Pittsburgh
Hard work pays off
by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer
From the Homewood Stingers, to the Kingsley Knights, to the Lincoln Rams, to Penn Hills High School...
Hard work pays off.
The University of Pittsburgh Panthers were served a reality check at the hands of the Notre
Dame Fighting Irish at Acrisure Stadium, Nov. 15. The final score on the football field was 37-15. But that never could have taken away the moment that Aaron Donald received at halftime. Donald, a surefire Pro Football Hall of Famer in a few years, is Pittsburgh born-and-bred. Lincoln-Lemington to be
exact. On this day, Nov. 15, 2025, he didn't have the pads on that he wore en route to demolishing offensive lines, quarterbacks and running backs in his days as a defensive lineman at Pitt, and then in the NFL with the St. Louis and Los Angeles Rams.
On this day, Nov. 15, 2025, he walked onto the
by Naomi C. Ilochi
Courier
Talia Kirkland is a multi-media reporter, wife, daughter and community advocate, shaped by her family, friends, hometown and life journey. Kirkland is a Penn Hills native, Penn Hills High School graduate (2010) and Duquesne University alumna with a degree in journalism and a Master of Science in Media Technology and Arts. She's also a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), and a 2024 member of the New Pittsburgh Courier's Fab 40 class.
Journalism visited Kirkland as a teenager at Penn Hills High School through the representation of her first Black teacher, whom she calls Ms. Livingston.
Ms. Livingston was Kirkland’s creative writing teacher, and at the time, Kirkland wanted to be a poet. But Kirkland was advised to look into journalism.
“From there it kept going, we started the school's newspaper," Kirkland recalled in an interview with the Courier. "And I think had I not had
Acrisure Stadium field, greeted by the mostly African American kids who now make up those aforementioned little league football squads. They shook his hand, some took a quick photo with him, knowing that not too long ago, he played football for those teams. In
by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer
On June 3, 2017, the New Pittsburgh Courier attended and filmed an event that had Black children playing chess with Pittsburgh Police officers. The Black children got a chance to play other games with the officers, and the parents were busy getting community information from the various organizations in attendance. It was the "Zone 5 Community Day Open House," a free outdoor event in front of the Pittsburgh Police Zone 5 station, on Washington Boulevard in East Liberty. At the time, the Courier interviewed on camera the Zone 5 police commander, Jason Lando, who said they held the open house because, "we realize how important it is for the police to connect with the community."
He also said, "our officers are DJing, grilling, it's just a really nice way to bring everybody together and hopefully when we go out in the street now, and we en-
counter some of these people, there's less stress, it makes it easier for the officers, there's more trust on the part of the public, and it's really a win-win for everybody." Little did anyone know that Lando, who, at that time, had been Zone 5 Commander since 2014, would eventually become Pittsburgh's Chief of Police. $1.00
PITTSBURGH NATIVE AARON DONALD, WHO’S ALSO A SUPER BOWL CHAMPION, HAD HIS NO. 97 PITT JERSEY RETIRED ON NOV. 15. (PHOTO BY MARLON MARTIN)
Rev. Jesse Jackson hospitalized as civil rights community rallies around icon
by Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr., one of the most enduring architects of the modern freedom struggle, has been hospitalized, as confirmed by Rainbow PUSH Coalition officials, and is under observation for progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare neurodegenerative disease he has battled quietly for more than a decade.
To those who have followed Jackson’s long march through the corridors of American power, the news lands with a weight born of memory. Jackson, now 84, has been a steadfast figure from the Southern freedom trenches to the highest levels of
“Jesse
Jackson was to Martin Luther King Jr. what Paul the Apostle was to Jesus.” - Reina Keeks
national politics.
A protégé of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he rose from the ranks of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and helped establish its presence in Chicago before founding Operation PUSH in 1971, an organization that fought poverty, job discrimination, and corporate neglect in Black communities.
“Jesse Jackson was to Martin Luther King Jr. what Paul the Apostle was to Jesus,” social media user Reina Keeks wrote on X, after news of his hospitalization. “That’s the best way I can describe it.”
Progressive supranuclear palsy, which affects balance, movement, and eye control, was confirmed as Jackson’s diagnosis in April after years of treatment for Parkinson’s disease. The National Institute of Neurologi-
cal Disorders and Stroke characterizes PSP as a rare disorder that often leads to severe disability within a few years, a reality that underscores the challenges he has fought with both courage and clarity.
Jackson’s health struggles have followed years of relentless public service. He faced COVID-19 in 2021 and endured a serious fall later that year during a visit to Howard University. Yet even as his body weakened, the mission did not. Jackson stepped down as president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition in 2023 after more than five decades of leadership, making space for a new generation but never
people navigating a nation that often wanted their labor but not their liberation.
Over the decades, Jackson expanded the country’s sense of political possibility. His campaigns for president in 1984 and 1988 forced America to confront the breadth of its electorate and the depth of its inequities. In 1988, he finished second in the Democratic primaries, reshaping party rules on delegate allocation and opening doors that would later make space for Barack Obama’s ascent.
His leadership was equally global.
Jackson negotiated for the release of Navy Lt. Robert Goodman after the
THE REV. JESSE L. JACKSON SR. is in the hospital and under observation for progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare neurodegenerative disease he has battled quietly for more than a decade. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)
abandoning the cause. For all his global reach, Jackson never drifted from the Black community, including the Black Press of America. For years, he wrote a regular column for the more than 200 African American-owned newspapers that remain the trusted voice of the nation’s Black communities. His columns were not ceremonial. They were dispatches from a man who had seen the inside of American democracy and refused to let its promises fade. Jackson wrote about civil rights and human rights, about federal protections under threat, about the fate of Black and marginalized
pilot was shot down over Lebanon. He pressed for economic justice, voter protection, and an end to apartheid. He registered voters by the thousands and helped elect Harold Washington as Chicago’s first Black mayor. He built coalitions that stretched across class, region, gender and race.
Now, as he rests under hospital care, the civil rights community waits. They pray. They remember. And they reflect on how much of the American story Jackson has shaped.
“The family appreciates all prayers at this time,” Rainbow PUSH officials stated.
This Week In Black History A Courier Staple
• NOVEMBER 19
1985—Stepin Fetchit, the first major Black movie star, dies of pneumonia in Woodlawn Hills, Calif., at the age of 83. Fetchit (real name Lincoln Perry) was harshly criticized by most major Black organizations because he made his money playing a lazy, shiftless, easily frightened Black character during the 1940s and 1950s. However, the role, which appealed to many Whites and some Blacks, made him a millionaire.
• NOVEMBER 20
1867—Howard University is founded in Washington, D.C., as a result of a Congressional order. The school goes on to become an incubator of African Americans who play major roles in civil rights as well as Black intellectual and cultural development. It has approximately 12,000 students and is thus one of the largest predominantly Black universities in the nation.
1923—Prolific Black inventor Garrett T. Morgan is awarded a patent for his t-shaped traffic signal—the basis of modern traffic lights. Morgan later sold the rights to the General Electric Corporation for $40,000. Shortly before his death in 1963, the U.S. government awarded Morgan a citation for his invention. He also invented the gas mask.
1939—The state of Maryland purchases Morgan State College in Baltimore. The predominantly Black educational institution was originally founded in 1867 by the Methodist Episcopal Church as the Centenary Bible Institute. It was renamed Morgan College in 1890. It currently has 6,000 students and is one of the leading Black universities in the nation.
1962—President John F. Kennedy issues an executive order barring racial discrimination in all federally financed housing. It was one of several acts which led to the Kennedy name being highly revered by many Black voters.
1976—Gold medal winning Olympic gymnast Dominique Dawes is born in Silver Spring, Md.
1977—Chicago Bear great Walter Payton sets an NFL record by running for 275 yards in one game.
• NOVEMBER 21
1865—Shaw University is founded in Raleigh, N.C. While virtually all historically Black colleges and universities were established after the Civil War, Shaw can rightfully claim to be the first established in the South.
• NOVEMBER 22
1865—The Mississippi legislature enacts the first “Black Codes” aimed at controlling the former slaves. These laws, many of which other Southern states adopted, were so restrictive that they amounted to the re-enslavement of Blacks. In line with the view that much of racism has an economic basis, Blacks were specifically banned from owning farmland. Some of the “Black Codes” were eliminated during Reconstruction, but many actually remained on the law books until the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.
1884—Militant Black journalist and rights advocate T. Thomas Fortune starts the New York Freeman, which later became the New York Age. He was born in Mariana, Fla., in 1856 and died in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1928. Fortune was easily one of the most driven and influential Black journalists in American history.
1884—The Philadelphia Tribune is founded by Christopher J. Perry. 1930—The Nation of Islam is founded in Detroit, Mich. A lot of controversy surrounds the founding. But the general view is that the NOI was founded by Wallace Fard Muhammad and Elijah Muhammad was his immediate successor. The Nation of Islam reached its height during the days of Min. Malcolm X advocating self-respect
and economic development. It is currently headed by Min. Louis Farrakhan.
1963—The 35th president of the United States John F. Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Texas, sending shock waves throughout the nation and the world. Black Americans were especially hard hit because many had come to view Kennedy as the first modern anti-racist, pro-Black president. Conspiracy theories still abound which reject the official version of who killed him and why.
• NOVEMBER 23
1897—Self-educated engineer
Andrew J. Beard is awarded a patent (#594,059) for an automatic railroad car coupling device—the Jenny Coupler. Prior to this device rail cars were joined manually and hundreds of workers lost fingers, hands and arms. Beard eventually sold rights to his invention for $50,000.
1980—More than 1,000 Blacks from 25 states gathered in Philadelphia, Pa., and formed the National Black Independent Political Party. However, the lack of funding and Black voter allegiance to the Democratic Party doomed the effort.
• NOVEMBER 24
1865—Mississippi enacts another set of “Black Codes” designed to control and virtually re-enslave the recently freed slaves. The racist laws made it illegal for Blacks to be called for jury duty, testify against a White person in court, own guns, attend White schools, or own farmland. Several other Southern states immediately attempted to imitate the Mississippi laws. Reconstruction slowed the implementation of the “Black Codes.” But when Reconstruction ended around 1877, the codes were re-instituted.
1868—Scott Joplin is born in Texarkana, Texas. Joplin becomes skilled at the piano and with composing music. As a result of these skills and his energy, he becomes one of the leading founders of a music genre known as “Ragtime,” which was one of the most popular types of music in America for at least 20 years. The most popular “Ragtime” tune was Joplin’s “Maple Leaf Rag” of 1897. Sadly, the talented Joplin died in a New York City asylum at the age of 49.
• NOVEMBER 25
1841—The 35 survivors of the Amistad Mutiny return to Africa. On July 2, 1839, slaves, led by Joseph Cinque, killed the captain of the Cuban slave ship Amistad, took control and ordered the crew to sail back to Africa. The ship, however, was seized by a U.S. ship. The government wanted to try the slaves for murder. None other than former President John Quincy Adams decided to represent the rebel Blacks. In a surprise decision for its time, a judge ruled that the slaves had been kidnapped and had a right to use violence to free themselves. On this day in 1841, the survivors were allowed to return to Africa.
1949—Luther “Bill” (Bojangles) Robinson dies in New York City. The famed dancer was born on May 25, 1878 in Richmond, Va. Initially, he gained fame on the nightclub circuit performing in musical comedies. Later, he became the toast of Broadway and then Hollywood appearing in 14 motion pictures. He is credited with taking an early style of Black dance called “buck dancing” and turning it into what we know today as tap dancing. Amazingly, the energetic Robinson died of a chronic heart condition.
1955—The Interstate Commerce Commission bans segregation on buses and in waiting rooms involved in interstate travel.
THE REV. JESSE L. JACKSON SR. with the Rev. Al Sharpton and his sons Jonathan and Yusef Jackson at the 2024 Democratic National Convention. (Earl Gibson/The Washington Informer)
Class of 2025 Honorees
Sarah Ashmeg
Principal Medical Physicist, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center; Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh, Department of Radiation Oncology
Tonya Baker-Nelson
Customer Service Representative, Duquesne Light Co.;
Owner/Event Coordinator, Strictly Business Creations
Allegra Battle Communications Manager
Propel Schools
Amber D. Benjamin Diversity & Inclusion Program Manager PNC Bank
Kelley L. Benson
Vice President of Human Resources & Inclusion Innovation Works
Charlyn R. Booker, MSW, LBS Program Assistant, ACTES, Greater Valley Community Services; CEO/Founder, Urban Therapy, LLC
Staci L. Bose, MS Program Manager, Healthy Start, Inc.; Founder/Owner, Healing Uplifting Growing Spiritually, LLC
Leonette M. Brown, BSN, RN National RN Case Manager Consultant AMN Healthcare Revenue Cycle Solutions
Diana P. Byas, MSN, ACRN, CCM Manager, Maternity Baby Steps Program, UPMC Health Plan; CEO, Thick But Fit Crew Fitness Center
Michelle Tunstalle Chapman Human Resources Manager VisitPITTSBURGH
Dr. Dorothy Collins
Vice President for Enrollment Services and Student Affairs Community College of Allegheny County
Dr. Kyaien Conner
Donald M. Henderson Endowed Professor and Director, Center on Race and Social Problems
University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work
Dr. Kymberly M. Cruz
Executive Director, Office of Equity Pittsburgh Public Schools
Monica Cwynar
Mental Health Therapist, Thriveworks; Clinical Director, Cultural Humility & Equity Collaborative
Danielle Edmond
President Fabulous Friday Society Foundation
Tesha L. Ellison, MBA, SHRM SCP Benefits and HRIS Manager Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh
Dr. Edda L. Fields-Black
Director, Dietrich College of Humanities Center and Professor of History
Carnegie Mellon University
Paulette Foster Co-Founder
The Education Rights Network, Campaign 412 Justice
Tiffany L. Gary-Webb, PhD, MHS Professor of Epidemiology University of Pittsburgh
Tiffany Gilbert Co-Founder and Executive Director, East Liberty Women’s Care Center; Pastor, Another Level Ministries
LaToya Hamm-Wilson Founder & CEO Motherhood Redefined
Chanell C.J. Harris Owner, Streamline Asset Consulting; Entertainer/Actress
Dr. Wanda Heading-Grant Vice Provost for Community, Culture and Engagement Carnegie Mellon University
Charlene Holder Assistant Director, Secretary & Chief Examiner City of Pittsburgh
First Lady, Elder Darla R. Holley-Holmes Supervisor, MPACT U Afterschool Academy, Southwestern PA Human Services Family Center; Administrative Specialist, Monessen Beyond Grad, SPHS Family Center Youth Economic Mobility Program
Yolanda Rodgers Howsie Northeast Regional Director, Workplace Initiatives United Negro College Funds
Errika Fearbry Jones
Chief of Staff/Secretary to the Board of Trustees Carlow University
Dr. Troy D. B. Lyons
Medical Director in Utilization Management Highmark Wholecare
Simone McMeans
Deputy Director of Economic Development, Allegheny County; Founder, S.H.E.ternally, LLC
Jessica Mitchell
EVP, CFO-Line of Business
PNC Financial Services Group
Karen Mitchell
Behavioral Health Manager, Focus on Renewal
StoRox ACTES Program; Founder/Executive Director, Leading Through Love
Ashanti Mitchell-Drewery, MBA
Vice President of Business Operations
M&A Resources
Shalesha G. ‘Shay’ Moore
Executive Board Member for Early Childhood Paraprofessionals, Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers; Founder & Director, NextUp Summer Camp
Felicia Mycyk
Keynote Speaker & Performance Coach, Mycyk Coaching & Consulting; Rotary District Governor, Southwestern PA
Danielle M. Parson
Founder & CEO
Professional Women’s Network (PWN)
Shayla R. Penn Food Personality/Culinary Expert (Advocate) Burgh Eats and Treats!
Bridgette Perdue Executive Director Alumni Theater Company
Lisa J. Perry
Director, Programs & Events, Grantmakers of Western Pa.; President & CEO, Take Flight Productions Consulting
Joveline J. Pettus, MBA, SPHR Adjunct Professor, Computer Science
La Roche University
Phd Candidate, Information Systems & Communications
Robert Morris University
Dr. Rosalie Smiley
Social Work Professor Emeritus PennWest University of Western PA
Dawnese LaShawn Snell
Nurse Manager, Primary Care, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System; President Elect, Pittsburgh Black Nurses in Action
Alisa R. Stroud
Human Resources Director, AMP Home Care; Senior Pastor, Living Proof Kingdom Ministries Int. Naima Karmil Sturdivant, MEd
Special Education Teacher, Woodland Hills School District; Vice President, Triple S-Serving and Saving Souls
Sheila M. Thompson, MEd Owner, Thompson Creative Images, LLC; Retired, Business, Computer, Information Technology Teacher, Woodland Hills School District
Tahirah J. Walker, PhD
Department Chair, Community Engagement and Leadership Point Park University’s Rowland School of Business
Shanyn Winnowski
Manager of Participant Learning, Pennsylvania Women Work; Founder, Pillar Pittsburgh
Gateway Medical Society honors
Gateway Medical Society, a not-for-profit organization with a seven-decade history as a health care advocate and health policy champion for the socio-economically challenged and underserved communities of greater Pittsburgh, held its "Black Excellence in White Coats Awards & Scholarship Gala," Oct. 25, 2025, at the Pittsburgh Marriott City Center, Downtown.
This year, Felicia E. Snead, M.D., FASTRO, was the 2025 Oswald J. Nickens, M.D., Physician of the Year. Dr. Snead’s contributions to the field of radiation oncology and progress in advancing cancer research, education and patient care along with her outstanding career as a radiation oncologist and passion for service has established her as a distinguished healthcare provider, teacher and mentor.
Lawrence L. Gipson, M.D., was the 2025
Lifetime Achievement awardee. The legacy that one establishes produces both an immediate and consistent impact as well as a lasting footprint that changes the landscape forever. Legacy is borne of diligent work, consistent commitment to clinical excellence, integrity and character that are above reproach, unwavering faith and remaining uncompromisingly anchored to values and targeted objectives.
Piper Carroll, M.D., was the 2025 Rising Star. As a founding member of the Coalition of Residents & Fellows of Color (C-ROC), Dr. Carroll’s exemplary work embodies all of the components of Gateway’s mission, vision and core values.
Sylvia V. Fields, Past President, Eden Hall Foundation, Marcia M. Sturdivant, Ph.D., President & CEO, (N.E.E.D.) and Alice Williams, Founder-Executive Director, (WEEE) Women Empowered for Entre -
preneurial Excellence, were honored with the 2025 Champion for Gateway Medical Society “Making a Difference” Award. And Adaora Okigbo, a second-year medical student at the University of Pittsburgh, received a scholarship reserved for outstanding under-represented medical students.
Gateway Medical Society was formed in 1963 by Pittsburgh physicians Dr.. Earl B. Smith, Dr. Oswald Nickens and Dr. Charles Booker. Through the years, many physicians of color have had a positive impact on the Pittsburgh community and were members of Gateway Medical Society.
FELICIA E. SNEAD, M.D., FASTRO
LAWRENCE L. GIPSON, M.D., WITH CARMEN ANDERSON
MARCIA M. STURDIVANT, PH.D., CENTER
PIPER CARROLL, M.D.
ADAORA OKIGBO, SECOND FROM LEFT. (PHOTOS BY CHIEF IKHANA-HAL-MAKINA)
LANDO FROM A1
JASON LANDO NOMINATED FOR PGH. POLICE CHIEF
When you're the Zone 5 Commander in Pittsburgh, you get to know Pittsburgh's Black community real fast. Zone 5 includes East Liberty, Garfield, Homewood, Lincoln-Lemington, Larimer, Homewood, East Hills, Highland Park and Bloomfield.
Lando, who is currently the Chief of Police in Frederick, Maryland, on Nov. 13 was nominated to become Pittsburgh's police chief by incoming mayor Corey O'Connor.
“You’ll see that Chief Lando is somebody that we wanted, somebody that we need right now in the City of Pittsburgh, somebody that cares about the community,” O’Connor said at a Nov. 13 press conference.
“For too long we have not had a chief of police that was actually dedicated to Pittsburgh,” O’Connor continued.
Lando is a Pittsburgher, raised in Squirrel Hill, and began with the Pittsburgh Police in 2006. Following his time as Zone 5 Commander, he ran the department's Narcotics and Vice unit.
In Pittsburgh's African American community, the individual leading the police force takes center stage. Pittsburgh's Black community remembers the shooting of Leon Ford in 2012, which left him paralyzed at the hands of Pittsburgh Police officers. They remember the beating of Jordan Miles in January 2010 at the hands of Pittsburgh Police. Any number of African Americans in Pittsburgh can detail a time or two when they had negative interactions with Pittsburgh Police.
Right now, it's unclear if Lando will be brought before some of the more prominent African American leaders in the city to get a feel for how he'll lead the force. Lando must be approved by Pittsburgh City Council in order to take the
top cop job. O'Connor will take the office of mayor on Jan. 5, 2026, and Lando needs five of the City Council's nine votes to make him the chief.
In an interview with KDKA Radio's Rob Pratte on Nov. 16, Lando said that during his time as Zone 5 Commander, the "narrative" between the community and police was changed. "I was so proud of the work they did," Lando told Pratte. "We can't be successful as a profes -
sion if we don't have the support of the community. We have a million rules, a million regulations; I would tell my officers, if you forget all of them, just remember one thing; if you go out there every single day and you treat the members of our community the way you would want a member of your family treated in that situation, then you're gonna be fine. The officers did that."
Lando told Pratte that
being nominated for Pittsburgh's Chief of Police hasn't even sunk in yet. He said from a very young age, "all I wanted to do is be a Pittsburgh Police officer."
Lando also said he will be living in the South Side Flats, and will work to rid of the violent crime in the South Side Entertainment District that has given that East Carson Street area a not-so-good reputation of late. He also wants to keep Downtown Pitts -
burgh as crime-free as possible.
"I've already started having those conversations with the officers and the supervisors, just in the last few days about what is going on now and what are the plans for the future," Lando told Pratte. "Like any city, your Downtown is vital and cities rise or fall on the vibrancy of their Downtown."
It’s unclear if Lando will be brought before some of the more prominent African American leaders in the region.
JASON LANDO, left, speaks at a press conference with Corey O’Connor, right, Pittsburgh mayor-elect on Nov. 13, at the mayor-elect’s transition office in Downtown. Lando is O’Connor’s nominee for chief of the Bureau of Police. (Photo by Stephanie Strasburg/Pittsburgh’s Public Source)
Aaron Donald’s No. 97 Pitt jersey is retired Hard work pays off
DONALD FROM A1
the stands, the more-than 60,000 people cheered and watched as one of Pitt's alltime greats was about to get his jersey number, 97, officially retired by the university.
Awaiting him near his jersey at the 50-yard line was his immediate family, including his wife, Erica, and their four children. When he arrived at the 50-yardline, his immediate family came together with a collective hug. It was a, "We did it," moment. Not "I," but "We."
A moment later, everyone looked to the top of Acrisure Stadium, where the “DONALD 97” was unveiled. Simply put, Donald is one of the greatest players to ever play football at the University of Pittsburgh.
"Look at that, look at that," Donald said when he took the microphone. "That's me, that's legacy, that's forever."
Donald was honored by the New Pittsburgh Courier in 2023 as the Fab 40 under 40's first-ever Trailblazer Honoree. The Courier chose Donald not only for all that he accomplished on the field, but his valiant efforts to give back to the Pittsburgh community. Through his AD99 Foundation, Donald works with student-athletes ages 13-18, with the goal of equipping those students with the academic enrichment and positive youth development experiences that will aid them in their high school and post-secondary journeys.
"A Pittsburgh kid, born and raised, you know what that means to me?" Donald said about having his jersey retired in a video prior to coming onto the field, Nov. 15. "My journey, everything that I had to do, the body of work, the adversity I've been through in my life period, to come full-circle... at 34 years old, and get to share this with my four kids and my wife?"
As Donald spoke to the crowd at Acrisure, next to his name throughout the stadium on the digital screens were four words— "Hard Work Pays Off."
For Aaron Donald, the hometown kid, hard work paid off.
"This is a special moment for me," Donald said on the field. "I didn't think I was going to cry, my eyes are watering a little bit...Hard work pays off, and Hail to Pitt forever."
AARON DONALD AND HIS FAMILY ARE ALL SMILES AS DONALD SEES HIS JERSEY GET RETIRED, NOV. 15, 2025. (PHOTO BY ROB LIGGETT)
AARON DONALD IS ONE OF THE GREATEST PLAYERS IN PITT HISTORY. (PHOTO BY MARLON MARTIN)
HANGING FOREVER—AARON DONALD’S NO. 97 JERSEY. (PHOTO BY MARLON MARTIN)
Talia Kirkland represented
that teacher, I would have still found journalism, but I don't know if it would have been so early on.”
At Duquesne University, she was taught the importance of "editorial integrity."
“That is something that has really carried me through my career. I don't put my name on something that I'm not proud of," Kirkland said. "I think Duquesne really just drilled that in. They also drilled into you, you have to practice, you have to do this. You have to continuously write and practice and hone your craft. So I really appreciated my professors there.”
While Kirkland's professors and newfound village taught her the importance of integrity and ethics, they also taught her the power of community and service that would go on to help her along her professional journey.
They (her professors)
“helped me get my first journalism job out of school. I wasn't finding a job in the field. I was fortunate enough to get an internship with UPMC, which was phenomenal," Kirkland said. "We were making commercials, and
I had mentors from that, but I knew I wanted to be a reporter. And a professor was like, 'Hey, we are doing a missionary trip in Virginia. We want it transcribed, we want interviews, we want to put together a mini documentary.' I had already graduated. He didn't have to think of me. But that's how close-knit Duquesne is. And that's how much they pour into their students.”
Chances are, you've seen Kirkland on WPXI-TV (Channel 11) in the past three and a half years. She eventually landed that hometown reporter position in January 2022, but it wasn't before she experienced the dichotomy of resilience and transition.
“I worked in West Virginia and I knew that wasn't for me," Kirkland said. "And then I went to Philly and I worked for Fox News. They had a reporter program, a small program where they only take five cohorts and they place you in random cities across the United States and you shoot, write and turn your own stories...By the time I got to WPXI in 2022, I knew it was time to come home.”
Michele Newell, a Black woman from Homestead who worked at WPXI from 2017 until October 2021, left the station to work for WSB-TV in Atlanta.
Kirkland then emailed the news director of WPXI, her attempt of “shooting her shot” by saying, “I see that you're losing a reporter that's homegrown. I know that she does a lot of community-based stories. I'm also from Pittsburgh.”
Scott Trabandt, the WPXI news director, announced the hiring of Kirkland just a few months after Newell left.
“There have been Black women at that station that had kind of laid the footwork, so they knew how important it was to make sure that that position wasn't just filled by anyone,” Kirkland said of her hiring at WPXI.
Kirkland enjoyed working at WPXI, while acknowledging it did pose its challenges. “It wasn't like coming home and getting to cover everything that is Black and brown, and everything that is positive and good, because that's not news, unfortunately," Kirkland told the Courier. "The year I came (2022), we had a very high
COURIER CHURCH DIRECTORY
rate of homicides and teen violence. And it was very, very challenging.”
In 2022, 71 homicides were recorded in the City of Pittsburgh. The homicides have since decreased in the last three years.
One of Kirkland's most memorable stories she covered while at WPXI was then-state Rep. Summer Lee winning the seat for U.S. Congress in Pennsylvania's 12th District in 2022. These days, Congresswoman Lee is deep into her second term.
“I can remember what I had on. I can remember the moment. I can remember her face. Those experiences definitely, I would say, were impactful," Kirkland said.
She covered a plethora of stories over the past three and a half years, such as a story in February 2025 where residents, who were forced out of their residences in East Hills due to a fire, came back to their apartments only to see some of their items were stolen. She reported on the May 2025 Primary Election, when Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey lost the Democratic nomination to now Mayor-elect Corey O'Connor. She was on the South Side with May-
or Gainey on that night, May 20, when Mayor Gainey gave an emotional 10-minute speech to his supporters while conceding to O'Connor.
Behind the scenes, Kirkland's husband, Taylor Paolino, secured an executive position in the growing city of Las Vegas, and Kirkland then secured a reporter/anchor position in Vegas, too, with Fox 5 (KVVU-TV). Kirkland began working at Fox 5 on Oct. 20, 2025.
Kirkland deemed her experience as a Black journalist in Pittsburgh rewarding but difficult. “I think, having a Black woman be able to tell Black stories is important, but it also weighs heavy, and the critiques are high.”
Dr. Rodney Adam Lyde
"I literally love my village and every person has played such an important role, big or small," Kirkland told the Courier. Except for her husband, the rest of her village will have to watch Kirkland from afar, but thanks to the internet, a quick visit to fox5vegas.com will connect them to Kirkland's reports. For Kirkland, it's not that she abandoned her hometown; she was walking towards a deeper calling.
"When you get a new opportunity," Kirkland said, "sometimes it's hard to let go and step out of that comfortability of home."
Kirkland doesn’t have any regrets about her journey and experiences, but in some aspects she experienced guilt. “I started to feel guilt because representation is so big for me, and this is my hometown, and I didn't do every story that I wanted to do. But again, I think that this was just the right timing, the right space, and this is such a pivotal moment in my journey.” As Kirkland reflected on her three and a half years on Pittsburgh television, she thought about her large bank of supporters who watched her and cheered her on. People like her husband, her mother (Debra Kirkland), father (Anthony Kirkland), big sisters Jada Kirkland and Tamera Carter, best friends Alexis Johnson and Courtney Johnson. The women in her sorority, her former co-workers at UPMC, her professors from Duquesne.
7241 Race Street Pittsburgh, Pa., 15208 EBENEZER MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH Sunday Worship Service: 11 a.m. Sr. Pastor—Rev. Dr. Vincent K. Campbell 2001 Wylie Avenue Pittsburgh, Pa., 15219 www.baptisttemple.church www.ebenezerbaptistpgh.org
Dorothy Stubbs Bountiful Blessings: 1st, 3rd Tuesday, 5-7 p.m. 312 Viola St. Duquesne, Pa., 15110 116 South Highland Ave. Pittsburgh, Pa., 15206 412-441-3800 BAPTIST TEMPLE CHURCH Sunday Worship: 8 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.
Reverend A. Marie Walker’s Weekly Inspiration
“This know also, that in the LAST DAYS perilous times shall come. For men shall be loves of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false acusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” 2 Timothy 3:1-5
Senior Pastor—Rev. Laphon Flood-Francis
Pastor— Nathaniel Pennybaker
DJ Turner, meet...
Darnell Washington
STEELERS TIGHT END DARNELL WASHINGTON SIMPLY RAN OVER THE BENGALS’ DJ TURNER II IN THE PITTSBURGH WIN, 34-12, NOV. 16, 2025. (PHOTO
ABOVE, NOTRE DAME’S JEREMIYAH LOVE HAD A FIELD DAY AGAINST PITT, AS THE FIGHTING IRISH WON, 37-15, NOV. 15. IN THE PHOTO AT LEFT, ESPN’S JESS SIMS INTERVIEWS PITT LEGEND TONY DORSETT, AS STEELERS LEGEND JEROME BETTIS LOOKS ON. BELOW, IT’S PITT TIGHT END JAKE OVERMAN. (PHOTOS BY MARLON MARTIN)
BY MARLON MARTIN)
J. Pharoah Doss
Trump’s 50-year mortgage: What it means for Black folks
I’m sure by now you’ve heard about the talk surrounding the proposed 50-year mortgage—an idea gaining traction as a way to increase homeownership for first-time buyers and Gen Y. On the surface, it sounds progressive; make monthly payments smaller and open the doors to more homeowners. But when you dig into the numbers, and more importantly, what it means for us in the Black community, the picture changes quickly.
Let’s get one thing clear, I appreciate the creativity. I like that there’s at least some effort being made to address affordability in today’s housing market. But we can’t confuse access with advantage Sometimes what looks like an opportunity is actually a trap wrapped in good intention and this 50-year mortgage might be just that.
Here’s what we’re really talking about:
15-Year Mortgage—$400,000 @ 5.5 percent
Monthly payment: $3,263
Total interest paid: $188,300
50-Year Mortgage—$400,000 @ 7 percent Monthly payment: $2,406
Total interest paid: $1,044,052
That’s right, you save only $56 per month, but you end up paying more than double the total interest, and you’ll still be making payments when your grandchildren are grown. That’s not progress. That’s debt disguised as affordability. No politics here, just good old-fashioned math. When we talk about Property is Power, we’re talking about ownership that builds equity, security, and generational wealth. A 50-year mortgage doesn’t build those things; it delays them. Black families already lag behind in equity accumulation. According to data from the Federal Reserve, the median White family holds roughly eight times the wealth of the median Black family, and much of that difference is tied to home equity The longer it takes to pay down principal, the longer it takes to truly own anything. In other words, this proposal would stretch the finish line even further for Black families who are already running uphill against systemic barriers, higher interest rates, and less intergenerational support. The Illusion of Affordability
On paper, a 50-year loan looks like help. But look
Walk on any college campus today and look around. You’ll see classrooms filled with energy, student centers buzzing with life, and young adults grinding toward their futures. But look closely, and you’ll notice something missing—Black men. Our presence isn’t just low… it’s shrinking. Fast. Right now, Black men make up only about 4.6 percent of all college students in America. In a nation of 19 million students, we’re barely visible. And even at our celebrated HBCUs—institutions built by us and for us—the picture isn’t brighter. Black male enrollment at HBCUs has dropped roughly 25 percent since 2010. That’s not just a dip. That’s a full-blown crisis.
Every brother missing from campus represents one less potential graduate, one less high-earning household, one less leader pouring back into the community. When the educational pipeline shrinks, the paycheck shrinks, and the future shrinks right along with it. This isn’t just about education. This is about economics, wealth, and survival.
This Isn’t Just a School Problem—It’s a Generational Wealth Problem
BUSINESS
by Mica Whitfield and Ashley Panelli
Rights don’t always disappear in one big sweep; they erode quietly. It’s a headline here, a policy change there, a small shift that compounds until it feels overwhelming, and it is impossible to ignore. And that’s the plan: keep us too tired to notice, too tired to fight, too tired to vote so the few in power can hold on. The widening pay gap is one of those compounding “small things,” only that its impact is anything but
Pay Day. It highlighted that Latina women working full-time are paid, on average, 58 cents to every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men. And just recently, the data for all Latina workers, including those working parttime and full-time, increased by three cents, which is larger than the general average for all women. Within this already staggering gap, Afro-Latinas earn even less, as racism and colorism continue to keep fair pay out of reach. It’s no mystery—with daily attacks on Latinx and Black communities, as well as intentional targeting
small. Last year, the pay gap widened by two cents, and women working full-time, on average, made 81 cents for every dollar a white man in her position made. This loss hurts, and not only is it felt in the paychecks of hard-working women, but it is felt by advocates, activists, and legislators who relentlessly and boldly fight for pay equity. Our work toward equal pay is slow and is earned inch by inch by those bold enough to continue fighting against the oppression that fosters the pay gap.
On Sept. 8, in the center of Hispanic Heritage Month, was Latina Equal
from the current administration, the gains made toward closing the pay gap are slipping.
Recent data from Equal Rights Advocates showed a widening of the wage gap last year between women and men. Two cents from the previous year, showing the persistence of wage gaps, the effect of the lack of national policy advancement, and the ongoing impact of racism, sexism, homophobia, and ableism that fuel pay disparities. It hasn’t been uncommon in recent years for pay disparities to rise and fall. Short- and long-term effects of
the Great Recession and COVID-19 pandemic, and other policies have affected women’s workforce participation and the types of employment women are more likely to work in. But since 9to5, a grassroots power-building organization that advances economic justice, helped pass the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act 16 years ago, the wage gap has narrowed from $0.77 to $0.83—just six cents For women of color, LGBTQ workers, and disabled women, who make even less, those gains are even smaller. It’s clear that more action and common-sense policy are necessary to eliminate pay gaps.
Now we face an administration determined to eliminate those gains. This administration has taken unprecedented steps toward stripping workers of rights, eliminating programs that helped workers of color earn a fair wage, and weakening systems that have long reported on workforce participation and protected workers. With more than 100 brutal actions that affect workers in his first 100 days, there is no doubt the
Let’s talk numbers—real numbers that expose the financial impact. Only about 40 percent of Black men who start a bachelor’s degree finish within six years. That means 6 out of 10 walk away with: No degree Student loan balances Limited career options Lost lifetime earning potential That’s the worst financial combination possible—debt with no credential. A degree still matters in America, especially for Black people who often lack the resources and connections to benefit from the “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” blueprint. Higher education opens doors to higher-paying careers, better benefits, and greater mobility. According to Federal Reserve data, the median earnings of someone with a bachelor’s degree are roughly 65 percent higher than someone with only a high school diploma. Over a lifetime, that’s close to one million dollars more in earnings. A million dollars! That’s enough to buy a
home, fund a business, eliminate debt, invest for retirement, and change the future for the next generation. When brothers drop out, that million doesn’t disappear—it just goes to someone else.
When the choice becomes school versus survival, survival wins.
Lack of Belonging
And the ripple effect hits entire neighborhoods: Fewer Black homeowners
Fewer Black investors
Fewer Black entrepreneurs
Fewer mentors for young men
Fewer leaders in high-earning industries Education is a wealth multiplier. When we fall out of the pipeline, Black wealth leaks with us.
Why Are Black Men Walking Away?
There’s no single answer. It’s a storm made up of several forces working against us.
Money Pressure Many Black male students carry family responsibility before they ever take their first exam. Bills. Rent. Kids. Caretaking.
Most campuses weren’t designed with Black men in mind. We often feel isolated— socially, academically, and culturally. When you don’t feel seen or supported, the exit door feels easier than staying.
Low Academic Preparation
The American public school system fails too many Black boys long before
No Clear Vision If you don’t know why you’re there, college feels pointless. Purpose fuels persistence. Without it, dropping out becomes the simplest option. Add rising tuition, cultural disconnects, and lack of mentorship, and the pipeline weakens even more. But understanding the reasons isn’t enough—we have to reshape how we think about edu-
When the pay gap widens…
pay gap will once again widen in 2025 under the Trump administration.
Women of color are already seeing the effects of this administration in their wallets and economic security. For example, Black women are losing their jobs at a higher rate than other groups. During the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic, Black women lost their jobs first and were the last to recover, and are often seen as the canary in the coal mine of economic data, signaling that economic devastation is on the way.
And still, as a response to this data, Trump called the jobs numbers rigged, fired the Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner, and threatened to silence the jobs report altogether. This data is not only critical for Black women but for every person in this country who will endure an economic downturn. Hiding the data doesn’t make it any less true or ominous, and it certainly does not create a thriving economy.
But we cannot surrender our hope. Our work is too critical to relinquish, and we must creatively find solutions, even in uncertainty. If you’re wondering what you can do, here are several recommendations.
1. Take Action in Your State
Colorado showed us what’s possible. In 2019, 9to5 Colorado and its partners passed a first-of-its-kind law requiring salary ranges to be posted on job listings and excluding past earning history for determining wages in a new position. This act helped level the playing field and expose unequal pay in the workplace, and over a dozen states followed suit, passing equal pay laws of their own. Since then, it has become far more common to see pay information on job postings, helping millions of women across the country earn what they deserve.
While we continue to work toward national policy that narrows the pay gap, like the Paycheck Fairness Act, Paid Family and Medical Leave, tenant rights, child care funding, and workplace harassment protections, we must remember that progress isn’t just made at the federal level. Our collective power is often most effective at the state level.
Organizations like 9to5 are active in every state across the country, fighting for working women to close the pay gap. We need people like you to join and show up in the fight for equal pay. Join this movement at 9to5.org/join, stay connected, and be ready to take action for equal pay and working women and nonbinary people of color.
2. Practice Civil Engagement
Yes, register to vote and vote. But your job does not start or end there.
Showing up at the polls is the bare minimum of being politically engaged. We must vet candidates to find and support politicians who vote for your values and support equal pay legislation. We must engage with our representatives at every level of government, from showing up to county meetings to the halls of our state capitals, to the halls of Congress. We have to keep the phone numbers of our representatives on speed dial and their emails handy so we can hold them accountable and tell them what they need. They work for us, and it is up to us to make sure they do.
3. Talk About Pay and Workplace Harassment
The wage gap is a systemic issue that relies on secrecy and oppression. One of the most powerful tools we have is to talk about pay in our workplaces. 9to5 has developed a printable guide to help start the conversation about pay in your workplace.
Workplace harassment is an all-too-common problem that contributes to the pay gap. It takes a huge physical and emotional toll on the victim, which often has rippling effects inside and out of the workplace. Survivors often miss days of work, affecting their paychecks. It can push people out of their jobs, affecting their long-term career trajectory and earning potential. We know that people at the intersection of race, class, and gender are most likely to experience workplace harassment that targets not only sex but also national origin, race, religion, color, and genetic information. Learn more about workplace harassment in this printable guide.
The pay gap will persist until we end all forms of oppression, but when we work towards legislation, vote for politicians who support equal pay, and have discussions in our own workplaces and communities about pay, we can forge a path toward a future where all working women and nonbinary people thrive. (Mica Whitfield and Ashley Panelli are co-directors of 9to5, a national movement for women.)
closer; it’s just a smaller monthly payment at the cost of your long-term wealth. It’s like trading your inheritance for a discount today. In an economic climate where inflation is high and property values can shift quickly, a loan this long also exposes borrowers to decades of risk. One market downturn could leave many homeowners underwater for years owing more than the home is worth. And guess which communities are often hit hardest when that happens? Ours. Now, to be fair, I don’t dismiss the spirit behind the idea. America does need to get creative about housing affordability, especially for our young people. But creativity without transformation just recycles old problems in new packaging. We need policies and products that address interest rate disparities for Black borrowers,
expand access to down payment assistance, and increase pathways to ownership through education, fair lending, and equitable appraisals.
Because a longer mortgage isn’t the solution, it’s a stall tactic. It buys time for the system, not opportunity for the people. Our movement, Property is Power, is about changing the mindset around owner-
ship. Homeownership isn’t just about getting in the door, it’s about staying in the home, building equity, and creating generational wealth. A 50-year mortgage may look like an invitation to own, but it could quietly become a mechanism that keeps us renting from the bank for life. At the end of the day, the question isn’t just, “Can I buy this home?” It’s, “Will I ever truly own
MacKenzie Scott’s billion-dollar defiance of America’s war on diversity
by Stacy M. Brown Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
There are moments in American life when truth steps forward and refuses to be convenient. MacKenzie Scott has chosen such a moment. As political forces move to strip diversity from classrooms, silence Black scholarship, and erase equity from public life, she has gone in the opposite direction. She has invested her wealth in the communities this country has spent centuries trying to marginalize. Her most recent gifts to historically Black colleges and universities have surpassed $400 million this year alone. These are not gestures. They are declarations. They say that the education of Black students is not optional, not expendable, and not dependent on the approval of those who fear what an educated Black citizenry represents.29
And she is not the only woman doing what America’s institutions have refused to do. Melinda French Gates has invested billions in supporting women and girls worldwide, ensuring that those whose rights are most fragile receive the most assistance. At a time when this nation tries to erase Black history and restrict the rights of women, two White women, once married to two of the richest White men in the world, have made clear
where they stand. They have said, through their giving, that marginalized people deserve not just acknowledgment but investment. At Prairie View A and M University, Scott’s $63 million gift became the largest in the institution’s 149-year history. “This gift is more than generous. It is defining and affirming,” President Tomikia P. LeGrande said. “MacKenzie Scott’s investment amplifies the power and promise of Prairie View A and M University.” The university said it plans to strengthen scholarships, expand faculty research, and support critical programs in artificial intelligence, public health, agricultural sustainability, and cybersecurity. Howard University received an $80 million donation that leaders described as transformative. “On behalf of the entire Howard University community, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to Ms. MacKenzie Scott for her extraordinary generosity and steadfast belief in Howard University’s mission,” Wayne A. I. Frederick said. The gift will support student aid, infrastructure, and key expansions in academic and medical research. Elsewhere, the impact ripples outward. Voorhees University received the most significant gift in its 128-year history. Norfolk State, Morgan State, Spelman, Winston-Salem State, Virginia State, Alcorn
State, and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore all confirmed contributions that will reshape their futures. Bowie State University received $50 million, also a historic mark. “We are profoundly grateful to MacKenzie Scott for her visionary commitment to education and equity,” President Aminta Breaux said. “The gift empowers us to expand access and uplift generations of students who will lead, serve, and innovate.”
These gifts arrive at a moment when America attempts to revise its own memory. Curriculum bans seek to remove Black history from classrooms. Political movements claim that diversity is dangerous.
Women’s contributions are minimized. And institutions that have served Black communities for more than a century must withstand both political hostility and financial neglect.
Scott’s philanthropy does not simply counter these forces. It exposes them. It asserts that Black students, Black institutions, and Black futures deserve resources commensurate with their brilliance. It declares that women’s leadership is not marginal but central to the fight for justice.
This is where the mission of the Black Press becomes intertwined with the story unfolding. For nearly two centuries, the Black Press of America has chronicled
the truth of Black life. It has told the stories that others refused to tell, preserved the history that others attempted to bury, and spoken truths that others feared.
The National Newspaper Publishers Association, representing more than 200 Black and women-owned newspapers and media companies, continues that mission today despite financial threats that jeopardize independent Black journalism.
Like the HBCUs Scott uplifts, the Black Press has always been more than a collection of institutions. It is a safeguard. It is a mirror. It is the memory of a people whose presence in this nation has been met with both hostility and unimaginable strength. It survives not because it is funded but because it is essential.
Scott’s giving suggests an understanding of this. She has aligned herself with institutions that protect truth, expand opportunity, and preserve the stories this country tries to erase. She has chosen the side of history that refuses to be silent.
“When Bowie State thrives,” declared Brent Swinton, the university’s vice president of Philanthropic Engagement, “our tight-knit community of alumni, families, and partners across the region and beyond thrives with us.”
Black men droppin’ out of college—
DAMON CARR FROM B1
cation itself.
College Isn’t the Only Path — But Education Is Mandatory
Let’s get something straight:
College is not the only road to success, but education in some form is absolutely mandatory. The modern economy punishes the unskilled and rewards those with specialized training. If college isn’t your lane, pivot to something that builds skills and longterm earning power:
Skilled trades Professional certifications
Real estate licenses
Coding and tech bootcamps
Apprenticeships
Military careers
Entrepreneurship and small business programs Digital, technical, or financial credentials
Electricians, plumbers, welders, HVAC techs, IT techs—many earn between $80K and $150K with little to no debt. That’s real earning power. That’s ownership potential. Education—whether formal or informal —is a financial asset. Ignoring it is like ignoring investing: You don’t hurt the system. You only hurt yourself.
When Black Men Exit the Educational Pipeline, the Community Pays the Bill The consequences extend far beyond paycheck size: Lower Wealth Creation Without degrees or certifications, lifetime
earning power drops—often by hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Less Career Mobility Without specialized training, the job ladder becomes a step stool. Growth is limited, options are few, and promotions are rare.
Weakening Family Stability Economic fragility is one of the biggest threats to Black households. A Shrinking Black Talent Pipeline High-paying industries—engineering, tech, finance, medicine, law—need us. But they can’t find us if we’re not prepared. Greater Economic Vulnerability
Low skills equal low protection. Low protection equals high risk. High risk equals generational struggle. This is not a tem-
porary setback. It’s a long-term economic wound.
Generational Curses Don’t Break Themselves—We Must Unlearn This We have allowed the idea that “school isn’t for us” to seep into our DNA. We joke about it. We normalize it. We repeat it to our sons. We must unlearn it. Education must be reframed as:
A flex
A responsibility
A strategy
A path to ownership
A wealth-building tool
Black boys must see education—whether degree, trade, or certification—as the gateway to power, not punishment. We need more Black men in: Classrooms
When
Guest Editorial
Sen. John Fetterman continues to disappoint
Sen. John Fetterman continues to disappoint.
Fetterman was the only Democrat to vote against a measure that aimed to prevent further military action against Iran without explicit congressional authorization.
In President Donald Trump’s second term, the Democratic senators who supported Trump’s questionable cabinet appointments the most were Fetterman and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.
On Sunday, Fetterman was among eight members of the Democratic caucus in the Senate who voted with Republicans to advance a procedural vote and move toward ending the government shutdown.
The specific senators who broke with the Democratic Party leadership to vote “yes” on the measure (which passed 60-40) were: Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Shaheen of New Hampshire, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada, Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Sen. Angus King of Maine (an Independent who caucuses with Democrats).
The vote marked a major breakthrough in the 40day stalemate, as 60 votes were needed to overcome the filibuster threshold and allow the bill to move forward for further debate and a final simple-majority vote. Most other Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, voted against the measure at that time because the deal only included a promise for a future vote on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies, rather than a guaranteed extension.
Fetterman has been a consistent voice against the shutdown, voting for various funding proposals, including Republican-backed plans, since September 2025, long before other Democrats joined in the final deal to advance the funding bill.
Fetterman released a statement regarding his vote this week to advance the government funding bill and end the shutdown.
The statement, which he also shared on social media, said:
“After 40 days as a consistent voice against shutting our government down, I voted YES for the 15th time to REOPEN.”
“I’m sorry to our military, SNAP recipients, gov workers, and Capitol Police who haven’t been paid in weeks.”
“It should’ve never come to this. This was a failure.”
Yes, this was a failure by Fetterman and seven other senators who capitulated to Republicans in a bad one-sided deal.
Now millions of Americans risk losing access to health care.
The deal Fetterman voted for did not guarantee the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies, which was a core demand in the negotiations.
Ending the government shutdown without extending the enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies will likely result in millions of Americans losing health coverage and millions more facing significant premium increases, as the deal only promises a future vote on the issue. These enhanced subsidies are set to expire at the end of 2025.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that if the subsidies expire, roughly 4 million people will lose their marketplace coverage. Other estimates suggest up to 5 million could be affected.
For the 22.4 million people (92 percent of ACA marketplace enrollees) who received enhanced premium tax credits in 2025, annual premiums are projected to more than double, increasing by an average of 114 percent.
The expiration of subsidies will force many middle-income families, particularly older adults, to choose between expensive health insurance and going uninsured.
The largest increases in uninsured rates are expected in states that have not expanded Medicaid, and rural areas and communities of color could be disproportionately affected.
The increase in uninsured individuals is expected to strain hospitals and safety-net providers, who will face a higher burden of uncompensated care.
In Pennsylvania, state officials estimate that without the enhanced subsidies, around half a million residents who use the state marketplace could see significant premium increases.
This cost increase will force many Pennsylvanians to make difficult choices regarding their coverage, potentially leading some to drop their insurance.
The loss of younger, healthier individuals from the insurance pool will leave an older and sicker population, which could cause rates to rise further for those who remain.
Republicans generally praised Fetterman for breaking with his party.
This comes as no surprise.
Republicans lost big in general elections nationwide last week. Trump is sinking in the polls and Americans were rightly blaming Trump and Senate Republicans for the government shutdown.
Yet Fetterman voted to support a deal that did not guarantee the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies. This will likely result in millions of Americans losing health coverage and millions more facing significant premium increases, as the deal only promises a future vote on the issue. These enhanced subsidies are set to expire at the end of 2025.
(Reprinted from the Philadelphia Tribune)
Cruel and unusual punishment
TriceEdneyWire.com Just in these few months that Donald Trump has been called President, I have on so many occasions wondered how he could be so cruel to people who least deserve such cruelty. He says he doesn’t even want to hear about affordability. He says the only problem is that Republicans don’t want to talk about the problems of affordability. I don’t know if there is a problem with his ears because I talk with a lot of people and listen to a lot of reporters who do their homework, and not a day goes by that I don’t hear about how tough things are—and they sure don’t see it the way Trump does. He seems to care about himself or his family, making more money for themselves. That’s all!
Along with others, I listen to Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, who is never afraid to tell us the truth about how bad things are for the average American. She says there’s no time for niceties when people are hungry, can’t pay their mortgages and are wondering where the next meal for their family is coming from. Yet, no matter what judges, labor leaders, ministers, and people who haven’t
been paid for nearly two months are saying. Many were already living paycheck to paycheck.
They saw their president flying around the world making sure he was enriching himself and his family, but stayed away from Washington, where he could have alleviated the situation instead of trying to extract money from those of us who are never paid fairly are in our neighborhoods trying to help our neighbors feed their families by dividing the little we have.
We’ve seen so much cruelty out of the mouths of Trump’s chosen ones— whether in the White House speaking for him or top-level staff who act like they don’t even know how much so many people are hurting.
Don’t they see Mothers on the evening news crying out for help while Trump holds million-dollar parties at
his Florida mansion? He has the East Wing of the People’s White House with so much history, torn down, because he wants to build a monument to himself, while children starve as their mothers plead for help that is ignored.
I understand a person or two being cruel, but Trump has everyone around him so traumatized with his threats of punishment, so most don’t even try to reason with him. With few exceptions, we have too many useless leaders allowing Trump’s threats to punish them. So few people are willing to checkmate him. We’re no longer a Democracy. Trump’s chosen friends are Russia’s Vladimir Putin, North Korea’s Kim and Hungary’s Viktor Orban. They feed him advice on how he can be more like them! We don’t have the right to sit around and complain without doing something to change things. President Barack Obama reminds us that booing won’t solve anything. WE MUST DO SOMETHING: VOTE!
(Dr.
(TriceEdneyWire.com)—When Doug Jones announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate in a 2017 special election, he was considered a long shot as a Democratic candidate running for statewide office in the deeply Republican state of Alabama. The special election was held following the resignation of Republican incumbent Jeff Sessions, who stepped down to become the U.S. Attorney General in the first Trump administration.
As a former U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Alabama, Jones’s most prominent cases in 2001 and 2002 were successful prosecutions of two Ku Klux Klan members who were responsible for the 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church. The attack resulted in the death of four young girls. After nearly 40 years, long-overdue justice and closure were given to the victims and their families.
Fast forward to 2017, Jones shocked the political establishment by becoming the first Democrat in 25 years to win a U.S. Senate seat in Alabama. During the general election, he faced Roy Moore, the former chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. The election, which pitted a former judge against a former prosecutor, was not just a race over political ideology. It would soon become a race about character and conviction—the character of the Republican nominee and the convictions of each Alabama voter. A month before the election, Moore was alleged to have sexually assaulted and otherwise acted inappropriately with several women, including some who were minors at the time when Moore was in his 30s.
The Senate race would have likely been a victory for Moore if his character had not become an issue on the ballot. With Moore losing what normally is a safe Republican seat, it showed that enough voters from both parties held to their convictions. While Moore lost the special election by 22,000 votes, Tommy Tuberville
won the 2020 U.S. Senate election in a landslide as the Republican nominee against Jones. Will character and conviction become an issue for Donald Trump’s supporters, as it did for Republicans who could not bring themselves to vote for Roy Moore?
It appears that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is not only showing conviction but also common sense. The Republican from Georgia, who was once one of Trump’s strongest allies, is now calling for full transparency over the Epstein documents.
Taylor Greene is starting to become a voice of reason within the GOP; she is the third Republican who signed the discharge petition forcing the Justice Department to release the files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, besides Taylor Greene, Reps. Lauren Boebert and Nancy Mace were the other two Republicans. The petition now has the required 218 signatures to move forward with the House floor vote, even if leadership opposes it.
“Releasing the Epstein files is the easiest thing in the world,” Taylor Greene said. “Just release it all, let the American people sort through every bit of it, and you know, support the victims. That’s just like the most common sense, easiest thing in the world. But to spend any effort trying to stop it makes—it just doesn’t make sense to me.” This is not the Marjorie Taylor Greene we are used to hearing, but we welcome it.
The question remains, how far will MAGA voters and MAGA-elected officials go to protect Trump once the truth is exposed? The Doug Jones-Roy
Moore Senate election gives us some hope. Given the questionable character of Moore regarding the alleged inappropriate behavior, a segment of GOP voters maintained a strong sense of right and wrong by denying Moore a Senate seat. But Roy Moore is not a cult leader, and he is not Donald Trump.
House Speaker Mike Johnson has tried everything possible to prevent the release of the Epstein files from being put to a House vote. How far will the House Speaker go once the full truth becomes public knowledge? How far will women lawmakers in the GOP go in supporting the distractions, deflections, and denials that will likely come from Trump and those within his administration?
Marjorie Taylor Greene has already stated she will read the names of Epstein’s accomplices on the House floor. If she does, will other Republican lawmakers be inspired by her courage and conviction to speak out? What will evangelicals do? The evangelicals who maintain an unwavering support for this president despite the cruelty he has shown to our nation’s most vulnerable citizens. Will the Republican Senate leadership do the right thing only when it benefits their political interests and agenda?
We saw what happened in Alabama, where it ultimately came down to the voters. The fallout from the Moore allegations was too much for many voters to accept. The truth behind the Epstein files may have the same impact on voters in the 2026 midterm elections, and rightfully so. The issue of character and conviction will be on the ballot next year. How each U.S. Senate and House candidate responds to the truth, the distractions, denials, and deflections should be a game-changer for all of us.
(David W. Marshall is the founder of the faith-based organization, TRB: The Reconciled Body, and author of the book “God Bless Our Divided America.”)
“This project is befitting of the legacy of greatness that so many Black New Yorkers have built here in Harlem. It is Black-owned in a time when we are being taught as if the words DEI are that of a slur, when in fact what they are is a representation of the fulfillment of the ideals that make so many proud to be New Yorkers.”—New York City Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani Harlem has always been more than a neighborhood—it’s a symbol of resilience, creativity, and the enduring fight for justice. This week, the National Urban League reaffirmed that legacy with the dedication of the Urban League Empowerment Center, a transformative development that does more than add bricks and mortar to the skyline. It sets a new standard for what inclusive development should look like in America. This is not development for development’s sake—it is development with purpose, and with passion. It is a bold declaration that equity and opportunity must be built into the very foundation of our communities.
The Empowerment Center is more than a building—it’s a vision realized. At its heart are 170 units of affordable housing for families earning between 30 percent and 80 percent of the area median income. In a city where housing insecurity is rampant, this commitment ensures Harlem remains a place where working families can thrive. Among its residents will be young adults aging out of foster care, supported by The New York Found-
ling’s program—a population too often left behind. Here, they will find stability, dignity, and a chance to build a future.
But housing is only the beginning.
The Empowerment Center includes retail and office space for minority-owned businesses and nonprofits, creating an ecosystem where entrepreneurship and community service intersect. The project is expected to generate over $300 million in economic activity, with a pledge to hire local residents, women, and people of color. Jobs aren’t just being created—they’re being created with intention. Perhaps the most profound element of the Empowerment Center is its role as a cultural and historical beacon. In 2026, the Urban Civil Rights Museum will open its doors within the Center, becoming New York City’s first museum dedicated to the American civil rights movement. Unlike traditional narratives that focus on the South, this museum will spotlight struggles and triumphs in Northern urban environments—stories that shaped Harlem and countless other communities. Through interactive exhibits and
immersive experiences, it will invite visitors not just to learn history, but to become agents of change. The Center also houses the Whitney M. Young Center for Leadership and partners with cultural institutions like the Studio Museum in Harlem and the United Negro College Fund. Soon, organizations such as 100 Black Men of New York and Jazzmobile will join this vibrant hub. This is not just a development—it’s a movement, weaving together housing, culture, education, and economic empowerment. In today’s climate, where civil rights protections are under siege and diversity initiatives face relentless attacks, the Empowerment Center stands as a defiant answer. It says: We will not be erased. Our history matters. Our communities deserve investment—not neglect. It is a physical manifestation of the Urban League’s enduring mission: to be a bridge between aspiration and achievement, policy and people. Harlem’s story has always been one of transformation—of turning struggle into strength. The Empowerment Center honors that legacy while charting a course for the future. It reminds us that progress is not inevitable; it must be built, brick by brick, with purpose and passion.
As we look toward America’s 250th anniversary, this project offers a blueprint for what inclusive development can—and should—be. It is not just Harlem’s triumph. It is a national call to action.
E. Faye Williams is president of The Dick Gregory Society.)
(TriceEdneyWire.com)—Now that Zohran Mamdani is the mayor-elect of New York City, expect the slings and arrows at him to intensify. He has been called everything but a child of God, and he gleefully claims himself as a democratic socialist, a Muslim, a progressive social justice advocate and a leader who recognizes the shoulders on which he stands, shouting out some of the workers responsible for his victory. He is not a communist, whatever that means in a contemporary context. But it serves rabid Republicans to portray him as such and to aggressively paint him with the frightening brush of an era long past, invoking McCarthyism and other fears. Folks should not buy into the nonsense. Whenever Republicans don’t get their way, they bandy about the word communism and accuse any Democrat—especially a progressive one—of socialism or communism. It’s a lazy, fear-mongering habit that’s been with us since the Cold War. The goal is simple: discredit any attempt to make government work for ordinary people. But the difference between democratic socialism, socialism, and communism matters—especially when the right wing uses those labels as weapons instead of ideas. Democratic Socialism: People Before Profit Democratic socialism starts with democracy. It argues that political equality means little without economic fairness. It doesn’t aim to abolish capitalism, but to make it humane. Democratic socialists believe everyone deserves healthcare, education, and housing—not as privileges, but as rights.
When Bernie Sanders calls for Medicare for All or tuition-free college, that’s democratic socialism. So was Franklin Roosevelt’s Second Bill of Rights, which promised every American a decent job, a good home, and medical care. Democratic socialism keeps capitalism but demands that it serve the people instead of corporations.
Republicans deride these ideas as “socialism,” even as they champion corporate bailouts and tax breaks for billionaires. That’s socialism for the rich, austerity for the rest of us.
Socialism: Economic Democracy Socialism, more broadly, calls for collective control of major industries—utilities, healthcare, and transportation—so that public needs outweigh private profits. It’s not about government domination; it’s about giving power back to workers and communities.
Many of the rights Americans now take for granted—Social Security, child labor laws, the 40-hour workweek—came from socialist movements. Their goal was fairness, not bureaucracy. And while some socialist experiments faltered, the principle endures: an economy should serve people, not exploit them.
When today’s progressives fight for a living wage or paid family leave, they’re continuing that legacy of economic democracy.
Communism: The Dream and the Distortion Communism, as Karl Marx envisioned it, imagined a classless society without private property or exploitation—a noble dream that turned dark in practice. In the Soviet Union, China, and elsewhere, centralized power suffocated freedom. But no serious American leader today advocates communism. Still, Republicans invoke it like a curse word. They call climate action “communist.” They call student loan forgiveness “communist.” They know better, but fear works better than facts. Race and Democratic Socialism
How do Black people fare with democratic socialism? Democratic socialists focus on closing the wealth gap and looking at issues of race. Many class-based solutions are not race-based solutions. Poor Black people will fare better with democratic socialism, but democratic socialists don’t focus on race at all. While Mayor-elect Mondami’s excellent acceptance speech checked lots of boxes and address his constituency, including African American New Yorkers, we still don’t know what race remedies he plans to implement.
The Politics of the Smear
This pattern isn’t new. When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. began talking about economic justice, J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI branded him a communist. When Black leaders demanded jobs, land, and reparations, they were painted as radicals. The label “socialist” has long been code for anyone—especially Black people—who challenge America’s racial and economic order.
Even now, when we talk about investing in housing, education, or health, critics cry “socialism!” But they’re not defending democracy; they’re defending privilege. In truth, the wealthiest one percent already practices their own version of collectivism— controlling the economy together for their benefit. Reclaiming the Conversation Democratic socialism is not a threat to democracy; its democracy fulfilled. It means that freedom should extend beyond the ballot box to the workplace and the marketplace. Socialism, at its moral core, insists that human life matters more than profit. And communism, for all its failures, began as a call to end exploitation—a call we still need to hear.
So, when Republicans cry “communism,” what they really fear is equality. They fear an economy that values workers as much as shareholders, and a democracy that includes everyone—especially those long left out.
If demanding justice, equity, and dignity makes one a “socialist,” then maybe socialism is simply another name for democracy that keeps its promises. (Dr. Julianne Malveaux is an economist, author, and commentator. Her forthcoming book, Lynching Culture, the Wealth Gap, and Reparations, examines the intersection of racial violence and economic injustice. Follow her @drjlastword or visit juliannemalveaux.com. Subscribe to her newsletter at Malveauxnewsletter@gmail.com)
Did the hated 8 Democratic senators fold during shutdown?
In the movie The Hateful Eight , a character known as “the hangman” pointed a rifle at a sheriff. The sheriff said, “You put me at a disadvantage.”
The hangman responded, “Keeping you at a disadvantage is an advantage I intend to keep.” ***
Eight Democratic senators recently voted with the Republican majority to end the longest federal government shutdown in US history.
According to HuffPost senior reporters Paul Blumenthal and Igor Bobic, “These eight senators broke ranks with the majority of Democrats and Democratic Party voters, who viewed the shutdown as a necessary maneuver to both rein in President Donald Trump’s autocratic turn and prevent Republicans from raising health care costs for millions of Americans. It appeared as though the shutdown was working to Democrats’ political advantage. Polling showed Republicans and Trump taking most of the blame, and Democrats romped to victory in off-year elections on Nov. 4.”
Blumenthal and Bobic accused the eight Democratic senators of “folding on the shutdown.” In other words, they failed to maintain their advantage by keeping the Republican majority at a disadvantage. Other writers pointed out that none of the eight Democratic senators were up for reelection in 2026.
Senators Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire) are retiring in 2026.
Senators John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) are not up for re-election until 2028, while Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), and Jack Rosen
(TriceEdneyWire.com)—Americans aren’t just anxious about next year’s elections—they’re uneasy in a deeper way.
In 2025, voters across the political spectrum worry that our country is one overheated news cycle away from political violence.
At the same time, election officials are sounding alarms about something quieter but just as dangerous: there simply aren’t enough poll workers available to run our elections safely.
After years of threats, harassment, and burnout, thousands have walked away.
The people who keep democracy functioning are exhausted, and the voters they serve are fearful.
On the eve of our nation’s 250th birthday, we are heading toward an election cycle with a system that feels overstretched and overstressed.
Moments like this should force us to remember what earlier generations did when democracy came under strain. In the fall of 1918, as the Spanish flu tore through Chicago, hospitals overflowed and neighborhoods fell under quarantine.
Yet the city refused to let democracy collapse.
Officials rushed paper ballots to residents’ homes.
Nurses carried ballots to the sick; clerks delivered them to families behind closed doors. It was improvised and imperfect—but it worked.
Chicago proved something we need to remember now: when the ballot comes to the voter, democracy survives.
As America approaches its 250th year, we face a similar choice. Will we cling to systems that assume voters and poll workers will always be able to show up in person on the same day?
Or will we meet voters where they actually live—with a system designed for the pressures and
Doss
(D-Nev.) won’t be on the ballot until 2030. Obviously, the implication is that the eight senators ignored the “will of the people” by exercising their judgment because they didn’t have to face the voters next year.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) lauded Senate Democrats for their “valiant fight” during the shutdown but revealed he hasn’t spoken with the eight senators who backed the GOP. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) argued that the eight Democratic senators acted against democracy by voting to end the shutdown. Jeffries began the ostracism of the eight senators. That won’t matter to retiring senators, but the senators who continue in office will face strong primary challenges when they run for reelection for daring to defy party leadership.
The question remains: are the eight Democratic senators guilty of neglect of duty, or worse, betrayal?
These events are illustrative of a long-running debate among political theorists about the legislator’s function in Congress and which viewpoints should prevail on a specific issue. Do lawmakers have to vote as “constituent-instructed delegates” or “trustees,” voting their conscience even if it contradicts their constituents’ wishes?
As a senator, John F. Kennedy agreed with political theorists who felt politicians should serve as “trustees.” In his 1956 book Profiles
in Courage , Kennedy stated that “both major parties today seek to serve the national interest. They would do so to obtain the broadest base of support, if for no nobler reason. But when party and officeholder differ as to how the national interest is to be served, we must place first the responsibility we owe not to our party or even to our constituents but to our individual consciences.”
He went on: “The voters selected us, in short, because they had confidence in our judgment and our ability to exercise that judgment from a position where we could determine what were their own best interests as a part of the nation’s interests.”
Kennedy can be dismissed as an elitist who promoted the notion that lawmakers are “trustees” because he believed his judgment was superior to that of his constituents, but this does not imply that legislators who consider themselves as “constituent-instructed delegates” are better able to represent the people.
Legislators do not choose between becoming “trustees” and “constituent-instructed delegates.” Legislators must balance the people’s will and their judgment.
Did the eight Democratic senators fold during the shutdown?
That depends on whether the voters regard legislators as “trustees” or “constituent-instructed delegates.” That answer will fall somewhere in the middle, but even if most people believe the eight Democratic senators folded, expressing one’s own judgment is not betrayal or neglect of duty because politics will always be the art of compromise.
possibilities of modern life?
For most of our history, we have expanded the right to vote only to surround that right with new hurdles.
We ended property requirements, ended slavery, enfranchised women, and passed the Voting Rights Act—yet we never made voting simple.
Access grew, but the process remained fragile.
Today, with election workers burning out and public confidence eroding, the fragility is showing.
Yet this difficult moment offers something unexpected: clarity.
Both political parties now see what they once resisted—that high turnout can help them.
Donald Trump proved that energizing unlikely voters can reshape the map.
Democrats have long understood that expanding access brings in voters who otherwise sit out.
Now Republicans know it, too. Participation is no longer a partisan advantage. It is a shared national opportunity. That recognition makes this the hour for community leaders to rise together—so that when the 2026 legislative season arrives, our lawmakers are ready to shape elections that are simple, secure, and worthy of the nation’s 250th year. A vote-at-home system is the clearest path to get there. A mailed-out ballot gives every voter the same chance to participate, whether they work a double shift, care for elders or children, lack
transportation, or simply want the quiet time to study candidates without someone sighing behind them in line.
And these systems are secure. Every ballot carries a unique barcode voters can track like a package. Signatures are verified against those on file. Bipartisan teams handle ballots at every step.
States like Colorado, Utah, and Oregon have shown that mailed ballots increase participation, build trust, and make elections easier to run and harder to disrupt.
Pennsylvania and Virginia now sit at the heart of whether the nation follows this path. Pennsylvania’s no-excuse mail voting, adopted in 2019, remains uneven after years of lawsuits and conflicting rulings. Standardizing procedures so every voter receives the same information and the same opportunity to correct mistakes would stabilize a system that often determines national outcomes.
Virginia—already further along than any Southern state—needs only the confidence to finish the transition. Mailing ballots to all active voters, with a simple opt-out and a clear statewide education effort, would give the Commonwealth a model of civic strength heading into 2026.
The 250th anniversary of the United States should not be a moment simply to celebrate our democratic inheritance. It should be the moment we improve it.
If we want a democracy strong enough for the next 250 years, we must bring the ballot home—back to the kitchen table, where Americans make their best decisions.
(Ben Jealous is a professor of practice at the University of Pennsylvania and former national president and CEO of the NAACP.)
When racism is embedded in healthcare
From its inception, there has been a national effort to equate healthcare for all Americans as some kind of hangout for those who were primarily people of color. This is the same strategy applied to the idea of “Welfare.” It suggested that only Blacks in particular or people of color were the recipients when, in reality, there have always been more Whites on Welfare than any group of people of color.
Fast forward to the enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which was immediately named “Obamacare,” suggesting that since it was passed by a Black President, its primary beneficiaries are Blacks, or African Americans or people of color, if one wants to be inclusive of all ethnicities other than White.
Mainstream media has been a willing participant throughout the entire
government shutdown. The Democrats held out seeking healthcare protection for millions of Americans, of all colors. One of the main issues was protecting the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Mainstream media insisted on always referring to the Act as “Obamacare”. This term subconsciously made many of the MAGA supporters feel justified and encouraged in suffering themselves through the government shutdown. This meant that it appeared that the gov-
ernment was pulling back on those people who don’t want to work and cutting off or stalling “Obamacare” while shutting down the government.
Let’s make people call the Act by its proper name: The Affordable Care Act. Maybe then there will be less resistance to the benefit it is providing for all Americans as the greatest social insurance program since Social Security, which benefits millions. We know former President Obama is responsible for this program, which is saving lives and helping millions. Let’s not have his name become a code word for the racism against the program because some who benefit are people of color. In reality, like Welfare, most recipients are White. (Dr. John E. Warren is Publisher San Diego Voice & Viewpoint Newspaper and Chairman Of The Board, NNPA)
Julianne Malveaux
John E. Warren
CONDITIONS OF SALE
Effective with the August 3, 2020, Sheriff Sale of real estate and all such monthly public sales thereafter shall be conducted virtually through video conferencing technology or live streaming. ALL PARTICIPANTS OR BIDDERS MUST BE REGISTERED AT LEAST 7 DAYS BEFORE THE DATE OF THE SALE IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE (VIRTUALLY OR IN PERSON) AT THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SALES OF REAL ESTATE. REGISTRATION WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY SHERIFF’S WEBSITE: SHERIFFALLEGHENYCOUNTY.COM. The Successful bidder will pay full amount of bid in CASH, CERTIFIED CHECK OR CASHIERS CHECK at time of sale, otherwise the property will be resold at the next regular Sheriffs Sale; provided, that if the sale is made on MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2025 the bidder may pay ten percent of purchasing price but not less than $75.00 in CASH, CERTIFIED CHECK, OR CASHIERS CHECK THE DAY IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE SALE, e.g. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2025, BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 8:30AM AND 2:30PM IN THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE. Failure to pay the 10% deposit will have you banned from future Sheriff Sales. And the balance in CASH, CERTIFIED CHECK, OR CASHIERS CHECK, on or before MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2025, at 10:00 O’CLOCK A.M. The property will be resold at the next regular Sheriff’s Sale if the balance is not paid, and in such case all money’s paid in at the original sale shall be applied to any deficiency in the price of which property is resold, and provided further that if the successful bidder is the plaintiff in the execution the bidder shall pay full amount of bid ON OR BEFORE THE FIRST MONDAY OF THE FOLLOWING MONTH, OTHERWISE WRIT WILL BE RETURNED AND MARKED “REAL ESTATE UNSOLD” and all monies advanced by plaintiff will be applied as required by COMMON PLEAS COURT RULE 3129.2 (1) (a).
FORFEITED SALES WILL BE POSTED IN THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE AND LISTED ON THE SHERIFF OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY WEB SITE.
AMENDMENT OF THE CODE SECOND CLASS COUNTY NEW CHAPTER 475 THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES, CHAPTER 475, ENTITLED TAXATION IS HEREBY AMENDED THROUGH THE CREATION ARTICLE XII, ENTITLED, “SHERIFF SALES”, AND COMPRISED AS FOLLOWS: SUBSECTION 475-60: RECORDING OF DEEDS AND NOTIFICATION OF SHERIFFS SALES TO TAXING BODIES.
A. FOR ANY REAL PROPERTY OFFERED AT SHERIFFS SALE DUE TO NONPAYMENT OF REAL ESTATE TAXES AND PURCHASED BY A THIRD PARTY THROUGH SUCH SALE, THE SHERIFF SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FILING THE DEED AND, WITHIN SEVEN DAYS OF FILING OF THE SHERIFFS DEED, PROVIDE WRITTEN NOTICE OF THE CONVEYANCE TO THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY OFFICE OF PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS. THE WRITTEN NOTICE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBSECTION SHALL INCLUDE THE DATE OF THE SALE, IDENTIFICATION OF THE PROPERTY SOLD BY BOTH ADDRESS AND LOT AND BLOCK NUMBER, AND THE NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE INDIVIDUALS OR OTHER ENTITY THAT PURCHASED THE PROPERTY.
B. AT THE TIME OF THE SALE THE SHERIFF SHALL COLLECT ALL REQUISITE FILING COSTS, REALTY TRANSFER TAXES AND FEES, NECESSARY TO PROPERLY RECORD THE DEED. C. WITHIN SEVEN DAYS OF RECEIPT OF WRITTEN NOTICE FROM THE SHERIFF, THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY OFFICE OF PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS SHALL FORWARD COPIES OF SUCH NOTICE TO ALL TAXING BODIES LEVYING REAL ESTATE TAXES ON THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE MUNICIPALITY AND SCHOOL DISTRICT WHERE THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED.
AS REQUIRED BY SECTION 14 OF ACT NO. 77 OF 1986, THE COST OF ALL DOCUMENTARY STAMPS FOR REAL ESTATE TRANSFER TAXES (STATE, LOCAL, AND SCHOOL) WILL BE DEDUCTED BY THE SHERIFF FROM THE PROCEEDS OF THE SALE. Purchasers must pay the necessary recording fees. Pursuant to Rule 3136 P.R.C.P. NOTICE is hereby given that a schedule of distribution will be filed by the Sheriff not later than 30 days from date of sale and that distribution will be made in accordance with the schedule unless exceptions are filed thereto within 10 days thereafter. No further notice of the filing of the schedule of distribution will be given.
A Land Bank formed under 68 Pa. C.S.A. 2101 et seq. may exercise its right to bid pursuant to 68 Pa. C.S.A. 2117(d) (2) through Pa. C.S.A. 2117(d) (4) on certain properties listed for sale under the municipal claims and Tax Lien Law, 53 P.S. 7101 et seq. The Sheriff of Allegheny County will honor the terms of payment which the Land Bank has entered with any municipalities having a claim against the property. If the Land Bank tenders a bid under Pa. C.S.A. 2117(d)(3) or 2117(d)(4) the property will not be offered for sale to others and the Property will be considered sold to the Land Bank for the Upset Price as defined in P.S.7279 and no other bids will be accepted.
NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT ALL SHERIFFS DEEDS TENDERED TO PURCHASERS WILL CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING: NOTICE: The undersigned, as evidenced by the signature(s) to this notice and the acceptance and recording of this deed, (is/are) fully cognizant of the fact that the undersigned may not be obtaining the right of protection against subsidence, as to the property herein conveyed, resulting from coal mining operations and that the purchased property, herein conveyed, may be protected from damage due to mine subsidence by a private contract with the owners of the economic interest in the coal. This notice is inserted herein to comply with the Bituminous Mine Subsidence and Land Conservation Act of 1966. as amended 1980. Oct. 10, P.L 874, No. 156 §1. “This document may not sell, convey, transfer, include, or insure the title to the coal and right of support underneath the surface land described or referred to herein and the owner or owners of such coal may have the complete legal right to remove all of such coal, and in that connection damage may result to the surface of the land, any house, building or other structure on or in such land.”
1DEC25
PLAINTIFF(S) BOROUGH OF MOUNT OLIVER Vs DEFENDANT(S) BRENDA HOUTZ ******************** CASE NO. GD-25-004123
DEBT $5,788.89
NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) CHRISTOPHER E. VINCENT
ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 546 WENDEL ROAD, IRWIN, PA 15642
ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (724) 978-0333
SHORT DESCRIPTION:
In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, BOROUGH OF MOUNT OLIVER:
HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 214 ORMSBY AVENUE, PITTSBURGH, PA 15210. DEED BOOK 13802, PAGE 186. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 32-A-125. 3DEC25
PLAINTIFF(S): PLUM Borough SCHOOL DISTRICT Vs DEFENDANT(S): STEVEN SCOTTI
CASE NO. GD-24-000385
DEBT $7,408.83
NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Elizabeth P. Sattler, Esquire
ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 445 Fort Pitt Boulevard, Suite 503, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 412-391-0160
SHORT DESCRIPTION:
In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, BOROUGH OF PLUM:
HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING, KNOWN AS 551 CRESTHAVEN DRIVE, PITTSBURGH, PA 15239. DEED BOOK 15881, PAGE 148. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 741-B-15.
4DEC25
PLAINTIFF(S): MT. LEBANON SCHOOL DISTRICT Vs DEFENDANT(S): JANET MARTIN
CASE NO. GD-25-003201 DEBT
$17,870.89
NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Elizabeth P. Sattler, Esquire
ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 445 Fort Pitt Boulevard, Suite 503, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 412-391-0160
SHORT DESCRIPTION:
In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, MUNICIPALITY OF MT. LEBANON: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING, KNOWN As 629 ROCKWOOD AVENUE, PITTSBURGH, PA 15234: DEED BOOK 17871, PAGE 337. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER l92,-S-246
5DEC25
PLAINTIFF(S): MOON AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT Vs DEFENDANT(S): 109 GATEHOUSE DRIVE, LLC
CASE NO. GD-25-003192 ********* DEBT $28,765.97 *********
NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Elizabeth P. Sattler, Esquire **********************
ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 445 Fort Pitt Boulevard, Suite 503, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 412-391-0160
SHORT DESCRIPTION:
In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, TOWNSHIP OF MOON: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING, KNOWN AS 109 GATEHOUSE DRIVE, CORAOPOLIS, PA 15108. DEED BOOK 17974, PAGE429.·BLOCKAND LOT NUMBER 337-A-14.
6DEC25
PLAINTIFF(S): BALDWIN-:WHITEHALL SCHOOL DISTRICT Vs DEFENDANT(S): CHARITY MARIE KARTEN ******************** CASE NO. GD-25-003823 ********* DEBT $8,410.00 *********
NAME OF ATTORNEY(S)
Elizabeth P. Sattler, Esquire **********************
ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 445 Fort Pitt Boulevard, Suite 503, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 412-391-0160
SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, BOROUGH OF BALDWIN: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING, KNOWN AS 219 PAULA DRIVE, PITTSBURGH, PA 15236. DEED BOOK 19q98, PAGE 101. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER · 135-A242:
7DEC25
DEFENDANT(S): Jason Shook a/k/a Jason D. Shook ******************** CASE NO. MG-25-000562 DEBT $27,939.38 NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Powers Kirn, LLC
ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) Eight Neshaminy Interplex, Suite 215, Trevose, PA 19053
ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 215-942-2090
SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, 19h Ward of the City of Pittsburgh: Having erected thereon a dwelling being known and numbered as 33-35 Greenbush Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15211 a/k/a 33/35 Greenbush Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15211. Deed Book Volume 11958, Page 381, Instrument 2004-5596, Block and Lot Number 4-L-7.
8DEC25
DEFENDANT(S): WILLIAM F. LYONS, JR. AND HEATHER WILLIAMS ******************** CASE NO. MG-24-000952 ********* DEBT $102,104.56 ********* NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) CHELSEA A. NIXON, ESQUIRE ********************** ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) McCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC 216 HADDON AVENUE, SUITE 201 WESTMONT NJ 08108
ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (856) 858-7080
SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Township of West Deer: PARCEL 1: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 217 POLLOCK STREET, TARENTUM, PA 15084 A/KIA 145 POLLOCK STREET, TARENTUM, PA 15084. DEED BOOK VOLUME 16582, PAGE 527. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 1838-P-00036-0000-00. PARCEL 2: BEING VACANT LAND BEING KNOWN AS SNYDER STREET, TARENTUM, PA 15084. DEED BOOK VOLUME 16582, PAGE 527. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 1838-P-00135-0000-00.
9DEC25
DEFENDANT(S): KAWAKI K. BRADFORD AND DARIUS M. BRADFORD
******************** CASE NO. MG-25-000122 ********* DEBT $$130,30033 ********* NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) CHELSEA A. NIXON, ESQUIRE
ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) McCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC 216 HADDON AVENUE, SUITE 201 WESTMONT NJ 08108 ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (856) 858-7080 SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, and 2nd Ward of the City of Clairton: PARCEL 1: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED As 292 PARK AVENUE,· CLAIRTON, PA 15025.: DEED BOOK Volume 16702, PAGE 426. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER
10DEC25
DEFENDANT(S): LORI D. ADAMS ******************** CASE NO. MG-24-000660
DEBT $136,084.26 NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) CHELSEA A. NIXON, ESQUIRE ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) McCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC 216 HADDON AVENUE, SUITE 201 WESTMONT NJ 08108 ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (856) 858-7080 SHORT DESCRIPTION: IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY, AND MUNICIPALITY OF PENN HILLS: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 304 ELIAS DRIVE, PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA J,5235 .A/K/A 304 ELIAS DRIVE,
NUMBER:
858-7080
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY, AND MUNICIPALITY OF PENN HILLS: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 304 ELIAS DRIVE, PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA J,5235 .A/K/A 304 ELIAS DRIVE, PENN HILLS, PENNSYLVANIA 15235. DEED BOOK VOLUME 10869, PAGE 352. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 0368-P-00I 02-0000-00.
12DEC25
DEFENDANT(S): Albert Grace CASE NO. MG-24-000805
DEBT $11,423.54
NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Stephen M. Hladik, Esquire ********************** ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) Hladik, Onorato and Federman, LLP 298 Wissahickon Avenue, North Wales, PA 19454 ************************** ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (215) 855-9521 ******************************** SHORT DESCRIPTION:
In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, 26TH WARD OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 2917 NORTH CHARLES STREET, PITTSBURGH, PA 15214. DEED BOOK VOLUME 6691, PAGE 319. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 46-B-142.
13DEC25
DEFENDANT(S): Charles I. Palmer and Helen M. Palmer CASE NO. MG-24-000517
DEBT $53,398.61
NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Stephen M. Hladik, Esquire
ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) Hladik, Onorato and Federman, LLP 298 Wissahickon Avenue, North Wales, PA 19454
ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (215) 855-9521
SHORT DESCRIPTION:
In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, BOROUGH OF PITCAIRN: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A SINGLE FAMILY
RESIDENTIAL DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 373 2ND STREET, PITCAIRN, PA 15140. DEED BOOK VOLUME 13432, PAGE 579. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 747-A-248.
14DEC25
DEFENDANT(S): Brenda J. Dudley CASE NO. MG-24-000669
DEBT $50,923.36
NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Stephen M. Hladik, Esquire ********************** ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) Hladik, Onorato and Federman, LLP 298 Wissahickon Avenue, North Wales, PA 19454
************************** ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (215) 855-9521 ******************************** SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, 3RD WARD OF THE CITY OF DUQUESNE: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A
15DEC25 DEFENDANT(S): Thomas Robert Adametz
NOTICE: PROPOSED REVISIONS TO THE 2026 LOW-INCOME PUBLIC HOUSING FLAT RENT SCHEDULE
The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) is proposing updates to its Low-Income Public Housing (LIPH) Flat Rent Schedule. The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP), in accordance with federal law and regulation, is proposing revisions to its Low-Income Public Housing Flat Rent Schedule.
The revised 2026 HACP Flat Rent Schedule is available for review and comment from Friday, November 7, to Monday, December 8, 2025, on the HACP website: www.hacp.org.
Copies of the 2026 Flat Rent Schedule can also be obtained by contacting the HACP Asset Management office at: 412-643-2737.
A notice including the proposed Flat Rent schedule will be mailed to all residents of the Low-Income Housing portfolio on November 3, 2025. Public Hearings to receive public comments on the revised 2026 HACP Flat Rent Schedule will be held at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, via Zoom.
Zoom Instructions 10:00 AM Session:
Web: https://hacp-org.zoom.us/j/82544075262? pwd=3dIJasn07aCbXDIPxLnhl2iauBboge.1
Telephone Number: 1-301-715-8592 (US)
Meeting ID: 825 4407 5262
Passcode: 716027
6:00 PM Session:
Web: https://hacp-rg.zoom.us/j/81194279005? pwd=uRkspE2CrNmUlTayGJF6UVsQBO91xF.1
Telephone Number: 1-305-224-1968 (US)
Meeting ID: 811 9427 9005
Passcode: 286602
A written comment period will be held beginning at 8 a.m. Friday, November 7, 2025, until 5 p.m. Monday, December 8, 2025
Written comments regarding the 2026 HACP Flat Rent Schedule must be submitted by mail and addressed to: HACP Asset Management, C/O Anthony Ceoffe, 412 Blvd. of the Allies, 7th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, or via email to: anthony.ceoffe@hacp.org. Comments may also be submitted by calling the HACP Asset Management Office at: 412-643-2737.
Persons with disabilities requiring assistance or alternative formats, or who wish to submit comments in alternative formats, can contact the HACP ADA/504 Coordinator at: 412-456-5020, Ext. 2504; TTY: 412-2015384. All other questions should be addressed to the Asset Management Office at: 412-643-2737. READ THE PROPOSED LIPH FLAT RENT SCHEDULE www.hacp.org.
The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh 412 Boulevard of the Allies, 7th Floor / Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15219 Tel: 412-643-2737 Fax: 412-643-2962 www.HACP.org
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
UNITED STATES MARSHALS SERVICE NOTICE OF U.S. MARSHAL’S SALE ADVERTISING FORM
Property THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA vs. ANTHONY M. FARBACHER Civil #2:24-cv-00370
Public notice is hereby given, that by virtue of an Order dated May 23, 2025, issued out of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania on a judgment rendered in Court on May 23, 2025, in the amount of $187,574.70 plus interest from 5/23/2025 in favor of The United States of America and against ANTHONY M. FARBACHER, the following described real estate, located at 23 Simon Road Cheswick, PA 15024, shall be offered for sale. To obtain a complete legal description please contact Jillian Hill at 215-825-6305.
PROPERTY LOCATION: 23 Simon Road Cheswick, PA 15024
Parcel/Folio # 1217-A-00209-0000-00
The above-mentioned properties offered up for sale on December 19, 2025 at 10:00 AM at Gold Room on the 4th floor located at the Allegheny County Courthouse located at 436 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, at public auction, to the highest and best bidder by the U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Pennsylvania. I will be advertising, the Marshal’s Sale of real estate situated in the Western District of Pennsylvania, on the following dates: 11/19/2025; 11/26/2025; 12/3/2025; 12/10/2025
And I will, accordingly offer the real estate for sale to the highest and best bidder, for cashier’s check or teller’s check.
The following terms of sale apply to all of the above listed properties.
Terms of Sale: Ten percent (10%) of the highest sum bid must be deposited by the highest bidder in cashier’s check or certified check with the Marshal upon the property being struck down to such bidder. Upon failure to make such deposit, the bidder shall lose the benefit of this bid and the property may be immediately put up again and sold unless a deposit of the sum required be made by a second bidder willing to take the property at the highest price bid. The balance of the purchase price shall be paid in cashier’s check or certified check within ten (10) days after confirmation of the sale by Court Order without any demand being made by the Marshal. Otherwise, the Marshal may settle with a second bidder who has made the required deposit at the Marshal’s Sale and thereby registered their willingness to take the property at the highest price bid, provided such second bidder deposits the balance of the purchase price within 10 days after notice from the Marshal of the first bidder’s default. If no second bid be registered, the property may be sold again at the risk of the defaulting bidder, and in case of any deficiency in such resale, the defaulting bidder shall make good the same to the person injured thereby and the deposit shall be forfeited and distributed with the other funds created by the sale.
Bidder must have proceeds immediately available and on his person in order to bid, bidder will not be permitted to leave the sale and return with proceeds. The successful bidder takes the real estate subject to, and shall pay all taxes, water rents, sewer charges, municipal claims, and other charges and liens not divested by the sale and must also pay all state and local realty transfer taxes or stamps, to the extent the fund created by the sale is insufficient to pay such transfer taxes.
Distribution of Proceeds: A Schedule of Proposed Distribution of the proceeds of sale will be filed with the Marshal within ten (10) days of confirmation by Court Order of the sale. No Schedule of Distribution will be filed if the property is sold to the Plaintiff for costs only. The Marshal shall distribute the proceeds of sale in accordance with the proposed Schedule of Distribution unless written exceptions are filed with the Marshal not later than ten (10) days after the filing of the proposed schedule.
For information concerning the amount that Plaintiff intends to bid, for information regarding the status if this sale, the exact location of the sale in the courthouse, or for other information you may contact: Jillian Hill at 215-825-6305 or JHill@kmllawgroup.com.
For a complete list of all properties offered for sale by the Department of Agriculture go to: http://www.resales.usda.gov/
The sale may be postponed in accordance with Pa. R.C.P. 3129.1 et seq. for up to 100 days. Please contact Jillian Hill, Paralegal, with KML Law Group, P.C., at the above phone numbers prior to the scheduled sale date to confirm that the sale will proceed.
BOROUGH OF EMSWORTH
AVAILABILITY OF PROPOSED 2026 BUDGET LEGAL AD
Notice is hereby given the Council of the Borough of Emsworth has made available for public inspection the proposed Emsworth Borough Budget for the Year 2026. The proposed budget is available at the Office of the Borough Secretary, 171 Center Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15202, and may be viewed during regular business hours of Monday -Friday 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The proposed budget will be considered for adoption at the business meeting of Emsworth Borough Council to be held Wednesday, December 10, 2025, 6:30 p.m., prevailing time.
CATHY JONES Borough Secretary
BOROUGH OF EMSWORTH
The Council of the Borough of Emsworth will meet at its regularly scheduled public meeting on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. at the Borough Office, 171 Center Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15202 to consider adoption of an ordinance, the following which is a title and brief summary thereof:
AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOROUGH OF EMSWORTH, COUNTY OF ALLEGHENYAND COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, SETTING THE TAX RATE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 AT 6.955 MILLS.
A copy of the full text of the proposed ordinance may be examined at the Borough Office located at 171 Center Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15202, Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. through 3:00 p.m.
BOROUGH OF EMSWORTH
Cathy Jones, Borough Secretary
TOWNSHIP OF WILKINS PUBLIC NOTICE OF INTENT TO ADOPT PROPOSED ORDINANCE NUMBER 1138
The Wilkins Township Board of Commissioners will consider adoption of the following Ordinance at a public meeting to be held on the 8th day of December 2025 at 7:00 p.m. in the Municipal Building, 110 Peffer Road, Wilkins Township, Pennsylvania. The complete text of the Ordinance is on file and may be inspected in the Office of the Township Secretary at the aforesaid Municipal Building during normal business hours.
The title and a summary of the ordinance is as follows.
PROPOSED ORDINANCE #1138 TITLE
AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF WILKINS, ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, ESTABLISHING THE COMPENSATION OF THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER, ASSISTANT TOWNSHIP MANAGER, CHIEF OF POLICE, PUBLIC WORKS SUPERINTENDENT, BUILDING AND FIRE INSPECTOR AND OFFICE PERSONNEL
SUMMARY
The Ordinance authorizes the wages and salaries of Township personnel for the year 2026.
TOWNSHIP OF WILKINS PUBLIC NOTICE OF INTENT TO ADOPT PROPOSED ORDINANCE NUMBER 1139
The Wilkins Township Board of Commissioners will consider adoption of the following Ordinance at a public meeting to be held on the 8th day of December 2025 at 7:00 p.m. in the Municipal Building, 110 Peffer Road,Wilkins Township, Pennsylvania. The complete text of the Ordinance is on file and may be inspected in the Office of the Township Secretary at the aforesaid Municipal Building during normal business hours.
The title and a summary of the ordinance is as follows.
PROPOSED ORDINANCE #1139 TITLE
AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF WILKINS, ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, AMENDING CHAPTER 450 ARTICLE II - GENERAL PROVISIONS; 450-7 TO ADD DEFINITIONS FOR MIXEDUSE BUILDING, MIXED-USE CONVERSION AND DWELLING UNIT; ARTICLE IIIDISTRICT REGULATIONS: 45011 TO ADD MIXED-USE CONVERSIONS AS A CONDITIONAL USE; ARTICLE VI - 450-50CITERIA FOR APPROVAL, TO ADD PARAGRAPH S, MIXED-USE CONVERSIONS
SUMMARY
The Ordinance will permit multi-family residential structures in the R-3 and R-4 Zoning Districts, that contain ten or more individual dwelling units, to be able to convert the first floor into a commercial space. A single multi-family structure complex will be permitted to convert 100% of their first-floor while multi-family, multi-structure complexes will be permitted to convert 50% of their first floors.
ANNOUNCEMENTS Meetings
NOTICE ALLEGHENY COUNTY NOVEMBER 2025 There will be a Depository/Investment Board Meeting of Allegheny County on Thursday, November 20, 2025 at 1:15 pm
Pittsburgh PA 15229. Contracted Pupil Transportation Proposal Submission Due Date and Time: Electronic submission to muthg@nhsd.net is due by or before 2:00 p.m. on December 23, 2025. Contracted Pupil Transportation Services Proposal should appear in the subject line. Request for Proposals documents appear on the North Hills School District website: https://www. nhsd.net/departments/finance/ bids.
AVALON BOROUGH
ADVERTISEMENT
Sealed proposals will be received by the Borough of Avalon of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania through the Quest Construction Data Network (QuestCDN) at www.questcdn.com until 11:00 AM prevailing time on December 1, 2025 for: CONTRACT NO. 25-D01 FERNLEAF AVENUE STRUCTURE DEMOLITION
The scope of work includes complete demolition using wet-wet-wet techniques and off-site disposal of the existing structure located at 929 Fernleaf Avenue including restoration. The structure has been deemed unsafe to enter, therefore the entire structure must be considered contaminated and disposed of accordingly. All bidders are required to buy the Bid Documents in PDF format for a non-refundable deposit of $125.00 from QuestCDN using project number 9927798. Contact their Customer Support regarding membership registration, downloading and working with digital project information at 952233-1632 or info@questcdn.com. Any technical questions regarding the bid documents are to be directed to LSSE. Bids will be publicly opened and read aloud via video conference. Interested parties may contact the Borough for access information prior to the date and time identified herein. Pennsylvania prevailing wage rates apply. Proposals must be upon the forms furnished by the Borough. The bid must be
LEGAL ADVERTISEMENT
Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a Pittsburgh Regional Transit REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NO. 25-12
Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) is requesting proposals for the performance of the following service (“Contract Services”):
ONLINE ENGAGEMENT PLATFORM SERVICES
The work under the proposed Agreement consists of but is not limited to, a vendor developing, maintaining, and providing support for a cloud-based online community engagement website and application software platform that allows PRT to share and collect information about programs and projects and provide a forum for the general public and PRT users to interact and submit feedback on presented information.
The required services will be issued on a work order basis as they are approved to proceed by PRT.
The Agreement will be for a (3) three-year period with the option to extend the term of the Agreement up to (2) additional one-year periods at the sole discretion of PRT.
A copy of the Request for Proposal (RFP) will be available on or after November 14, 2025 and can be obtained by registering at the PRT’s ebusiness website: http://ebusiness.ridePRT.org and following the directions listed on the website. Please note that Proposers must register under the ebusiness category of PSSC – Pro Software Consulting for this RFP. Proposers may also register in other categories for any future RFPs issued by PRT. If you have specific questions regarding this RFP, please contact John Young at (412) 566-5216 or via email jyoung@ridePRT.org
An Information Meeting for interested parties will be held on November 21, 2025 at 1:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, via Microsoft Teams video conference and/or conference call to answer any questions regarding this RFP.
To join by Microsoft Team video conference: Meeting ID: 268 253 192 591 6 Passcode: Jm7ji3gF
To join by Microsoft Teams call-in number: 412-927-0245 United States, McKeesport Conference ID: 941 806 871#
Electronic proposals must be received, and time stamped through PRT’s
Ebusiness website at or before 2:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, December 15, 2025, at http://ebusiness.ridePRT.org. Proposals not received by PRT’s Ebusiness website by the advertised time for the submission of proposals shall be non-responsive and therefore ineligible for award. Each Proposer shall be solely responsible for assuring that its proposal is timely received and time stamped in accordance with the requirements herein.
This Contract Services may be funded, in part, by, and subject to certain requirements of, the County of Allegheny and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. AT THE TIME OF THIS SOLICITATION, THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA’S DIVERSE BUSINESS PROGRAM, 74 PA.C.S. Section 303, REMAINS IN EFFECT, AS APPLICABLE. DB PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS WILL ONLY APPLY WHERE REQUIRED BY THE COMMONWEALTH IN NON-FEDERALLY FUNDED PROJECTS, WHICH INCLUDES THIS SOLICITATION.
Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a Pittsburgh Regional Transit, in compliance with 74 Pa.C.S. § 303, as may be amended, also requires that certified Diverse Businesses, (“DBs”) have the maximum opportunity to compete for, and perform applicable contracts and subcontract for, the Contract Services. In this regard, all Proposers, and the Contractor, shall make good faith efforts, in accordance with 74 Pa.C.S. § 303, to ensure that DBs have the maximum opportunity to compete for, and perform applicable contracts and subcontracts for, the Contract Services. Further, proposers and the Contractor shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, age, disability, national origin, sex, sexual origin, gender identity or status as a parent in the award and performance of contracts or subcontracts for these Contract Services
Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a Pittsburgh Regional Transit reserves the right to reject any or all proposals.
DOCUMENT 00030-AA ADVERTISEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT
ALLEGHENY COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The Allegheny County Airport Authority will be receiving scanned PDF proposals through Submittable, and a submission link will be sent to each registered plan holder. Submissions are to be submitted via Submittable by 1:00 p.m. prevailing local time on January 7, 2026, and bids will be opened by the Airport Authority and results will be emailed by end of business day of bid opening for the following project:
ALLEGHENY COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY
PROJECT NUMBER 55G1-19 (GENERAL)
DEICING FLUID STORAGE TANK PROJECT
PROJECT NUMBER 73G1-20 (GENERAL)
FIELD MAINTENANCE FUELING SYSTEM PROJECT AT PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
A pre-bid conference will be held at 9:00 a.m., on December 1, 2025, at the offices of Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson, Inc. (JMT) located at Airside Business Park 200 Airside Drive, Suite 250, Coraopolis, PA 15108. Attention is called to the fact that not less than the minimum salaries and wages, as determined by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, must be paid on these projects.
Proposals must be made on the Authority’s form and in accordance with the Plans and Specifications and the “Instructions to Bidders”’. The non-refundable charge of $150.00 for the Bid Documents and the Plans, and Specifications through the bidding platform Submittable at https://acaacapitalprograms.submittable.com.
Please note that Submittable does not support Internet Explorer 11. Submittable recommends the following browsers: Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Apple Safari.
This project has DBE participation goals; DBE firms must be certified with the Pennsylvania Unified Certification Program) (PA UCP). Firms must be certified prior to award of contract. A searchable database of DBE firms can be found on the PA UCP web site: https://paucp.dbesystem.com/
The Airport Authority reserves the right to reject any and all bids or waive any informalities in the bidding.
No bidder may withdraw his bid for a period of sixty [60] days after the scheduled closing time for receipt of bids.
To view a complete advertisement, which is also included in the bidding documents visit www.flypittsburgh.com – ACAA Corporate – Business Opportunities or call 412-472-3677. ALLEGHENY COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY
OFFICIAL ADVERTISEMENT THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION of the SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH
Submit sealed proposals to the Facilities Division, Attention: Mr. Sanjeeb Manandhar, Pittsburgh Public Schools Service Center, 1305 Muriel Street, Pittsburgh PA 15203 no later than 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 13, 2026 for:
Request for Proposal From Solar Energy Developers For Solar Voltaic Systems At Pittsburgh Carrick High School and Pittsburgh Classical 6-8 RFP will be available to download on Monday, December 1, 2025 at the Pittsburgh Public Schools website https://www.pghschools.org/ community/business-opportunities /rfps.
COURIER CLASSIFIEDS…
OFFICIAL ADVERTISEMENT
THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION of the SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH
Sealed proposals shall be deposited at the Administration Building, Bellefield Entrance Lobby, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15213, on December 2, 2025, until 2:00 P.M., local prevailing time for:
Pittsburgh Beechwood, Brookline and Sunnyside
Pittsburgh Conroy
Finish Floor Replacement and Miscellaneous Work
General and Asbestos Primes
Pittsburgh Obama 6-12
Finish Floor Replacement and Miscellaneous Work
General and Asbestos Primes
Project Manual and Drawings will be available for purchase on November 10, 2025, at Modern Reproductions (412-488-7700), 127 McKean Street, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15219 between 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. The cost of the Project Manual Documents is non-refundable. Project details and dates are described in each project manual.
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) FOR WORKERS COMPENSATION INSURANCE
RFP #650-24-25
The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby request proposals from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s): Workers Compensation Insurance
The documents will be available no later than November 17, 2025, and signed, sealed proposals will be accepted until 10:00 a.m. on December 12, 2025. The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh will only accept physical proposals dropped off in person from 8:00 AM until the closing time of 10:00 a.m. on December 12, 2025, in the lobby of One Stop Shop at 412 Boulevard of the Allies. Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Proposals may uploaded to the Authority’s online submission site, the link is accessible via the HACP website and within the RFP. Sealed proposals may still be mailed via USPS at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 412 Boulevard of the Allies, 6th Floor - Procurement, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.
Parties or individuals interested in responding may download a copy of the Solicitation from the Business Opportunities page of www.HACP.org.
Questions or inquires should be directed to:
Mr. Brandon Havranek, Associate Director of Procurement/ Contracting Officer
Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh 412 Boulevard of the Allies 6th Floor - Procurement Department Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-456-2890
A pre-submission meeting will be held via Zoom meeting on December 3, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. Please see the meeting information below:
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 811 4453 2544 Passcode: 093190 +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C)
The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh strongly encourages small businesses, minority businesses, women’s business enterprises, and veteran-owned businesses to respond to this solicitation.
Caster D. Binion, Executive Director Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh
HACP conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The PA Human Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.
by a bid bond, certified check, or bank cashier’s check, payable to the Allegheny County Housing Authority in the amount of five percent (5%) of the bid. DOCUMENTS: Bid documents & specifications will be available on/after Wednesday, November 19, 2025. Complete IFB Documents can be downloaded from the Housing Agency Marketplace: https://ha.internationalprocurement.com/ (ACHA-1726); or from the Pittsburgh Builder’s Exchange, or the McGraw-Hill websites. FEE: No Charge for Emailed / Electronic Transfer documents. PRE-BID CONFERENCE: (non-mandatory) Wednesday, December 10, 2025 at 10:00 AM EST at Allegheny County Housing Authority (ACHA) Central Office, 301 Chartiers Avenue, McKees Rocks, PA 15136 QUESTION SUBMITTAL DEADLINE: Wednesday, December 31, 2025 at 3:00 PM EST BIDS DUE: Wednesday, January 7, 2026 at 10:00 AM EST at the Allegheny County Housing Authority (ACHA) Central Office, 301 Chartiers Avenue, McKees Rocks, PA 15136
HILL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (Hill CDC) ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Cultivation Corner
City of Pittsburgh, PA Notice is hereby given that proposals for Design and/or Engineering services will be received by the Hill CDC until 5 pm, Friday, 19th of December, 2025. This request is for proposals that provide professional architectural and engineering services for the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh (Affordable Housing Program) grant awarded project of 10 units of housing across the properties located at 2343-2351 Centre Avenue, also known as Cultivation Corner. The Hill CDC is committed to expanding opportunity and broadening participation among qualified firms, including certified small, disadvantaged, minority, women, and locally based firms, in its procurement and subcontracting. The Hill CDC seeks to reduce barriers, promote competition, and enhance utilization of underrepresented firms. Proposals will be reviewed by the Hill CDC and selected applicants may be invited for an interview or briefing. Contract award and commencement of work are expected in early Q1 of 2026.
Request for Proposals package may be obtained at the Hill Community Development Corporation or by emailing opportunity@hilldistrict.org.
Pre-Proposal Site Walkthrough:
A site visit meeting will be held at the project site located at 23432351 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. The meeting will take place at 9:00 AM on Thursday, December 4, 2025.
The Hill CDC reserves the right to reject any bids or to accept any bid deemed for the best interests of the Hill CDC and waive any formalities in bidding.
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) FOR EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT PLAN INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AND FINANCIAL WELLNESS CONSULTING
RFP #650-41-25
The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby request proposals from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s): Employee Retirement Plan Investment Management and Financial Wellness Consulting
The documents will be available no later than November 17, 2025, and signed, sealed proposals will be accepted until 9:00 a.m. on December 12, 2025. The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh will only accept physical proposals dropped off in person from 8:00 AM until the closing time of 9:00 a.m. on December 12, 2025, in the lobby of One Stop Shop at 412 Boulevard of the Allies. Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Proposals may uploaded to the Authority’s online submission site, the link is accessible via the HACP website and within the RFP. Sealed proposals may still be mailed via USPS at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 412 Boulevard of the Allies, 6th Floor - Procurement, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Parties or individuals interested in responding may download a copy of the Solicitation from the Business Opportunities page of www.HACP.org.
Questions or inquires should be directed to:
Mr. Brandon Havranek, Associate Director of Procurement/ Contracting Officer Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh 412 Boulevard of the Allies 6th Floor - Procurement Department Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-456-2890
A pre-submission meeting will be held via Zoom meeting on December 3, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. Please see the meeting information below:
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 836 9309 4073 Passcode: 540392 +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C)
The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh strongly encourages small businesses, minority businesses, women’s business enterprises, and veteran-owned businesses to respond to this solicitation.
Caster D. Binion, Executive Director Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh
HACP conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The PA Human Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.
JOB
ASSOCIATE DATA SCIENTIST (Multiple Openings) UPMC Physician Operations and Professional Services, LLC in Pittsburgh, PA seeks multiple Associate Data Scientists to provide data-driven analytics to generate evidence, recommendations, tools, and resources for optimal patient care and operational efficiency. Leverage skills in SQL queries, Tableau dashboards, machine learning, and descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics, to design, develop and validate robust analytical algorithms to perform complex statistical analyses on biological and healthcare data. Master’s degree, or equivalent, in Statistics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Bioinformatics, or a related field plus one (1) year of data science, machine learning engineering, or related quantitative experience, designing programs to analyze complex scenarios; performing data visualizations of predictive accuracy of machine learning models; maintaining technical documentation of data analysis processes, data models and reports using Python-based machine learning methodology within Oracle based and Snowflake cloud-based Data Warehouse environment; training, evaluating revising and retraining ML predictive models; writing, executing, validating, and monitoring structured query language (SQL) queries, including use of SQL in Oracle and Snowflake database environments; using statistical programming languages such as, MATLAB, Mathematica, SAS, R, STATISTICA or Python. Some telecommuting permissible. Apply by following these steps; visit http://careers.upmc.com and enter 250002KT in the “Search Keyword/Job ID” field and click Go. EOE/Disability/Veteran.
MANAGER OF TRANSIT OPERATIONS
Pittsburgh Regional Transit is seeking a Manager of Transit Operations to oversee all Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/d Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) Transit Operations functions. Assists the Director of Bus and Rail Operations in ensuring that the Dayto-Day Operation of the Department is accomplished. Directs and supervises the Assistant Manager of Transit Operations, ensuring that they have the resources required to perform their daily job responsibilities. Oversee the instructional training of students for the dispatch training curriculum and First-Level Dispatchers in refresher training.
Essential Functions:
• Develops and performs complex management analyses in such areas as Key Performance Indicators, manpower planning and overtime balancing.
• Coordinates Dispatch and Operator Picks .
• Develop and ensure implementation of dispatch policies, procedures, standards of instruction and training curriculum in an efficient and effective manner. Ensure instruction on dispatch procedures is provided in a manner consistent with the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement and the standards of training.
• Provide continuous feedback to the Director of Transit Operations on the status of First Level Dispatchers and dispatch student(s) during the training period recommends additional areas of improvement when necessary.
Job requirements include:
• High school diploma or GED.
• Bachelor’s degree in education, business administration or a related field from an accredited college or university. Related experience may be substituted for the education on a year-for-year basis.
• Minimum three (3) years’ experience in transit agency dispatch within public mass transit. No certifications or licenses required.
• Minimum of two years in a management /supervisory role.
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of all phases of transportation dispatching.
• Ability to lead, develop, mentor, train and work collaboratively with others.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality in all aspects of the position.
• Effective and professional communication, skills in both written and oral formats.
• Excellent administrative, organizational and managerial skills.
• Willingness and ability to respond to 24-hour emergency calls.
Preferred attributes:
• Prior experience with Hastus daily modules.
• Previous PRT supervisory experience preferred; otherwise, prior supervisory experience.
• Demonstrated ability
