New Pittsburgh Courier 5.21.25

by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer

Dr. Edda Fields-Black was just minding her own business, in the airport in Monterrey, California, preparing to board a flight on Monday, May 5, when she got the call.

“It was a very pleasant shock,” Dr. Fields-Black told the New Pittsburgh Courier. “I was elated. Absolutely elated.”

It’s not often that you get a call stating that you’ve won a Pulitzer Prize.

But Dr. Fields-Black got the call.

The Pulitzer Prize is considered the highest award in journalism, arts and letters. The year 2025 was the 109th year for the Pulitzer Prize awards, and in the “History” category, the judges were looking “for a distinguished and appropriately documented book on the history of the United States,” as it’s stated on its website.

The prize? $15,000, even though the notoriety and status has proven to surpass the financial reward.

Dr. Fields-Black won for

her book, “Combee: Harriet Tubman, The Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom during the Civil War.”

The book is a richly-textured and revelatory account of a slave rebellion that brought 756 enslaved people to freedom in a single day, weaving military strategy and family history with the transition from bondage to freedom.

“I am truly grateful to the Pulitzer board for recognizing the Combahee River Raid and Harriet Tubman, the Second South Carolina Volunteers and the Combahee freedom seekers’ quest for freedom as a significant chapter in our nation’s history,” said Dr. FieldsBlack in a CMU release, dated May 5. “I am humbled to bring the untold stories and unheard voices of formerly enslaved people to life. Thank you to the museums, research centers, archives, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, descendants of Harriet Tubman, the Combahee freedom seekers and planters,

current Combahee River landowners and the entire team at OUP (Oxford University Press) for partnering with me in making ‘COMBEE’ possible.”

Seemingly overnight,

“Dr. Edda Fields-Black” became a household name in the Pittsburgh region. Truth is, she’s been doing the work for decades. The Miami, Florida, native came to Pittsburgh in 2001, after earning her doctorate at the University of Pennsylvania. Today, she’s a professor in the Carnegie Mellon University Department of History and the Director of the Dietrich College Humanities Center at Carnegie Mellon. Her research specialty is the trans-national history of West African rice farmers, peasant farmers in pre-colonial Upper Guinea Coast and enslaved laborers on rice plantations in the antebellum South Carolina and Georgia Lowcountry. “The Combahee River

FIELDS-BLACK (PHOTO COURTESY CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY)

JUDGE QUITA BRIDGES

TRACEY REED

TAWANA COOK PURNELL

Photos with the Pulitzer Prize winner...

RICHARD COVINGTON, DR. EDDA FIELDS-BLACK

“We can learn from Harriet Tubman not to leave anyone behind in the fight, even if it means sacrificing our comfort and risking our lives.”

- Dr. Edda FieldsBlack

PULITZER FROM A1

Raid was the largest slave rebellion in U.S. history, the largest and most successful,” Dr. Fields-Black told the Courier after she gave a presentation to about 60 people at the Penn Hills Library, May 12. “Harriet Tubman, her group of spy scouts and pilots, the 2nd South Carolina volunteers (Infantry Regiment, Colored), all of the U.S. colored troops, they were willing to risk their lives for freedom; the freedom of other people, even after they were free.”

The date of the Combahee River Raid was June 2, 1863. The raid took six hours. The raid came 14 years after Tubman had escaped slavery.

“Since I happened upon Harriet Tubman in my rice fields along Lowcountry South Carolina’s Combahee River, I have joined with Harriet Tubman’s descendants and the many biographers, historians and artists working proudly to preserve Tubman’s legacy. I hope ‘COMBEE’ winning the Pulitzer Prize will help secure the legacy of Tubman’s valorous Civil War service in the South Carolina Lowcountry,” Dr. Fields-Black said in the CMU news release announcing her award. Gwendolyn Brooks was the first African American to win a Pulitzer Prize, for her poetry collection, “Annie Allen,” in 1950. Some other notable African Americans to win Pulitzers include August Wilson, who won in the drama category for “Fences” (1987) and “The Piano Lesson” (1990); Toni Morrison, who won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1988 for her novel, “Beloved;” and James Meredith, who won the Pulitzer Prize for international reporting in 1966 for his coverage of the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S.

This Week In Black History A Courier Staple

• MAY 21

1862—Mary Patterson becomes the first Black woman in U.S. History to be awarded a master’s degree. She earned it from Oberlin College in Ohio.

2009— NFL star quarterback Michael Vick is released from federal prison after serving 19 months of a 23-month sentence for financing a dog fighting ring. Formerly with the Atlanta Falcons, Vick finished his career with the Philadelphia Eagles.

2009— A Black man— James Young —is elected mayor of Philadelphia, Miss.,—a town which during the 1960s had the nation’s most racist reputation. Ku Klux Klan members dominated the town and it was known for the mistreatment and unpunished killings of Blacks. One of the most brutal events in the city was the 1964 murders of three civil rights workers. In his 2009 election victory, Young captured 30 percent of the White vote.

1881—Blanche Kelso Bruce is sworn in as a senator from Mississippi. He became the first Black man to serve a full term in the United States Senate. During his service, he advocated for the political and social rights of Blacks, Indians and Chinese immigrants.

• MAY 22

1863— The War Department establishes the Bureau of Colored Troops and began to aggressively recruit Blacks for the Civil War. The Black troops would play a major role in turning the tide of battle against the rebellious Southern slave states.

1959—Benjamin O. Davis Jr. becomes the first African American general in the U.S. Air Force. His father, Benjamin O. Davis Sr., had been the first Black general in the U.S. Army.

• MAY 23

“The fight for freedom and equality continues today with no end in sight, unfortunately,”

Dr. Fields-Black said in a CMU news release.

“We can learn from Harriet Tubman not to leave anyone behind in the fight, even if it means sacrificing our comfort and risking our lives.”

Dr. Fields-Black told the Courier that as of May 12, a week since it was announced that “COMBEE” won a Pulitzer, 500 additional copies of the book had been sold. More were purchased at the Penn Hills Library event, by people like Roderick Wilson, Richard Covington, Lorena Amos and Chloe Taylor.

“I was very glad for her when I heard that she won the Pulitzer Prize,” Covington, a Penn Hills resident, told the Courier at the event. “You can tell a lot of work has gone into this.”

Taylor told the Courier that Dr. Fields-Black was one of her professors at CMU. Taylor, a 2004 Oakland Catholic High School and 2008 CMU graduate in social and cultural history, said she received an “incredible education, tutelage” and “mentorship” from Dr. Fields-Black. Also, Taylor said, “I learned so much about rice and how it was so much more than a food; it told the story of our history. So when I heard about the Pulitzer Prize, I thought it was well-deserved,” and that it was “an honor to have studied under her in the Department of History.”

1921—“Shuffle Along” —the first of a succession of widely popular Black musicals performed for White audiences—opened at the 63rd Street Theatre in New York City, becoming the first African American Broadway musical. The musical comedy combined the talents of the legendary team of Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle. “Shuffle Along” produced a long list of hits including “Shuffle Along,” “I’m Just Wild about Harry,” “Gypsy Blues” and “Love Will Find A Way.”

1981— Legendary Reggae artist Bob Marley is given an official state funeral in his homeland of Jamaica. He had died of cancer on May 11 in Miami. Marley and his band “The Wailers” had made Reggae popular worldwide with such hits as “Stir It Up” and “No Woman, No Cry.” He was considered the first third world superstar and a prophet of the Rastafarian religion. He was only 36 when he died. His body now lies in a mausoleum in Jamaica.

• MAY 24

1854—Anthony Burns , one of the most celebrated fugitive slaves in American history, is captured by deputy U.S. Marshals in Boston. But at the time anti-slavery feeling was running high in Boston and it was one of the cities which had vowed not to obey the Fugitive Slave Act—a federal law that required even those opposed to slavery to help slave owners capture run-away slaves. For fear that Boston residents would help Burns escape to Canada, the U.S. government sent 2,000 troops to Boston to assist in returning Burns to Virginia. Thousands lined the streets as Burns was marched to a ship on June 3 for a trip back South. However, a Black Boston church raised the money to purchase Burns and within a year of his capture, he was back in Boston a free man.

1856— The so-called Pottawatomie Massacre takes place. A force of men led by famed abolitionist John Brown attacks a pro-slavery settlement in Franklin County, Kan., leaving at least five men dead. The attack was part of a period known as “Bleeding Kansas” when pro and anti-slavery forces battled one another in a bid to determine whether Kansas would be a slave or free territory. The “Pottawatomie Massacre” was also one of the events which made the Civil War unavoidable.

1944— Legendary singer Patti LaBelle is born Patricia Louise Holte in Philadelphia, Pa.

• MAY 25

1878— World renowned dancer Bill “Bojangles” Robinson is born in Richmond, Va. Robinson was one of the best and bestknown dancers in America up until the 1940s. He was known for his sensational footwork and speed. He once set a world record running the 75-yard-dash backwards in 8.2 seconds. But his “Bojangles” style—designed to please White audiences—angered some Blacks. However, he became a wealthy man appearing in 15 motion pictures after the 1930s.

1919— Wealthy cosmetics empire owner, Madame C.J. Walker , dies on this day at her estate on Irvington-on-the-Hudson in New York. Walker is generally believed to have been the first Black millionaire in American history.

1926— Famed Jazz trumpeter and composer Miles Davis was born on this day in 1926.

1943—One of the largest White riots of the 1940s takes place in Mobile, Ala. The Whites were outraged because the owners of a local shipyard company had upgraded the status and pay of 12 Black workers.

• MAY 26

1799— The famous Black Russian writer Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin is born in Moscow, Russia. Pushkin was of Russian and Ethiopian parentage. He was well educated and went on to become a prolific writer. Indeed, he is generally credited with being the “Father of Russian Literature.”

1949—Pamela Suzette Grier is born in Winston-Salem, N.C. Pam Grier becomes one of the premier Black actresses and one of the top sex symbols of the 1970s, playing in a host of so-called “Black exploitation movies.” She starred in Quentin Tarantino’s film “Jackie Brown,” for which she received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress. Her more recent work includes “The L Word”, “Smallville”, “Larry Crowne” and “This Is Us”.

• MAY 27

1958—Ernest Green graduates from Little Rock, Ark.’s Central High School, becoming the first Black to do so. Green was a member of the “Little Rock Nine” —the group of Black students who first integrated the high school with the aid of federal troops.

2010— The Institute on Assets and Social Policy at Brandeis University releases a stunning study showing that the typical White household had accumulated 20 times as much wealth as the typical Black household According to the study, median White family wealth stood at roughly $100,000 while median Black family wealth was estimated at $5,000.

CHLOE TAYLOR, DR. EDDA FIELDS-BLACK (PHOTOS BY ROB TAYLOR JR.)

My dive into East Liberty’s past revealed ‘third spaces’ lost to time and development

by Njaimeh Njie

I grew up in Stanton Heights but my family passed through East Liberty daily. I think back to riding the 94A down Penn Avenue with my sister Lingaire in the 1990s. The East Liberty I saw then was a vibrant place full of shoppers, vendors and voices. There was bustling traffic, a sea of colors and a stream of people. You could get your shoes for school, your new outfit for the weekend or a snack for the ride home. You would see someone who you knew. Chances were they knew your people, so they knew you before there was a you. We were very lucky that our parents raised us in a Black community of artists, cultural workers, educators, blue collar folks and professionals of many kinds—largely anchored on the East End of Pittsburgh. They staged performances, art exhibitions, lectures, fashion shows and street festivals. It was an environment where there was always a kind word, a note of encouragement, and when needed, a loving correction. I look back fondly on those times.

Back then I didn’t realize that a lot of the people who were shaping my world had in fact come of age in and around East Liberty. Some of the same folks who were putting on programming at the Kingsley Center or in the auditorium of the Homewood Library had been influenced by the members of Musician’s Local No. 471, or logged hours at the Selma Burke Art Center. These people and spaces laid the groundwork for what would later become gathering spots like the Shadow Lounge and BOOM Concepts— Black-centered, progressive, creative spaces that have served as home away from home for so many. It’s hard to overstate the importance of these third spaces, especially considering the fact that their lifespan has been so

closely tied to generations of promises and pitfalls of redevelopment in East Liberty.

East Liberty’s history: rich with creation

This past fall, the Kelly Strayhorn Theater invited me to create an exhibition in conjunction with their upcoming symposium, “Owning Our Future: A Symposium on BIPOC Institutional Ownership.”

The intention was to highlight a legacy of Black-led cultural spaces in East Liberty. The symposium is focused on how BIPOC and queer-led spaces locally and nationally can maintain their existence as gentrification reshapes the neighborhoods they call home. It’s an urgent convening highlighting the recurring disenfranchisement and displacement of Black, brown, disabled, queer and poor communities that continues to plague this country.

I built the “Lifting Liberty” exhibition upon three eras—before, during and after urban renewal, a mid-20th century policy that saw hundreds of poor and working-class Black and immigrant communities across the U.S. destroyed in order to build new infrastructure that often displaced the original populations. While urban renewal is a defining event in the history of East Liberty, the neighborhood is more than the narrative of its destruction and reshaping. I set out to create a body of work that explored the impact of generations of policy change on the neighborhood, while also celebrating the spaces that Black residents and community members have created amid the changes. I used archival research, stories I’d heard and my own lived experiences to identify the spaces and periods to document in the exhibit, and aerial and street level images of East Liberty to establish a sense of place. References to historic Black print media, playbills and performance posters became the

building blocks of collages that explore everyday life and everyday cultural spaces over the years in the neighborhood. Frameby-frame they showcase Black folks in these reimagined East Liberty establishments, all in a moment of creative expression. By streamlining the visual language I aim to show the ways we’ve found to create, together, across space and time.

Making art in an inhospitable city

My research goes back roughly a century to the 1920s, when Black residents had a small enclave within the larger neighborhood. I combed through Historic Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Courier archives to find cultural sites from those days, but the search proved elusive. In the 1920s and 1930s, a space called Liberty Gardens came up, which was billed as East Liberty’s only Black ballroom. Still, I knew there had to be more clubs, bars, social halls and rent parties where people were meeting, where jazz was playing, and where dancing was happening. After all, Mary Lou Williams was dubbed the “Little Piano Girl of East Liberty.” She had to be playing that piano, somewhere.

The archive, or the institutional record, doesn’t always hold space for the types of places where the likes of Mary Lou Williams or any of the other Pittsburgh musical giants made their names. Those places too often go down with the memories of the folks who filled them out and made them what they were. I’m grateful for our Black press and for the work of Charles “Teenie” Harris. I’m also grateful for everyday archivists whose scrapbooks and family albums hold pieces of these stories, and whose stories are passed down to us so we have some understanding of what these places were. When we

The Men of Excellence Award celebrates local African American men who motivate and inspire others through their vision and leadership, exceptional achievements and participation in community service. The selected honorees will join an exclusive society of professional men who have previously received this distinction.

CRITERIA:

1. The nominee must a be a man 40 years of age or older, who resides in the Greater Pittsburgh area.

2. The nominee must be active in his career or profession. Career or profession is defined as paid employment in his field. Nominees must agree to have their photograph and biographical information published in the New Pittsburgh Courier.

All nominees selected as a Men of Excellence will be featured in a 2025 edition of the New Pittsburgh Courier

3. Evaluations will be based on the quality of a nominee’s achievements rather than the quantity of information submitted.

4. Selections will be made by the New Pittsburgh Courier Men of Excellence Selection Committee based on the following criteria:

• Local African American executive or business owner

• Proven success in career/profession

• Positive role model

• Demonstrative community service

COLLAGE ARTIST NJAIMEH NJIE, OF PITTSBURGH, POSES FOR PORTRAITS WITH SOME OF HER ART IN EAST LIBERTY ON APRIL 7. (PHOTO BY VONDRE CLARK/PUBLICSOURCE)

The August Wilson Block Party 2025!

MARNA OWENS-BAILEY, ASHLEY JOHNSON, STACEY LOWE

TAMERA DIXON, TYESHA SCOTT

PAMELA HEYWOOD, OWNER OF NOSTALGIC SOUL COLLECTIVE MARK HUNTER

THE HILL DISTRICT ALONG BEDFORD AVENUE. IT’S THE NINTH

THE BLOCK PARTY. (PHOTOS BY J.L. MARTELLO)

DJS SELECTA AND K-BECK (PHOTOS BY J.L. MARTELLO)

ERIKA JOHNSON, VERNARD ALEXANDER

MR. PRYOR, BREE PRYOR, AND CANNON PRYOR, HANGING OUT IN THE HILL...

GLADYS LOUISE COOPER FROM THE HILL AND ASHLEY TAYLOR FROM DOLLAR BANK DANCING

NIKKIE COVINGTON, RENEE MURRAY

MARIAH TORRES, DESHAYLA BUSH

Black maternal health on the minds of everyone

Three-day event held in Pittsburgh, April 14-16

by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer

Black maternal health is finally getting some of the spotlight. Especially when the statistics that come with Black maternal health aren't good, and need to be put on front street.

Black women in the U.S. are three times as likely to die from pregnancy-related complications as White women, regardless of their income or education, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It doesn't matter the year— 2019, 2020, or 2023—the figures basically read the same. Pick a year. 2021. Black women had a maternal mortality rate of 69.9 per 100,000 live births, almost three times the rate of White women (26.6). The issue is so real. So palpable. In the Washington, D.C., area, a Black woman, a college graduate, named Arika Trim, was overly excited when she learned she was pregnant. Trim, who had previously worked for former First Lady Michelle Obama among other prominent positions, was readying for her first child in 2020. She had to have an emergency C-Section in June 2020, and her first child was born. Seven days later, Trim died of pregnancy complications. The Arika Trim Foun-

dation was started in her memory. Its mission is to champion Black maternal health "by delivering postpartum care services at home, educating mothers on postpartum warning signs, and collaborating with medical professionals and organizations for timely and safe interventions."

Black Maternal Health Week is now celebrated throughout the country in mid-April. For 2025, it was celebrated from April 11-17. In Pittsburgh, there was a three-day conference on Black maternal health, held, April 14-16, at the Kimpton Hotel Monaco, Downtown, and Acrisure Stadium.

A press conference was also held near the steps of the City-County Building, Downtown, April 15. The press conference, and much of the three-day conference, was led by state Rep. La'Tasha D. Mayes, of the 24th House District. She's part of the PA Black Maternal Health Caucus. Representative Mayes said during her opening remarks that 93.5 percent of pregnancy-related deaths in Pennsylvania were labeled as "preventable."

"In Western Pennsylvania, we have the power to change the trajectory of maternal mortality and morbidity, not only for this region, but for the entire commonwealth," Rep. Mayes said.

"We cannot fix a problem if we cannot name it," added Pa.'s Second Lady, Blayre Holmes Davis, a Black woman and wife of the first Black Lt. Governor in the state's history, Austin Davis. "But the facts and problems are crystal clear. Black women in Pennsylvania are two times more likely to die during pregnancy, childbirth or first-year postpartum...these are real people's lives we're talking about."

As more speakers took to the microphone, Dr. Margaret Larkins-Pettigrew of Allegheny Health Network revealed that many organizations, along with the city's leading health systems, UPMC and Highmark (who oftentimes don't see eye to eye on things), have come together in town to start "First Steps and Beyond." The initiative's goal is to decrease infant mortality rates, as well as decrease the rate of maternal mortality. The initiative's executive committee includes representatives from the Allegheny County Health Department, AHN, FaithBased Neighborhood Resilience Project, the City of Pittsburgh Mayor's Office, The Midwife Center, The Jewish Healthcare Foundation, the local Federally Qualified Health Centers,

SEE MATERNITY A7

know that, we have an inkling of what can be. Working my way toward the present, I eventually landed on nine spaces to highlight in the exhibition. By no means an exhaustive list, it’s a sampling of what Black communities have created in a city that is inhospitable to our very existence. I only learned of the Howe School of Dancing and the Hayes School of Music through research for this exhibition, but they laid the foundation for

contemporary spaces like Sankofa Village and the Afro American Music Institute. Parties at Westray Plaza may have ended decades ago, but there are still functions, and we still gather. Systemic racism, classism and capitalism have for too long destroyed the buildings where we make community. Yet, the circle of cultural creation in Black Pittsburgh, and within Black East Liberty is not broken. We just have to dig a little to find the line.

Looking back helps me look forward

When “Lifting Liberty” opened, long-term residents and newer community members gathered together in the Kelly Strayhorn lobby. I heard stories about past spaces and people represented in the exhibit, and I heard stories of how people are experiencing East Liberty today. I thought back on the village that raised me with a deeper understanding that I’ve experienced only the latest versions of a neighborhood that

has historically changed many times over. The history is bittersweet, but sharing space at the opening renewed my belief that we have a say in what lies ahead. As we look back, we move forward. We need to talk about the places we’ve inhabited and what we’ve made there because memory is a powerful vehicle for conversation. Conversation is a cornerstone of community, and we need that now as much as ever. Black folks have carved out spaces for

ourselves through segregation, through urban renewal and through gentrification. There’s a precedent for creating in spite of the circumstances around us. I’m dreaming of a Pittsburgh where we will be able to create because of our circumstances. One where we’re all safe and have what we need. One where our living conditions and the socioeconomic landscape will nurture and inspire our creativity—not hinder it. But we need more than

just dreams. We have to keep making, together. (Njaimeh

is a multimedia artist. You can learn more about her work at njaimehnjie. com. “Lifting Liberty” is on display through May 31 at the Kelly Strayhorn Theater.)

DR. MARGARET LARKINS-PETTIGREW, SPEAKING AT THE KIMPTON HOTEL MONACO DURING THE

BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH SUMMIT IN PITTSBURGH IN APRIL 2025. (PHOTOS BY J.L. MARTELLO)

ANJELICA SANDERS, YUMENO YOUNG

MARCIA PERRY DIX

Njie

UPMC, the University of Pittsburgh and Women for Healthy Environment. Other partners on the project include Healthy Start Pittsburgh, American Heart Association and the MAYA Organization, among others.

"We know that the political determinants of health result in the social determinants of life," Dr. Larkins-Pettigrew said on April 15 at the press conference, Downtown.

"We are part of the movement here in the City of Pittsburgh, to continue to change the outcomes of Black women and all women."

In 2024, Pittsburgh-based filmmaker Emmai Alaquiva produced and directed a documentary entitled "The Ebony Canal," which followed the lives of four Black women and their pregnancies. In the U.S., more than twice as many Black babies die before their first birthday than White babies. That statistic holds true in Pennsylvania, where the infant mortality for Black babies in 2020 was 10.9 per 1,000 live births.

The message is clear— Black maternal health is a serious issue. And it's going to be talked about and tackled.

"The rates for maternal mortality are going down for every other group of women and moms, but has gone up almost 30 percent for Black moms and birthing people," Rep. Mayes

vis, the aforementioned Pa. Second Lady, boasted that 2025 was the third year that the (Governor) Shapiro/Davis Administration acknowledged Black Maternal Health Week across the state.

"No matter what happens in Washington, no matter what decrees come down from the White House, this administration has and will continue to make sure that Black Maternal Health is a top priority," Blayre Holmes Davis said, "because we see, we value, we trust and we believe Black women in this community."

And as for Charles Johnson, he's going to shout about Black maternal health as loud as his vocal chords will allow. In 2016, his wife, Kira, died following the birth of their second child. She died hours after a C-Section was performed at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. She died from some 10 hours of internal hemorrhaging, "despite adamant pleas for help from medical professionals by her husband and loved ones," according to Johnson's website, 4kira4moms.com.

He traveled to Pittsburgh to be part of the Black Maternal Health Week three-day summit. Representative Mayes said there was no one better to fight against the rise in Black maternal mortality than Johnson, who is recognized across the nation.

"I'm not here to tell you

LATASHA

said.

In addition to the press conference, topics that were discussed during sessions at Acrisure and the Kimpton included "The Power of Dads in Black Maternal Health," "Tech and Black Maternal Health," and "Midwifery Modernization and Maternal Health Deserts."

But at the press conference, where most of the local television stations had their cameras rolling, no one at the mic bit their tongue. Blayre Holmes Da-

what I think, I'm here to tell you what I know," Johnson said. "...There is no data that can quantify what it's like to tell an 18-month old child that his mommy is never coming home."

Johnson added: "These mothers are so much more than just points on somebody's graph. These are precious mothers that we're losing."

STATE REP. LATASHA D. MAYES, STEPHAN ETIENNE, STATE REP. GINA H. CURRY, DARA MENDEZ (PHOTOS BY J.L. MARTELLO)

STATE REPS.

D. MAYES AND GINA H. CURRY.

JAMARAH AMANI, WITH THE NATIONAL BLACK MIDWIVES

MARIMBA MILLIONES

AJANI ZANAYA

C-TAC coming to Pittsburgh to address long-term health choices

RONALD D. HOLLOWAY

With profound sadness, we announce the peaceful passing of Ronald D. Holloway, a devoted father, grandfather, brother, uncle, veteran, and cherished friend. Ronald proudly served his country as a member of the United States Air Force, demonstrating the same discipline, courage, and sense of duty that he carried with him throughout his life. Following his military service, he went on to build a respected career with the Pittsburgh Port Authority, known for his integrity, work ethic, and steady leadership. Beyond his professional life, Ronald was a man of both strength and serenity. He was a master of Japanese sword (Kenjutsu), a 6th Dan black belt in Aikido, a gifted Reiki practitioner and instructor, and a steadfast mentor to many. Through his teachings and healing work, he touched countless lives with wisdom, compassion, and grace. He is survived by his beloved sons: Jeffrey Holloway (Kim), Hakeem Ash Shakur (Lyia), and Ronald Holloway (Sara) and his brother Douglas Holloway. He was preceded in death by his sons Scott Holloway and Glenn Holloway; his beloved former wife Elaine Patterson; his longtime companion Emily Joyce; and his sister Marquita Holloway Harris. Ronald’s legacy lives on through his 15 grandchildren, 6 nieces and nephews, and many great grandchildren. He will be remembered for his quiet strength, his deep spirituality, and his unconditional love for his family and community. Though he has left this world, the light Ronald brought into it remains—in every lesson he shared, every soul he healed, and every heart he lifted. May he rest in eternal peace.

Family and Friends will be received for Visitation at Coston Funeral Home, 427 Lincoln Ave, on Friday 5/23 from 4-8pm.

Funeral Services will be held at Coston Funeral Home on Saturday 5/24 at 11am.

ALICE MAY FOY

November 20, 1934 – May 10, 2025 Pittsburgh, PA • Age 90

Alice May Foy passed away peacefully on the morning of May 10, 2025, surrounded by her beloved family. At 90 years old, she was finally able to rest—a full-circle moment of grace after a life devoted to motherhood, where she often confessed that she hadn’t truly slept since becoming a mom. In her final moments, she ascended magically.

A proud Homestead native, Alice was the royal Highness of her family—iconic, legendary, and deeply loved by her nine completely unique and talented children. She was affectionately known as “Ma,” and carried many titles with honor: mother, ranging from grandmother to great-great-great-grandmother, wife, and friend.

After raising her children, she entered the workforce, taking on various roles—including a position at the Pittsburgh Courier—and was deeply respected for her work ethic and unwavering spirit. A true “domestic PhD engineer”, Alice balanced family and faith with unmatched grace and love.

She was preceded in death by her husband Julius Foy Sr. and now joins him in eternal peace.

Visitation will be held at Second Baptist Church, 108 W. 12th Avenue, Homestead, PA 15120, on Friday, May 23rd from 4pm – 8pm.

Her Homegoing Celebration will take place at the same location on Saturday, May 24th at 11am. Interment to follow at Monroeville Restland Cemetery. Arrangements entrusted to Jones Funeral Home and Shanell Lamere Films.

On May 31, C-TAC (The Coalition to Transform Advanced Care) will engage with faith-based organizations from throughout the City of Pittsburgh to discuss community care, health choices and the role of the church and faithbased organizations. This three-hour workshop will take place at the historic Bethel AME Church, 2720 Webster Avenue, Hill District. The session will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Faith and Community Advisory Council pastors in attendance will include: Rev. Dr. John C. Welch – Medical Ethicist, Flourishing Communities, Assistant Professor of Medical Ethics, Duquesne University, and Pastor, Sixth Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church; Rev. Dale B. Snyder, Sr. – Pastor, Bethel AME Church, Pittsburgh; Rev. Dr. Brenda Gregg – Co-Chair FaithBased Health Collaborative, Founder & Executive Director, Project Destiny Inc., and Pastor, Destiny of Faith; Rev. Dr. Larry D. Pickens, Executive Director, The Pennsylvania Council of Churches. Partners involved in this endeavor include the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Palliative Care Division, Allegheny Health Net -

work, and Highmark. A grant from McElhattan Foundation has made this endeavor possible. The theme for the workshop is “Navigating Conversations About Life and Legacy.” It will include opportunities for networking, health care vendors, refreshments, a box lunch, and door prizes. To register, call: Jennifer Driscoll, 410570-2767 or Marisette Hasan, 803-509-1021.

C-TAC has a goal to ensure that everyone facing a serious illness has the care they need, when and where they need it, and it is a coalition of leaders advocating for those impacted by serious illness. C-TAC was formed in 2010. They work with legislators, decision makers, and advocates to find common ground and craft policies that deliver more comprehensive, equitable, and consistently funded care. A core pillar of C-TAC’s work is to advocate for people understanding their options and making their end-of-life preferences and decisions known with an advance care plan and having those decisions respected by family, medical providers, and caregivers. For more information about C-TAC, visit thectac.org.

Reverend A. Marie Walker’s Weekly Inspiration

“Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone; if he shall hear you, you have gained your brother. Then came Peter to Him (Jesus), and said Lord, how often shall my brother SIN AGAINST ME, AND I FORGIVE HIM? Jesus said to him (Peter), I say not unto you, Until 7 times but, Until 70 times 7. = 490.” - St. Matthew 18:15, 21-22

REV. WALKER SAYS: FORGIVE, FORGIVE AND FORGIVE!!! LET IT GO — God gives us New Mercies every Morning. Let us start each day fresh with forgiveness, love and praise to God.

COURIER CHURCH DIRECTORY

10:30 a.m.

Bountiful Blessings: 1st, 3rd Tuesday, 5-7 p.m. 312 Viola St. Duquesne, Pa., 15110 116 South Highland Ave. Pittsburgh, Pa., 15206 412-441-3800

church pastors... Join the Courier’s new Church Directory today! Email your information and photo to: religion@newpittsburghcourier.com (special spring/summer rate: $25/month)

Pastor— Nathaniel Pennybaker

Pastor—Rev. Dorothy Stubbs

Justin Fields stayed quiet, but deep down, does he want revenge?

Steelers gave up on him, shipped him to Week 1 opponent N.Y.

There is an old and reliable cliché that many folks use when they sample various foods. When they try and fail to define what a particular food tastes like, they usually call on the old standby, “tastes like chicken.”

From alligator to zebra, when it is plated before you and you have doubts about the taste test, just close your eyes, open your mouth and imagine that the animal that you may be hesitant to try is running around the barnyard covered with feathers and I will guarantee that your taste buds will almost instantly throw out the welcome mat.

Maybe, maybe not.

There is a new cliché that I have coined regarding the past, present, or future performances of Black quarterbacks in the NFL. The new and dandy slogan is: “tastes like failure.” I don’t care what the heck they do, and how they do it, folks are lining up to hitch a ride on their “failure train.” For example, Justin Fields, the ex-Chicago Bears, Pittsburgh Steelers and current N.Y. Jets QB, may be the caboose on such a train.

After Mr. Fields was misled, misread, misunderstood and underpaid by the Steelers, the Jets jettisoned him to the Jersey Shore and so far have at least attempted to pay him a fair wage after he suffered through the fiscal fiasco of the Steelers, who in 2024 gave him a oneyear deal: paying him as if they rescued him from a second-hand thrift store dumpster after a fire sale.

A writer named Komal wrote an article posted on the website Essentially

Sports: "NFL Blackballing Justin Fields-Led Jets as Ex-Steelers QB to Open vs Mike Tomlin Amid Aaron Rodgers Wait." Komal writes: “Last November, Justin Fields quietly walked off the field at Acrisure Stadium after another frustrating sideline stint. No outburst, no media jabs—just the lingering sting of being benched for Russell Wilson— signed after the ink on his own papers had dried. Fields is no longer the forgotten QB in Pittsburgh. He’s leading the New York Jets. And in Week 1, he gets the rarest gift in football—a chance at revenge. For the Jets and Fields, the season opener is more than just a football game. It’s a referendum—on Fields’ starting legitimacy, on Glenn’s new system, and on whether the Jets can finally shake off their reputation as perennial underachievers. Even if Rodgers doesn’t sign with Pittsburgh, Week 1 is still a storyline-heavy showdown: a new QB facing the franchise that gave up on him, on a national stage, in a prove-it year.” Meanwhile back at the ranch, Justin Fields doesn’t need revenge. His revenge is "dead presidents." Komal also covertly blames Justin Fields for the lack of prime-time games scheduled for the Jets in 2025 writing: “The Jets, who were granted six

primetime games in 2024 thanks to Aaron Rodgers‘ presence, have only two this time around."

According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, the scheduling downgrade says it all. “The Jets are amazing because last year with Aaron Rodgers, six primetime games. This year, two primetime games. So the league is telling us, don’t believe that much in the Jets.”

It is not about the ability or inability of Justin Fields. It is about marketing and money. The Jets have been semi-shunned from the national scheduling spotlight in 2025 only because the sponsors and Las Vegas play a role in determining who the “fanatics” will be viewing on Sunday and Monday nights. Let’s switch gears for a few moments. This whacky media can make up and create “ghostly” sources and spread the non, non, nonsense without penalty or penance. Remember, just recently when the Steelers negotiations with Aaron Rodgers were not progressing smoothly, the name of the Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence was ingested, digested and quickly disposed of in the “journalism outhouse,” post haste. Trevor Lawrence put a stop to that journalistic rumor mill tomfoolery in a Martian heartbeat. “I have a no-trade clause in my contract, so I would know about it if I was getting traded or if that was something that was going to happen.” He added: “I’d have to be on board with it —which I’m not. I’m happy here in Jacksonville. I plan on—we want to win a Super Bowl here, and

I think we can do that. And I don’t want to leave Jacksonville. So, I’m happy here, obviously. I’m not going to Pittsburgh.”

Hey, wait a minute, if Trevor Lawrence and his agent had no idea what was going on regarding a trade, how could any source know better than them? However, many folks are now living, embracing, and thriving in a culture of lies, rumors, innuendos and slurs, especially in the sports world. Folks running around like imps: making up and concocting stories

based upon sources that did not, do not, and will not exist, just because.

Based upon these "Tales from the Crypt," "Twilight Zone," garbage collectors disguised as writers, many fans are going to blame Justin Fields for not being able to turn on their electronic devices and see their teams rumbling in prime time. How is the value of an athlete, any athlete watered down in 2025? Just remove the spotlight from them, that’s all. It is a simple formula. Some players, no matter what their skillset

is, may be damned if they do and damned if they don’t. Also, remind them that some athletes may be forced to eat “the crow of injustice.” And if it happens to them, don’t make a big deal out of it because all they will have to do is close their eyes and imagine that it “tastes like chicken.”

ASIA SMILEY...FROM ‘HOT SAUCE’ ...TO GLOBAL HEAT!

This is how Asia Smiley is blazing trails in flag football around the world. And in under two years, Asia “Hot Sauce” Smiley transformed from a rookie in flag football to an international icon in the sport, juggling motherhood, global travel and elite athletic competition with a fire that refuses to burn out. Known on the field as “Hot Sauce,” for her explosive speed, spicy footwork, and unmatched intensity, Smiley has made waves around

the world competing in Spain, Thailand, Malaysia, Jamaica and across the United States.

Her primary position as rusher makes her a relentless, high-pressure defender who attacks the quarterback on every play. It’s one of the most important, strategic roles in the game, requiring both speed and mental precision. And she’s not just playing it...she’s dominating, even when the opposing quarterbacks are men. “Being a female rusher going up against male quarterbacks is no joke,” Smiley has said.

“You need elite talent, timing, and confidence to make your presence felt. That’s how you win MVP.”

And that’s exactly what she did in a little over one year in the sport. Smiley has won three national titles, two in the women’s division and one in coed, where she rushed male quarterbacks and helped her team bring home the gold. At the UFFL Nationals, one of the highest levels of competitive flag football, she was named defensive MVP, scoring four defensive touchdowns, a rare feat, even among veteran players. But her journey hasn’t been without pain. While playing in Malaysia, Smiley caught an elbow to the face in a hig- speed play that resulted in a broken orbital bone and a detached nostril. She was rushed to the hospital and underwent emergency facial surgery. But in true Hot Sauce fashion, she wasn’t done. Just six hours later she returned to the field, bandaged, bruised, and still determined to lead her team into the playoffs, recording multiple sacks in her comeback game. “I couldn’t let my team down,” she has said. “Pain can’t stop purpose.”

That spirit is what made her a magnet for international teams. She’s been invited or requested to play with competitive squads across the globe, not

just for her athleticism, but her leadership, character, and ability to teach. At each stop, she’s introduced players in other countries to the basics of American flag football, helping to grow the sport and spreading knowledge in regions unfamiliar with the game. Outside the lines, Smiley is a mother of three, a wife to a disabled veteran, and a former collegiate track and field

athlete who graduated magna cum laude from Clark Atlanta University. She homeschools her children and brings them with her across the world, turning every tournament into a classroom and every challenge into a lesson in resilience.

She’s also coached NFL flag teams in both Pittsburgh and Tampa, all while being the only female head coach in both leagues.

Looking ahead, Smiley’s eyes are fixed on a higher flame, the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, where flag football will be an official sport for the first time in history. Her goal?? Represent on the world’s biggest stage.

Special Note: In 2025, Smiley founded Flamin’ Hottie, a women’s international flag football team, made up of talented athletes from multiple countries. The team

will make its debut in Ningbo, China, on May 24-25 and is currently seeking sponsors, partners, and donations to support uniforms, travel land tournament costs. “Flamin’ Hottie isn’t just a team—it’s a movement,” she has said. "We’re uniting women from across the world through fire, discipline and purpose."

John Ciccolella President, Bank

In America, homeownership remains one of the most powerful ways to build generational wealth. But for far too long, the path to that dream has been blocked, especially for Black and underserved communities. From redlining to discriminatory lending practices, these barriers have made it harder for families to own a piece of this country. In this country, wealth has always been tied to land and property. But when you’re locked out of ownership, you’re locked out of opportunity. That’s why the Property is Power movement exists to dismantle those barriers and cre -

ate pathways to ownership that are equitable, accessible, and transformative.

One of the most powerful tools to help achieve that goal is the FHA mortgage. It’s not just a loan product, but as a bridge to opportunity.

An FHA loan isn’t just a loan. It’s a launchpad, a practical, proven way to help first-time buyers, especially in historically excluded communities, become homeowners. It’s a tool that says, “You belong in this conversation. You deserve a stake in this country. And here’s how we help make that possible.”

What is an FHA Loan?

An FHA (Federal Housing Administration) mortgage is a government-backed loan designed specifically to help firsttime and lower-income buyers become homeowners. With low down payment requirements, more flexible credit guidelines, and competitive rates, the FHA loan opens doors that might otherwise remain closed.

by Deborah Bailey For The Baltimore Afro

Since the death of George Floyd in May 2020, a renewed emphasis on building wealth has emerged in African American communities across the United States. The economic “wealth gap” between African American and White Communities is now an acknowledged fact and a renewed effort is taking place by individuals in Black communities to build wealth from the ground up.

“We have to get comfortable talking about challenging issues like the racial wealth gap,” said Erika James, the first African American woman to be named Dean of the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania.

In a recent report issued by the US Federal Reserve, DMV economist Akila Forde Black stated the wealth gap is unfortunately increasing. “Hispanic or Latino households earn about half as much as the average White household and own only about 15 to 20 percent as much net wealth,” she and co-author Aditya Aladangady state in the report on the Racial Wealth Gap.   Seminars, social media

posts and corporate and community resources across the nation are connecting with Black communities to change this picture.  Most HBCUs have courses in personal finance and are connecting African Americans from all walks of life with options that weren’t available a generation ago to build wealth and strengthen our commu -

pany Public and Social Sector emphasize the need for African Americans to be connected to this nation’s financial wealth-building system.  Secure Financial Investments

“African Americans have to focus on investing in financial assets as well as material assets like houses and property,” Sawyer said.

Black Americans looking to build wealth are encouraged to seek out financial literacy opportunities, have a bank account in good standing, build up an emergency fund and make sound investments.

nities.

“We tend to publicize dramatic successes and dramatic failures,” said Granville Sawyer, Director of the MBA program at Bowie State University and author of “College in Four Years: Making Every Semester Count.”

“The vast majority of us are in between and need practical tools and support to move forward financially,” Sawyer said.  Sawyer and analysts from McKinsey and Com -

“The average annual compound rate of return on the New York Stock Exchange is 9.6 percent. If you can invest $200 per month over 40 years, you will be a millionaire,” he added.

But only 33.5 percent of African Americans own stock, according to a 2019 Federal Reserve Report. Sawyer encourages African Americans to get started with a portfolio either through an employer or independently

through an investment management company.

“A well-diversified portfolio of financial assets; stock, mutual funds. That’s as low of a level of risk as you can get but will help you save more than a basic savings account,” Sawyer said.  Start or Build Your Emergency Fund  More than 73 percent of African Americans reported the inability to cover expenses for three months in an emergency, according to an April 2021 Pew Research Poll.  The Covid-19 Pandemic has impacted Americans overall in this category with only 4 in 10 Americans of all backgrounds reporting the ability to handle a $1000 emergency expense right now without using the charge card.

“Create an emergency fund,” Sawyer said. “If you can’t afford three months of expenses, put away $1000 because the emergencies will come,” he said. “If you keep using the credit card for unanticipated expenses, you are borrowing against your future money to pay that card back,” Sawyer added. Getting a Bank Account, Insurance and Credit More than 17 percent of

Let’s talk about the retirement panic that has folk hitting the Social Security button faster than folks rush to buy Beyoncé tickets. People are claiming Social Security at 62 like the system is about to disappear overnight. All this stress over “What if it runs out?” has folks locking in the smallest Social Security checks of their life, all in the name of FEAR. Despite growing awareness about the benefits of waiting, roughly 25 to 30 percent of Americans still claim Social Security at age 62, the earliest age allowed. That’s down from nearly 50 percent in the 1990s, but it’s still a significant chunk of retirees locking in reduced benefits for life. This decision is driven by fear—fear that the system might run out, fear of job loss, or fear of dying before they can collect. Others simply don’t have the financial cushion to wait. But here’s the kicker: claiming at 62 can shrink your monthly check by 25 to 30 percent compared to waiting until full retirement age—and even more compared to holding off until 70. That’s a high price to pay for a panic move.

Top 3 reasons people tap into Social Security early: “The Trust Fund’s running dry!” Yep, the Social Security Trust Fund is

projected to run low by 2033. But even if that happens, 80 percent of benefits will still be paid from payroll taxes. That ain’t broke. That’s a budget cut—not bankruptcy.

“I want my money before it disappears!”

Folks treat Social Security like musical chairs— they don’t wanna be left standing. But this rush to grab it early locks you into smaller checks for life.

• Wait until full retirement age (66-67)?

You get 100 percent.

“It’s all politics and fraud!” Between government drama, TikTok finance “experts,” and conspiracy theories on Facebook, people don’t trust the system. But reacting off rumors ain’t a retirement plan—it’s a setup.

The Facts: Waitin’ Pays—BIG TIME!

Let’s talk numbers.

• Claim at 62? You only get about 70 percent of your full retirement benefit.

• Hold off until 70? You get up to 132 percent of your benefit. That’s like turning a $1,000 check into $1,320—for life! Month after month, year after year. That’s a guaranteed 8 percent raise every year you wait past full retirement age. Now run that over 20-30 years of retirement… that’s hundreds of thousands of dollars left on the table if you claim early.

That’s not just math. That’s strategy. “But Damon… What If I Die Early?” I hear this all the time:

“What if I don’t live long enough to enjoy the bigger checks?”

That’s real. But here’s what’s more real: People are living longer. Retirement ain’t a sprint—it’s a marathon. If you live into your 80s or 90s (which many do), claiming early will leave you underfunded when you need that income the most.

Plan to live. Not to die. The Real Risk: Outliving Your Money

Let me say it again: The biggest risk ain’t Social Security running out of money to fund Social Security. It’s you running out of money in retirement leaving you vulnerable at an

Check your health and family history: Are you in good shape? Longevity in your family? Plan accordingly. Review your income streams: Got a pension? 401(k)? Rental income? If so, maybe you can afford to wait. Talk to a pro: Don’t guess. Don’t wing

Why FHA Loans

Are a Game-Changer:

• Low Down Payment Requirements

Buyers can put down as little as 3.5 percent, a huge win for families without generational wealth or large savings.

• Flexible Credit Standards

FHA is designed to work with people who have less-than-perfect credit, making homeownership possible even for those recovering from financial setbacks.

• Assumable Loans

FHA loans can be transferred to a new buyer when you sell, giving you a unique advantage when rates are high and helping others access affordable financing, too.

• Pathway to Stability and Equity

Instead of paying rent and building someone else’s wealth, FHA loans let you invest in your future growing equity and financial security for yourself and your family.

Bridging the Gap

The Black homeownership rate still lags 30 percentage points behind White households. That’s not just a statistic, a reflection of lost opportunity, lost equity, and systemic inequality. FHA loans were created to expand access, and when used correctly, they can help close this gap.

Why it Matters

Because when more Black and families become homeowners:

• Roots can be planted in a community

• Children see what’s possible

• A legacy is created for your children

• Neighborhoods become more stable

• Communities grow stronger

• The generational cycle begins to shift

• The ability to leverage equity for college, retirement, or entrepreneurship occurs

The truth is, FHA loans won’t solve every problem, but they’re a critical piece of the puzzle. They offer families a way in, and for many Black households, that’s all they’ve ever needed; a fair shot.

We don’t just need programs, we need policies and products that are intentional about closing the racial wealth gap, designed with equity in mind. FHA mortgages are one of the few tools that meet people where they are and walk them toward where they want to go.

Property is Power! and FHA is one key to unlocking it.

(Dr. Anthony O. Kellum – CEO of Kellum Mortgage, LLC Homeownership Advocate, Speaker, Author NMLS # 1267030 NMLS #1567030 O: 313-263-6388 W: www.KelluMortgage.com.)

(Property is Power! is a movement to promote home and community ownership. Studies indicate

More than 106,000 Black women lost jobs last month

by Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire

Black women experienced the steepest job loss of any demographic group in April, shedding 106,000 jobs, according to newly released data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The April report shows a significant setback for Black women in the labor market, even as the U.S. economy added 177,000 jobs and the national unemployment rate held steady at 4.2 percent.

The number of employed Black women dropped from 10.325 million in March to 10.219 million in April. Their unemployment rate jumped from 5.1 percent to 6.1 percent, the largest month-to-month increase among all racial and gender groups. Among other findings, the labor force participation rate for Black women edged to 61.2 percent, indicating a loss in employment and a possible decline in overall workforce engagement. The unemployment rate for White women remained unchanged at 3.3 percent. Hispanic women’s unemployment also held at 4.6 percent. Women in other groups generally do not face the dual bar-

riers of racial and gender discrimination that Black women contend with, a factor in the jobless rate gap.

The overall Black unemployment rate rose to 6.3 percent in April, up from 6.2 percent in March, marking the third straight monthly increase and the highest rate since January.

In contrast, Black men saw a gain in employment, dropping their jobless rate from 6.1 percent to 5.6 percent.  Asian Americans had the lowest unemployment rate in April at 3.0 percent, while the rate for Hispanic Americans was 5.2 percent and 3.8 percent for White Americans.

HBCU Money reported that the number of Black women employed is now at a five-month low, while the number of unemployed Black women is at a five-month high.

Economist William Michael Cunningham, owner of Creative Investment Research, told Black Enterprise that the number of unemployed Black Americans increased by 29,000 in April, reaching nearly 1.4 million. At the same time, the total Black labor force declined by 7,000.

“The unusual nature of this increase in Black women’s unemployment is a testament to and a

direct result of the anti-DEI and anti-Black focus of the new administration’s policies,” Cunningham said. “This is demonstrably damaging to the Black community, something we have not seen before.”

Cunningham noted that many Black women are searching for jobs but not finding them. He said eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion roles and cuts in federal government jobs are key contributors. The BLS reported that federal government employment dropped by 9,000 in April and is down 26,000 since January.

“For Black women, the numbers show that those seeking work are not finding jobs,” Cunningham said. “The jobs that have traditionally been a path to stability are disappearing.”

Nationwide, job growth continued in health care, transportation and warehousing, financial activities, and social assistance. Average hourly earnings increased by six cents to $36.06.

The Employment Situation for May is scheduled for release on Friday, June 6.

Individual wealth-building for African Americans

WEALTH-BUILDING FROM B1

African Americans are without traditional bank accounts compared to approximately 7 percent of Whites according to the FDIC.  Some of this disparity results from segregation and Jim Crow laws barring blacks from establishing bank accounts in mainstream institutions.  Black Banks, credit unions and other financial institutions, once the safe haven for African American savings, have declined from a record 134 black-owned financial institutions in 1934 to a current 44.

According to a February 2021 report, access to financial institutions and financial products is critical to African American wealth building and social mobility.  A 2020 study by Haven Life found that African Americans have 1/3 of the insurance coverage of their white counterparts. The National African Ameri -

can Insurance Association, with chapters in 18 cities, is working to help African Americans ensure their families understand how to build wealth through life insurance.

Financial Literacy Supports

Not Limited to Students

Most HBCUs offer some form of financial literacy support to the surrounding community as well as to their students. Howard University, Bowie State University and Morgan State University all offer beginner-level courses in personal finance. Coppin State University just announced the start of a campus-community financial literacy initiative with PNC Bank.

Mindset Matters Most

Sawyer advises that the first thing needed to make personal financial changes in our lives is to focus on a mindset that’s ready to sustain a change for the better.

“Make room in your life for focus, discipline and consistency,” he

maintains.

Making and managing wealth means clearing the fear and hesitation from your life to ask for help.

Sawyer encourages Blacks who have not considered wealth building to get started now.

“There’s going to be many times when your faith is tested on the road to building wealth,” asserts Sawyer.  “But the net will not appear until you leap.”

(Deborah Bailey, Director of the MBA program at Bowie State University provides practical wealth building advice to help Black Americans move forward financially.)

(The post Individual wealth building for African Americans appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.)

Why folks are claiming Social Security early

it. Get advice from someone who understands retirement strategy. Let Strategy Lead— Not Panic

I’m not saying early claiming is always wrong. Life be lifin’. Maybe you got health issues. Maybe you’re unemployed and need the income. If it’s a need, do what you gotta do. But if you’re claiming early just because your cousin on Facebook said “Social Security gon’ be gone”—stop the madness. Don’t let fear fumble your future. Delaying Social Security ‘til full retirement age—or better yet, age 70—comes with some heavyweight perks. First off, Medicare doesn’t even kick in until you’re 65, so if you retire early, guess who’s stuck covering expensive health insurance on their own? You. Second, wait-

ing to collect Social Security means bigger checks for life— we’re talkin’ up to 30 to 80 percent more per month depending on when you claim. But the real power play? You get more time to stack your paper. Keep working, and you can still contribute to your 401(k) or IRA. More contributions = more compound growth. And because you ain’t withdrawing from those accounts just yet, that money continues to grow untouched. Translation: Your nest egg gets fatter while your Social Security check gets bigger. That’s what I call a win-win. Waiting ain’t weakness—it’s a wealth strategy. It’s About Legacy, Not Just Lifestyle Retirement isn’t just about “surviving.” It’s about peace of mind. Stability. Leaving a little something behind. When you lock in bigger checks, you reduce financial stress on your kids, your spouse, and your future self. This is about freedom, not fear. Legacy, not lack. Strategy, not scarcity. You worked too hard to let fear cheat you outta what you earned. Social Security isn’t disappearing. It might get adjusted, Yes! But you still have options. Waiting to claim Social Security at full retirement age or at age 70 instead of claiming Social Security early is one of the most powerful ones. Claiming early outta fear is a gamble. Waiting is a power move. Fear makes you rush. Strategy makes you rich..

(PHOTO BY EDMOND DANTÈS ON PEXELS.COM)

U.S. prioritizes arrival of White South Africans, while blocking others Guest Editorial

On the afternoon of May 12, the first group of White South Africans—known as Afrikaners—arrived at Dulles Airport and were welcomed by several U.S. officials.

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau told reporters that the 59 individuals aboard the chartered plane, who underwent expedited reviews that took less than three months—not years, as in the case of others—had faced “egregious discrimination.”

Meanwhile, refugee admission considerations have been shut down from other countries, including Afghanistan and Sudan.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, however, stated that the departures were due to opposition to policies aimed at addressing racial inequality that has persisted since the end of apartheid, or White minority rule, more than 30 years ago.

“We think the American government has got the wrong end of the stick, but we’ll continue talking to them,” he stated.

Apartheid in South Africa, enforced by the White Afrikaner minority from 1948 to the early 1990s, was a brutal system of racial segregation and oppression that dehumanized the Black majority.

Under apartheid, Black South Africans were forcibly removed from their homes, denied fundamental human rights, and subjected to extreme poverty, poor education, and systemic violence.

Entire communities were displaced to remote, underdeveloped areas known as “homelands.” At the same time, some Black, Colored, and Indian South Africans were forced to live in urban communities known as “townships,” while White citizens enjoyed wealth, security, and privilege.

Furthermore, peaceful resistance faced harsh crackdowns, including police brutality, imprisonment without trial, and massacres such as the one in Sharpeville in 1960. The apartheid regime institutionalized racism, creating a legacy of trauma, inequality, and division that still resonates in South African society today.

President Donald Trump’s stance on welcoming Afrikaaners, while blocking people from other countries, is rooted in racism and influenced by a White South African: Elon Musk, director of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Imagine if Trump had been president during the White minority rule in South Africa. Would he have broadly welcomed Black South Africans as refugees? Or would he have even publicly or privately questioned the unfairness and racism of apartheid?

Stepping back into real life, did Trump or anyone in Musk’s family ever call for the release of former prisoner-turned-president Nelson Mandela?

Americans must confront Trump’s racism in all its forms—overt, systemic, and rhetorical—to uphold the values of equality and justice. History has proven that racism can have a domino effect, with one decision leading to rampant discriminatory practices and systems.

Racism in the Oval Office needs to be confronted aggressively.  Today it’s offering privileges to Afrikaaners, tomorrow it could be denying the rights of others right here in the United States—a move the president has shown he’s not above, particularly when it comes to reproductive and LGBTQIA rights. We must remember America is a true melting pot, a country founded by immigrants and built on the backs of enslaved Africans, and we should truly remember.

(Reprinted from the Washington Informer)

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—I’ve come to wonder: Is it a requirement— or even a basic expectation—for someone running for public office in the United States to know what the laws of that position actually require? Ever since the orange man began operating our government with seemingly no knowledge of the laws—or worse, no interest in following them—those working for the Would-Be King have served him, not the people, allowing him to disobey with impunity. Now, he’s wasting taxpayer dollars investigating former FBI Director James Comey over an Instagram post with the numbers 8647. Yes, an Instagram post. He’s throwing resources at trying to prove criminal intent based on that? Meanwhile, he’s calling Comey a “dirty cop,” while Comey once accurately compared the orange man to a mafia boss. You decide which label fits which man better. Frankly, if the orange man were a cop, both terms might apply. The way he governs, it wouldn’t be a stretch. Sadly, I believe the wrong person is being interviewed by the Secret Service. His latest tax bill failed in the Budget Committee. No worries— the Committee says they’ll try again on Sunday. That gives the orange man just enough time to return from his latest mischief-making trip in the Middle East. Then he’ll do what he does best: twist arms and bully his GOP dissenters. It seems some of those GOP

hardliners are waking up to the fact that everything he’s pushing on the budget isn’t working. Or maybe—just maybe—they realize an election is coming, and their constituents won’t support budget cuts that hurt them. Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana claims the objective is to extend tax cuts. Beyond that, I doubt many people can understand what he’s saying. I’m from Louisiana, and I still can’t figure out how he got elected to such an important position. A lot of what he says makes no sense. I often wonder if using his teeth might help us understand him better! Meanwhile, the orange man is once again violating court orders and disregarding our laws—this time by trying to deport immigrants under the Alien Enemies Act. What he’s doing has been called a horrific abuse of presidential power. Why would he care? He keeps breaking laws and getting away with it. He thrives on doing the wrong thing. Judges keep letting him slide. And when it comes to human rights, he clearly couldn’t care less. Ask his own family. His niece and nephew have warned us again and again about who he

really is. They’ve lived it.

Since the orange man became President, the U.S. credit rating was cut by Moody’s because of rising government debt. What a surprise! These are the same people slashing aid for the poor while increasing spending for the President’s rich friends. They’re shutting down programs that serve struggling families. That’s the DOGE way—serve the orange man, not the people. He’s also targeting immigrants with alleged gang ties—like those he claims are part of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang—without evidence or due process. In one outrageous case, the administration deported a makeup artist to a violent El Salvadorian mega-prison simply because her tattoos were mistaken for gang symbols. Innocent lives are being upended to serve his hateful, fear-based agenda. Recently, a judge ruled that the administration must provide hearings to any migrant accused before deportation. The judge even noted that literal Nazis once had more rights to challenge deportation than some immigrants do in the U.S. today. That should shake every American to the core. This is a fivealarm fire we cannot ignore.

Even Bruce Springsteen called the orange man treasonous.

Judging by his actions, I’d say the Boss had good reason—and it sure sounds criminal to me.

(Dr. E. Faye Williams is President of The Dick Gregory Society.)

There was a time when the name Cornel West meant something to me.

To many of us, in fact. There was a time when he was one of the sharpest moral minds in the public square; a philosophical firebrand who challenged systems, elevated Black radical thought, and demanded the world reckon with justice, truth, and dignity. That time was real, but unfortunately, that time has passed.

And yet, in 2025, somehow Dr. West will take the stage as the commencement speaker at Morehouse College, my esteemed alma mater. I say this not with anger, but with disappointment.  As a Morehouse man, I believe in the sanctity of our traditions, especially our commencement. That stage is a sacred one, a place for celebrating the triumph, vision, and integrity of these young Black men before they’re loosed upon a hostile world. It should not be used for reputation rehab—certainly not for men who have spent the last 20 years abandoning the very values they once claimed to champion.

This isn’t about politics. This is about priorities.

Cornel West has, for the better part of two decades, chosen celebrity over community. From his infamous spoken word album to his media appearances alongside Bill Maher and Tucker Carlson, Dr. West has steadily transformed himself from a scholar of the people to a caricature of one. It’s only appropriate that I mention Matrix Reloaded here. It wasn’t his fault, but it doesn’t help his case.

His words are still lofty, his diction still florid, but there is a hollowness to his message now, a performance rather than a purpose. An act, not a calling. A pantomime of philosophical thinking.

At the height of Barack Obama’s presidency, when so many of us were reckoning with the significance of a Black man in the White House, it was Cornel West and his longtime ally Tavis Smiley who seemed most committed to tearing that moment down. Criticism is fair. Constructive critique is necessary. But what West and Smiley offered wasn’t critique; it was contempt. It was personal. Petty. Unrelenting. While they claimed to speak on behalf of “the people,” they spent more time bashing Obama from cable news green rooms than they did organizing or investing in actual Black communities.

And now, as Cornel West’s star fades, as his once-revered presence in academia has become a cautionary tale, he returns to us—to Morehouse, to HBCUs—as if we are obligated to provide cover. We are not. These times are too serious to be wasted on unserious people. Morehouse, perhaps more than any other institution, understands the weight of the moment we are in.

We live in a time of economic uncertainty, social unrest, and ideological warfare. Our young men are preparing to enter a world where the stakes have never been higher. The class of 2025 deserves to be celebrated by someone who sees them, who reflects their hopes, and who challenges them to rise. They deserve a speaker who has walked the walk, who has committed themselves to excellence in their given field, not just self-aggrandizement through performance, but an example of purpose.

Dr. Cornel West has not done that. He spent the better part of his career currying favor with the Ivy League: Harvard, Princeton, Yale. These are the institutions that defined his trajectory, that gave him his platform. That he now returns to the Black community seeking redemption, after years of neglect, is not only ironic, it’s opportunistic.

He’s been an irregular fixture without a sustained presence within the HBCU landscape. He has not taught in our classrooms, mentored our students, or contributed meaningfully to our infrastructure. And yet he now wishes to use one of our most revered stages—a culmination of generations of Black excellence and struggle—as a platform to polish the turd of his public image. These times are too serious to be wasted on unserious people.

There are leaders among us (yes, some of them Morehouse men) who have carried the mantle of Black excellence with humility and consistency. There are public servants, politicians, educators,

artists, and entrepreneurs who have not only spoken about justice but have done the work. Giants in tech, media, and education who are living testaments to what Morehouse stands for. I could name names, but that’s not what this is about. These are the kinds of men who should be considered. These voices should be elevated.

Choosing Cornel West sends a mixed message. It tells our graduates that notoriety matters more than consistency. That eloquence trumps engagement. That a once-great voice, no matter how far it has strayed, is worth more than the many steadfast ones in our community. That one who has yet to atone should be forgiven because of their status and not their actions.

That is not the Morehouse I know. That is not the Morehouse that raised me. I understand the temptation of celebrity. I understand the allure of a name that still rings out to many, even if its echo has grown faint. But we must be cautious of who we allow to represent us at our most pivotal moments. Commencement is not just a ceremony, it is a declaration. A moment of spiritual inheritance. And it must be treated with reverence.

Dr. West, for all his early brilliance, has not earned that right. These times are too serious to be wasted on unserious people.

Our young men deserve more. More than recycled rhetoric. More than media posturing. More than a man who, historically, turned his back on the institutions that have always stood for us. Not that our esteemed president, Dr. David Thomas, cares. This is his last graduation. As this is his swan song, it’s more of a Price Is Right trombone than a triumphant march out the door. Let us hold the line. Let us protect the stage. Let us make allowances for voices that still believe in the power of service over stardom.

(Corey Richardson is originally from Newport News, Va., and currently lives in Chicago, Ill. Ad guy by trade, Dad guy in life, and grilled meat enthusiast, Corey spends his time crafting words, cheering on beleaguered Washington, D.C., sports franchises, and yelling obscenities at himself on golf courses. You can check out his website: www.theinstigationdepartment.com or subscribe to his Substack: theinstigationreport.substack.com for more on him and his happenings.)

by Dr. John E. Warren, Publisher

The real issue in America is no longer what Donald Trump is doing with his daily and consistent violation of the U.S. Constitution but rather what will the Congress do in light of the blatant violations of the Constitution and the Oath of Office both the President and the Members of Congress took to “Protect and Defend The Constitution Of The United States Against All Enemies Foreign and Domestic”?

Here are four of the most recent examples of ignoring the Constitution in “plain view” of everyone and everything the Constitution stands for:

1. The acceptance of a $400 million dollar airplane from the government of Qatar, when Article I of the Constitution under section 9. Any gifts given to officials of the United States, personally or otherwise, are the property of the United States Government, unless Congress so authorizes the acceptance. Only Congress can stop this gift, which is intended to replace Air Force One and puts this nation’s

security at risk, no matter how much the plane is inspected or searched for devices that can harm American intelligence; 2. Against individuals, as a ground for deporting people, is a violation of the Constitution. Only Congress Can Declare, and the Supreme Court has already ruled, that the law being used by the Trump Administration is illegal. That ruling has been ignored; 3. Having Homeland Security stationed at a maternity ward waiting for an immigrant mother to give birth, with the idea of deporting mother and child when the child is a U.S. citizen by birth under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution; 4. Firing the Librarian of the Library of Congress. The Library and its staff are under Congressional authority and control, and in no way come under the powers of the Executive under Article II of the Constitution, and finally, just to name a few, the efforts of his Administration speaking of suspending Habeas Corpus. The Constitution says under Article I, Section 9, Clause 2: “That the privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not

be suspended, except in cases of rebellion or invasion where the public safety may require it.”

What needs to happen is that all 213 Democratic members of Congress should be on the steps of the Capitol every day, demanding that the Republicans, as the controlling Party of the House of Representatives, take action against the President to demand enforcement of the Constitution, which is their sworn oath and duty. The people of this nation, in every congressional district where that elected member refuses to act on this Constitutional authority, should be recalled. America can not wait until Mid-Term elections in 2026. America as we know and cherish will not exist in 2026 if we don’t act now, both the Legislature under Article I and the Judicial under Article III. My fellow citizens, “What say Ye?” (Dr. John E. Warren is Publisher, The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint Newspaper)

The Heritage Foundation is the true public enemy

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—In many corners of the world, America is seen and respected as the greatest nation in the world. That level of respect doesn’t come only from being a nuclear or military power. Nor does it only come from its high political standing on the world stage. The respect, particularly in isolated parts of the world, comes from its commitment and concern for helping and improving the welfare of easily forgotten and ignored people.

It comes from its work in alleviating the suffering of those facing food and water shortages, malnutrition, lack of disease detection and treatment resources, and lack of vital public health services. It comes from its humanitarian work to maintain human dignity by ensuring that people have access to basic needs while being treated with respect. America is respected worldwide as a compassionate nation because of the lives saved each year. It is this compassion as a nation that makes America great.

For years, according to PBS News reporting, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) was the backbone of the humanitarian response in northeastern Nigeria, helping non-government organizations (NGOs) provide food, shelter, and healthcare to millions of people. Earlier this year, the Trump administration cut over 90 percent of USAID’s foreign aid contracts and $60 billion in overall assistance worldwide. Programs serving children were devastated. Globally, 50 percent of the therapeutic foods for treating malnutrition in children were funded by USAID, and 40 percent of the supplies were produced in the United States, according to Shawn Baker, chief program officer at Helen Keller International and former chief nutritionist at USAID. Baker noted that the consequence could be 1 million children not receiving treatment for severe malnutrition. As a result, this could lead to 163,500 additional deaths per year. For Helen Keller International, its programs in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Nigeria have all been terminated. How can America be so compassionate on one side and then so cruel on the other?

This high level of cruelty is not new. It gets contained at times, but now it is unleashed relentlessly thanks to the rise in political power of the MAGA

David W. Marshall

Commentary

The Nichols case: benefit of the doubt is

Due to their frequent exposure to danger, police officers may justify what appears to be excessive force if they feared for their lives. However, Michael Sierra-Arévalo, a sociologist at the University of Texas at Austin, argued that while it is not unconstitutional for police officers to believe that someone will hurt them, that presumption can lead to unconstitutional behavior and justifications for it. When police officers are put on trial because their actions resulted in the death of a suspect, defense attorneys will emphasize the threat to the officer’s life to explain why excessive force was required. But what if the situation was not life-threatening, and the officer’s “fear for life” assertion was unfounded? Instead of demonstrating reasonable doubt, defense attorneys will persuade the jury to give the police the benefit of the doubt.

An all-White jury recently gave the benefit of the doubt to three former Memphis police officers accused of beating to death Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, during a traffic stop in 2023. The all-White jury acquitted the former cops of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, and inappropriate use of official authority. When accused of murdering a Black man, an all-White jury is expected to find police officers not guilty, but this case was unusual in that the three officers acquitted were Black rather than White.

The Nichols beating was carried out by five Black police officers from the SCORPION unit (Street Crimes Operations to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods).

Police stopped Nichols for reckless driving on the day of the incident. (The Memphis police chief examined footage from a pole-mounted camera and discovered no probable cause for the traffic stop.) Nichols was pulled out of his car, pepper sprayed, and then tasered. (Disciplinary hearing documents show that Nichols was never informed why he was pulled over or that he was being arrested.) Nichols ran from the officers, but

base and its elected lawmakers. Therefore, we must see them for who they are. MAGA’s base today is mostly rural White men and women who are a modern-day extension of the Confederacy and Jim Crow philosophy. Philosophically, they are aligned with the same individuals who committed unimaginable horrors associated with Black massacres during the Reconstruction period. MAGA believers are aligned with people who tried to preserve slavery by way of secession and the Civil War. They are the individuals who committed the cruelty and brutality associated with the forced displacement of thousands of Native Americans as part of the Trail of Tears. They align with the inhumane lynchings, beatings, and murders during the Civil Rights era. In their view, the basic ideas that inspired the fight for freedom and our nation’s founding are wrong: All men are not created equal and should not have equal rights under the law.

The cruelty is fueled by a deep-seated resentment by the MAGA base, who have a growing fear of losing power once the nation becomes a minority-majority nation. To many of them, White men with wealth should dominate all people of color, all economic classes, and women. To varying degrees, many of them hold disdain for non-White immigrants, the poor, people with disabilities, the elderly, and LGBTQ people. This is true even when many within the MAGA base are poor, women, disabled, and elderly. While the MAGA base and its elected leaders believe that God has sent President Donald Trump to make America great again, it is The Heritage Foundation that is the real power behind the cruelty.

The Heritage Foundation, one of the most powerful conservative think tanks in the United States, has wielded immense influence over public policy for decades. The three MAGA Supreme Court Justices (Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett) were on The Heritage Foundation’s list of potential nominees. The Heritage Foundation has built its legacy on advancing policies that frame and uphold a rigid vision of American identity meant to roll back progressive gains from Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal and civil rights protection under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act. It is an identity that often excludes immigrants, communities of color, and low-income people. Its advocacy for harsh immigration enforcement, the dismantling of affirmative action, the elimination of social safety nets, and “law and order” policing policies have translated into real suffering for millions of people. These policies are not hypothetical; they separate families, open the door to a new wave of racial discrimination, and, due to the cuts to USAID, will result in the loss of life—all of this at the hands of the pro-life and pro-family MAGA base. As authors of Project 2025, The Heritage Foundation thrives in the shadows by cloaking its agenda in the patriotic language of “freedom” and constitutional values.” Beneath its public facade, it promotes policies designed to preserve White supremacy and corporate power. The threat to revoke birthright citizenship, effectively rendering American-born children of immigrants nationless, is a throwback to the darkest chapters of world history, where Nazi Germany passed a decree that denationalized German Jews, thereby stripping them of their property and later their lives. We should consistently make the connection that it is not only Trump behind the authoritarian and cruel agenda we currently live in but decades of work by the Heritage Foundation. Every politician who aligns with The Heritage Foundation’s agenda should be exposed and called out for the loss of lives and the suffering they have allowed.

(David W. Marshall is the founder of the faith-based organization TRB: The Reconciled Body and author of the book God Bless Our Divided America.)

not

reasonable doubt

J. Pharoah Doss Check It Out

the officers caught him.

The officers punched, kicked, and hit him with a baton. (CNN reported that video footage of the altercation shows officers repeatedly threatening Nichols with violence, even when he appeared to be following their orders or was already on the ground.)

The Memphis Police Department fired all five officers for violating department policies and permanently disbanded the SCORPION unit.

The state then filed criminal charges against the five officers. Before the state trial, the federal government charged the five officers with violating the deceased’s civil rights. During the federal hearing, two of the five policemen agreed to plead guilty to both federal and state charges. The remaining three officers were convicted of federal offenses.

At the state trial, the defense attorneys for the three officers who pleaded not guilty persuaded the judge that their clients would not receive a fair trial from a local jury. The judge concluded that a local jury could not be impartial given the amount of video of the incident that had been shown on the news and the widespread impression among local residents that the SCORPION unit routinely engaged in misconduct.

According to the Associated Press, the trial had “an out-of-town jury from a majority-White county.”

The prosecution believed that the video footage of Nichols being beaten, along with testimony from one of the police officers who pleaded guilty, was sufficient to secure a conviction. The defense blamed the officers who pleaded guilty for the blows that killed Nichols, but the prosecution

countered by demonstrating that the defendants took part in the violence and urged the other two to beat Nichols.

The defense transferred blame to the victim, alleging that if Nichols had cooperated and allowed himself to be handcuffed, he would still be alive. Then they urged the jury to give the defendants the benefit of the doubt.

The defense told the jury that the videos didn’t reflect the reality of what happened and the intense pressure the officers faced. They argued, “These cops serve in the most dangerous unit in the most dangerous city within the United States. [These officers] are doing a job that none of us here have the guts to do, to keep us safe.”

They called a use-of-force expert, who testified that the three officers followed police department procedures and law enforcement standards. The defense next informed jurors that a guilty verdict would hinder law enforcement’s ability to aggressively pursue suspects in a dangerous city.

The defense persuaded the allWhite jury that it was reasonable to give three Black men charged with second-degree murder the benefit of the doubt and declare them not guilty.

Following the acquittal, Dr. Earle Fisher, senior pastor of Memphis’ Abyssinian Baptist Church, stated that the trial was a new experience for him because he had never witnessed an all-White jury attempt to humanize three Black men who were defendants in a murder case. Fisher believed the only reason the jury was able to humanize the Black defendants was because they were police officers.

The pastor was mistaken. By granting them the benefit of the doubt, the jury failed to humanize them. What they actually concluded was that it requires N-words to police N-words, and this all-White presumption led to justifying the excessive force that caused the death of Nichols.

Is America still a ‘Shining City’ on a hill?

On the night of January 11, 1989, near the end of a 21-minute farewell address, President Ronald Reagan asked the TV audience, “How stands ‘The City’ on this winter night?”

The City—a reimagined America based off highly controversial pioneer John Winthrop’s 1600’s America—refers to the country being a beacon of light.

“A shining city on a hill, teaming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace. Its doors open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here,” is what Reagan told the nation. Answering his question by stating that the nation (under his leadership) was more prosperous, more secure, and happier than it was 8 years prior to when he first took office.

And although many have disagreed with his answer and argued to the contrary of Reagan’s more prosperous, secure, and happier time; it stands without question that Reagan’s farewell address helped coin America as the Shining City on a Hill. The gold standard for other nations to emulate.

Now, 36-years later, the former president’s address—specifically, the below key moments—resonate more than ever before and bring into question whether America is still that “Shining City on a Hill,” or has the beacon of light become lackluster, if not a sporadic flicker suggesting a more serious, underlying issue?

Key Moment One: Respect & Leadership

Four minutes into the president’s address, Reagan stated that with the “recovery of our morale, America is respected again in the world and look to our leadership.”

Today, a new 29-country Ipsos poll reports that the United States’ reputation as a positive influence in the world has declined in 26 of the 29 countries surveyed. Our northern neighbor, Canada, showed the sharpest decline from a 52 percent negative perception in October 2024 to 19 percent in April 2025. (Unfavorable U.S. government rhetoric and threats of tariffs being the key

R.L. Byrd Commentary

factors.)

The Netherlands (20 percent), Sweden (22 percent), Belgium (23 percent), and Germany and France (both at 30 percent) round out the top five countries with the lowest negative perception of the U.S. And China—for the first time in Ipsos decade-long surveys—places ahead of the United States (as the U.S. diminishes) as a positive influence on the world by the 29 countries surveyed.

Key Moment Two: Taxes/Tariffs

Seven minutes into Reagan’s farewell address, he states that “[c] ommon sense told us that when you put a big tax on something that people would produce less of it.” Global financial-services giant CitiGroup released research on U.S. tariffs and noted (placing bolded emphasis in its article, which I’ve replicated) this key finding: “Tariffs are a stagflationary [slow economic growth, high unemployment, and rising prices/inflation] shock for the country.” Tariffs act as a tax on spending; creating a corresponding drag on growth and reducing demand for foreign goods. An April 22, 2025 International Monetary Fund (IMF) press briefing, announced that the global economy will be hit hard by U.S. tariffs and slashed its forecast for U.S. growth to 1.8 percent for 2025—down from its prediction of 2.8 percent back in January. “One of the biggest fears by investors is that countries targeted [with U.S.-imposed tariffs] will retaliate, leading to more widespread tensions,” reports non-profit media organization National Public Radio (NPR).

Key Moment 3: We the People. Ten minutes into the 21-minute address, Reagan reiterated three words long associated with America:

We. The. People. The former president stated, “We the people tell the government what to do, it doesn’t tell us. We the people are the driver. The government is the car and we decide where it should go, and by what route, and how fast.” Reagan summarizes this point by affirming, “Our Constitution is a document in which ‘We the People,’ tell the government what it is allowed to do. We the people are free.” But are our freedoms and liberties at stake today? A recent survey by Bright Line Watch questions if democracy is on the decline as America’s “We the People” appear not to be immune from heading towards some form of autocracy. Bright Line Watch reports, “In the weeks since [President Trump] took office, Trump launched a blizzard of executive actions that have not only shifted policy, but, in many cases, challenged key principles of contemporary American democracy.” U.S., democracy shifts when “We the People” experience a decline in once held values, freedoms and liberties—the components that make up a democracy—including: Loss of free speech or freedom of expression; repression of civil society organizations; freedom and fairness of elections; freedom of academic and cultural expression; and eroding (or disobeying) liberal aspects such as the rule of law, and legislative and judicial constraints on the president.

Almost four decades after Reagan’s farewell address—inching away from a Democracy and the U.S., reputation as a positive world influence waning—other countries are now in position to take over pivotal roles America held and dominated for well over a century. A change in direction that should have every person (young and old) residing within the “Shining City on a Hill” asking the question President Reagan posed some 36 years ago: How stands “The City” today? (R.L. Byrd is an American author who penned two novels: Looking For Sweet Love and Black Coffee.)

Letters to the editor for publication

The New Pittsburgh Courier welcomes all responsible viewpoints for publication. All letters should be typewritten and contain writer’s address and phone number for verification. All letters will be edited for clarity and length. Address all letters to: Letters to the Editor, New Pittsburgh Courier, 315 East Carson Street, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15219 You may fax your letter to 412-481-1360, or via e-mail to letters@newpittsburghcourier.com

ANNOUNCEMENTS Public Notice

ANNOUNCEMENTS Public Notice

CONDITIONS OF SALE

Effective with the August 3, 2020, Sheriff Sale of real estate and all such monthly public sales thereafter shall be conducted virtually through video conferencing technology or live streaming. ALL PARTICIPANTS OR BIDDERS MUST BE REGISTERED AT LEAST 7 DAYS BEFORE THE DATE OF THE SALE IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE (VIRTUALLY OR IN PERSON) AT THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SALES OF REAL ESTATE. REGISTRATION WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY SHERIFF’S WEBSITE: SHERIFFALLEGHENYCOUNTY.COM. The Successful bidder will pay full amount of bid in CASH, CERTIFIED CHECK OR CASHIERS CHECK at time of sale, otherwise the property will be resold at the next regular Sheriffs Sale; provided, that if the sale is made on MONDAY, JUNE 2, 2025 the bidder may pay ten percent of purchasing price but not less than 75.00 in CASH, CERTIFIED CHECK, OR CASHIERS CHECK THE DAY IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE SALE, e.g. TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2025, BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 8:30AM AND 2:30PM IN THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE. Failure to pay the 10% deposit will have you banned from future Sheriff Sales. And the balance in CASH, CERTIFIED CHECK, OR CASHIERS CHECK, on or before MONDAY, JUNE 9, 2025, at 10:00 O’CLOCK A.M. The property will be resold at the next regular Sheriff’s Sale if the balance is not paid, and in such case all money’s paid in at the original sale shall be applied to any deficiency in the price of which property is resold, and provided further that if the successful bidder is the plaintiff in the execution the bidder shall pay full amount of bid ON OR BEFORE THE FIRST MONDAY OF THE FOLLOWING MONTH, OTHERWISE WRIT WILL BE RETURNED AND MARKED “REAL ESTATE UNSOLD” and all monies advanced by plaintiff will be applied as required by COMMON PLEAS COURT RULE 3129.2 (1) (a).

FORFEITED SALES WILL BE POSTED IN THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE AND LISTED ON THE SHERIFF OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY WEB SITE.

AMENDMENT OF THE CODE SECOND CLASS COUNTY NEW CHAPTER 475 THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES, CHAPTER 475, ENTITLED TAXATION IS HEREBY AMENDED THROUGH THE CREATION ARTICLE XII, ENTITLED, “SHERIFF SALES”, AND COMPRISED AS FOLLOWS: SUBSECTION 475-60: RECORDING OF DEEDS AND NOTIFICATION OF SHERIFFS SALES TO TAXING BODIES.

A. FOR ANY REAL PROPERTY OFFERED AT SHERIFFS SALE DUE TO NONPAYMENT OF REAL ESTATE TAXES AND PURCHASED BY A THIRD PARTY THROUGH SUCH SALE, THE SHERIFF SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FILING THE DEED AND, WITHIN SEVEN DAYS OF FILING OF THE SHERIFFS DEED, PROVIDE WRITTEN NOTICE OF THE CONVEYANCE TO THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY OFFICE OF PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS. THE WRITTEN NOTICE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBSECTION SHALL INCLUDE THE DATE OF THE SALE, IDENTIFICATION OF THE PROPERTY SOLD BY BOTH ADDRESS AND LOT AND BLOCK NUMBER, AND THE NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE INDIVIDUALS OR OTHER ENTITY THAT PURCHASED THE PROPERTY.

B. AT THE TIME OF THE SALE THE SHERIFF SHALL COLLECT ALL REQUISITE FILING COSTS, REALTY TRANSFER TAXES AND FEES, NECESSARY TO PROPERLY RECORD THE DEED. C. WITHIN SEVEN DAYS OF RECEIPT OF WRITTEN NOTICE FROM THE SHERIFF, THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY OFFICE OF PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS SHALL FORWARD COPIES OF SUCH NOTICE TO ALL TAXING BODIES LEVYING REAL ESTATE TAXES ON THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE MUNICIPALITY AND SCHOOL DISTRICT WHERE THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED.

AS REQUIRED BY SECTION 14 OF ACT NO. 77 OF 1986, THE COST OF ALL DOCUMENTARY STAMPS FOR REAL ESTATE TRANSFER TAXES (STATE, LOCAL, AND SCHOOL) WILL BE DEDUCTED BY THE SHERIFF FROM THE PROCEEDS OF THE SALE. Purchasers must pay the necessary recording fees. Pursuant to Rule 3136 P.R.C.P. NOTICE is hereby given that a schedule of distribution will be filed by the Sheriff not later than 30 days from date of sale and that distribution will be made in accordance with the schedule unless exceptions are filed thereto within 10 days thereafter. No further notice of the filing of the schedule of distribution will be given.

A Land Bank formed under 68 Pa. C.S.A. 2101 et seq. may exercise its right to bid pursuant to 68 Pa. C.S.A. 2117(d) (2) through Pa. C.S.A. 2117(d) (4) on certain properties listed for sale under the municipal claims and Tax Lien Law, 53 P.S. 7101 et seq. The Sheriff of Allegheny County will honor the terms of payment which the Land Bank has entered with any municipalities having a claim against the property. If the Land Bank tenders a bid under Pa. C.S.A. 2117(d)(3) or 2117(d)(4) the property will not be offered for sale to others and the Property will be considered sold to the Land Bank for the Upset Price as defined in P.S.7279 and no other bids will be accepted.

NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT ALL SHERIFFS DEEDS TENDERED TO PURCHASERS WILL CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING:

NOTICE: The undersigned, as evidenced by the signature(s) to this notice and the acceptance and recording of this deed, (is/are) fully cognizant of the fact that the undersigned may not be obtaining the right of protection against subsidence, as to the property herein conveyed, resulting from coal mining operations and that the purchased property, herein conveyed, may be protected from damage due to mine subsidence by a private contract with the owners of the economic interest in the coal. This notice is inserted herein to comply with the Bituminous Mine Subsidence and Land Conservation Act of 1966. as amended 1980. Oct. 10, P.L 874, No. 156 §1.

“This document may not sell, convey, transfer, include, or insure the title to the coal and right of support underneath the surface land described or referred to herein and the owner or owners of such coal may have the complete legal right to remove all of such coal, and in that connection damage may result to the surface of the land, any house, building or other structure on or in such land.”

1JUN25 PLAINTIFF(S) GATEWAY SCHOOL DISTRICT vs DEFENDANT(S) 2 SONS INVESTOR SOLUTIONS, LLC CASE NO. GD-24-007856

DEBT-$17,420.21 ****** NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Elizabeth P. Sattler,

MUNICIPALITY OF MONROEVILLE: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A COMMERCIAL BUILDING, KNOWN AS 170 JAMISON LANE, MONROEVILLE, PA 15146. DEED BOOK 19059, PAGE 135. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 639-L-49.

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Public Notice

3JUN25

PLAINTIFF(S) MOON AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT & CRESCENT TOWNSHIP vs DEFENDANT(S) DOUGLAS T. TURNER ***************

CASE NO. GD-22-015361

DEBT: $25,774.12

NAME OF ATTORNEYS) Elizabeth P. Sattler, Esquire

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 445 Fort Pitt Boulevard, Suite 503, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 **********************

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 412-391-0160

SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, TOWNSHIP OF CRESCENT: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING, KNOWN AS 405 VALLEY VIEW DRIVE, CRESCENT, PA 15046. DEED BOOK 10874, PAGE 278. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 81O C-341.

4JUN25

PLAINTIFF(S) MOON AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT vs DEFENDANT(S) SCOTT RAMSEY

CASE NO. GD-24-001008

DEBT: $35,612.24 ******

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S)

Elizabeth P. Sattler, Esquire

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 445 Fort Pitt Boulevard, Suite 503, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 412-391-0160 ********************************

SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, TOWNSHIP OF MOON: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING, KNOWN AS I 04 SHIPPEN DRIVE, CORAOPOLIS, PA 15108. DEED BOOK 13411, PAGE 512. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 597-N-334.

5JUN25

PLAINTIFF(S) MOON AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT & CRESCENT TOWNSHIP vs DEFENDANT(S) UNKNOWN HEIRS OF SARAH MAE MULLER

CASE NO. GD-24-000372 *********

DEBT: $42,503.49 ******

NAME OF ATTORNEYS)

Elizabeth P. Sattler, Esquire ********************

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S)

445 Fort Pitt Boulevard, Suite 503, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER:

412-391-0160

SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, TOWNSHIP OF CRESCENT:

HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING, KNOWN AS 1353 FRONT STREET, CRESCENT, PA 15046. DEED BOOK 4855, PAGE 653. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 702-D- 111

6JUN25

PLAINTIFF(S) PLUM BOROUGH SCHOOL DISTRICT vs DEFENDANT(S) DIANE T. REITZ, WITH NOTICE TO HEIRS, OWNERS, AND REPUTED *************** CASE NO. GD-19-005075

DEBT: $97,825.16

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Elizabeth P. Sattler, Esquire

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 445 Fort Pitt Boulevard, Suite 503, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

**********************

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 412-391-0160 ********************************

SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, BOROUGH OF PLUM: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING, KNOWN AS 667 HARBORVIEW DRIVE, PITTSBURGH, PA 15239. DEED BOOK 5078, PAGE 581. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 1103S-38.

8JUN25

2JUN25

PLAINTIFF(S) GATEWAY SCHOOL DISTRICT vs DEFENDANT(S) VITO LATRONICA, JR. & KAYLA LATRONICA *************** CASE NO. GD-24-006307 ********* DEBT-$15,840.12

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Elizabeth P. Sattler, Esquire

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 445 Fort Pitt Boulevard, Suite 503, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 ********************** ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 412-391-0160

SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, MUNICIPALITY OF MONROEVILLE: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING, KNOWN AS 252 SPEELMAN LANE, MONROEVILLE, PA 15146. DEED BOOK 17776, PAGE 4. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 543-M-10.

DEFENDANT(S) JOANNE E. LAZAR AKA JOANNE LAZAR, CHARLES T. LAZAR JR. AKA CHARLES T. LAZAR

CASE NO. MG-18-000025

DEBT: $291,725.87

NAME OF ATTORNEYY(S) KML LAW GROUP, P.C.

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) SUITE 5000, 701 MARKET STREET PHILADELPHIA,PA19106 **********************

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (215) 627-1322 ******************************** SHORT DESCRIPTION: IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY, BOROUGH OF FRANKLIN PARK: HAVING ERECTED TIIEREON A DWELLING

BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 1564 GOLDBAUGH LANE, WEXFORD, PA 15090. DEED BOOK 14431, PAGE 115. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 1069-F-348.

9JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) TERRANCE L. CASSIDY

CASE NO. MG-23-000203

DEBT: $222,059.81

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) KML LAW GROUP, P.C.

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) SUITE 5000, 701 MARKET STREET

PHILADELPHIA,PA19106

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (215)

10JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) JEFFREY A. SMITH

CASE NO. MG-22-000455 ********* DEBT: $164,187.91

NAME OF ATTORNEYY(S) KML LAW GROUP, P.C.

SHORT DESCRIPTION: IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY, BOROUGH OF BRENTWOOD: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 236 KAPLAN AVENUE, PITTSBURGH, PA 15227. DEED BOOK 16270, PAGE 443. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 138-M-200.

11JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) PAMELA LENHART AKA PAMELA K. LEN-

HART *************** CASE NO. MG-24-000623 ********* DEBT: $166,375.53

NAME OF ATTORNEYY(S) KML LAW GROUP, P.C.

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) SUITE 5000, 701 MARKET STREET PHILADELPHIA,PA19106 ********************** ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (215) 627-1322

SHORT DESCRIPTION: IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY, 28TH WARD CITY OF PITTSBURGH: PARCEL ONE: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 1420 BARR AVENUE, PITTSBURGH, PA 15205. DEED BOOK VOLUME 18944, PAGE 578, BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 40-L-101 PARCEL TWO: HAVING THEREON A VACANT LAND BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 1420 BARR AVENUE, PITTSBURGH, PA 15205. DEED BOOK VOLUME I8944, PAGE 578, BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 40-L-102.

12JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) JASON TERZICH CASE NO. MG-25-000010 ********* DEBT: $55,311.54

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) KML LAW GROUP, P.C. ********************

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) SUITE 5000, 701 MARKET STREET PHILADELPHIA,PA19106

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (215) 627-1322

SHORT DESCRIPTION: IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY, BOROUGH OF WEST MIFFLIN: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 406 RHODES AVENUE, WEST MIFFLIN, PA 15122. DEED BOOK 16123, PAGE445. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 240-S-165.

13JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) GARY BENCE AKA GARY L. BENCE *************** CASE NO. MG-24-000850

DEBT: $51,291.69

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) KML LAW GROUP, P.C.

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) SUITE 5000, 701 MARKET STREET PHILADELPHIA,PA19106

**********************

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (215) 627-1322

********************************

SHORT DESCRIPTION: IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY, BOROUGH OF PORT VUE: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 1419 WASHINGTON BLVD, MC KEESPORT, PA 15133. DEED BOOK 12925, PAGE 167. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 383-N-2.

14JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) ARLENE F. D’ANGELO CASE NO. MG-23-001145

DEBT: $46,283.02 ******

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 133 GAITHER DRIVE, SUITE

AND NUMBERED AS 603 LINDSAY ROAD, CARNEGIE, PA 15106. DEED BOOK 17041, PAGE 120. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 143-A-52.

15JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) CAROL ANN SLEIGHER CASE NO. MG-24-000231 DEBT:

18JUN25 DEFENDANT(S) ROBERT FRANCIS SMITH *************** CASE NO. GD-24-012348 ********* DEBT: $62,520.37

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S)

Anschutz,

PLLC

SHORT

19512, Deed Book Volume I7265, Page 180, Block and Lot Number 066!-C-00100-0000-00. Parcel 2: Vacant land being known Chelsea Drive, Clairton, PA 15025, DocumentNumber2018-19512, Deed Book Volume 17265, Page 180, Block and Lot Number 0661-C00194-0000-00. 24JUN25 PLAINTIFF(S) PLUM BOROUGH SCHOOL DISTRICT Vs. DEFENDANT(S) MARK SCHMIEDEL & REGINA M. SCHMIE-

Pittsburgh, PA

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 412-255-6500

SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, South Fayette Township:

HAVINO ERECTED THEREON A HUNTING RIDGE COMMUNITY SERVICES ASSOCIATION AND HUNTING RIDGE NO.I CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION CONDOMINIUM UNIT

BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 321 RIDGE POINT CIRCLE, APT 12, BRIDGEVILLE, PA 15017. DEED BOOK 19410, PAGE 383. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 572-C-10l-12B.

PLAINTIFF(S)

27JUN25

EAST ALLEGHENY SCHOOL DISTRICT Vs DEFENDANT(S) GARY RAYMOND DOUGLAS AND PAUL RICHARD DOUGLAS *************** CASE NO. GD-23-009035 ********* DEBT: $24,022.97

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) AMANDA L. MULHEREN

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 546 WENDEL ROAD, IRWIN, PA 15642

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (724) 978-0333 ********************************

SHORT DESCRIPTION:

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, TOWNSHIP OF NORTH VERSAILLES:

HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING

BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 3102 ORRIS ROAD, NORTH VERSAILLES, PA 15137. DEED BOOK 13042, PAGE 326 BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 459-E-059

28JUN25

PLAINTIFF(S) EAST ALLEGHENY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND TOWNSHIP OF NORTH VERSAILLES Vs DEFENDANT(S)

BERNARD R. BLAKE, JR. AND ANGELA R. BLAKE *************** CASE NO. GD-23-012399

DEBT: $54,627.37

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) AMANDA L. MULHEREN

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 546 WENDEL ROAD, IRWIN, PA 15642

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (724) 978-0333

SHORT DESCRIPTION:

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, TOWNSHIP OF NORTH

VERSAILLES:

HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 526

LAWRENCE AVENUE, NORTH VERSAILLES, PA 15137. DEED BOOK 6514, PAGE 146. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 459-H-067.

29JUN25

PLAINTIFF(S) EAST ALLEGHENY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND BOROUGH OF EAST MCKEESPORT Vs DEFENDANT(S) WALTER C. FRYDRYCH, JR. CASE NO. GD-24-008608

DEBT: $11,778.36 ******

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S)

CHRISTOPHER E. VINCENT

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 546 WENDEL ROAD, IRWIN, PA 15642

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (724) 978-0333

SHORT DESCRIPTION:

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, BOROUGH OF EAST MCKEESPORT: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 1071

MESSINEO AVENUE, EAST MCKEESPORT, PA 15035. DEED BOOK 13978, PAGE399. BLOCK AND LOTNUMBER 547-B-056. 30JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) DONALD R. GARRETT, II

CASE NO. MG-24-000909

DEBT: $46,492.84

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Michelle Pierro, Esq. (PA ID No. 317454)

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) Tucker Arensberg, P.C. 1500 One PPG Place Pittsburgh, PA 15222 **********************

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (412) 566-1212 ******************************** SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Borough of Pleasant Hills: PARCEL #1 (A) HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 471 HI TOR DR, PITTSBURGH, PA 15236. DEED BOOK VOLUME 13478, PAGE 242. BLOCK & LOT#: 562A-71.

PARCEL #2 (B) BEING VACANT LAND KNOWN AS YARROW LANE, PITTSBURGH, PA 15236. DEED BOOK VOLUME 13478, PAGE 242. BLOCK & LOT#: 562-A-65-1.

31JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) Judith Wooddy, Executrix of the Estate of Gretchen L. Grotke a/k/a Gretchen Lee Grotke a/k/a Gretchen Grotke, Kurt Grotke, individually and as Heir of Gretchen L. Grotke a/k/a Gretchen Lee Grotke a/k/a Gretchen Grotke and as Heir of Catherine Grotke, Unknown Heirs, Successors, Assigns and all Persons, Firms or Associations Claiming Right, Title or Interest from or under Catherine Grotke, and Unknown Heirs, Successors, Assigns, and all Persons, Firms or Associations Claiming Right, Title or Interest from or under Gretchen L. Grotke a/k/a Gretchen Lee Grotke a/k/a Gretchen Grotke

***************

CASE NO. MG-22-001009

*********

DEBT: $57,602.83

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Stephen M. Hladik, Esquire

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) Hladik, Onorato and Federman, LLP

298 Wissahickon Avenue, North Wales, PA 19454

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (215) 855-9521

SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, MUNICIPALITY OF PENN HILLS:

HAVING ERECTED THEREON A SINGLE

FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DWELLING BEING

KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 721 6TH

STREET, VERONA, PA 15147. DEED BOOK VOLUME 16187, PAGE 267. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 445-J-156.

32JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) Cornell Titus, Jr., As Administrator of The Estate of Sandra M. Floyd a/k/a Sandra M. Floyd-Seay, Deceased

CASE NO. MG-24-000519

DEBT: $83,243.76 ******

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Stephen M. Hladik, Esquire

********************

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S)

Hladik, Onorato and Federman, LLP

298 Wissahickon Avenue, North Wales, PA 19454

**********************

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (215) 855-9521

******************************** SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, 11TH WARD OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A SINGLE

FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 5498 BLACK STREET, PITTSBURGH, PA 15206. DEED BOOK VOLUME 9050, PAGE 628. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 83-E-76.

33JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) Christian L. Hyman, solely in capacity as heir of Hector L. Hyman, Deceased, Jennine I. Hyman aka Jeanine I. Hyman, solely in capacity as heir of Hector L. Hyman, Deceased and Unknown Heirs, Successors, Assigns and All Persons, Firms or Associations Claiming Right, Title or Interest from or under Hector L. Hyman, Deceased

***************

CASE NO. MG-24-000676

********* DEBT: $132,826.07

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Powers Kirn, LLC

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) Eight Neshaminy lnterplex, Suite 215, Trevose, PA 19053

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 215-942-2090

SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Township of Elizabeth: Having erected thereon a dwelling being known and numbered as 1102 Clydesdale Avenue, McKeesport, Pennsylvania 15135. Deed Book Volume 18736, Page 434, Instrument Number 2021-44193, Block and Lot Number 652-G-351.

34JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) Robert J. Russell and Dana K. Williams

CASE NO. MG-24-000841

DEBT: $91,495.63 ******

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Powers Kirn, LLC

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) Eight Neshaminy lnterplex, Suite 215, Trevose, PA 19053

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 215-942-2090 ********************************

SHORT DESCRIPTION:

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, 3’d Ward of the City of Pittsburgh: Having erected thereon a Condominium Unit in The Tower a Condominium at Chatham Center, being known and numbered as 112 Washington Place, Unit 2E, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219. Deed Book Volume 11493, Page 558, Block and Lot 2-F-175-25.

35JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) Thomas M. Young

***************

CASE NO. MG-24-000795

DEBT: $166,645.76

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Powers Kirn, LLC

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) Eight Neshaminy lnterplex, Suite 215, Trevose, PA 19053 ********************** ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 215-942-2090 ********************************

SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Township of North Fayette: Having erected thereon a dwelling being known and numbered as 408 Emily Lane, McDonald, Pennsylvania I 5057. Deed Book Volume 15860, Page 407, Instrument Number 2015-1547, Block and Lot Number 584-R-13.

36JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) DAVID S SCHORK; KELLIE J SCHORK *************** CASE NO. MG-23-000839

DEBT: $54,877.05

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 133 GAITHER DRJVE, SUITE F MOUNT LAUREL, NJ 08054

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 855-225-6906

SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Borough of White Oak: Having erected thereon a dwelling being known and numbered as 1412 Kansas Ave McKeesport, PA 15131. Deed Book Volume 11159, Page 151. Block and Lot 0461-H-00374-0000-00.

37JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) MARY ANN KOCH, IN HER CAPACITY AS HEIR OF FRANCES E. BOSSER; GLORIA PRIAM-CRUMP, IN HER CAPACITY AS HEIR OF FRANCESE. BOSSER; UNKNOWN HEIRS, SUCCESSORS, ASSIGNS, AND ALL PERSONS, FIRMS, OR ASSOCIATIONS CLAIMING RIGHT, TITLE, OR INTEREST FROM OR UNDER FRANCES E. BOSSER CASE NO. MG-24-000080

*********

DEBT: $169,807.82 ****** NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 133 GAITHER DRJVE, SUITE F MOUNT LAUREL, NJ 08054 ********************** ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 855-225-6906 ******************************** SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, 10th Ward of the City of Pittsburgh: Having erected thereon a dwelling being known and numbered as 5201 Wellesley Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15206. Deed Book Volume 9385, Page 539. Block and Lot 0082-J-000730000-00.

38JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) PEGGY STEEDLEY AIK/A PEGGY BOYLAN, INDIVIDUALLY, AND IN HER CAPACITY AS HEIR OF SHIRLEY F. STEEDLEY; RANDOLPH STEEDLEY, IN HIS CAPACITY AS HEIR OF SHIRLEY F. STEEDLEY; SHELBY STEEDLEY, IN HER CAPACITY AS HEIR OF SHIRLEY F. STEEDLEY; GREGORY STEEDLEY, IN HIS CAPACITY AS HEIR OF SHIRLEY F. STEEDLEY; UNKNOWN HEIRS, SUCCESSORS, ASSIGNS, AND ALL PERSONS, FIRMS OR ASSOCIATIONS CLAIMING RIGHT, TITLE OR INTEREST FROM OR UNDER SHIRLEY F. STEEDLEY CASE NO. MG-19-000977

DEBT: $88,579.97 ******

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 133 GAITHER DRJVE, SUITE F MOUNT LAUREL, NJ 08054 ********************** ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 855-225-6906 ******************************** SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Borough of McKees Rocks: Having erected thereon a dwelling being known and numbered as 1027 1st Street McKees Rocks, PA 15136. Deed Book Volume 12798, Page 246. Block and Lot 0072-M00115-0000-00. 39JUN25 DEFENDANT(S) WILLIAM C. KUSHIK, as

12443, PAGE 129, BLOCK AND LOT NVMSER 282-B-342-E201.

84JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) New Frontier Influence Corp. CASE NO. GD-23-008944 *********

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Matthew J. Rifino, Esquire (PA ID No. 202052) ********************

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) Renaissance Centre, 405 N King St, 8th Floor, Wilmington, DE 19801

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (302) 984-6300

SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Borough of Fox Chapel:

HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 15 CHAPEL RIDGE ROAD, PITTSBURGH, PA 15238. DEED BOOK 18131, PAGE 217, BLOCK/ LOT NO. 0526-F-00150-0000-00.

85JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) Diane L. Smoulder *************** CASE NO. MG-24-000603

DEBT: $9,316.89

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Robert P. Wendt, Esquire

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 275 Curry Hollow Rd, Bldg. 1, Suite 280, Pittsburgh, PA 15236 **********************

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 914-219-5787 x 490 ********************************

SHORT DESCRIPTION: All the following described real estate situated in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, and Twenty Fourth Ward in the City of Pittsburgh.

Having erected thereon a residential single-family dwelling being known and numbered as 1146 Admiral Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15212, Deed Book Volume 4516, Page 95; which has a Block and Lot Number of 047R-329.

86JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) SALVATORE A.LAURIA CASE NO. MG-24-000471

DEBT: $28,494.68 ******

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Shnayder Law Finn, LLC

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 148 East Street Road, 352, Feasterville, PA 19053

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 215-834-3103 ******************************** SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Township of Stowe: HAVING ERECTED 1HEREON A DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED 108 CALDWELL STREET, MCKEES ROCKS, PA 15136. DEED BOOK VOLUME 14248, PAGE 443. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 73-L-322.

87JUN25

PLAINTIFF(S): Quaker Valley School District VS. DEFENDANT(S) Smithfield Holdings, Inc. *************** CASE NO. GD 23-005441 ********* DEBT: $8,317.85

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Joseph W. Gramc, Esquire

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 525 William Penn Place, Suite 3110 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 **********************

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (412) 281-0587

SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Township of Leet: Having erected thereon a two story frame house being known as 5 Ambridge Avenue, Ambridge PA 15003. Deed Book Volume 17653, Page 480. Block & Lot No. 934-K-6.

88JUN25

PLAINTIFF(S): Township of South Fayette VS. DEFENDANT(S) Notes Forever, Inc.

CASE NO. GD 22-013249 ********* DEBT: $3,942.04 ******

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Joseph W. Gramc, Esquire

********************

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 525 William Penn Place, Suite 3110 Pittsburgh, PA 15219

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (412) 281-0587

SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Township of South Fayette: Having erected thereon a two-story frame house known as 24 Allegheny Avenue, Cuddy, PA 15031. Deed Book Volume 18944, Page 432. Block & Lot No. 325-R-70.

89JUN25

PLAINTIFF(S): Woodland Hills School District VS.

DEFENDANT(S) Cheryl L. Greenstein, Michael B. Greenstein and the United States of America

CASE NO. GD 23-006203 ********* DEBT: $9,251.43

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Joseph W. Gramc, Esquire

********************

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S)

525 William Penn Place, Suite 3110 Pittsburgh, PA 15219

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (412) 281-0587

SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Borough of Swissvale: Having erected thereon a two-story two-family brick house being known as 8012 Westmoreland Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15218. Deed Book Volume 11916, Page 486. Block & Lot No. 234-J-85.

91JUN25

PLAINTIFF(S): Borough of Ingram VS.

DEFENDANT(S) Roberta K. Hendrick & Devanie J. Sites

CASE NO. GD 17-008118

*********

DEBT: $5,169.23 ******

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Joseph W. Gramc, Esquire

********************

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S)

525 William Penn Place, Suite 3110 Pittsburgh, PA 15219

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (412) 281-0587

SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Borough of Ingram Having erected thereon a two story frame house known as 89 Berry Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15205. Deed Book Volume 12534, Page 169. Block & Lot No. 70-H-334.

92JUN25

PLAINTIFF(S): Municipality of Bethel Park VS. DEFENDANT(S) Richard White ***************

CASE NO. GD 22-012360

DEBT: $3,713.59

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Joseph W. Gramc, Esquire

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S)

525 William Penn Place, Suite 3110 Pittsburgh, PA 15219

**********************

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (412) 281-0587 ********************************

SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the CoJ1Ullonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Municipality of Bethel Park: Having erected thereon a one-story brick house being known as 37 Pontiac Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15241. Deed Book Volume 17148, Page 233. Block & Lot No. 394-S-15.

93JUN25

PLAINTIFF(S): Borough of Braddock Hills VS.

DEFENDANT(S) John W. Glenwright

*************** CASE NO. GD 19-016823 *********

DEBT: $4,736.88

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Joseph W. Gramc, Esquire

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S)

525 William Penn Place, Suite 3110 Pittsburgh, PA 15219

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (412) 281-0587

SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Borough of Braddock Hills: Having erected thereon a two-story brick :frame being known as 975 Wilkins Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15221. Deed Book Volume 7917, Page 26. Block & Lot No. 300-&156.

94JUN25

PLAINTIFF(S): Township of O’Hara VS. DEFENDANT(S) Linda S. Lutz

CASE NO. G.D. 18-015694 *********

DEBT: $2,497.61 ******

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Joseph W. Gramc, Esquire ********************

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S)

525 William Penn Place, Suite 3110 Pittsburgh, PA 15219

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (412) 281-0587

SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Township of O’Hara: Having erected thereon a two-story brick house being known as 55 Kittanning Pike, Pittsburgh, PA 15215. Deed Book Volume 6201, Page 417. Block & Lot No. 168-B-70.

95JUN25

PLAINTIFF(S): County of Allegheny VS. DEFENDANT(S) Do It Yourself Homes, LLC

CASE NO. GD 23-004653

DEBT: $4,358.11

******

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Joseph W. Gramc, Esquire

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 525 William Penn Place, Suite 3110 Pittsburgh, PA 15219

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (412) 281-0587

********************************

SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, City of McKeesportWard 7: Having erected thereon a two-story two-family brick house, known as 2112 Jenny Lind Street, McKeesport, PA 15132. Deed Book Volume 18244, Page 160. Block& Lot No. 382M-16.

96JUN25

PLAINTIFF(S): County of Allegheny VS.

DEFENDANT(S) Robert C. Crenshaw, with Notice to Heirs and Assigns & Telisa R. Sostoric

CASE NO. G.D. 23-003730

DEBT: $7,175.60 ****** NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Joseph W. Gramc, Esquire ********************

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 525 William Penn Place, Suite 3110 Pittsburgh, PA 15219

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (412) 281-0587

SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, City of McKeesportWard 11: Having erected thereon a one and a half story frame house being known as 2610 Riverview Street, McKeesport, PA 15132. Deed Book Volume 14530, Page 382. Block & Lot No. 381-P-280.

97JUN25

PLAINTIFF(S): County of Allegheny VS. DEFENDANT(S) St Angelo’s Manor, LLC and the United States of America

CASE NO. G.D. 24-002133 *********

DEBT: $6,283.19

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Joseph W. Gramc, Esquire ********************

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 525 William Penn Place, Suite 3110 Pittsburgh, PA 15219

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (412) 281-0587

SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, City of McKeesportWard 5: Parcel #1: Having erected thereon a commercial nursing home being known as 621 Petty Street, McKeesport, PA 15132. Deed Book Volume 15830, Page 517. Block & Lot No. 307-P-33. Parcel #2: Having erected thereon a two-story brick house being known as 623 Petty Street, McKeesport, PA 15132. Deed Book Volume 15830, Page 517. Block & Lot No. 307-P-35.

98JUN25

PLAINTIFF(S): County of Allegheny VS.

DEFENDANT(S) 2022 Holdings Incorporated CASE NO. GD 23-012430

DEBT: $2,546.73 ******

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Joseph W. Gramc, Esquire

********************

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 525 William Penn Place, Suite 3110 Pittsburgh, PA 15219

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (412) 281-0587

SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Borough of Versailles: Having erected thereon a three-story commercial building being known as 4901 Walnut Street, McKeesport, PA 15132. Deed Book Volume I9175, Page 527. Block & Lot No. 653-A-7.

99JUN25

PLAINTIFF(S): County of Allegheny VS.

DEFENDANT(S) Sparkling Alaina, LLC

CASE NO. G.D. 23-000832

DEBT: $3,265.18 ******

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Joseph W. Gramc, Esquire

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 525 William Penn Place, Suite 3110 Pittsburgh, PA 15219

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (412) 281-0587 ********************************

SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Borough of Etna: Having erected thereon a commercial funeral home being known as 333 Butler Street, PA 15223. Deed Book Volume 17121, Page 134. Block & Lot No. 167-K-15.

100JUN25

PLAINTIFF(S): Borough of Bridgeville VS. DEFENDANT(S) Maggie C. Dean, With Notice to Heirs and Assigns *************** CASE NO. GD 17-010734

DEBT: $2,703.53

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Joseph W. Gramc, Esquire

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 525 William Penn Place, Suite 3110 Pittsburgh, PA 15219

********************** ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (412) 281-0587 ******************************** SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Borough of Bridgeville: Having erected thereon a one-story two-family brick house being known as 100 Liberty Street, Bridgeville, PA 15017. Deed Book Volume 9684, Page 348. Block & Lot No. 255-K-110.

101JUN25

PLAINTIFF(S): County of Allegheny VS. DEFENDANT(S) Dale G. Hess & Sharon M. Hess *************** CASE NO. GD 24-006814

DEBT: $2,948.53

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Joseph W. Gramc, Esquire

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 525 William Penn Place, Suite 3110 Pittsburgh, PA 15219

********************** ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (412) 281-0587 ******************************** SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Township of South

Deed Book Volume 8363, Page 536. Block & Lot 1008-D-50.

102JUN25

PLAINTIFF(S): Quaker Valley School District VS. DEFENDANT(S) Darrell V. Kimbrough & Linda A. Kimbrough and the United States of America

CASE NO. G.D. 23-000567 *********

DEBT: $7,001.51 ******

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Joseph W. Gramc, Esquire ******************** ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 525 William Penn Place,

103JUN25 PLAINTIFF(S):

VS. DEFENDANT(S) The Estate of Bacchus L. Wright, Deceased CASE NO.: G.D. 23-009863

DEBT: $3,754.96 ****** NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Joseph W. Gramc, Esquire

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 525 William Penn Place, Suite 3110 Pittsburgh, PA 15219

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (412) 281-0587 ********************************

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, City of Clairton- Ward 2: Having erected thereon a one-story

115JUN25 DEFENDANT(S) NANCI L. MILLER CASE NO.: MG-19-001028 DEBT: $192,461.75 ******

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) KML LAW GROUP,P.C. ********************

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) SUITE 5000, 701 MARKET STREET PHILADELPHIA, PA 19106

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (215) 627-1322 IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY, MUNICIPALITY OF BETIIBLPARK: HAVJNG ERECTED TIIEREON A DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 106 HORNING ROAD, BETIIEL PARK, PA 15102. DEED BOOK 17225, PAGE 138. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 392-B-54.

116JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) MADELINE C. MITCHUM CASE NO.: MG-23-001156 ********* DEBT: $19,140.54 ******

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 133 GAITHER DRIVE, SUITE F MOUNT LAUREL, NJ 08054

**********************

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 855-225-6906 ******************************** In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, 21• Ward of the City of Pittsburgh: Having erected thereon a dwelling being known and numbered as 1215 West North Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15233. Deed Book Volume 9183, Page 164. Block and Lot 0007-C-00019-000A-00.

117JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) William E. Summers, Ill and Nakesha Tyler CASE NO.: MG-21-000049 DEBT: $174,604.06 ******

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Robert Fiacco, Esquire

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 1325 Franklin Avenue, Suite 160, Garden City, NY 11530 / 1628 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Suite 1810, Philadelphia, PA 19103 **********************

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (212) 471-5100 ******************************** In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny; City of Pittsburgh, 101” Ward

HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 6925 GREENWOOD STREET, PITTSBURGH, PA 15206. DEED BOOK VOLUME 13631, PAGE 54. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 0121-K00313-0000-00.

118JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) THOMAS J. ROSSELOT AND ELAINE K.

ROSSELOT CASE NO.: MG-23-000316

DEBT:$154,043.02 ******

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Gary W. Darr, Esquire McGrath McCall, P.C.

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) Four Gateway Center, Suite 1340, 444 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 **********************

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 412-281-4333 ********************************

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, 23rd Ward, City of Pittsburgh:

HAVING ERECTED THEREON A TWO STORY RESIDENTIAL ROWHOUSE KNOWN AS 1023

VINIALSTREET, PITTSBURGH, PA 15212, DEED BOOK VOLUME 11743, PAGE531, BLOCK & LOT NO. 24-K-353.

119JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) Ferrell Holdings LLC *************** CASE NO.: GD-24-011281

DEBT: $145,586.12

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Robert Fiacco, Esq.

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 1628 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Suite 1810, Philadelphia, PA 19103 / 1325 Franklin Avenue, Suite 160, Garden City, NY 11530

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (212) 471-5100 IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY, CITY OF PITTSBURGH; 27TH WARD

HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 2812

WADLOW STREET, PITTSBURGH, PA 15212 MORE FULLY DESCRIBED IN DEED BOOK 17937, PAGE 209. LOT AND BLOCK: 0045-B00013-0000-00

120JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) Charles Halpin, III as Administrator of the Estate of David J. Sims, Deceased and SJ Group *************** CASE NO.:MG-24-000610 ********* DEBT: $32,389.77

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Perry Russell, Esq.

Kathleen A. Kasperik

CASE NO.: GD 23-013942

DEBT: $4,539.09

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Joseph W. Gramc, Esquire

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 525 William Penn Place, Suite 3110 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (412) 281-0587 In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Township of Aleppo:

erected thereon a two-story frame townhouse being known as 104 Woodcrest Drive, Sewickley, PA 15143. Deed Book Volume 16302, Page 103, Block & Lot No. 422-H-222.

121JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) ANDREA R. IAPALUCCI

CASE NO.:MG-25-000071

********* DEBT: $23,518.11

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S)

Carolyn Treglia, Esquire

********************

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S)

Brock & Scott, PLLC 2011 RENAISSANCE BOULEVARD, SUITE 100

KING OF PRUSSIA, PA 19406

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (844) 856-6646

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, 6TH WARD OF THE CITY OF MCKEESPORT Having erected thereon a dwelling being known and numbered as 513 PARK STREET, MCKEESPORT, PA 15132. Deed Book Volume 14234, Page 435. Block and Lot Number 0307-M-00165-0000-00

122JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) M. DANIEL VARHOLA

CASE NO.: MG-23-001041

********* DEBT: $299,133.72

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Carolyn Treglia, Esquire

********************

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S)

Brock & Scott, PLLC 2011 RENAISSANCE BOULEVARD, SUITE 100

KING OF PRUSSIA, PA 19406

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (844) 856-6646 ******************************** In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Conoly of Allegheny, MUNICIPALITY OF BETHEL PARK Having erected thereon a dwelling being known and numbered as 1029 SURREY WOODS RD, BETHEL PARK, PA 15102. Deed Book Volume 4440, Page 225. Block and Lot Number 0391-R-00252-0000-00

123JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) SHAE E. RODGERS, IN HER CAPACITY AS ADMINISTRATRIX OF THE ESTATE OF CHRISTOPHER E. RODGERS, DECEASED

CASE NO.: MG-24-000834 ********* DEBT: $99,060.99

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S)

Carolyn Treglia, Esquire

********************

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S)

Brock & Scott, PLLC

2011 RENAISSANCE BOULEVARD, SUITE 100 KING OF PRUSSIA, PA 19406

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (844) 856-6646 ********************************

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, NORTH VERSAILLES TOWNSHIP Having erected thereon a dwelling being known and numbered as 1215 DENNING WAY, NORTH VERSAILLES, PA 15137-2610. Deed Book Volume 14368, Page 530. Block and Lot Number 0645-L-00318-0000-00

124JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) ANDREW GRIFFIN AKA ANDREW N. GRIFFIN AKA NEIL ANDREW GRIFFIN

CASE NO.: MG-25-000022

********* DEBT: $86,149.39 ******

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S)

Carolyn Treglia, Esquire

********************

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S)

Brock & Scott, PLLC 2011 RENAISSANCE BOULEVARD, SUITE 100 KING OF PRUSSIA, PA 19406 **********************

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (844) 856-6646 ******************************** In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, MUNICIPALITY OF MONROEVILLE Having erected thereon a dwelling being known and numbered as 112 MEADOW GAP DR, MONROEVILLE, PA 15146. Deed Book Volume 13001, Page 139. Block and Lot Number 0544-L-00313-0003-00

125JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) CHRISTOPHER LEE WILLIAMS; DANA DONICE BROWN WILLIAMS CASE NO.: MG-24-000069

DEBT: $51,585.19

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Carolyn Treglia, Esquire

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S)

Brock & Scott, PLLC 2011 RENAISSANCE BOULEVARD, SUITE 100 KING OF PRUSSIA, PA 19406

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (844) 856-6646

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, BOROUGH OF MCKEES ROCKS Having erected thereon a dwelling being known and numbered as 307 ELLA STREET, MCKEES ROCKS, PA 15136. Deed Book Volume 15952, Page 73. Block and Lot Number 0074-R-00222-0000-00

126JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) RANDI LYNN HOSTETTER AIKIA RANDI L. HOSTETTER ***************

CASE NO.: MG-24-000916

DEBT: $105,535.91

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Carolyn Treglia, Esquire

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S)

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 1325 Franklin Avenue, Suite 160, Garden City, NY 11530· ********************** ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (212)-471-5100

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, and Municipality of Bethel Park: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING BEING KNOWN & NUMBERED AS 917 MONASTERY VIEW, BETHEL PARK, PA 15102. DEED BOOK 19482, PAGE 581. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 0773-G-000950000-00.

127JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) Claudia Yates-Raeford

CASE NO.: GD-16-015347 ********* DEBT: $42,296.11

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) MDK Legal ********************

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) P. 0. Box 165028 Columbus, OH 43216-5028

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 614-220-5611

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Municipality of Penn Hills: Having erected thereon a dwelling being known and numbered as 7740 Pershing Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15235 AKA 7740 Pershing Street, Penn Hills, PA 15235. Document Number 2019-2268, Deed Book Volume 17501, Page 314. Block and Lot Number 0230-P-000620000- 00.

128JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) BEVERLY DITULLIO *************** CASE NO.: MG-24-000284 ********* DEBT: $108,974.27

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Colin G.L. Miller, Esq.

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) Bootay Bevington & Nichols LLC 1102 Grant Building 310 Grant Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219

**********************

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER:

412-650-5940 ********************************

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Municipality of Bethel Park:

HAVING ERECTED a one point five-story Cape Cod style house known as 2531 South Park Road, Bethel Park, Pennsylvania 15102 Deed Book Volume 13914, Page 522. Block and Lot No. 475-K-36.

129JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) DENISE KELLEY *************** CASE NO.: MG-22-000683

DEBT: $71,409.16

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Robert P. Wendt, Esquire. ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 275 CURRY HOLLOW RD., BLD. 1, SUITE 280 PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA 15236 **********************

133JUN25

Brock & Scott, PLLC 2011 RENAISSANCE BOULEVARD, SUITE 100 KING OF PRUSSIA, PA 19406

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (844) 856-6646 In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, EAST DEER TOWNSHIP Having erected thereon a dwelling being known and numbered as 420 MARION ST, CREIGHTON, PA 15030. Deed Book Volume 18704, Page 242. Block and Lot Number 084!-K-00099-0000-00

130JUN25 DEFENDANT(S) KENNETH L. STROUD

CASE NO.: GD-24-008412

DEBT: $194,386.76. ******

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 133 GAITHER DRIVE, SUITE F MOUNT LAUREL, NJ 08054 ********************** ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 855-225-6906 ******************************** In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Borough of Port Vue: Having erected thereon a dwelling being known and numbered as 1713 Port Vue Ave McKeesport, PA 15133. Deed Book Volume 19255, Page 325. Block and Lot 0466-M-00025-0000-00

131JUN25

DEFENDANT(S) ADAM J. ABRIATIS III, IN HIS CAPACITY AS HEIR OF ADAM J. ABRIATIS JR.; UNKNOWN HEIRS, SUCCESSORS, ASSIGNS, AND ALL PERSONS, FIRMS, OR ASSOCIATIONS, CLAIMING RIGHT, TITLE, OR INTEREST FROM OR UNDER ADAM J. ABRIATIS JR. *************** CASE NO.: GD-24-010943 *********

DEBT: $40,033.86

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC

******************** ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 133 GAITHER DRIVE, SUITE F MOUNT LAUREL, NJ 08054

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 855-225-6906

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Borough of Castle Shannon: Having erected thereon a dwelling being known and numbered as 3550 Rosalia Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15234. Deed Book 14348 Page 470. Block and Lot 0249-A-00262-0000-00

132JUN25

PETITIONER(S): County of Allegheny VS. DEFENDANT(S) Maggie Sickendollar, with Notice to Heirs and Assigns and All Unknown Owners of an Interest in Certain 2,500 Square Foot of Vacant Land on Grand Avenue in Hampton Township known as Block & Lot 719-P-241

CASE NO.: GD 25-001103

*********

DEBT: $2,971.10

****** NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Joseph W. Gramc, Esquire ******************** ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 525 William Penn Place Suite 3110 Pittsburgh, PA 15219

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (412) 281-0587

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Township of Hampton: Being thereon vacant land known as Grand Avenue, Allison Park, PA 15101. Allison Park Plan Lot No. 193, Plan Book Volume 8, Page 318. Block & Lot No. 719-P-24!.

135JUN25

ANNOUNCEMENTS Public Notice

139JUN25

PLAINTIFF(S) Wilkinsburg School District and Wilkinsburg Borough VS. DEFENDANT(S) Andrea D. Adams

CASE NO.: GD 24-014819

DEBT: $4,486.61 ******

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Jennifer L. Cerce, Esquire

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S)

424 S. 27 Street, Ste. 210 Pittsburgh, PA 15203

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (412) 242-4400 ********************************

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Borough of Wilkinsburg: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 1557 MARIE STREET, PITTSBURGH, PA 15221. DEED BOOK 12948, PAGE 561. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 297-E-200.

LEGAL ADVERTISING Legal Notices

LEGAL ADVERTISING Legal Notices

Estate of BARRON W. DOUGLASS, Deceased of Elizabeth Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, No.02-25-02382, Kimberly A. Shawl, Co-Executor, 132 River Avenue, Belle Vernon, PA 15012 or to Shelly L. Arredondo, Co-Executor, 104 Park Avenue Bentleyville, PA 15314 or to ROBIN L. RARIE, ATTY; BRENLOVE & FULLER, LLC 401 Washington Avenue, Bridgeville, PA 15017

NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION

Petition for determination of title to 120 Dorseyville Rd., Pittsburgh, PA 15215 (285M-66). Estate of DAVID GOLEMBIEWSKI aka David L. Golembiewski, deceased. Filed by Judith Golembiewski at Orphans Court No, 02-25-02173 Daniel L. Haller, Esq., Neighborhood Legal Service, 928 Penn Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15222 (412-586-6151)

Estate of JOHN LEO MICLOT V, AKA JOHN L. MICLOT, No. 02-25-02860

Date of Death: 03/18/2025

PNC Bank, National Association and Cathy Jo Rinchetti

Attn: Sharon L Whitney, VP 300 Fifth Ave, FL 31 Pittsburgh, PA 15222

And/or: Dennis Unkovic, Esquire Meyer Unkovic Scott 535 Smithfield Street, Ste. 1300 Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Mitchell J. Moximchalk, Esquire K & L Gates LLP 210 Sixth Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15222

ANNOUNCEMENTS Meetings

NOTICE OF HEARING

LEGAL ADVERTISING Bids/Proposals

ALLEGHENY COUNTY SANITARY AUTHORITY LEGAL NOTICE CONTRACT NO. 1809

SITE DEMOLITION CONTRACT III

Sealed Bids for Contract No. 1809–Site Demolition Contract III shall be received at the Engineering Department office of the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority, 3300 Preble Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15233, until 10:00 A.M., Prevailing Time, Thursday, June 26, 2025, and then shall be Publicly Opened and read via Microsoft Virtual Teams Meeting. A Pre-Bid Meeting will be held via Microsoft Virtual Teams Meeting on Thursday, June 5, 2025, at 10:00 A.M., Prevailing Time. A site meeting will be held at 10:00 A.M. on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at the intersection of Ella & Shingiss Streets within the Borough of McKees Rocks. ALCOSAN encourages businesses owned and operated by minorities and women to submit bids on Authority Contracts or to participate as subcontractors or suppliers to successful Bidders. Successful Bidders are to use minority and women’s businesses to the fullest extent possible. Contract Documents may be examined and obtained at the Engineering office of the Authority. A non-refundable fee of One hundred dollars ($100) (no cash or credit cards will be accepted) will be charged for each set of Contract Documents received. Bid Security shall be furnished by providing with the Bid a Certified Check or Bid Bond in the amount of 10% of the Bid Price. Contract documents must be purchased directly from ALCOSAN to qualify as an eligible bidder.

Any questions regarding the Technical Specifications of the Bidding Documents should be directed to Joseph Sparbanie, P.E., Project Engineer III, ALCOSAN, via email at Joseph.sparbanie@alcosan.org

Any questions regarding the Purchase of Contract Bidding Documents should be directed to Collin Keller, ALCOSAN, via email at Contract.clerks@alcosan.org.

The Authority reserves the right to reject any or all bids, to waive any informality in any bid and to accept any bid should it be deemed in the interest of the Authority to do so.

Allegheny County Sanitary Authority

Kimberly Kennedy, P.E. Director of Engineering and Construction

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) FOR DRYER VENTILATION SYSTEM

CLEANING AUTHORITY-WIDE

IFB #250-16-25 REBID

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby requests bids from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s): DRYER VENTILATION SYSTEM CLEANING AUTHORITY-WIDE REBID

Estate of ROBIN LYNETTE PARKER A/K/A ROBIN L. PARKER, Case No. 6125 of 2023 Matthew D. Evans appointed Administrator by Order dated May 2, 2025. Peter B. Lewis, Counsel, Neighborhood Legal Services, 928 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15222.

Estate of JACQUELINE JEAN DANDRIDGE deceased of Pittsburgh, PA, Estate No. 022502226, Rosesharon Perdue as the Administratrix. Quinntarra Morant, Esq., PO Box 10946, Pittsburgh, PA 15236

Estate of THELMA JOYCE SHELTON deceased of Pittsburgh, PA, Estate No. 022503065, Valerie Scott as the Administratrix. Quinntarra Morant, Esq., PO Box 10946, Pittsburgh, PA 15236

Estate of ERIK D. TROY, deceased of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Estate No. 02-25-03037, Gage Troy, Administrator, 61 Millbridge Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15210 or to ROBIN L. RARIE, Atty; BRENLOVE & FULLER, LLC., 401 Washington Avenue, Bridgeville, PA 15017

Estate of DEVAMONY J. OSURI, deceased of Gibsonia, Estate No. 02960 of 2025, Priya Osuri, Administrator, or to Ryan W. Brode, Esq, Strassburger McKenna Gutnick & Gefsky, 444 Liberty Avenue, Ste. 2200, Pittsburgh PA, 15222

Estate of ROBERT P. BRUNO, deceased of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Estate No. 02-25-03095, Laura DeFazio, Executor, 3551 Beechwood Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA 15217 or to AUBREY H. GLOVER, Atty; BRENLOVE & FULLER, LLC., 401 Washington Avenue, Bridgeville, PA 15017

Estate of SUSAN GOOD HILLMAN A/K/A SUSAN G. HILLMAN A/K/A SUSAN HILLMAN, Deceased of Pittsburgh, No. 05154 of 2024 John H. Hillman , Executor, or to Devin Hallett Snyder, Esq, Strassburger McKenna Gutnick & Gefsky, 444 Liberty Avenue, Ste. 2200, Pittsburgh, PA, 15222

Estate of EVELYN T. MANSKI, Deceased of Pittsburgh, No. 02575 of 2025, John Schwoebel , Executor, or to Ryan W. Brode, Esq, Strassburger McKenna Gutnick & Gefsky, 444 Liberty Avenue, Ste. 2200, Pittsburgh, PA, 15222

To: DOUGLAS GREENE at the instance of CHARLISE SMITH by Attorney IRENE MCLAUGHLIN CLARK, ESQ. You are hereby cited to be and appear before Michael McGeever, Director of Department of Court Records, Wills/Orphans’ Court Division of Allegheny County, PA on or before June 20, 2025 at 10:00AM prevailing time at 414 Grant Street, 1st Floor, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, TO SHOW CAUSE why CHARLISE SMITH should not be appointed as the Administratrix of the Estate of MARCUS WILLIS LAMONT CHRISTIAN, deceased, No. 02-25-02031. The date of June 20, 2025 is not a Hearing Date. An Answer must be filed before this date; however, the hearing date will be arranged between the Director and counsel, IRENE M. CLARK, ESQ., 8908 UPLAND TERRACE, PITTSBURGH, PA 15235. Estate of FALCHA-DEAN BARKLEY Case No. 2130 of 2025. Dmetrius Charles Cicchitto appointed Administrator, C.T.A. by Order dated April 1, 2025. Peter B. Lewis, Neighborhood Legal Services, 928 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15222, Counsel

Estate of ERIC LEON CICCHITTO Case No. 1354 of 2025. Dmetrius Charles Cicchitto appointed Administrator by Order dated March 3, 2025. Peter B. Lewis, Neighborhood Legal Services, 928 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15222, Counsel.

CAROL MCCRACKEN CONE , Deceased Late of Allegheny County, PA Letters of Testamentary on the above Estate having been granted to the Executrix , Rose Ann Chronowski , all persons indebted to the Estate are requested to make payment, and those having claims to present same without delay, to Brian F. Levine, Esquire. Brian F. Levine, Esquire Levine Law, LLC Attorney for the Executrix 22 E Grant St New Castle, PA 16101-2279

Petition to Determine Title to 910 Blackadore Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15221, formerly owned by KELLY C. DALTON, deceased, filed May 2, 2025 by Sean Collette Dalton, No. 2913 of 2025 Peter B. Lewis, Counsel, Neighborhood Legal Services, 928 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15222.

LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION OF TESTAMENTARY

Letters Testamentary on the Estate of Daniel P. Denlinger deceased, of 7210 Meade St., Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA 15208, No. 02-24-05612 have been granted to Susan Richter, 7210 Meade St., Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA 15208, who requests that all persons having claims against the Estate of this Decedent make known the same in writing to her or her attorney, Thomas E. Pandaleon, Esq., 6824 Thomas Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA 15208, and all persons indebted to this Decendant make payment to the same.

The Kilbuck Township Zoning Hearing Board will hold a public meeting and a public hearing on June 5, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. at the Kilbuck Township Municipal Building, 343 Eicher Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15237, to consider the application of Michael and Lisa Shields for the property known as 514 Walnut Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15202, Block and Lot No. 214-B-270 seeking a variance from Section 215-15, Table Lot, Yard and Height Requirements, of the Kilbuck Township Zoning Ordinance to construct an addition to their residence within a required yard setback. The public may attend and be heard.

TOWNSHIP OF KILBUCK Andrew Wright, Secretary

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) will hold a regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners on Thursday, May 22, 2025 @ 10:30 a.m. EST. The hybrid meeting will be conducted via Zoom Conferencing and in-person in the Lower Level Conference Room of 412 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. You must register to attend the in-person meeting. Registration for attending the meeting in-person and registration to provide public comment will both open on Monday, May 19, 2025 at 11 a.m. and posted to www.hacp.org.

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.

Notice of Special 2026 Capital Proposal Strategy Meeting

(Pursuant to the Act of July 19, 1994, P.L. #386, 65 P.S. 261)

THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH -EQUIPMENT LEASING AUTHORITY 2026 CAPITAL PROPOSAL STRATEGY MEETING SHALL BE HELD ON:

Thursday, June 12th, 2025 at 2:00 P.M. CITY COUNTY BUILDING, ROOM 646 (THE LEARNING LAB) PITTSBURGH, PA 15219

This meeting is open to the public to participate in person or via conference call at the following number:

Call-in Number: 1-412-851-3584

Guest Passcode: 202 409 159#

July 10, 2025. For more details and submission information, visit: https://solicitations .alleghenycounty.us/ Erin Dalton Director

ALLEGHENY COUNTY SANITARY AUTHORITY LEGAL NOTICE CONTRACT NO. 1823

REPAIRS TO NO. 1 ECONOMIZER AND EVAPORATOR

Sealed Bids for Contract No. 1823 – Repairs To No. 1 Economizer And Evaporator shall be received at the Engineering Department office of the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority, 3300 Preble Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15233, until 11:00 A.M., Prevailing Time, Friday, June 13, 2025, and then shall be publicly opened and read via Microsoft Virtual Teams Meeting. A Pre-Bid Meeting will be held in person on Thursday, May 29, 2025, at 10:00 A.M., Prevailing Time ALCOSAN encourages businesses owned and operated by minorities and women to submit bids on Authority Contracts or to participate as subcontractors or suppliers to successful Bidders. Successful Bidders are to use minority and women’s businesses to the fullest extent possible. Contract Documents may be examined and obtained at the Engineering office of the Authority. A non-refundable fee of One hundred dollars ($100) (no cash or credit cards will be accepted) will be charged for each set of Contract Documents received. Bid Security shall be furnished by providing with the Bid a Certified Check or Bid Bond in the amount of 10% of the Bid Price. Contract documents must be purchased directly from ALCOSAN to qualify as an eligible bidder.

Any questions regarding the Contract Technical Specifications should be directed to Jeffrey S. Mazza, P.E., ALCOSAN, via email at Jeffrey.Mazza@alcosan.org . Any questions regarding the Purchase of Contract Bidding Documents should be directed to Collin Keller, ALCOSAN, via email at Contract.clerks@alcosan.org.

The Authority reserves the right to reject any or all bids, to waive any informality in any bid and to accept any bid should it be deemed in the interest of the Authority to do so.

Allegheny County Sanitary Authority Kimberly Kennedy, P.E. Director of Engineering and Construction

DOCUMENT 00030-AA

ADVERTISEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT

ALLEGHENY COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA

The Allegheny County Airport Authority will be receiving scanned PDF proposals through Submittable, and a submission link will be sent to each registered plan holder. Submissions are to be submitted via Submittable by 1:00 p.m. prevailing local time on June 18, 2025, and bids will be opened by the Airport Authority and results will be emailed by end of business day of bid opening for the following project:

ALLEGHENY COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY

PROJECT NUMBER 35G1-25 (GENERAL) LANDSIDE STRUCTURES IMPROVEMENTS AT PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

A pre-bid conference will be held at 2:30 p.m., on May 28, 2025, in Conference Room B at Pittsburgh International Airport Landside Terminal, 4th Floor Mezz, Pittsburgh, PA 15231.

Attention is called to the fact that not less than the minimum salaries and wages, as determined by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, must be paid on these projects. Proposals must be made on the Authority’s form and in accordance with the Plans and Specifications and the “Instructions to Bidders”’. The non-refundable charge of $150.00 for the Bid Documents and the Plans, and Specifications through the bidding platform Submittable at https://acaacapitalprograms.submittable.com.

Please note that Submittable does not support Internet Explorer 11. Submittable recommends the following browsers: Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Apple Safari.

This project has DBE participation goals; DBE firms must be certified with the Pennsylvania Unified Certification Program) (PA UCP). Firms must be certified prior to award of contract. A searchable database of DBE firms can be found on the PA UCP web site: https://paucp.dbesystem.com/ The Airport Authority reserves the right to reject any and all bids or waive any informalities in the bidding. No bidder may withdraw his bid for a period of sixty [60] days after the scheduled closing time for receipt of bids.

To view a complete advertisement, which is also included in the bidding documents visit www.flypittsburgh.com – ACAA Corporate – Business Opportunities or call 412-472-3677.

ALLEGHENY COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY

The documents will be available no later than May 19, 2025, and signed, sealed bids will be accepted until 11:00 a.m. on June 20, 2025. The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh will only accept physical bids dropped off in person from 8:00 AM until the closing time of 11:00 a.m. on June 20, 2025, in the lobby of One Stop Shop at 412 Boulevard of the Allies. Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Bids may be uploaded to the Authority’s online submission site, the link is accessible via the HACP website and within the IFB. Sealed bids may still be mailed via USPS at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 412 Boulevard of the Allies, 6th Floor Procurement, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

Parties or individuals interested in responding may download a copy of the Solicitation from the Business Opportunities page of www.hacp.org. Questions or inquiries should be directed to: Ms. Dereen Neice, Sr. Director of Procurement//Contracting Officer Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh 412 Boulevard of the Allies 6th Floor - Procurement Department Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-643-2800

A pre-bid meeting will be held via Zoom meeting; on June 3, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. Please see the meeting information below: Join Zoom Meeting https://hacp-org .zoom.us/j/89841110949?pwd= 9hfZZQlI4GyDQQbatHQk8AFJco Zjb4.1

Meeting ID: 898 4111 0949 Passcode: 614752 Dial in: +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C) The Housing Authority of the City of

The Washington County Housing Authority will receive separate, and SEALED bids for the following prime contract bid with the Authority:

WCHA CRUMRINE TOWER EIFS AND WINDOW REPLACEMENTS PROJECT

CRUMRINE TOWER, 100 SOUTH FRANKLIN STREET, WASHINGTON, PA 15301

WCHA 2024-G4 CONTRACT; A/E PROJECT 2673

A certified check or bank draft payable to the Washington County Housing Authority; a US Government Bond or satisfactory Bid Bond executed by the Bidder and acceptable sureties in the amount equal to ten percent (10%) of the bid shall be submitted with each bid.

Bids will be received no later than 1:30 PM DST, WEDNESDAY, June 25, 2025 at the Washington County Housing Authority, Crumrine Tower, 100 South Franklin Street, Washington, PA 15301 at which time the bids will be publicly opened and read aloud. Bids will be held by the Housing Authority for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days prior to the contract award.

A Non-Mandatory Pre-bid Meeting will be held starting at 1:30 PM DST, WEDNESDAY, June 16, 2025 onsite at the Washington County Housing Authority, Crumrine Tower, 100 South Franklin Street, Washington, Pa 15301

Plans, specifications, and contract documents may be examined at these locations: Bid Documents are being distributed, with twenty-four hour prior notice of pick-up, by Ditto (www.dittoplanroom.com), 1020 Ridge Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15233, by phone (412) 231-7700. All prime bidders are REQUIRED to buy the full set of plans and specifications. Contact Ditto for cost of plans and specifications. Free examination of said documents is available at the office of Canzian/Johnston & Associates LLC and Pennsylvania Builders Exchange.

Submit all required documents in a SEALED envelope clearly marked: “WCHA CRUMRINE TOWER EIFS AND WINDOW REPLACEMENTS PROJECT”

The work to be performed under this contract is a Section 3 Project under Provisions of the Housing & Urban Development Act of 1968, as amended, and must, to the greatest extent feasible, provide opportunities for training and employment for lower-income residents of the project and contracts for work in connection with the project be awarded to business concerns which are located in, or owned by, Washington County residents. Particular attention is directed to requirements of Executive Order 11246, 11625 and 12138, as well as Section 3 requirements, as set forth in the Specifications. All materials used must be compliant with the “Build America / Buy America” Act IUA of 11/ 15/2021 with an effective date of 01/03/2024.

The Authority reserves the right to reject any or all bids for any reason(s) what so ever and to waive informalities in the bidding process as the WCHA deems absolutely appropriate.

STANLEY P. SHOOK EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY d.b.a. PRT

Electronic Proposals will be received online at PRT’s Ebusiness website (http://ebusiness.portauthority.org).

Proposals/bid submittals will be due 11:00 AM on June 11, 2025, and will be read at 11:15 AM., the same day, through your web browser via Microsoft Teams video conferencing, for the following: following:

Electronic Proposal - Ebusiness website (http://ebusiness.portauthority.org)

Bid Number Bid Name

1 B25-05-29 LRV Traction Motor Bellows

6 B25-03-17R InSight Passenger Seat Inserts

To join the bid opening through Microsoft Teams meeting on your computer, mobile app or room device Meeting ID: 277 929 221 639 9 Passcode: 6bk3ha2X Or call in (audio only)

412-927-0245

Phone Conference ID: 734 637 514

No bidder may withdraw a submitted Proposal for a period of 75 days after the scheduled time for opening of the sealed bids.

A Pre-Bid Conference will be held on each of the above items on May 29, 2025, at 10 AM through your web browser via Microsoft Teams video conferencing. Attendance at this meeting is not mandatory but is strongly encouraged.

Join on your computer, mobile app or room device

Meeting ID: 222 930 652 351 Passcode: eA6Xm2FJ Or call in (audio only)

412-927-0245

Phone Conference ID: 612 390 719#

Questions regarding any of the above bids will not be entertained by the PRT within five (5) business days of the scheduled bid opening. These contracts may be subject to a financial assistance contract between Port Authority of Allegheny County d.b.a. PRT and the United States Department of Transportation. The Contractor will be required to comply with all applicable Equal Employment Opportunity laws and regulations. Contractor is responsible for expenses related to acquiring a performance bond and insurance where applicable. All items are to be FOB delivered unless otherwise specified. Costs for delivery, bond, and insurance shall be included in bidder’s proposal pricing.

Port Authority of Allegheny County d.b.a. PRT hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively insure that in regard to any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprise will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award.

The Board of PRT reserves the right to reject any or all bids.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sealed proposals will be received by the Township of Wilkins of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania through the Quest Construction Data Network (QuestCDN) at www.questcdn.com until 11:00 AM prevailing time on June 9, 2025 for:

CONTRACT NO. 25-S1

MONTGOMERY SEWER AERIAL CROSSING

The scope of work for Contract No. 25-S1 includes replacement of sanitary sewer aerial crossing with approximately 35 linear feet of 8-inch diameter long span ductile iron piping, sanitary manholes, and all necessary appurtenances and restoration for said construction. All bidders are required to buy the Bid Documents in PDF format for a non-refundable deposit of $125.00 from QuestCDN using project number 9685272. Contact their Customer Support regarding membership registration, downloading and working with digital project information at 952-233-1632 or info@questcdn.com. Any technical questions regarding the bid documents are to be directed to LSSE. Bids will be publicly opened and read aloud via video conference. Interested parties may contact the Township for access information prior to the date and time identified herein.

Contract No. 25-S1 is financed in part by a grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Commonwealth Financing Authority. Pennsylvania prevailing wage rates apply. Proposals must be upon the forms furnished by the Township. The bid must be accompanied by a certified check or bid bond in the amount of ten percent (10%) of the bid, made payable to the Township of Wilkins to guarantee the bidder’s entrance into the contract if given the award. No bid bond shall be waived or returned because the Bidder has failed to or cannot comply with any requirements as set forth in the plans, specifications, or any applicable statutes of the State of Pennsylvania or any applicable municipal ordinances.

The Township reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to waive any informalities in the bidding. No bid may be withdrawn for ninety (90) calendar days after the scheduled time for receipt of bids.

Attention is directed to the fact that procurement is subject to all requirements of the Pennsylvania “Steel Products Procurement Act, Act No. 1978-3”; and for Contract value exceeding $25,000, the Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act (Act of 1961 P.L. 987), and The Public Works Employment Verification Act (July 2012) apply.

The Township shall (a) award the construction contract to the lowest responsible bidder therefore, or (b) reject all bids received within ninety (90) days of the date of bid opening; provided, however, that the Township may, in its sole discretion, delay such award or rejection for up to one hundred twenty (120) days from the bid opening date until the Township has received all required approvals from other governmental agencies. Bidders on this work will be required to comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

TOWNSHIP OF WILKINS Rebecca Vargo, Manager

The Washington County Housing Authority will receive separate, and SEALED bids for the following prime contract bid with the Authority: MAPLE TERRACE LOWER WATER METER VAULT REPLACEMENT PROJECT 1100 MAPLE AVENUE WASHINGTON, PA 15301

WCHA 2024-G7 CONTRACT; A/E PROJECT R24-176-02

A certified check or bank draft payable to the Washington County Housing Authority; a US Government Bond or satisfactory Bid Bond executed by the Bidder and acceptable sureties in the amount equal to ten percent (10%) of the bid shall be submitted with each bid. Bids will be received no later than 11:00 AM DST, WEDNESDAY, June 25, 2025 at the Washington County Housing Authority, 100 Crumrine Tower, Franklin Street, Washington, PA 15301 at which time the bids will be publicly opened and read aloud. Bids will be held by the Housing Authority for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days prior to the contract award.

A Non-Mandatory Pre-bid Meeting will be held starting at 11:00 AM DST, WEDNESDAY, June 11, 2025 onsite at Maple Terrace, 1100 Maple Avenue, Washington, Pa 15301

Plans, specifications, and contract documents may be examined at these locations: Bid Documents are being distributed, with twenty-four hour prior notice of pick-up, by Sleighter Design, 1060 Eberly Way, Lemont Furnace, PA 15456; by phone at (724) 438-4010. All prime bidders are REQUIRED to buy the full set of plans and specifications. Contact Sleighter Design for the cost of the plans and specifications.

Submit all required documents in a SEALED envelope clearly marked: “MAPLE TERRACE LOWER WATER METER VAULT REPLACEMENT PROJECT”

The work to be performed under this contract is a Section 3 Project under Provisions of the Housing & Urban Development Act of 1968, as amended, and must, to the greatest extent feasible, provide opportunities for training and employment for lower-income residents of the project and contracts for work in connection with the project be awarded to business concerns which are located in, or owned by, Washington County residents.

Particular attention is directed to requirements of Executive Order 11246, 11625 and 12138, as well as Section 3 requirements, as set forth in the Specifications. All materials used must be compliant with the “Build America / Buy America” Act IUA of 11/ 15/2021 with an effective date of 01/03/2024.

The Authority reserves the right to reject any or all bids for any reason(s) what so ever and to waive informalities in the bidding process as the WCHA deems absolutely appropriate.

STANLEY P. SHOOK

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The Washington County Housing Authority will receive separate, and SEALED bids for the following prime contract bid with the Authority: SCATTERED SITES PAVING PROJECT 11 SITES ACROSS WASHINGTON COUNTY WCHA 2024-G6 CONTRACT; A/E PROJECT R24-176-01

A certified check or bank draft payable to the Washington County Housing Authority; a US Government Bond or satisfactory Bid Bond executed by the Bidder and acceptable sureties in the amount equal to ten percent (10%) of the bid shall be submitted with each bid.

Bids will be received no later than 11:00 AM DST, THURSDAY, June 12, 2025 at the Washington County Housing Authority, 100 Crumrine Tower, Franklin Street, Washington, PA 15301 at which time the bids will be publicly opened and read aloud. Bids will be held by the Housing Authority for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days prior to the contract award.

A Non-Mandatory Pre-bid Meeting will be held starting at 11:00 AM DST, TUESDAY, June 03, 2025 onsite at Valley View Terrace, 518 Dawson Street, Canonsburg, Pa 15317

Plans, specifications, and contract documents may be examined at these locations: Bid Documents are being distributed, with twenty-four hour prior notice of pick-up, by Sleighter Design, 1060 Eberly Way, Lemont Furnace, PA 15456; by phone at (724) 438-4010. All prime bidders are REQUIRED to buy the full set of plans and specifications for $125.00 for each contract set or $40.00 electronically (non-refundable). Contact Sleighter Design for the plans and specifications. Submit all required documents in a SEALED envelope clearly marked: “SCATTERED SITES PAVING PROJECT”

The work to be performed under this contract is a Section 3 Project under Provisions of the Housing & Urban Development Act of 1968, as amended, and must, to the greatest extent feasible, provide opportunities for training and employment for lower-income residents of the project and contracts for work in connection with the project be awarded to business concerns which are located in, or owned by, Washington County residents. Particular attention is directed to requirements of Executive Order 11246,11625 and 12138, as well as Section 3 requirements, as set forth in the Specifications. All materials used must be compliant with the “Build America / Buy America” Act IUA of 11/ 15/2021 with an effective date of 01/03/2024. The Authority reserves the right to reject any or all bids for any reason(s) what so ever and to waive informalities in the bidding process as the WCHA deems absolutely appropriate. STANLEY P. SHOOK EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby requests bids from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s): The documents will be available no later than May 19, 2025, and signed, sealed bids will be accepted until 10:00 a.m. on June 20, 2025. The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh will only accept physical bids dropped off in person from 8:00 AM until the closing time of 10:00 a.m. on June 19, 2025, in the lobby of One Stop Shop at 412 Boulevard of the Allies. Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Bids may be uploaded to the Authority’s online submission site, the link is accessible via the HACP website and within the IFB. Sealed bids may still be mailed via USPS at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 412 Boulevard of the Allies, 6th Floor Procurement, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Parties or individuals interested in responding may download a copy of the Solicitation from the Business Opportunities page of www.hacp.org. Questions or inquiries should be directed to:

Mr. Brandon Havranek, Associate Director of Procurement/Contracting Officer Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh 412 Boulevard of the Allies 6th Floor - Procurement Department Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-643-2890

A pre-bid meeting will be held via Zoom meeting; on June 3, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. Please see the meeting information below:

Join Zoom Meeting https://hacp-org .zoom.us/j/86791104650?pwd= zJ2ZLGCGCtK5DQc5zLZ VZa4gk2Qfg8.1

Meeting ID: 867 9110 4650 Passcode: 016062 Dial by your location +1 646 931 3860 US

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh strongly encourages certified minority business enterprises and women business enterprises to respond to this solicitation.

Caster D. Binion, Executive Director Housing Authority of the

MECHANICAL ENGINEER Civil and Environmental Consultants, Inc. (Pittsburgh, PA) to be rspnsbl for gnrtng mchncl dsgn calcltns, inc. eqpmnt & pipe szng, crtng pipng & instrmntn digrms & Blck Flw Digrms; frmltng dsgn crtria for dvlpmnt of prjct spcs & drwngs, & gnrtng spcs for sys. & eqpmnt; pssessng ablty to train & mntr less exprncd engnrs & dsgnrs, crdntng dsgn dtls & crtria with othr dscplns; gnrtng 3D mdlng of pipe rtng, ensrng optml plcmnt & adhrnce to dsgn spcfctns; crtng, vrfyng, & vldtng accrcy of Eqpmnt & Utlts Lists & Bill of Mtrls; usng indstrl engnrng stndrds, ensrng adhrnce to best prctcs & rgltry gdlns in dsgn & implmnttn prcsses; & utlzng Caesar II sftwre to cndct stress anlsis clcltns alng with othr anlsis in pipng strctrs. Bchlr’s in Mchncl Engnrng. Mst knw (thru acdmic trnng or wrk exp) Plant3D, Navisworks, Caesar II, Bluebeam, & AutoCAD; clcltng vlcty, load, strss, strn, frcs on piplns; assessng flw rtes, prssr drp & trblnce; anlzng heat exchngrs, boilrs, & coolng sstms; & dfning strsses on spprts & pipes, slctng prpr mtrls. Resumes to sheirendt@cecinc.com.

Sr Software Engineer (Multi Postns w/ National Placement out of Allegheny County, PA) Min of Bach’s degree & 5 yrs exp or Master’s degree & 1 yr exp. Degree & exp may be in Comp, Eng’g, IT, Info Sys, Bus, or rltd field & frgn edu equiv is acceptable. Will dvlp, create & modify Comp Apps w/ exp using at least 4 of the following: Java, JEE, JavaScript, Oracle, SQL, Tableau, MicroStrategy, Salesforce, Python, Agile, Maven, Jenkins, Apex, CSS and/or CI/CD. Able to trvl/relo to diff client sites as needed. 9-5, FT. Slry $131,581/yr. Ref# SJAV-1224 IY & send resume to Infoyuga Technologies, Inc., 280B Moon Clinton Rd, Moon Township, PA 15108 or email to hr@infoyuga.com. Infoyuga is an EOE M/F/V/D.

Happy 100th Birthday, Essie Jones!

A very special “Happy Birthday” wishes are going out to Essie Jones, who turned 100 on April 4, 2025. She was born in Pittsburgh, grew up in the East Liberty area and went to Westinghouse High School. She’s the mother of five, and has one living sister, Marla Clayton. Essie Jones currently lives in Wilkinsburg, and for her celebration, among those who celebrated with her were Toni Jones, Kimberly Jones Lewis, Rosie Jones and Charlie Jones. And let’s not forget about the baby doll, Peaches Jones.

Once again, Happy Birthday, Essie Jones!

(Photos by J.L. Martello)

award sponsors

benefactor sponsor

patron sponsor

FAB 40 HONOREES SAVIONNE CHAMBERS, DR. SHENAY JEFFREY

FAB 40 HONOREE DR. JALEAH N. ROBINSON, RIGHT. (PHOTOS BY J.L. MARTELLO)

There’s no stopping Pittsburgh’s young Black professionals

Fab 40 ‘Class of 2025’ honored at Sheraton

by Rob Taylor Jr.

Courier Staff Writer

Yes, there are young Black professionals in Pittsburgh.

The New Pittsburgh Courier’s annual “Fab 40 Under 40” awards celebration is pure proof.

Another 40 individuals were celebrated on Friday, May 9, 2025, at the Sheraton Hotel, Station Square. Some held doctorate degrees; some were executive directors; some were professors; some were educators.

No matter their area of expertise, they can all be referred to as “success stories,” with still so many years ahead of them to continue their upward climb.

“You work day in and day out, so to be celebrated and surrounded by other people who share the same morals, values and mission, I feel very blessed and happy,” said one of the Fab 40 honorees, Derrick Maultsby Jr., Esq. Maultsby is Managing Associate Attorney at Frost Brown Todd, LLP. “You gotta be twice as good to get half as far, and I definitely think that’s true in a city like Pittsburgh, where we are very much a self-segregated city, especially in the corporate ranks.”

Maultsby said his success can be attributed to not just his hard work and a “great deal of fortune and luck,” but other African Americans who he’s referred to as mentors. “There’s so many people that look like us in this community in different places, and if you find them and you lean

on them, they’ll pour into you.”

The celebrity host for the evening, KDKA-TV anchor/reporter Josh Taylor, proudly introduced the 40 honorees to the crowd at the beginning of the event, and Maultsby and the other honorees walked into the main ballroom to a standing ovation. Some broke out in dance, like Ashley Cabiness and Jonathan Royster.

After the honorees took their seats, the Rev. A. Marie Walker gave the invocation, which was followed by dinner and “jams” from DJ Brother Marlon Martin. He started his musical set with a crowd favorite: Tevin Campbell’s “Can We Talk,” a very popular R&B song from the early ‘90s.

Following the dinner, Courier sales director Ashley Johnson greeted

the crowd and acknowledged the event’s sponsors, such as Duquesne Light Company, Pittsburgh Regional Transit, the Pennsylvania Lottery, and Catapult Greater Pittsburgh.

Courier editor and publisher Rod Doss then greeted the festive crowd, reiterating that in his day, the opportunities weren’t as vast for African Americans like they are today.

He said the evening’s honorees not only are doing great things now, but they’re widening those doors every day for the younger African Americans who come after them. Then, one by one, each honoree received their official Fab 40 plaque on the stage, followed by a photo taken by Ricco J.L. Martello. The last person to receive their award was the Trailblazer Honoree,

Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis, the first African American lieutenant governor in the state’s history. “Rod (Doss) talked a little bit about the moment we find ourselves in, in history, where folks would rather take us back to a time where Black and brown people and women

FAB 40 HONOREE KASHIF HENDERSON, FAR RIGHT.

The

FAB 40 HONOREES NISSA’A STALLWORTH-HEWITT, SAVIONNE CHAMBERS, TYLER RAY KENDRICK.

FAB 40 HONOREE TEONA RINGGOLD, SECOND FROM RIGHT.

From line workers to security professionals to engineers and all the teams in between - like Jeremy, our people make a difference. Find your place at DuquesneLight.org/careers.

THE CELEBRITY HOST—JOSH TAYLOR, KDKA-TV.

REVEREND A. MARIE WALKER.

COURIER SALES DIRECTOR ASHLEY JOHNSON.

The Courier’s Fab 40—Ambitious. Driven.

FAB 40 HONOREES JAMILLIA KAMARA COVINGTON, DEAINNA FITZGERALD.

FAB 40 HONOREES ASHLEY CABINESS, LESA DEGENNARO

FAB 40 HONOREES JEREMY CASTRODAD, BLESSY BELLAMY, CHRISTOPHER CARTER, J.D.

FAB 40 HONOREES DR. ANTHONY KANE JR. DR. JALEAH N. ROBINSON, DR. MIISHA REID, AND JONATHAN ROYSTER.

Fab 40 ‘Class of 2025’ honored at Sheraton

were counted as less,” Lt. Gov. Davis said in his remarks. “Well, I’m here to tell you we’re not going back to a time like that. We’re going to continue to make progress and continue to break those highest glass ceilings.”

Cabiness, the program manager for the South Pittsburgh

ACTES (Achieving Change through Transitional Employment Services), called the evening an “honor.” She said she was nervous at first, but you wouldn’t have known it. She was smiling the entire night, as her family and friends cheered her on.

Dr. Shenay Jeffrey is Community Relationships Manager at

UPMC, and she had plenty of family and friends in the audience, too. “All the love in the room tonight is awesome,” she told the Courier. “It feels like family, like community, we’re all connected and it’s so nice to be celebrated for the hard work. This is true Black excellence.”

Meanwhile, Khalil G. Darden Jr. has been putting in the work

for years in Penn Hills. The Young Black Motivated Kings and Queens De’Avry A. Thomas Community Center is up and running in that part of the region, and it was all his idea. It’s located at 7300 Ridgeview Avenue.

Darden said the best advice he’s ever received, which is the same thing he tells the youth:

“Never allow what your current circumstances are to determine where you can go.”

FAB 40 HONREES FARREN MASON JR., TIAONA CADE, TYLER RAY KENDRICK.

FAB 40 HONOREES FRED QUINN III, KHALIL G. DARDEN JR.

LT. GOVERNOR AUSTIN DAVIS THE TRAILBLAZER HONOREE

ABOVE: PENNSYLVANIA LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AUSTIN DAVIS, COURIER EDITOR AND PUBLISHER ROD DOSS. BELOW: LT. GOV. DAVIS WITH VALERIE MCDONALD ROBERTS.

FAB 40 HONOREE DR. JIMYSE LYN BROWN, CENTER.

COURTNEY ABEGUNDE

Operations Director, Steel Smiling Program

Neighborhood Allies

FAB 40 HONOREES KEITH MARROW, COURTNEY ABEGUNDE, AND KASHIF HENDERSON.

FAB 40 HONOREES ANTHONY WALLS JR., TEONA RINGGOLD, SAVIONNE CHAMBERS, AND DERRICK MAULTSBY JR., ESQ.

Customer Experience Strategy Consultant

Highmark Health

TIAONA CADE

Associate Director, Mary Beth and Miles Reidy Career Center

Carnegie Mellon University Heinz College of Information Systems & Public Policy

DR. JIMYSE LYN BROWN

Executive Director

Moonshot Museum

CHRISTOPHER CARTER, J.D.

Steelers Reporter, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Sports Host/Guest, WPXI-TV

ASHLEY CABINESS

Program Manager, South Pittsburgh ACTES; Co-Founder, Westside CARES

JEREMY CASTRODAD

Senior Distribution Technician Duquesne Light Company

SAVIONNE CHAMBERS

Instructor and Choreographer, Kulture Dance Academy;

Dancer, Firewall Dance Theater

JAMILLIA KAMARA COVINGTON

Senior Program Officer for Education, The Pittsburgh Foundation; Principal, JINC & Co.

MELESSIE CLARK

Actress

SHEA CRAIG

Chief Accountant and Treasurer Halco Mining Inc.

NELSON COOPER IV

Vice President, Relationship Manager-Corporate Banking, PNC;

Executive Director, Pittsburgh Hardball Academy

KAHLIL G. DARDEN JR. CEO & Founder Young Black Motivated Kings & Queens

COURTNEY DAVENPORT

VP Operations Manager, Strategic Programming

Office of Belonging

BNY

DEAINNA FITZGERALD

CEO

Revealed Wellness Spa and Dee’s Beauty Bar

LESA DEGENNARO

Coordinator, Member Engagement

UPMC Health Plan

GLENN O. FORD

Director, Woodland Hills Impact Center; Council President, Borough of Rankin

KELCEI J. EDMONDS-TINDAL

Educator

Penn Hills Charter School of Entrepreneurship

KASHIF HENDERSON

Executive Director

Neighborhood Learning Alliance

KIMBERLY DIANA JACOBS

Curator and Exhibitions Manager

August Wilson African American Cultural Center

DR. ANTHONY KANE JR.

Dean of Students for Student Advocacy Community College of Allegheny County

DR. SHENAY JEFFREY

Community Relationships Manager

UPMC

TYLER RAY KENDRICK

Actor, Comedian and Educator

ASHANTÉ JOSEY

Visual Artist and Artist Advocate

AJosey Art

GEORGE W. LITTLE JR.

Assistant Principal, Logan Elementary School K-6 East Allegheny School District

KEITH T. MARROW

Recruiter

Pittsburgh Regional Transit

TREY MCCUNE

Executive Director

Homewood-Brushton YMCA

FARREN MASON JR.

Owner, Generation Realty; Supervisor for Permits License & Inspection, City of Pittsburgh

DR. BRITTANY MCDONALD-PIERCE

Executive Director

Uptown Partners of Pittsburgh

DERRICK L. MAULTSBY

Managing Associate Attorney

Frost Brown Todd LLP

CHIDOZIE CHRISTIAN OPARANOZIE

Manager of School Partnerships Urban Impact Foundation

SHANNON PRENTISS

Dean of Student Affairs

The Neighborhood Academy

TEONA RINGGOLD

Director of JEDAI & Community Engagement Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh

FRED QUINN III

Alumni Network Coordinator, Penn State University; Councilmember, Borough of Swissvale

DR. JALEAH N. ROBINSON

Clinical Assistant Professor of Special Education, Department of Educational Foundations & Leadership Duquesne University

DR. MIISHA REID

Program Director & Assistant Professor of Special Education Carlow University

JONATHAN ROYSTER

Assistant Vice President, McKees Rocks Branch KeyBank

DR. KHIRSTEN L. SCOTT

Assistant Professor of Language, Literacy, and Culture & Director of the Western PA Writing Project

University of Pittsburgh

NISSA’A STALLWORTH-HEWITT

Commercial Kitchen Manager

Catapult Greater Pittsburgh

ANTHONY R. WALLS JR.

Senior National Sales Manager-ASM Global Management

David L. Lawrence Convention Center