ANNOUNCEMENTS from March 9, 2010:
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Robin Bradford announced that the Black Political Caucus would hold a candidate forum on Thursday, March 18 with reception beginning at 5:30 p.m., meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Little Rock AME Zion Church at 7th and McDowell Streets. Members will meet March 21 to vote on candidate endorsements. The Spring Ball, a fundraiser at which candidates will be introduced, will be held Saturday, March 27 from 8 p.m. to midnight at the Airport Sheraton, 3315 Scott Futrell Drive. Call Robin Bradford at 704-488-7608 or [email protected] for tickets or sponsorship packages. Proceeds support the candidate endorsement process for the May 4 primary.
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Beverly Lawston announced a fund-raiser for her District 2 County Commissioner campaign for Thursday, March 25 from 6-9 p.m. at Claiborne's Club, 2342 Beatties Ford Rd. Tickets in advance are $20, with tickets at the door $25.
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Twyla Hollingsworth announced her candidacy for District Court Judge (Lisa Bell seat). "I'm running because justice matters."
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Vivian Mitchell announced that the Sunset at Linda Vista Neighborhood Crime Watch would hold a second meeting on Thursday, March 18 at 6:30 p.m. at Williams Memorial Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall, 4700 Beatties Ford Rd.
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Carol Sawyer sent in an announcement that as part of its marking of its 30th anniversary and the retirement of founding Executive Director Si Kahn, Grassroots Leadership would co-sponsor with the Levine Museum of the New South a free panel discussion, "Community Organizing in Charlotte, Then and Now," on Friday, April 9 from 7-9:30 p.m. at the museum, 200 E. 7th St. The event includes the world premier of "Rabble-Rousers, Activists & Quiet Lovers of Justice" composed by David Crowe, and a sing-along led by Si Kahn.
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Michael Sexton sent in an announcement of Mecklenburg plans for "Ask Me How I Am," the marking on Thursday, May 6 of National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day. Miss North Carolina headlines a free event at the Mint Museum of Art, 2730 Randolph Rd. from 5:30 p.m. The event includes screeenings of the PBS documentary "Misunderstood Epidemic" and "In Our Words," with a family discussion. RSVP: 704-371-8855. Info: www.wtvi.org
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Cathy Sheafor sent in an announcement that a Charlotte Community School for Girls donor will match all donations made to the school by April 15, up to $25,000. Info: www.charlottecommunityschool.org.
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County Manager Harry Jones' March 12 Bulletin Board included the following:
"Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services and five community partners will be hosting two job application fairs on Saturday, March 13 and Saturday, March 20 to screen applicants for The Opportunity Project. The Opportunity Project is a subsidized employment program supported by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds. This initiative will provide 500 temporary jobs to low-income people.
"The fairs will be held at Founders Hall, 100 North Tryon Street. This site and three parking locations have been donated by Bank of America. The fairs will be open to the public from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on March 13, 2010 and March 20, 2010.
"During the fairs, applicants will be screened to determine if they meet the eligibility criteria for The Opportunity Project. For an applicant to participate in the program, he/she must: live in Mecklenburg County; be a United States citizen or qualified immigrant; meet income requirements (for example: a four-person household must have at or below $3,675 gross monthly income); be a parent or legal guardian (provide day-to-day care for a child age 17 or younger); and be deemed job ready.
"The five partnering agencies (Arbor Education and Training, The Center for Community Transitions, Goodwill Industries, Jacob's Ladder Job Center, and Urban League) will be available to discuss job readiness/training with interested customers.
"After the fairs, eligible applicants will be placed in a database to be matched with employers who are recruiting for specific jobs/ skills."
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Michael Sexton sent in a save-the-date for the biennial conference of the N.C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence to be held May 25-27 at the Durham Marriott Convention Center. Discount registration deadline is April 15. More info: www.nccadv.org.
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Maddy Baer sent in a reminder of a March 31 deadline for application for the AARP Foundation Women's Scholarship Program aimed at women 40 or older who are "seeking new job skills, training, and educational opportunities to support themselves and their families." More info: www.aarp.org/makeadifference/gettinghelp/wlc/.
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Michael Sexton sent in an announcement that the League of Women Voters will mark Women's History Month with a presentation of "Iron Jawed Angles" starring Hilary Swank, Frances O'Connor and Anjelica Huston, about "the true story of The Alice Paul Institute and the young activists who risked their lives to help American women win the right to vote," on Saturday, March 20 at the YWCA, 3420 Park Rd., from 11 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. RSVP to [email protected] by Wednesday, March 17.
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Amad Shakur sent in an announcement that the Center for African Diaspora would host a "We are Haiti" benefit on Saturday, March 27 from 7-10 p.m. at Spirit Square, 345 N. College St. Entertainment includes African dance groups, jazz ensembles, poets, storytellers, a panel discussion on Haitian history and presentation of a humanitarian service award. Further information: Amad Shakur at 704-777-3611.
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Michael Sexton sent in an announcement of the Crime Victims' Coalition Luncheon for Thursday, April 22 at 11:30 a.m. at Greater Mt. Moriah Primitive Baptist Church, 747 W. Trade St. Keynote speaker: Mecklenburg Sheriff Chipp Bailey. Reservations before April 13 are $10, $15 after April 13. RSVP: [email protected] or 704-432-1568.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS from March 16, 2010:
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Sarah Stevenson announces that she misspoke during the March 16 Forum: CMS Supt. Peter Gorman will speak to the Forum on March 30, not March 23.
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Kojo Nantambu announced the NAACP would sponsor a law clinic to be held Saturday, March 20 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Little Rock Community Development Center at 7th and McDowell Streets downtown. Participants will be able to talk to an attorney for 30 minutes on a first-come first-served basis. Workshops will also be held on employment discrimination and how to expunge a criminal record.
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Kojo Nantambu announced a march in support of President Obama's health care reform for Saturday, March 20 at 11 a.m. at Mount Moriah Primitive Baptist Church, 747 W. Trade St. Participants will march to Trade and Tryon Streets at noon.
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Robin Bradford announced that the Black Political Caucus would hold a candidate forum on Thursday, March 18 with reception beginning at 5:30 p.m., meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Little Rock AME Zion Church at 7th and McDowell Streets. The Spring Gala, a fundraiser at which candidates will be introduced, will be held Saturday, March 27 from 8 p.m. to midnight at the Airport Sheraton, 3315 Scott Futrell Drive. Call Robin Bradford at 704-488-7608 or [email protected] for tickets or sponsorship packages. Proceeds support the candidate endorsement process for the May 4 primary.
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Lucy Bush Carter thanked Mayor Anthony Foxx for agreeing to deliver Friendship Trays next week as part of National Mayor For Meals Week.
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Sylvia Grier announced that Genesis Project is looking for partners to assist in workforce development. Info: Sylvia Grier at 704-340-0186 or [email protected].
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Vivian Mitchell announced that the Sunset at Linda Vista Neighborhood Crime Watch would hold a second meeting on Thursday, March 18 at 6:30 p.m. at Williams Memorial Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall, 4700 Beatties Ford Rd.
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Twyla Hollingsworth, District Court judge candidate, announced that judge races are nonpartisan and are listed at the end of the May 4 primary ballot.
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Jackie Edwards Walton announced that the N.C. Housing Coalition and N.C. Assets Alliance would co-host a regional asset building and family economic security forum on Friday, March 19 from 10 a.m-2 p.m. at the Federal Reserve Bank, 530 E. Trade St. Lunch is included. Register at http://www.nchousing.org/2010_asset_building_forums. No weapons or cell phones are allowed in the federal building.
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Thomas Moore announced that the In Tunes, the new Red Cross choir, will rehearse Tuesday, March 23, at 6 p.m. at the Red Cross building on Park Road. "If you say you can't sing," said director Moore, "this is the choir for you."
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Michael Sexton sent in an announcement of the Crime Victims' Coalition Luncheon for Thursday, April 22 at 11:30 a.m. at Greater Mt. Moria Primitive Baptist Church, 747 W. Trade St. Keynote speaker: Mecklenburg Sheriff Chipp Bailey. Reservations before April 13 are $10, $15 after April 13. RSVP: [email protected] or 704-432-1568.
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Delores Hurt sent in an announcement that the Women's History Hall of Fame, co-sponsored by the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Inc. of Charlotte and the Levine Museum of the New South, will induct three health care professionals into the hall at the Clubs' annual Women's History Month celebration, scheduled for Friday, March 26 at 5 p.m. at the Museum, 200 E. 7th St. Inductees will be Ivestia (Peggy) Beckwith, Executive Director of the Sickle Cell Association of Southern Piedmont for more than thirty years; Tanya Stewart Blackmon, President of Presbyterian Hospital, Huntersville; and Sandra G. Watson, Founder of The Healing Place Cancer Ministry at Rockwell AME Zion Church in Charlotte. Tickets are $15. Info: Delores Hurt at 704-778-3887.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS from March 30, 2010:
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Sarah Stevenson announced that U.S. Rep. Mel Watt, D-N.C., will hold a Town Hall this Thursday, April 1, 2010, at 6 p.m. in the chapel on the campus of Johnson C. Smith University, 100 Beatties Ford Rd.
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Jackie Edwards Walton announced a meeting at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 1 at the Carole Hoefner Center, 600 E. 6th St., for churches with a health ministry that serves a community at risk of health disparities that might be interested in one of 20 donated defibrillators. Walton said a grant application and training of existing health ministry personnel would be involved. The meeting will be hosted by Blue Cross, MEDIC and other entities. More information is at www.medic911.com/lucky_hearts.
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Beverly Lawston announced a fish fry fundraiser for her District 2 County Commissioner candidacy this Friday and Saturday in the One Man and a Van parking lot on Beatties Ford Road. Sandwiches are $5 and dinners are $8.
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Michael Sexton sent in a message that the Domestic Violence Advocacy Council would march at The Square at Trade and Tryon Streets this Thursday, April 1, at 12:15 p.m. in response to the Monday night domestic-related homicides of Na'Jhae Parker, Nakyiah Joel and Nateesha Ward Chapman and suicide of Kenneth Jermaine Chapman. The march, which is not a memorial, is "intended to broaden the public's awareness that help is available, including programs and services that offer safety planning." Further info on the Council: dvacharlotte.com.
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Michael Sexton sent in an announcement that the Tuesday, April 6 "Lunch and Learn program would be entitled "Housing Services for Victims and Survivors of Domestic Violence and would feature a panel including Deronda Metz with Salvation Army's Center of Hope, Kelly Forney with United Family Services' Shelter for Battered Women, Erin Concelman with Mecklenburg County's Community Support Services' Women's Commission DV Transitional Housing Program, and Rebecca Stickel with the YMCA's Women In Transition & Families Together program.
Bring your own lunch. The event is at 12:30 p.m. April 6 at the Hal Marshall Building, 700 N. Tryon St., Auditorium 1.
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Michael Sexton passed on an announcement from Vicki Evans that Johnson C. Smith University would present free presentations of "A Change Is Gonna Come!: A 'true-to-life' depiction of domestic violence in the church" at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 8 and Friday, April 9 at First Baptist Church-West, 1801 Oaklawn Ave. Info: Cindy at 704-287-1944.
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Nancy Carter sent in an announcement requesting donations for Charlotte International Cabinet Basketball's trip to Limoges, France. From Carter: "One of our Eastsiders, Jerry Helms, has been fostering relations with our Sister City, Limoges, France, by taking teams there to compete for the last 20 years. This year two basketball teams are going, high school sophomore and junior men and women from our city and county, students who have top grades and are recommended by their coaches. We are asking for your tax deductible financial help for these youngsters. Donations in these challenging times mean more than ever. If you or your friend or company could consider supporting them, there are 2 ways listed below." Ten dollar raffle tickets are being sold and a drawing will be held by Mayor Anthony Foxx at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 1 at the International Cabinet meeting at the Government Center, Room 267. Donations, marked "Student/Basketball Trip," should be mailed to Charlotte International Cabinet, Government Center, 1st Floor, 600 E. Fourth Street, Charlotte, NC 28202.
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