North Carolina Now; North Carolina Now Episode from 02/12/1997

It's Wednesday February 12th. Tonight a Winston-Salem resident setting the standard among African-American artists in North Carolina now. Good evening and welcome to this Wednesday edition of North Carolina

ally Marine much right. We have something very unique for you this evening. It will feature the Northern Neck of Chante singers who are carrying on the age old coastal tradition of sea chanties. They'll perform for us tonight. And Shannon Vicary takes us to Winston-Salem to visit with an incredibly talented artist who is taking the nation by storm. But first up tonight focus on a problem that affects many of us in the workplace. Cumulative trauma disorders such as carpal tunnel syndrome and repetitive strain injuries are a major issue among labor officials and not much has been done on the federal level to protect workers from these types of injuries. But North Carolina is making strides to help companies prevent these disorders from occurring in the workplace through an organization created by the state labor department and NC State University. Michel Louis introduces us to the North Carolina ergonomics Resource Center. Here at the North Carolina ergonomics Resource Center in Raleigh we're gonna start conducting tests to determine the right tool for the right job in this particular case

they are trying to find out how much force is needed to work certain wrenches without placing excessive stress on the pom and causing cumulative trauma disorders. A gun is to need a care and Gary explains the various kinds of disorders. There are many other types of disorders out there like tennis elbow or trigger finger and those are all cumulative trauma disorders a lot as well. You just don't hear as much about those type of problems as you do carpal tunnel. So in essence carpal tunnel is kind of the big buzzword. That's not to say that it's not out there and happening but a lot of the numbness and tingling symptoms just kind of get lumped under that category. Briards in 1993 there had not been much research done in North Carolina on cumulative trauma disorders and their impact on the workplace. Angela Waldorf an official for the North Carolina Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Division says a study was done in 1993 to determine how much that his orders were costing North Carolina employers. Average workers come

for I think of carpal tunnel syndrome over $14000. The average number of lost work that I was a hundred and won for back problems. It was more than about $15000. Waldorf says the information from the study was taken to the General Assembly during the 1993 94 session along with a proposal for funding to form a center that would educate businesses on preventing cumulative trauma disorders. The legislature approved the funding and the North Carolina ergonomics resource center was created. The sitter is the only one of its kind in the country based on a unique union of the North Carolina Department of Labor and North Carolina State University. The center's mission is to help businesses become ergonomically correct. Anita Geringer says the ergonomics process is. Multidisciplinary city deals with every part of the

work environment including the person the work they're doing and the work station they're working in or the where their work environment as a whole and it includes the air quality It includes noise it includes a lot of the environmental effects as well. This issue has a three pronged approach in helping businesses. We would look first at the rush to 200 logs because that gives us a very good accounting of everything that is kind of going on in the facility from a from a medical standpoint. You know who's having problems. From there we can do a risk assessment by looking and analyzing a job very briefly just seeing the whole scope of the job and designating what body parts are stressed going to assess medical management is another item the sitter helps companies bring up to par. It may be one case one carpal tunnel case or one the Racicot out syndrome type of case or a back injury that cost the company a lot of money

and that case is not managed well. So we also work with their medical team and their outside physicians and try to get their medical management program in place. It might be already in place. Maybe we just do a little tweaking on it. The third head of the center's approach is educating management and employees. Angela Waldorf after some self-help tips rotating employees to different jobs getting a $10 mail pad for it or a $10 wrist pad for your computer teaching your boys how to adjust a chair is very important so that your feet touch the floor putting your monitor at a level instead of having to turn over to your shoulder to see your monitor if you're typing. This sitter offers three types of memberships and fees are assessed to companies that are able to pay businesses that can't pay get help and training workers to

recognize workplace trouble spots. ANGELA Well Dorf says there are signs the preventive way of addressing cumulative trauma disorders on the job is working. The first company that we ever saw added Perdue Farms reduced their workers compensation payouts by 70 percent in two years. We had another company that reduced their lost work days from around 12 12 hundred per year to the road. The North Carolina ergonomics Resource Center is involved in some repetitive motion of the positive kind. Several states have inquired about the center's resources and states such as Maryland and Oregon are in the process of duplicating the program. Last year the North Carolina ergonomics Resource Center was recognized by Harvard University and the Ford Foundation as one of the 25 most innovative programs in America. You can call 1 800 on the number for

R.J. 0 to find out more about the services that are available. Well still ahead on North Carolina now the artistry of James Hough right now though it's time to toss it over to Michel Louis who's standing by to bring us up to date on what's making news around the state. Hello Mitch. Hello Maria. Good evening everyone. State lawmakers got their first look at details of Governor Jim Hunt state budget today and presented a two year budget a 40 point two billion dollars today. The budget reflects the commitment the governor made to education and yesterday's State of the state address. Hunt is proposing shifting savings from plans like work first and slowing the growth of Medicaid back into education. Much of that spending is aimed at increasing teacher salaries. Every teacher will and should get a raise. Every teacher will and should meet higher standards and teachers who meet even higher standards and who do more. We'll and should get an even higher pay for that performance.

Hunt's spending package received a cool reception from state lawmakers legislators will now meet to come up with a final budget document. Traditionally the two chambers alternate drawing up the first draft. This year it's the Senate's turn to begin appropriation co-chair Sen. Aaron plier expects their version by late April. A new legislative bill could rewrite existing state law on the sale of tobacco and tobacco products to minors. Attorney General Mike Easley detailed the changes today at a Raleigh news conference. According to easily it will no longer be necessary to prove that the seller has actual knowledge of the buyer's age and the bill requires photo identification for the purchase of any tobacco product. This bill might clear your law does not let you. Nobody knows my own home. Well certainly not about you. Not yet. The Tobacco Institute Philip Morris and RJ Reynolds have all come out in support of the bill. A group of scientists is committing their expertise in an

effort to combat costly blue mole to back o disease. The group includes leading NC State plant pathologist C. E. Maine. The scientists are looking at an array of contributing weather conditions and an attempt to predict the path of blue mold. The group has already begun to meet with tobacco farmers to discuss their plans. About one quarter of the state's burly tobacco crop was destroyed by the mold last year. Looking ahead to tomorrow's weather near freezing temperatures will be the high in many places across the state. The highest temps will be at or near the coast where Wilmington could reach forty five. Cloudy conditions remain through Thursday. Rain snow or some freezing precipitation is quite likely throughout the Tar Heel State. In business news a Friday deadline has been set for a lease agreement on the proposed new Raleigh arena or the deal is off. Businessman Felix of Bottas says he will withdraw his application for a National Hockey League franchise if no decision is made on the arena this week. Officials representing this internal authority arena planning group say it's impossible to finish a lease that

quickly. So Bottas says he is angered by the pace of talks and feels deceived by the group. And now for a look at what happened on Wall Street today. Tonight we profile an age old tradition that was once extremely popular along North Carolina's

coastal communities. The menhaden chance fisherman would sing these chances they hauled in their catches. It's become like dying art but tonight Bob Garner profiles the Northern Neck Chante singers who are determined to keep the tradition alive. Here's Bob. There used to be menhaden chanted along the coast of North Carolina but the last remaining group has been out of existence for a number of years and now the great net Chante singers from Virginia are the last remaining menhaden Chante men anywhere so far as we know we're going to hear from them in just a moment. Right now though we're delighted to have with us Bill huddle of Virginia who is the manager of the group. Bill welcome thank you for being first of all explain what a man hating change human is that many years ago you didn't have in a Palin blocks they're raised to fish all done by muscle inducing changes city all be in harmony together and they need all the pointed one pound menhaden is a small fish that she used for meal for oil and for other purposes and they're very common along the coast of

Virginia North Carolina. When did this group form and how did it get started. Well in 1991 decided to have a new fish museum in redo of Virginia and knew that there was a chairman and a group and I came home in April of that year and nonwhite to name is but call and want me to get some candy man together. NSA no way it's possible that the block came in 53 only minutes or were you 90 most of not living. And so what I say at least you should try. So I try and talk to them but and and please try to get to that. And so they got together for. Go to the museum and they want to get in a parade if you will operate and so they need a rehearsal and the thought of me one time just that in 1901 and then to read the Army before Denard. Here we are today these years later that is right and all these men actually worked in the middle you fishing it was really for usually the net for years and this will be was done just by muscle

and sometimes you get so many fish just tons of fish you could move to somehow somehow to start a channel and they begin to come up and I can explain it away. Singing together makes the work easier the whole idea. He learned a lot of chatter in between. When you reach down pull up a net that's what he would do. The coast the language the you now have been different it was on a boat. Well I guess we should mention that there is a fisheries forum tonight at McKim and center at North Carolina State University in Raleigh the Northern Neck charity singers will be appearing there tonight and you'll be telling some stories and sort of relating the history of this in between songs. So now let's throw it over and let's hear from the Northern Neck Chante singers. I am. And the yellow

mayor. OK. Oh no no no no.

That was your will. A do you do now. Do you know you will do your. Oh you know ya

will. No no you're lucky them. OK we'll wind up we'll have a break here. I will not fail them.

Oh mother step. The city of Greensboro is marking Black History Month with a celebration of the arts. In fact the city's African-American Arts Festival is a yearly favorite featuring some of North

Carolina's most talented artists. And this year's featured artist is no exception. Tonight Chana Vicary introduces us to an extraordinary African-American artist whose work is often described in two words vibrant and forceful. I've been doing art or doing what people would call art is long as I can remember growing up in the sand hills of North Carolina. Art came to James Hoffa as child's play. There was a custom where everyone would sweep their yards to sweep the grass off the yard. And yeah it was like I had gigantic sheets of paper and in the soil of his front yard the young child drew pictures. No one ever guessing he would grow up to create paintings like this. My family my brothers my sister

would always encourage me to expand my horizons. They were saying that my work was so horrendous that I said I always have something to fall back on but it wasn't until I was about 20 that the work moved to a level where you could say yes this is a professional artist and someone with some talent. A lot of people would have given up by the age of 20. What kept you going and kept you motivated to become an artist. I just kept saying I'm going to improve. And when the day comes. Though I have to pay today the Winston-Salem artist has certainly improved his work has earned him national acclaim for his use of strong African themes. Hoss work is in many ways a chronicle of African-American history from his unique perspective on Harriet Tubman slave rights

to his portrayal of lighter legends Huff's work evokes a strong sense of history in even the smallest details. But what I want to do with the cloth is I'm going to put different scenes like I started I was going to have like different people doing different things along here today James health is working on a new piece in his Winston-Salem studio along with his African team the hallmark of Hough's work is often found in its size. As Americans we believe in have making an impact. Half works in most instances very large so the massiveness of it I mean it just really grabs you when you come into a gallery space and to see his work because you don't have to look forward it looks at you as soon as you come in. And if he really draws you to it. State Representative Adam Adams teaches art at Bennett College in her spare time. Like so many who study Hoff's work she believes the true beauty of his art lies in the message within the paintings.

I think because of the quality of his approach to his work because of the messages for the people that he produces his work for not only for African-Americans but for all Americans to learn not only about themselves and how we connect and relate to each other but about the diversity which is so prevalent not only in North Carolina but in the nation. I like his work and I would say that it's. He has a different dimension to his work. I like his colors I like his thing moves and there are things that people evoke some sort of response and people that are positive. The one thing that I try to do my work and everything I do is to try to bring a sense of justice across in the work.

But for Hoff that sense of justice comes only from education. Learning more about yourself and learning more about other people and in the process of doing that and learning more about other people you also learn more about yourself. And if we do that we'll have a society in which there's a balance but perhaps an even more important image running throughout Huff's work is his use of strong African-American males in his painting entitled The Comforter shows a teenage boy helping a small girl. I wanted to get the feeling that one the young guy who you know looks like a teenager with his hat on backwards you know represents. Someone that you don't necessarily have all your party but when you see them come back Huff says he hopes all people especially young black men see his work as an inspiration of what you can become. With work and determination. After all Huff says

it's his determination that has made him the artist he is today. A determination that was well tested when he was 16 and an older man tried to persuade him not to follow his dream. He said all riders to become famous they first then some years pass they become famous then they become red. And he said I don't see why you want to go that path. And he said and all of them were white. So he said if you y n you gotta die you know if you're black you're going to do more than that. If you ever expect to get anything as an artist and. But I wasn't deterred I just said well you know I've also heard it is a first time for her with night. So today like then it's not money or fame that motivates James Hoff to keep producing his work but I think my number one

is just doing things that will cause people to do a little bit of thinking thinking about who they are and where they've been. You can see James huffs work on display at the African-American a Tilia at the Greensboro cultural center. House work is also currently featured at the Pentagon and at the Richard Nixon Library and his paintings have been used as a backdrop since such movies as lean on me and Losing Isaiah. Well that's our program for tonight hope you enjoyed it. Tomorrow night Ted Harrison examines the controversy surrounding anonymous testing for HIV the virus which causes AIDS. Also tomorrow is the state has started up a new undergraduate course tracing the contributions of women in modern science on tomorrow's program. We'll speak with two of the professors who teach that course. And if you're still looking for a Valentine's gift for that special someone. Maria

Lundberg will offer some unique gift ideas. Out of have a great evening everyone will see you back here tomorrow night for another edition of North Carolina now. Good night everyone.