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DECEMBER 30, 2020-JANUARY 5, 2021

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McKeesport residents call police tactics aggressive, warrantless Take Action Mon Valley getting complaints following shooting of officer by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer

Fawn Walker-Montgomery, co-founder of the community activism group Take Action Mon Valley, will be the first to tell you that she feels the unprovoked shooting of a McKeesport Police officer, of which a 22-year-old Black male is alleged to be the shooter, is flat out wrong. Illegal. Immoral. But Walker-Montgomery, the outspoken longtime McKeesport resident, called some of the tactics McKeesport Police have used in trying to locate the suspect, “unconstitutional.” In the moments and hours after the Dec. 20 shooting that occurred outside the McKeesport police station, police entered residents’ homes and stopped nearly every vehicle entering and leaving the McKeesport area, trying to find the alleged suspect, Koby Francis. McKeesport was on edge.

A source confirmed by the New Pittsburgh Courier said it was the “most police” they’ve ever seen in McKeesport, as nearby agencies joined the manhunt following the afternoon shooting. “We at Take Action Mon Valley (TAMV) extend our thoughts and prayers to the officer who was shot. TAMV recognizes the humanity in all people including this officer and wish him a full and complete recovery,” read an updated Dec. 26 statement by the organization that Walker-Montgomery leads. “With that said, we also need to voice our complete dissatisfaction with the disregard and disrespect of the residents of McKeesport. The shooting of one officer does not erase the fourth amendment rights afforded to every single resident of McKeesport. The residents of McKeesport do not deserve this intrusion and over-policing. We will not stand by as McKeesport and other

departments disregard the rights of our community members. Just as White people are allowed to be individuals when one of their community members commits a violent crime, we ask for the same grace.” McKeesport Police Officer Jerry Athans, 32, had taken Francis into custody after Francis was alleged to have violated a Protection From Abuse order. Surveillance video showed Officer Athans’ patrol vehicle in front of the police station, and as he opened the rear passenger door, he was met by gunfire from the alleged suspect, Francis. The officer was struck a total of three times in the neck and shoulder, but was able to return fire as the alleged suspect, Francis, fled, still in handcuffs. Allegheny County Police Superintendent Coleman McDonough said a handgun had been retrieved by the officer from the alleged suspect’s vehicle when he was arrested, but the suspect concealed another

FAWN WALKER-MONTGOMERY, co-founder of Take Action Mon Valley, was outraged at the tactics McKeesport Police and other agencies used against local residents following the shooting of McKeesport Officer Jerry Athans on Dec. 20. (Photo by John Altdorfer/PublicSource) handgun on him that was undetected by the arresting officer. Officer Athans has been released from the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery. As of Monday afternoon, Dec. 28, Francis had not been apprehended. There is a $15,000 reward for information leading to Francis’ arrest, and the search now

includes multiple states. County officials announced on Dec. 26 that four people had been charged with hindering the apprehension of a fugitive; Jasmyn Henderson-Bracey, 25, Gesiah Grigsby, 21, Daniel Neal, 19, and Justine Kenyatta, 20, all of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. Walker-Montgomery told local TV station WTAE (4)

that at least 15 complaints from McKeesport residents were filed to Take Action Mon Valley in the past nine days, accusing police of aggressive, warrantless searches in homes and vehicles. Brooke Harris, a cousin of Francis, told KDKA-TV’s (2) Andy Sheehan last week that SEE MCKEESPORT A3

VISITING GHANA...DURING A PANDEMIC A COURIER SPECIAL REPORT Pittsburgh resident Jay Donaldson made his third trip to Ghana earlier this year. But then, something called ‘coronavirus’ took over the world by Jay Donaldson For New Pittsburgh Courier

Ghana, a place you just knew of which I had to return. This was my third time visiting Ghana. I visited Ghana beginning the week of March 7, just before the coronavirus really took hold across the globe and caused shutdowns in Africa. On my first day back,

I dressed eagerly to get outside in the Ghanaian morning sun before it became a scorching heat. I saw small children and mothers walking to catch the next “Tro Tro”—oh, that’s the public transport in Ghana much like the minivans in Jamaica. The Tro Tros pickups are vocally preached at every stop they make, hollering their stops to the waiting passengers. It sounds like

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A MURAL OF MARCUS GARVEY, spotted by Jay Donaldson during his trip to Ghana from March 7 to May 16. The inspirational Garvey began the first Black nationalist movement in the U.S. and urged a “Back to Africa” movement in America. The first Ghanaian president, Kwame Nkrumah, was so fond of Garvey, that he wove Garvey’s Black Star symbolism into the nation’s identity. A black “lode star” sits in the middle of Ghana’s flag, pictured below. a chanting or alarm that wakes you up. If it’s your stop, you must waste no time. Get in and grab a squat, and get ready for a long, fast, bumpy ride. Seating has been altered to hold a few more passengers than normal. Seats in the aisles are what makes these Tro Tros the extra buck—a frugal way to get

around in Ghana if you don’t mind being very close and uncomfortable for a few miles or more. When Ghana’s president, Nana Akufo-Addo, ordered the country to self-quarantine, that’s when things got boring and very dangerous at the same time. I had SEE GHANA A4

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Save A Life Today Pittsburgh Annual Christmas Giveaway OFFICER RIPPOLE with the Pittsburgh Police Department, with Sister Mary Williams, the founder and CEO of Save A Life Today Pittsburgh. S.A.L.T. held its annual Christmas giveaway on Dec. 18. (Photos by Courier photographer J.L. Martello)

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PPS’ Career and Technical Education program gets $244,000 grant from state Home Depot, Lowe’s also pitching in to advance students in job fields that are deemed ‘essential’

ANGELA MIKE, center, director of Pittsburgh Public Schools’ Career and Technical Education program, with Lowe’s team members. Lowe’s has supported the CTE program, along with other businesses and government entities.

by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer

Automobile Repair. Healthcare. Childcare. Banking. Information Technology. The aforementioned are just some of the job fields that have, essentially, been deemed “essential” during the coronavirus pandemic. Cars still must be repaired, healthcare professionals are needed more than ever, and how could the national economy operate if banks aren’t open? Those job fields are precisely what students in Pittsburgh Public Schools’ Career and Technical Education program are learning, even during the pandemic, said the program’s director, Angela Mike. “CTE trains high school students for the careers that help keep our society functioning,” Mike said in a Dec. 17 release, provided to the New Pittsburgh Courier. In August, the CTE program was awarded a Career and Technical Center Equity Grant through Gov. Tom Wolf’s office, the Courier has learned exclusively. The total grant was $244,155, with its breakdown as follows: Westinghouse ($80,086); Carrick ($71,428); Brashear ($43,723); Allderdice

($18,615); Perry ($18,182); Milliones ($12,121). The School District of Philadelphia, a much larger district than Pittsburgh, received more than $2 million in grants. Beaver County CTC received $119,044, Mon Valley CTC received $46,047, and the McKeesport Area Technology Center received $35,477. The governor’s CTC Equity Grants totaled $10.5 million to more than 60 additional centers. “CTCs across Pennsylvania are preparing students to enter the commonwealth’s workforce, and our communities depend on having these highly-skilled students complete their education and earn their certifications,” Gov. Wolf said in a release, dated Aug. 6. “This funding will help these institutions resume instruction safely.” Mike told the Courier the grant was used to provide supports for effective online instruction, virtual simulators, camera equipment for filming/broadcasting demonstrations, industry-specific equipment, etc. Pittsburgh Public Schools’ CTE program also received funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. COVID-related safety signage and sanitization carts were purchased for

each CTE classroom. Mike said the carts contain “additional personal protective supplies for teachers and students as well as the supplies needed to sanitize the hand tools used during in-person instruction.” Laptops also were purchased with the funding from the CARES Act, which are used during industry certification training and to run industry/program specific software “not typically installed on 1-to-1 student devices issued by the district,” she said. Home Depot and Harbor Freight contributed to the CTE program, giving students even more hand tools and the ability for the engineering program at Allderdice to purchase more classroom supplies. Mike said that Lowe’s in McCandless donated toolkits to carpentry students at Carrick and Westinghouse “to use at home during remote learning and when they return to in-class instruction.” The students will be able to keep the toolkits after the program’s completion. “The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all levels of education across the commonwealth, including CTCs which have a greater level of hands-on instruction,” said Pa. Secretary of Education Pedro A. Rivera,

THE CTE PROGRAM is open to high school students in Pittsburgh Public Schools. in the Aug. 6 statement from the state. “Many of these students start their careers right after graduation, contributing to the economies of their local communities and the state. It’s imperative that we keep this pathway available for students.”

McKeesport residents call police tactics aggressive, warrantless Take Action Mon Valley getting complaints following shooting of officer MCKEESPORT FROM A1

police pushed her mother and uncle away from the home’s front entrance, “and just charged upstairs in her house.” Attorney Todd Hollis told KDKA that residents “didn’t feel as if they were given the opportunity to say no (to a home or vehicle search). Many times they had guns pointed either at their direction or at them.” “Throughout the last couple of days many residents and visitors of McK-

eesport had their rights violated by illegal searches done without warrants within their homes and vehicles,” Take Action Mon Valley’s release read. “We are aware that there has been some discussion around residents giving ‘consent.’ However, TAMV recognizes the trauma, fear, and intimidation that residents felt. How can one give consent when law enforcement shows up at your door, unannounced, with guns pointed at you and your loved ones?”

In his Dec. 21 news conference, County Superintendent McDonough urged Francis to turn himself in. “This is an armed subject who is obviously dangerous,” he said. “He fled, still armed. There is a danger to the community. We want it to end right here. We want this to be the last harm inflicted by that individual.” Wa l k e r - M o n t g o m e r y said that her organization demands that Francis is “brought in alive” by police.

She added: “McKeesport, we are here for you and will continue to stand in the gap to not only protect our community, but to do everything possible to bring the so-called suspect in without harm. Every human life deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, from the officer who was shot, to the community members where the shooting happened, and the suspect who should be apprehended alive to have his day in court.”

There are 16 total programs offered under the CTE umbrella, Mike told the Courier. As PPS students have been learning remotely since the school year began in late August, she spearheaded a CTE virtual expo for all the district’s ninth graders to

learn about the different program offerings. Mike said more than 1,330 students attended the virtual event, which generated nearly 85 applications from students to enter the CTE program.

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VISITING GHANA...DURING A PANDEMIC A COURIER SPECIAL REPORT GHANA FROM A1

planned to go to Benin and Togo (nations just east of Ghana) and the Ghanaian city of Kumasi. That’s in the Ashanti region where they make the finest Kenta cloths in Ghana. But it all had to be placed on hold for now. I had no choice but to be self-isolated for a period of two weeks as the president ordered. The airports were shut down, as were restaurants, clubs, pubs, shopping malls and marketplaces. Only essential businesses were open. Luckily, before the shutdown occurred, I was able to get to PramPram and Cape Coast, both in Ghana, where I met and interviewed people. During the shutdown, I was happy to go to the local community roadside food stops in the Ghanaian city named Tema to get breakfast, lunch and dinner. I didn’t have much choice on what I could eat. I had a bit of a bowel problem by eating too much “Waakye,” (pronounced WAH-chay) a Ghanaian dash of rice, beans, fish or goat or beef, mixed with some veggies, spiced up with sauces and herbs, boiled egg and pasta. I ended up having to go to the pharmacy to get a laxative... Police and soldiers were out in full force at intersections doing checks and looking at your ID. They would stop your taxi and ask where you were going, or where you were coming from. You don’t want to

take pictures of the police doing checks, but if they caught me, I could have landed in a jailhouse for a long time. It was strange going out; no vendors at the intersections, no walking sellers of goods; it was like a bad thriller movie. The scene was so silent with very little taxis and cars out and about. At the time, the virus had not gotten many Ghanaians, the few cases were mainly in the Accra area and other urban sections of the country. Villages were isolated from many people so they remained safe for the most part. Tema was about a 30-minute drive from Accra, Ghana’s most densely populated city. There was, however, this hot spot I would fancy called Monte Carlos in “Community 10 Tema.” During the pandemic they stayed open until they were eventually ordered to close. They had a decent menu of food prepared. I started to get concerned about my living arrangements in Tema. I was paying about 150 “Ghanaian Cedis” a night ($30 in U.S. dollars). It was “The Who Is Free” guest house. I had to find a cheaper place to live, now! The expenses were adding up. All this in the middle of a pandemic in Ghana; what else would I face on this vacation I’d embarked on? Turned out, the owner of a shop had a friend who lived in a family guest home not far from where I

JAY DONALDSON, a Pittsburgh resident who, in 2020, made his thrid trip to Ghana. He’s pictured at the African Ancestral Wall.

my driver explained to the ing heat of the day. Later, I officer that we were on our heard a roaring sound and way to see my new place felt a mighty breeze coming on stronger. It was the Atlantic Ocean and all its spacious glory, much to my delight. We came up on Kpone (pronounced Boone), a small fishing village on the coast of the Atlantic. I thought to myself: “Well, I am in heaven.” We pulled up to the hotel/guest home, a huge, green-painted building with iron stairways. My room had a view of the ocean. The price to stay at this luscious beach of residence in Ghana. It house was 1,000 “Ghanaian Cedis” per month ($190 in worked! This new small town U.S.). During this trip to Ghahad everyone out working hard, doing business sell- na, I learned a lot about ing foods, pushing cars and its government workings. wheelbarrows full of ma- I saw plenty of issues. One terial. People were riding thing that had me upset bikes, carrying heavy loads was, the water situation in on their heads, moving swiftly, ignoring the blaz-

“Going for walks was now a bad idea—it could land you in custody of the police, as well. This lockdown was real. Nothing to joke about. I wanted to take pictures of the police doing checks, but if they caught me, I could have landed in a jailhouse for a long time.” have a problem with the local police or soldiers. They can make your life in Ghana miserable and wish you never came here. So I tried my best to avoid the police. By the way, going for walks was now a bad idea— it could land you in custody of the police, as well. This lockdown was real. Nothing to joke about. I wanted to

was staying. But the police were checking cars at main intersections leading out of town, and if you weren’t going to work or coming from work, you had to have a good excuse why you were outside during this pandemic, and I didn’t have a good excuse! Thankfully, when we were stopped,

these small fishing villages next to the Atlantic Ocean. On many occasions, the local residents would line up for water where my building was located. I found out that water service for many residents would run out, because the pump wouldn’t bring water to some parts of where the villagers lived. It’s an antiquated and old-fashioned system that needs to be upgraded. From sun-up to sunset, people would line up for the free water, filling their many containers to the brim. Small children would assist in carrying the water back to the residences, to be used for bathing, cooking, washing, etc. It made me sick to see how they had to struggle in lines just to get what we in the States take for granted. Why would their leadership put their people

LOCAL ASPIRING MODEL ATIHA

through so much misery for clean water? Another issue I saw were the public service systems and waste management... or lack thereof. Ghana has some of the nicest beaches I’ve ever seen. I’d compare it with Destin, Florida, Negril in Jamaica, and Miami. But in Ghana, many of the beaches are filled with garbage coming in off the ocean. While I loved going to the beach in the mornings and sunset, it hurt me to see the plastics and other debris in the water on the sands everywhere. The elite have a regular garbage pickup but the poor in the villages and on most coastal areas don’t have regular garbage disposals. It’s a huge problem that needs to be addressed SEE GHANA A5

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VISITING GHANA... DURING A PANDEMIC GHANA FROM A4

and is becoming a biological health disaster, not just in Ghana but in most parts of Africa. Do the leaders know anything about infrastructure? Or are they just interested in buying the latest Rolls Royce, BMW or adding another mansion to their collection? It reminds me of adults who neglect

As a civil servant, I know what the services should be and how they must be operated. With the airport shut down, and the borders closed, overall, I wasn’t able to move around much. We were told not to assemble in groups, couldn’t eat inside restaurants and a curfew had been instituted. Friends, my vacation was

“The elite have a regular garbage pickup but the poor in the villages and on most coastal areas don’t have regular garbage disposals. It’s a huge problem that needs to be addressed.” their families. On March 6, 1957, Ghana got its independence from the UK. A very young country, indeed, but I just don’t believe there has been much attention paid to its public works departments.

DECEMBER 30, 2020-JANUARY 5, 2021

officially over. But I had to figure out some way to make the best of the situation. I began to learn the “Twi” language, a language that’s spoken by mostly everyone in southern and

THE AFRICAN ANCESTRAL WALL, IN NEW NINGO, GHANA

central Ghana. English is still the official language, though. Other languages in Ghana are Asante, Ewe, Ga, Mfantse, Kasem and more. To my Black people in America, we have plenty to learn about our past history and forgotten languages. There’s been so much interest in us as Americans returning to the Motherland. Ghana, in particular, has injected about $1.9 billion (U.S. dollars) into its economy. Ghana was the key transport for transporting slaves and the president of Ghana said his country felt a responsibility to welcome all those who could trace their ancestry back to Africa. I hope and pray that he realizes Blacks in America, when we do return to Ghana or any other sovereign African nation, know that we expect to work and become good citizens, and continue to the building of this very young and sometimes-inexperienced nation that we once called HOME.

JAY DONALDSON, a Pittsburgh resident who, in 2020, made his thrid trip to Ghana.

A WOMAN FROM THE MARKETPLACE, of which there are many in Ghana.

BRO. NAT, ALSO KNOWN AS SIMBA, poses in front of a guest home in Kokrobite Beach, in Ghana. LOCAL ASPIRING MODEL ATIHA

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COVID-19 PPP poured more than $1.5 billion into Pittsburgh. Did it go to the businesses that needed it most? Law firms received the most funds of any industry, followed by restaurants. by Oliver Morrison PublicSource

The federal Paycheck Protection Program [PPP] awarded more than $1.5 billion to 10,675 small businesses and nonprofits in the Pittsburgh area during the spring and summer, according to data released in December by the Small Business Administration. But the size of the loans was based on 2019 payroll data and the program was not designed to evaluate which businesses were most in need—potentially exacerbating some of the local economy’s existing inequalities. This money supported at least 125,000 jobs at businesses with Pittsburgh mailing addresses, which includes several

nearby suburbs. But the actual number of jobs supported could be significantly higher because a quarter of the companies didn’t report their job totals. There were just under 300,000 jobs in the city of Pittsburgh in 2019, according to census data. Companies were asked to provide their employee data but were not required to. They will, however, have to provide their employee data to their lender if they want the loan to be forgiven, according to a spokesperson for the Small Business Administration [SBA]. The money went disproportionately to the small businesses with the biggest payrolls. The top 1 percent of businesses receiving PPP loans yielded more than $400 million, more than the bottom 80 percent of businesses combined. The top

10 percent of businesses received more than two-thirds of the total local money infused by the PPP. RYCON Construction Inc., a construction company, and Sargent Electric Company, an electrical contractor, were the only two local companies to receive the maximum loan amount of $10 million. Sargent’s projects were shut down during the pandemic, according to an emailed statement from its president, Rob Smith, though he said non-disclosure agreements prevented him from going into more detail. “The PPP program allowed companies such as Sargent to be ready to support our customers as they gradually recovered their ability to continue their projects,” Smith wrote. “Today, we have some sig-

nificant programs that are still delayed due to our customers’ economic situation, though most of our projects have resumed and are proceeding.” RYCON Construction didn’t respond to an interview request. The third-largest recipient was TeleTracking Technologies Inc., a healthcare IT company that was embroiled in controversy over the Trump administration’s decision to pay it $10 million to track national COVID-19 hospital data instead of tracking it through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. TeleTracking received $9.7 million in PPP funds. TeleTracking didn’t respond to an interSEE PPP B2

‘Resolve to evolve’ spiritually, physically and financially in the New Year! A new year is upon us. Practically everyone on Planet Earth will be making a New Year’s resolution. The ultimate goals we strive for every year can be grouped into four categories: Better Health, More Wealth, Quality Relationships and More Efficient Use of Time. Better Health: Lose weight, exercise more, get proper rest, eat healthier and curtail smoking and drinking. More Wealth: Get out of debt, increase income, save more, invest more, and purchase a home or purchase investment property. Quality Relationships: Find a love mate, strengthen marriage, spend more time with family and friends, enjoy and appreciate life, and enhance one’s relationship with God. More Efficient Use of Time: Get organized, be more productive, work less and have more fun. It’s easy to see that if we attain these goals, we’ll have a higher quality of life. Who doesn’t want a higher quality of life? Yet, we make these goals New Year’s Day (Jan. 1) and by the time Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14) rolls around, 90 percent of us stop doing the things that are necessary for us to achieve our goals. Does this imply that most of us would rather be fat, sick, broke, lonely, tired, confused and/or overworked? If the saying is true that “actions speaks louder than words,” we need to take a hard look at what we want to achieve versus what we’re doing to achieve it. In order to achieve any worthwhile goal, our behavior, attitude and actions have to be congruent with our goal. If not, your goal will amount to nothing more than wishful thinking. You’ll continue to live life wondering why you’ve always strug-

gled with weight, money, poor time management and maintaining sincere relationships. You’ll continue to wonder why your life is a cluttered mess. Regardless of what your goal is, the steps necessary to achieve your goal are relatively the same. Although my focus is primarily on financial goals, you can substitute the financial goal with whatever your goal is and achieve the same outcome— SUCCESS! I help people realize their financial goals! When preparing financial plans, I use goals as the motivation to stimulate action. With every goal there are sacrifices to be made and obstacles to overcome. I try to convey the message to my clients, readers and to myself that we’re paying the price of sacrifice now because we want to feed and clothe our family, keep the utilities on, become debt-free, save for a rainy day, own a home—free and clear of a mortgage, become wealthy before we retire. We want to work towards achieving these goals while at the same time we want to HAVE A LIFE! Achieving any worthwhile goal isn’t easy. Nor is it easy to struggle from paycheck to paycheck, buried deeply in debt, not knowing how you’re going to make ends meet with no money in the bank. We have to choose our struggle. If I’m going to struggle, I want to struggle as I experience incremental progress. Struggling with no progress is “compounded struggle” that leads to stress, depression and

a prolonged experience of dealing with things that’s holding us back. Below I’ll share steps that will help you achieve your goals in the New Year: Decide exactly what you want: What is it that you’re trying to achieve financially? Save more? Earn more? Get out of debt? Establish an emergency fund? Buy a house? Prioritize your goals: When you’re working to achieve more than one goal, it’s best to prioritize your goals and decide on which goal you’ll focus on first, second, third, etc. It’s easier, more efficient and more practical to focus all of your energy and resources on one goal at a time. After you’ve accomplished one goal, you’ll focus all of your energy and resources on the next goal. Set specific measurable goals: Don’t just set a goal to save money or get out of debt. Set a goal to save $5,000 for emergencies in the next 10 months. Don’t just set a goal to get out of debt. Set a goal to pay off all credit card debt within the next year. Break goals down into smaller parts: It’s helpful and more believable when you break your goals into smaller parts. If you’re striving to save $5,000 toward your emergency fund, it may sound more feasible to you if you set a goal to save $312.50 per month for the next 16 months. Imagine life as if you achieved the goal: Consistently create mental pictures of how life will be once you’ve achieved your goal. What will be differ-

ent? How will it make you feel? Will you be more at peace or have less worry once goal is achieved? This will help you to stay motivated and encourage you to hold firm to your goals. Monitor progress: Each day, each week and each month should bring you closer toward your goals. Financial goals are easily measurable. One of two things should be happening: You should see the balances on your debts going down or the balances on your savings and investments going up. If you’re not experiencing progress, you need to ask yourself, are your actions consistent with your goals? If at first you don’t succeed, try a different method: Persistence is a noble characteristic only when you persist with an adjustment to weed out the things that are holding you back from reaching your goal. Create a new lifestyle: The same behavior, attitude and actions that were necessary to achieve your goals will be the same behavior, attitude and necessary to “maintain” your goals. Far too many people fall off course once they’ve achieved their goals. They end up back where they started. With persistence you’ll achieve your goal. With consistency, you’ll keep it. In closing, I’ll leave you with two quotes: “Virtually any goal can be accomplished, but the desire for the goal is not nearly as important as what you are willing to ‘give up’ to achieve the goal.”—Earl Nightingale “Obstacles are the things you see when you take your eyes off of the goal.”—Zig Ziglar.

(Damon Carr, Money Coach can be reached @ 412-216-1013 or visit his website @ www.damonmoneycoach.com)

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Former NBA star Junior Bridgeman purchases EBONY Magazine by Stacy M. Brown For New Pittsburgh Courier

(BlackPressUSA)—The legendary EBONY magazine is being revived. Former NBA star Junior Bridgeman reportedly has anted-up $14 million for the famed Black media publication. The magazine, which was founded by John H. Johnson in 1945, was forced into bankruptcy earlier this year after an attempt to revive EBONY failed. EBONY sold its photo archive for $30 million last year, and Willard Jackson briefly took over as CEO but left the company soon after. “EBONY kind of stood for Black excellence, showing people doing positive things that could benefit everyone,” Bridgeman said, according to Black Enterprise. “It just made you feel good.” Bridgeman has a history of business success, Black Enterprise reported. As the CEO of Manna Inc., the holding company for his franchise empire of quick-service restaurants, he is a longtime member of the [Black Entreprise] 100s. According to the Michigan Chronicle,

Bridgeman, who played for the gan his career with NeMilwaukee Bucks and Los Angegro Digest in 1942 and les Clippers, was once featured started Ebony three on a 2016 Forbes top-paid athyears later. Both magazines were letes list. He is the CEO of a Coca-Coso successful that in la bottling company and 1972 the Magazine part-owner of Coca-Cola CanPublishers Associaada Bottling Limited. tion selected Johnson The former athlete attempt“Magazine Publisher ed to purchase Sports Illustratof the Year.” ed in 2018 but eventually withEBONY occasionaldrew his bid a year later. ly presented works by According to BlackPast.org, well-established literary EBONY earned fame by honorfigures such as Langston ing Black identity—portraying Hughes and GwendoBlack life, refuting stelyn Brooks. reotypes, and It also inspiring frequently readers to published overcome special isracial and sues, such other barrias the 1963 ers to sucone huncess. FORMER NBA STAR JUNIOR BRIDGEMAN has a history of busi- dredth year John H. ness success, according to Black Enterprise. (Photo: Black Enter- c o m m e m Johnson be- prise) oration of

the Emancipation Proclamation, that highlighted issues deemed particularly relevant to African Americans. EBONY first featured articles about notable African Americans such as celebrities and sports figures, and during the late 1950s ran Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s column, “Advice for Living By.” By the 1960s, articles supporting civil rights appeared as the magazine provided reliable coverage of the civil rights movement as it unfolded across the United States. EBONY also discussed the increasing opportunities for African Americans, suggested ways to overcome obstacles, and encouraged the Black community to exhibit racial pride. “When you look at EBONY, you look at the history not just for Black people, but of the United States,” Bridgeman said. “I think it’s something that a generation is missing, and we want to bring that back as much as we can.”

(Stacy M. Brown is NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent.)

PPP poured more than $1.5 billion into Pittsburgh PPP FROM B1

view request. Although the majority of companies didn’t list the demographics of their ownership, those that did showed businesses owned by White men benefited most from the PPP. Of the nearly 2,000 businesses that listed an owner’s gender, four times as many were owned by men than by women. And of those that listed a race, 22 times more businesses listed White ownership than Black ownership. There were around 25,000 businesses counted in the city of Pittsburgh in a 2012 census estimate, but as of 2018 only 380 businesses had been certified as a minority or female-owned business in all of Allegheny County. PPP loans were given out based on 2019 salary data, so the new data also sheds light on the payrolls of thousands of privately held city businesses that otherwise aren’t required to publicly share their payroll data. Financial analysts can estimate the size of the largest privately held companies. But the majority of the small and medium-sized businesses who received PPP loans are not required to publish financial statements and only privately send tax information to the Internal Revenue Service. So the PPP loans are the first widely shared financial information about private businesses in the country. Brian Webster, a senior manager at the accounting firm Schneider Downs & Co. Inc., said that, even though many of these private businesses are used to keeping their financial information private, his company was aware that freedom of information laws would make information on the loans public, and it advised clients accordingly. “It is possible that some companies may not have been aware, or that some companies may have elected not to accept a PPP loan for that purpose, although we don’t have any specific examples of that,” he said in response to questions relayed through a spokesperson. Schneider Downs received more than $8.8 million in PPP loans, the fourth highest in the area, but didn’t respond to a request for comment on its own loan. Webster said that “Anecdotally, most companies probably did take the maximum that was permitted based on their own calculation.” As Congress continues to discuss a new bailout, the leading bipartisan proposal includes nearly $300 billion in additional PPP money. But the data from the first round of PPP also shows that many of the businesses that suffered most during the pandemic, didn’t benefit the most as Congress rushed to get money into the economy. David Rohm, a co-owner of Wild Excellence Films with

his wife, received the third smallest PPP loan with a Pittsburgh address, just $475. He says small businesses like his could use a more targeted approach to get through the continued economic downturn. “Can we just get a little bit to get us through this?” he said. “Because everyone knows damn well we are not through this economically, not even close.” The biggest industries The data released by the Small Business Administration on Dec. 1 revealed exactly how much each

received more than $80 million, the largest payout of any industry locally. Dickie, McCamey and Chilcote received $7.3 million, the most of any law firm with a Pittsburgh mailing address. “The legal industry is not immune to the significant impact of the shutdown of non-essential businesses,” said Jeffrey T. Wiley, managing director and chief operating officer of Dickie, McCamey and Chilcot, in a statement emailed to PublicSource. “Despite court closures and a downturn in

The company that runs Five Guys and Choolah in the Pittsburgh area, Wholesome Enterprises LLC, received $1.7 million, the most of any “full service” restaurant company. The email listed as the contact information on Wholesome’s website didn’t work. Whole Enchilada Inc., which runs under the name Big Burrito Restaurant Group and operates the Mad Max restaurant chain and six other restaurants, received $5.6 million but it’s industry was listed as “Professional, Scientific,

that received the most PPP funds were the “Professional, Scientific and Technical Services” and “Health Care and Social Assistance” sectors, which together made up more than a third of the total PPP funds distributed. The largest educational organizations in the city, such as Pittsburgh Public Schools and most of its universities, have more than 500 employees and were not eligible for the PPP program, though they received other COVID-19 assistance. And the largest medical

business received across the country. Previously, the agency only shared a range of how much companies received above $150,000. The program issued more than 5 million loans, totaling $525 billion across the country. PublicSource* pulled the PPP data for any business that listed “Pennsylvania” as its state and “Pittsburgh” as its city, including 23 different spellings, such as “pgh” and “Pittsburg.” The largest disbursement in Pittsburgh was $10 million and the smallest was $100. Law offices in Pittsburgh

business, we have avoided lay-offs and other measures and as a result have maintained our pre-COVID level of employment, for which all of us here at Dickie McCamey are grateful.” Restaurants, which have suffered from shutdown orders and regulations limiting capacity for far longer than many businesses, received more than $60 million, the second most of any industry. The company that runs Dunkin’ Donuts in Pittsburgh, the Heartland Restaurant Group, received more than $3.5 million. Heartland didn’t respond to an interview request.

and Technical Services.” A representative for Big Burrito passed on the email address of its president, Bill Fuller, who didn’t respond. Large fast food chains that received the funds were criticized for taking funds that were intended to go to small businesses. Shake Shack returned its $10 million award after the controversy. But many individual and regional franchise owners across the country accepted the funds. The PPP data also underscores the narrative that technology and medical sectors are driving the local economy. The two sectors

providers, like UPMC and Allegheny Health Network, received COVID assistance through a different CARES Act program. Using PPP data to estimate Pittsburgh company payrolls PPP loans were given out to companies and franchises with 500 or fewer employees and the size of the loans was based on their 2019 payroll. Each company was eligible to receive 2.5 months, or about 21 percent, of their 2019 payroll. The PPP loans didn’t include any portion of workers’ salaries more than $100,000. The most

common PPP loan for a Pittsburgh company with one employee was about $20,833.33, the exact amount a company would receive for 2.5 months of a $100,000 salary. More than 70 percent of the organizations that received funding didn’t have an obligation to report its payroll information, including limited liability companies, S corporations, sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability partnerships and some contractors and self-employed individuals. The amount of their PPP loans, however, can be used to estimate 2019 payroll for these companies. For example, Living Independence for the Elderly Pittsburgh received $4.7 million in PPP funds, the largest payout for any nonprofit in the city. That money represented almost exactly 2.5 months worth of the salary and compensation that the nonprofit reported publicly for 2019. Rohm, of Wild Excellence Films, said the PPP program’s reliance on 2019 payroll data wasn’t a fair way of making distributions. “$475 wasn’t even worth my time,” he said. “That’s a joke.” The business of making wildlife films is intermittent, he said. He said he had plans and contracts worth about $120,000 for work in 2020. But the company only made about $20,000 in 2019, the year the government used to calculate PPP loan amounts. “What if you worked the past four or five years to build up to 2020?” he said. “We lost a lot of business in 2020. It’s about 2020, not about tax returns from 2019. That’s ridiculous.” In theory, he should’ve received $2,475 in PPP loans, but $2,000 first went to pay off part of an advance he received from another government loan: $10,000 in Economic Injury Disaster Loans [EIDL], a low-interest, 30-year loan that has to be paid back. He used the EIDL money to pay off camera equipment he’d purchased on company credit cards. He tried to get his PPP loan amount increased, he said, but “that’s a fight I’m not going to win.” Each business has to fill out a form in order to have their PPP loan forgiven. On Tuesday morning this week Rohm’s bank told him by email that his initial PPP loan calculation was off, and he would have to repay the $475, according to the program’s formula, which he didn’t fully understand. “Your guess is as good as mine,” he wrote in an email. “But we got a fair deal, it’s just confusing.” *PublicSource received $122,100 in PPP funds.

(Oliver Morrison is PublicSource’s environment and health reporter. He can be reached at oliver@publicsource.org or on Twitter @ORMorrison.) (This story was fact-checked by Matt Maielli.)

OPINION

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

DECEMBER 30, 2020-JANUARY 5, 2021

B3

Blessed

Guest Editorial

Permanently out to pasture Trump often derided now President-elect Biden as “Sleepy Joe.” Well, how about “Silent Don” for Trump, who only after Attorney General Barr rejected his plea to change the election results did he temporarily set aside his sulking to respond. Basically, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage across the globe and devastates the U.S., Trump has been hunkered down in the White House with few comments about the nation’s critical condition or the need for financial, medical or emotional relief. He has been even more silent than President Calvin Coolidge with little to say about the economic or the virus epidemic, though he did comment on the recent cyberattack, believing it was more mischief from China than Russia. We are disturbed to learn that come Jan. 6 when Congress meets to put the final vote on the presidential election that Trump has yet another arrow in his venomous quiver. That plan, which is being hatched with several GOP lawmakers, will be no more than a futile gesture to change the results, and nothing more than Trump’s way of keeping things topsy-turvy. With millions in his presumptive war chest for a rerun in 2024, all of Trump’s moves over the remaining days in office—and beyond—will be done to keep his name in the news, his base on alert, and his donors ready to contribute to his campaign. Trump’s final days in office will be as ineffective as the previous years, and we can count on another lethal dose of his malevolence, his destruction of the democratic process, and no doubt another chip from the Obama legacy. It is so absolutely distressing to expend so much time here on the reactionary, incompetent reign of an egomaniac when we could have been celebrating the decisions of a more accomplished leader. But, alas, we are near the end of what we hope is the final curtain on Trump’s political odyssey And though his days in office may be over, there is still the residue of his menace that has to be swept away, more of his destruction to repair. But that’s a small task compared to the day-to-day combat we faced during his tenure. Let’s hope we have put him permanently out to pasture where he belongs. (Reprinted from the NY Amsterdam News)

Founded 1910

Rod Doss Editor & Publisher Stephan A. Broadus Assistant to the Publisher Allison Palm

Rob Taylor Jr.

Jeff Marion

Office Manager

Managing Editor

Circulation Consultant

John. H. Sengstacke

Editor & Publisher Emeritus (1912-1997)

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—Like most of my relatives, friends, and acquaintances, I feel exceedingly blessed to have survived Earth’s annual traverse around the sun. One cannot help but reflect on the dichotomy which our humanity and the realities of 2020 present us. Although incapable of personally affecting an alternate outcome, we suffer with wonderment of what we could have done differently to reduce the loss and the extreme regret of losing over 300,000 souls to the Coronavirus. Although two vaccines have been approved for emergency use by the FDA, we’re smacked with the reality that the end of the cycle of COVID-19 infection, illness, and death is far from over. We must realize that COVID-19 is merely an addition to the continuum of life for which we must prepare and adapt. It’s only been another significant cause for the separation by death which we must all endure. We’ve watched thousands of our fellow citizens slip into poverty and the loss of control in their lives. We’ve been given access into the daily despair with which they must contend. Few of us can honestly say that 2020 has left us unscathed and without a sense of incompletion or loss. I was talking with a relative and said during the last 10 months I felt discontentment—that I had been denied the opportunity to accomplish more for my community. Although my life was not dormant, my ambitions for

Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.

Commentary achieving a positive impact on those in my sphere of influence had not been realized. Past experience has shown me how profoundly a constant barrage of tragedy and misfortune can wear on even the most confident and upbeat personality. As optimistic as I am, I feel the pressure of the deluge of pain created by this current pandemic and the never-ending epidemic of social injustice, racial animus, and political indifference. In the doldrums of these experiences, emotional discomforts, and pain, I can only say that I AM BLESSED! I have no intention to proselytize, but, finding myself engaged with my own expressed emotional baggage, I have no alternative except to embrace my appreciation for the life I continue to live. I take comfort from the last words of Christ, “It is finished!” While regretting the things I’ve not been able to accomplish during the past 10 months, I understand that it is not finished. There’s more that I have left

to do. I am a person of FAITH! I believe God’s put me in this place as an ambassador of His goodness, mercy, and concern. This belief consoles, uplifts and fortifies me with the resolve and strength to move forward. It confirms my understanding of a common connection with humanity. This allows the spirit of “Do Unto Others” to order their behavior. Most people have a passing familiarity with the phrase, “First do no harm.” It originates in the Hippocratic Oath which is one of the earliest ‘binding oaths’ from the ancient Greeks establishing standards of medical treatment which doctors are obligated to provide their patients. As for my personal conduct, I accept this oath as practical and necessary in my dealings with others. My faith dictates that I live by a certain set of principles that elevates my conduct towards others and serves to assist others in elevating their conduct toward me and outcomes in their lives. As I prepare for the experience of 2021, I do so with the understanding that I exist as an instrument of love, not hate. Despite the adversities that confront me, I am destined to share the love and spirit of God which exists in all of us. I am imbued with the power to choose how I live. I AM BLESSED. (Dr. E. Faye Williams is President of the National Congress of Black Women.)

Don’t burn the house down while you’re still in it! On November 3rd, almost 159 million people voted. That is over 62.3 percent of all voting age Americans. The 2020 election had the highest voter participation since 1960 and was the first turnout over 60 percent since 1968 (encompassing the last 12 election cycles). The voters expressed their will in an unmistakable fashion, and elected Joe Biden to be our next president with 81,283,098 votes, a margin of victory of over 7 million votes and 51.3 percent of all votes cast for president. It was a 4.5 percent margin of victory. Biden is the first candidate to get over 70 million votes. His historic vote totals represent 32 percent of all voting age Americans. Donald Trump’s historic totals, as the only other candidate to receive over 70 million votes (74,222,958), represents the expressed will of 29.18 percent of all voting age Americans. Of course, in the United States, the expressed will of the American people by their votes notwithstanding, the slavery-era compromise Electoral College, devised in the 1780’s, has the final say. In this election, President-elect Biden earned more than the necessary number of those votes to uphold the expressed will of the voters receiving 306 electoral votes. Despite these historic vote totals, there is now an ongoing effort by the losers to reinterpret the historic vote totals and claim that the election was “rigged” and “stolen” irrespective of the clear margins of victory. The go-to move for the losers has been to attack the integrity of the votes in several cities in “battleground” states (Atlanta, GA, Detroit, MI, Philadelphia, PA and Milwaukee, WI). Maligning the votes cast by majority African American voters is no accident. Ironically, there have been no unfounded aspersions of “voter fraud” for any of the states Donald Trump won, including a narrow victory in North Carolina, only in states where he lost. What has followed is an embarrassing torrent of unsuccessful lawsuits that at least eighty-six judges, to date, have found bereft of facts and unpersuasive, from state courts to the Supreme Court. This has led to counter-constitutional efforts to try to sway state legislators and members of Congress to overturn

Rev. Steven Tillett

Commentary the will of the voters. Now some are suggesting a new pipe dream of declaring martial law, to remain in the White House past noon on January 20, 2021. Nevertheless, I trust the patriotic men and women in the military and other institutions of government to uphold the results of the election that director of the Cyber Security and Infrastructure Security Agency, Christopher Krebs (a Republican) called, “the most secure in U.S. History.” They will honor the oath many of them took to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic… (and) bear true faith and allegiance to the same.” The critical question each of the provocateurs of debunked “voter fraud” lies must answer is: Why have they been willing to set aside their oaths to the Constitution to try to overturn a lawful and historic election just because they do not like the outcome? Article III, Section 3 of the Constitution speaks to spirit of the efforts to undermine our democracy. “Treason against the United States shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort...” These activities can also be called Sedition, which is “overt conduct, such as speech and organization, that incites resistance to or insurrection against lawful authority” which may include the “subversion of a constitution.” It is a “betrayal of trust.” By supporting unprovable lies and conspiracy theories, these people are committing acts of treason and sedition against our country. In Federalist No. 43, James Madison wrote, “As treason may be committed against the United States…But as new-fangled and artificial treasons have been the great engines by which violent

factions, the natural offspring of free government, have usually wreaked their alternate malignity on each other.” In other words, people may use the freedoms of our democracy to wreak malignity (great harm) on that democracy, if they do not get their way. They try to burn down the house they are still living in! Here is the great truth buried in the statistics in the first paragraph. Many of these acts of treason and sedition are being carried out by people who arrogantly label themselves “patriots” and bloviate on and on about “freedom.” You are not patriots and are trying to undercut our freedoms because your preferred candidate lost the election. Understand that you do not represent the majority of American political or ideological thought. Over 81 Million US citizens voted during a pandemic to render their assessment of the past four years, and certainly the incompetence and “homicidal negligence” during the past ten months of Coronavirus, to render a verdict of: “You’re Fired!” Stop trying to wrap yourselves in our flag, like an ill-fitting garment. It does not fit you because you do not honor the principles of our government nor the sacrifices that were necessary to defeat and overcome secessionist traitors in the United States and fascists and Nazis overseas. Two wars were fought to defeat these toxic ideologies on the world stage. We must not allow them to reanimate and thrive here in the third decade of the 21st Century. Your time is over. You lost. Stop hiding behind your store-bought fatigues and weapons. Violence and intimidation are the refuge of the coward. They are a poor substitute for actual patriotism and honorable citizenship. If you genuinely love our country as you say you do, respect our Constitution, and respect the votes of your fellow Americans, even those with whom you disagree. Time and human development move forward, never backward. Accept the new normal and move on. We already have.

(Rev. Stephen Tillett, Pastor of Asbury Broadneck United Methodist Church in Annapolis, MD, is a retired Air Force Chaplain and Legal Redress Committee Chair of the Anne Arundel County Branch NAACP.)

B4 DECEMBER 30, 2020-JANUARY 5, 2021

Doctor Susan Moore chronicles the racist medical care that led to her death (EDITOR’S NOTE: You can make a donation to the GoFundMe campaign set up for Dr. Moore’s funeral costs and expenses for her 19-year-old son and elderly parents. As of this writing, the campaign has raised more than $162,000.) The disparities in health care treatment for African Americans extend not only to the millions of underserved patients in U.S. hospitals and medical facilities but also, sadly, to frontline healthcare professionals. Just weeks after Dr. Susan Moore, an African American physician, posted a video that showed the world how her doctor, who is White, downplayed her complaints of pain and discomfort, she died of complications from COVID-19. Many say that Moore’s plight illustrates the healthcare industry’s institutional biases and inherent systemic racism. A pattern of operation, care and treatment that has only exacerbated the disproportionate susceptibility to the virus faced by African Americans. Others are skeptical of both of the newly approved vaccines. “Dr. Susan Moore knew all the fancy terms and treatment nuances when she was struggling with COVID-19 in the hospital. Yet,

Stacy Brown

Commentary the doctor treating her was dismissive, and it felt to her like only one thing mattered to him: That she was Black. Dr. Moore died Sunday [December 20],” New York Times Journalist John Eligon wrote on Twitter. Eligon wasn’t the only person to express outrage. “Today, I want to speak out on behalf of a fellow Black woman physician, Dr. Susan Moore, not to let our stories go unheard,” Dr. Omolara Uwemedimo of Long Island Jewish Hospital in New York stated. “Sadly, while so many have fallen victim, her story is marred by systemic racism, even as a doctor.” Indeed, in her last moments, Dr. Moore had complained about her treatment. “He made me feel like a drug addict,” she said of the physician who downplayed her complaints of pain and suggested she be discharged from the hospital. Dr. Moore was admitted to the Indiana University North Hospital in Carmel, Indiana. In a December 4 Facebook video, Dr. Moore offered her complaints to the public. She said that she only received medication after tests proved her initial complaints upon arriving at the hospital. “I put forth, and I maintain, if I was White, I wouldn’t have to go through that,” Moore said in her video after explaining that her doctor only agreed to give her pain medication after a CT scan revealed new pulmonary infiltrates. “And that man never came back and apologized.” Dr. Moore continued: “I don’t trust this hospital, and I’m asking to be transferred. These people wanted to send me home with new pulmonary infiltrates and all kinds of lymphadenopathy in my neck. “This is how Black people get killed. When you send them home, and they don’t know how to fight for themselves. I have to talk to somebody, maybe the media, somebody, to let people know how I’m being treated up in this place.” Dr. Moore updated her post later, noting that she had spoken to the hospital’s healthcare system’s chief medical officer, and her pain was finally being “properly managed.” She said that the CMO “stated that there will be some diversity training” and that they were “working on” getting an apology from her doctor. After her discharge, Dr. Moore shared an update. “I was home for less than 12 hours,” Dr. Moore wrote. “Spiked a temperature of 103, and my blood pressure plummeted to 80/60 with a heart rate of 132. I’m back in the hospital, a different hospital Saint Vincent Carmel.” She continued: “Those people were trying to kill me. Clearly, everyone has to agree they discharged me way too soon. They are now treating me for bacterial pneumonia as well as COVID pneumonia. I am getting very compassionate care. They are offering me pain medicine.” In her final update, Dr. Moore said she was being transferred to the ICU and was on a BiPAP machine to help her breathe. “Dr. Susan Moore, a physician, residing in Indianapolis, experienced an untimely death,” the GoFundMe campaign states. “She had been fighting COVID for the past few weeks. She leaves a son who is 19 years old and her parents, both of which have dementia. The son is dealing with both situations at this time and is in good spirits.” “Susan was a phenomenal doctor,” the campaign added. “She loved practicing medicine, she loved being a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., she loved helping people, and she was unapologetic about it.”

FORUM

Black Education Tragedy’s latest episode resembles ‘BLE’ Walter E. Wilhave been tolerated J. Pharoah Doss liams, professor, a century ago. economist, author Here’s the latest and syndicated episode of BET. columnist, died The San Diego at the beginning Unified School of the month. He District decided to was 84 years old. overhaul its grading His last column practices because of was called: Black disparities between Education TrageWhite and minority dy (BET) is New. Williams listed the students. The San Diego Union-Trifollowing BET episodes. bune reported, “Black, Hispanic, 1). Several years ago, Project BaltiNative American and Pacific Islander more investigated Baltimore’s school students are significantly more likely system and their findings were to be given D and F grades. Black tragic. In 19 of Baltimore’s 39 high students received D or F grades 20 schools, out of 3,804 students, only 14 percent of the time and Hispanic stuof them, or less than 1 percent, were dents received them 23 percent of the proficient in math. In five Baltimore time, while White students received high schools, not a single student them 7 percent of the time and Asian scored proficient in math or reading. students received them 6 percent of Despite these deficiencies 70 perthe time, according to data from the cent of the students graduate. But first semester of the last school year.” they receive, what Williams called a The new grading system will pass fraudulent diploma. students who show progress toward 2). Detroit Public Schools Commu“mastery of standards” rather than nity District scored the lowest in the rewarding students for completing a nation compared to 26 other urban certain quantity of work in a timely districts for reading and mathematmanner, and, more importantly, the new grading system will not punish ics at the fourth and eighth grade students for non-academic factors. levels. Therefore, late assignments, poor at3). A recent video captured some of tendance and bad classroom behavior the miseducation in Milwaukee high won’t affect their grades. (Apparentschools. In two city schools, only one ly, bad behavior doesn’t contribute to student tested proficient in math poor grades. It’s the punishment of and none were proficient in English. However, the school spent a full week the behavior that contributes to the learning about “systemic racism” and poor grade, which creates the disparity, so the experts say.) “Black Lives Matter” activism. The San Diego Unified School DisWilliams asked: Should we blame trict vice president explained, “This this education tragedy on racial disis a part of our honest reckoning as crimination or the legacy of slavery? a school district. If we’re actualWilliams answered the question by pointing out academic excellence that ly going to be an anti-racist school district, we have to confront practices took place in Black schools during like this that have gone on for years the late 1800s and early 1900s, an and years.” era when Blacks were poorer and There are two concepts of anti-racfaced overt racial discrimination. ism the San Diego Unified School Baltimore’s Frederick Douglass District accepted as fact and are the High School produced distinguished reasons for the grading overhaul. alumni, such as Thurgood Marshall 1). Racial disparities are the result and Cab Calloway, several judges, congressmen, and civil rights leaders. of racist policy 2). Racial groups are equal and Paul Laurence Dunbar High School none needs developing was a Black public school in WashBoth premises are oversimplificaington, D.C. It was founded in 1870. tions. By 1899 Dunbar’s students scored This effort will disappear the school higher on citywide tests than any district’s D and F disparity rates of the city’s White schools, and the between White students and minorimajority of Dunbar graduates went ty students, but if the “mastery of off to college. standards” grading system is subWilliams emphasized, “Today’s standard then there’s going to be a Paul Laurence Dunbar and Fredrick disparity between earned diplomas Douglass High Schools have mateby White students and fraudulent rial resources that would have been diplomas given to the minority stuunimaginable to their predecessors. dents. However, having those resources San Diego Unified School District’s have meant absolutely nothing in anti-racist grading system is more terms of academic achievement.” recognizable by another phrase: The According to Williams, Black EduBigotry of Low Expectation (BLE). cation Tragedy is a new phenomenon in Black America, and it wouldn’t

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Black people should cease claiming people who want other identities (TriceEdneyployment OpportuWire.com)—While A. Peter Bailey nity Commission) or recently watching did anything directa television proly connected with gram, “Tiger Woods: Blacks, my career America’s Son,” I would be irreparably remembered a Janruined. The monuary 1992 column key would be on my in which I listed my back because I’m greatest wishes for Black. People meetthat year. My first ing me for the first wish was that “We as a proud peotime would automatically dismiss my ple would cease claiming people who thinking as second rate.” Please note don’t want to be with us.” We are not that he had no critical words for those so lacking in positive, quality Black who would automatically make such people that we must claim people who an assumption. Academician Sowell desire other identities. It’s way past was quoted as saying “Black students time when we should identify such with SAT scores of 1,000 should not people however they desire. consider going to any Black college Tiger Woods, who was described in because they will be educationally the program as having “The blood mismatched.” of 4 races in his veins,” has consisThe above “persons of color” should tently described himself as a Cabbe very glad that civil and human lasian. Which is exactly what I call rights warriors such as Medgar Evers, him on those rare occasions he comes Fannie Lou Hamer, Ella Baker, C. up in a conversation. He lives in the DeLores Tucker, Lerone Bennett Jr., same self-proclaimed racial no man’s Martin Luther King Jr., Kwame Toure, land as entertainer Whoopi Goldberg, Brother Malcolm X and those Black Supreme Court Justice Clarence youngsters who put their lives on Thomas and academician Thomas the line on Bloody Sunday in Selma, Sowell, all of whom were quoted in the Alabama in 1965 didn’t share their 1992 column. In her memoir, “Whoopositions. If they had Woods wouldn’t pi Goldberg-Book,” the entertainer have had an opportunity to win all of declared “Call me an asshole, call me a those Masters Golf Tournaments, Goldblowhard, but don’t call me an African berg wouldn’t be appearing regularly American. Please. It divides us as a in films and on television, Thomas nation and as a people and it kinda wouldn’t be a Supreme Court Justice pisses me off. It diminishes everything and Sowell wouldn’t be glorified in the I’ve accomplished.” White academic world. Justice Thomas was quoted in the As we move into what can possibly Thomas-loving Richmond-Times be a very contentious 2021, it’s very Dispatch as saying, before he was important that serious Black folks appointed to the Supreme Court, “If I reject such people as role models for ever went to the EEOC (Equal Emour children.

Commentary

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Earl Ofari Hutchinson

Commentary The second stimulus still won’t show many Blacks the money Trump took much deserved heat for deliberately and vindictively gumming up the works in not immediately signing the 900-billion-dollar second stimulus bill. The list of those hurt by the delay runs off the chart; renters, the unemployed, small to medium sized businesses, and the millions of the neediest of the needy. As usual African Americans are a disproportionate percent of the needy. But even if Trump had put signature to the stimulus package immediately it wouldn’t help many Blacks. It’s not just the relatively miserly amount of money ladled out. Nor is it solely that the stimulus is again top heavy with big payouts to corporate industry groups from the airlines to the big hotels. Nor is it the paltry $600 individual payout to individuals. The inherent disparity in who gets what and when, or even if, they get anything was glaringly apparent in the first much bigger and more expansive stimulus last spring. Blacks were far less likely to get a check than whites. They were far less likely to receive a payment on the same timely basis as whites. They were far less likely to have access to bank and savings accounts to put the money in if, or when, they received it. Surveys on consumer buying habits and needs found that the money received barely covered the massive debt and needs of many of the Black recipients. They were more likely to be behind on their rent or mortgage payments. They were more likely to have been laid off from jobs faster than Whites and they were far more likely to be unemployed longer than Whites. They were also far less likely to receive unemployment benefits than Whites. Even if none of these problems existed, many Blacks were still left out in the cold simply because they failed to file for the $1200 payout. The COVID stimulus disparity was nowhere more evident than in the plight of small Black owned businesses Overall, the estimated 2.5 million Black owned businesses make up almost one-third of the eight million minority-owned businesses in the United States. 90 percent of minority businesses did not get a nickel of money from the SBA’s Payroll Protection Program. For Black owned businesses, the number is even worse. 95 percent got no funding. In several informal polls on my Facebook pages, I asked this question: “Did you know of any Black owned business that got a COVID stimulus SBA Payroll Protection Program Loan?” There were a handful of “yeses.’ There was an avalanche of “nos.” Some expressed optimism that the grim shutoff of the money spigot to Black businesses would change with the 3 trillion-dollar stimulus package. It did but only marginally. Many small Black businesses at that point were too far gone to be saved, even if they could have qualified for a COVID stimulus loan or grant. Trump, congressional leaders, and treasury officials loudly pledged that small businesses were a prime target of the aid program. There was a litany of much publicized online workshops and townhalls on where and how to apply for funding. Many banks announced that they had funds and encouraged businesses to apply. House Democrats sweetened the pot by prying $60 billion out of the loan package for minority banks. Yet, the number of Black businesspersons who got money since then has barely budged. There is much justified finger pointing at the SBA, Treasury officials, corporate and bank lobbyists for lax to non-existent oversight, lax rules on who could get the money, and for earmarking far too much of the half trillion business in loans to major corporations. There is equally justified finger-pointing at the banks for tossing up a mountain of paperwork, tax and business filing documents, and account requirements that small business owners had little chance of hurdling. Then there was the muddle, confusion, and constant changing edicts about what and how the money could be used and what if any of it had to be paid back. In the months since then little has changed except the desperation of countless numbers of near penniless, distressed small Black business owners. The first stimulus had virtually no lasting impact on lifting Blacks out of their disproportionate poverty or damping down the mountainous debt of many Blacks. The reason for this is simple. Blacks had greater indebtedness and were far poorer than Whites long before COVID hit and the first stimulus payment was issued. The money many received was just a drop in the bucket against their mountainous needs. The first stimulus on paper anyway was at least worthy of the name. The same can hardly be said of the second stimulus. Whatever money comes certainly is welcome. But for many Blacks, it will again still be the case of show me money that won’t be there for them.

(Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst.)

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DECEMBER 30, 2020-JANUARY 5, 2021

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PITTSBURGH CBO COLLABORATIVE BOOKKEEPER (PT) Seeking accurate, detail-oriented bookkeeper to split time across two non-profits. $21.63/hr, 12 hrs/wk. Job description at www.LUnited.org/bookkeeper. Apply by 1/13/2021. DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION COORDINATOR. The Steel Valley School District seeks a dynamic leader to fill the newly created position of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Coordinator. The successful candidate must possess a strong set of complementary skills in order to effect the changes needed for historically disadvantaged student groups. The full job description can be found on our website at: https:/steelvalleysd. org/district/employment-postings. Applicants should submit Letter of Interest, PA Standard Application, Resume, References, Transcripts, Current Act 34, Act 151 and Act 114 clearances and Salary Requirements to: hrsupport@steelvalleysd.org by January 15, 2021. EOE NEUROCRITICAL CARE PHYSICIAN University of Pittsburgh Physicians seeks a Neurocritical Care Physician to work in Pittsburgh, PA (Allegheny County). Treat individuals with emergent neurological conditions affecting the brain, spine, nerves, or muscles including but not limited to acute ischemic strokes, intracranial hemorrhages, coma, seizures, traumatic brain or spinal cord injury, or acute neuromuscular weakness compromising functional abilities that require critical care services; manage and diagnose patients with critical conditions at UPMC Mercy. Must have a M.D. or equivalent; completion of residency in Neurology or related and completion of fellowship in Neurologic Critical Care. Must have valid PA medical license or eligibility for licensure. Apply by following these steps; visit http://careers. upmc.com and enter 200003KW in the “Search Keyword/Job ID” field and click Go. EOE/Disability/Veteran.

DISTRICT VAN DRIVER 10-Month Position - Duties include food and interoffice mail deliveries within the district, transporting band trailer and miscellaneous equipment to functions and athletic events, organizing food service stock rooms, and maintaining food services inventories. Must have a valid driver’s license and clean driving record. Commercial driving experience or experience towing trailers preferred. Salary: $19.00/hour. Periodic overtime required. Current FBI Background Check, PA Criminal Record Check, and PA Child Abuse History are required. Persons interested in this position should submit their application by 11:59 p.m., Sunday, January 3, 2021, through the online application system at the following link: https://www.applitrack.com/fcasd/onlineapp/. EOE SOUTH FAYETTE TWP. SCHOOL DISTRICT is seeking a High School Biology Substitute Teacher: Complete job description and directions on how to apply are available at: www.southfayette.org Deadline 4:00 PM January 4, 2021 EOE SOUTH FAYETTE TWP. SCHOOL DISTRICT CLASSROOM PARAEDUCATOR Complete job description is available at: www.southfayette.org Please e-mail your application to SFAPPLY@Southfayette.org Place in the subject line Last name, first name, position Deadline: 4:00 P.M., January 8, 2021, or until position is filled EOE LEGAL ADVERTISING Legal Notices

Estate of MARSHA GILMORE A/K/A MARSHA A. GILMORE, Deceased of Pittsburgh, PA Estate No. 022006516 of 2020, Sharmar Gilmore Admr., requests all persons having any claims or demands against the named decendent’s Estate to make known the same, and all persons indebted to the Decedent to make payments without delay to Aministrarix Sharmar Gilmore c/o, Irene M. Clark, Esq., 8908 Upland Ter, Pittsburgh, PA 15235 Estate of BLANCHE DELORES FORCUCCI A/K/A FORCUCCI DELORES BLANCHE , Deceased of 1264 Lakewood St, Pittsburgh, PA, Estate No. 022003952 of 2020, Ryan Forcucci Extr., 1264 Lakewood St, Pittsburgh, PA, 15220 to Louis C. Coles, Esq, 41 Stratford Court, Carnegie, PA 15106 Estate of MICHELE S. LANDIS A/K/A MICHELE LANDIS, Deceased of Upper St. Clair, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Estate No. 02-20-06638, Julie Lee Capane, Executor, 1807 Tilton Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15241 or to ROBIN L. RARIE, Atty; BRENLOVE & FULLER, LLC. 401 Washington Avenue, Bridgeville, PA 15017

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Estate of MR. EUGENE NICOLETTI, Deceased of 4627 Elizabeth Street, Coraopolis, PA, 15108, Estate No. 02-20-0015, Mr. Robert Lockerbie, 4627 Elizabeth Street, Coraopolis, PA 15108, Administrator, c/o Max C. Feldman, Esquire and the Law Offices of Max C. Feldman, 1322 Fifth Avenue, Coraopolis, PA 15108

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Estate of MS. MARY DAUGHERTY, Deceased of 1220 1st Avenue, Coraopolis, PA 15108, Estate No. 02-20-06688, Mr. Brian Daugherty, 315 Elkwood Drive, Moon Township, PA 15108, Executor, c/o Max C. Feldman, Esquire and the Law Offices of Max C. Feldman, 1322 Fifth Avenue, Coraopolis, PA 15108

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COMBINED NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS (“FONSI/RROF”) December 30, 2020 City of Pittsburgh-Office of Management and Budget 414 Grant St. 5th Floor, Room 501 Pittsburgh, Pa. 15219 412-255-2211 These notices shall satisfy two separate but related procedural requirements for activities to be undertaken by the City of Pittsburgh, the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, and the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh. REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF FUNDS On or about January 15, 2021 the City of Pittsburgh (City) will authorize the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP), the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA), and the City to submit a request to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to release of the following federal funds to undertake a project known as North Negley Residences: (a) HACP Moving to Work funds under the 1937 Act as modified by the 1996 and 1999 Consolidated Appropriations Act; (b) Low Income Housing Tax Credits under IRS Code Section 42, (c) Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement funds (PHARE); (d) Housing Development Action Grant (HODAG) programs under the Housing and Urban-Rural Recovery Act of 1983; (e) Project Based Voucher (PBV” program under the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 as modified by the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 for up to 13 housing units (of the 45 housing units comprising of the North Negley Residences efforts). The release of the aforementioned funds will be for the purposes of developing North Negley Residences, which includes new construction and the rehabilitation of the former B’Nai Israel Synagogue located at 327 North Negley Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15206. The addition of two stories to the existing wings and rehabilitation will create forty-five residential apartment units. The developers are Catalyst Communities, LLC and Beacon Communities Corporation. As part of this notice, the project requires the implementation of a set of development activities related to the completion of this project which may include, and is not limited to, demolition, acquisition, disposition, new construction, and remediation on the part of the City, the URA, HACP, and any other authorized parties to the project. Financing for the project includes equity bridge loan in an amount up to $8,705,000; 2021 Low Income Housing Tax Credit Equity in an amount up to $13,064,238; a permanent mortgage in the amount of $1,520,019; PHFA PHARE funds in the amount of $1,250,000; AHP funds in an amount to $250,000; and deferred developer fee in an amount up to $535,695. The gap-financing cost to be funded with Moving to Work Funds is approximately $870,000 to $1,095,000. Additionally, there will be approximately $639,770 in HODAG funds and $585,230 in Housing Opportunity Fund Rental Gap Program funds. The total projected cost of the activity is approximately $18,714,953. FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT The City of Pittsburgh has determined that the project will have no significant impact on the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required. Additional project information is contained in the Environmental Review Record (ERR). The ERR will be made available for review either via website at www.pittsburghpa.gov/omb/community-development-block-grant or provided upon request electronically via email or by U.S. mail. Please submit your request by U.S. mail to the address below or by email to whitney.finnstrom@pittsburghpa.gov. PUBLIC COMMENTS Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to: Whitney Finnstrom City of Pittsburgh, 414 Grant St 5th Floor, Room 501 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 (412) 255-2211 All comments received by January 14, 2021, will be considered by the City of Pittsburgh prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds. Comments should specify which Notice they are addressing. ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION The City of Pittsburgh certifies to HUD that William Peduto in his capacity as Mayor, City of Pittsburgh, consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. HUD’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the Urban Redevelopment Authority and the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh to use funding sources (a) through (e) identified under Request for Release of Funds above. OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS HUD will accept objections to its release of funds and the City of Pittsburgh certification for a period of fifteen days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the City of Pittsburgh; (b) the City of Pittsburgh has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58; (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to the HUD Field Office of Public Housing in Pittsburgh at PittsburghPIH.ER@hud.gov and Community Planning and Development Division to Mr. Phillip McKeough, at Phillip.E.McKeough@hud.gov. Potential objectors should contact the HUD Field Office of Public Housing in Pittsburgh via email to verify the actual last day of the objection period. William Peduto Mayor City of Pittsburgh NOTICE TO BIDDERS The Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County (SEA) will receive proposals for Engineering & Design Services for Exhibit Hall Fire Protection System Component Replacement/Upgrade at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center (DLCC) as identified below. The contracts for this work will be with the SEA. The Request for Proposals may be obtained after the date identified below from Ryan Buries, Project Consultant, email: rburies@pittsburghcc.com, Telephone: (412) 325-6167 This Advertisement applies to the following Bid Package: Project: RFP Available: Pre-Proposal Meeting:

Engineering & Design Services for Exhibit Hall Fire Protection System Component Replacement/Upgrade Dec 22, 2020 10:00 AM Jan. 5, 2021 (non-mandatory) Via ZOOM

Time/Date/Location for Proposal:

5:00 PM, January 26, 2021 DLCC, 1000 Ft Duquesne Blvd, Pgh, PA 15222

NOTICE TO BIDDERS PUBLIC BID ANNOUNCEMENT The Sports & Exhibition Authority will receive sealed bids for the 4th Floor Green Roof – Phase 2 as identified below for the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. The contracts for this work will be issued by the Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County and assigned to Albert M. Higley Company prior to the start of construction. Inquiries regarding the bidding should be made to Albert M. Higley Company; 100 Station Square Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15219; to the following contact: James McKeegan E-mail: jmckeegan@amhigley.com, Telephone: (412) 246-9216. Bid packages may be obtained via Accu-copy Reprographics, (724) 935-7055, www.accu-copy.com, after the date identified below through January 19, 2021. All prime bids are due on January 19, 2021 at the following times, which differ by Prime Package: 1) General Trades – 11:00am; 2) Roofing/Waterproofing – 12:00pm; 3) Landscaping – 1:00pm; 4) Plumbing/Fire Protection – 2:00pm; 5) Electrical – 3:00pm. This Advertisement applies to the following Bid Packages: Project: Bid Packages with

DLLCC 4th Floor Green Roof –Phase 2 BP1: General Trades ($2,500,000); BP2: Roofing/Waterproofing Approximate Values: ($2,500,000); BP3: Landscaping ($800,000); BP4: Plumbing/Fire Protection ($300,000); BP5: Electrical ($600,000). Bid Package Available: December 28, 2020 Pre-bid Virtual Meeting: January 6, 2021, 2:00pm via Zoom Webinar: https://zoom.us/ Webinar ID: 928 7574 8310 Passcode: DLLCC Pre-bid Walk-through: A pre-bid site visit is mandatory for all prime bidders. Due to COVID-19, visits will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please schedule at the following web address: https://koalendar.com/events/david-llawrence-convention-center-green-roof Site visits will occur at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd., East Lobby, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 Bids Due: January 19, 2021, (time vary by Bid Package, see above) at David L. Lawrence Convention Center, 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd., East Lobby, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY Electronic Proposals will be received online at the Port Authority of Allegheny County’s Ebusiness website (http://ebusiness.portauthority.org). Proposals/bid submittals will be due 11:00 a.m. on January 15, 2021 and will be read at 11:15 a.m., the same day, at Port Authority’s Heinz location (Please contact the respective Contract Specialist for Tele-Conference dial-in information for the Bid Opening), for the following: Electronic Proposal - Ebusiness website (http://ebusiness.portauthority. org)

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Bid Number B201298A B201299 B2012100A B2012101

Bid Name Meritor Drivetrain Parts Direct Fixation Tie Plates EGR Coolers - Cummins Engines Drop Table System Replacement

Paper Proposal - Documents are available for the following item at Port Authority’s Main Offices 345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania 15222-2527

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Bid Number B200975A

Bid Name Off-Site Record Storage & Service

No bidder may withdraw a submitted Proposal for a period of 75 days after the scheduled time for opening of the sealed bids. A Pre-Bid Conference will be held via tele-conference on each of the above items at 10:00 a.m. on January 5, 2021. Please contact the respective Contract Specialist for Tele-Conference dial-in information. Attendance at this meeting is not mandatory, but is strongly encouraged. Questions regarding any of the above bids will not be entertained by the Port Authority within five (5) business days of the scheduled bid opening. These contracts may be subject to a financial assistance contract between Port Authority of Allegheny County and the United States Department of Transportation. The Contractor will be required to comply with all applicable Equal Employment Opportunity laws and regulations. Contractor is responsible for expenses related to acquiring a performance bond and insurance where applicable. All items are to be FOB delivered unless otherwise specified. Costs for delivery, bond, and insurance shall be included in bidder’s proposal pricing. Port Authority of Allegheny County hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively insure that in regard to any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprise will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award. The Board of Port Authority reserves the right to reject any or all bids. NOTICE TO BIDDERS The Sports & Exhibition Authority will receive sealed bids for Wastewater Treatment Plant- Grey Water Pumps as identified below for the David L. Lawrence Convention Center (DLCC). The contract for this work will be with the Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County (SEA). Inquiries regarding the bidding should be made to the SEA 171 10th Street, 2nd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, Attention: Ryan Buries, Project Consultant- E-mail: rburies@pittsburghcc.com, Telephone: 412-325-6167. Bid Packages may be obtained after the date identified below through Accu-Copy at (724) 935-7055. Additional information on the project can also be found of Accu-Copy’s website at https://accu-copy.com/plan-room This Advertisement applies to the following Bid Package: Project: Bid Package Name: Bid Package Available: Approximate Value:

DLCC Wastewater Treatment PlantGrey Water Pumps Dec. 21, 2020 $72,000

Time/Date/Location for Pre-Bid Meeting: 10:00AM, Thurs., Jan. 7, 2021 Via Zoom Site visits can be scheduled with Project Manager Time/Date/Location for Bid: 2:00 PM, Wed., Jan. 20, 2021 DLCC, 1000 Ft. Duquesne Blvd, Pgh, PA 15222

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DECEMBER 30, 2020-JANUARY 5, 2021

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LEGAL AD REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS The Allegheny County Department of Human Services recently issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Foster Care Agencies. Proposals are due by 3 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, February 10, 2021. An optional pre-proposal conference for this RFP will be held via Microsoft Teams webinar and conference call from 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, January 15, 2021. For more details and submission information, visit: www.alleghenycounty. us/Human-Services/Resources/ Doing-Business/Solicitations-(RFP/ RFQ/RFI).aspx. Marc Cherna Director

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Jamie Foxx delivers in ‘Soul’ Death is a raw, touchy sic teacher whose soul subject, especially now gets separated from his more than ever. There body right before the bigare zero degrees of sep- gest gig of his life. aration when identifying “Soul,” like jazz music, someone you know or is beautiful, smooth and love who has been affect- a delightful keepsake of ed by the coronavirus. both time and life. Death is also typical“You already have a ly a conversation had pretty fantastic life and amongst adults, so when sometimes that’s hard to Kemp Powers, Mike see,” said “Soul” writer Jones and Pete Docter decided to create an ani- Merecedes J. Williams mation film about life’s finale, I was more than skeptical. But after 100 minutes of tear-jerking, feet-tapping, life-thinking reactions, I can proclaim that “Soul” is one of the best things and director Pete Docter this crazy year has pro- in a roundtable discusduced. Ironically, with sion hosted by the Afrithe many people we have can American Film Critlost during this global ics Association. pandemic, the movie is a Docter told me that sweet reminder about the when he’s on his death true meaning of life, love bed, he’s not going to be and finding your purpose. thinking about finishPixar finally presents ing the film on time or its first feature film with making sure it’s under an African American budget, but Docter, Pixleading role. Academy ar’s chief creative officer, Award-winner Jamie wants to reflect upon Foxx lends his voice tal- “family friends, and… ents for Joe Gardner, a everyday moments that jazz enthusiast and mu- I could easily take for

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granted.” “I hope that people will have a gratitude for what they have.” Out of all the undertones that resonated in “Soul,” the idea of purpose lingered at the top of the list. As Joe Gardner seeks to live for his love of jazz, we, too, crave to fulfill our destiny and walk in our purpose even though at times we seem to live aimlessly. If anything, life’s true purpose is the fuel to taking full advantage of your time here on Earth. That is some deep stuff for a kids movie. “Soul” made writer and co-director Kemp Powers reassess his own relationship with his children. “I hope it makes us not just appreciate our families but just talk to them a little bit more and see a little bit more of their humanity when we look at one another.” “Soul” is “Ghost,” “The Good Place” and “Inside Out” all wrapped up in one near-perfect Christmas package. Jamie Foxx

delivers, per usual. All the spunky, satisfaction and soul he already possesses seeps through the pores of this character. In contrast to “The Princess and the Frog,” we get a real-time glimpse of Black folks on a Pixar screen with encouraging depictions of barbershop

talk and Black men leading the classroom. Pixar has a long way to go in diversifying its catalog, but “Soul” is another fantastic attempt. “Soul” is now available on Disney+ (Disney Plus).

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