The local branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, led by its new president, Norma Holt Davis, is conducting a letter-writing campaign to prevent confirmation of Sen. John Ashcroft as attorney general.

        “We are solidly opposed to his confirmation because of his opposition to affirmative action,” Mrs. Davis said. “We feel the NAACP should take the lead in opposing him.”

        Branch board member Jesse Jenkins, who heads the state NAACP Political Action Committee, is pushing the campaign all over the state.

        He is sending out form letters to civil rights groups, ministers and labor organizations.

        “We want letters to go to our senators from individuals as well as organizations,” Mr. Jenkins said. “Most of the senators know what we think as a group, but we want them to know what individual citizens think.”

        Mr. Jenkins also heads a political action group for the United Auto Workers, Local 863.

        He packages his form letters with an NAACP legislative scorecard, on which senators are rated on voting records.

        “According to our scorecard, 80 percent of the time he voted against issues the NAACP stood for,” Mr. Jenkins said.

        By a vote of 47-13, members of the Avondale Community Council on Tuesday chosed Ramona Sellers, president of the Burnet Area Business Association to represent Avondale on the Cincinnati Empowerment Zone Inc. board over Reggie Boyd, a former ACC consultant.

        The Cincinnati Empowerment Zone, created in January 1999, was designed to revive low-income neighborhoods by offering businesses tax breaks, wage credits and other incentives.

        SYCAMORE TWP. - The Kenwood Woman's Club is offering two Woman's Opportunity Grants of $1,000 each to women who need to further their training or education or retain a previous skill.

        Applicants must be Kenwood residents. Financial need is a prime consideration. Applications must be returned by March 24. For information, call 489-8782.

        MADEIRA - Joni Dunn, 45, a consultant for the securities industry, has been appointed to the Madeira City Planning Commission.

        Ms. Dunn, a single mother of three children, replaces Rob Steier. Mr. Steier was appointed to a City Council position, filling the vacancy created by the resignation of Michelle Schneider, who was elected to the Ohio House.

        “I believe I can add a lot to the commission because my job deals with interpreting laws and regulations,” Ms. Dunn said. “We need to be enticing more businesses to Madeira, but it has to be controlled businesses within our laws.”

        A youth forum from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. today at Union Baptist Church, 405 W. Seventh St. downtown, will focus on improving relations between black youths and police, determining what is racial profiling and how to interact with police.

        Youths ages 12 to 18, youth service organizations and parents may attend the forum, sponsored by the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Union Baptist Church and Radio Station WIZF.

       Allen Howard's column runs on Saturdays. Call: 768-8362. Mail: The Cincinnati Enquirer, 312 Elm St., Cincinnati, OH 45202.

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