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Rev. Ketlen A. Solak elected bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh Page A4
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PRESIDENT JUDGE KIM BERKELEY CLARK SPEAKS OUT
‘Waning public confidence in justice system’ must be addressed by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer
Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas President Judge Kim Berkeley Clark, the first Black person to hold the court’s top position in its history, boldly declared that the court must address the “waning public confidence in the justice system amidst the growing and compelling evidence that persons of color are at a greater risk of death or serious bodily injury at the hands of the police and are more likely to languish in the child welfare and juvenile and criminal justice systems than White persons.” Her letter was posted to the court’s website on June 23. While not completely unorthodox, a president judge publicly addressing race and, more notably, outlining steps the court is taking to lessen African Americans’ entry into the judicial system via strategic initiatives, doesn’t happen every day. But for President Judge Clark, who was born and raised in Wilkinsburg, graduated from an HBCU (Tennessee State University) and had been on the
front lines of the Pittsburgh area’s judicial system in the family division for 20 years, she felt the need to speak out. “While judges have a duty to uphold the law and, in many cases, impose sanctions and consequences on those who violate the law, we have an equal duty to promote public confidence in the judiciary as an independent and unbiased institution,” President Judge Clark wrote. “This means that Allegheny County Courts must be at the forefront in addressing these issues. We must undergo an ongoing and critical evaluation of how justice is administered in Allegheny County. It means we must openly acknowledge and address our flaws, rather than rely on the powers and privileges that may allow us to turn a blind eye to them. Please understand that our history is calling us to work collaboratively and inclusively to make positive changes in the justice system that will benefit all citizens.” The justice system, to the untrained eye, seems fair and equal. President Judge Clark, in her letter, referred to the phrase,
PRESIDENT JUDGE KIM BERKELEY CLARK wants to create a new mission for the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, one that seeks to eliminate systemic racism.
“Equal Justice Under Law,” which is engraved above the front entrance of the U.S. Supreme Court Building, in Washington, D.C. The words are from the 14th Amendment of the Constitution which, among other things, granted citizenship to former slaves. The laws, as written, seem to be the same for all. If that’s the case, then how do African Americans outnumber Whites in federal and state prisons, although Blacks are just 12 percent of the total U.S. population? How do African Americans vastly outnumber Whites in the Allegheny County Jail (ACJ), although Blacks make up just 14 percent of the county? The Bureau of Justice Statistics reported that in 2017, there were 475,900 African Americans incarcerated in federal and state prisons, almost 40,000 more than the 436,500 Whites imprisoned. A report from the Pittsburgh-based Abolitionist Law Center in 2020 found that Blacks made up 67 percent of ACJ inmates. SEE BERKELEY CLARK A2
TALI now an ‘institute,’ as organization gets $1 million grant from BNY Mellon by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer
Just in time for the “initiative” to officially become the “institute,” a huge donation was made by a local foundation to a local organization that prides itself on cultivating African American executive talent. The BNY Mellon Foundation of Southwestern Pennsylvania awarded The Advanced Leadership Institute (formerly The Advanced Leadership Initiative) $1 million, it was announced on June 23, to support TALI’s mission, one that’s been heralded across the country. “We were so excited to receive the news,” TALI President and CEO Evan Frazier said on News Radio KDKA (100.1 FM, 1020 AM), June 24. “It came at such a critical time as we’re moving from initiative to
institute, and we couldn’t be more pleased with their ongoing commitment that they’ve (BNY Mellon) continued to demonstrate.” As we speak, the third cohort of TALI’s Executive Leadership Academy is learning the ins and outs about corporate leadership, taught by leading professors from Carnegie Mellon University. The seven-month training program ends in July, which will be followed by a graduation ceremony, of sorts. Some of the members of the third cohort are: Diamonte Walker, deputy executive director, Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh; Olivia Benson, chief operating officer, The Forbes Funds; Michael Crawford, managing director, finance and administration, FedEx Ground; SEE TALI A3
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EVAN FRAZIER, president and CEO of The Advanced Leadership Institute. (Photo by Brian Cook Sr.)
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President Judge Clark speaks out
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BERKLEY CLARK FROM A1
Except for Juneteenth, the Black Music Festival and some events at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything in Pittsburgh that’s 67 percent Black. Except the jail. And that’s a big problem, President Judge Clark belives. “Despite the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment, our history has demonstrated that justice has not always been equal
wrote that she is assembling a “diverse group of citizens in Allegheny County and staff of the Fifth Judicial District” to help her create a mission for the court “that truly sets forth our responsibility to all members of the public that we serve.” She wrote that crafting a new mission is imperative to everyone, inside and outside the court, in understanding the court’s responsibility to the public. In her letter, she outlined some initiatives the court has already been doing to address racial and
“To truly achieve justice, the proverbial scales of justice must be balanced.” KIM BERKELEY CLARK President Judge, Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas for many Americans, particularly for racial and ethnic minorities, women, persons with disabilities, those who do not fit into what society has decided are traditional gender roles, and those living in poverty. What we need to do is ensure that we develop a justice system that not only promotes equality, but ensures equity,” President Judge Clark wrote. “To truly achieve justice, the proverbial scales of justice must be balanced. We must take into account the uneven playing field on which racial and ethnic minorities, those who do not squarely fit into traditional gender roles, other disadvantaged persons, and the poor enter the justice system. The public must see members of our local judiciary and court staff working with urgency to attain this goal in equal solidarity with them, with other justice-related institutions, and with each other. The Fifth Judicial District (Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas) must rise to this generational challenge.” President Judge Clark
ethnic disparities, and systematic racism in the justice system: - Utilization of the PA Detention Risk Assessment, which has significantly reduced the number of juveniles held in pre-trial detention; - Utilization of the Youth Level of Service/ Case Management Inventory to help identify the risk factors for recidivism, which has significantly reduced the number of delinquent youth in out-ofhome placements; - Utilization of diversionary programs to prevent entry into the juvenile justice system; - Establishment of a robust Department of Pretrial Services of Allegheny County; - Utilization of treatment courts (Mental Health Court, Drug Court, Veteran’s Court, PRIDE Court) to divert individuals from incarceration to treatment; - Establishment of Housing Court to reduce evictions, and improve judicial access through a Help Desk designed to assist litigants by providing information, forms, and referral resources;
- Implementation of a Language Access Plan to promote equal access for limited or non-English speakers and deaf/hard of hearing court users; - Fostering collaboration between Magisterial District Judges and community stakeholders to educate the community regarding procedures in landlord-tenant cases; - The MacArthur Safety and Justice Challenge with a focus on meaningfully addressing the racial and ethnic inequities in the justice system; - The significant reduction of the population in the Allegheny County Jail and the continued efforts to reduce the population; Implementation of Anti-Discrimination and Implicit Bias Training consistent with the Fifth Judicial District’s Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunity Policy that prohibits all forms of discrimination because of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, or religion; - Prompt investigation and redress of Non-Discrimination and EEO Policy violations to ensure that all individuals, including employees, applicants for employment, litigants, witnesses, jurors, and court volunteers are treated in a dignified, civil, respectful, and non-discriminatory manner; - Collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh Institute of Politics, the Allegheny County Executive, and the Allegheny Department of Human Services to address criminal justice reform. President Judge Clark said that progress has been made in the quest for “equal justice for all.” But, she added, “the struggle is ongoing. We are committed to collecting and examining the data to identify disparities throughout all divisions of the justice system and will continue to examine our processes and procedures that might contribute to racial and ethnic injustice.”
1847—Dred Scott, and his wife, Harriet) files his famous lawsuit in St. Louis Circuit Court arguing that after living with a slave master for several years in non-slave territories, they should be considered free. After several twists and turns, the case makes its way to the United States Supreme Court where the court rules against Scott and Justice Roger B. Taney writes what may be the most racist decision ever rendered by the court. Taney wrote that Scott was “private property” and had no right to sue in federal court. He also declared that Blacks were not citizens of America and never could be. Then he topped the decision by writing of Scott and all Blacks, “being of inferior order, and altogether unfit to associate with the White race…they have no rights which the White man is bound to respect.” 1917—Glamorous Singer-Actress Lena Horne is born in Brooklyn, N.Y., to an upper-income Black family. She would perform with Jazz greats such as Artie Shaw, Teddy Wilson, Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington. She also became the first African-American woman to sign a long-term contract with a major Hollywood studio. But she became disenchanted with Hollywood and returned to her nightclub career. She is best known for her 1940s hit “Stormy Weather.” In her later years she became active in civil rights including participation in Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic 1963 March on Washington. Horne died on May 9, 2010 at the age of 92. 1995—Song-stylist and singer Phyllis Hyman commits suicide in New York City shortly before she was scheduled to perform at a concert. Hyman was one of the premier female vocalists of her day. The reasons for her suicide were unclear. She left a note which read in part “I’m tired. I’m tired.” Hyman was 45—six days short of her 46 birthday— when she died.
JULY 1
1863—Walter Francis White is born in Atlanta, Ga. For nearly 25 years White was one of the most inFla. uential Black leaders in the nation. He headed the NAACP from 1931 to 1955. However, he first received national attention because of the way he looked. As a light-complexioned Black man with blue eyes, White was able to infiltrate racist groups and investigate planned brutality against Blacks. But in 1919, he barely escaped with his life while attempting to investigate the deadly Elaine Race Riot in Phillips County, Ark., which had left more than 200 Blacks dead. Somehow the mob discovered that White was in the area and set out to lynch him. But he was able to catch a train back to Little Rock before he could be identified. While on the train, the White conductor told him he was leaving town too early because the mob had discovered “a damn yellow Nigger passing for White and the boys are going to get him.” White would die in New York City in 1955. His autobiography is entitled “A Man Called White.” 1899—Thomas Andrew Dorsey is born in Villa Rica, Ga. Dorsey is widely credited with being the “Father of Gospel Music.” During the early 1930s, after leaving Atlanta for Chicago, Dorsey combined gospel and the blues while performing under the name “Georgia Tom.” He wrote more than 400 gospel and blues songs including his most famous “Precious THE Lord, Take NEW PITTSBURGH My Hand.” COURIER PUBLISHING COMPANY
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He died in Chicago in 1993 at the age of 96. Once asked to comment on his life, Dorsey said, “I had hope, faith, courage, aspiration and most of all determination to accomplish something in life.”
JULY 2
1777—Vermont becomes first U.S. territory to abolish slavery. By 1783, New Hampshire and Massachusetts had followed Vermont’s lead. The abolition of slavery was formally placed in the Vermont Constitution, which was formally adopted on July 8, 1777. A major force in the early abolition movement was a group known as the Rights of Man Movement. 1908—Thurgood Marshall is born in Baltimore, Md. Marshall would go on to become chief counsel for the NAACP and the lead attorney in the Brown v. Board of Education case, which led to the desegregation of the nation’s schools. President Lyndon Johnson would, in June 1967, nominate him to be the first African American Justice on the United States Supreme Court because as Johnson put it, “It was the right thing to do and the right time to do it.”
JULY 3
1775—Prince Hall founds African Lodge Number One—the first Black lodge of Free Masons in the United States. Hall would become the pioneer builder of Black Masons in America. He was also a leading voice against slavery and for Black rights in the North. 1962—The first Black man permitted to play Major League Baseball, Jackie Robinson, is named to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
JULY 4
1792—Thaddeus Stevens is born. Stevens would become one of the great White heroes of Black history. He was a leader of a group known as the “Radical Republicans” which fought tirelessly in Congress against slavery. It was Stevens who introduced the 14th Amendment to the Constitution which, in effect, made the former slaves full citizens of the United States. It also contains the due process and equal protection clauses of the Constitution. These clauses are now considered two of the most fundamental underpinnings of American law and were used extensively during the Civil Rights Movement to outlaw discrimination against Blacks.
JULY 5
1975—Tennis star Arthur Ashe becomes the first Black man to win the men’s singles championship at Wimbledon defeating Jimmy Connors. Ashe was born and raised in Richmond, Va. During his prestigious career he had become active in several social causes including frequent protests against the system of racial oppression known as apartheid in then White-ruled South Africa. Ashe contracted AIDS as a result of blood transfusion in 1988. He died of AIDS complications on Feb. 6, 1993.
JULY 6
1853—The first novel written by an African-American is published on this day. However, the novel had to be published in England because the author William Wells Brown was a fugitive slave. The novel was entitled “Clotel” or “The President’s Daughter” and may have been partially inspired by the then rumored relationship between President Thomas Jefferson and the slave Sally Hemmings.
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TALI gets $1 million grant from BNY Mellon TALI FROM A1
Darnell Grinage, environmental services director, UPMC; Rebekah Hughey, medical director, Gateway Health; Cynthia James, pres-
ONYEKA EGBUNA, Audit Director, FHLBank Pittsburgh, is part of the current cohort for TALI’s Executive Academy.
ident and CEO, YouthPlaces, Inc.; and Thomas Powell, financial solutions advisor, Merrill Lynch. Frazier, himself well-versed in the corporate arena as the longtime senior vice president of community affairs for Highmark Health, has told the New Pittsburgh Courier over the years his desire to create a program that would exponentially help African Americans get prepared for C-Suite level positions at corporations. It’s not just Pittsburgh where there’s a dearth of African Americans in executive positions. A 2019 report from the Center for Talent Innovation, referenced by CBS News, said that Blacks made up just 3.2 percent of the senior leadership roles across the U.S., and less than 1 percent of all Fortune 500 CEO positions. In the history of the popular “Fortune 500” companies listing that is released annually since 1999, there’s been only 18 Black CEOs of those companies. Currently there are four Black CEOs of Fortune 500 companies—Marvin El-
lison, Lowe’s; Roger Ferguson, TIAA; Kenneth Frazier, Merck; Rene Jones, M&T Bank. “It’s embarrassing because there are thousands of Black people who are just as qualified or more qualified than I am who deserve the opportunity, but haven’t been given the opportunity,” retired American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault, who is Black, said to those at the Center for Talent Innovation, reported by CBS News. “Companies are missing out on amazing talent at the top of their organizations, and Black professionals are not given the opportunity to fulfill their aspirations,” said Julia Kennedy, the Center for Talent Innovation executive vice president, reported by CBS News. Frazier has proven that there isn’t a problem getting qualified African American candidates in Pittsburgh who want to move up the corporate ladder and be part of the Executive Leadership Academy. The first two cohorts have produced 51 graduates, and the current cohort has 28 members. Frazier said it’s more about making sure Pittsburgh’s top companies are on board with committing to financially investing in its Black mid-level employees to get them prepared for the executive level positions. Most of the cohort members are “sponsored” by the current company of which they’re employed, while TALI has been attaining funding from various for-profit and nonprofit entities to operate as a whole. In February, Highmark Health announced it was granting TALI $1.5 million over five years to support the institute’s mission. “We will be persistent in our objectives to increase inclusion and representation across our organization and within the communities we serve,” said Daniel Onorato, EVP of corporate affairs at
Highmark Health, in a release obtained by the Courier. “Our continued support of TALI, and now the TALI Institute, is a natural nextstep and will remain an im-
DIAMONTE WALKER, Deputy Executive Director, Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, is part of the current cohort for TALI’s Executive Academy. portant piece of our strategic DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) framework.” In December 2020, the Richard King Mellon Foundation announced it was granting TALI $1 million. “Supporting Black leadership has been an ongoing focus for us,” said Richard King Mellon Foundation Director Sam Reiman, in a statement. “That’s why we seeded TALI with its first six-figure grant in 2018. And now, we are making an even larger grant…in hopes that TALI can seize this remarkable societal moment to generate even greater private-sector enthusiasm for its important work.” “We have been very fortunate to have wonderful corporate support from when we started the initiative several years ago,” Frazier said on News Radio KDKA. “... It really does take both investment and engagement in an initiative like this where we’re looking to help invest in diverse talent for our region.”
TALI’S EXECUTIVE TEAM—Shelly Hammond, Evan Frazier, Jeanean White, Gerard Adore, Dr. Mitchel Nickols. (Photo by Courier photographer Brian Cook Sr.)
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Courier named among the best Black newspapers in America The New Pittsburgh Courier is among the top three African American newspapers in America, according to a recent presentation of the National Newspaper Publishers Association’s “Messenger Awards,” held virtually, June 24. The NNPA is the official organization of the Black Press. It is composed of nearly 200 African American newspapers or online media outlets, including the Courier, and the Courier’s parent newspaper, the Michigan Chronicle, both owned by Detroit-based Real Times Media. The Courier placed third in the John Russwurm Pinnacle Award, which recognizes a publication as the top Black newspaper in the country. Second place went to the Houston Forward Times, and first place went to the St. Louis American. In addition to the thirdplace Pinnacle Award, the Courier won six awards throughout the ceremony, based off en-
tries from the year 2020: - First Place, best overall website, www. n e w p i t t s b u r g h c o u r i e r. com. - First Place, best newsletter. - Second Place, best business section, specifically for a story written by Diane I. Daniels and Rob Taylor Jr. on the Hill District Federal Credit Union. - Second Place, best newspaper layout and design, credited to Courier graphic designer Warren King, managing editor Rob Taylor Jr. and editor and publisher, Rod Doss. - Third Place, best original photography, for a photo by managing editor Rob Taylor Jr. of a Pittsburgh Black girl holding a sign during the George Floyd protests that read, “Stop Killing Us.” (Photo at right) - Third Place, best entertainment section.
Rev. Ketlen A. Solak elected bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh First African American to hold position The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh has elected the Rev. Ketlen A. Solak as its next bishop, the New Pittsburgh Courier has learned. Solak, born and raised in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, currently serves as rector of Brandywine Collaborative Ministries in Wilmington, Delaware. She will be consecrated and installed as the ninth bishop of Pittsburgh on Nov. 13, succeeding Bishop Dorsey McConnell, who is retiring. “I am ready to become a Pittsburgher for Jesus!” Solak said in an address to the diocese moments after being elected, June 26. “I am deeply moved. God has done this. With God’s help you have discerned and elected a new bishop, and I am humbled by the honor of the one being chosen. The future of your diocese, which is soon to become our diocese, is bright.” The bishop-elect was chosen by clergy and lay leaders representing each parish of the diocese during a special convention held on June 26 solely for the purpose of electing a bishop from a slate of five nominees. She was elected on the third round of balloting with 56 percent of the clergy votes and 54 percent of lay votes. A majority of both clergy and lay votes in the same round was needed for election. “We are so grateful for the historic election of Ketlen Solak as the ninth bishop of Pittsburgh. She is a dynamic and collaborative leader who will support us in our ministries of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ, welcoming all
REV. KETLEN A. SOLAK of God’s people, and working for justice and peace in our world,” said the Rev. Noah Evans, president of the diocesan standing committee, the senior governing body that oversaw the election process, in a statement. The other nominees were the Very Rev. Kim L. Coleman, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, Arlington, Virginia; the Rev. Scott A. Gunn, executive director of Forward Movement, based in Cincinnati, Ohio; the Rev. Jeffrey D. Murph, rector of St. Thomas Church, Oakmont, Pennsylvania; and the Rev. Diana L. Wilcox, rector of Christ Church in Bloomfield and Glen Ridge, New Jersey. The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh has 34 actively participating congregations serve approximately 9,072 parishioners in the region.
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Westinghouse coach Donta Green appointed executive director of the Trade Institute of Pittsburgh The New Pittsburgh Courier has learned that Donta Green, head coach of the championship-winning Westinghouse Bulldogs, has been appointed executive director at the Trade Institute of Pittsburgh. The announcement was made June 28. “The decision to appoint Mr. Green acknowledges his outstanding performance and leadership over the past year in the role of Acting Chief Operating Officer,” read a release from Maggie Beldecos, chief operating officer. “In the face of challenges posed by the pandemic, Mr. Green successfully directed operations and managed students, faculty, and staff. Over the last four years, he has guided nearly 200 students to graduation and facilitated their
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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 Now offering in-person services, with limited capacity and required pre-registration through the website, and virtual services!! Worship Online on Facebook/YouTube www.ELPC.church Summer worship.......10:00 a.m. Taize -Wednesdays.........7:00 p.m.
DONTA GREEN is head coach of the Westinghouse Bulldogs football team. The team won a city championship in 2020.
DONTA GREEN, a member of the 2017 New Pittsburgh Courier “Men of Excellence.”
placement in full-time jobs. During this time, Mr. Green established more than 90 community and employer partnerships. He helped over 50 students to have their driver’s license reinstated or to get one for the first time.” Green is the second executive director of the organization since its founding in 2010 as a spinoff of the University of Pittsburgh Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence. “Donta brings a wealth of knowledge and community connections to his new role. He’s an inspiring leader who understands community needs and dynamics, and he exemplifies the values we try to instill in our students,” said TIP Board Chair, Ann Dugan, in a statement. Green led Westinghouse to their first City League title in 2020 in 24 years. He also serves
his church ministry and, with his supportive and loving wife, is a proud and dedicated father, the release said. “I am honored to serve the Trade Institute as the new Executive Director. I believe the transformation that students experience at TIP will
Donta Green was a member of the Courier’s ‘Men of Excellence’ in 2017. be life changing for generations to come,” Green said in a statement. Green is a member of the Courier’s “Fab 40” under 40 and “Men of Excellence.” He received his B.A. in Criminal Justice from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. A Larimer native,
Green volunteers on several advisory boards in the Homewood community including the Westinghouse Entrepreneurial Program Advisory Board and the Homewood Children’s Village Site Team. Green was selected to participate in the 2021 cohort of the University of Pittsburgh’s Entrepreneurial Fellows Class and the Stand Together Foundation Catalyst Program. The Trade Institute of Pittsburgh is a nonprofit vocational training provider dedicated to providing opportunities for individuals with barriers to employment while meeting a growing need for skilled tradespeople across the region.
They make six figures...and are still struggling!
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“For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then WE which are alive and remain shall be caught up together, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall We ever be with the Lord.”
Read about it from our personal finance guru, Damon Carr, on page B1.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 REV. WALKER SAYS: The Lord is coming back, we don’t when but we know how. Question. Are you ready?? (Rev. A. Marie Walker is servant pastor of St. John Baptist Church.)
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WHILE FEDERAL LAWMAKERS seek to understand how best to bring the nation out of health and financial crises, many advocates are calling for a new paradigm: intentional inclusion of all who have been shut out, knocked down and underserved. (Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA)
Black America needs a ‘New Normal’: Equitable credit access to build wealth by Charlene Crowell For New Pittsburgh Courier
(NNPA)—Over the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has imposed dual crises. Over 542,000 Americans lives were lost and continue to increase. At the same time, the rippling effects of a massive economic downturn has caused the nation to lose 9.5 million jobs—more losses than even those of the Great Recession, finds the University of New Hampshire’s Carsey School of Public Policy. Although many officials have called for a ‘return to normal’, millions of small businesses and communities need something new instead. In Black America especially, the ‘old normal’ never delivered equitable access to wealth-building opportunities as those that well-served much of White America. Instead, a lengthy history of public policies designed to create and sustain a burgeoning middle class systemically excluded Blacks and other people of color. Now, while federal lawmakers seek to understand how best to bring the nation out of health and financial crises, many advocates are calling for a new paradigm: intentional inclusion of all who have been shut out, knocked down and underserved. Recent testimony before Capitol Hill committees focused on dif-
ferent issues but led to the same conclusion: the time for change is now. For example, comments during a February confirmation hearing for Adewale Adeyemo, nominated by President Biden to become Deputy Treasury Secretary,
implement the executive order requiring all federal offices to submit diversity and inclusion plans to the Office of Management and Budget. In the interim, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, as reported by the New York Times, announced
Although many officials have called for a ‘return to normal,’ millions of small businesses and communities need something new instead. In Black America especially, the ‘old normal’ never delivered equitable access to wealth-building opportunities as those that well-served much of White America. Instead, a lengthy history of public policies designed to create and sustain a burgeoning middle class systemically excluded Blacks and other people of color. the nominee said, “Until we contain the pandemic, economic policy must remain focused on providing relief to those harmed by the public health crisis, especially those disproportionately impacted: low-income communities and communities of color. The pandemic has exacerbated inequality, strained families, and exposed disparities in opportunity throughout our country that existed long before COVID-19. Without additional relief, this hardship will become even more acute and will inflict long-lasting pain on countless Americans.” Adeyemo is the agency’s point-person to
plans to invest $9 billion into Community Development Financial Institutions and Minority Depository Institutions as they look to step up lending. Concurrently, the U.S. House of Representatives’ Financial Services Committee has convened multiple hearings that featured expert witness testimony echoing the calls of Mr. Adeyemo. On March 10 the full committee held a hearing entitled, Justice for All: Achieving Racial Equity Through Fair Access to Housing and Financial Services. Rep. Maxine Waters, a California Congresswoman and committee chair’s open-
ing remarks set the tone of the forum. “Today we are here to discuss steps that this Committee can take to create justice and achieve racial equity through access to fair housing and financial services.... And no matter where you are—and who you are—in America or around the world, institutional racism based on skin color creates barriers that impact social and economic outcomes,” noted Ms. Waters. Testifying on behalf of the Center for Responsible Lending, Nikitra Bailey, Executive Vice President recounted the legacy of federal housing policies whose sum created today’s financial inequities. A 1933 federal housing program, the Home Owners Loan Corporation (HOLC), supported redlining through its underwriting guidelines. As a result, Black and other communities of color, were denied access to mainstream financing. During the first 35 years of this program, only 2 percent of FHA insured mortgage loans went to Black and other homebuyers of color. Similarly, the 1944 GI Bill, continued the same systemic discrimination. In Mississippi, for example, the 3,329 VA -approved mortgages included two Black servicemembers. Fast forward to more recent times, by the early 2000s, half of all mortgages SEE NEW NORMAL B2
The numbers don’t add up! Some time ago, I’d read an article in “O,” The Oprah Magazine, entitled “Debt Diet.” It comes as no surprise to me that most Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck, hand-to-mouth, struggling to make ends meet. What caught my attention as I was reading this article is the fact that all of the families that were profiled in the article made more than $100,000 per year. Over the years, I’ve read similar articles appearing in magazines published by “Black Enterprise,” “Smart Money,” “Kiplinger” and “Consumer Reports.” All of these articles shared a similar story—high-income people struggling to get by financially. In a “Money Magazine” publication the lead story on the cover was “Scrapping by on $150,000 per year.” Each article shared some helpful ideas on how to regain control of your money. However, all of them fell short of illustrating what I’m about to point out in this article. People who are truly winning financially are people who are extremely frugal, avoid borrowing money, and are super-savers. That, dear friend, is un-American. I despise a victim’s mentality. However, I must say that conventional wisdom, marketing, Uncle Sam, advanced and modern technology, ego, laziness, and the turning of various products and services that were free into commodities all have a part in our eventual financial demise. In other words, it’s not entirely your fault. This money-driven world is set up for us to fail. We play a huge a part in our financial demise with ego and laziness but there are a lot of outside influences that add to the madness. It appears that everyone has an agenda for our money but us!
Conventional wisdom suggests that we give 10 percent of our income to the local church or some charitable organization and that we save 10 percent of our income for our individual future needs and goals. You heard the saying, “pay yourself first.” Sound advice! Who would disagree? I question its practicability. You see, once you factor in the fact that federal, state, local and social security taxes along with various payroll deductions like health insurance account for roughly 25–30 percent of our paycheck...If you were to save 10 percent, give away 10 percent and payroll deductions hit you for another 30 percent, that’s 50 percent of your paycheck gone and you have yet to pay the mortgage, feed and clothe the family, pay utility bills and put gas in the car. You can stretch a dollar but so far. That’s why you have people “Scrapping by on $150,000 per year.” Household income generally parallels household expenses. “More money, more expenses, more debt —More problems.” Uncle Sam is a pimp: When I noticed the character they portray as Uncle Sam and the self-proclaimed pimp Arch Bishop Don Magic Juan both wore top hats and funny colorful suits, it hit me—Uncle Sam is a pimp. Both make a living off of having hard-working people do the dirty work while they reap huge income rewards. Don’t even dare try to shortchange Uncle Sam or Don Magic Juan what you owe them. You’ll
be pimp-smacked with fees, penalties, interest and a bad reputation. As if federal, state, social security, and local taxes are not enough, we’re hit with property taxes and sales taxes on products and services we buy. If you manage to save too much money and die without a sound financial plan, you’ll be hit with death taxes as well. Marketing: They’re out to get you! From the moment you wake up until the moment you fall asleep, you’ll be hit with millions of marketing messages via mail, email, Internet and television, etc. The marketing messages have one thing in mind: To extract money from your pockets to theirs. Don’t fall for the overly hyped product and service pitches. Don’t buy until you’re ready, willing and able! Advanced technology/Modern technology is costly: Most financial advisors speak candidly about inflation eroding our purchasing power. Do you remember back in the day when it was just CBS, ABC and NBC to watch on television? As long as you had a television, these services were free. Nowadays with cable, dish network, and streaming services most Americans have more than 250 channels to flip through on the television with an average price tag of $250 per month. Space will not allow me to go into detail about cell phones, Internet services, and satellite radio. Suffice to say, the typical cell phone bill is 1,000 percent more than the home landline phone bill ever was. This has noth-
ing to do with technology but I wish I had thought of packaging water in a bottle then selling it. The bottom line is modern technology has grown faster than our wages. Let go of the ego: I’m not talking about waffles. I’m talking about adult peer pressure, cultural expectation or what most people refer to as “keeping up with the Joneses.” I’ve gone into great detail in the past on this subject. The question is would you rather “look rich” or “be rich.” Financial guru Suze Orman said, “People spend more than they have because they feel less than.” In other words, keeping up with the Joneses is truly a self-esteem issue. The cost of a compliment can be outrageously expensive. Laziness begets poverty: Nowadays, we pay people to cook, clean the house, wash our clothes, shovel the snow, cut the grass, uber us around and raise our children. The best way to save a dollar is through good old fashioned “sweat equity.” In other words, roll your sleeves up and do it yourself! It’s both convenient and costly to have others do things that you can do for yourself. You now understand why you’re not getting ahead financially like you think you should. Now that you know, you have no excuses. Either you’re going to work hard, spend smart, become more frugal and save aggressively or you’ll one day be in the same boat that an “USA Today” article published: “Retirees up against debt.” Being up against debt on a lower fixed retirement income isn’t a fun way to spend your golden years. (Damon Carr, Money Coach can be reached at 412216-1013 or visit his website at www.damonmoneycoach.com.)
B2
BUSINESS
JUNE 30-JULY 6, 2021
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
A Black male entrepreneur on the move Daytona native is a finalist for investment contest by Andreas Butler For New Pittsburgh Courier
(DAYTONA TIMES)— Michael Lloyd learned the secrets of making and marketing a great sauce from his grandfathers—Merrill Lloyd, the founder of Lloyd’s Electric and one of Daytona Beach’s legendary entrepreneurs—and Archie Faison, who had the ability to make his ribs taste better than anyone else’s. With the family recipe, his educational background and some determination, the young Lloyd is making a name for himself and offering the world a healthy sauce. Lloyd is CEO and president of the Num Num Sauce Company based in Atlanta. Num Num Sauce is a healthy alternative food condiment. It is a vegan sauce low in sodium and fat, and it adds flavor to meats and vegetables. He recently was selected as a finalist for the Black Men Ventures Black Founders Pitch. Growing his business Black Male Ventures is an organization that helps Black male entrepreneurs find capital funding to grow their startup business. The inaugural Black Founders Pitch is a contest designed to do just that. Finalists pitched their business and products virtually on April 16 on Facebook and
DAYTONA BEACH NATIVE MICHAEL LLOYD is earning a doctorate degree in food sciences to take his family recipe to another level. (Photo courtesy North Carolina State University) YouTube. If Lloyd wins the contest, he’ll receive $10,000 for his business. “It will be exposure to potentially more investors. It will be a big help to raise capital and investment. It can also help secure more patents, help with marketing, our online platform and more,” said Lloyd. “It feels good to make it this far in the contest,” said Lloyd. “I am happy and excited about it. It shows we are making progress with our business model to attract potential investors,’’ he told the Daytona Times. Highly educated Michael Lloyd is an entrepreneur and pharmaceutical scientist pursuing a doctorate degree in food science, bioengineering and nutrition at North Carolina State University. He expects to have his doctorate degree by late May. He earned a master’s degree in bio-
medical sciences from North Carolina Central and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Savannah State University. Lloyd, who now resides in Decatur, Georgia, was born and raised in Daytona Beach. He is a graduate of Mainland High School. In Whole Foods Lloyd’s Num Num Sauce started as an original family recipe that he got from Merrill Lloyd, who got it from his father. Over time, Lloyd said he was able to perfect and market the sauce. In 2008, he marketed it to Whole Food Markets in Durham, North Carolina. By the end of that year, it was on selected shelves. In 2018, he started manufacturing it on a large scale and made it a company. Num Num Sauce now has four flavors and can be found in Whole Foods
Markets and grocery stores throughout the southeastern United States. Lloyd is also CEO, president and chief scientific officer of Amelioron Corporation in Durham, a food packaging company. Funding challenges As a Black entrepreneur, Lloyd experiences challenges and knows what others like himself also face. “We really don’t get funding that we need. It takes capital to grow and scale up. We’ll have a good business model, but it is difficult to attract capital for several reasons,” explained Lloyd. “It is very difficult to reach the requirements to get funding. When getting loans, banks want you to leverage assets to secure the loan. Many Black people in general don’t have the assets to put up to obtain loans. “When you can (leverage assets),
there is so much paperwork… A lot of times we don’t have the documents to qualify. A lot don’t have their business model or plan written out on paper,’’ he shared. His advice for other entrepreneurs is simple. “Be ready to grind really hard and put your all into what you are doing. Be ready to humble yourself. Business will humble you.” Promotes healthy diet Lloyd also touched on why he made his product vegan and the importance of people, including African Americans, to consider vegan, vegetarian and pescatarian diets. “With my educational background, I was able to identify what plant compounds are and where they come from, which improve the performance of our bodies. We were originally vegetarians. We were farming first and started civilizations by growing crops near water sources,” said Lloyd. “We must get back to growing our own food and produce and consume plant compounds and not let people grow food for us.’’ The price of success Lloyd knows that success comes with a price. “You have to sacrifice. You can’t hang out and party to be successful in business. You can’t have everything everybody else has or do what everybody else does. You have to give up something.” On the personal side, Lloyd always makes time for his teenage son, Mehki. “I focus on my son and make sure that I am there for him so that he can get what he needs to have a secure and sound mind. You have to show your son how to achieve and conduct himself,” he related. For more on Lloyd’s Num Num Sauce, visit www.numnumsauce. com.
(This story first appeared in the Daytona Times.)
Financial planners reflect on barriers, opportunities in the profession (NewsUSA)—ATLANTA DAILY WORLD—Creating a financial planner workforce that reflects the changing demographics of wealth in the United States is important for ensuring the long-term success of the profession and the ability of Americans to access the advice they need. In recent years, significant progress has been made in attracting more women, people of color, and young individuals into the field. The number of CFP® professionals under age 30 has increased by 83 percent since 2016; 6,032 new women have joined the ranks of CFP® professionals, bringing the total to 20,632; and the number of Black and Latino CFP® professionals, including those who self-identified as biracial Black and Latino, grew to 3,688 in 2020. Recruiting, however, is just one piece of the puzzle. Creating a more diverse and sustainable workforce also requires cultivating an environment in which financial planners
want to build a career.” As awareness of the financial planning profession continues to spread and we attract more ethically and racially diverse talent, the challenge continues to be retaining and supporting these thriving professionals,” explains Rianka Dorsainvil, CFP®, Co-CEO of 2050 Wealth Partners. In part, such support means helping financial planners feel comfortable in the field
and recognize the unique skills and perspectives they bring. “Even though I didn’t necessarily look like most everyone else in the profession, I wish I realized then the power of being able to connect with someone who shares my background,” says Marguerita Cheng, CFP®, CEO of Blue Ocean Global Wealth.” There are many people from different walks of life who could
benefit from the services provided by a financial planner. And the personality traits that might appeal to one person or demographic, may not resonate quite as well with women or people of color,” Cheng says. Jeanne Fisher, CFP®, CPFA, with Strategic Retirement Partners, notes that this is why financial planners need to harness their differences.” Being a woman can be an advan-
tage—not a disadvantage. Embrace it. Don’t try to ‘fit in with the guys.’ Our different approach, and the fact that we are naturally more empathetic, works in our favor,” she says. Early in her career, Dorsainvil says she felt that “in order to fit in I needed to code-switch. I could not be my authentic self.” Not only was it exhausting to constantly change mannerisms or appearance to feel like she belonged with a specific audience, Dorsainvil says doing so also ignored the fact that no matter where you come from, what you look like, how you grew up or your circumstances, but you can also be successful in this profession for who you are and what you bring to the table. Dorsainvil adds that overcoming that mindset and the barriers that keep women and people of color from entering or staying in the profession requires allies in the financial advisory space to act in solidarity with marginalized groups and unlearn
what they think they know about race and ethnicity. Phuong Luong, CFP®, a financial planner with Just Wealth, LLC, explains that this means having difficult conversations. The profession “cannot truly be inclusive until we see why we’ve been exclusive for so long,” she says, adding that financial planning as a whole is in a unique and privileged position to facilitate the reckoning that will ultimately help people become the most honest and realized versions of themselves. “If we get comfortable talking about race, imagine what we could do.” To learn more from diversity, equity and inclusion thought leaders and best practices visit www.CFP.net and plan to attend the 4th Annual Diversity Summit, taking place virtually November 17-18.
(The post Financial Planners Reflect on Barriers, Opportunities in the Profession appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.)
Crowell: Black America needs a ‘New Normal’ NEW NORMAL FROM B1
made to Black and Latino families during the run-up to the foreclosure crisis were unsustainable subprime loans—despite these consumers having credit records that qualified for cheaper, safer and more responsible loans. “Because of these lending practices,” testified Bailey, “Black and Latino families lost over $1 trillion dollars in wealth during the crisis. Moreover, Black homeownership has been the slowest to recover from the Great Recession. In fact, there would be 770,000 more Black homeowners if the homeownership rate recovered to its pre-crisis level in 2000… The racial wealth gap contributes to the fact that in the 46 largest housing markets in the country, a median income Black household could only afford 25 percent of homes on the market last year in comparison to the 57 percent that a median income White household could afford. It will require focused and bold action to reverse these inequities.” The following day, a subcommittee of House Financial
Services convened yet another hearing. Entitled, “Slipping through the Cracks: Policy Options to Help America’s Consumers during the Pandemic” the session spanned access to affordable credit or small business capital, debt collection, and stained credit all became inevitable and further complicated the financial disadvantages faced by communities of color. “Without a safety net or a cushion to fall back on, people of color are far less able to weather financial calamities,” testified Carla Sanchez Adams, Managing Attorney with Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid, Inc. “With fewer assets to draw on, people of color find are more prone to poverty traps.” “Debt collection activities increased in 2020,” continued Sanchez Adams, “as did profits for debt collectors. Auto repossessions were prevalent, and consumers were left at the mercy of their lenders. Consumers would benefit if all debt activity ceased during the pandemic. The problems with our credit reporting system continued and revealed the need for reform around what consumer
information is reported and how it is reported during a pandemic.…Consumers would benefit from a moratorium on the negative reporting of unpaid debt during the pandemic. Scams and fraud also surged.” Speaking on behalf of minority lenders and small businesses, Robert James II, president of Carver Development CDE and chair of the National Bankers Association, emphasized the importance of minority-owned small businesses, the lack of convenient access to mainstream banking as well as the dwindling number of minority depository institutions as issues demanding attention and correction. “Minority-owned small businesses are the lifeblood of their communities,” testified James II. “The pre-pandemic 1.1 million minority-owned small businesses employed more than 8.7 million workers and annually generated more than $1 trillion in economic output. Women own nearly 300,000 of them, employing 2.4 million workers. Despite their significance, these businesses face underlying challenges
that make them vulnerable during normal times.” “Black-owned businesses, overall, also tend to start out with far less capital, whether from investments or bank loans, than Whiteowned businesses do,” continued James II. “And only 1 percent of black business owners get a bank loan in their first year of business, compared with 7 percent of White business owners. The COVID-19 crisis has compounded this issue: 42 percent of minority-owned small businesses responding to McKinsey’s US Small Business Pulse Survey reported that obtaining credit was becoming increasingly difficult, compared with 29 percent of all respondents.” But credit terms and a pronounced shortage of accessible credit, according to James II, are equally lending conditions that must become more inclusive. “Limited access to credit is a compounding factor that hurts the underlying health of minority-owned small businesses,” said James II. “Research has found that Black small-business owners were significantly more likely to be asked to provide
more information about their personal financials— including personal financial statements and personal W-2 forms—when applying for small-business loans than White small-business owners were, even when controlling for credit score and business characteristics.” At the same time, as noted by James II, from 2009 to the second quarter of 2018, nationally, the number of Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs) dropped from 215 to 155. MDIs are also much smaller in assets than the average non-MDI bank. “Black and Hispanic MDIs have average assets of $245 million and $2.7 billion, respectively,” said James II, “compared to an average of $3.1 billion for all US banks.” “Even before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, US household debt was on the rise, reaching over $14 trillion,” testified Ashley Harrington, CRL’s Federal Advocacy Director. “While much of this debt stems from mortgages, a growing amount stems from non-mortgage consumer debt, including student loans, credit cards, installment loans, and auto
loans. As people continue to lose jobs and have hours cut, and as deferred rental payments and other debts come due, we can expect to see an uptick in delinquencies and defaults on these non-mortgage debts.” Harrington offered a key recommendation to federal lawmakers that could begin to allow consumers to have more control over their own financial management. “Allowing every adult to save and hold onto at least $1000 per week in wages, and $12,000 per bank account,” urged Harrington, “will help families avoid eviction and afford essential costs like medicine and food. While family savings cannot replace the social safety net, it is critical that families be able to provide for themselves at a minimum, basic level. These protections are more urgent than ever: recent research has established that 8 million more families have fallen into poverty since May 2020.”
(Charlene Crowell is a senior fellow with the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at Charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org.)
OPINION
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
JUNE 30-JULY 6, 2021
B3
It’s Official
Guest Editorial
Juneteenth vs. July 4th Recently, Black America was treated to an unexpected gift of sorts from the United States government—Juneteenth, the observance of the actual time when the last slaves discovered that they had been freed, which was a full two years after Emancipation was made into a federal holiday. Basically, because the Internet, telephone and television were non-existent, news didn’t travel that fast in those days. People had to rely on government troops, among others, to spread the word. A lot of Black people are ecstatic regarding this turn of events. Actually, in recent years a lot of Black people have been increasingly celebrating Juneteenth. The difference now is that as a federal holiday, people get the day off as a paid holiday. As a federal holiday it is subject to all of the perks that other federal holidays enjoy. It is the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was established in 1983. Though it is true that a lot of people see this move as a sign of progress regarding the treatment of African Americans by the political establishment, others see it as a distraction. While voter suppression laws are spreading in many states, we have been thrown a bone that can serve as a diversion, as some people opine. People see the move as disingenuous, not substantive, during a time when the real push is on for reparations. It is tantamount to asking for steak but receiving hot dogs instead, or at least many see it this way. Actually, others say that it would be prudent to continue to demand it ALL, i.e., we can ask for reparations, voting rights, and parity in all areas of American life while at the same time enjoying incremental gains. The recognition of Juneteenth as a national holiday is an incremental gain. An urgent concern among African Americans is the question of whether we are any closer to “freedom” in America. The 4th of July, the day that the United States traditionally celebrates as Independence Day, the day when America gained its “freedom,” has arguably been considered a farce among African Americans who are still striving for freedom. Freedom for White Americans did not translate into freedom for Black Americans. This is why there is so much cynicism surrounding the sudden granting of a new federal Black holiday. So, it can be seen to be somewhat of a dilemma for Black Americans: there are two celebrations of “freedom.” And yet, the irony is that neither one has resulted in true freedom for Black people. Admittedly, the community has come a long way in comparison to the circumstances that faced us in years past. More people are achieving in diverse fields, and the standard of living is rising for many Blacks who have had the wherewithal to take advantage of the resources available in what is still considered to be the wealthiest nation in the world. At the same time, however, the country is devolving on other levels. Crime, police oppression, gentrification, and more are causing more and more Black people to face dire straits. So, the questions could be, “What good is freedom if it cannot be accessed; if barriers are placed between people and the resources that they desperately need?” “And what good is it having two days to celebrate a freedom that escapes the grasp of many?” Moreover, how should we view these new circumstances that we find ourselves in regarding the two holidays? The answer is that it doesn’t have to be either/or: it can be BOTH/ AND! We can enjoy the incremental recognition of the new federal holiday, which will bring additional focus to the trials and tribulations faced by us as a people and at the same time observe the nation’s independence as represented by the 4th of July holiday! As a nation within a nation this is a fitting stance. It is said that the Juneteenth holiday is basically symbolic and without substance. If we understand that symbolism informs our views of reality, we can then understand how to utilize that symbolism to get closer to the real freedom that we seek. It will not be handed to us: we have to continue to work for it, just like the colonizers did during those many years ago when they fought for their freedom from England. As the old saying goes, “freedom ain’t free!” How will we know when we’ve achieved freedom? That is the next question that must be answered. (Reprinted from the Chicago Crusader)
Founded 1910
Rod Doss Editor & Publisher Stephan A. Broadus Assistant to the Publisher Allison Palm
Rob Taylor Jr.
Jeff Marion
Office Manager
Managing Editor
Circulation Consultant
John. H. Sengstacke
Editor & Publisher Emeritus (1912-1997)
(TriceEdneyWire.com)—And it’s long overdue!!! Juneteenth has been officially recognized and designated a national holiday!! On June 15th, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved the measure and on June 16th, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly did the same. This bill was signed into law by President Biden on June 17th, and codified an event long observed among African Americans. OUR celebration has been expanded into the consciousness of the entire nation. I am genuinely unable to fully grasp the emotions of those blessed with the news of freedom. Whatever their age, they had spent their entire lives in bondage—the legal property of “inhuman” beings. I imagine that freedmen could finally see freedom of movement without a note from the “massa” (which most of the slave patrollers couldn’t read anyway). I imagine the thoughts of the men believing that they would no longer be subject to beatings or, for maximum humiliation, sexually abused at the whim and will of a “massa” who could react brutally with the slightest provocation. I imagine thoughts of the women who were relieved of the nightly fear of being raped and sexually abused by “massa” or any other White man so inclined. I can imagine the mothers who believed they no longer had to live with the fear that, without notice or warning, “massa” or “missus” could contrive to sell their child to another slave holder—separating
Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.
Commentary mother and child forever. I can see men and women, so allowed to marry, no longer in fear of separation from their mates or loss of their children. They no longer had to admonish their children to be good little pick-a-ninnies so as not to anger “massa” or “missus” and risk being sold-off. Little children could envision a time when, before they grew old enough to be sent to the field, they would no longer be treated as pets or playthings of “massa’s” children. They could all imagine themselves in their natural state—FREE!!! While impossible to replicate their emotions with the news of freedom, I can fully understand the frustration of the descendants of enslaved persons who are harassed in their movements by “Karens” who illegally and arbitrarily decide in which spaces they belong or being beaten/ killed by police at the slightest provocation. Events related to Sandra Bland, Breonna Taylor or Darnella Frazier, the teenage witness to George Floyd’s murder, inform Black women that they are equally threat-
ened in and outside of their communities. After all these years, Black parents must still give their children “the lecture” about surviving police violence in the streets. We have been given a holiday to celebrate, but it must not distract us from the fact that little has changed in how brutally we can be treated and the work remaining to end that violence. The 2020 General Election has shown our evolving understanding that our present and future welfare depends upon the free exercise of our votes. Few among us should question the contradiction in Republicans voting unanimously with the Democrats to approve the Juneteenth Holiday while voting unanimously against the Democrats in opposition to expanding the right to vote. They have told us with their actions that it’s okay for us to party, but not to participate. I do, and we must, totally reject this idea. Like all stakeholders in this commemoration, I celebrate, but we must not allow celebration to blind us to the work that remains. After 156 years, this new holiday provides us the opportunity to reset, refocus, and eliminate the remaining obstacles to full citizenship. If we realistically assess where we’ve been and choose to be as a people, Juneteenth offers the opportunity for reconciliation, social healing, and real movement toward equality and national unity. (Dr. E. Faye Williams is President of the National Congress of Black Women.)
Expanded Child Tax Credit (BlackPressUSA)—Persistent poverty is a scourge on our nation. The Covid-19 pandemic exposed the struggle those living in poverty face every day, and their plight was exacerbated by the economic impacts of the virus. It has been my mission since coming to Congress to do everything I can to address persistent poverty. Those efforts often feel a little like the Greek myth of Sisyphus, who kept rolling the rock up the mountain only to have it roll back down when he approached the top. This month, we are again making progress on one significant front in the fight against poverty. American families will begin receiving monthly Child Tax Credit checks on July 15; thanks to an expansion of the popular program in the American Rescue Plan (ARP), that was signed into law by President Biden in March with only Democratic support. The Center for Poverty and Social Policy at Columbia University projects that this provision will cut the child poverty rate in half this year. Previously the Child Tax Credit was capped at $2,000 and not fully available to the lowest-income families. Thanks to the ARP, the full amount of the expanded credit—now available for all households filing jointly with incomes up to $150,000 and single parents with incomes up to $112,500—is $3,600 for every child under 6 years old and $3,000 for every child ages 6-17. Starting July 15 and continuing through the end of the year, these households will receive $300 for every child or
Congressman Jim Clyburn
Commentary $250 every month for each child in those respective age ranges. The remainder of the credit can be claimed when filing 2021 tax returns early next year. Families who filed tax returns for 2019 or 2020, or who filled out the IRS Non-filers tool last year to receive an Economic Impact Payment, will get this tax relief automatically. Families who neither filed a tax return for 2019 or 2020 nor used the IRS Non-Filers tool should go online and use the IRS Child Tax Credit Non-filer Sign-up Tool to sign up today. Eligible families who get their refunds from the IRS through direct deposit will see these payments in their bank account; those who don’t use direct deposit will receive their payments by mail. The challenge we face with this life-changing benefit is that it is set to expire after one year. It was a temporary fix to immediately address the economic impacts of the pandemic. We know, however, that persistent poverty existed well before Covid-19, and it will continue well beyond the recovery if we don’t take permanent action.
To keep this huge rock from falling back down the mountain and plunge millions of American children back into poverty, Congress must make the expanded Child Tax Credit permanent. Doing so would be a dramatic, positive change in the life of American families and a real solution to addressing persistent poverty. Unfortunately, just as Republicans opposed the American Rescue Plan, they also oppose extending this key provision. They don’t seem to understand that stronger families produce a stronger, more productive nation. Whether or not they are persuaded to join the effort to address persistent poverty and strengthen American families, Democrats are working hard to make the expansion of the Child Tax Credit permanent. Now is the time to break out of this Sisyphean struggle and sustain and build on the progress we have made lifting a significant number of families out of poverty. The public supports these efforts. In addition to the expanded Child Tax Credit, we must permanently extend other economic lifelines in the American Rescue Plan like the expanded Earned Income Tax Credit, Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, and nutrition assistance for children. We must also provide the benefits of the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion to those in the 12 states, including my home state of South Carolina, that have refused to participate. Democrats won’t stop moving this boulder until we reach the top—and stay there.
Critical Race Theory and the whitewashing of America It was not enough that 47 states have introduced over 500 bills that will limit the time, places and rights to vote in America, as well as allow states to change voter results in those elections that Republican legislatures “feel” had fraud. Without the recent attack on “Critical Race Theory”, it would be possible, for years to come, to show how a racist right wing White America abolished the voting rights of millions of Americans, many of whom happened to be people of color. What is now being called “critical race theory” is not new. It is the very fabric of a legal system which has passed laws for over 100 years, based on limiting the rights of people based on race. It was the essence of the effort in the framing of the U.S. Constitution to count slaves as a fraction of a person rather than as a total human being. Race theory was behind the passage of the 13th,14th, and 15th amendments to the U.S. Constitution in order to ensure that “all people are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights.” It took those amendments to include all people, regardless of race, just as it did with the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Acts of 1965. These legislative and legal acts certainly had race as the basis of the push for equality.
John E. Warren
Commentary The present attack on the concept of critical race theory is another attempt by the same people who brought us Juneteenth as a Federal holiday: to wipe out future discussion of race in our educational institutions. Such an effort in just a short period of time would mean, for example, there could be no discussion of the Tulsa, Oklahoma massacre which many are just learning about 100 years after the fact. There would be no discussion in our schools about Sand Creek or Wounded Knee and the slaughter of countless Native Americans, or the imprisonment of thousands of Japanese Americans during World War II after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and we dropped the atomic bomb on the Japanese—but not on the Germans. If legislatures and school boards can be successful with the abolishment of discussions of race by placing all such discussions under the label “critical
race theory”, then we move closer to returning to the America of Jim Crow racism and possibly the apartheid that gripped South Africa with all the horror that came with it. We as people of color must come off of recess. We must now sleep at attention and prepare to fight on a daily basis with all our thought processes and collective numbers. We must read, watch, prepare to march, speak up and stand; as we did during the civil rights movement which brought us to the limited freedoms of today, but not full equality, yet. Take a look at where you live. Take a look at what is being done to people who look like you and those who agree with you, regardless of their color. Register to vote and get others registered. Check the voting records that are being purged and re-register those who are still living. Look at how you are spending your dollars and learn from the Atlanta, Georgia example of going after those corporate entities that support elected officials, corporations who finance the very people pushing voter suppression and the abolishment of critical race theory. This must be a daily battle with no time outs. Will you get involved? (Dr. John E. Warren is Publisher, San Diego Voice & Viewpoint Newspaper.)
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JUNE 30-JULY 6, 2021
Say their names in the streets and online to achieve justice (TriceEdneyWire.com)—The Black experience in America has always been a story of struggle. From the plantation to the project block, from Emmett Till to Ahmaud Arbery, and from Tulsa, Oklahoma to Minneapolis, Minnesota, we have constantly fought for equality and fair treatment under the law, only to have those same laws be used against us. The past year has been particularly challenging—with the names of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others becoming indelibly etched into our collective memory and millions of people taking to the streets to protest these crimes against the Black community. As we prepare to celebrate Juneteenth, we must look back on all the events of the past year with clear eyes to examine both the tragedies and triumphs our community has witnessed. There have been moments of hope that the system is finally edging toward equality, like the recent conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for murdering George Floyd by knelling on his neck for nine minutes while Floyd called out “I can’t breathe.” Chauvin’s conviction and sentencing marks one of the few times in the painful history of Black people in American when law enforcement was held accountable for the wanton acts of violence they perpetrate against our community. But for every conviction like Chauvin’s, there is a long, tragic history of innocent Black men and women being murdered— their deaths generating little more than a passing mention on the local news and their killers going unpunished. From Medgar Evers to Breonna Taylor, our country’s history is filled with these injustices that the powers-at-be try to sweep under the rug. Floyd’s death, which was captured in brutal clarity on a bystander’s cellphone,
Rev. Reginald Bachus
Commentary along with those of Arbery, Taylor and so many more challenged the status quo of racial injustice like never before. Millions of Americans of every race, color and creed stood up, spoke out and made Black Lives Matter the largest social movement in country’s history. Starting last summer, “Say Their Names” became a rallying cry for millions of Americans across the country tired of police brutality and racial injustice. From Minneapolis to Manhattan, Atlanta to Los Angeles, we took to the streets of America’s biggest cities and smallest towns under a blazing summer sun to voice our anger. All races, colors, and creeds marched on Washington D.C. to let leaders know that it was time to stop fanning the flames of racism and to declare that we would remember who was guilty. We will continue to organize. We will continue to march. We will continue to “say their names” until their justice— not just for Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, but for every Black and Brown person in America who has experienced systemic racism, police brutality and political indifference to these injustices. While our voices were seen on television sets and computer screens across the world, and we applaud the tireless work on the ground of leaders like Rev. Al Sharpton and National Action Network, our voices were also heard through our online activism—which for many was the only way to speak out during the COVID-19 pandemic—as we demanded politicians take notice and take action at both the state and local level. A new report released earlier this year by The 400 Foundation, The BLK+Cross and Marathon Strategies reveals how our new era of digital demonstrations and online organization is driving real change on social justice issues. The analysis found that states with the most online conversations about social justice in 2020 also saw the most legislative action on police reform. In fact, the four states most mentioned in social justice conversations—Minnesota, Georgia, New York, and Washington, D.C.—saw 110 police reform measures introduced. Overall, our report found that the names Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd were shared online nearly 50 million times from last June to September—making it clear that saying the names of the victims of racial injustice was essential for political action. In the coming weeks and months, we must say their names again as we remember their lives and the injustices they suffered. We must say their names during public demonstrations in city streets. We must say them on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and throughout the digital universe. And we must keep saying them until we achieve justice for them, their families, and the countless Black lives lost to racial violence. (Rev. Reginald Bachus is a former pastor at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem and the president of the 400 Foundation.)
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
June 17: The date that will live in irony On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden commemorated the end of slavery in the United States by signing a bill that made Juneteenth a federal holiday. Ironically, on the same day, the United States Supreme Court decided 8 to 1 against six African plaintiffs in Nestle USA v. Doe, a child slave labor lawsuit. This case was originally filed in 2005 and was dismissed in 2010 by a California federal judge. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the dismissal and after a decade and a half the case was heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. The lawsuit targeted the U.S. subsidiary of Swiss-based Nestle, a multinational food and beverage conglomerate, and U.S. commodities trading giant Cargill. The plaintiffs, citizens of Mali, claimed they were snatched from their homeland, trafficked to the neighboring Ivory Coast, and forced to work on cocoa farms. The plaintiffs accused Nestle and Cargill of aiding and abetting human rights violations through their “active involvement in purchasing” cocoa from the Ivory Coast. The lawsuit stated these companies turned a blind eye to the use of slave labor in order to keep cocoa prices low. The defendants argued 1). The West African governments bear the responsibility to prevent child slave labor within their borders. 2). The culprits that injured the plaintiffs were the Malian child traffickers and the cocoa plantation overseers in the Ivory Coast. 3). The 15-year-old lawsuit was brought against the wrong defendants in the wrong country. Eight of the Supreme Court justices agreed
J. Pharoah Doss
Check It Out with the defendants. However, in 2001 Congress introduced legislation to create a federal labeling system that would inform consumers whether or not certain products were produced with the aid of child laborers. According to Corporate Accountability, a non-profit organization, “The chocolate industry helped defeat that legislation. Adamant that it didn’t need regulation, the industry agreed to voluntary commitments to eradicate child labor from its supply chains by 2005.” (Notice the lawsuit against Nestle and Cargill was filed the same year the chocolate industry pledged to have child labor eradicated from its supply chains.) The chocolate industry failed to meet its 2005 goal and scaled back its ambition from eradicating child labor from its supply chain to a 70 percent reduction. The chocolate industry failed to meet their new goal in 2008 and 2010. According to the Washington Post, each time the chocolate industry has pledged to do better, incidents of child labor increased in West African cocoa production. Timothy S. McCoy, a vice president of the World Cocoa Foundation, stated when the industry pledged to eradicate child labor in 2001, “the real magnitude of child labor in
the cocoa supply chains and how to address the phenomenon were poorly understood.” McCoy added the industry has made “major strides” by building schools, supporting agricultural cooperatives, and advising farmers on better production methods. Unfortunately, a decade and half after the chocolate industry decided to reduce child labor by 70 percent, many companies still cannot identify the farms where their cocoa originated, which means they don’t know if it was produced by child slave labor. The Washington Post reported, “Mars, makers of M&M’s and Milky Way, can trace only 24 percent of its cocoa back to farms; Hershey, the maker of Kisses and Reese’s, less than half; Nestle can trace 49 percent of its global cocoa supply to farms.” The Washington Post also stated there is plenty of evidence that the world’s chocolate supply depends on child labor. But evidence of dependence and proof of aiding and abetting are two different things. Human rights advocates insist that the persistence of child labor in the world’s cocoa supply amounts to tragic negligence. The chocolate industry is liable for its negligence. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito dissented because he believed the plaintiffs should be allowed to amend their complaint. Hopefully, the next group of ex-child slave laborers will make a stronger case against the chocolate industry, but until then, June 17 will remain an infamous date for child slave laborers on West African cocoa plantations, and the irony will be completely forgotten during American Juneteenth celebrations.
The goals of our Civil Rights Movement will not be realized until D.C. statehood is achieved (TriceEdneyWire.com)—“Congress has both the moral obligation and the constitutional authority to pass the D.C. statehood bill. This country was founded on the principles of no taxation without representation and consent of the governed, but D.C. residents are taxed without representation and cannot consent to the laws under which they, as American citizens, must live.”—Eleanor Holmes Norton, Delegate to United States House of Representatives representing the District of Columbia Earlier this week, I had the honor of testifying to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs in support of Statehood for the District of Columbia. While in law school in Washington, D.C., I grew to love the community and made the city my second home. As a member of the D.C. Statehood Commission from 2006 to 2010, I advocated for D.C. statehood. As the former Mayor of New Orleans, I have deep experience in running a busy and thriving city with a diverse population. Residents of these cities, like Americans across the country, must have representation in Congress to meet their needs and protect their rights. Yet the citizens of the District of Columbia continue to be denied this representation and are relegated to second-class citizenship. The international community agrees. The United Nations Human Rights Committee, Organization of American States, and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe all have recognized the injustice of D.C.’s status. Nearly 700,000 Americans live in the District of Columbia and suffer under the daily injustice of “Taxation without Representation.” They pay the highest per capita federal income taxes in the country, serve on juries, and fight and die in wars, yet they are denied full democratic rights. They are unable to bring grievanc-
Marc H. Morial
To Be Equal es to influential federal officials, reap the benefits available to other congressional constituents, or have a say in the important issues of war and peace that confront this nation. As a civil rights and human services organization, the National Urban League is in a unique position to see how this lack of representation directly impacts the populations we serve—most extremely over the past year. Black and brown communities suffered higher rates of infections, deaths, and unemployment due to Covid-19. Racial inequities in education, housing, employment, health care, and household wealth are worse than they were before the pandemic struck. Nowhere is this tragedy more evident than in the District of Columbia. D.C. residents, including essential workers and small business owners, were in dire need of the relief afforded under the CARES Act. Unlike other citizens, they did not have congressional input into the CARES Act, and they initially were denied $755 million in critical direct relief. Last summer, D.C. residents took to the streets in peaceful protest of racially-motivated police violence. In response to this peaceful uprising, the previous administration ordered both the National Guard and federal law enforcement to carry out a wildly disproportionate and inappropriate response, all in the interest of a photo op. On January 6—despite the urgent
requests of D.C. Mayor Bowser—that same administration refused to call in the National Guard in response to a violent attack on the U.S. Capitol until much of the damage had already been done. In both of these cases, D.C. officials were unable to respond effectively to urgent emergencies in their city because the District lacks statehood and the critical safety mechanisms it provides. Despite all these events that directly impacted and harmed them, D.C. residents are not able to hold elected representatives accountable for these harms. They are not represented by a Congress member who can vote to establish a Commission to investigate the Capitol insurrection, or to reimagine public safety through the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. I am grateful to Senator Tom Carper of Delaware for calling national attention to the second-class status of the citizens of the District of Columbia by introducing the Washington, D.C. Admission Act in the Senate. I also applaud the longstanding and strong leadership on this issue by D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton who authored the first statehood bill in 1991 upon first arriving in Congress and who has remained a steady soldier in the fight for equality for the District’s citizens. Black Americans have bled and died for the right to vote in this country for centuries. The Supreme Court’s decision in the landmark case Wesberry v. Sanders says it best: “No right is more precious in a free country than that of having a voice in the election of those who make the laws under which, as good citizens, we must live. Other rights, even the most basic, are illusory if the right to vote is undermined.” We cannot allow this denial of constitutional rights to continue right outside of Congress’s front door. The goals of our civil rights movement will not be realized until D.C. statehood is achieved.
Too many Black folks succumb to psychological warfare (TriceEdneyWire.com)—In his mustread 1926 book, “The Miseducation of the Negro,” Dr. Carter G. Woodson stated, “… Starting out after the Civil War, opponents of freedom and social justice decided to work out a program which would enslave the Negro’s mind, in as much as the freedom of the body had to be conceded.” That is psychological warfare. It is distressing to have to admit that descendants of those opponents of freedom and justice cited by Dr. Woodson have had a great deal of success in enslaving the minds of way too many Black folks today. This factor continues to make it very difficult for us to promote and protect our vital individual and group interests in this country. Examples of their successful psychological warfare are reflected in Black folks who use Black as an epithet, who believe in White standards of beauty and attractiveness, who consistently use the “N-word” when talking about our people, who only have images of a White Jesus in their churches and homes, who relish
A. Peter Bailey
Commentary being the only Black person in an otherwise all White organization, school or neighborhood, who only have White art in their homes or apartments, who are dyed or bewigged blondes, who believe that an all-Black school or other institution is inherently inferior, who believe that striving for academic excellence is trying to be “White,” who use the word “classical” only for European music, who smile with gratitude when a White person tells him or her “you are different from other Blacks,” who wreak havoc in Black neighborhoods, who say that a Black person has “good” or “bad” hair, who believes that a Black
person romantically involved with or married to a White person has enhanced his or her social status, who believe that a degree from Harvard, Yale, Princeton or any other overwhelmingly White college or university automatically makes them superior to Black folks with degrees from historically Black colleges and universities, whose buffoonish professional names carry on the demeaning tradition of Stepin’ Fechit, Mantan Mooreland, and Scatman Crothers, and those who have built lucrative careers in the academic, journalistic, political and cultural arenas by, to the delight of White supremacists, consistently attacking other Black folks. Black folks guilty of the above are basically allies of those who falsely believe they are superior to us. Anyone wanting to know what can be done about this must read the writings of Brother Malcolm X, Dr. C. DeLores Tucker, and Dr. Frances Cress Welsing. (A. Peter Bailey, author of Witnessing Brother Malcolm X, the Master Teacher, can be reached alfonzop.bailey@gmail.com.)
New Pittsburgh Courier
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JUNE 30-JULY 6, 2021
www.newpittsburghcourier.com
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SR. SOFTWARE ENGINEER Proofpoint has a Sr. Software Engineer (Req #M1917) job opening in Pittsburgh, PA: Implement new and updated functionality within our client-side web application by architecting and implementing or updating components, routes, and other pieces of the application. Send resume to Global Mobility: globalmobility@proofpoint.com. Must include Req # to be considered.
POLICE OFFICERS CITY OF ALIQUIPPA Qualified persons are invited to apply to the City of Aliquippa Civil Service Commission to take competitive examinations leading to eligibility for appointment as a Police Officer in the City of Aliquippa Police Department. An application form may be obtained beginning Monday, June 28, 2021. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, please email your request for a police application to: samuel.gill@aliquippapa.gov and kelly.callen@aliquippapa.gov. We can either email or mail an application to you. Completed applications must be returned by mail postmarked by Friday, July 9, 2021, with a $35.00 non-refundable application fee payable to the City of Aliquippa, 581 Franklin Avenue, Aliquippa, PA. 15001, Attention: Mr. Samuel L. Gill. REQUIREMENTS: At the time of application applicants are required to be Act 120 Certified or have successfully completed Act 120 Training with the State Exam successfully completed by date of conditional hire, have a high school diploma or GED, be a minimum of 18 years of age, hold a valid motor vehicle operator’s license issued by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, be a U.S. Citizen and be physically and mentally fit to perform duties of a police officer. Successful applicants must meet all other Civil Service requirements. Women and Minorities Are Encouraged to Apply. EOE
SOFTWARE TEST ENGINEER– SENIOR UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside seeks a Software Test Engineer – Senior to work in Pittsburgh, PA (Allegheny county). Verify the MyUPMC application meets functional and performance requirements. Develop and execute tests in an Agile/SCRUM based software development model. Review other Quality Assurance test cases to ensure these standards are being met and make suggestions or corrections, as necessary. Must have a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering or a related field, plus five (5) years of progressive software engineering, software test engineering or related experience, creating automation test scripts; utilizing programming technologies, including Java, JavaScript, Android and iOS; translating business requirements into software test plans; performing tool evaluation analysis; and conducting Quality Assurance code review. Must have at least four (4) years of experience applying Agile methodologies to software development; and designing and executing test cases. Telecommuting Permissible. Apply by following these steps; visit http://careers.upmc.com and enter 210002CG in the “Search Keyword/Job ID” field and click Go. EOE/Disability/Veteran
ASSOCIATE PRODUCT MANAGER UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside seeks an Associate Product Manager to work in Pittsburgh (Allegheny County), PA. Leverage business and IT expertise to describe functional requirements, write technical implementation requirements, and create business analytics to measure product success. Perform other duties in accordance with UPMC system-wide competencies/behaviors, as needed. Master’s degree, or equivalent, in Computer Science, Engineering or a related field plus six (6) months of product analysis/ management, healthcare research or related experience, including some experience conducting market research and competitor analysis; engaging with stakeholders to attain product market fits; organizing documentation processes; developing user interfaces for use in a health technology environment; and programming basic functions. Telecommuting Permissible. Apply by following these steps; visit http://careers.upmc.com and enter 210002CH in the “Search Keyword/Job ID” field and click Go. EOE/Disability/Veteran.
TRAC SERVICES FOR FAMILIES has provided adoption, foster care, in-home, and outpatient services and education to the Southwestern PA area for over 40 years. We are now looking to fill several positions including recruiters, caseworkers, case aides, and more. For more information please go to tracpgh. com/employment-opportunities/ SOUTH FAYETTE TWP. SCHOOL DISTRICT is seeking a MIDDLE SCHOOL SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER and a MIDDLE SCHOOL SPECIAL EDUCATION ONE SEMESTER PERMANENT SUBSTITUTE TEACHER for the 2021-2022 school year. Complete job descriptions and directions on how to apply are available at: www.southfayette.org Deadlines 4:00 PM, July 12, 2021 EOE
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DEPUTY DIRECTOR POSITION The Neighborhood Learning Alliance seeks a Deputy Director to work in coordination with the Executive Director in the overall development, strategic planning, service delivery, and management of the organization across multiple programs, sites, and works collaboratively with the Executive Director to direct the long-range strategic direction and fund raising of the organization. Master’s degree in public administration, non-profit management, education, social work or related field preferred. Salary is commensurate with skills and experience. To Apply: Send resume and cover letter to macisaac2@neighborhoodlearning. org no later than July 2nd, 2021 at 4:00PM. LEGAL ADVERTISING Articles of Incorporation
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NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to the provisions of the Fictitious Name Act of Pennsylvania that an application for registration of a fictitious name was filled with the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the conduct of a business under the fictitious name of ALTER’D AFFAIR with its principal office or place of business at 608 BEAVER CT., WEXFORD, PA 15090. The name and address, including street and number, if any, of all persons who are parties to the registration are ONE WHITE LANE, LLC, 608 BEAVER CT., WEXFORD, PA 15090
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LEGAL ADVERTISEMENT REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS: The Allegheny County Housing Authority (ACHA) is requesting proposals from qualified architectural firms for INDEFINITE QUANTITY A/E SERVICES. CONTRACT: #ACHA-1650 DOCUMENTS: A detailed package describing submission requirements may be obtained by contacting Dean Allen, Project Manager dallen@achsng.com or 412-402-2469 FEE: No Charge for Emailed documents; NON-MANDATORY PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE: JULY 12, 2021, AT 10:00AM at ACHA Central Office, 301 Chartiers Avenue, McKees Rocks, PA 15136 PROPOSALS DUE: 2:00 PM EST on AUGUST 6, 2021 at the Allegheny County Housing Authority Board Room, 301 Chartiers Avenue, McKees Rocks, PA 15136 Frank Aggazio Executive Director Allegheny County Housing Authority
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TEMP CLOSURE OF HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM Effective June 30, 2021 at 5 p.m. the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh will temporarily close the HUD approved Homeownership Program. No new applications will be accepted after the closing date and time.
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Jay Arthur Gilmer, Esq., 7246 Campania Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15206. Notice is hereby given that Articles of Incorporation were filed with the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, on May 27, 2021, with respect to a nonprofit corporation, LIFE BUILDERS, which has been incorporated under the Nonprofit Corporation Law of 1988.
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Jay Arthur Gilmer, Esq., 7246 Campania Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15206. Notice is hereby given that Articles of Incorporation were filed with the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, on March 16, 2021, with respect to a nonprofit corporation, MAD DADS National, which has been incorporated under the Nonprofit Corporation Law of 1988.
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HACP conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The PA Human Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.
REQUEST FOR MATERIAL SAMPLES FOR EVALUATION The Allegheny County Airport Authority (ACAA), operator of Pittsburgh International (PIT) and Allegheny County Airports (AGC) in Pennsylvania, is hereby soliciting MATERIAL SAMPLES FOR EVALUATION. The materials are being evaluated for consideration in the final design of the Terminal Modernization Program (TMP) at PIT, a new terminal complex that will be constructed adjacent to the existing Airside Terminal. The TMP will include: •A new three-level, approximately 700,000-square foot terminal facility; •A new five-story garage connected to the Landside Terminal. The garage structure will house approximately 3,500 public parking spaces, rental car customer service area, ready return spaces, and a separate rental car Quick-Turn-Around (QTA) facility; •Refurbishment of the existing Airside Terminal concourses The products solicited under this request are identified below, and the pre-final design product specifications are available on www.PITtransformed.com: -Acoustical Panel Ceilings -Acoustical Metal Pan Ceilings -Linear Metal Ceilings -Linear Wood Ceilings Interested suppliers will first submit a statement of product qualification, with information showing compliance with the performance criteria of the product specification. After compliance is verified by ACAA, material donations will be accepted in the quantities specified on the website. ACAA will coordinate for installation of materials in a public area of the Terminal for public use and in-place performance evaluation. For those materials that are installed, ACAA will display product and manufacturer information in a consistent format to be determined, but no other advertising will be permitted on site. Participation in this qualifications-based material evaluation is voluntary. All materials provided will be considered a donation and will become property of the ACAA. No agreement between the ACAA and the participating suppliers will be made and no costs will be paid or reimbursed. ACAA reserves the right to reject or to install any, all, or none of the material samples provided. The ACAA encourages responses from small firms, minority and women’s business firms, and firms that have not previously worked for the ACAA. All submittals will be received at the TMP Program Management Office at the Allegheny County Airport Authority (ACAA) for the periods of time identified on the website. Please direct product qualification statements to: Allegheny County Airport Authority Pittsburgh International Airport Landside Terminal, 4th Floor Mezz. PO Box 12370 Pittsburgh, PA 15231-0370 Attn: Mr. Erik Harless, Architectural Project Manager. Inquiries: All questions should be directed to Erik Harless at (412) 472-4819 or eharless@flypittsburgh.com.
DOCUMENT 00030-AA ADVERTISEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT ALLEGHENY COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA PROJECT NUMBER 21TB01 BAGGAGE HANDLING SYSTEMS PACKAGE AT PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ELECTRONIC BIDS & BID OPENING PROCEDURE: Electronic Bids will be received by the Allegheny County Airport Authority until 1:00 P.M. prevailing local time, AUGUST 18, 2021. Due to COVID-19 precautions, the ACAA is modifying its typical bid opening process; the formal bid opening procedure will be conducted virtually – any/ all firms submitting a Bid to the ACAA will be given special access to view the opening event. Once bidding is closed, any/all firms submitting a bid will be issued an Invitation (via email) to access the formal bid opening event via a live webcast. Bidders will also be notified of the results via an email within (24) hours of the Bid Opening event. ACCESS TO BID PACKAGE DOCUMENTS: ALL BIDDERS shall be required to provide a completed formal Bid Document Request application in order to purchase bidding documents for any/all of the above listed Project Numbers. No bidding documents will be issued prior to the Authority’s Construction Manager having a copy of a fully completed Request Application. Bid Document Request Applications can be obtained by sending a Request to the following email address: TMPBids@flypittsburgh.com On the Subject Line, include the following: “Bid Documents Request – 21TB01 (Baggage Handling Systems)”. Once a bidder’s request has been received, provided it is complete, and provided the requesting party is not barred from bidding the work, the CM will provide access for the bidder to access and download the bid documents through Building Connected, a web-based bid management platform. A PREBID CONFERENCE – Wednesday, July 14, 2021 – 11:30 AM (Bidders are strongly encouraged to review the plans prior to the meeting.) The meeting will be a Microsoft Teams Meeting. To join the meeting the following number can be called (877) 286-5733 - United States (Toll-Free) – Conference ID 660 446 609#. Please email TMPBids@ flypittsburgh.com to receive the link to join by computer. Due to COVID-19 precautions, ACAA will not permit any Bidders to tour the site. In lieu thereof, the Construction Management Team (CM) will conduct a Virtual Prebid Meeting. In addition to addressing administration issues, a video tour of the work areas will be provided. Specific details on how interested Bidders can view this broadcast will be provided as part of the Bid Documents via Building Connected. Note that no questions can be asked during this Prebid Meeting. Any/all questions must be issued to the CM as an “RFI”. There will be no site visits – photographs of the site will be included in the contract documents or issued via addendum. REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION (RFIs) Any/all questions related to this project must be made in writing to the CM. RFIs are to be sent to the CM via the Building Connected website. BID SUBMISSION Proposals must be made on the Authority’s forms and in accordance with the Plans and Specifications and the “Instructions to Bidders”’. Due to COVID-19 precautions, ACAA will not be accepting any hard copy bids for this Project. Accordingly, Electronic Bids are the only form that the ACAA will accept. While the Instructions to Bidders will provide more details, for an Electronic Bid to be accepted it must be sent through Building Connected and it must be received by no later than the established Bid Date and Time deadline. OTHER ISSUES Attention is called to the fact that not less than the minimum salaries and wages as determined by the General Wage Determinations issued under the Davis-Bacon and related Acts must be paid on these projects. This project has DBE participation goals; DBE firms must be certified with the Pennsylvania Unified Certification Program) (PAUCP). Firms must be certified prior to award of contract. A searchable database of DBE firms can be found on the PAUCP web site: https://paucp.dbesystem.com/ The Airport Authority reserves the right to reject any and all bids or waive any informalities in the bidding. No bidder may withdraw his bid for a period of sixty [60] days after the scheduled closing time for receipt of bids. To view a complete advertisement, which is also included in the bidding documents, visit www.flypittsburgh.com under ACAA Corporate – Business Opportunities or www.pittransformed.com – Opportunities – Business Opportunities. ALLEGHENY COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY
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COMBINED NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS (“FONSI/RROF”) June 30, 2021 City of Pittsburgh Office of Management Budget Community Development Division City County Building rant Street, oom Pittsburgh, PA 412-255-2211 These notices shall satisfy two separate but related procedural requirements for activities to be undertaken by the City of Pittsburgh, the Urban edevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, and the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh. REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF FUNDS On or about July 16, 2021 the City of Pittsburgh (“City”) will authori e the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (“HACP”), the Urban edevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (“URA”), and the City to submit a request to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to release of the following federal funds to undertake pro ect known as Harvard Beatty Street Housing Harvard Street, Pittsburgh, PA ): (a) Section Pro ect Based oucher (“PBV”) program under the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 as modified by the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 to housing units (of the 42 mixed-income housing units comprising of the Harvard Beatty Housing efforts) and (b) URA 2019 HOME Investment Partnerships. The release of the aforementioned funds will be for the purposes of developing Harvard Beatty Street Housing which includes new construction of a four story building with 42 mi ed-income residential units located at the intersection of Harvard and Beatty Street in the East Liberty neighborhood. The developer is Trek Development Group. As part of this notice, the pro ect requires the implementation of a set of development activities related to the completion of this pro ect which may include, and is not limited to, demolition, acquisition, disposition, new construction, and remediation on the part of the City, the URA, HACP, and any other authori ed parties to the pro ect. The pro ect will involve appro imately $341,077 of the URA 2019 Home Investment Partnerships funds. The total pro ected cost of the activity is appro imately $12,918,673.00. FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT The City of Pittsburgh has determined that the pro ect will have no significant impact on the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required. Additional pro ect information is contained in the Environmental eview ecord (ERR). The ERR will be made available to the public for review either electronically or by U.S. mail. Please submit your request by U.S. mail to City of Pittsburgh, Office of Management and Budget, rant St, City County Building oom , Pittsburgh, Pa or by email to Whitney.Finnstrom@pittsburghpa.gov. PUBLIC COMMENTS Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to: Whitney Finnstrom City of Pittsburgh fice o Management and Budget 414 Grant St Room 501 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-255-2211 O Whitney.Finnstrom@pittsburghpa.gov All comments received by July 15, 2021, will be considered by the City of Pittsburgh prior to authori ing submission of a request for release of funds. Comments should specify which Notice they are addressing. ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION The City of Pittsburgh certifies to HUD that William Peduto in his capacity as Mayor, City of Pittsburgh, consents to accept the urisdiction of the ederal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. HUD’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the Urban edevelopment Authority and the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh to use funding sources (a) through (e) identified under equest for elease of unds above. OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS HUD will accept ob ections to its release of funds and the City of Pittsburgh certification for a period of fifteen days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certification was not e ecuted by the Certifying Officer of the City of Pittsburgh (b) the City of Pittsburgh has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58; (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authori ed by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD or (d) another ederal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the pro ect is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Ob ections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures 24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to the HUD ield Office of Public Housing in Pittsburgh at PittsburghPIH.ER@hud.gov and Community Planning and Development Division to Mr. Phillip McKeough, at Phillip.E.McKeough@ hud.gov. Potential ob ectors should contact the HUD ield Office of Public Housing in Pittsburgh via email to verify the actual last day of the ob ection period. William Peduto Mayor City of Pittsburgh NOTICE OF CONDEMNATION IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA IN RE: THE CONDEMNATION B THE COUNT O ALLE HEN O A CE TAIN PA CEL O LAND LOCATED IN NO TH A ETTE TO NSHIP AND SOUTH A ETTE TO NSHIP O NED B THE HEI S O OBE T MA SHALL EQUI ED TO EPLACE THE E ISTIN OBINSON UN B ID E NO. ST UCTU E CASE NO: GD 21- 6848 Estimated ust Compensation: $500.00 TO: THE HEIRS OF ROBERT MARSHALL TAKE NOTICE that a Declaration of Taking was filed June 16, 2021 at the above referenced docket number. Name of Condemnee: The Heirs of obert Marshall Name & Address of Condemnor: Allegheny County, (“County”) Courthouse, rant St., Pittsburgh, PA . Authorizing Statute(s). Article IV, §§2 and 6 of the Allegheny County Home ule Charter, Article VII, §§701.02 and 703.07 of the Allegheny County Administrative Code and the Act of 1953 July 28, P.L. 723, Art. XXVI, §5601, et seq. Authorizing Ordinance. Ordinance No. 04-21-OR, enacted April 13, 2021. The ordinance may be e amined at the offices of Condemnor, noted above. Condemnation Description. The purpose of this condemnation is to acquire certain property, not designated in the Allegheny County Department of eal Estate by any lot or block number, for the purpose of replacing the e isting bridge structure known as obinson un Bridge No. over the South Branch of obinson un located in North ayette Township and South ayette Township, County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Statement of Condemnation. Condemnee’s property identified on the iewer’s Plan marked as E hibit B to the Declaration of Taking, attached hereof, has been condemned as of June 16, 2021. The title acquired by the County is a fee simple interest, including all interests of every record owner thereof or any party claiming an interest therein, in the area labeled “Required Right-of Way” and an easement interest in the area labeled “Temporary Construction Easement” on E hibit B. Plans showing the property condemned may be inspected in Condemnor’s offices noted above and are also lodged of record in the Allegheny County Department of eal Estate, at Plans-Misc. olume , Page . ust compensation for the condemnation is secured by the County’s power of ta ation, which is deemed pledged as security for the payment of damages as, shall be determined by law. Challenging the Condemnation. If Condemnee wishes to challenge the power or the right of County to appropriate the condemned property, the sufficiency of the security, the procedures followed by County or the Declaration of Taking, the Condemnee must file preliminary ob ections within 30 days after being served with Notice of Condemnation. Howard M. Louik Attorney for Condemnor
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NOTICE OF CONDEMNATION IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA IN RE: THE CONDEMNATION B THE COUNT O ALLE HEN O A CE TAIN PA CEL O LAND LOCATED IN PLUM BO OU H, ALLE HEN COUNT AND UPPE BU ELL TO NSHIP, ESTMO ELAND COUNT O NED B SAMUEL ANCHE AND EO IE LEE ANCHE , HIS I E EQUI ED TO EPLACE THE SUPE ST UCTU E O PUC ETA C EE B ID E NO. INTE -COUNT ) AT BOO E ST EET CASE NO: GD 21-6852 Estimated ust Compensation: $500.00 TO: CHARLES JOHNSON TAKE NOTICE that a Declaration of Taking was filed June 16, 2021 at the above referenced docket number. Name of Condemnee: Charles ohnson Name & Address of Condemnor: Allegheny County, (“County”) Courthouse, rant St., Pittsburgh, PA . Authorizing Statute(s). Article IV, §§2 and 6 of the Allegheny County Home ule Charter, Article VII, §§701.02 and 703.07 of the Allegheny County Administrative Code and the Act of 1953 July 28, P.L. 723, Art. XXVI, §5601, et seq. Authorizing Ordinance. Ordinance No. 03-21-OR, enacted April 13, 2021. The ordinance may be e amined at the offices of Condemnor, noted above. Condemnation Description. The purpose of this condemnation is to acquire certain property, designated in the estmoreland County Department of eal Estate as 62-07-03-0-009, needed for the replacement of the superstructure of Pucketa Creek Bridge No. (Inter-County) at Booker Street, Plum Borough, Allegheny County, Upper Burrell Township, estmoreland County, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Statement of Condemnation. Condemnee’s property identified on the iewer’s Plan marked as E hibit B to the Declaration of Taking, attached hereof, has been condemned as of June 16, 2021. The title acquired by the County is a fee simple interest, including all interests of every record owner thereof or any party claiming an interest therein, in the area labeled “Required Right-of Way” and an easement interest in the area labeled “Temporary Construction Easement” on E hibit B. Plans showing the property condemned may be inspected in Condemnor’s offices noted above and are also lodged of record in the Allegheny County Department of eal Estate, at State Highway Plan olume , Page . ust compensation for the condemnation is secured by the County’s power of ta ation, which is deemed pledged as security for the payment of damages as, shall be determined by law. Challenging the Condemnation. If Condemnee wishes to challenge the power or the right of County to appropriate the condemned property, the sufficiency of the security, the procedures followed by County or the Declaration of Taking, the Condemnee must file preliminary ob ections within 30 days after being served with Notice of Condemnation. Howard M. Louik Attorney for Condemnor NOTICE OF CONDEMNATION IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA IN RE: THE CONDEMNATION B THE COUNT O ALLE HEN O A CE TAIN PA CEL O LAND LOCATED IN PLUM BO OU H, ALLE HEN COUNT AND UPPE BU ELL TO NSHIP, ESTMO ELAND COUNT O NED B SAMUEL ANCHE AND EO IE LEE ANCHE , HIS I E EQUI ED TO EPLACE THE SUPE ST UCTU E O PUC ETA C EE B ID E NO. INTE -COUNT ) AT BOO E ST EET Case No: GD 21- 6849 Estimated ust Compensation: $2,200.00 TO: SAMUEL FANCHER AND GEORGIE LEE FANCHER TAKE NOTICE that a Declaration of Taking was filed June 16, 2021 at the above referenced docket number. Name of Condemnee: Samuel ancher and eorgie Lee ancher Name & Address of Condemnor: Allegheny County, (“County”) Courthouse, rant St., Pittsburgh, PA . Authorizing Statute(s). Article IV, §§2 and 6 of the Allegheny County Home ule Charter, Article VII, §§701.02 and 703.07 of the Allegheny County Administrative Code and the Act of 1953 July 28, P.L. 723, Art. XXVI, §5601, et seq. Authorizing Ordinance. Ordinance No. 03-21-OR, enacted April 13, 2021. The ordinance may be e amined at the offices of Condemnor, noted above. Condemnation Description. The purpose of this condemnation is to acquire certain property, designated in the estmoreland County ecorder of Deeds as 62-07-04-0-001, needed for the replacement of the superstructure of Pucketa Creek Bridge No. (Inter-County) at Booker Street, Plum Borough, Allegheny County, and Upper Burrell Township, estmoreland County, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Statement of Condemnation. Condemnee’s property identified on the iewer’s Plan marked as E hibit B to the Declaration of Taking, attached hereof, has been condemned as of July 16, 2021. The title acquired by the County is a fee simple interest, including all interests of every record owner thereof or any party claiming an interest therein, in the area labeled “Required Right-of Way” and an easement interest in the area labeled “Temporary Construction Easement” on E hibit B. Plans showing the property condemned may be inspected in Condemnor’s offices noted above and are also lodged of record in the Allegheny County Department of eal Estate, at State Highway Plan olume , Page . ust compensation for the condemnation is secured by the County’s power of ta ation, which is deemed pledged as security for the payment of damages as, shall be determined by law. Challenging the Condemnation. If Condemnee wishes to challenge the power or the right of County to appropriate the condemned property, the sufficiency of the security, the procedures followed by County or the Declaration of Taking, the Condemnee must file preliminary ob ections within 30 days after being served with Notice of Condemnation. Howard M. Louik Attorney for Condemnor LEGAL ADVERTISING Legal Notices
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ALLEGHENY COUNTY SANITARY AUTHORITY LEGAL NOTICE CONTRACT NO. 1742 FURNISH & DELIVER POLYMER FOR CENTRIFUGE DEWATERING SYSTEM Sealed Bids for CONTRACT NO. 1742 – Furnish & Deliver Polymer for Centrifuge Dewatering System shall be received at the Engineering Department office of the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority, Preble Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, , until 2:00 P.M., Prevailing Time, Friday July 16, 2021 and then shall be publicly opened and read. 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 e tent possible. To be considered eligible to Bid on this Contract, the Bidder must be the manufacturer of one of the emulsion polymer products recently pre-qualified by the Authority following trials held in response to the Legal Notice of June 10, 2021 Documents pertaining to the submission of Bids are available at the Engineering office of the Authority, Preble Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA . Bid Security shall be furnished by providing with the Bid a Certified Check or Bid Bond in the amount of $50,000.00. The Successful Bidder shall be required to furnish a Performance Bond in the amount of $500,000.00. Any questions regarding the Technical Aspects of the Pro ect should be directed to Elizabeth Joyce, ALCOSAN, via email to beth.joyce@alcosan. org or (412) 734-8719. Any questions regarding the Purchase of Contract Documents should be directed to Kathleen P. Uniatowski, ALCOSAN, via email to contract.clerks@alcosan.org . The Authority reserves the right to re ect 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 Kimberly Kennedy, P.E. Director of Engineering and Construction LEGAL ADVERTISING Legal Notices
Estate of ELAINE B. ROSENFIELD, Deceased of Mt. Lebanon, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Estate No. 02-21-04737, Elyse . osenfield, E ecutor, idge Point Circle, Bridgeville, PA or to Harry eyer, E ecutor, Angena Drive, Pittsburgh, PA or to AUBREY H. GLOVER, Atty; BRENLOVE & FULLER, LLC. 401 Washington Avenue, Bridgeville, PA 15017 Estate of MR. HERBERT A. MATHIAS, Deceased of osebriar Avenue, lenshaw, PA , Estate No. 02-21-04626, Mr. Todd Mathias, osebriar Avenue, lenshaw, PA , E ecutor, c/o Max C. Feldman, s uire and the aw fice o Ma C. eldman 1322 Fifth Avenue, Coraopolis, PA 15108 Estate of MAGER ELY SR., Deceased of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Estate No. 022104230 of 2021, Betty Turner, E tr., Iowa Street, Pittsburgh, PA, . Lisa Ely, E tr., Terrace Street, Pittsburgh, PA
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IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY, ORPHANS’ COURT DIVISION, ESTATE OF HELEN GUMINSKY MCKAY, deceased, Case No. 4751 of 2021: Notice is hereby given that on June 16, 2021, a Petition was filed by Robert McKay to terminate the interests of the heirs and devisees of Helen uminsky Mc ay, deceased, in the real estate located at Cedarhurst Street, Pittsburgh, PA , and determine that fee simple title is in Petitioner. If no e ceptions to the Petition are filed within 30 days, Petitioner will seek an Order ad udging that the title of Helen Guminsky McKay is in Petitioner
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Estate of ELEANOR D. VERNA,Deceased of est Mif in, Estate No. 022104678 of 2021, oberta . Singer, Adm, or to c/o Jacqueline H. Brangard, Esquire, Scolieri Law Group, P.C. 1207 Fifth Avenue, Suite 200 Bldg., Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Estate of CHARLES E. HORST, Deceased of Moon Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, formerly of Orrville, OH) Estate No. 02-2104621, Marcy L. Andrews, E ecutor, Larue Drive, Coraopolis, PA , or to TODD A. FULLER, Atty; BRENLOVE & FULLER, LLC. 401 Washington Avenue, Bridgeville, PA 15017 Estate of CHARLES NICHOLAS LOCHNER, III, AKA CHARLES N. LOCHNER, AKA NICK LOCHNER, Deceased of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA, Estate No. 022104693, Catherine A. Lochner-Tre chel, Administrator, c/o Christopher M. Trejchel, Atty., 104 Carlye Drive, Cranberry Township, PA 16066.
IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY, ORPHAN’S COURT DIVISION, PENNSYLVANIA, ESTATE OF SETH KOLB, Deceased, Case No. 4148 of 2021. Notice is hereby given that on May 25, 2021 a Petition was filed by Colette L. Kolb a/k/a Collette Kolb to terminate the interests of the heirs and devisees of Seth Kolb, deceased, in the real estate located at Oakwood oad, Pittsburgh, PA and determine that fee simple title is in Colette L. Kolb a/k/a Collette Kolb. If no e ceptions to the Petition are filed within days, Colette L. olb a/k/a Collette olb will seek an Order ad udging that Seth olb’s title is in Colette L. Kolb a/k/a Collette Kolb.
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IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY, ORPHANS’ COURT DIVISION, ESTATE OF RONALD E. HUTCHINSON, deceased, Case No. 4751 of 2021: Notice is hereby given that on June 16, 2021, a Petition was filed by Polly V. Dugas to terminate the interests of the heirs and devisees of onald E. Hutchinson, deceased, in the real estate located at Monroeville Avenue, Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania , and determine that fee simple title is in Petitioner. If no e ceptions to the Petition are filed within 30 days, Petitioner will seek an Order ad udging that the title of Ronald E. Hutchinson is in Petitioner.