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SPORTS Shaw advances to the Final Four VOLUME 13 NO. 14 WE WEEKEKOF OF MA RCH27,2011RCH27,2011 ONE DOLLAR THE TRIANGLE’S CHOICE FOR THE BLACK VOICE The end of an era Retired music teacher uses art to spice life By Sommer Brokaw THE TRIANGLE TRIBUNE DURHAM - While some people may stress about the economy, jobs and day-to-day living, Paula Nunn, also known as “Annie Bell Clock,” is eager to bring some comic relief. Now retired from teaching music in Durham Public Schools for 20 years, she is still pursuing the arts because she wants people to remember her. “I’m just hungry now for the entertainment are- na,” she said. “I also just enjoy bringing smiles to people’s faces. The world is hurting, and if I could just do my part to make people de-stress, it makes me feel good.” Nunn said people started saying they were going to “Annie Bell Clock” to see her when they actual- ly meant the ABC store. Her comedic stage name was born. Since then, she has performed her com- edy act at various venues in the Triangle. Her style is what she Patricia calls “clean comedy” PHOTO/BO ‘Annie Bell that’s funny with- Clock’ Geneva ‘Mama’ Dillard arrived on the last day, much to the crowd’s delight. out the vulgarity. Nunn “The way the is out world is today to make there are so people many negative laugh. Dillard’s Bar-B-Que closes forces out here,” she said. “If I could show some By Sommer Brokaw be pleased. So I’m happy that my moth- of the younger THE TRIANGLE TRIBUNE er’s and father’s legacy is intact.” generation there Founded by Samuel is an avenue that DURHAM - Customers crowded into Dillard on Fayetteville you can express Dillard’s last week to get one last taste Street in 1953, it was yourself positively of their southern cuisine and to show Durham’s second old- instead of at- their appreciation for the community est barbecue opera- taching your- landmark. The restaurant was original- tion after Bullock’s, self to the ly scheduled to close March 18 at 5:30 which opened in negative p.m., but as late as 8 p.m. customers 1952. stereo- were still fellowshipping and signing the Samuel Dillard start- types guest book. ed out with a grocery that’s “I have to look at the magnitude of op- store. The common out position the community had to its clos- standard at that time here, ing, and I have to believe that it hasn’t was for people to pay then I ended, but it’s just a chapter,” said on credit, but some- feel as Wilma Dillard, a former teacher who took times the customers though over the business after her father died wouldn’t pay their my liv- of colon cancer in 1997. “And I’m not bills. A friend told ing on talking about the restaurant, just the him to create some- this commitment that the Dillard family has thing where people would have to pay The sign on the cash reg- earth has not been in vain.” to the community. on the spot, and, soon after, Dillard’s ister said it all. She is working on a lead role in the play “Going “Yesterday and today actually made Bar-B-Que was born. Homeless,” produced by ANFO Productions. “She me realize the impact we actually had It began with a sandwich with coleslaw gives 100 percent to every role that she’s been in, on the community. Anytime you’re serv- ing, you want people you’re serving to See DILLARD’S/2A See RETIRED/2A Walnut Creek principal Blacks failing military grade By Sommer Brokaw least 31 out of 99 percentile director of research at The THE TRIANGLE TRIBUNE score - the minimum quali- Education Trust. “That sug- introduced to community fying score. More than twice gests to me our high schools DURHAM - The achieve- as many blacks as white ap- need to think differently ment gap is affecting not plicants failed to qualify. about how they’re preparing By Bonitta Best only African-Americans’ col- Those that do often have kids, the rigor of classes and THE TRIANGLE TRIBUNE lege and career goals on the lower scores, which could courses for students to be civilian side, but also their exclude them from higher- prepared for that option in RALEIGH - Corey Moore ability to join and move up level training. the military. A lot of people understands the task before in the military. Other branches such as the think that the military is an him. And, judging by his The Education Trust, a Navy, Marines, Air Force and open access employer for March 18 speech, he’s pre- Washington-based educa- Coast Guard have higher them, that it’s that second pared and ready. tion research and advocacy qualifying scores. Those chance, but the military is a Moore last week was organization, released the scoring 50 and higher on the selective employer.” named principal of the new report “Shut Out of the AFQT are eligible for Army End-of-grade and end-of- Walnut Creek Elementary Military: Today’s High incentive programs like col- course tests in N.C. public set to open this fall in School Education Doesn’t lege repayment programs schools also show an aca- Southeast Raleigh. Mean You’re Ready for the and the Army College Fund, demic gap between black According to Wake County Army” last December. a monetary incentive that in- and white students. In 2008- Public School, the elemen- The report is based on a creases the value of the G.I. 09, 43.6 percent of blacks in tary will house a majority of sample of 350,000 high Bill benefits. grades three to eight passed low-income students on school graduates from 2004- In N.C., 35.7 percent of the EOG math and reading free- and reduced-lunch. 09 who took the Army’s 4,824 black applicants are tests compared to 76.7 per- School board members Armed Services Vocational ineligible based on ASVAB cent of whites. were so jittery about find- Aptitude Battery test that as- scores compared to 15.3 “I think we see those gaps ing a qualified candidate, sesses candidates’ aptitude percent of 6,450 white ap- in the National Assessment they added a $7,000 signing for enlistment. Four sub- plicants. of Education Progress or bonus to the position. groups make up the test: “The fact that they’ve met state standardized achieve- But Moore, and others at math knowledge, arithmetic the graduation requirements ment tests,” Theokas said. the school forum hosted by reasoning, word knowledge of high school, four years of “We’re seeing it reflected Compassionate Tabernacle and paragraph comprehen- English, three years of math, here as well with national of Faith Church, are un- sion. at least two years of science scores or across most states daunted. According to the national and social studies but can’t you see those disparities “This is a dream come report, 23 percent of test pass this test is disappoint- Walnut Creek is scheduled to open in the fall. takers failed to achieve at ing,” said Christina Theokas, See BLACKS/2A See FIRST /3A Kirk Franklin releases Call us: 919-688-9408 or fax 919-688-2740 Ind Indexex E-mail: [email protected] new CD this week. Editorial 4A Sports 1B Focus 6A Classifieds 5B www.triangletribune.com Arts & Life 5B Religion 6B Remember to recycle 2A NEWS/The Triangle Tribune March 27, 2011 Dillard’s Bar-B-Que closes for good Continued from 1A just shows you that things at other chain restaurants, Durham was once called the been when the pebble was ent way, but I have to accept and later became a full-scale are really changing.” but is even more disap- ‘Black Mecca’ or the “Black thrown that just started the life and understand it was a buffet restaurant. Customers got a special pointed because the restau- Wall Street,’ and to lose a mi- rippling effects, then with bit too big for my hands. It Durham residents said treat on closing day when rant was a well-known com- nority business that was the crash of Wall Street more was never profit-driven. It they view the restaurant as Geneva “Mama” Dillard ar- munity gathering spot. known as one of the staples people started losing their was always friend-driven, iconic. rived around 11:30 a.m. The “Some of the best social of our community is sad.” jobs. Some of my main cus- brotherhood-driven and now “They’re like a landmark,” line of patrons, which was capital that has occurred in Wilma Dillard said the eco- tomers lost their jobs, and things have changed. If you said Geneva Melton, a resi- already out the door, smiled our community was at nomic downturn started af- they couldn’t afford to eat don’t make a profit, you dent of East Durham and and clapped as she entered. Dillard’s,” he said. “It’s sad ter the Sept. 11 attacks and out. can’t stay in business. The frequent patron. “They’ve City Councilman Farad Ali after all these years to lose continually got worse with “I’m grateful, humbled economy has priced a lot of been here for so many years said he enjoyed their home another minority business the recession. and, in all sincerity, I had people out of the game.” and, with them closing, it cooking that you can’t get due to the economic times.