chief
WASHINGTON (NNPA) – The
Republican National
Convention – set to make the
second nomination of a woman
as vice president of the United
States this week - was back on
schedule Tuesday after a lull
early this week due to Hurricane
Gustav in the Gulf Coast.
President Bush was set to
speak Tuesday night after
Presidential nominee John
McCain temporarily called for a
scaled back convention while
waiting to determine the damages
of Hurricane Gustav.
McCain was set to make his
acceptance speech on Thursday.
Although the damage and
affects of the hurricane were
unpredictable at that time,
Republican spokesman Sean
Conner said McCain called for
sensitivity over politics.
“We are being sensitive to
states that are being evacuated.
And this is not the time for politics.
This is a time for us to be in
service to our country and in service
to people who have been
affected,” Conner said.
Conner said an “Affected
States Working Group” was
formed at the convention to brief
delegates from the main four
affected states – Louisiana,
Texas, Mississippi, and Alabama
- on updates. He also said a jet
was chartered to take those delegates
home who are concerned
about their own personal affairs
or the affairs of the affected
states.
First Lady Laura Bush and
prospective First Lady Cindy
McCain spoke Monday night on
hurricane-related issues.
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Almost three weeks have
passed since the Metropolitan
Development and Housing
Agency (MDHA) and the
Lionstone Group, a private real
estate investment firm, first
offered a compromise proposal
that would preserve the Country
Music International building
located at 23 Music Circle East,
while allowing for a $70 million
redevelopment of the surrounding,
blighted block.
But so far the owner, Mrs.
Joy Ford, and her representatives
have not made any formal
response to either accept or
reject the offer. Their only comments
have been made through
the media.
With a Circuit Court hearing
set for Friday, August 29, to
determine whether MDHA has
the right to acquire the entire
property through court order,
MDHA Executive Director Phil
Ryan says the compromise offer
still stands. As a further sign of
good faith, the agency has
amended its court pleadings to
acquire only the vacant, paved
back portion of the 23 Music
Circle East property as outlined
in the compromise.
The compromise would leave
the Country Music International
building on the property
untouched. The developers
would pay the owner, Mrs. Joy
Ford, the appraised value of her
property for the land acquired,
which is $100 per square foot. In
addition, the developer would
provide parking spaces in its
new parking facility to replace
any that may be lost due to the
development. These spaces can
be used by Mrs. Ford at no cost
in perpetuity.
“We would really like to
work this matter out,” said Ryan.
“We believe this compromise
would do that, and we believe in
the offer so much, we are willing
to amend our court pleadings to
incorporate it.
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by G. Darby Heath
By. Hazel Trice Edney
NNPA Editor-in-Chief
By. Hazel Trice Edney
NNPA Editor-in-Chief