Dan Coleman, president of the Raleigh-Wake Citizens Association, is getting fallout for his public criticism of the old Wake County socioeconomic diversity policy.
In a news release Friday, the Coalition of Concerned Citizens for African American Children accused Coleman of making "uninformed and misleading statements" about the diversity policy's impact on student achievement. Coalition President Calla Wright is accusing Coleman, the head of a group that has represented Raleigh's African-American community since 1932, of supporting resegregation that will harm student achievement.
"It is shocking that Dan Coleman is so out-of-touch with the thoughts and feelings of the African-American community and the academic needs of our students," Wright said in the release.
In an e-mail message this week to RWCA members, Coleman noted the low passing rates on state reading exams for students living in Southeast Raleigh. With a majority of Southeast Raleigh's 10,000 students assigned to schools outside the community for diversity, Coleman asked "where is the benefit of an assignment policy based on economic diversity when the end result produces the worse scores in the system."
Coleman's criticism of the diversity policy has put him at odds with other local African-American leaders who are fighting the new school board majority's plans to move to community-based schools. Coleman declined comment on Wright's news release.
Buy conservative
The Northern Wake Republican Club wants you to "keep your conservative dollars with conservative businesses."
That's one of the pitches for the group's newly published Conservative Business Directory. Another catchy club motto for the directory, which lists more than 60 conservative businesses, is "let your fingers do the walking ... let your dollars do the talking."
Directories are going for donations of $5, but you'll get a fifth one free if you buy four. The club says 100 percent of donations will go to support 2010 Wake County conservative candidates.
Go to www .nwrcnc .org for more details.
Calling for Costco
State Sen. Ellie Kinnaird is stirring things up with her push to bring a Costco to Chapel Hill or Carrboro.
The former Carrboro mayor is lobbying local leaders to woo the warehouse club to help balanceOrange County's heavily residential tax base. She also argues that the business would provide jobs and lower vehicle emissions from all those southern Orange shoppers driving across the county line to shop in Durham.
Costco officials won't say whether they're interested in a Chapel Hill store. The town says it has two potential locations, but Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt says the community, which has been leery of big-box stores, needs to have a conversation first.
Kinnaird said it's time to move beyond talk.
"I challenge you to ask the next five people you see if they've ever gone to Costco," the senator said.
Read more on the Costco push Sunday in The Chapel Hill News and at www .chapelhillnews.com .
Political Trails
The Wake County Democratic Party will hold a Labor Day rally from noon to 3 p.m. Monday at the Raleigh Elks Lodge, Lead Mine and Millbrook roads. U.S. Senate candidate Elaine Marshall will be the keynote speaker. The event will be catered by The Pit. Tickets are $15. Go to www .wakedems .org for more information.
The Wake County Republican Party, in conjunction with the state GOP, will hold its own barbecue from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 16 at the N.C. GOP Headquarters, 1506 Hillsborough St., Raleigh. Wake GOP Chairman Claude Pope Jr. and state GOP Chairman Tom Fetzer will host. The event is free to attend, but you'll need to pay $10 if you want the barbecue and fixings. RSVP by Thursday by sending e-mail to rsvp@ncgop.org, or by calling 919-828-6423.
The Republican Women's Club of Chapel Hill will meet at 11:30 a.m. Sept. 17 at Captain John's Dockside Restaurant, 11550 U.S.15-501 at Cole Park Plaza. The following candidates will be featured: Greg Andrews,Orange County commissioner; Cathy Wright, N.C. House District 54; Ryan Hilliard, Senate District 23; and Roger Gerber, Senate District 18.
All guests are welcome. Call 932-3356 for more information and reservations, or e-mail marthanjenkins@gmail.com.
Compiled by staff writers T. Keung Hu and Mark Schultz
