North Carolina Now; North Carolina Now Episode from 12/12/1995

The It's Tuesday December 12th tonight of this into the Christmas exhibit at the North Carolina Museum of Art in North Carolina now. Good evening everyone I'm Marina tri welcome to this Tuesday edition of North Carolina now. Hope all is going well for you and your family. As the holidays draw near to get you

in the spirit of the holidays TONIGHT producer Bill Hannah shares with us an exhibit of seasonal religious art on display at the North Carolina Museum of Art. Also we continue our series of interviews with North Carolina's Republican gubernatorial candidates this evening Hugh and see TV's political correspondent Jon basin talks with Steve Arnold yesterday John interviewed Richard Vinroot tomorrow Robin Hayes will be our guest. Also tonight we bring you part two of a special report on North Carolina's structured sentencing law. It's been a year since North Carolina made sweeping changes to its probation programs for offenders. Many are much more intensive and restrictive than in the past. You may have heard of some of them such as electronic monitoring in boot camps. Under the new laws there are plans to release many nonviolent offenders into a new type of probation program called day reporting centers. The first one to open in North Carolina is in Greensboro. And reporter Kelly McCann rate went to find out how it works.

This beautiful pillar at home in Greensboro is an historic section of the city yet the House is making history not because of its age or architecture but because of its residence. This is solid house home to a community Correction Center for Women. The dwelling recently remodeled with donations from Burlington Industries is an alternative to prison for nonviolent offenders who have children under the age of seven. And here is my this when my son Michael sleeps with his crib. Those who live at Summit House are mostly young mothers aged 18 to 35 and many are long time substance abusers convicted of stealing fraud and drug dealing. This residence is the first of its kind in the country and the only one in North Carolina. And last year some of house made history again by opening the state's very first day reporting center where participants live in the community and check in on a regular basis with the center. All participants are either on probation or parole reporting centers are designed with substance abusers in mind because

they offer much more structure and guidance than standard probation. Most of the women in these programs not only have a problem with substance abuse. They have a hard time just making a life and often fall into crime as a result. So somebody's house and it's day reporting center offer instruction in basic living skills like how to be a good parent how to balance a budget how to read to your child. Half women in one house. This mother Reed class is just one of many offered to the women at somebody's house or who are enrolled in the day reporting center. Other classes offer such things as nutrition information and basic car maintenance as well as job training and treatment for substance abuse. The goal is to give these women the skills they need to support their family skills most of them were never taught by their own parents and which often lead to teenage pregnancies as a result they have dropped out of school have now finished their

education and often find themselves in menial jobs as single parents without much help from the father either financially or emotionally out there in the world trying to support a couple of young children on very low wages and then they are prime candidates for substance abuse or for reverting to crime because of financial hardship. Each candidate for the reporting center is interviewed before being allowed into the program. Because only women with children are brought here. This Reporting Center is somewhat different than the ones now being set up in counties across North Carolina which will have mostly male offenders. But the concept is basically the same to keep a much closer eye on criminal offenders sentenced to intensive probation and to teach them how to make an honest living. This summer house residents who will eventually move out and into the day reporting program says the daily chores here the discipline and the constant support have been good for her.

It's taught me how to be a mother to be a parent how to discipline your child without hitting him. How do you use time out. It is also help me develop a better understand of myself and why I commit the crimes that I commit. The center's been open for only a year and a half and officials say they don't have data yet to determine how well the program is working. But there's no question it's cost effective to house a woman in prison for a year costs about $18000 with another $16000 going to pay for her child's foster care. To put that same woman in the day reporting center costs only $2000 a year and childcare isn't needed since mom and child live together in the community. But director wander Smith says it's not just about saving money it's about keeping families together at their social cost. When children are separated from their parent who is incarcerated we're talking about children who may engage not only in crime but who may become substance abusers who may become trial and

school who may engage in prostitution and ultimately become homeless and ultimately missing participants are encouraged to get their high school equivalency diploma if they don't already have one. And many take classes at area colleges. Most will stay in the program for six months to a year then graduate to an after care program for the remainder of their probation. Officials hope this step by step approach will better prepare them for life in the community than a prison sentence would. But the concept is so new there are only limited studies of its effectiveness. Massachusetts opened its first program about five years ago and initial studies there showed that three out of four offenders completed the program without committing more crimes or violating the terms of their probation. That high success rate is what North Carolina officials are hoping for in the programs. They'll be opening soon. Critics of the day reporting center want to make sure there is ample punishment for offenders as well as all the help they'll receive. But

supporters say the strict discipline and the expectation to change destructive behavior is much more demanding than just passing time in prison. North Carolina is betting that the day Reporting Center and other probation programs like it will do more to break the cycle of drugs and crime than prison time ever accomplished. If Summit House can achieve that elusive goal then it will make history once again. Each day Reporting Center in North Carolina will be tailored to meet the specific needs of individual counties. And it's not only urban areas like Greensboro or Charlotte that are moving ahead similar programs are being planned for rural areas as well. Coming up John basin talks with gubernatorial candidate Steve Arnold. But first Michel Louis has details of a statewide office holder and his decision to bow out of his race. Michel thanks Marina. Good evening everyone. Secretary of State Rufus Edmeston says he will not run for re-election next year. The announcement comes just two days before the state auditor is expected to release a report critical of Edmonson

and the way he has run his office. At a news conference this morning Edmeston says he didn't want to become quote the victim of an overly ambitious opponent who might resort to half truths and lies. And quote he said he will spend the rest of his term trying to fix problems found in the audit. Governor Jim Hunt called Edmonson's decision the right one and said quote I commend him for taking these problems seriously and for taking action to fix them. Edmonson says he is not ruling out a run for office at a later date. Meanwhile the Democratic Party will be looking for a candidate to run against Republican challenger Richard Petty. The Army says it will investigate racism in the ranks. The announcement follows the killing of a black man and woman in Fayetteville allegedly by two soldiers from Fort Bragg. The soldiers are said to be members of a white supremacist group. The Army says it wants to discover the extent of soldier participation in hate groups. A senior legal military advisor says the Army has identified about a dozen such soldiers at Fort Bragg North

Carolinians may soon be able to get a driver's license and license plates at the same place. A legislative Study Commission is considering creating a one stop office for both services. Currently you must go to two different offices for these services. That's because the state contracts out agencies to handle titles registrations and license plates at a cost of 10 million dollars a year. And now for a look at the weather forecast differ Gers will be a few degrees cooler tomorrow with highs mostly in the 40s and 50s. The Boone area will only reach the low 30s with a slight chance of light snow. Cloudy skies are expected for the rest of the state. In business news black owned businesses are growing in North Carolina faster than the national rate. There has been a 49 percent increase of black owned businesses in the Tar Heel state since 1907 nationwide. Business is owned by African-Americans increased 46 percent. The growth also suppresses the 26 percent overall increase of businesses in the country. And Joya Harris of the North Carolina minority Economic Development Council says

education is a contributor to the rise of black owned businesses in the state. The stock market ended the day lower. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell almost nine and a half points to fifty one seventy four point ninety two. More than three hundred forty nine million shares traded hands the Standard Poor's 500 index was off fractionally while the Nasdaq composite index lost nine and a half points. And now for some stocks of North Carolina interest you. Tonight

we continue our series of interviews with the Republican candidates who are competing for the chance to take on Jim Hunt in next year's gubernatorial election. Guilford County Commissioner Steve Arnold is a one of the three GOP candidates running for governor. Here now is USA TV's political correspondent John basin and his interview with Mr. Arnold. Commissioner Arnall thank you very much for being here. Thank you John appreciate the invitation. Well we want to know why do you want to be governor. Because North Carolina is a conservative state and North Carolina needs a conservative governor. I think that's very clear. Our incumbent governor Jim Hunt is way out of step with the conservative trends and conservative people conservative values of North Carolina. I believe that there is so much policy change that needs to be done. It will be done by a strong conservative consistent gubernatorial leadership. And this is

exactly why we need a change in Raleigh and exactly why I'm running for governor. Governor hot has won every statewide race he's been in except 1994 when he lost to Senator Helms. He's very high in the polls right now his approval ratings are very high. Why do you think North Carolinians will be willing to vote him out. Well precisely my point. Jesse Helms is the only individual ever able to beat Jim Hunt in a November statewide election. The reason for that is because North Carolina is conservative. If you give voters a clear distinction between yourself and Jim Hunt you can defeat Jim Hunt in the absence of that distinction. Jim Hunt wins and I'm convinced after having looked at the Republican gubernatorial field when I jumped in that neither of the other two candidates can make that clear distinction based on their record based on their current positions on some issues it's going to be difficult for them to draw that clear distinction as you mentioned Jesse Helms was able to do in 1984 and thus give the voters in North Carolina a clear choice between liberal Jim Hahn

and a conservative Republican. Positive alternative where you mention your Republican opposition in the primary there are two other candidates between the three of you there's not a high level of name recognition already so you do get a chance to define yourself over the next few months in the primary. What do you want the voters to think of when they hear the name Steve Harmon. I want them to know that Steve Arnold has been consistent to those conservative principles that people in North Carolina care about for 10 years. I always feel like the elder statesman in this race because I've been the elected official now for 10 years. I have won five elections. I've been on the highpoint city council in the state legislature and now currently I serve on the Guilford County Commission in my second term and through those years I've always sought to define principles that I think are timeless that I think are important that I think are relevant to today's issues and then plug those issues into those principles as it were and then make policy decisions based on that. And therefore I believe for instance and never have supported increases in taxes I believe that taxes are too high they need to

be reduced I believe spending is too great in these to be cut back. I believe government power in regulatory oversight is too much in need to be scaled back because government power is a threat. And this is the principle John. Government power is a threat to people's personal freedom and individual liberty and when you increase that government power you decrease freedom and being that I'm always in favor of personal freedom and individual liberty. I'm always in favor of restricting government. Let me ask you this you mentioned you've been an elected official for about a decade now a city council commissioner. Briefly in the legislature but you're still not yet 40 years old how do you convince the voters that you're older you have enough experience to be governor. Well I'm the only candidate in the race who has been experienced in all of the three avenues of government in North Carolina city government county government and state government. And I think that's very important but as I say the business of being governor and of establishing policy and setting the agenda is beyond the intellectual capacities of either myself or any of my opponents quite frankly that's why it's important to look at principles

because they never change and never need to be amended. You look at those principles and try to plug in policy as best you can and as consistently as you can to those principles and that's why I'm capable because I have always sought to pin the issues as it were on things that never change. And so let me give you another example for instance. I am a strong believer in the sanctity of life. I believe that life begins at conception and I believe it's a state's business to preserve and protect life. I'm a strong believer in the principle of equal justice under the law. This is why I always believe that affirmative action programs preferential treatment quotas or set asides or whatever the language they are all wrong because they are not equal justice. And one thing I think that our state needs more than anything else right now with all the divisions between races and with all the problems and all the strife especially after the O.J. Simpson trial and after the Million Man March and other things that appear to have been divisive to a large segment of our society

it's important that everyone know they are equal under the law. And this is why I think that the governor needs to hold fast to that principle certainly Jim Hunt does not. Let me ask you some of the positions that you've just laid out. Observers might say will serve you well in a Republican primary but not as well in the general election. Most of the voters are to some extent pro-choice. How do you reconcile your positions here in the primary What will you do if you were to get the nomination with those positions running in the general election when the polls say maybe not all those positions are as popular as they are among Republican voters. Well they may not. But one thing people are looking for perhaps more than anything else is consistency they're tired of politicians who say one thing during the campaign season and do something else when in office. And my modus operandi has always been to make it abundantly clear to the voters in my constituency exactly what my position is what principles I hold what values I think are important and then lay that before them and let them choose if they choose me.

They know that I'll maintain a consistency to those principles. I've never waved my finger in the air and decide whether or not something's popular whether or not something may be acceptable I'm not interested in what the polls might say. I believe I recognize what is right and what is wrong and I'll seek to do always what is right based on as I say based on those principles. We have just a few seconds left and let me ask you yesterday Riley's conservative mayor came out and for Richard Vinroot one of your opponents most of the party regulars the sheriffs the legislators other folks have lined up between behind one of the other two candidates and that's going to put you at a disadvantage How do you overcome the disadvantage of having most of the party machinery lining up behind your opposition in the primaries. Well I found the race exceptionally wide open. People are arrested in examining all three candidates and based on issues that are important to them and based on. Stands of the candidates might take in the way the candidate cannot have the ability to express himself on those issues. And the way that he can mobilize some type of compelling reason walk why voters should support that particular candidate. That

is how Republicans choose their gubernatorial nominee. It matters very little in terms of who endorses who or those type extra considerations I don't think those those are important. What is important is the issue and it's clear to me that Republicans were realize that they cannot defeat a phony conservative Jim Hunt with a phony conservative Mr. bin route Mr. Vinroot has a long record of tax increases spending increases support for affirmative action programs fund raising for Planned Parenthood and so there's no way that he will be able to distinguish himself from Jim Hunt. We need to hold it there but thank you very much for your time today author pressure shit very much. Right. Thank the

story of the birth and infancy of Jesus as recounted in the Gospels inspired much of the art painted in Christian Europe during the past centuries. The North Carolina Museum of Art has in its collection numerous works of art which have a special significance during this Christmas season. The museum's director of education Rebecca Martin Nagy gave producer Bill Hannah a tour of the exhibit. Thank you. Welcome to the North Carolina Museum. Each year at this time the Museum of the Christmas story and the stores with the French paintings it represents the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary of the news that she will be the mother of the Christ

from the Middle Ages the Holy Family in the humble stable in Bethleham in which Jesus was born. The New Testament tells not only visits from the shepherds but also from wise men from the east. This shows the Holy Family in a setting of Renaissance architecture. The wise men represent the three known parts of the world at that time Africa Europe and Asia. One of the most interesting paintings in the North Carolina Museum of Art Collection that relates to the Christmas story is this painting of the flight into Egypt. It's by an unknown Flemish painter who was working in the early 15 hundreds in this case the artist chose a story that we can read about in the Gospel of Matthew about the episode of the massacre of the innocents. This had to do with King Herod the king of the

Jews who had learned that a new king had been born and he was very concerned about this. So he gave an order that all the young male children young male Jewish children in Bethlehem should be killed to escape this massacre. Mary and Joseph the parents of the young child Jesus took the child and fled into Egypt. In the background the artist has incorporated a number of other scenes related to this flight into Egypt. For example if you look at a detail here to the left of the foreground figures you see the Holy Family appearing once again. This time Joseph is trying to get some food to feed Mary and Jesus. A day Paul is been doing over to make the fruit easily available to Joseph. So it's a little miracle to provide food for the Holy Family. Another scene a more tragic one in the background has to do with the massacre of the innocent male children which was ordered by hear it.

So in this little village just between the heads of Mary and Joseph you see soldiers running after mothers who are trying to protect their children. One other very interesting scene far in the distance shows a group of Herod's soldiers talking to a farmer and asking if he has seen a man a woman and a baby. Going by recently he said yes as a matter of fact I saw them go by when I was planting my feet. The soldiers seeing that the wheat was full grown said oh that's the wrong family because that was months ago. What they didn't realize was that the farmer had actually planted the wheat the day before. Another miracle had caused it to grow up overnight. So because of these various incidents the Holy Family was protected and they were able to flee safely into Egypt. In this painting and in many representations of the Madonna and Child you might have noticed that Mary usually wears red and blue the red of her gown symbolizes Christian love and the blue of her mantle is the color of heaven.

And finally I'd like to show you this painting by Connect Leon of the Madonna and child in a landscape. We're very proud that this painting with chosen by the United States Postal Service as the traditional Christmas stamp from 1903. The museum offers special Christmas tours with advanced reservations there is also a slide program detailing the Christmas paintings at the museum. This is a busy time of the year for everyone so please make your reservations well in advance. For more information you can call the museum at 9 1 9 8 3 9 6 2 6 2. Before we head out here tonight a big congratulations to Hugh Morton Sr. He has been named a citizen of the Carolinas the prestigious award is given out by the Charlotte chamber and to Duke Power. It's designed to recognize and inspire partnership between public and

private sectors. Well tomorrow we'll share with you a conversation with Republican gubernatorial candidate Robin Hayes. Also tomorrow part three of our special series on the changes taking place in North Carolina's criminal justice system. Enjoy your Tuesday evening and we'll see you back here tomorrow night for another edition of North Carolina now.