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ED GAINEY—THE HISTORYMAKER Stevens says people felt ‘it was about time’ for a Black person to lead Pittsburgh by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer
Black Political Empowerment Project Chairman and CEO Tim Stevens, for as long as he’s been a Pittsburgh resident, for as long as he’s fought the good fight to improve conditions for African Americans in Pittsburgh, admitted to the New Pittsburgh Courier that he “was wondering if this would ever happen, while I’m still on the planet.” The “this” that he was referring to was “Pittsburgh having a Black mayor.” Well, barring the overly-Democratic City of Pittsburgh somehow turning into a Republican stronghold in five months, or an Independent candidate somehow emerging from the dust to muster up tens of thousands of supporters by November, Pittsburgh will have its first Black mayor—Ed Gainey. Pittsburgh, for all its
high rankings nationally as “The Most Livable City,” according to some publications over the years, was eons behind when it came to a Black person leading the city. Minneapolis, Minnesota, which has never been an African American hub, and has less than 20 percent African Americans in the city now, had its first Black mayor in 1994, Sharon Sayles Belton. She served until 2001. In Columbus, Ohio, its residents finally elected the first Black mayor there, Michael Coleman, in 2000. He served in the position for 16 years. Columbus has more African Americans than Minneapolis, but the percentage is less than 30. Seattle, Washington, one of the more liberal cities in the U.S., elected its first Black mayor, Norman Rice, in 1990. He served two full terms. Other places across America with small Black
STATE REP. ED GAINEY gives a kiss to his mother, Darlene Craig, moments after learning he had won the Democratic mayoral primary over two-time incumbent Mayor Bill Peduto, May 18. Representative Gainey almost assuredly will become Pittsburgh’s first Black mayor after the November general election. (Photo by Rob Taylor Jr.) populations have elected Black mayors, including Des Moines, Iowa (1997, Preston Daniels), and Tacoma, Washington (1987, Harold Moss). Pittsburgh apparently
didn’t get the memo until May 18, 2021, that it’s OK for the Steel City to have a Black mayor. Stevens told the Courier exclusively on May 25 that Rep. Gainey was aided by
his experience in the political system. He’s been in the Pa. Legislature for eight years and formerly worked in Pittsburgh’s Mayor’s Office. Also, Stevens said, “he
was community-oriented as a human being and as a politician. I think most people would agree with that. He was omnipresent SEE GAINEY A3
Cain Hayes to leave Gateway Health for CEO position in Boston The New Pittsburgh Courier has learned that Gateway Health President and CEO Cain Hayes has been named the next chief executive officer of the combined organization of Tufts Health Plan and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. The announcement was made on May 20. Tom Croswell, who has served as the CEO of the organization since it officially combined on Jan. 1, announced his retirement in late January, and will serve in an advisory role through the end of July. “On behalf of the board of directors and the entire organization, we are delighted to welcome Cain as our new CEO,” said Joyce Murphy, board chair of the Tufts Health Plan and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care organization, in a press release obtained by the Courier. “Cain brings a wealth of experience to this role both as a proven leader and seasoned health
care veteran with a distinguished track record of success. His experience, values and mission-oriented leadership make him well-suited to lead the organization into the future. The board is confident that Cain, supported by our leadership team, will drive this next chapter for our organization and advance our mission for many years to come.” “I’m honored to serve as the new CEO of the Tufts Health Plan and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care organization,” said Hayes, in the press release. “I have long admired both heritage organizations’ rich legacies and strong commitment to their members, customers and providers, as well as the positive impact they have had in communities throughout New England. I am thrilled about the opportunity to lead the organization to its full potential in helping shape health care to better serve
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our members and communities. I look forward to working with all my colleagues in building on the strong foundation they have created in making high-quality health care more accessible and affordable throughout the region.” Hayes joins the organization from Gateway Health, which is based in Pittsburgh. In his current role there, he’s responsible for the strategy and dayto-day operations of one of the nation’s top-ranked managed care organizations. Prior to joining Gateway Health, Hayes served as president and COO of the Health Business at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. Prior to joining Blue Cross, he was president of National Accounts, president of the Mid-America region and president of the Government-sector and Labor division for Aetna. “I would like to congratulate Cain on his appointment and welcome him to our organization,” said Croswell, CEO of the Tufts Health Plan and Harvard SEE HAYES A4
CAIN HAYES, who currently is the President and CEO of Pittsburgh-based Gateway Health, will assume the CEO role of the combined organization of Tufts Health Plan and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, in Massachusetts, on July 5.
“Cain’s experience, values and mission-oriented leadership make him well-suited to lead the organization into the future. The board is confident that Cain, supported by our leadership team, will drive this next chapter for our organization and advance our mission for many years to come.” JOYCE MURPHY Board Chair, Tufts Health Plan and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
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MAY 18, 2021—A DATE THAT WILL LIVE IN PITTSBURGH HISTORY FOREVER
(Photos by Courier photographer Rob Taylor Jr.)
ED GAINEY WINS PITTSBURGH DEMOCRATIC MAYORAL PRIMARY, PRIMING HIM TO BECOME CITY’S FIRST BLACK MAYOR
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STATE REP. ED GAINEY, SON DARIUS (Photos by Courier photographer Rob Taylor Jr.)
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STATE REP. ED GAINEY, DAUGHTER ALEXA
STATE REP. ED GAINEY, WIFE MICHELLE STATE REP. ED GAINEY, DAUGHTER MARIAH PEOPLES
ED GAINEY—THE HISTORYMAKER GAINEY FROM A1
at community events over the years, very approachable.” Stevens thought Pittsburgh had its best chance to elect a Black mayor 32 years ago, when attorney and noted civil rights leader Byrd R. Brown ran for mayor. Stevens, recalling that 1989 mayoral election, said that “many people perceived Byrd as possibly the most qualified candidate of all the candidates at the time; a Yale graduate, pretty much known as a brilliant guy. But it didn’t happen.” During the May 1989 Democratic mayoral primary, self-described “Jewish grandmother” Sophie Masloff won with 28 percent of the vote, followed by Tom Murphy (23 percent). Frank Lucchino had 21 percent, and Brown garnered about 10 percent. But Stevens said that things are different in today’s landscape. George Floyd’s death put a permanent spotlight on police brutality against African Americans in this country, and there were voters of all races who felt that Rep. Gainey would be best suited to improve police/ community relations in Pittsburgh. Add to it the endorsement for Rep. Gainey from the Allegheny County Democratic Committee, which Rep. Gainey said spoke “volumes.” Representative Gainey also resonated with local voters on affordable housing, where African Americans have been displaced from areas like East Liberty in favor of new commercial buildings and luxury apartments that cost “an arm and a leg” to rent. And just before Stevens concluded his interview
with the Courier about Rep. Gainey’s historic Democratic mayoral victory, he gave one more reason as to why Rep. Gainey was victorious.
“I think some people just thought, as far as having a Black mayor in Pittsburgh, it was about time.”
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Cain Hayes to leave Gateway Health for CEO position in Boston HAYES FROM A1
Pilgrim Health Care. “I look forward to working with him to ensure an effective and smooth leadership transition.” The appointment of Hayes follows a thorough recruitment process overseen by a selection committee of the board, which vetted and interviewed a diverse slate of experienced internal and external candidates. The committee retained a national executive search firm to provide support through the search process. While at Gateway Health, Hayes was adamant about his commitment to company diversity and equity. He helped procure a “10 Commitments Impact-
ing Our People” business operations and community partnerships plan to help drive impactful change in the communities that Gateway serves.
While at Gateway Health, Cain Hayes was adamant about his commitment to company diversity and equity. Some of those commitments included a 25 percent representation of Black executives by the end of 2021, an internship program at Gateway that targets students from Black
colleges, increasing the overall funds spent with Black-owned businesses, and targeting at least 25 percent of its charitable giving towards organizations that address challenges faced by impoverished Black communities. “We recognize that many of these commitments may be challenging and a significant change for our organization,” Hayes said when the new plan was unveiled. “However, we firmly believe these are the right steps to take in order to accelerate long-term change in our neighborhoods while prioritizing building a support system for the Black community.”
About the organization The combination of Tufts Health Plan and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care represents the coming together of two of New England’s most iconic nonprofit health care companies. Representing nearly 90 years of combined service to our members and the community, together the organizations are building upon their diverse legacies and innovative collaboration by making it their purpose to guide and empower healthier lives for their members —no matter their age, health, race, identity or income.
CAIN HAYES was honored as a New Pittsburgh Courier “Man of Excellence” in 2019. (Photo by Courier photographer J.L. Martello)
Until ‘DEBT’ do us part?
Read about it from Damon Carr, the Courier’s personal finance guru, on page B1.
RELIGION
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MAY 26-JUNE 1, 2021
The First Annual Marlon J. Lucas ‘Love Is Action’ Community Awards
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Praise & Worship ST. BENEDICT THE MOOR CATHOLIC CHURCH 91 Crawford Street Pgh., PA 15219 412-281-3141 Sunday Mass 10:30 A.M. www.sbtmparishpgh.com
East Liberty Presbyterian Church Rev. Dr. Randy Bush, Senior Pastor 412-441-3800 Worship Online on Facebook/YouTube www.ELPC.church Journey Worship...........8:45 a.m. Sanctuary Worship...........11 a.m. Taize -Wednesdays.........7 p.m.
BRANDON RODGERS, with Kimberly Francette. Marlon J. Lucas was a longtime employee of the Port Authority of Allegheny County who passed away last year due to COVID-19. With his dedication to the Pittsburgh community, family and friends said it was only fitting that awards are bestowed to fellow community champions in Lucas’ honor. (Photos by Courier photographer J.L. Martello)
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you will find rest for yourselves because my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” - Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV REV. WALKER SAYS: The verb COME is to move towards something, or come to someone. Jesus is asking us to come and learn of Him. What is a YOKE, referring to two oxen with a yoke around their necks pulling and plowing a field together. Jesus is yoked with us while we go through this life together. WhatSHARNAY HEARN DAVIS
TAMMY THOMPSON
ever we are carrying, pushing or pulling, Jesus is yoked with us.”
The Courier is THE VOICE of Black Pittsburgh.
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‘Elite Corvettes Against The World!’ Elite Corvettes of Pittsburgh hosting big Memorial Day Weekend celebration in Monroeville The very second you hear the word Corvette... you’re already down the highway! And in your mind, at a rate of speed you’ve never reached before in your life! But slow your roll there daydreamer, there is more to the story than the roar of the engine. Let’s put this in reverse and bring you up to date as to how we got where we’re at. Everything got revved up in or around 1977 when gearheads’ names that will never be forgotten established what will be forever named “The United Rays Corvette Club.” Names such as Cornell Oliver, Eddie Edwards, Charles Allie, Joe Davis and Milton Oliver; and the late greats, Herb Burton and the Grandmaster “Rocky” just to name a few! Of course it was about the cars, but it was always about much more than that. It was about the
community, representing not just the quality of the car, but the quality of the man behind the wheel, and without question it was about the car shows. Yes, showing off “America’s Car”… The Corvette! But showing the youth of the inner-city community that you can own these cars legitimately and on either side of the vehicle title you can have a great career and make a trunk full of money driving them, building them, painting them, fixing them, tricking them or sounding them out. That first club would be the only Black club among 30 or so in Western Pennsylvania, but would always rank among the top of the list in most every category and that remains true to form to this very day. Now among 50 clubs in Western Pennsylvania, what was then “United Rays” has become “Elite Corvettes
of Pittsburgh.” And as all your promotions have told you, it’s now “Elite Corvettes Against The World.” Based on the short but explosive history of the club, if I were you I would put my gas
Thanksgiving holiday to families in need and over 1,200 toys to disadvantaged youth for the 2020 Christmas season in the face of the pandemic. In doing so, keeping alive the original objectives of
Overtime
Bill Neal money on “Elite!” Since their inception, “Elite” has roared out of the gate teaming with Achieving Greatness, Inc., a 47-year-old Pittsburgh-based nonprofit, to give away over 300 turkeys for the 2020
days gone by on Washington Boulevard… “Go as fast as you can… But slow down so the people can see ya!” No worries… I know you need to know the story behind the story that went from “United
Rays” to “Elite.” Well you guessed it, the story is on a “need-to-know” basis. And trust me, you don’t need to know (hey, don’t kill the messenger)! All that being said, welcome back to the future. Here they sit ready to do battle as they welcome some of the most magnificent cars on the planet to Pittsburgh… most notably Monroeville, Pa. An estimated 20 to 25 cities will be represented this Memorial Day Weekend at the DoubleTree Hotel, Monroeville Mall and the race track in New Alexandria. The weekend will include registration and “Meet & Greet” Friday, May 28, the Car Show and Picnic featuring a live broadcast of “Champions Live Sports Talk Show” on Saturday, May 29, both in Monroeville, and all the racing “The World” can handle on Sunday, May 30, at Key-
stone Raceway Park 538 Stone Jug Road in New Alexandria. It’s a “come one, come all” weekend to be sure, including food and drinks, fun and games, awards and prizes, and an absolutely family environment that will still maintain a strict COVID-19 protection policy. All events will be held outside and masks must be worn at all times! And YES, it’s a rain or shine event. For all additional information, contact “Elite” President Sheldon Oliver at 412-513-1150, Vice President Tia White at 412-584-3335 or the original “OG” Milton Oliver at 412-287-8610. For all drag racing information contact Greg Brown at 412-519-8291 or Herb Burton at 412-977-6714. See you at the event… Even if it’s a Mustang you drive!
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Why do activists say police began as slave patrols? J. Pharoah Doss B4
BUSINESS
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5 tips to make entrepreneurs resilient when challenges threaten their business Many entrepreneurs discover that building a business brings difficult challenges, which in turn require resilience to overcome. But simply having the capacity to recover and keep going doesn’t always lead to better results. Resilience in the context of longterm business success also means learning from past difficulties and, as a result, changing direction to the right path, says James Webb (www.jamesharoldwebb.com), author of Redneck Resilience: A Country Boy’s Journey To Prosperity, and a successful entrepreneur in the medical and fitness sectors. “ ‘Pivot’ has become the preferred word among business owners while trying to survive the COVID-19 pandemic,” Webb says. “For many companies now, it’s pivot-or-die. “Resilience and the ability to pivot go hand-inhand. Resilience is the key ingredient of success and the thing that will never let you down. And it is also about looking at different paths and taking one, acknowledging you were
wrong, learning how to fix it, and doing so.” Webb offers five tips to help entrepreneurs be resilient and pivot in these challenging times: • Hope for the upside, but plan for the downside. “In business, it’s easy to let a vision of great things ahead trick you into ignoring the real possibility of failure,” Webb says. “Every entrepreneur does it. Every great business has more
than one plan. COVID has weeded out those businesses that never planned for the downside.” • Let go when your gut tells you to. Webb says that today’s business world moves too fast and leaves too many behind for a struggling entrepreneur to stay stuck in their ineffective ways for long. “You have to trust your instincts and learn when to step away, and to find another
path,” Webb says. “Rather than beat your head against a stone wall, find a way around, over, or under that wall, and continue on the new path of your choosing.” • Dive in the deep end —even if you’re not fully ready. Webb has met many people in business and in life who trust the philosophy that your next move should be the one for which you’re already prepared.
He disagrees. “Pursue your next path regardless of your level of preparation,” he says. “Be decisive. Be confident in the fact that if you’re smart and focused, you’ll learn faster when you’re in over your head or out of your depth.” • Learn the powers of contingency management. Entrepreneurs sometimes get overwhelmed by adversity because they are too controlling by nature, Webb
says. Empowering people as a regular practice and overseeing a collaborative work culture leads to calm and problem-solving when difficulties surface. “Manage the situation, but don’t rule it,” Webb says. “Care for your people, but don’t set them up for failure by micromanaging them. Hold them accountable but don’t be a dictator. Being resilient as a company and pivoting the right way can only happen if there is mutual trust and a comfort level between the business owner and his workforce.” • See every closing door as a new one opening. Webb says when things aren’t working as they once did, entrepreneurs need a mindset that embraces a challenge and is excited by finding a new way to make things better. ”I have found that the most important lessons in life are the ones you don’t see coming,” he says, “and they bring opportunities you hadn’t considered. When a new opportunity presents itself as a better way, take the risk.” “Resilience doesn’t just get back up,” Webb says. “Resilience finds a way.”
How do you know you’re ready for retirement? It’s not just the finances An intriguing find once emerged from a RAND Corp. survey on Americans and their working conditions. It turned out that 40 percent of employees 65 and older had previously retired, but something lured them back to the working world. In some cases, financial troubles might have been the cause. But often the reason is that people neglect an important component in their retirement planning. They don’t think about what they will do with their extra time, or how they will give their life the meaning and purpose work provided, says Patti Hart, co-author with her husband, Milledge, of The Resolutionist: Welcome to the Anti-Retirement
Movement (www.antiretirement.com). “Money is certainly important, but it’s not the only thing that determines whether your retirement is a success,” she says. “It may be that you are financially ready to retire, but are a long way from being emotionally ready.” The Harts offer tips for figuring out when to retire and for making sure you’re successful when you do: • Know your catalysts. Identify milestones or signs that will let you know you are ready to embark on a new post-work life, Milledge Hart says. Yes, that could be when you’ve accumulated a certain amount of savings. But it might also be re-
lated to when your spouse quits their job, or when your children graduate college and head out on their own. Maybe your plan is to work until your health gives out. “Knowing your catalysts can mean the difference between successfully transitioning to a fulfilled life after your career is over, or boomeranging back to the fulltime workforce simply because you didn’t know why you quit to begin with,” he says. • Plan ahead to avoid separation anxiety from work. For many people, moving from the excitement and fulfillment of a career to the quietness of retirement is too much, Patti Hart says. They develop a form of “separation anxiety,” longing for their old
way of life rather than venturing boldly into the new one. “You need to make a plan for what you want to do in your new post-career life so you aren’t floundering when you get there,” she says. • Get comfortable with the uncomfortable. At work, people are thrown into uncomfortable situations and have no choice but to face them head on. In retirement, it’s easier to avoid discomfort, but doing so diminishes your confidence, and you miss out on opportunities for personal growth and fun, Milledge Hart says. “It would seem counterintuitive to think that beSEE RETIREMENT B2
Until ‘DEBT’ do us part “I solemnly take thee to be my lawfully wedded spouse. For better or for worse, For RICHER OR POORER, through sickness and good health, until DEATH do us part.” Today, the divorce rate is an alarming 51 percent. Meaning, one out of every two marriages ends in divorce. Of those divorces, nearly 80 percent cite financial problems as the leading cause. Irreconcilable differences or can’t reconcile the budget? We’ll call it irreconcilable differences. This suggests that people are willing to reconcile their differences during the sick times including alcohol abuse, drug addiction, diabetes, heart failure, cancer, strokes, and other ailments. People are willing to reconcile their differences during the worst times: including lying, cheating, stealing, verbal and physical abuse. But when it comes to the poor, financially strapped, and broke times, nearly 80 percent say it’s time to call it quits. I’m reminded of one of my aunt’s often repeated quotes, “A man can’t turn me on when he’s sitting there and my gas, light, phone, or cable is about to be turned off.” The ill effects on finances as a result of divorce due to child support, alimony, reduction in income, and/or an unwillingness to relinquish a two-income marital lifestyle on a newly unwedded single person’s budget often further devastates the finances. This can lead to other negative events such as depression, foreclosure, and repossession. This can wreak havoc on both husband and wife. It can also have a negative impact on the children. Lastly, it can create unwanted baggage carried into a new relationship. In my view, the poor times don’t necessarily mean a time when incomes are at poverty levels—for the divorce rate includes high-income earners. I think that the poor times represent times where the bulk, if not all, of your paychecks are committed to paying bills and debts. Regardless of how much you earn, if there’s little
to no money left after paying bills, you’re financially poor. So, unless you sacrifice paying certain bills, it is hard for you to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. Being financially strapped robs you of your ability to save money, your dignity, and your security blanket. How can one feel secure when it is a struggle to maintain adequate food, clothing, shelter and other necessities? How can one feel secure when every time an unexpected event or unexpected expense comes up, it sets you back financially? How can one feel prideful when, regardless of how hard they work, they can’t seem to get ahead? How can one feel financially sound when they have very little saved for their future? Being insecure about the necessities of life, not being able to enjoy life’s simple pleasures, not being able to get forward traction and momentum financially, not being able to consistently save money, and not knowing how to get out of debt will create a heightened level of stress. This high degree of stress coupled with the inability to reconcile their priorities, goals, and financial differences are the core reasons why financial problems are the leading cause of divorces. Nobody plans to fail, they just fail to plan Marriage is perhaps the biggest and definitely the most impactful decision we make as adults. Yet, unless it’s required by state or encouraged by loved ones, we marry without having premarital counsel and we divorce without ever talking to a marriage counselor. Many of us live our lives and make big financial decisions the same way. No counsel. We figure it out at the expense of trial and error. Too often we
live for today with little regard for tomorrow. We commit ourselves to big payments and long-term debts before we’ve demonstrated an ability to save one dollar. We move as if we’re certain that our jobs and health are secured forever more. Every great architectural structure begins with a blueprint. Every journey begins with a map. Likewise, every financially sound marriage should begin with a plan. If money fights are the leading cause of divorce, getting on the same page financially before jumping the broom will help you prevent sweeping your marriage under the rug. Lack of communication In many cases, there tends to be a lack of communication about finances. One spouse may be withdrawing money from the account or racking up credit card charges without the other spouse knowing. One spouse may take on additional expenses without their spouse’s consent. Some married couples tend to hide money from each other. Lack of communication with your spouse about money is the same as financial infidelity. Sooner or later, checks will start to bounce and you will be charged late fees and bounced check fees. Sooner or later, hidden expenses will rear its ugly head. Consult with your spouse about various expenditures. Too often we think we are hiding money— and in the end, it can cost us more money and worse, our marriage. In order for you and your spouse to be on the same page financially, communication is a must! Less is more His and her car notes have done more damage to married couples’ budgets than any other expense. Remember the more car notes you have, the less disposable income you have to apply toward other
financial obligations and goals. Your goal is to own a home, have kids, save for your future, and have a life, right? Now that you share last names and bedrooms, time to share in the idea of one car note at a time. You can have two cars. It’s the two car payments you don’t need. Even better if you work towards having no car payment. It’s possible. It will simply require you to hold on to your cars a few years longer. It’s prioritizing upgrading your disposable income and upgrading your married life over upgrading in cars every 2 to 3 years. As husband and wife, you are one. You can apply this same mindset to other financial obligations. Think about it. Do you really want to tap both husband and wife incomes to the max? Ignorance Money doesn’t come with instructions. It does not matter how much you make. Without a proper understanding of your finances, it is very easy to get caught up with excessive expenses. You will find that some couples do not know how much income is coming into the household, nor do they know how much money is being spent monthly. Many people sign leases, student loans, car notes, mortgages, insurance, investments without ever reading the document and never fully understanding the terms. When dealing with finance, ignorance isn’t bliss. What you don’t know can bankrupt you. It’s always best to investigate before you invest in anything. It’s imperative that both husband and wife understand what’s going on with the money, for it is both of you that reap the rewards of sound money management. Conversely, both of you reap the agony and regret of bad money management. Take control of your finances before your finances take control of you and your marriage.
(Damon Carr, Money Coach can be reached at 412-216-1013 or visit his website @ www.damonmoneycoach.com.)
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Beware of these financial myths and misconceptions about retirement Many people look forward to retirement and all the enjoyment it can bring after having worked so hard for decades. But from a distance, whether a few years or many years away from retirement, it’s not easy to clearly see what retirement will look like. It’s a bit misty, because, after all, there is a lot of uncertainty about the future, and how much money someone will need during retirement and have on hand is subject to numerous variables. But in the process of looking ahead, some people miscalculate, in part because they are not fully informed, says Dariusz Godlewski (financialwealthalliance.com), a licensed investment advisor representative and the president of Financial Wealth Alliance. “Some of the things people assume to be true about money matters in retirement actually are not, and some financial points they think they grasp instead require a deeper dive,” Godlewski says. “Misconceptions and myths can develop, and those can be harmful to one’s retirement and their enjoyment of it.” Godlewski points to three key areas where myths and misconceptions can cost you in retirement: • Taxes. Godlewski says that one of the biggest misconceptions people have is that they will pay less in taxes in retirement, but for many, that’s not true. “For one thing, they won’t have many deductions anymore,” he says. “If they were itemizing, a lot of those deductions go away. Most of the money Americans have is in tax-deferred accounts such as IRAs and 401(k) s, and they’re going to pay taxes on those distributions. Therefore, they need to strategize to lower their tax bill in future.” One strategy, Godlewski says, is doing partial Roth conversions on their IRAs and 401(k)s. “Roth IRAs offer tax-free growth on both the contributions and the earnings that accrue over the years, and the other big benefit in retirement is you won’t pay taxes when you take the money out,” he says. “When current tax
rates are relatively low, it’s a good window of opportunity to partially convert to a Roth.” Godlewski says tax diversification also is important—having a portion in taxable accounts, another amount in tax-free accounts, and some in tax-deferred accounts. • Asset diversification. Proper diversification across non-correlated asset classes is the key to protecting one from too much volatility in the markets, Godlewski says. A non-correlated asset is an asset whose value isn’t tied to larger fluctuations in the traditional markets. “Many people think they are very diversified because they have different stocks and mutual funds, but that is not being diversified,” he says. “Stocks and mutual funds are just one asset class. Non-correlated assets such as real estate, commodities, and municipal bonds can help you diversify.” • Annuities. “They all sound similar but they all work differently,” Godlewski says. “Some have high fees, some have low fees. Some are safe, some have risk. Annuities can get complicated and it’s wise to have a fiduciary explain the differences. “Annuities supplement other retirement income, such as Social Security and pensions. Fixed annuities make sense for people who don’t want much risk. An insurance company guarantees a specific payment by a certain date, and in the interim period the insurer invests in safe vehicles such as highly-rated corporate bonds and U.S. Treasury securities. In a variable annuity, more risk is involved as investors aim for bigger profits. The insurer invests in a portfolio of mutual funds, which are chosen by the buyer.” “Misconceptions about some financial elements of retirement can lead you down the wrong path and bring stress at a time you’re supposed to be relaxing,” Godlewski says. “Gain the knowledge you need to bring clarity to your plan and the enjoyment you deserve.”
Warren Buffett budget habits you can borrow by John Grace For New Pittsburgh Courier
(BlackPressUSA)—On May 1, Warren Buffett, the oracle of Omaha, addressed investors in the Berkshire Hathaway live-streamed annual meeting. As we teach our children, “You make your habits and then your habits make you.” We adults can be good role models to our progeny who aren’t listening to much we have to say, but are paying close attention to what we do. In fact, the children often unconsciously mimic exactly what they see adults do. To my way of thinking, it’s always a good idea to learn from the best and brightest. Otherwise, we simply follow an old Belgian proverb: “Experience is the comb that nature gives us.” Before I go bald, I prefer to learn from other people’s experience, to include what to do as well as what not to do. Buffett knows all about success. The 90-yearold Berkshire Hathaway chairman and CEO is the sixth-richest man in the world and arguably the best investor of all time, with an estimated net worth exceeding $103 billion, according to cnbc. com. Here are eight ways Buffett’s frugality can help you develop and keep good save and spending habits: Instead of moving up every chance he gets, Buffett lives in the same home purchased in 1958. As Yahoo Finance reports, Buffett paid $31,500 for his Omaha, Nebraska home, which is approximately $288,700 in 2020 dollars. He has lived there for more than 60 years. Thanks to the improvements and renovations, the home is about 6,570 square feet with five bedrooms, lots of security cameras, and a good homeowner’s insurance policy. It’s valued at about $1 million today. In a 2010 letter to Berkshire Hathaway’s shareholders, Buffett called it “the third best investment I ever
Are you ready for retirement? RETIREMENT FROM B1
ing uncomfortable brings happiness, but it does,” he says. “Go at life as if it’s an adventure—because it is. When you accomplish something you didn’t think you could, you get a jolt of endorphins that drives you to your next challenge.” • Learn to be your own best friend. Even when people want to try a new hobby or activity, they sometimes are afraid to do it alone. “In retirement, you might not have the social network you once did,” Patti Hart says. “You may long for a good friend you can rely on.” But if you think about it, she says, you already have that friend—yourself. So as you prepare for retirement, be ready to go solo on
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occasion. “When you get to this stage, you will often find that some things on your list are on your list alone,” she says. “No one in your universe shares your interest or has the time to join you. That’s all right. If you are going to continue to grow, you need to sometimes feel like you did something completely on your own.” “Don’t convince yourself that in retirement you are going to be destined to a life of watching evening game shows and baking pies, unless of course that is what you love to do,” Milledge Hart says. “My advice is nothing is off limits, so reach for the stars. Look forward rather than backward, and embrace the new you.”
WARREN BUFFETT, reportedly the world’s sixth-richest man, has great financial advice for everyone, columnist John Grace says. He lists eight of Buffett’s budget habits that will improve your finances. (Courtesy photo) made.” He only takes out loans when appropriate The only loan Buffett took out was for his Laguna Beach home in 1971 that cost $150,000. That home was sold in 2018 for $7.5 million or $7.35 million more than he paid for it, according to the L.A. Times. It’s the same house that was listed in early 2017 for $11 million. Instead of buying another home, Buffett used the extra cash to buy shares of Berkshire Hathaway, the same company that put billions in his pocket. He buys breakfast cheap. Unlike the rich and famous who hire personal chefs to prepare gourmet meals, he prefers to get breakfast from McDonald’s on his way to work. He dresses every workday in a suit and tie so he can spend a lot of time reading about things, long before he puts his money anywhere. Please take note of one of his best quotes, “Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.” Buffett usually spends $3.17 on breakfast. “When I’m not feeling quite so prosperous, I might go with the $2.61, which is two sausage patties, and then I put them together and pour myself a Coke,” he said in “Becoming Warren Buffett,” an HBO documentary. Notice that he knows exactly how much things cost. Now would be a good time for you and me to make meals at home and skip the expense as well as the experience at the most expensive coffee houses in town. He buys cars cheaply
In a BBC documentary, Buffett said he drives all of 3,500 miles per year, so there’s no need for a fancy car. For years he drove a 1979 Ford F-150 or a Subaru Baja. He stepped up to a 2006 Cadillac DTS that he drove for 10 years. Forbes reported that it was GM CEO Mary Bara who convinced Buffett to move up to a 2014 Cadillac XTS. Retailing for $44,000, that’s pretty economical for a billionaire. He donated his old Caddy to Girls Inc., a nonprofit organization that was able to auction it for $122,500, according to motorbiscuit.com. He continues to clip coupons While some of us consider using coupons to be a sign of poverty, Buffett relishes the habit. Bill Gates wrote in a 2017 annual letter that Melinda found a photo of the two while in Hong Kong, where Buffett treated his fellow billionaire buddy to lunch at his favorite fastfood restaurant with coupons. The money you save might be your own. Brand names are unnecessary. Instead of blowing money on big purchases, Buffett believes in, “Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving.” Pay yourself first every month. Repeat, for life. Practice spending less than you earn. Buffett passes on designer suits and he depended on his $20 flip-phone for years before swapping it out for an Apple smartphone in 2020. He also passes on the i-Phone’s fancier functions, observes Yahoo Finance.
He has no interest in borrowed money. Buffett said he learned from his experience of borrowing 25 percent of his net wealth to buy shares. As he said to Notre Dame students in 1991, “I’ve never borrowed a significant amount of money in my life. Never. Never will. I’ve got no interest in it.” Now you can put apps to use to invest your spare change or employ automated investment firms. Cash, not credit. In the old days, you never left the house without your checkbook. And you balanced your account with every purchase, every time. These days it’s so easy to be completely unconscious with spending thanks to credit and debit cards, where you never see how much money you have. Buffett uses hard cash. As he said to Yahoo Finance in 2019 that he uses cash “98 percent of the time. If I’m in a restaurant, I’ll always pay cash. It’s just easier.” This time easier is also being more conscious. You always know how much money you have. (John L. Grace is president of Investor’s Advantage Corp., a Los Angeles-area financial planning firm that has been helping investors manage wealth and prepare for a more prosperous future since 1979. His On the Money column runs monthly in The Wave.) (The article first appeared in The Los Angeles Sentinel.)
McDonald’s announces increased spending with minority-owned media (BlackPressUSA)—May 23, 2021—McDonald’s USA announced bold new investments to further reflect its diverse customers, crew members and communities in its marketing. Over the next four years, the company and Owner/ Operators are accelerating the allocation of advertising dollars to diverse-owned media companies, production houses and content creators. McDonald’s total investment in diverse-owned partners —including Black, Hispanic, Asian Pacific American, Women and LGBTQ-owned platforms—will more than double, moving from 4 percent to 10 percent of national advertising spend between 2021 and 2024. Spend with Black-owned properties, specifically, will increase from 2 percent to 5 percent of national advertising spend over this time period. Additionally, McDonald’s will forge new multi-
year partnerships with diverse-owned media companies. This longer-term funding will help bolster individual businesses, strengthen the broader marketing supply chain, and support inclusive, authentic storytelling between McDonald’s brand and diverse customers. “We’ve been making serious commitments that are guided by our values, and with this latest move, we’re taking action to advance diverse-owned companies across the marketing supply chain,” said Morgan Flatley, Chief Marketing and Digital Customer Experience Officer, McDonald’s USA. “We’re using our resources to support these platforms and businesses, which keep the brand at the center of culture while creating deeper relationships with our diverse customers, crew and employees.” “As a Black female entrepreneur, I am proud to be a part of McDonald’s continued
MCDONALD’S WILL FORGE new multi-year partnerships with diverse-owned media companies. (Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA) effort to meet Women and diverse-owned businesses where they are by providing much-needed resources to do business in an ever-evolving marketplace,” said Vicki Chancellor, Chair, McDonald’s USA Franchisee Marketing Committee. “It’s who we are as a leading brand that is doing our part to help underserved communities thrive.” McDonald’s four-year plan includes commitments to:
• Increase national investments in diverse-owned companies from 4 percent to 10 percent. Spend with Blackowned media and production properties will increase from 2 percent to 5 percent, and additional investments will follow with other diverse segments including Hispanic, Asian Pacific American, Women and LGBTQ-owned properties. • Forge multi-year partnerships with diverse-owned
media and production companies, content-creators and influencers to support their businesses for sustainable, long-term growth; strengthen the marketing supply chain; enable deeper, more inclusive storytelling; and foster conduits for cultural connectivity. • Form an advisory board of external marketing and advertising subject matter experts dedicated to identifying the biggest barriers to economic opportunity facing diverse partners and putting collective resources behind new programs and initiatives to eliminate them. The group’s focus will be to drive change and impact across the industry. This plan builds upon the company’s longstanding relationships with diverse-owned marketing and communications companies including The Boden Agency, Lopez Negrete, IW Group and Burrell Communications Group,
a full-service agency and McDonald’s partner of 50 years. It also follows the inaugural Media Partner Summit that McDonald’s hosted in November 2020, which convened diverse-owned media companies to identify mutually beneficial partnership opportunities that align with McDonald’s overall marketing strategy and goals. This Summit will be held annually to create and strengthen connections with both new and existing partners across diverse segments. In addition to marketing partners, McDonald’s has a long history of purchasing goods and services from other businesses and suppliers that represent the diverse communities it serves. New commitments to reduce barriers and increase spend with diverse suppliers were shared in the company’s broader Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion aspiration announced last July.
OPINION
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
MAY 26-JUNE 1, 2021
B3
The groundhog effect
Guest Editorial
The great American rift Just when a great number of people heaved a hefty sigh of relief because the name Donald J. Trump was no longer ubiquitous in the news, the tide turned. It has become patently obvious that Trump is the puppeteer pulling the strings of the Republican Party. Just imagine; one man who is not in elected office is controlling what is happening in our government. Conspiracy theories abound, yet many previously-thought intelligent Republican legislators have imbibed the Kool-Aid and are going along with a very dubious false-news scenario. As it looks now, Trump is not going anywhere. He insists on the false idea that he is still president; that the election was stolen and that that makes President Joe Biden illegitimate. The majority of Republicans are backing him. Recently, this idea took a ridiculous turn. Representative Liz Cheney lost her House leadership position, with every Republican Representative supporting the move to oust her as the No. 3 Republican in the House to replace her with Elise Stefanik, who is now the Republican Conference Chair. This was done in a matter of days, and during the debacle House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy was caught on a “hot mic” debasing Cheney. Allegedly, it was important for the Republicans to move quickly for the sake of “unity” because of what they considered destructive policies initiated and supported by Democrats. Truth be told, Cheney lost favor with the Party because she was one of the very few Republicans on Capitol Hill who rebuked the notion that the election was rigged and that Donald Trump did not lose and the election was stolen from him. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich even came out of the woodwork to support kicking Cheney out of House Leadership. It says a lot about a country when the leadership of a political party is willing to literally take resources out of the hands and mouths of those who most need them in order to retain power and control. This is what is happening in our government today, and the Liz Cheney debacle is just the tip of the iceberg. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has said that he vows to oppose ANYTHING that Joe Biden proposes in his presidency. What this means is that he doesn’t give a darn about anything but power and making sure that it remains with Republicans who don’t have the same desire to help those who are not at the top of the socio-economic ladder. What does all of this portend for the future of the United States? Not anything good, for sure. It is very clear that the Republican Party is not about inclusion. Yes, they have a couple of notable tokens, but for the most part, they are the party of a certain kind of White people, the ones who are either easily bullied or who can’t think clearly for themselves. This latter ilk includes those who incredibly insist that the January 6, 2021 “insurrection” was the work of Antifa and Black Lives Matter, even though it was clear by any reasonable observation that those groups were not part of that fiasco. There is, then, something very wrong when so-called intelligent adults can come to a conclusion that is widely disputed by just about everyone outside of their own cohort! The common denominator and critical factor in these ridiculous notions is former president Donald J. Trump! He almost singlehandedly has taken control of one-half of the government and plans to complete the process in the next presidential election. The Republicans are lining up behind him like obedient, but stupid, soldiers lured by the demons of greed and power. It has been said that every country/power/regime has its limits, and that they rise and fall within a 400-year cycle. If we count the birth of the United States from 1776, 2021 represents its 245th year of existence. But if we date the beginning of this country from 1619, the date that the first Africans were brought to these shores to toil as slaves, the number of years jumps to 402! This is a sink or swim time for America. People, especially White people, are going to have to decide whether or not America will live up to the lofty principles outlined by the founding fathers, or bow to the whims of a wanna-be tyrant and his cronies, who want to disenfranchise a lot of Black, brown, and poor people. Hopefully, destiny is on the side of the righteous; which automatically excludes the current crop of Trump sycophants! (Reprinted from the Chicago Crusader)
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(TriceEdneyWire.com)—I have always been amazed by the immediate, long-lasting impact of the media on cultural/current events. This is the case with the 1993 movie, Groundhog Day. Since its release, people have discussed the problem of being trapped in a metaphorical loop of activities from which they cannot escape. Even those who didn’t see the film are familiar with this theme. Viewing the news, I was introduced to the case of Ronald Greene which occurred in my home state of Louisiana in 2019. Greene was a fortynine-year-old Black male who was brought into the Glenwood Regional Medical Center Emergency Room by members of the Louisiana State Highway Patrol. He was reported as the DOA victim of a single-car collision between his automobile and a tree. Injuries from his “accident” were fatal. The attending ER found this suspicious since in addition to his bruised and broken body were found the two prongs of a police taser. For two years, Louisiana State Police authorities withheld the bodycam videos of the event from public view. The AP was able to obtain these videos which disclosed another vicious, extra-legal attack on a Black man. The minimal damage to Greene’s vehicle belied the excuse of fatal injuries suffered in a crash. Axios reports that the following statements can be heard: Greene: (After being tasered in his vehicle) “I’m your brother! I’m scared! I’m scared!” Trooper: “Look, you’re going to get
Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.
Commentary it again if you don’t put your f-----hands behind your back!” Trooper: (referring to Greene) “stupid motherf--ker.” Trooper (Hollingsworth): can be heard saying that he “beat the ever-living f--- out of him…Choked him and everything else trying to get him under control. He was spitting blood everywhere, and all of a sudden he just went limp.” The arrest of Greene is now the subject of a federal civil rights investigation. The refusal of the LSP to release bodycam footage for two years and inconsistencies in police reporting of events suggest cover-up. According to AP, bodycam footage from in-custody deaths is typically released immediately. Troopers on the scene of the arrest first claimed that Greene died on impact after crashing his vehicle into a tree during a chase. State Police later released a statement saying Greene struggled with troopers and died on the way to the hospital. Footage shows Greene raising his hands and surrendering to officers after crashing his SUV and apologizing for leading them on the chase.
After a two-year cover-up, there has been no justice for Mr. Greene’s family. According to the AP, Trooper Hollingsworth died in a single-vehicle crash hours after learning he would be fired over the Greene case. Two other troopers remain, one awaiting administrative action. In an overview, we should be reminded that the LSP motto is: “Courtesy, Loyalty, Service!” with a commitment to ensure the safety and security of the people in the state through enforcement, education, and providing of other essential public safety services. Although Mr. Greene’s event preceded George Floyd’s, like Bill Murray in the film, I, we continue to wake up to a series of events that result in the deaths of Black men and women. The response of the administrators who are otherwise expected to render impartial judgments regarding the propriety of conduct or the fitness of officers to objectively enforce the laws seems, in many cases, to be turning the blind eye. As their psychopathic subordinates in the case of Andrew Brown Jr., when dealing with persons of color they likewise consider complexion as a weapon, and no measure is too extreme in physically controlling these animals of color. After all, who but a psychopath, would treat another HUMAN BEING with the brutality we have recently witnessed? (Dr. E. Faye Williams is President of the National Congress of Black Women.)
Ted Cruz’s wildly dishonest defense of voter suppression (TriceEdneyWire.com)—Sen. Ted Cruz is a shameless liar. And he isn’t even a very good one. Witness his latest dishonest defense of Georgia’s new voter suppression law. Cruz published a column in the Wall Street Journal attacking business leaders who have criticized the anti-voting law. He claimed that critics were hurting the reputations of “patriotic leaders protecting our elections and expanding the right to vote.” Expanding the right to vote? As I said, he is shameless. First, let’s remember where this new law came from. Georgia Republicans pushed it through after President Joe Biden and Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff won their elections. The law has one purpose: to prevent future victories by Democrats by making it harder for particular groups of people—Black people, working people, women, people with disabilities, and younger and older people—to vote. The first draft of the law made this racist intention clear by banning early voting on Sundays, when many Black churches encourage people to vote through Souls to the Polls events. The racism behind that piece of the law was so obvious that even Republicans had to water it down in the final bill. But we will not forget what motivated it, or that the rest of the law is designed to achieve the same purpose. In his column, Cruz mentioned a few pieces of the law to try to make it sound reasonable. But it isn’t. It includes new limits on early voting hours, big reductions in the amount of time people have
Ben Jealous
Commentary to request an absentee ballot, and sharp decreases in the availability of drop boxes that make it easier for voters to turn in their ballots. My friend Stacey Abrams, the voting-rights activist who knows the system in Georgia better than anyone else, schooled Cruz and his Republican colleague, Sen. John Kennedy, when they tried to challenge her criticism of the law. She identified such a long list of problems with the law that Kennedy finally asked her to stop. The problem goes way beyond Georgia. Similar laws have been passed in Florida and Arizona and other states controlled by Republicans are getting ready to pass laws that purge eligible voters off registration lists and put up other roadblocks to the ballot box. In his op ed, Cruz issued a threat to business leaders who have dared to speak out in defense of voting rights. He suggested that Republicans would stop helping them out on taxes or regulations. But that was just more distraction. In fact, the Center for Media and Democracy recently exposed the real truth. The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a group that helps
big business and right-wing groups get their policies passed into laws at the state level, has been pushing legislators to pass voter suppression bills so they can keep corporation-friendly Republicans in power. These laws are attacks on voting rights and democracy, just like the Jim Crow laws that some states used to keep Black people from registering and voting. And they are designed to prevent passage of progressive policies like raising the minimum wage and expanding access to health care. We must respond as a nation to protect the right to vote. The U.S. House of Representatives has already passed the For the People Act, which includes voting rights protections that would overrule the states’ new attacks on voting. And guess what? Ted Cruz is telling shameless lies about the For the People Act. He claimed that Democrats “want illegal aliens and non-citizens to be automatically registered to vote.” Not true. He even said this voting rights law would be “Jim Crow 2.0.” Really, Ted? That’s a stretch even for you. Ted Cruz is not the only Republican calling good evil and evil good when it comes to voter suppression. Other members of Congress, state Republican leaders, and right-wing media are all trying to hang onto political power by denying other people the right to earn it at the ballot box. Democrats can’t let them get away with it. We can’t let them get away with it. (Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way and People For the American Way Foundation.)
What must be done with White reconstruction While many are watching 47 out of the 50 States propose and enact Voter Suppression Laws, the question becomes one of what can we as individuals do to counter such attacks against us? First we must acknowledge the real agenda of those hiding behind the Republican Party’s control of state legislatures, embracing Donald Trump’s lie that the election was stolen. The reality is that conservative White republicans are engaged in attempts to recreate the conditions that existed by 1901 when all Black elected officials were removed from office at both the national and state level. This was the result of the deal made with the South to have no national interference with State’s Rights. The result was there were no Blacks elected to Congress between 1901 (John Roy Lynch from Mississippi) and 1928 (Oscar De Priest from Chicago). Today in 2021, it is the Republican Party (GOP), under the out-of-office leadership of Donald Trump, that is using voter suppression laws in 47 states and the soon-to-be redistricting of congressional districts under the 2020 Census, as required by the U.S. Constitution every ten years, that will seek to usher
John Warren
Commentary in a modern day “Reconstruction”. This modern day reconstruction will once again have limited voting by people of color and election officials in state offices that can change voting results and select Electoral College delegates when they don’t like voter’s choices. With state courts and the U.S. Supreme Court stacked with judges appointed by a Republican Senate, clearly the stage has been set for court decisions that will further solidify the suppression of civil rights decisions at all levels. Unlike one hundred years ago, we know what’s coming and what we can do to stop such actions. We know that from the increase in hate crimes and racism, much of it fueled by the actions
of our former President, that racism on the part of conservative and right wing Whites is fear of the “browning” of America. This “browning” exists in an America in which Whites are a minority among other ethnic groups such as Blacks, Latinos and Asians. Blacks, Whites and all people of color who believe in our democratic form of government for what it does mean under a Constitution that guarantees human and civil rights, must come together to help each other. We can do this by registering to vote, selecting and funding people to run for office against the Republican “Reconstruction” program described here. We must replicate the state of Georgia’s experience in both voter turnout and election of the right people at all levels of government. We must not lose sight of the real plan behind voter suppression and the Republican Party. Let’s call the Republican Party’s agenda for what it is, The New Reconstruction 2021, and let’s get busy dealing with it at all levels.
(Dr. John E.Warren is Publisher of The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint)
B4
FORUM
MAY 26-JUNE 1, 2021
For all the people, by all the people
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Why do activists say police began as slave patrols?
by Ray Curry, Secretary-Treasurer, UAW (NNPA)—Our nation was founded on a profound principle—a government that is chosen by the people. Granted, this extraordinary experiment as it was called in the early years of our constitution, was not conceived perfectly and has always required vigilance and determination. But I believe that Americans from coast to coast, from every walk of life, from the founding fathers to those determined Georgians who stood in line for hours this past January to send their choice for U.S. Senate to Washington, are united in the idea that we, the people, should choose our leaders. We, the people, have the right to participate in this great democracy of ours with our vote. We have fought and died for this right. More people than ever voted in the last presidential election. Both parties won and lost. Americans, Black, White and Brown, young and old, turned out in the middle of the worst pandemic the world has seen in generations to say: ‘As an American, I have the right to cast my vote for who will represent me in this government of ours.’ So… I have to ask you, if the system worked so well and if the idea is, as Alexander Hamilton and James Madison put it in the Federalist Papers, that the vote belongs to the people, then what are we doing? Why is there vote-robbing legislation being introduced in so many states? Why are we trying to silence so many people, especially so many people who are Black and Brown from coast to coast? I think we all know the answer. I would say, look who’s back. But he has never really left, has he? Hello Jim Crow? Let’s take a look at just a few of these proposals. As of late March, we have seen a whopping 361 bills introduced in state legislatures in 47 states that seek restrictive voting provisions. Even more telling is the number of these provisions that are being tout-
Last year I wrote a piece about systemic racism. I linked the term systemic racism to the term institutional racism, a term coined by Stokely Carmichael. I pointed out Carmichael stated institutional racism and colonialism were one and the same. However, Carmichael also stated the analogy wasn’t perfect and gave examples as to why the analogy wasn’t sufficient. I simply agreed with Carmichael but went further and claimed that systemic racism was based on an inadequate analogy. Well, I posted that piece on another platform and got a response. The responder suggested that I expand my knowledge of colonialism in order to take into account the “full psychological, social, and cultural dimensions rather than superficial political economics.” I was also instructed to look into the term “internal colony/colonization” coined by Robert Blauner. So, I followed through. In a 1969 paper called: Internal Colonialism and Ghetto Revolt, Blauner suggested that during the late 1950s Black militants began to identify with African nations and other colonized people. As a result, Black militants saw the U.S. as a colonial power and concluded Black people were colonized in American ghettos. Blauner said in the 1960s it was “almost fashionable” to analyze America’s racial conflict in terms of the colonial analogy. However, like Carmichael, Blauner admitted that the analogy was “problem-
Check It Out atic and imprecise,” then he went on to demonstrate the utility of the analogy regardless of its flaws. The first question a fair-minded person would ask is: Why not use a more precise and less problematic analogy? Unfortunately, fair-minded questions like that missed the point because the goal of the analogy wasn’t to make an accurate comparison for better understanding. The goal of the analogy was to solicit and justify a specific response. The analogy here was to colonialism, and the specific response to colonialism is in the title of Blauner’s paper—ghetto revolt— or violence. (Carmichael used the analogy to predict urban guerrilla warfare.) Militants further justified the response to the colonial analogy by pointing out America was a colony of Britain, and the founding fathers led a violent revolt against “the system.” As you can see, the analogy doesn’t have to be accurate, it just has to justify the extremity of the desired response. Obviously, that anecdote is analogous to the title question. So, why do activists
insist on saying police began as slave patrols? At first glance, any fair-minded person would be skeptical of the claim that police began as slave patrols because it logically doesn’t follow. Slaves were chattel, bought and sold like chickens and hogs; the activists, themselves, complain that the U.S. constitution called the slaves three-fifth human, with that being the case, it logically follows that a slave patrol has more in common with a dogcatcher than a police force. The only way a slave patrol is synonymous with a police force is if one believes “the police protect and serve White communities but patrol and control Black ghettos.” (This was a phrase commonly used by Carmichael and members of the Black Panther party) A lot of activists believe this remains true in the 21st century; therefore, the comparison to slave patrols isn’t used because of its accuracy, it’s used to demonize police forces. Now, the Snopes online fact-checker declares the items it checks either: Mostly True, True, Mostly False, False, Unproven, Outdated, Scam or Legend. After Snopes checked whether or not police originated with slave patrols in the United States, the fact-checker declared it: A Mixture. This is like Carmichael and Blauner admitting their analogy was “problematic and imprecise,” but once again, the slave patrol rhetoric isn’t used for its accuracy, it’s used to justify the extremity of the response—which is to abolish the police.
Why does the U. S. support the murder of Palestinians?
Ray Curry
Commentary ed as ‘election reforms’ or protections against ‘voter fraud.’ We have heard this language before. It is in fact, the same tenor and tone that was used during the Jim Crow era to describe voter suppression measures. Then, like now, there was no evidence of rampant voter fraud or voting irregularities. In essence, these measures are touted as reforms for a problem that simply does not exist. The truth, according to numerous academic studies and journalistic reviews, is that election and voter fraud historically have been incredibly rare and affected but a tiny percentage of all votes in the 21st century. To put it another way, the Brennan Center for Justice concluded that it was more likely for an American to be struck by lightning than to commit voter fraud. Nearly half of the voter restrictions measures that have been introduced include provisions to restrict absentee voting. More than 40 bills have also been introduced relating to voter registration that would purge people from the voter rolls and 24 dealing with early voting. Whose America is this? I would call this bad trouble. I am thinking of the late Congressman John Lewis, who fought so tirelessly when it came to voting rights and who called his fight making good trouble. Right now, we have bad trouble going on in almost 50 states. Let’s take a look at two—Georgia, where Black voters were so influential in tipping the balance of the Senate, and Michigan, where I live. In 2020, a record 1.3 million Georgians—more than a quarter of the electorate—voted absentee in the middle of the pandemic. Before the new restrictions, all that was needed was a matching signature. The new law took care of that. Voters looking for that absentee ballot now will have to provide the number of their Georgia’s driver’s license or state identification, along with a birth certificate and possibly a copy of a bank statement or a current utility bill. Records show that about 200,000 Georgians don’t have drivers licenses or a state ID. Three different voting rights groups say that Black voters are less likely than White voters to have the needed ID. Then there are provisional ballots. Old law said you could still have your vote counted if you show up at the wrong precinct in the same county. The new law says no out-of-precinct votes cast before 5 p.m. Black voters, it turns out, move much more frequently than White voters and consequently are more apt to turn up at the wrong precinct. Voting by drop box has also been made more difficult with changed hours and locations. Later to the game but no less ugly is Michigan, which has introduced eight of these types of bills with three advancing so far. Should they make it into law, they would establish a photo ID requirement for both in-person and mail voting; make it harder to even ask for a mail ballot; and would limit the use of mail ballot drop boxes. Fighting the good fight Of course, actual democracy is not taking kindly to Jim Crow’s return. In addition to the sweeping For the People Act (H.R. 1), there are lawsuits filed in the wake of Georgia’s voter suppression measures aimed at stopping Republicans from selecting who gets to vote there. Three groups, including one headed by voting rights champion Stacy Abrams, came together in the suit calling the legislation an effort to impose “unconstitutional burdens on the right to vote”—particularly for Black voters. President Joe Biden has called voter suppression efforts “sick” and went on to say, “What I’m worried about is how un-American this whole initiative is.” So, the fight goes on. Inclusion, the principle that America was founded upon, hangs in the balance. Are we for the people by the people? Or for some, by some? Like I said, I think justice will win out. I think it’s a fight worth fighting for. I also think it is a fight we should not be having—not now, not ever again, if we are to call ourselves a democracy.
J. Pharoah Doss
(TriceEdneyWire.com)—As of this writing, more than 200 Palestinians and 10 Israelis have been killed in the conflict in Gaza. A few days before the conflict began, the Biden Administration approved a $735 million weapons sale to Israel. With this power waning, Israel’s scandal-plagued prime minister is likely to say that Israel needs weapons to defend itself against Hamas. But the imbalance in the casualties suggests that Israel is more likely to have been the aggressor than the victim. Israeli people will say that Hamas started the conflict, but the conflict has its roots in the establishment of Israel in 1948 and the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands. There will be no peace in the Middle East until the land question is settled, with Palestinians getting justice and respect. But Israel has a lock on US foreign policy, and too many Jewish people say that criticism of Israel makes you anti-Semitic. There is no anti-Semitism in wanting justice for Palestinian people, but some, fearful of being called anti-Semitic, are silent in the face of injustice. Of course, there should be a cease-fire, and of course, the United Nations, President Biden, and our State Department should call for a cease-fire. That’s just a short-term solution, though. There has been conflict in the Middle East since Israel was established, and there will likely be conflict until Palestinians feel they have justice. There seems no interest in justice for Palestinians, no interest, even in peaceful co-existence. The discrimination against Palestinian people in Israel is extreme,
be tempted to get us involved in some military action? Will we be trading our presence in Afghanistan for that in the Middle East? And what do voters think about this? The good news is that while the political establishment, including President Biden, has tended to embrace Israel, younger Democrats are questioning how our country is so indifferent to Palestinian rights. On May 13, for example, Massachusetts and even though Israeli Arabs are a sig- Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, a nificant portion of Israel’s medical work- member of “The Squad,” “We can’t stand idly by when the United ers, saving Israeli lives, they still face discrimination. According to the New York States government sends $3.8 billion of Times columnist Thomas Friedman, “Is- military aid to Israel that is used to deraeli Arab medical workers were essential molish Palestinian homes, imprison Palfor enabling Israel’s Jewish citizens to sur- estinian children and displace Palestinvive the coronavirus. According to official ian families.” Too bad more members of figures, 17 percent of Israel’s physicians, Congress don’t share her views. Instead, 24 percent of its nurses, and 47 percent of while Congress can object to the proposed its pharmacists are Arabs.” But they can’t weapons sale, they won’t. They’d rather sit idly by and implicitly approve the killget justice. Of course, the previous President didn’t ing of Palestinian people and Israel’s gradhelp matters at all, sending his rookie ual annexation of Palestinian lands. The son-in-law to “negotiate” peace and unilat- United States was founded by the annexerally deciding the disposition of Jerusa- ation of Native American lands and built lem. The two-state solution, which many with the exploitation of enslaved people’s embrace, has also been rejected. The labor. No wonder we have not objected forceprevious and his administration were so blatantly pro-Israel that they were adding fully to what is happening in the Middle fuel to any burning fire in the Middle East. East. In some ways, Israel has taken a The arms sale to Israel is the least of the page from the US playbook in exploiting matter. Israel gets more foreign aid than Palestinians. No wonder so many are almost any other country in the world. silent in the face of these most recent inWhat could be done with that money to dignities. There will be no peace in the address domestic ills? And are human Middle East until there is justice for Palrights violations in the Middle East egre- estinians. (Julianne Malveaux is an economist and author. gious enough that President Biden might
Julianne Malveaux
News Analysis
She can be reached at juliannemalveaux.com)
COVID-19 is still a global threat to humanity by Jesse Jackson (TriceEdneyWire.com)—COVID-19 knows no national boundaries. It does not discriminate by race or religion or ideology. The pandemic poses a threat to humanity, not to any one country. Our response must be as encompassing as the threat: we cannot end the threat here without ending it everywhere. Today, India is suffering a brutal second wave of the disease. A staggering 400,000 new cases are counted a day; the actual number is surely higher. Medical facilities run out of oxygen, ventilators, and beds. Thousands die a day, increasing numbers from oxygen shortages. The crematoriums are overwhelmed. In some cities, the dead are burned overnight in parking lots; the sun dawns on the ashes left behind. Across the global South, the pandemic rages. South Africa is the epicenter in Africa, with 1.6 million infected and only 500,000 fully vaccinated. Brazil is second only to the U.S. in diseases, but unlike the U.S. where 70 percent will have at least one shot of vaccine by July 4, in Brazil less than 8 percent have been fully vaccinated. With the U.S. well on the way to beating the pandemic at home, we must lift our sights to join in combating it across the world. Public Citizen estimates that for $25 billion, we could buy 8 billion doses of vaccine, enough to vaccinate one-half of the planet.
For far less, we could help countries build manufacturing facilities and enable them to manufacture the vaccine themselves. Is our vision expansive enough to meet the challenge posed by COVID-19? Our vision was big enough to help save Europe after World War II with the Marshall Plan. Is it big enough to help save the global South —and ourselves today? On the evening of April 15 in Indianapolis, a gunman opened fire in a FedEx facility where he had worked. He knew it was overwhelmingly staffed by Sikhs, Indian Americans. Four of the eight people killed were Sikhs. He specifically targeted Sikh employees, with one employee reporting that the gunman “told a White woman running toward him to get out of the way, after having just shot a Sikh man in the face.” The massacre took place just a month after the targeting of Asian American spas in Atlanta which left eight people dead, including six Asian women. Violence against Sikhs and against Asian Americans spiked after 9/11, and now it is spiking again in the wake of the pandemic, which originated in China. Today, a generation after 9/11, Sikhs are five times more likely to be targets of hate than they were before 9/11. With COVID-19 we do not have the luxury of hate. We need to rise above our divisions to join to defeat the pandemic. It is long past time for the U.S. to help mobilize a far bolder global initiative to ensure the rapid vaccination—and the adequate sup-
plies for treatment—across the world. We need to help save Indians and South Africans and Brazilians to help save ourselves. We need to join with China and Russia and our allies to address the needs, not compete with them as if this were a fight over markets or influence. Dr. Martin Luther King taught that all of us are “caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” The pandemic —and future pandemics—demonstrate the truth of his words. We need a bigger vision. We can find it in many faith traditions. In the wake of the massacre in Indianapolis, Valarie Kaur, a Sikh-American civil rights leader, hailed the multiracial vigil that took place to mourn those who were lost, noting, “We need a shift in consciousness and culture. Sound government is necessary but not sufficient to create an America where you see my children as your own. We need educators, community leaders, faith leaders, parents and students everywhere to rebuild and re-imagine our nation where they are. We can find inspiration in the vision of Guru Nanak, the first teacher in the Sikh faith: See no stranger. Anti-racism is the bridge: love is the destination.” We need this consciousness to bring Americans together across boundaries of race and religion. And now we need this heartfelt vision for our own security in dealing with a pandemic that threatens all.
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SOFTWARE ENG. POSITION Aurora Innovation, Inc. seeks Software Eng. in Pittsburgh, PA to work on optimization based model predictive control. Mail resume to Mary Ellen Mahoney, 280 N. Bernardo Ave, Mountain View, CA 94043.
BUSINESS ANALYTICS LEAD The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. seeks a Business Analytics Lead in Pittsburgh, PA. Specific duties include: (1) source appropriate data, apply analytical method(s), interpret the resulting information and then construct an understandable visual representation in the analysis; (2) serve as asubject matter expert of lending sales data; (3) build and publish Customized interactive Dashboards, KPI in Tableau Desktop and Report scheduling using Tableau Server; (4) understand complex business rules and combine salespeople, managers, geographies and hierarchies, and sales activities with loan application and servicing systems to provide insights for business leaders in a repeatable and highly available reporting environment; (5) design, develop and implement various information related deliverables, including KPI, performance reporting, Tableau dashboards and self-service analytical tools; (6) own the production and maintenance of metrics, KPI and performance related reporting and dashboards for BI stakeholders; (7) act in a consultative role with business leaders to implement and drive adoption of metrics and KPIs; (8) drive to one source of truth across the business; and (9) own end-to-end lifecycle for deliverables including requirements gathering, technical development, refinement, adoption and maintenance as a member of a high performing agile crew; and adding value from outset through technical, analytical, and problem-solving skills. Position requires a Bachelor’s degree (employer will accept three- and four-year degrees, including foreign degrees) in Computer Science, Technology, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Information Technology, or Information Systems, plus 5 years of experience in position(s) that involves designing, building, and maintaining data, reporting, and analytical systems. Experience required with the following: (i) developing, maintaining, and optimizing Tableau dashboards, including management of Tableau Server user groups and permissions; (ii) embedding tableau dashboards in the other systems, including custom web portals; (iii) developing complex SQL (stored procedures, functions, materialized views, common table expressions, analytical functions, performance tuning, and partitioning) and ETL processes (aggregations, complicated joins, rank, union, lookup, and custom user defined functions) with advanced features and functionally of multiple data sources (Oracle SQL, Teradata, MS SQL Server, Hadoop, and Hyper); (iv) automating (incremental processing, dependency and schedule management, and error checking) and maintaining complex data transformation pipelines (Tableau Prep, Alteryx, Python, Informatica, Oozie, and OBIEE); and (v) experience, in or for the financial services industry, performing the following: (a) utilizing lending systems, application and loan servicing data models (Empower, OLNACS, EDS, Capital Stream, MSP, ACLS, or FDR), and sales management systems (ADAPT, TIM, Workday, Genesis, CIM, or Salesforce) in production and support of analytics and reporting; (b) interviewing business users; (c) identifying functional and technical requirements; and (d) converting use cases into technical designs (LLD and User Case Diagrams) and solutions (prototypes and mockups) as part of an agile software development process (version One of Jira). 40 hours/week, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Interested individuals apply online at www.pnc.jobs using keyword R058197. PNC provides equal employment opportunity to qualified persons regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or other categories protected by law.
RETAIL MIS SOFTWARE SERVICES GROUP MANAGER The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. seeks a Retail MIS Software Services Group Manager in Pittsburgh, PA. Specific duties include: (i) direct all activities and initiatives related to application services for PNC; (ii) direct and manage the delivery of large and complex application development projects, defining strategies and client needs focused on technology development; (iii) maintain relationships with clients and communicate with Information Technology and business management while also monitoring responses and support for technical issues; (iv) ensure high standards and quality of technical work, directing reviews of tools and technologies for improving performance and reducing costs; and (v) direct, motivate and manage the performance of the management team and key staff. Very limited domestic travel (5-10%) for business meetings is required. Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or Computer Science plus 8 years of information technology consulting experience in the areas of system design, architecture and operations for the financial services industry is required. Experience required with the following: (i) 8 years of hands-on software engineering and architecture experience requiring system design, architecture and operations; (ii) 5 years of information technology management experience inclusive of managing technology budgets; (iii) 5 years of experience in or for a retail financial services company, including experience with technology transformation, operations, and risk management (including both operational and cyber); (iv) architecting, designing and delivering a digital transformation for high-volume customer applications including web and mobile banking in a cloud native architecture, including leading a team of cloud-native architects within the financial services industry; (v) technology workforce and structure transformation to transition from a traditional waterfall structure to an agile (full stack engineering) structure; (vi) building artefacts to include technology target state, current state, and roadmaps within a financial services business domain (core banking, credit card, or origination); (vii) researching, developing and implementing new to bank technology platforms and appropriate governance processes inclusive of enterprise technology standards; (viii) hands-on software development including the following: programming languages, including Java, C/C++, or .Net; internet languages, including HTML, CSS, and XSL; application server experience, including WebSphere, Jboss, or Tomcat; database experience, including Oracle and SQL Server; and Cloud experience, including Cloud platforms (Bluemix, AWS, Azure or GCP); and (ix) strategy, execution and operations of systems development life cycle, including Agile and Devops, cyber security – secure coding, threat assessment and testing, and testing and quality assurance with a focus on automation and repeatability. Must have knowledge of: (i) network and cyber security, including CISCO switches, intrusion detection and prevention (IDS and IPS), Proxy (BlueCoat), Firewall design (Fortinet, Palo Alto, or Check Point), and application and network monitoring (Riverbed, CISCO, or Splunk); and (ii) information technology operations, including enterprise scheduling (Tidal) and information technology service management (ServiceNow). 40 hours/week, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Interested individuals apply online at www.pnc.com using keyword R058582. PNC provides equal employment opportunity to qualified persons regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or other categories protected by law. TECHNICAL SERVICE & CERTIFICATION ENGINEER ProMinent Fluid Controls, Inc. is seeking a Technical Service and Certification Engineer to work in Pittsburgh, PA. The Engineer will be required to provide technical assistance with selection, sizing, commissioning, service, and technical support to chemical feed pumps, on-line residual analyzers, and disinfection equipment including chlorine dioxide generators, UV systems, ozone generators, polymer blending systems and electro chlorinators. Position requires domestic travel up to 50% of the time to various unanticipated employer and client locations. Apply at: https://www.prominent.us/company/ Career_Opportunities
DIGITAL SKILLS INSTRUCTOR POSITION Our Digital Skills Instructor is responsible for leading Literacy Pittsburgh digital skills classes as assigned utilizing the Northstar curriculum and working in support of agency priorities. The Digital Skills Instructor ensures a high-quality experience for students by providing excellent student instruction and support to advance student learning and goal attainment. For more information follow this link: https://www.literacypittsburgh.org/ digital-skills-instructor/ SOUTH FAYETTE TWP. SCHOOL DISTRICT is seeking a MIDDLE SCHOOL SPECIAL EDUCATION PERMANENT SUBSTITUTE TEACHER for one semester during the 2021-2022 school year. Complete job description and directions on how to apply are available at: www.southfayette.org Deadline 4:00 PM June 11, 2021 EOE
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SENIOR PROJECT ANALYST UPMC Benefit Management Services, Inc. seeks a Senior Project Analyst in Pittsburgh, PA to create and develop complex relational databases to extract, sort, and report large volumes of data related to marketing and business analytics for health management software. Create algorithms and design database environments to enhance reporting capabilities and business intelligence on pricing and competitor services. Collect, update, and merge disparate information to create gap analysis studies to identify areas where business can improve features, functionality, services, or pricing of product offerings. Organize and analyze data for strategy decision-making. Develop and recommend business changes or new products or modifications based on data analytics. Telecommuting may be permitted on occasion, but no more than 2-3 times per week. Reqs: Master’s Degree in Computer Science, Management Information Systems, or a related field plus two years of experience in conducting data analysis for business intelligence or Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Management Information Systems, or a related field plus five years of experience in conducting data analysis for business intelligence. Experience can be gained before, during or after degree program. Apply by following these steps; visit http://careers.upmc.com and enter 21000211 in the “Search Keyword/Job ID” field and click Go. EOE/Disability/Veteran
DUPLICATION DOCUMENT SPECIALIST Port Authority is seeking a Duplication Document Specialist to perform office, shop/reproduction duties. Indexes and scans material. Essential Functions: •Operates various duplicating and finishing equipment to reproduce and assemble forms, manuals, correspondence, and other documents. •Modifies electronic documents that are sent for reproduction utilizing Microsoft Word and/or Excel. •Cleans and performs routine maintenance on duplicating and finishing equipment systemwide. •Create and update job ticket, print set-up information and job content information, when necessary, using various software packages. •Maintains current monthly inventory and submit restocking requests, as required. •Determines the print procedures and equipment required to complete print requests Job requirements include: •High School Diploma or GED. •Minimum of one (1) year of related office experience. •Ability to use digital copiers and other print room equipment. •Clerical ability to organize work for efficient production including print room jobs. •Demonstrated ability in the use of Windows, Microsoft Word and Excel. •Ability to scan utilizing various equipment to scan data, manipulate, edit, store, transport, etc. •Ability to sort and file in alphabetical and numeric systems. •Ability to read names and addresses. •Ability to retain and apply a sequence of instructions. •Professional and effective communications skills. •Good organizational skills. •Valid PA driver’s license. Preferred attributes: •Demonstrated ability in the use of Microsoft PowerPoint.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING ENROLLMENT AND PLACEMENT COORDINATOR POSITION Our English Language Learning (ELL) Enrollment and Placement Coordinator is responsible for leading Literacy Pittsburgh’s ELL enrollment, and placement process for the downtown center. The position coordinates classroom-based services for students to create better lives through learning. The coordinator works with the ELL team to ensure that the enrollment, testing, and placement process is a high-quality experience for students. For more information follow this link: https://www.literacypittsburgh.org/ english-language-learningenrollment-coordinator/ TEACHING POSITION Instrumental Music Teacher The Rochester Area School District is accepting applications for a K-12 Music teacher for the 2021-2022 school year. Deadline Until the position is filled Qualified candidates holding a Music Education certificate should express their interest by submitting a cover letter, resume, transcripts, PA standard application, copy of PA certificate, clearances and references to Dr. Jane W. Bovalino, Superintendent of Schools, ROCHESTER AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT, 540 Reno street, Rochester, PA 15074 EOE SOUTH FAYETTE TWP. SCHOOL DISTRICT is seeking a HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER POSITION for the 2021-2022 school year. Complete job description and directions on how to apply are available at: www.southfayette.org Deadline 4:00 PM June 9, 2021 EOE SOUTH FAYETTE TWP. SCHOOL DISTRICT is seeking a MIDDLE SCHOOL SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER for the 2021-2022 school year. Complete job description and directions on how to apply are available at: www.southfayette.org Deadline 4:00 PM June 1, 2021 EOE SOUTH FAYETTE TWP. SCHOOL DISTRICT is seeking a HIGH SCHOOL SPECIAL EDUCATION SUBSTITUTE TEACHER for the 2021-2022 school year. Complete job description and directions on how to apply are available at: www.southfayette.org Deadline 4:00 PM June 11, 2021 EOE
We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package. Interested candidates should forward a cover letter (with salary requirements) and resume to: Glenn Huetter Employment Department 345 Sixth Avenue, 3rd Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527 GHuetter@portauthority.org EOE REAL ESTATE House for Sale
HOME FOR SALE 2633 Brackenridge St Pgh Pa 15219 2Br 1Br row house Living/Dining/ Kitchen and Sun Room with washer dryer hook up in basement. Asking $60,000 Call 412-883-9337 LEGAL ADVERTISING Legal Notices
Estate of UJAZDOWSKI CATHERINE A., Deceased of Glenshaw, Estate No. 03122 of 2021, David R. Ujazdowski, 6 Triple Oak Trail, Gibsonia, PA 15044, Exec. or to MICHAEL J. SALDAMARCO, ESQ., STE 100, 908 PERRY HWY, PITTSBURGH, PA 15229 Estate of DAVID M. BROWN, Deceased of Bethel Park, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Estate No. 02-21-01795, Blair Trunzo, Administrator 34 S. Grandview Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15205 or to ROBIN L. RARIE, Atty; BRENLOVE & FULLER, LLC. 401 Washington Avenue Bridgeville, PA 15017 Estate of MAGDALENE GRIFFIN, Deceased of Bridgeville, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Estate No. 02-21-02871, Kimberly D. Mitchell, Executor, 354 Knoedler Road, Apt. 24 Pittsburgh, PA 15236 or to ROBIN L. RARIE, Atty; BRENLOVE & FULLER, LLC. 401 Washington Avenue Bridgeville, PA 15017 Estate of MARY ANN LANDRY, Deceased of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Estate No. 022103133 of 2021 Kimberly Kennedy, Extr. or to Matthew J. Beam, Esquire, Scolieri Law Group, P.C. , Atty; 1207 Fifth Avenue, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION In the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny, Orphans’ Court Division, Estate of MARY P. CORTAZZO, deceased, Case No. 3341 of 2021: Notice is hereby given that on May 6, 2021, a Petition was filed by Jennifer L. Cortazzo to terminate the interests of the heirs and devisees of Mary P. Cortazzo, deceased, in the real estate located at 345 Lecanto Avenue, East McKeesport, PA 15035 and determine that fee simple title is in Jennifer L. Cortazzo. If no exceptions to the Petition are filed within 30 days, Jennifer L. Cortazzo will seek an Order adjudging that Mary P. Cortazzo’s title is in Jennifer L. Cortazzo. NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION In the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny, Orphans’ Cour t Division, Estate of WILLIAM J. KEARNS, deceased, Case No. 3340 of 2021: Notice is hereby given that on May 6, 2021, a Petition was filed by Connie E. Kearns to terminate the interests of the heirs and devisees of William J. Kearns, deceased, in the real estate located at 41 Solar Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15212 and determine that fee simple title is in Connie E. Kearns. If no exceptions to the Petition are filed within 30 days, Connie E. Kearns will seek an Order adjudging that William J. Kearns’ title is in Connie E. Kearns. NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION In the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny, Orphans’ Court Division, Estate of SARAH A. LUBAWSKI, deceased, Case No. 3342 of 2021: Notice is hereby given that on May 6, 2021, a Petition was filed by Christine D. Lubawski to terminate the interests of the heirs and devisees of Sarah A. Lubawski, deceased, in the real estate located at 716 Excelsior Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15210 and determine that fee simple title is in Christine D. Lubawski. If no exceptions to the Petition are filed within 30 days, Christine D. Lubawski will seek an Order adjudging that Sarah A. Lubawski ‘s title is in Christine D. Lubawski.
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MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY The Community College of Allegheny County Board of Trustees will hold a meeting on June 3, 2021. The meeting will be held virtually beginning at 4:00p.m. and streamed on CCAC’s YouTube page. A copy of the Board meeting agenda will be made available for review on the College’s website (www.ccac.edu) Comments regarding items scheduled for action by the Board may be submitted via email to brichardson@ccac.edu by no later than 3:00 p.m. on the date of the meeting. Comments will be read into the record, up to a maximum of three minutes each. LEGAL ADVERTISEMENT Request for Proposals - Project Based Voucher Program (RFP) Contract No. ACHA - 1645 The Allegheny County Housing Authority is seeking proposals from responsible property owners interested in providing expanded rental housing opportunities for low income families. Properties must be existing housing in Allegheny County, excluding the City of Pittsburgh and the City of McKeesport, in a census tract area with a poverty rate of less than 10% or in a census tract area with a poverty rate between 10% and 15% per the U.S. census bureau. The minimum contract term will be 15 years with a maximum contract term of 20 years at the ACHA’s option. The ACHA will begin to accept proposals on a one-time basis beginning Friday, May 14, 2021 with a closing date of Friday, June 11, 2021. Any proposal received after the expiration of this application period will not be considered. Once received, each proposal will be rated for the program compliance with the goals of deconcentrating poverty, expanding housing and economic opportunities. Once reviewed the successful proposer will be notified in writing of award as well as required public notification. Detailed Applications and selective information will be provided by request to: Mr. Robert Gabbianelli Associate Director, Housing Choice Voucher Program Allegheny County Housing Authority 301 Chartiers Avenue McKees Rocks, PA 15136 412-402-2546 412-355-2175 Fax rgabbianelli@achsng.com Frank Aggazio Executive Director
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ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA he fi e o the o nt ont olle o lle hen o nt Room 104, Court House, Pittsburgh, PA, will receive separate and sealed Bids until 11:00 A.M. prevailing local time, D D ne , and a representative of the Department of Public Works will open and read the Bids in the Gold Room, Room 410, County Court House, Pittsburgh, PA, one half hour later, o lo , for the following: DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS MT TROY ROAD EXTENSION SITE 2 SLOPE STABILIZATION ROSS TOWNSHIP U As a prospective bidder please note the following general Project information regarding: Pre Bid Information, Bidding Requirements, and Contract Conditions. See the Project Manual for detailed information, responsibilities and instructions. PRE-BID INFORMATION: Purchase and/or view the Project Manual and Drawings at the Office of the Contract Manager, Room 504, County Office Building, Pittsburgh, PA. The non refundable charge for the Proposal and a disk containing the Specifications and Drawings is $107.00 including sales tax. The Contract Manager will accept only check or money order to the “COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY” in that amount and WILL NOT ACCEPT CASH OR EXTEND CREDIT. Prospective bidders may request to have bid documents mailed. An additional fee of including tax, for handling costs for each requested proposal must be paid in advance. The fee must be received at the Office of the Contract Manager prior to the mailing of any documents. Interested bidders planning to purchase bid documents or attend the public bid opening are advised to follow Self-Monitoring and Social Distancing guidelines when entering the Allegheny County Courthouse or County Office Building. Interested bidders should also be aware that when entering either the Allegheny County Courthouse or County Office Building, a face mask meeting the guidelines set by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, must be worn at all times. BIDDING REQUIREMENTS: The County requires pre-qualification of bidders, including subcontractors, as specified in e tion o o on ealth o enns l ania Depa t ent o anspo tation pe ifi ations li ation o Edition on this project. Submit Proposal on the supplied form in accordance with the Instructions to Bidders and Specifications; include the following documents with the Bid Form, ALONG WITH ONE COMPLETE PHOTOCOPIED SET OF THE PROPOSAL: •Bid Security- certified check or surety company bond on County’s form to the order of/or running to the County of Allegheny in the amount of five percent of the Bid as evidence that you, the Bidder, will accept and carry out the conditions of the Contract in case of award. The County will accept only bonds written by Surety Companies acceptable on Federal Bonds per the current ede al e iste i la ede al e iste i la is available for inspection in the Contract Office, Room 504, County Office Building, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. •Bidder Certification of Pre-Qualification, Classification and Work Capacity •List of Subcontractors •Statement of Joint Venture Participation •MBE And WBE Goals Attainment Certification (ONLY NECESSARY IF U D D •MBE/WBE Subcontractor and Supplier Commitment and Solicitation Sheets •Work Sheet Required Amount Performed By Contractor on ede al o e ts THE COUNTY WILL REJECT BIDS THAT DO NOT INCLUDE THE EXECUTED DOCUMENTS SPECIFIED ABOVE WITH THE BID FORM. You may not withdraw your bid for a period of Sixty days after the scheduled closing time for receipt of bids. The County Manager reserves the right to reject any and all bids or waive any informality in the bidding. CONTRACT CONDITIONS: In accordance with the provisions of the enns l ania e ailin a e t of st as Department of Labor and Industry, the prevailing minimum wage predetermination requirements as set forth in the Attachments apply to this Project. The anticipated notice to proceed is st The project completion will be 120 consecutive calendar days after the notice to proceed. The County of Allegheny hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this Advertisement, minority business enterprises / women business enterprises [MBE/WBE] will be afforded the full opportunity to submit bids in response to this advertisement and the County will not discriminate against minority and women business enterprises on the grounds of race, sex, color or national origin in consideration for an award. It is a condition of the bidding process/contract that all responsive bidders / contractors shall follow the minority business enterprises and women business enterprises [MBE/WBE] procedures set forth in the project manual/contract documents. helsa a ne ont olle o nt o lle hen PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY Electronic Proposals will be received online at the Port Authority of Allegheny County’s Ebusiness website http e siness po ta tho it o . Proposals/bid submittals will be due a on ne and will be read at a , the same day, at Port Authority’s Heinz location lease onta t the espe ti e ont a t pe ialist o ele on e en e dial in in o ation o the id penin for the following: le t oni
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Bid Number B210535A B210538A B210539A
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Bid Name Reman/New/Exchange Turbochargers - Cummins Engines Portable Toilet Rental Service VMware Horizon Support
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Bid Number B210537A B210318AR
ents a e a aila le o the ollo in ite ot tho it s ain fi es hi d loo itts h enns l ania
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Bid Name Solid Waste Removal & Disposal Printing of Public Timetables
No bidder may withdraw a submitted Proposal for a period of 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 a on a . Please contact the respective Contract Specialist for Tele-Conference dial-in information. Attendance at this meeting is not mandatory, but is strongly encouraged. estions e a din an o the a o e ids ill not e ente tained the o t tho it ithin fi e siness da s o the s hed led id openin 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. ont a to is esponsi le o e penses elated to a i in a pe o an e ond and ins an e he e appli a le ll ite s a e to e deli e ed nless othe ise spe ified osts o deli e ond and ins an e shall e in l ded in idde s p oposal p i in 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.
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NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
LEGAL ADVERTISING
LEGAL ADVERTISING
LEGAL ADVERTISING
Bids/Proposals
Bids/Proposals
Bids/Proposals
NOTICE TO BIDDERS he po ts hi ition tho it will receive sealed bids for on o se a pet nstallation as identified below for the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. The contract for this work will be with the Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. Inquiries regarding the bidding should be made to an ies- E-mail: ies pitts h o Telephone: . Bid Packages may be obtained after the date identified below through Accu-Copy at Additional information on the project can also be found of Accu-Copy’s website at https a op o plan oo his d e tise ent applies to the ollo in oe t id a a e a e id a a e aila le pp o i ate al e
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U ADVERTISEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT ALLEGHENY COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA he lle hen o nt i po t tho it will be receiving scanned PDF proposals through Submittable and a submission link will be sent to each registered plan holder. Submissions are to be submitted via Submittable by p prevailing local time on ne , and bids will be opened by the Airport Authority and results will be emailed by end of business day of bid opening for the following project: ALLEGHENY COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY PROJECT NUMBER D D PARKING LOT REHABILITATION PROJECT PROJECT NUMBERS ALTERNATES AT PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT A pre-bid conference will be held at a on ne This meeting will be a Zoom Meeting. Use the following link to join the meeting via the computer: https oo s p d d lp n d e ad h o addon To join the meeting the following number can be called United States, ashin ton D , eetin D ass ode Attention is called to the fact that not less than the minimum salaries and wages, as determined by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, must be paid on these projects. Proposals must be made on the Authority’s form and in accordance with the Plans and Specifications and the nst tions to idde s . The non-refundable charge of for the Bid Documents and the Plans, and Specifications through the bidding platform Submittable at a aa apitalp o a s s itta le o . Please note that Submittable does not support Internet Explorer 11. Submittable recommends the following browsers: Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Apple Safari. This project has DBE participation goals; DBE firms must be certified with the Pennsylvania Unified Certification Program) U . Firms must be certified prior to award of contract. A searchable database of DBE firms can be found on the PA UCP web site: https dots e pa o U e pa p ie o e do The Airport Authority reserves the right to reject any and all bids or waive any informalities in the bidding. No bidder may withdraw his bid for a period of sixty [60] days after the scheduled closing time for receipt of bids. To view a complete advertisement, which is also included in the bidding documents visit l pitts h o – o po ate – Business Opportunities or call or
COURIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS!
COURIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS! COURIER CLASSIFIEDS…THE ONLY WAY TO GO!
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a esda a Da id a en e on ention ente ast o as s e i ed ednesda ne Da id a en e on ention ente lo al d inist ati e fi e t D esne l d itts h THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH Sealed bids will be received in the Bellefield Avenue Lobby, Administration Building, 341 South Bellefield Avenue until 11:00 A.M. prevailing time ne and will be opened at the same hour in the administration building cafeteria: INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL SUPPLY KITS- 6TH TO 12TH GRADE STUDENTS General Information regarding bids may be obtained at the Purchasing Office, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, RM 349 Pittsburgh, PA 15213. The bid documents are available on the School District’s Purchasing web site at: p hs hools o li on o nit id ppo t nities hasin nde i in s The Board of Public Education reserves the right to reject any and all bids, or select a single item from any bid. e a e an e al i hts and oppo t nit s hool dist i t D PROJECT REQUEST FOR BIDS: The URBAN REDEVELOPMENT U o itts h will receive bids from qualified contractors for the construction of a e sto a in a a e in the itts h e hnolo ente in the South Oakland. Bids will be accepted no later than p prevailing time on ida the th da o ne 2021, via on a e e hnolo . The contractor is to notify the URA via phone or email at least minutes before bids are due if there is a problem encountered while submitting through the IWT portal. No late bids will be accepted. Contract documents will be electronically available after p on ednesda a 2021, only on IWT. Paper copies will not be available for pickup. Contract documents will not be mailed. Bids will only be accepted through IWT. Instruction to register for IWT can be found here: https a o edia si i s D D h n h n pd l l t p d a l d ansition o li hase to pd A pre-bid meeting will be held virtually on h sda ne at 10:00 a through oo Please email a ins i enio oe t n inee l ins i ao to obtain information for this meeting. All interested parties are strongly encouraged to attend. LOWER HILL REDEVELOPMENT Di , in association with as a o and assa o for the Lower Hill Redevelopment: inan ial ente itts h will be bidding twenty-five individual Bid Packages in the following groupings: General Requirements, Site Work, Concrete, Waterproofing, MEP, Fire Protection, Structural Steel, and Elevators. Issuance on ne 7, 2021; ids DU ne ; and award l and st . All documents will be provided upon request via a document sharing site. Email fi e o e p di o to request the Bid Invitation or go to lo e hill ede elop ent o onst tion iddin ht l
COURIER CLASSIFIEDS… THE ONLY WAY TO GO!
ALLEGHENY COUNTY SANITARY AUTHORITY LEGAL NOTICE ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM UPGRADE Sealed Bids for CONTRACT NO. le t i al Dist i tion ste Up ade shall be received at the Engineering Department office of the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority, 3300 Preble Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15233, until 11:00 A.M., Prevailing Time, esda l and then shall be publicly opened and read. A Pre-Bid Meeting will be held via a video conference call on h sda ne at 10:00 A.M., Prevailing Time. ALCOSAN encourages businesses owned and operated by minorities and women to submit bids on Authority Contracts or to participate as subcontractors or suppliers to successful Bidders. Successful Bidders are to use minority and women’s businesses to the fullest extent possible. Contract Documents may be examined and obtained at the Engineering office of the Authority. A non-refundable fee of ne h nd ed dolla s no ash o edit a ds ill e a epted will be charged for each set of Contract Documents received. Bid Security shall be furnished by providing with the Bid a Certified Check or Bid Bond in the amount of of the Bid Price. Contract documents must be purchased directly from ALCOSAN to qualify as an eligible bidder. Any questions regarding the Contract Documents should be directed to adle oo i hael a e nte national ia e ail to adle oo a e intl o Any questions regarding the Purchase of Contract Documents should be directed to athleen Uniato s i , via email to ont a t le s al osan o The Authority reserves the right to reject any or all bids, to waive any informality in any bid and to accept any bid should it be deemed in the interest of the Authority to do so. ALLEGHENY COUNTY SANITARY AUTHORITY i el enned Di e to o n inee in and onst tion LEGAL ADVERTISEMENT INVITATION FOR BID ON-CALL HVAC SERVICES he lle hen o nt o sin tho it is requesting Bids from qualified vendors to provide on-call services in maintaining and servicing of the HVAC systems throughout Allegheny County properties, this is to include but not limited to, chillers, boilers, roof top package units, split systems pumps, motors and some piping needs. Invitation for Bids and Contract Documents are on file and may be obtained at no charge from the Allegheny County Housing Authority, 301 Chartiers Ave, McKees Rocks, PA 15136, or by contacting hillips at phillips a hsn o , A pre-bid conference call will be held on ednesda ne at a . at the address above. Bid submittals are due no later than p , ida ne . The Authority encourages responses from small firms, minority firms and firms that have not previously performed work for the ACHA. The Allegheny County Housing Authority reserves the right to reject any and all submissions. e
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THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH Sealed bids will be received in the Bellefield Avenue Lobby, Administration Building, 341 South Bellefield Avenue until 11:00 A.M. prevailing time ne and will be opened at the same hour in the administration building cafeteria: D U General Information regarding bids may be obtained at the Purchasing Office, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, RM 349 Pittsburgh, PA 15213. The bid documents are available on the School District’s Purchasing web site at: p hs hools o li on o nit id ppo t nities hasin nde i in s The Board of Public Education reserves the right to reject any and all bids, or select a single item from any bid. e a e an e al i hts and oppo t nit s hool dist i t