North Carolina Now; 139; Interview with James Leutze

The students at risk of dropping out get a second chance at an alternative school. Good evening everyone I'm Wydra hates Bailey so happy you joined us this evening. Mary Lou Hi Char it is still on assignment in the western part of the state but she'll be back tomorrow. Michel Louis is here and he'll be here later with today's news. Tonight Gretchen Lange

returns with a wonderful Sicilian orange salad and I'm sure you'll want to have that recipe. And Michel will have a report on a Charlotte alternative school that's for kids who might otherwise drop out it's a wonderful program. Our newsmaker this evening is Dr. Jim Luzzi who is chancellor of you and see Wilmington but also host of you and see TV's globe watch series and he's here to preview a program that we are we are airing later this evening. But first did you know that one third of North Carolina's teenagers from seven to 12 grades are at risk of dropping out of school. It's an alarming rate however there is an extraordinary school in Mecklenburg County that is succeeding in lowering that statistic. Michel Louis takes us to Mayfield alternative school in Charlotte. At first glance this appears to be a regular classroom setting with students hard at work. But this is a unique group of Charlotte teenagers. They are considered at risk students who are on the brink of dropping out of school but they are less at risk

because of this alternative school which is also unique. They feel the Moriah Baptist Church is home to the first alternative school for at risk students and the state is also giving students a second chance and getting an education. Dr. Harold Diggs pastor of Mayfield memorial was also an educator for 33 years. He sees the alternative school as a way for the church to reach out to the community and provide an option for students to stay in school. We need more and more of these kinds of schools if we're going to save more and more of our children. And I'm afraid that the wholesale. Way we have been educated people with all a multitude of differentiation. People we don't have to have different statistics from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction reveal that one out of every three students is at risk of dropping out. That's nearly 14000 teenagers. Thirteen hundred of

them are in Mecklenburg County. Mayfield alternative school is under the direction of the Charlotte Mecklenburg School System I was a battle the administrator for alternative schools as the philosophy is that all students can be successful. For some it just takes a different approach than the public schools can provide. We celebrate successes in small increments here you know all successful us maybe a student completing one week of school without absentee or coming to school without being tardy doing their homework going in extra work into the classroom moving from a D to A C them to a baby and grandchild to learn. Those successes can be found in students like Nancy Black a senior at Mayfield. Nancy says she would fake an illness so she wouldn't have to attend her previous school where she was making C's D's and F's. But since Nancy has been at Mayfield she has improved to A's and B's parent my father.

Take your bucket with you one on one if you know you're going to try to talk it out where the other fellow was going to they wouldn't they would just tell you one time that you get in there and one Harris a junior admits he would sleep in class not do his homework and totally ignore the teacher before attending Mayfield. But he says Mayfield has given him a new attitude. I have already. All I can do it no mo. So no I came here. So I was too great but now I'm all right. Again not in action and want to Nancy are making plans were college once they finished their courses and made field plans which at one time neither of them thought they would be making. I went here and I feel there is no telling because I wouldn't be a

problem. I don't think I'll be able to go I don't really know what I mean I doubt I'd be a school. Believers of alternative schools will the future is bright but they say it will take a marriage of church and state to seal that success. I believe the church has just got to do more than it's Sunday. You know pressure a bit on where. We've got to get out we have got it we have got to all get together. School systems are now going to meeting the needs that's not just college not just those students that are average to above average but still. And then meeting the needs of all students we have options out to me. What a terrific program. Mayfield alternative school has an average and Rollman of about 50 students. So far there have been two graduating classes and some of the graduates have gone on to community and four year colleges while others

went directly into the workforce. Well Gretchen is here tonight with a super summer recipe for a cool refreshing treat Sicilia an orange salad. And as always if Gretchen creates it you know it's not only scrumptious. It's also good for you. I'm in the kitchen with Gretchen and today she's going to prepare for it with a Sicilian orange salad. That's right. I want to let folks know that you can use oranges for savory dishes as well as for snacking and desserts. And I also want to talk about some of the different varieties that we get during such a season in North Carolina. So these are beautiful I think pretty and I always associate oranges with the holidays too. They're they're so sort of festive looking to me. And the varieties that we have here are all readily available. This is of course a navel orange and I picked this one out because I think it has a particularly nice navel there and the navels of of course are seedless really sweet. Good eating orange very juicy and that's what we've used for our recipe. This is a

tangible and intangible as a cross between an orange and Apollo which is an ancestor of the grapefruit. So it has a nice interesting complex flavor to peel. Yes most of the tangerine sort of style oranges are very very easy to peel. Now these are juice oranges here and you can see they're sort of not much to look at Audrey but they are loaded with juice also loaded with seeds usually so they're harder to eat. But wonderful for squeezing. And this is a real pretty This is a sunburst tangerine as goal which is yeah this is the kind of thing I use to get my Christmas stocking. When I was growing up. Now this one I want you to taste this little unassuming critter here is a satsuma Mandarin. It sounds Japanese. Yeah in fact oranges came to us from China and a lot of these varieties originated in the Far East. And I want to give you a segment of this Satsuma to taste because they are so delicious This is just one of my absolute favorite variety. It's

juicy it's got a wonderful balance of tart and sweet. This is delicious. And the Fairchild tangerines which you can often get with the leaves attached are really pretty. The last thing I wanted to show you Audrey is kumquats. Now I've got one cut open here and this is a citrus fruit where you can see it looks like a little citrus and for a long time it was classed a citrus fruit. And then they discovered a cellular difference. And it now has its own family called Fortune Ella. But they they look and behave much like a tiny little citrus flesh the interior is very tart and the peel is sweet. So they have a really wonderful balance of sweet tart and bitter in the flavor explosive very explosive flavor. And I like to eat I'm just plain these are organic so it's nice to eat the peel. People who find the flavor. Really intense often like them slice them in a salad or make marmalade or something like that. You know this is interesting. This is our very very simple Sicilian salad and what we've done here is to just

cut out the segments of some of these navel oranges and rub the surface of the bowl with one cut cloves of garlic garlic and oranges don't seem it is surprising how many nation but because all we've done is to rub the ball with it. We're giving just the most delicate hint of garlic is not going to be strong at all. And then we've dressed this with you can see that the juice of the Orange is combined with a couple tablespoons of good red wine and uses infidel and eyesore Gannicus infidel. A couple tablespoons of good balsamic vinegar. Now you can put in a little olive oil I have put a little in here but you can just as easily make it without if you're watching a fat salt and pepper and then sprinkle on a few toasted. Can you always are pine nuts. They have wonderful they are delicious really sweet and good. Well I'm going to take this I have to admit I was you know what you think I really didn't know how this would be.

It's delicious. It's just it's good really good with grilled me for that's our silly an orange salad. This is really good. I never would have expected it. Thanks Greg. Thanks. Now if you'd like a copy of this recipe send a self-addressed stamped envelope to recipes North Carolina now post office box 1 4 9 0 0 RTP NC 2 7 7 0 9. Forty nine hundred and we'll be happy to send one out to you and it really is quite good. Now in just a moment Michel Louis will bring us today statewide news and later in the program I'll talk with Dr. James Lucy. He's chancellor of you and see Wilmington but he's also the host of USC TV's globe watch. So stay with us now. Good evening I'm Michel Louis. Here's a review of the news from around North Carolina.

The Senate has rejected a proposal from Senator Jesse Helms to postpone action on health care until next year. The North Carolina Republican said the delay was needed unless lawmakers could be guaranteed a full opportunity to debate and amend the bill drafted by Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell which they are now considering Helms argued that the health care reform issue before Congress is far too sweeping to act on it before the year is finished. Senate members voted unanimously to kill Helms this proposal which would have barred any action on health care this year. The Senate also rejected a modified version of Helms as Amendment. It would have barred action unless the Senate has the chance to debate and change the bill after Congressional Budget Office estimates are released. A panel of State health officials met today to discuss the possibility of implementing mandatory AIDS testing for all pregnant women in North Carolina. The state already requires several other tests on pregnant women for venereal diseases. The eight member panel appointed by state health director Ron Levine

is considering the medical and social implications of testing all expectant mothers who are HIV the virus that causes AIDS. Research shows that the drug can reason reduce the spread of the deadly disease from a pregnant woman to her baby. AZT has been proven to reduce the rate of infection in babies by two thirds. When the drug is given to him have infected mothers after the 14th week of pregnancy. Yesterday the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of AZT for that purpose. AZT is manufactured by Burroughs welcom which is headquartered and Research Triangle Park. After 18 months of negotiations a compromise on gambling has been reached between the state and the Cherokee Indians Governor Jim Hunt signed a seven year agreement today that limits video gambling on the Cherokee reservation to games currently allowed under existing state law. These include bingo and pull tabs in addition to charity raffles and limited forms of video gaming. The agreement signed today also allows the Cherokee to build a 60000

square foot facility on the reservation. However only video games requiring skill and dexterity will be allowed in that building and not games of chance. The maximum payout would be $25000 come from the gaming efforts. They think it's going to have a good future and perhaps it will but I know that gaming has been a very uncertain matter in places around this country. My wife is from where they thought the riverboat gaming was going to gambling. There was going to be a big deal. So what happens across the river to Illinois they raise the pot you know elbows go to Illinois you know and they've had comparable experiences around the country. I wish the Cherokees well and this we're doing this in good faith. It may turn out to be a good thing in terms of jobs. Oh I know we have that. In addition to the gambling agreement Governor Hunt also announced the formation of a joint North Carolina Cherokee economic development task force designed to bring new jobs

and tourist dollars to the reservation and the surrounding region. The Wake County area Coalition for school choice kicked off its campaign for school reform legislation today in Raleigh. The group says that a government run school monopoly in North Carolina is failing students and places the economic future of the state and grave jeopardy. The coalition wants to provide tuition grants that would let parents choose a school for their child. Members of the group also support creating a new type of locally controlled public school. And they advocate allowing high school students to take college courses which would be paid for with a portion of their high school funding. Our proposals are intended to introduce true competition in schools which will result in a greater variety of quality alternative schools and at the same time will improve the performance of the public school system. Members of school reform groups in Durham orange Edgecumbe and Harnett counties also support the ideas of the Wake group the coalition hopes to get school choice

legislation introduced by next year. Today it was partly cloudy or hazy across most of the state highs were mostly in the mid to upper 80s. Tonight it'll be partly cloudy in the mountains but clear from the foothills east lows will be in the 60s inland but may reach 70 degrees along the coast. Tomorrow we can expect partly cloudy skies and a slight chance for afternoon rain and thunderstorms state wide eyes will be mostly in the upper 80s tobacco is under attack as a cause of disease. But scientists are finding that it could be used in a different way to cure disease. Among those researching alternative uses for tobacco are scientists at NC State University. They are working with a substance called fraction 1. It's produced an all green plants but occurs in high

concentrations and tobacco. The gelatin like substance could be used in cosmetics within two years. And scientists also hope to use fraction one and a non allergenic baby formula. The substance is so pure that it could be used as food for kidney patients to help avoid the need for dialysis. NC State scientists are also using tobacco in research on a new antibiotic and they are exploring how to use it to produce bio engineered medicines. Fewer American Airlines flights may be getting off the ground at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. American officials say they plan to cut more daily flights at RTU but they haven't decided how many cuts will be made. The cuts will likely come in December. Manager in Nashville says the number of flights will be reduced from 83 to somewhere in the mid 60s. But a company spokesperson says the national manager is wrong because no final decision has been made at this point. The stock market advance today. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 11 points to close at thirty seven sixty six point seventy six

gainers lead decliners by about 43 as about 279 million shares were traded on the New York Stock Exchange. The Standard Poor's 500 index was up over two points while the Nasdaq composite index rose over five and a half. Analysts say investor worries about interest rates. The Treasury's refunding options and this week's data on inflation. Government statistics on July's inflation and retail sales are due out tomorrow and Friday. And now for some stocks of North Carolina interest. I guess tonight is the chancellor of USC Wilmington but he's here in another capacity

tonight. Dr. James Lucy is also the host of Globe watch you and see TV's series on international affairs tonight at 9 p.m. will air a globe Watch special and you'll be invited to call in and ask questions. Dr. Lucy is here to give us a preview of the show which focuses on one of the world's hotspots Korea. Thank you so much for being here. My pleasure. Hot spot that's an understatement since you were in Korea taping the programmes that we'll see tonight one major occurrence happening that of course is the death of the only president North Korea has known Kim Il sung and just before that they were about to begin negotiations between North and South Korea. So what impact will his death has this death had on all those discussions. Well we all wonder we are all waiting anxiously to see what the result really will be. It's going to it's a question of whether the country is going to continue the momentum that seem to be starting toward negotiations and the possibility of some normalization of relations between North

and South Korea or if they'll veer off on another course or maybe return to the old course that they had which was one of virtually total intransigence and lack of contact between Korea and the outside world. So we're we're all wondering about that and that is what we feel makes this program so timelike because negotiations are going on this week between North Korea and the United States. So we thought it would be something that our viewers would like to see and be updated on. At this point I'm sure they'll watch tonight. Lack of information. Another area of it and it seems to be sort of shrouded in mystery is the sixth the success or at least we assume the successor and that of course is Kim Il Jong Kim Son. Well we know about him and he seems to be such a mystery. Well he is a mystery partially because the whole of North Korea is a mystery that is how their economy is doing what their military is up to but also the character of people such as Kim Il Jong what kind of person is he. Is he really a capable

individual who is always in the shadow of his father or is he really an erratic possibly almost mad individual even who is incapable of leading anything. So we're all waiting to see what the result of that is. It's this is an evolving story I guess I'd say and. This is it's a matter of great moment. If he's a stable person great if he's unstable we may all be in a bit of problem or trouble. Does a military supporter. That's what we don't know he's virtually disappeared from sight since his father's funeral. He has not appeared at official functions he is not issued official statements. It's been a month now since his father died. And some people are wondering whether the military is trying to take over the country whether there's an internal fight within the family over who actually is going to be the successor or if they're simply trying to get prepared and ready and getting prepared to usher him out in public. We just don't know.

Timeliness globe watch always seems to be quite timely. You were there just as the Berlin wall was coming down. And if there was a reunification and now we're talking about reunification of Korea will Korea look to things that have happened in Berlin as a indicator of what they can expect. Well you're absolutely correct and that's what the second program essentially deals with is the question of reunification. Korea is the only country that remains divided after the end of World War Two period. The rest of the countries have come back together again. But getting back together again is not quite as simple as it as it seems. The way I think I'd put it is that the heart of the South Koreans and presumably of some of the North Koreans draws them together. But the mind of each on the part of the north they're divided by ideology. The south is very concerned about the economic burden of taking on a weak and and problem wracked North Korea as a dependent. And when they look at Germany they're not totally cheered by what they see because it has been very difficult for West Germany to absorb.

East Germany and prop up their economy. So it's a it's a mixed bag I guess I would say that sadly of course I meant Germany. How is it that you ended up going to Korea in the first place I mean you're always very timely but what was it that really attracted you to this story. It was really the fact that this is a partial It was an economic growth in the growing area. It is an area that's important to North Carolina by the way. Korea is north. It is North Carolina's ninth largest trading partner know that we have a lot of businesses that are do business with with the Koreans. There is a large population of Korean nationals that live here in the United States and of course if there were to be trouble in Korea the military forces that are in North Carolina would be intimately involved in the forces at Fort Bragg or at Camp Hope Air Force Base. Well let's talk about tonight. 2 1/2 hours. And the first program looks at the economy of Korea and then the second one looks at the whole issue of

reunification in the cold war that exists. But then following that at 10:00 is a half hour live call in. Who are your guests tonight. Well we are very lucky to have an Asian specialist who is head of the Japan Society in North Carolina who is an expert on Japan but really is very knowledgeable about all of this part of the part of the world. And a professor from North Carolina State who is a nuclear physicist who will be able to answer questions about North Korea's nuclear program which is one of those other issues that has put Korea very much in the in the limelight right now. So I think we'll have some some good people and we hope we'll get some good questions. I'm sure you will. Now this is sort of a preview of the globe watch series which begins in September September October 2nd September 2nd. Another terrific series you're to be congratulated for once again finding the most interesting and critical international story that exists. And we look forward to a wonderful program tonight.

Well thank you very much where it's a fun program to do and and we have some good people that work on it. So it's a it's a pleasurable experience always. Thank you Dr. Lucy. My pleasure. We want to hear from you. Simply call our viewer comment line at 9 1 9 5 4 9 7 8 0 8. Or write us at P.O. Box 1 4 9 0 0 2 7 7 0 9. You can fax a message to 9 1 9 5 4 9 7 0 4 3 0 0 1. Try an Internet address. That's you and CTV at aol dot com. And please give us a daytime phone number in case we need to follow up. Don't forget to tune in tonight at 9:00 for that globe watch program on Korea. And if you have questions you can call them in after the show is over at 10:00. Join us tomorrow night because we have two features about some real North Carolina characters Elizabeth Hardy

visits the collared King a Williamson man who can eat almost anybody. He's turned eating contests into a real sport. And Bob Gardner brings us a man who wrote a song he'd like to see become the state song. Bob created the sort of a music video for us and we'll also talk with Fred McCann about the upcoming Jimi V golf tournament in Cary to raise money for cancer research. So don't forget now Mary Lou will be back with us tomorrow night. We thank you for watching and hope you'll join us then. I'm wiser Cate's Bailey.