Disgraced Cannon 'Betrayed the Trust'
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WWW.TRIANGLE TRIBUNE.COM WakeMed opens on- The Triangle site farmer’s market By Latisha bus to a grocery store and come Catchatoorian back and make dinner, so here it’s TRIBUNE to make it a little more accessible [email protected] to folks.” Gintzig said he and his team, THE TRIANGLE’S CHOICE FOR THE BLACK VOICE RALEIGH – The summer harvest is being brought right to WakeMed which support some area farmer’s Health & Hospitals’ campus. markets, reached out to some of their connections and “one thing VOLUME 16 NO. 5 WEEK OF JUNE 8, 2014 $1.00 Tuesday was the opening day of a new farmer’s market inside the led to another. hospital’s corridor. “Our mission here is to improve Champions were In Southeast Raleigh, which is the health and well-being of the considered a “food desert,” local community and that means more crowned at the markets and grocery stores within than just being here when they’re a reasonable distance for residents ill, injured or have a disease. It’s to procure healthy, fresh food are also figuring out how we can recent Mahogany lacking. improve their health by being able “When you look around out to prevent. Access to healthy fruits Tennis Classic here, it’s wonderful, but there’s and vegetables and produce is crit- only fast food,” WakeMed CEO ical to being able to do that.” Donald Gintzig said. “So when you Heather Monackey, the WakeMed work all day and you come home, supervisor in public relations, said where are you going to go? You a reason this farmer’s market will don’t have time to drive or take a Please see WAKE/2A Complaint Moral against Monday arrests DPS continue ongoing By Latisha Catchatoorian [email protected] By Latisha Catchatoorian RALEIGH – Protestors again [email protected] were arrested in this week’s DURHAM – A complaint Moral Monday demonstra- filed against Durham Public tion. Schools for its alleged dis- On Monday, 11 North criminatory suspension poli- Carolinians staged a sit-in at cy against minority and dis- the governor’s office and are abled students is still unre- being called the “McCrory solved. 11” by the N.C. NAACP. All Last year, Advocates for were arrested and charged Children’s Services of Legal with second-degree trespass- Aid of North Carolina and the ing after refusing to leave the Center for Civil Rights premise until Governor Pat Remedies at the Civil Rights McCrory met with them. Project of UCLA filed a com- CHUCK BURTON FOR THE ASSOCIATED PRESS “Our 11 moral witnesses plaint, saying the district’s Former Charlotte mayor Patrick Cannon addressed the media Tuesday at the Federal Courthouse. would not be moved from suspension policy discrimi- their attempts to petition the Cannon pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges, which could carry a maximum sentence of 20 years governor directly,” said the nates against African- and $250,000 in fines. “I regret hurting the city that I love,” he said. American students, students Rev. William Barber, presi- with disabilities and, particu- dent of the N.C. NAACP. “To larly, black students with dis- our governor and our state abilities. lawmakers, we say ‘If you are The complaint asks the U.S. going to engage in premedi- Disgraced Cannon tated political ideology that Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights to hurts the least of these, then investigate DPS, encourage we will give no quarter. the adoption of discipline These are matters of life and policies that are non-discrim- death and the blood will be inatory and use suspension ‘betrayed the trust’ on their hands.’ ” only as a last resort. The arrests are in addition “The OCR is still investigat- to the 14 who were arrested ing DPS to determine the Former Charlotte mayor pleads guilty to federal corruption and last Monday for a sit-in out- extent of the discrimination side Speaker Thom Tillis’ and whether a voluntary res- apologizes for charges while law enforcement probes continue office. To avoid a similar olution can be reached with demonstration, the senate the district,” said Peggy By Michaela L. Duckett government and damaged a.m. His hearing, which lasted held a midnight session on Charlotte’s good reputation,” said about 20 minutes, began nearly Friday and met again on Nicholson, staff attorney for [email protected] Advocates for Children’s Anne M. Tompkins, U.S. attorney an hour later. Wednesday. The protestors Services. Former Charlotte mayor Patrick for the Western District of North With a somber face, Cannon decided to “change plans by Nicholson emphasized that Cannon did the expected on Carolina during a press confer- stood straight with his head high instead focusing on the gov- the administrative complaint Tuesday by pleading guilty to fed- ence following Tuesday’s hearing. as the judge read through the ernor” according to a press is not a lawsuit. The OCR eral charges of corruption. “Cannon will now be held charges against him, seven release. “has the responsibility of He faces a maximum of 20 years accountable… for putting person- instances in which he accepted “I got to the point where ensuring that school districts in prison and $250,000 fine. al gain over the greater good,” she bribes – including $50,000 - doing everything within the that accept federal funds, A four-year investigation, which said. “As we move forward, let one $70,000 in cash, use of a luxury law doesn’t do anything, and like DPS, comply with federal involved undercover agents pos- message be clear: apartment, and an all-expense so I decided to take a stand,” anti-discrimination laws.” ing as businessmen with interests My office will contin- paid trip to Las Vegas - in protestor Justin Miller of In an effort to receive pub- in Charlotte, found that Cannon, ue to investigate exchange for various favors from Charlotte said. lic input on the matter, DPS 47, schemed to defraud the public allegations of public urging a council member to inter- Activists continue to held a series of community by accepting bribes of cash and corruption and go vene with city officials on behalf demand that the General forums last year where par- other gifts in exchange for use of after anyone who of a strip club owner to giving Assembly reevaluate its cur- ents, teachers, administra- his influence as an elected official. uses public office as false presentations as mayor pro rent legislation on matters of tors and concerned citizens A federal criminal bill of infor- a means of getting tem and making special promises health care, environmental discussed problems and mation charging the former rich. Charlotte has to undercover agents posing as protection, unemployment potential solutions about the mayor with one count of honest Tompkins no room for corrupt businessmen. benefits, education rights, issue. However, Nicholson services wire fraud and a filed politicians.” Cannon told the judge he was voting rights and minimum said that recently released plea agreement were unsealed on Arriving with his legal team, guilty as charged. wage. The current denial of discipline data by the N.C. June 2. Cannon appeared before attorneys James Ferguson and After entering his plea, Cannon health care access to 500,000 Department of Public U.S. Magistrate Judge David S. Henderson Hill, Cannon was addressed reporters in front of North Carolinians is a result Instruction reveals that the Cayer the following day to formal- greeted at the federal courthouse the courthouse. Reading a written of the General Assembly’s suspension disparities are ly enter a guilty plea. by dozens of media, including statement, he said he was sorry. refusal to expand Medicaid. increasing. “Through his actions, Cannon reporters from as far as New York. “I regret having hurt the city that “Refusing to expand “Even though black stu- betrayed the trust of his con- After nearly falling to the ground I love,” he read. “I understand the Medicaid has forced several dents make up only 50 per- stituents and his peers, compro- amid the commotion, he walked anger, frustration and disappoint- hospitals in North Carolina cent of the DPS student pop- mised the integrity of our local into the courtroom around 10:45 Please see CANNON/2A onto life support,” said ulation, DPS gave over 80 Nicole Dozier, assistant proj- percent of short-term sus- ect director with the Health pensions to black students Access Project at the N.C. during the 2012-13 school Justice Center. “Hospitals in year – up from 78 percent expansion states have the previous school year,” ECSU spared campus closure already seen big increases in she said. “Discrimination is the numbers of insured still very much a problem in patients they see, and big decreases in their shares of DPS, and although DPS lead- have considered the feasibility of dis- not think this study is the best way to ership has been willing to By Herbert L. White uninsured patients.” solving any school whose fall full- begin addressing them,” he said in a A new bill was also passed acknowledge the discrimina- THE CHARLOTTE POST time enrollment declined by more statement. “I have prepared an tion, there has been no sys- in the House and Senate last Elizabeth City State University has than 20 percent between the 2010-11 amendment and after my discussion week to end North Carolina’s temic action to combat it. and 2012-13 fiscal years. If it had with Senate leadership, they have “Given that there have been spared potential moratorium on fracking, a closure after the N.C. passed, the bill would require the agreed to support the elimination of slang term for hydraulic frac- been no significant policy Board of Governors to report its find- the provision completely from the changes in DPS’ discipline Senate pulled a provi- turing, which refers to the sion from its budget.