North Carolina Now; North Carolina Now Episode from 11/16/1994

Tonight high powered New York executives who come from North Carolina. Hello there everyone I'm with retakes Bailey and Mary Lou March are glad to have you with us this evening for another edition of North Carolina now. Tonight Maria Lundberg continues her series on North Carolinians who've made it big in the Big Apple it's been a fun series. Yes it has and the Research Triangle conference on the environment the economy and world trade was held in Durham yesterday and today Michel Louis had a chance to attend the 90 brings us the thoughts of those who participated in the conference including former ambassador to the U.N. and ex Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young and our guest this evening is treasure

diver Kim Fisher discoverer of the famous Tosha treasure. But first during last week's Republican landslide Henry McCoy was elected to serve in the state Senate. Recently reporter Elizabeth Hardy caught up with the new senator who shared his thoughts about the election and the upcoming legislative session in re McCool I runs as a management consultant business for the past two years McCurry has been his own boss for just over a week ago the voters in Wake County changed all that. Now McCoy is also working for them as a state senator. He may be one of the New Kids On The Block called McCoy isn't a newcomer to state government for 16 years McCoy held leadership post under governor's heart and Morton when McLucas candidacy and election still surprised some bugs because magoi is and has been a Republican since 1989 when he decided that the government should be run in a more conservative manner and it was my belief that as an African-American that the political system had not benefited African-Americans in a

total sense. And to achieve that African-Americans needed to be represented in both sides of the political aisle. It's one thing to run. It's another to win. But McQueary did win by approximately 5000 votes in a Democratic district. No one can remember if there's ever been a black Republican state senator in North Carolina. It's past time when African-American voters. Wake up and realize that when they say that both parties neither one of you have my support or our support until you demonstrate that you're willing to work for that that's the day that the African-American community will empower itself. I think people are moving to the point where they're willing to look more and more beyond race and in. And African-Americans are real and willing to look at people who are not African-Americans and vote for them over an African American if they think that person represents

them well by the same token I think people at the point where they're willing to look beyond just party. When the police opposition wasn't just the Democratic candidates vying for the district Senate seat Moqui says he had to run against the community's black leadership. And suppose I had listened to those critics who said get out. Don't do it. We would be working. We have work and awakened that morning with no one to sit with this new delegation of people and speak to the issues of concern to our community. It was what McQueary called a conspiracy of silence from many black leaders. Their belief was if I were successful in winning it may give young blacks. I view that there is an alternative or a different direction that they can take. And it's my belief that that is healthy for the

entire community. So I think that my presence will mean an asset a positive contribution to the efforts on the part of the overall Republican Party. And I look forward to joining the members of the Black Caucus and dialoguing with them. And that's going to be one of the most interesting dynamics to me is how well-received I will be by the my fellow members of the black caucus there in the Johnson. McCoy says he expects to be challenge like other Republicans to come through on campaign promises. McCoy's other personal challenge is to build bridges between blacks and whites and Democrats and Republicans. The only other minority Republican candidate to be elected this time was Larry Linea Buncombe County. Lenny will serve in the state House of Representatives where we continue our series tonight on North Carolinians who've made it big in the Big Apple. New York City is an international business center for practically every field imaginable.

Tonight Maria Lundberg profiles two North Carolinians who become highly successful in New York's extremely competitive business arena. The Bronx and the world of corporate business the pinnacle of success is rising to the top of your profession. Two successful North Carolinians have done just that and their offices. I also happen to be right across the street from each other here in New York City. I'm a twenty seventh floor of the Time-Life Building is the office of Elizabeth Valcke long president of Time magazine and a native of Winston-Salem. After getting an MBA from Harvard Business School Lisa long joined time in 1709 always been a word person I've always loved reading and writing then and the thought of marketing the magazine which was something dynamic can really sort of ever changing and more

complex than a packaged good product that sort of was a great sounding fit and it turned out to be a good one for me. In fact it's been a perfect fit. Lisa made her mark working for Time Fortune and Sports Illustrated. She was named publisher of Life magazine in 1986 the first woman to hold the position. When I was made publisher of Life magazine and that was the first time Time Inc it named a woman publisher of one of its publications there was a big stir about that. I sort of. We're just into this job thinking what was going to be difficult was that I was coming into a very new area where I needed to learn a lot so that was what I felt was newsworthy was that I was a circulation director who had been many publisher Not that I was a woman who'd been made publisher as president of time. Lisa oversees the business side of the magazine. Behind the scenes the atmosphere is definitely high tech with each issue assembled entirely on computer. In September 1993 time drove onto the information highway with time

online and interactive computer news service which allows subscribers to see issues before they hit the newsstands. The more important or engaging aspect of online I think are the more the message boards the bulletin boards where subscribers talk to each other and also to our editors and it's sort of good to feel like pioneers again Tom invented the news magazine some 70 years ago and now we're sort of pushing the envelope a little bit again working at the top level of a very competitive field. Lisa Long's charm and southern accent make her something of a rarity in New York City. It definitely is an icebreaker people don't have three words out of my mail especially when I say I work for teh magazine and I'm saying in a way that nobody's ever heard before. And that stops and where are you from. So that. That helps it does help it sort of gets things on a human level right away.

And even though she's lived in New York for 15 years Lisa Long keeps strong ties with North Carolina. The place she still calls home. That's where my oldest friends are. That's where where my parents still live. I live go and I go up to the mountains in North Carolina every summer to visit friends or to the coast to visit friends. And there's a lot about North Carolina that I'll always love. Across the street from the Time-Life Building is the headquarters of the Equitable Life Assurance society. One of the foremost insurance companies in the country at the helm as chairman and chief executive officer is Raleigh native diction ret. He's worked in Wall Street finance for the past thirty seven years after founding a successful investment firm. He took on his greatest career challenge when he stepped into this Manhattan boardroom as chairman of equitable was asked to take over the chief executive officer your political life. At a time when the company had gotten in deep financial trouble

for a variety of reasons we were converted to stock ownership and since and we've raised almost three billion dollars of new capital in the last two years taking equitable. That was really on the endangered species list and in making it alive and well and off to the races is probably the best business achievement. Dick Jenrette Southern charm and gentility set him apart from many New York executives. There are traits which complement his favorite hobby restoring historic houses like Paramount in Hillsboro and Milford plantation in South Carolina. I think the world would be better off if we'd all pursue more beauty. And people forget about that you know you're out you drive inner cities get tasteless You know I mean we ought to be doing trying to make our lives more beautiful we need more parks and we need flowers and things like that. So it's nice to do a little strike a blow now and then for freedom and beauty and all

the restoration I've done certainly is save some great houses that really should be saved for posterity no matter where his travels take him in the world of high finance diction Rhett still has a special place in his heart for North Carolina. I think it still still lives too. Know your place where you came from and not get so high and why you figure surely you already know Thriller was a wonderful place to go to was recently honored by the Metropolitan Museum of Art for his outstanding work in historic preservation. And on October 13th he was presented with the governor's North Carolina award the highest and most prestigious award given by our state we like to think produces less than when Barry and Cheney Hales for sharing their footage of Mr. Jeanette's historic homes. Liza Long has also been recognized for outstanding career achievement. She received the 1992 matrix award from New York women in communications and the American

advertising silver medal award in 1993. Well tomorrow night Maria will continue her series with a visit to the studio and showroom of world famous fashion designer Alexander Julian. Well from New York to our nation's capital some North Carolina business owners will be keeping an eye on Washington D.C. as Congress begins hearings on GATT the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. If approved that will set guidelines for international trade some Tauriel business leaders attended a conference in Durham to find out what implications get will happen in the global economy and on their businesses. That's a Louis has the story. The second annual conference on the environment the economy and world trade met in Durham this week. Representatives of nearly 100 Tarheel businesses met to learn about international marketing. The conference was organized by the Research Triangle the World Trade Center a nonprofit organization that helps small businesses export their products. The initial purpose was twofold we wanted to teach North Carolina companies about the new environmental regulations all around the world that may affect the way they do business.

Both if they're exporting and in the United States and we also wanted to help North Carolina companies that are involved in environmental businesses to explore export markets for their products and services. One heavily debated proposal that will have a definite impact on exports is the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade known as get get is an international agreement that has evolved over an eight year period. If the plan is approved a group called the World Trade Organization WTO for short will be created to develop new areas of trade tariffs and to strengthen multilateral free trade rules. However there is concern that the World Trade Organization may have too much power in determining international trade policies especially when it comes to setting levels of food safety and environmental quality. Laura Anderson who coordinates various aspects of U.S. trade policy as director for trade and environment in Washington D.C. says the WTO is purpose is not to dictate policy.

They specifically believe governments need to look at more stringent standards. Whenever governments believe that exist here national you know tearing out of Jay Michael McCloskey chairman of the Sierra Club he disagrees with Anderson's assessment U.S. He says there is some fine print in the gap proposal that limits the government's range McCloskey feels those limitations will result in the United States lowering its environmental standards. Talking about laws such as those on catalytic converters and taking S.F. CS out of refrigerants and things of that sort or challenges have been threatened against our Atwood and Magnussen acts which prevent exploitation of Fisheries. Food safety laws and zero carcinogens are also threatened. We'll have to pay trade penalties if we want to persist in having the laws that we think are bass. Robert Morris senior vice president of the U.S. Council for International Business believes GATT is ready for congressional consideration.

If we do not pass it during the lame duck session it's dead which means that the GATT agreement goes down the drain. There is no disposition that we can detect on the part of other countries. Go back and renegotiate an agreement which is more favorable unquote. And we've all lost a golden opportunity to improve the economic prospects and future of our society. We're more United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young one of the keynote speakers for the conference. They did not express his views on the Gantt agreement but he expects the U.S. will negotiate some type of agreement to further develop the global economy and that North Carolina could be among those states that will lead the way. We know how to do environmental cleanup. We know how to plan cities. We know how to build transit systems to move large numbers of people. The fact that you are continually thinking about environmental issues the fact that one of the. At least proposed global transport

here in North Carolina virtually assures North Carolina a place in the future. And if Congress ratifies the GATT agreement it is scheduled to go into effect on July 1st 1995. President Clinton and many business leaders are eager to get the GATT agreement approved quickly. North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms the new chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee wants to delay action on GATT until the new Congress is seated in January. The new Congress is much less likely to pass it. Well coming up Michel Louis with a statewide news report. And later in the show treasure diver Kim Fisher said Don't go away now. Good evening I'm Michel Louis. Here's a review of North Carolina's top news events.

The new speaker of the North Carolina House is most likely to be Representative Harold Brooks-Baker of Randolph County the only remaining announced candidate for that top House spot. Representative Bob Brawley of Irondale County has dropped out of the running. No other Republicans appear ready to challenge Drew Baker. It's believed the brew Baker has all the votes needed to win the GOP nomination for the post when House Republicans caucus Saturday in Saulsbury while Breaux Baker has not yet publicly laid claim to the House speaker's position. He has made public some of his key objectives should he become speaker. Topping brew Baker's agenda is a 200 million dollar cut in personal income taxes. Baker and his Republican colleagues also support veto power for the governor. A state lottery referendum welfare reform and term limits for office holders. The last two members of Fort Bragg's military police serving in Haiti will be home in time for Thanksgiving. About 300 soldiers from the 16th Military Police Brigade will lend a nearby Pope Air Force Base at about 9 p.m. tonight. These employees went to

Haiti in September to provide security for the country's ports. The Haitian parliament and other government ministry offices today skies were partly to mostly cloudy statewide and there were some scattered rain and drizzle along the coast. Eyes were in the 60s almost everywhere. Tonight it'll be cloudy with a chance for rain state wind. Lows will be in the 40s and wind and in the 50s along the coast tomorrow rain will clear off in the mountains leaving partly cloudy skies. But for the rest of the state the chance of rain will persist throughout the day. There may be possible flooding or Wynton highs will be in the 50s and 60s. Scotland has become the second county in the state to regulate hog farms through its local health department. The Scotland county Board of Health has unanimously approved regulations which will go into effect January 1st those regulations require farmers to submit design plans for hog farms

for the health department for approval. In addition hog farmers will have to post a surety bond to guarantee that hog waste lagoons will be cleaned up once the farm closes. In 1992 Halifax County became the first county in the state to regulate hog farms through its health department. The stock market finished mixed today. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up nearly 19 points to close at thirty eight forty five point twenty declining stocks led advancing one by six to five as about two hundred ninety seven million shares were traded on the New York Stock Exchange. The Standard Poor's 500 index was up about a half a point and so was the Nasdaq composite index. And now for some stocks of North Carolina interest in. Tonight

we'll get a look at treasures from a Spanish galleon which sank off the Florida Keys in 16 22 after 16 years of searching for the new West just in your a day a Tosha said to hold more treasures than any other of the period. Jim Fisher and his family made the discovery. Joining us tonight are Kim Fisher and his wife Lena did I pronounce that correctly. That was actually a Toshiba right 16 years him in the what was so important about this treasure will be a total was a virtual time capsule. She sank fairly intact and was never salvaged by the Spaniards or anyone else. So that whole shipwreck full of history was just sitting there waiting to be discovered.

And then there was also the tremendous quantity of silver on board there was 47 tons of silver. Wow. And I mean you know all those years nobody else had found it then I mean that's the amazing thing to me. You know well the shipwreck was buried under four to 12 feet of mud and scattered through 12 miles. The first the first clue we found was 10 miles away from the main pile of treasure. So it really threw us off. You know we we ended up taking another 14 years to find it. And Lee I know that the the actual dive it was very costly took a lot of time as well but unfortunately I guess there were some deaths involved also in your family yet what happened back in 1975 one of the boats rolled in the night and everybody got off. But three divers it was Mel's sons daughter in law and then one of our other divers. I'm sorry to hear that. Well what kind of things did you actually find though I mean when you were down there is that what you expected. I mean what you had researched for. We filmed a lot of stuff that was registered but then we found a lot of stuff that wasn't

listed on the manifest like some of this great right. So we made some of the say well actually this is one of the beautiful emeralds from the museum mine. And actually there was about 70 pounds of these being smuggled. So that's going to take it into the billions we're still working this today. And we're bringing in millions of emeralds Weekly. Yeah here's one of the gold money chains and this was their wealth. You could just twist off a link and purchase anything you wanted that the links were not soldered together. And I understand no one will be eating off that. No no right. That's a solid gold spoon This is again courtesy of the museum in Key West were permitted to tour with it sets a solid gold spoon and then the large gold bar here. This is actually how they brought their wealth home. They would bring it home and get sore disks they would just bring the pilot up bring it on. And I came on the actual treasures themselves and I noticed that you're both wearing some pendants as well and I'm assuming they're from the ship. But when you actually go down and dive in you discover it that day I mean you're both very calm now but I mean that's got to be where you're

just the opposition probably can't flow enough right out of the tank or something right. Yes it's an incredible feeling when you're the first person to see something after three or four hundred years. You just get tingles all over you know. And it's also very addicting you want to go far more. Yeah and I guess that's what you're going to mean you've a lot of money has apparently been made off of this particular shipwreck in the treasure that you found. Yeah and also when you when you get down there and see the treasure I mean you can just start kind of you know take it things and put it in your pocket no no you have to do your complete Archaeological Survey get your photographs put together mosaic and then you can excavate the area one meter at a time and then you bring the pieces up and they're tagged and registered that way that there's a number can change. The authenticity the integrity of the piece has to maintain intact. Wow that's a great and I know a lot of people want to sort of experience this treasure that you went through so much hard work to find it. You're sort of touring the country right now right with some of the pieces that we have here and this is where we're touring for six months we're doing a 21 city tour right now and

so for three and a half days we're going to be over it. We're going to be a Bally's fine jewelry Cameron Cameron villa in Emeryville in Raleigh Raleigh. Yeah and we've got a 40 million dollar collection with us over a hundred items from the wreck. People can come see we've got a five pound go bar here will put in everybody's pay and everybody loves it. Kids love it you know. So is this free of charge. Come on out Thursday through Sunday as they through the side and maybe do some Christmas shopping all right you have items from a few hundred thousand dollars down to $35. Can you now at 35 I know you guys could handle there's something for everyone and it's a living history that's what's so spectacular and that's why the children and their parents come out and everybody enjoys it. And some of the items you can touch the gold bars and what do you know what insurance for a child to have and people like the pendants like that you're wearing right brings a history to life. Well thank you so much for joining us and best of luck on future shipwrecks and Treasure Hunt thanks for joining us. Thank you.

We want to hear from you. Simply call out your comment line at 9 1 9 5 7 8 0 8. Or write us at P.O. Box 1 4 9 0 0 2 7 7 0 9. That's a message to 9 1 9 5 4 9 7 0 4 3. Or try out Internet address that aol dot com. And please give us a daytime phone number in case we follow up. I ask officials as well as a lot of competition in this treasure diving business and they said it's not really a competition everyone. There are so many shipwrecks to explore that there's plenty for everyone to have. Thanks I think we need to think of a new hobby that gold was just unbelievable. Credible really. Well tomorrow night on North Carolina now we'll have a panel of political experts in our studio to analyze what really happened in last week's election. And Maria

Lundberg continues her series on New York's success stories. I'm looking for the same or that and we'll have a report on the latest research being conducted on PR mess. Lots of interesting things coming up tomorrow so we hope to see you then that's all for now I'm Mary Lou are char and I'm with Bailey. See you tomorrow night.