1990-12-15 Indianapolis Recorder

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95th YEAR
NUMBER 50
INDIANA'S GREATEST WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
SATURDAY,  DECEMBER 15, 1990
PHONE 317, 924-5143
Shaking down
the Peashakes
By KIM L. HOOPER
Staff Writer
Local area peashakc houses have long been considered harmless
nuisances in the African-American community and were given a nod
and a wink by city officials.
But a measure being adopted by the Indianapolis Police Department
will make sure the doors to ticket house are closed by Jan. 3. Itisamove
that does not suiprise many operators of the popular establishments.
"I figured this would happen. There was too much blackness," said
one westside ticket house operator who spoke on condition of anonymity. "When die whites had it it was okay, but since it's become
predominantly operated by black people, they don't like it"
For more than SO years, peashake houses, mostly located in African-American communities, have been ran and operated in Indianapolis primarily by African Americans.
See PEASHAKE, Pag* A8
Two hundred
to gas explosion
By KWAME COLEMAN
Recorder Correspondent
Neatly 200 of die residents of
Harrison Village are now being
housed at three Indianapolis hotels
while utility crews replace the
community's natural gas pipe line
system, following an explosion
Sunday night.
More than 250 enlisted military
peraonnel and their dependents
were displaced when a natural gas
explosion destroyed most of an
apartment building at Fort Benjamin Harrison Sunday night.
The blast, felt some 12 miles
away, instantly killed a 5-year-old
girt and injured 19. Six ofthe victims suffered severe bums.
The dead girt was identified as
Jannea Encarnacion, daughter of
Adolpho md Tracy Encarnacion.
The explosion and subsequent
fire left many residents angry that
they weren't made to leave after a
gas leak was discovered in a building adjacent to the one that blew
up.
Byj^dings surrounding the leak
areawercevacuated but most other
residents of the village were given
the option to leave for the night or
stay home without heat or hot
water.
Col. R. W. Sweeney Jr., Fort
Benjamin Harrison's chief of staff,
said although there was a faulty
weld on the gas line, the explosion
was probably caused by a faulty
appliance or human error. Authorities removed die stove, hot water
heater and furnace from each apartment bi the partially destroyed
building.
Sweeney said the explosion
occurred Sunday about 9:15 pjn.,
about 20 minutes after the natural
gas lines to several buildings had
been reopened.
The gas lines were being replaced, he said, because it was
more efficient to have Citizen's
Gas & Coke Utility do it, the utility
was more adept at servicing die
gas system and "we want to be able
to say that these units are absolutely safe." Authorities estimate
that the system would be installed
in a week a an estimated cost of
$100,000.
The community has responded
to the explosion by donating food,
clothing and money. Officials are
asking anyone who wishes to
donate money or materials to call
die fort's community services office at 542-4357.
The Nutcracker'
Christopher Corbln performing -Russian Danct" during tha 1990 Butler Ballet production ol "Tht Nutcracker."
Charges of dirty politics in state Senate race
By JIM NELSON
StaffWriter
The race to determine who will be the next
state Senator from the 34th District is down to
the last few days and all attempts to bring die
issues of the two front-runners before the
community have been canceled, each time by
tte candidate who has been endorsed by outgoing state Senator Julia Carson.
Billie Breaux declined an invitation from
the Indianapolis Association of Black Journalists to debate Eunice Trotter, editor-in-chief of
The Indianapolis Recorder and then later
declined die invitation from 9th ward chairperson Crystal Allison to meet with the precinct
committee people ftom the 9th ward at her
home. The invitation was extended to both
Breaux and Trotter as a way of allowing those
who will have a vote in next Tuesday's special
election to meet tbe candidates.
Breaux responded to die allegations by
saying. "I declined because I had a conflict in
my schedule. I have never participated in dirty
politics. I have not threatened anyone."
Breaux also said she did not participate in
the debate sponsored by I AB J because she was
informed that the organization was founded by
Trotter.
The information supplied to Breaux, however, was incorrect. The IABJ chapter was
formed in August of this year and the organiza-
tion that Trotter was associated with disbanded
several years ago.
When asked about her refusal to participate
in die event hosted by Allison, Breaux said, "I
declined because I had a class that night"
Sm SENATE, PagaAS
KKK note placed
on woman's car
Inside The Recorder
Injured.
By KIM L. HOOPER
StaffWriter
I nt monih, somrour sent Kath-
erine Cowling an ominous message. The 54-year-old automotive
plant woiker found a flyer an her
car windshield which had a Klansman and a burning cross drawn on
Hand the words: "We're Watching
You" written at the top.
Cowling, a 16-year employee
ot Arvin North America Automotive in Franklin, Ind., a division of
Aivta IndMOka, says she is the
vkska of job harassment.
the harassment
r.d_} was injured on the
job last spring and filed for workman's compensation.
She said co-workers have
thrown parts at her, made harass
ing remarks and phone calls and
that her doctors orders requiring
less time on her feet, are not being
honored by management. She has
filed complaints with the Indiana
Civil Rights Commission, die
npartmettofLabor's division of
Affirmative Action, the Equal
Employment Opportunities Com-
mission nd the Indiana Civil Liberties Union. She haa alao filed
grievances Wfthpeaotmd and with
Deadline for
all advertising,
including
religion,
for the
Dec. 29 issue
is Dec. 21
Arta/Entort»lnn>onL....~..B1 -4
...B11-12
.■14-16
Comics.
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