Birmingham Post-Herald from Birmingham, Alabama • 5

fllht Hinrnngham NfOW SATURDAY Birmingham Port-Herald wn-r' 'I 4 SATURDAYf APRIL19JI1994 pVilkerson School: From chaos to Quality Cup 1 By Carla Caldwell News staff writer we uie Bciwoi recan successes an emphasis oa teamwork the heart of the total quality management program to tackle problems To Improve reading skills seventh- and eighth-grade students have become teachers for sixth-graders having difficulty reading Reading scores for the 1992-1993 school Quality Cup Award The Quality Cup Award recognizes smal businesses or Institutions or small divisions within larger organizations that have witnessed dramatic results by applying the principle of total quality Total quality Is the concept that an organization wN gow strong If everyone In the organization is given a say and a stake In It according to John Hroml professor emeritus at the John Hroml Center tor Quality and Applied Statistics In Rochester Institute of Technology's College of Engineering kerson was rife with troubles Poor reading skills low test scores and apathetic students were among them she said Wilkerson which has 75 students many from low-income homes rose above those difficulties through hard work to become one of 396 teams to apply for the award When contest Judges announced in February that Wilkerson was among 14 national finalists everyone at the school from stu- dents to custodians was ecstatic Many peo- pie including Mrs Skipwith said making it to the finals was dream come Wilkerson educators decided to try the total quality management approach at the suggestion of Diane Rivers coordinator for Birmingham school 19 middle schools Ms Rivers asked her bosses if she could try the program at Wilkerson after reading about the successes in business If it worked in business she saw no reason why Power and Rust International and area colleges including Samford University Birmingham-Southern College and the University of Alabama at Birmingham to instruct Wilkerson students in many fields Teachers at the school work together to Identify at-risk students before more serious problems occur and teacher teams meet each morning before school begins to discuss specific student or program needs Other winners are Pacific Bell San Ramon Calif Llbralter Plastics Walled Lake Mich TRW Military Electronics and Avionics Division San Diego and Medical Center Hospital of Vermont Burlington Vi Mrs Skipwith said she was thrilled her school was among the field "You imagine how wonderful this she said shielding the telephone as best she could to block out background noise should see all the important people here" LIMW four years ago there were so many problems at Wilkerson Middle School in East Thomas neighborhood that £the principal considered asking for a trans- fer JVOn Friday Wilkerson was named among five winners of the USA Today Rochester institute of Technology Quality Cup The laward is presented annually to businesses jTand institutions that achieve dramatic im-jjprovement The award is a telling example of how far -r the school has come Principal Anita Skip- jrith said in a telephone interview from Ar- lington Va shortly after winners were an-7inounced After all it that long ago that Wil percent for seventh-graders and 26 percent tor eighth-graders records show from the previous year The school encourages parental involvement by having parents teach classes relating to personal skills Who better than a parent who is a practicing engineer to teach students about engineering Mrs Skipwith said The school also invites instructors from area businesses including Alabama total quality management work in education and Wilkerson was a good place tostari Contest judges nd Mrs Skipwith attrib- EH pity says ruling on iBFIis Bailey faces opposition for first time since in crucial By Carol Robinson Warren News staff writer By Roy WHHams News staff writer make a change in law enforcement "I really want to be a patrol officer because their hands are so tied and I want to get into a position to change Cousins said "I have nothing but admiration for (Bailey) but I feel like more can be Both ante that a race against Bailey will be tough last election with opposition was in 1978 He prevailed with 70 percent of the vote Bailey's only political loss was a 1976 race for 8th District congressional seat which some speculate happened because voters were reluctant to see him vacate the sheriffs office In the Jefferson County Commission District 1 race Democrats Jeff Germany Etta Dunning and Reuben Davis will again all try for the same seat as they did in the 1990 election Germany a 10-year veteran of the Birmingham City Council was defeated in 1989 for re-election and was elected to the Jefferson County Commission in 1990 defeating incumbent Reuben Davis Mrs Dunning a Forestdale resident and a lawyer lost to Germany in a runoff last time She is president of the Forestdale Community Development Association See Jeffco Page 8A Mel Bailey Longtime Jefferson County Sheriff Mel Bailey will face opposition for the first time since 1978 A former deputy from Pinson and a Cotter Point firefighter both announced Friday they will try to oust the legendary Democratic lawman from the position he has held for 32 years In other county races Birmingham City Councilman William Bell will try to unseat Jefferson County Commissioner Chris McNair for the District 2 spot Both are Democrats Two other commissioners also face opposition And in the Jefferson County School Board race eight candidates will vie for two seats In the sheriffs race private investigator Jim Bentley and Center Point firefighter Edward Cousins will both run as Republicans Bentley 47 worked in law enforcement for 11 years nine of which were as a patrol deputy with the sheriffs department Bentley left the sheriffs department in 1988 and has since been self-employed as an investigator for area law firms "I feel that the sheriffs department needs some new energetic leadership and I think I can provide Bentley said "In the past potential candidates seem to be reluctant to put forth the necessary effort to beat an incumbent in any race But now I am willing to put forth that effort" Cousins 38 said he sees the sheriff spot as a way to Sheriff 7 m'A lawyer warned Friday that the City of Birmingham may drop its op- position to Browning-Ferri Indus- garbage transfer station if a jiidge throws out a Feb 28 set-Ltlement that transferred ownership of the North Titusville facility to the city in a hearing the judge the settlement dispute indicated he's leaning toward the city's argu- ment that it should stand £Mf TAG (the Total Awareness Group) wants the facility to open jthey need to let us know and well k-take the necessary steps city lawyer Donald Watkins said after the hearing before Circuit Judge Marvin jjjCherner The dty and BFI signed a consent decree on Feb 26 in which the city agreed to buy the transfer station from BFI for $35 million in cash and $325 million in credits at a city landfill Bn has already received $1 million and will get the rest '-within two years mmTTAG a North Titusville citizens coalition has filed a lawsuit seeking void the agreement because law- vers David Sullivan and WL Wil-i Jiams Jr who represent neighbor-TJWod residents get to participate in settlement talks Chemer said he will issue a written 7 ruling within weeks 7X- Watkins said "the city thinks this case is over spent all the money going to spend on this thing in terms of purchasing the property" Watkins' comments angered van 7 -That's very he said XITThe constitution requires govern-njent officials to protect its citi-aens" STZWhile Chemer made no decision JJETlday he did say during the hearing he believes the residents' claims ore moot since the settlement re-Timoves HPT from the neighborhood gHe also said the city and BFI See BFI Page 6A NEWS STMT PHOTtyJERRYAVRES MORNING! BLAZE: Firefighter Jeff Miller sprays water Into an attic window at 2828 23rd SL Ensley which was heavily damaged In a Friday morning fire Frederick Johnson 23 said he was awakened about sunrise by a popping sound and found sparks shooting from a wall outlet In another bedroom He escaped with a bum on his right leg Latecomers flood local races 4 List includes well-known controversial names By Phil Pierce News staff writer Only contested races in Shelby are among GOP Allen Sanderson R-Mountain Brook while Democrat Ike Gulas a Vesta-via Hills lawyer will challenge Rep John Hawkins R-Vestavia Hills in House District 48 Each of those candidates has a clear field in June but will face their opponents in November Rep John Hilliard D-Birmingham was unopposed until fellow Democrats Kincaid and Randolph Strickland and Republican Jim Wright qualified Friday and now he has a primary test on his hands Kincaid is former MAX chairman and an assistant professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Strickland a Birmingham financial consultant and Wright a Birmingham businessman who lost his House seat to Rep Frank Rogers DGraysville in a 1990 race filled with mudslinging Rep Jack Biddle wu on the verge of making an easy move to Senate District 17 when fellow Gardendale See Local races Page 9A Despite the batch of latecomers nine local legislators will face no major party opposition and will stay in office unleu independent or smaller-party candidates emerge to challenge them As of Friday no such candidates had filed forms with the secretary of of free Senate incumbents without opponents include: John Amari R-Bir-mingham JT Waggoner R-Vestavia Hills and Sundra Escott-Russell D-Birmingham Unopposed House members are Mike Hill R-Columbiana Arthur Payne R-Center Print Albert Morton R-Birmingham John Rogers D-Blrmingham George Perdue D-Birmingham and Lewis Spratt D-Birmingham Other incumbents uw last-minute entrants dash their hopes for an ef-fortieu re-election Romei a Democrat entered the District 43 House race against Rep By Nancy Wilstach News staff writer Last-minute candidates for Jefferson County legislative seats flooded Democratic and Republican headquarters Friday kicking several formerly sleepy races into a higher gear When the deadline for qualifying ended at 5 pnL 71 hats were in the ring for the eight Senate and 21 House of Representatives seats that include portions of Jefferson and Shelby counties The list of people spicing up races by Jumping in Friday included such well-known and controversial names as Birmingham Regional Arts Commission Chairman David Romei former Metro Area Express Chairman Bernard Kincaid former state Rep Jim Wright and WL Williams Jr a Birmingham lawyer who recently represented neighborhoods opposing Browning-FoTis Industries gGene jelks garrested -Second time 24 hours Decision on judicial elections delayed Glasscox in general election Steve Martin of Sunny Meadows seeking re-election to the board of education is opposed by Doug Sweet of Willow Brook for the Republican nomination to that Place 2 spot The victor faces Ms Baker in November The re-election bid of Sheriff James Jones of WilsonviUe is opposed by County Commissioner Phillip Walker of Alabaster a former Sheriffs lieutenant and the son of former Sheriff CP Walker The winner in that race meets Thompson in November In the Republican race to replace longtime Probate Judge Tommy Snowden who is running for state Senate this year are County Commissioner Lam Archer of Westover lawyer Patricia Yeager Fuhrmeis-ter of Indian Springs Village Alabaster Mayor Roger Wheeler and lawyer Ray Ledbetter of Leeds The winner faces no Democratic opposition in November Coroner Jack Jones is seeking a second term against GOP primary opponent Charles Knight of North Shelby County The winner faces no Democratic opposition in November Shelby Patrick of Calera who formerly ran for County Commission a Democrat has Jumped the party fence to qualify as a Republican candidate for Clerk of the Circuit am 7 hy Doug Segrest 7NAws staff writer Shelby County voters looking for local action in the June 8 primaries will need to sign the blue poll sheet and ask for one of the GOP ballots The only contested races for county jobs are among Republicans this year The county's Democrats not only have no contested nominations they even have a full slate Only three Democrats are seeking county offices One of those is County Commissioner Billy Thompson a former county coroner who filed late Friday to run for sheriff 1 Ellie Glasscox of Alabaster a former Shelby County school superintendent and a former Republican is running for superintendent as a Democrat And retired school teacher Peggy Baker of Helena has qualified as a Democratic candidate for Place 2 on the Shelby County Board of Education On the Republican ballot there are local contests galore with only Board of Education President Lee Doebler getting a free re-election ride through November Schools Superintendent Norma Ronrs of North Shelby has opposition from Midfield High School Principal Bill Sparks of Pelham in her bid to win the GOP nomination to By Stan Bailey News staff writer the Court of Criminal Appeals The chief Justice and three other Supreme Court Justice posts also are up for election but are not under Justice Department review because they were part of the state system before the Voting Righto Act went into effect In 1965 Justice Department attorney Matthew Olsen told the federal court last month that his agency was to decide by Friday's deadline for candidates to qualify whether to approve at-large system of electing judges But Olsen told the judges Friday that in view of Evans' withdrawal of the settlement plan "we believe that the interests of justice will best be served by briefly the decision Deputy Attorney General Marc Se Judicial elections Jelks a farmer University Hof Alabama football star was ar-JTreSted Friday far the second time in hours with the latest charges In- eluding possession of a controlled 'substance law enforcement offlcials 2rrjCadsden police arrested Jelks in -the 1400 block of Alabama Avenue pm Friday and charged him ytth unlawful possession of a conditioned substance and drug paraphernalia Law enforcement allege the substance was £3fltine a spokesman for the wah County Sheriffs Department MONTGOMERY At Attorney General Jimmy request the Justice Department has delayed far one week a decision on possibly blocking this year elections for six Alabama appeatecourt judges Evans said he wants until noon Wednesday to make changes in a plan to settle a race-bias suit by appointing blacks to all three state appeals courts The Justice Department on March 28 told a federal court hearing the lawsuit that Alabama's appellate court elections must be blocked unless the system is approved by the Justice Department as required by the federal Voting Rights Act Up for election this year and subject to voting rights questions are one Supreme Court Justice position twee judges of the Court of Civil Appeals and tvjo judges of Court against incumbent Dan Reeves of Shelby There is no her job The winner will face ratic contender in that race either SeeJetks Page 6A.