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Thandie Newton slams Starbucks over Black child display in loin cloth
Wilkinsburg strives to strengthen business community
In The Spirit of King
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Costa, Gainey, Wheatley get funds for Wilkinsburg-Westinghouse student move VOL. 107, NO. 2
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JANUARY 13-19, 2016
by Christian Morrow
“In addition to thanking Gov. Wolf for releasing the Courier Staff Writer money, I would like to thank Sen. Jay Costa and Rep. Thanks to concerted efforts of local state COSTA Jake Wheatley for their dilirepresentatives, when Gov. Tom Wolf regence in making this funding possible.” leased emergency education funds with his Wilkinsburg, plagued by declining enrollsignature on a $24 billion partial budget, ment and increasing budget shortfalls, $3 million of that was earmarked to assist began searching for neighboring district with the transition of Wilkinsburg High assistance or a possible merger several School students to Westinghouse in the years ago. Both the Penn Hills and WoodPittsburgh Public School District. State Rep. Ed Gainey, D-East Liberty, REP. JAKE WHEATLEY land Hills school districts turned them down. thanked Wolf, and called it a tremendous In October, however, the Pittsburgh feat to secure the funding. “We let them (the governor and the De- low-income communities just don’t get Board of Education agreed to a plan that will send just over 200 Wilkinsburg stupartment of Education) know that a lot of their due,” he said.
“The fight is not over. I strongly encourage the Wilkinsburg parents to stay at the table and make sure resources aren’t just going into a black hole.”
GAINEY
WHEATLEY
dents in grades 7-12 to Pittsburgh Westinghouse 6-12 beginning in the 2016-2017 school year. “This type of change is never easy,” said Gainey. “The decision to transition the Wilkinsburg students was not taken lightly and I commend the Wilkinsburg School Board and other officials for their commitment to ensuring that the students are the SEE REPS. A4
Commonwealth Court rules for city on police residency
Supporters petition state for Sander’s pardon
by Christian Morrow
by Christian Morrow
Courier Staff Writer
Courier Staff Writer
Not satisfied to let things take their course after McKeesport councilman-elect Corry Sanders was told a 23-year-old felony conviction made him ineligible to hold office, supporters are petitioning state officials for relief. State Rep. Ed Gainey, D-East Liberty, is among them. “This guy has been clean for 23 years. How can this follow him for that long,” Gainey said. “State Rep. Jordan Harris (DPhiladelphia) has legislation pending to address expungement for non-violent offenses. This situation is a perfect example of why I’m a co-sponsor. For now, we’re writing the governor, the lieutenant governor and the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons.
TYIAN BATTLE Executive Director of ACH Clear Pathways
Children’s non-profit set to launch $2M capital campaign by Samson X. Horne
nity Recreation Center, a City Parks Recreation Center on Bedford Avenue, served as the home for after school programming that includes: dance, digital media, drama, martial arts, music and visual arts. “We were blessed to have that space for four years, we want to better the space to meet the needs of our youth and families,” Executive Director Tyian Battle said. The facility, which provides hot meals and academic tutor-
For New Pittsburgh Courier
A local non-profit plans to reveal Thursday, Jan. 14, its launch of a $2 million capital campaign to build a state-ofthe-art center in the Hill District. ACH Clear Pathways, founded in 2010, is an organization that focuses on encouraging young boys and girls in the Hill District with an avenue to explore and express their artistic skills. Since 2012, Ammon Commu-
SEE SUPPORTERS A5
County, city’s first homicides of the year
KIMBERLY SLATER-WOODS
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After losing in arbitration, and again in Common Pleas Court, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto was elated upon hearing the Commonwealth Court’s ruling that Pittsburgh police can be required to live in the city. “The City respects the collective bargaining process. But residency and other workplace issues should be subject to good-faith negotiations and not made through backdoor deals in Harrisburg,” he said in a Jan.7 press release. “The people of Pittsburgh must have a seat at that table.” The court action stems from a 2012 modification to state law wherein the General Assembly approved a law saying the City of Pittsburgh “may” require police to be City residents, changing previous language that officers “shall” be residents. Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 1 moved to reopen its contract to allow officers to move out of the City, and in March 2014 an arbitration panel ruled officers only had to live within 25 miles of the City-County Building Downtown. The Peduto Administration took the panel’s decision to Common Pleas Court, which ruled with the FOP that the residency requirement was subject to review by the arbitration panel. City voters then SEE COMMONWEALTH A4
Cannabis decriminalized, APA holds forum
Allegheny County and City of Pittsburgh Police have investigated their first homicides of the year. Both victims were Black males from the North Side and under the age of 40. The first victim, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office, was 39-yearold Damion Graham, of the North Side. On Jan. 10, Graham, the first homicide of the year and the first homicide outside of the city of Pittsburgh, was fatally shot during an altercation in a residence on Forest Avenue in Bellevue. According to other reports, Graham was shot during an argument that had taken place. No one has been charged as of this publication’s deadline. Several calls were made to Allegheny County Police for an update on the case, but were not returned. Later that day, 25-year-old
by Michael B. Rose For New Pittsburgh Courier.
Just 15 months after Philadelphia decriminalized marijuana, Pittsburgh is doing so as well. The effects of decriminalization on incarceration and public order was an 80 percent decline in marijuana arrests from 4,000 to just under 1,000. In order for Pittsburghers to truly understand what that will mean for those who choose to take advantage of the slackening of enforcement, the Alliance for Police Accountability (APA) held a forum on Jan. 6 at the Kingsley Center in which Attorney Patrick Nightingale, City Councilman R. Daniel Lavelle and Zone 5 Commander Jason Lando educated those in attendance on what rights a citizen with marijuana on their person will have and what rights law enforcement will retain and have the right to enforce. Ayodeji Young, outreach specialist at the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh, began by explaining why this was so important to himself and the APA. “The marijuana thing is an easy way to get pulled over and if kids knew they didn’t have to take off running because they had a bag of weed in their pocket, it would stop a lot of the extra things that
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WHAT SHOULD WE DO?—From left: Commander Jason Lando, City Councilman R. Daniel Lavelle and Criminal Defense Attorney Patrick Nightingale at a Jan. 6 community meeting on marijuana possession. (Photo by J.L. Martello) happen on the back end of that.” He said, alluding to the high frequency of unarmed Black males who get shot or
charged with a felony for gross disparity in enforcetrying to elude capture. ment and the data shows Brandi Fisher, head of the that. Black men are number APA, said it is because SEE CANNABIS A4 “Number one there is a
Ulish Carter asks
Where are all the guns coming from? Opinion A6
Thandie Newton slams Starbucks over Black child display in loin cloth
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JANUARY 13-19, 2016
(NewsOne)—Starbucks has taken another hit this week after actress Thandie Newton called out the coffee chain for displaying a statue of a Black child in a loin cloth offering Colombian coffee beans to customers. According to Fox News, the award-winning actress spotted the figure at a Starbucks in London. After viewing the statue dressed in the cloth and safari hat, Newton snapped a picture and shared it on Twitter. The Crash performer provided a straightforward comment about the garb, causing the company’s customer service Twitter account to respond. While others agreed that the statue was problematic to the history Starbucks shares with Ethiopian coffee workers, others found no problem with the outfit. Over the years, the company has been slammed for
CALLS OUT STARBUCKS—Thandie Newton arrives at the Los Angeles premiere of “Mad Max: Fury Road” at the TCL Chinese Theatre on Thursday, May 7, 2015. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/ AP) its high prices, while Ethiopian workers make less than $1 in profit. Fortune reports in 2005, representatives of the country filed a patent to trademark the areas of the three most popular coffee regions—Yirgacheffe, Harrar, and Sidamo—to
secure a larger profit. Starbucks has also been the subject of a viral video that showed a military wife confronting a barista who stole her credit card information to buy groceries.
Thai cosmetics company pulls ad showing actress in blackface
BANGKOK (AP)—“You just need to be White to win.” A skin-whitening ad in Thailand featuring that slogan alongside a famous actress in blackface makeup sparked such outrage that the company pulled it Friday, just a day after releasing it. The retraction did little, however, to stem a debate the ad ignited about the regularity of racist advertisements in the Southeast Asian country. The online video campaign for a new product called “Snowz” starred porcelain-skinned Thai movie star Cris Horwang. In the ad, she talks about being an aging actress in a competitive industry as gentle piano music plays in the background. “If I stopped looking after myself, everything that I have worked for—all the investment I have made to keep myself White—would disappear,” says the 35year-old starlet. “New stars would replace me, I would fade away.” As she speaks, a smiling younger woman enters the picture and Cris’ own image darkens to charcoal black. A male voice says “You just need to be White to win.” A tirade of criticism erupted on social media after the video was launched online Thursday. Online
Elaine Effort
This Week In Black History
INTERNATIONAL
(SOURCE: Twitter, Fortune, Fox News)
CONTROVERSIAL AD—An online advertisement by Thai cosmetics company Seoul Secret showing Thai actress Cris Horwang, right, is displayed on a computer screen in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, Jan. 8, 2016. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak) commentators labeled the ad as racist and ignorant, while some heaped criticism on the actress for accepting the job. Others called it a strategic way to attract wide attention for the product and boost sales. One prominent critic was former beauty queen Nonthawan Thongleng, who was crowned Miss Thailand World in 2014. Media at the time described her as “Thailand’s Pocahontas” and as an “Amazonian Goddess” because of her oliveskinned complexion, and said that her victory over more fair-skinned competitors was a turning point for Thai beauty contests. “Even if you are Black, you can be
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a winner too,” Nonthawan said in a Facebook post Friday. “We can prove ourselves by our abilities, White or Black. If you are good, people will accept and look up to you,” she said, adding that judging people by their skin color was “such an oldfashioned value.” Thai cosmetics company Seoul Secret issued a “heartfelt apology” in a statement Friday saying it had pulled the video clip and related advertisements.” Our company did not have any intention to convey discriminatory or racist messages,” the company said in the statement posted on its Facebook page. “What we intended to convey was that self-improvement in terms of personality, appearance, skills and professionalism is crucial.” In 2013, the Dunkin’ Donuts franchise in Thailand came under fire for using a female model in blackface makeup to promote a new chocolate flavored doughnut. The company’s CEO in Thailand initially dismissed complaints about racism, but the U.S. parent company quickly followed up with an apology and pulled the ad.
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Weekk of January 13-19 January 13 1869—On this day in 1869, one of the earliest post-Civil War attempts at organizing Blacks on a national level occurs. The National Convention of Black Leaders is held in Washington, D.C. Frederick Douglass is elected president. Also, the first Black labor union convention takes place. It was called the Convention of the Colored National Labor Union. 1913—The sorority Delta Sigma Theta is organized on the campus of Howard University by 22 coeds. It develops into one of the most prestigious and influential Black Greek letter organizations in the nation. 1953—Don Barksdale becomes the first African-American to play in an NBA All-Star game. 1966—Robert C. Weaver becomes the first Black member of a presidential cabinet. Lyndon B. Johnson appoints him Secretary of DON BARKSDALE Housing and Urban Development. 1987—In what many considered a racist decision, Arizona Gov. Evan Mecham rescinds the gubernatorial decree, which had established the birthday of civil rights legend Martin Luther King Jr. as a state holiday. The decision sets off protests and a national Black boycott of Arizona. 1989—Poet Sterling Brown dies. Brown, a middle-class Black, born into one of Washington, D.C.’s, most prominent Black families, has probably never received full credit for the power, thought-provoking and even revolutionary nature of his poetry. He was a professor at Howard University for nearly 40 years. 1999—Superstar Michael Jordan retires from professional basketball. However, in 2009, Jordan was still ranked by Forbes magazine as one of the top 10 richest Blacks in America. January 14 1895—A group of African-Americans organized the National Steamboat Co. in Washington, D.C. The group sailed the luxury STERLING BROWN steamer “George Leary” between the nation’s capital and Norfolk, Va., during the waning years of steamboat popularity in America. The George Leary was a triumph for Black entry into business. 1930—Ernest Just becomes vice president of the American Association of Zoologists. Just was perhaps the most noted Black zoologist in American history. He accomplished pioneering research in fertilization and cell division while also publishing more than 70 scientific papers and books. Born in Charleston, S.C., he was a brilliant student who graduated from Dartmouth magna cum laude. He taught at Howard University in Washington, D.C., for years and helped a group of students organize the Black Greek letter fraternity—Omega Psi Phi. Just died in 1941 of pancreatic cancer. 1972—“Sanford and Son” starring Redd Foxx and Demond Wilson premiers on NBC. The sitcom gains almost immediate popularity among Blacks as well as develop a large following of Whites. The name “Sanford” came from John Sanford—Redd Foxx’ real name. ERNEST JUST January 15 1908—Alpha Kappa Alpha, the first Black Greek letter sorority, is founded on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C., by Ethel Hedgeman Lyle of St. Louis, Mo. The sorority gradually branched out to other campuses and became one of the leading organizational vehicles for college-trained Black women to make their mark on American society. 1929—Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the man who was to become America’s greatest civil rights hero, was born on this day in 1929. Actually, his original given name was “Michael,” but it was later changed to Martin. He first rose to national prominence as the country’s premier civil rights leader when he successfully led the 1955-1956 Montgomery, Ala., bus boycott by Blacks angered by the arrest of Rosa REV. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. Parks for her refusal to give up her seat on a city bus to a White man. In 1957, King was elected to head the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which became the leading organization of the civil rights era. Between 1957 and 1968, he traveled more than six million miles, gave more than 2,500 speeches, was arrested more than 20 times, and physically assaulted at least four times—all on behalf of civil rights for American Blacks. Perhaps his most famous speech was the “I Have A Dream” speech given before a crowd of 250,000 during the March on Washington Aug. 28, 1963. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 and the nation now celebrates his birth as a national holiday on the third Monday of each January. But during his life, King also became the target of a massive FBI operation that some feel indirectly paved the way for his assassination in Memphis, Tenn., on April 4, 1968. During his “I Have A Dream” speech, King summarized the purpose of the march and the Civil Rights Movement: “But 100 years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we’ve come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.” 1961—One of the original super groups—The Supremes— signed with Black record company Motown on this day in 1961. The name was later changed to Diana Ross and the Supremes and the R&B singers rocketed to international fame. January 16 1901—Hiram R. Revels, the first African-American elected to the United States Senate, died on this day in Aberdeen, Miss. Revels, a politician, minister and educator was of Black and Cherokee descent. 1920—Zeta Phi Beta sorority was founded on the campus of THE SUPREMES Howard University in Washington, D.C., by five socially conscious Black women. It became one of the nation’s leading Black sororities. It was founded as a sister organization to Phi Beta Sigma fraternity. 1950—Dancer-producer Debbie Allen is born on this day in Houston, Texas. She is perhaps best known for her work on the 1982 musicaldrama television series “Fame,” where she portrayed dance teacher Lydia Grant, and served as the series' principal choreographer. She is the younger sister of actress/director/singer Phylicia Rashad. January 17 1759—Paul Cuffee is born near Dartmouth, Mass. He was one of the most prominent Blacks of the 1700s. Born of a Black father and an Indian mother, DEBBIE ALLEN Cuffee grew wealthy as a whaling captain, ship builder and merchant. He was an ardent fighter for Black rights and built the first integrated school in the state. But in his later years he became frustrated with the slow progress for Black freedom and began to support a program calling for free Blacks to return to Africa and build a nation of their own. He actually financed and helped a small group of Blacks establish a base in the West African nation of Sierra Leone in 1815. His program ended with his death in 1818. 1874—Armed and racist Whites violently seize control of the Texas state government, bringing an end to Reconstruction and to post-Civil War Black rights and gains in the state. Actually, when it became clear that President Andrew Johnson was a friend of the old South and had no intention of enforcing rights for Blacks, Texas-style armed revolts took place in several Southern states in which integrated governments were violently and illegally driven from office. 1927—Multi-lingual singer, dancer and actress Eartha Kitt is born in a small plantation town called North, S.C. But when abandoned by her mother because her second husband did not want to raise a mixedrace child, she was raised by an aunt in New York City. Kitt became a star of stage and screen, including playing the role of Cat Woman in the Batman television series. But the U.S. entertainment industry would not touch her for nearly 10 years after a 1968 White House luncheon during which she angered President Lyndon Johnson’s wife by criticizing the war in Vietnam. Kitt died in December 2008 at the age of 81. 1931—Stage and screen actor James Earl Jones is born on this day in Tate County, Miss. Ironically, you cannot tell from his deep baritone EARTHA KITT voice today that he had a stuttering problem as a child. 1942—Boxing legend Muhammad Ali is born on this day in Louisville, Ky. January 18 1856—Daniel Hale Williams is born in Hollidaysburg, Pa. He became a pioneering surgeon and is generally credited with performing the first open heart surgery. He was a strong advocate of the emerging antiseptic and sterilization procedures of his day. He believed that many patients died or became ill in the hospital because of a lack of cleanliness. Williams’ open heart surgery which occurred July 10, 1893 when he repaired a knife wound to the chest of James Cornish. The operation was a success and Cornish lived another 20 years. January 19 1918—The founder of Ebony and Jet magazines, John H. Johnson, is born on this day in Arkansas City, Ark. Shortly after the death of his father, Johnson’s mother moved the family to Chicago where Johnson attended high school during the day and read self-help books at night, laying the intellectual and motivational foundation for the eventual building of his publishing empire. Interestingly, among Johnson’s classmates at Chicago’s DuSable High School were Nate King Cole, Redd Foxx and future businessman, William Abernathy.
Black female sergeant in NYPD chokehold death faces departmental charges
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
by Colleen Long
Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK (AP)—A sergeant has been stripped of her gun and badge and charged internally in the July 2014 chokehold death of Eric Garner, the first official accusation of wrongdoing in the case that helped spark a national movement on the role of race in policing. New York Police Department Sgt. Kizzy Adonis was one of the supervising officers at the scene of Garner’s death on Staten Island during an arrest on suspicion of selling loose, untaxed cigarettes. She was not part of the team out investigating that day but heard the radio call and was nearby and responded to the scene. Ado-
JANUARY 13-19, 2016
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nis is Black and so was Garner. Officials said Friday that Adonis was charged with failure to supervise, an internal disciplinary sanction. Sgt. Ed Mullins, the head of her union, called the charge ridiculous and political. “She didn’t have to go there—she chose to go there to help out and look what happens,” he said, adding it was Commissioner William Bratton, not Adonis, who is to blame. “This incident stems from failed policies that ultimately led to the death of Eric Garner.” The encounter, caught on video by an onlooker, spurred protests about police treatment of Black men. Garner, an asthmatic father of six, was seen
GARNER PROTEST (AP Photo/File) yelling, “I can’t breathe!” 11 times before losing consciousness. The medical examiner found the chokehold contributed to his death. Coupled with police killings of unarmed black men elsewhere in recent
months, the death became a flashpoint in a national debate about relations between police and minority communities. No one has been charged criminally. Officer Daniel Pantaleo, who is White
and who applied the hold, remains on desk duty. A grand jury refused to indict him on criminal charges. The chokehold is banned under NYPD policy; Pantaleo has said he was using a legal takedown maneuver called the seatbelt. No one else in the case has yet to face departmental charges, and the internal disciplinary review is on hold pending a federal inquiry, at the request of the U.S. attorney general for the Eastern District, police said. But Adonis had been promoted to sergeant shortly before Garner’s death, and the charges extend her probationary period until her internal case is completed, officials said. For officers not currently under criminal in-
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vestigation, the department has 18 months to file internal charges. It wasn’t clear if any other officers involved in the case would face internal charges by the deadline, which is Jan. 17. “The NYPD, in consultation with the United States Attorney’s office, served the departmental charges at this time in order to preserve the disciplinary statute of limitations and all further proceedings concerning the Garner inquiry will continue to be stayed until the conclusion of the federal investigation,” the department said in a statement. Internal charges can lead to loss of vacation days up to dismissal from the department. Garner’s family settled with the city for $5.9 million.
Maine governor sorry for remark about ‘young white’ girls by Patrick Whittle Associated Press Writer
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP)— Republican Gov. Paul LePage apologized Jan. 8 for his remark about out-ofstate drug dealers impregnating “young White” girls, calling it a slip of the tongue and saying he didn’t mean to inject race into discussion of Maine’s heroin epidemic. LePage blamed reporters for unfairly focusing on the slip-up in which he described the drug dealers as “guys with the name DMoney, Smoothie, Shifty” and added, “Half the time they impregnate a young White girl before they leave.” “I was going impromptu, and my brain didn’t catch up to my mouth. Instead of `Maine women,’ I said `White women,”‘ said LePage, who’s White. He noted that, according to the census, Maine is the nation’s
whitest state. When asked if the nicknames for the drug dealers imply they are Black, LePage replied, “I don’t know where they’re from. I don’t know if they’re White, Black, Asian.” He also chastised the assembled reporters, saying, “Get your heads out of the sand, please.” He added: “I probably couldn’t get so many of you here without saying something foolish.” The governor’s comment Jan. 6 in Bridgton drew criticism from Maine and beyond after a Republican activist called attention to it a day later. The controversy has reached the presidential campaign, where LePage is a prominent supporter of Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and the two
GOV. PAUL LEPAGE (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty/File) campaigned together as recently as last month in New Hampshire. The Democratic National Committee has called on Christie to repudiate LePage’s comments. A spokeswoman for Christie’s campaign did not immediately return a phone call and email seeking com-
ment. The Bridgton event was a town hall-style meeting in which the governor was asked about Maine’s drug epidemic. He has previously talked about out-ofstate drug dealers being the major supplier of heroin in Maine, but this
time added the comment about drug dealers impregnating women. Democratic state Sen. Linda Valentino said after LePage’s news conference that she doesn’t think LePage is racist but that the comment was. “The fact that he wasn’t thinking about what he said is more disturbing than what he said,” Valentino said. “This shows how he really feels.” Juan Cofield, president of the New England Area Conference of NAACP, denounced LePage’s comments. “It’s terrible and divisive, and it’s not constructive to solving the problem of drug usage or drug dealing or the problem of children being born out of a family setting,” Cofield said. LePage is known for speaking his mind, and it sometimes gets him into trouble. LePage has said on the
campaign trail that he’d tell President Barack Obama to “go to hell,” and soon after he was elected to his first term, he told the Portland chapter of the NAACP to “kiss my butt.” He previously likened the IRS to the Gestapo, called protesters “idiots” and said a political foe liked to “give it to the people without Vaseline.” LePage said Friday that his “kiss my butt” remark was mischaracterized. He said he’s passionate about addressing the state’s drug problem. Maine was on pace for a record year for drug overdose deaths in 2015; the final figures have not yet been tallied. “I made a mistake and I’m not perfect, but I will not stop correcting myself and bringing the issue at hand: drugs, drugs and more drugs,” he said. “We have people dying. We have families being destroyed.”
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Community Calendar Planning Meetings JAN. 13—The Black & White Reunion will host Planning Meetings for the 18th Annual Summit Against Racism at 6:30 p.m. at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Long Hall, 616 N. Highland Ave., East Liberty. The theme for the Jan. 23 event is “Power concedes nothing without a demand.” There will also be a meeting on Jan. 20. For more information, call Kenneth Miller at 412-5121709.
Spirit of King Award JAN. 14—Port Authority of Allegheny County, The Kingsley Association, The Pittsburgh Pirates and New Pittsburgh Courier will host the 2016 Spirit of King Award Ceremony at 10 a.m. at the Kingsley Association, 6435 Frankstown Ave., East Liberty. The afternoon will honor Dorothy Height and Dr. Curtis Walker. For more information, call Jessica Scott at 412-4764006.
Planning Meeting JAN. 14—The Commission for Healthy Families and Communities will host the Regional Neighborhood Council Planning Meeting at 6 p.m. at the CEA Arts, Culture & Training Center, 7120 Kelly St., Homewood. This is an opportunity to strategize on the Council’s campaign and to discuss the establishment of a community benefits agreement that includes low income housing, workforce development and more. For more information, call Rashad Byrdsong at 412-3713689 or visit www.ceapittsburgh.org.
Operation Home JAN. 16—The Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh will host its Operation Home Program from 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at the Urban League, 2nd floor, 610 Wood St., Downtown. This intense monthly seminar on homeownership is designed to educate prospective homebuyers and arm them with the basic knowledge to navigate the path to mortgage qualification and maintaining homeownership. The program includes one eight-hour workshop and a follow-up one on one counseling session. Registration is requested. For more information, call Paulette Tarrant at 412-227-4815.
Pancake Breakfast JAN. 16—The Allegheny East NAACP will host a Pancake Breakfast at 9:30 a.m. at the Garden City Fire Hall, 600 Laurel Dr., Monroeville. There will be a panel of guest speakers that includes state Senator James Brewster, Gateway School District Nina Zetty, Monroeville Mayor Greg Erosenko and others. For more information, call Kenneth Huston at 412-5805748 or email NAACP2246@yahoo.com.
Community Breakfast JAN. 18—Clarion University will host its Martin Luther King Jr. Community Breakfast at 8 a.m. at the American Legion, Main Street, Clarion. The theme is “The King Legacy: And Justice for All.” Reverend Lora A. Adams-King, pastor of New Life Family Worship Center and superintendent of Farrell Area School District, will be the keynote speaker. Reservations are requested and attendees are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item for a food drive. For more information, email rsvp@clarion.edu.
Conference JAN. 18—The Center for Family Excellence Inc. will host the “Accelerated Bending of the Arc toward Justice and Freedom” Conference from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Jeron X. Grayson Center, 1852 Enoch St., Hill District. The event will discuss how to heal the community. Registration is required and space is limited. For more information, email Beverly Walker at bwalker@cffei.org.
Martin Luther King Jr. Writing Awards JAN. 18—Carnegie Mellon University will host its 17th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Writing Awards at 4 p.m. at Carnegie Mellon University, Rangos Ballroom, 5000 Forbes Ave., Oakland. Seventeen Pittsburgh-area high school and college students will be recognized for their poetry and prose dealing with racial prejudice and discrimination. For more information, visit www.cmu.edu. (To have items listed on Community Calendar, send information at least two weeks in advance to: 315 E. Carson St., Pittsburgh, PA 15219; Fax: 412-481-1360 or email: newsroom@newpittsburghcourier.com.)
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Cannabis decriminalized, APA holds forum CONTINUED FROM A1
one for arrests in the city of Pittsburgh and most of that is for marijuana. Black men are arrested six times more than anyone else in the city of Pittsburgh.” She said most people are aware that if a person is in the system, it becomes exponentially harder to get a job. Fisher insists there are further repercussions for others beyond just the accused. There is a hidden legal system ripple effect that people only see once they go through it. “Often times, if someone is in a housing complex and they are arrested, the woman who lives in that housing project is kicked out because there was a drug bust on her property. Her children are then displaced from their home and so this has a ripple effect for the lives of everyday people,” she said. The Home Rule Charter allows Pittsburgh to enact legislation that is not in conflict with state law. There is a clear delineation between legal, decriminalized and illegal. Legal means no repercussions will come about for any action involving said product. The main difference between decriminalized and illegal for the average citizen is a change in outcomes between forfeiture and a civil fine, versus being put into the criminal justice system. There will be a $25 fine for having it on your person. A $100 fine if one is smoking it or has it in public view. This exemption is also only in place for 30 grams or less. Afterwards, a long discussion involving gray areas in
AYODEII YOUNG, APA’s director of outreach the law ensued as many wanted to know just how lax the rules would be and how they would know to feel safe knowing that all officers would obey the new changes. One attendee asked, “If you can’t force officers to do this how can you make sure that the police will do it?” Nightingale ensured him they talked to McLay, Lando and the district attorney so they are all on the same page. Lando added, “The last thing we want to do with all we deal with is to send people to jail for a little weed and spend 3 hours of paper work on it.” But followed that comment by adding, “I
would say 15–20 percent of the time we pull a car over because it smells like weed and the car is stolen, or there is a stolen gun in the car so we still need the ability to do our job.” More questions persisted. Questions such as, if one has 30 grams in 30 bags could it be a charge of intent to deliver and mean a trip to jail? Lando said, “A trip to jail will be weighed by a number of factors such as how much money is on the person, how compliant and honest are they being with the officer, if the person’s cell phone is going crazy during the stop.”
BRANDI FISHER introducing the speakers. (Photos by J.L. Martello) “If you are on probation and caught will you be prosecuted?” Lando answered in the affirmative. In essence, the spirit of his answers were if you don’t make it too tough on the officers during the stop they won’t make it too tough on you, unless you show all of the tell-tale signs of being a dealer or already in violation of probation. The people liking the slack they felt the police seemed willing to show emboldened one man to ask, “If
I had some really expensive weed could I still keep some? Lando said it is his decision that the weed would be confiscated and hopefully be destroyed on site. Fisher, unhappy with the direction and nature the questions were beginning to take, chimed in with a message fitting for anyone who should get caught hereafter. “Just be happy you aren’t going to jail.” (J.L. Martello also contributed to this article.)
Children’s non-profit set to launch $2M capital campaign CONTINUED FROM A1
ing on weekdays and hosts a full 6-week arts camp in the summer, has become too small and the organization is forced to cap the after school participation at 50 kids due to space. The capital campaign is taking shape after talks during the last quarter of 2015, and they are hoping to break ground at the end of this year. The proposed design, created by RCI Company— Architects, for the redevelopment of the property located on 2239 Centre Ave., the old Center Builders Supply & Lumber building, is slated to have a specific place for each of the programs it offers. ACH Clear Pathways approached the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh just over a year ago to receive the green light to move forward with planning for the new site. Board president, Kimberly Slater-Wood said, “The URA has been extremely collaborative and supportive of the mission of ACH Clear Pathways and they offered exclusive negotiations with us for a limited time.” Battle said the executive board would not reach out to the foundations that sup-
ply funding for programming to help build the new space. “Our board decided that it would be best to reach out to corporations to fund the brick and mortar redevelopment of the building and utilize the foundations to fund programs,” Battle said. “We’re very confident we’ll reach our goal because we have a strong board with strong connections.” The board also named former Pittsburgh Steelers and Super Bowl champion, Antwaan Randle El, an honorary campaign chairperson. Slater-Wood said that adding Randle El to the ACH Clear Pathways campaign will raise awareness for the organization and its attempt to open doors in the community through art. “Antwaan Randle El shares our belief that the benefit and value of visual and performing arts enhances the lives of our youth and improves their skills in math reading and social development,” she said. “I’m hoping having Antwaan Randle El on the campaign will bring similar magic as he did in Super Bowl XL,” said Battle. Battle is expecting that the modern space coupled
Reps. get funds for Wilkinsburg, Westinghouse move CONTINUED FROM A1
top priority throughout this entire process.” Wheatley thanked Gainey for the compliment, but said he and Costa did the work to secure the funding. “I was just along for the ride,” he said. “But we have to keep in mind that money alone isn’t going to do it.” Wheatley said that a comprehensive academic plan to support both the Wilkinsburg kids and those already at Westinghouse needs to be put in place. “I know the Department of Education has made it clear that they are committed to a suitable and sensi-
ble plan and we have until August to get it ready,” he said. “The fight is not over. I strongly encourage the Wilkinsburg parents to stay at the table and make sure resources aren’t just going into a black hole. “This could turn out to be a model for regional schooling,” he added. “First we have to make Westinghouse a model school, and not continue mitigating decline. We could have something special there—if we go big, not just an environment for poor Black kids, but a beacon for the region.” (Send comments to cmorrow@newpittsburghcourier.com.)
with the positive work from the youth will change the image of the Hill District. “It gives children a space to ignite the creative sparks from within. It’s a space that utilizes the arts instead of turning to violence,” she said. ACH Clear Pathways operates on a $240,000 budget that covers programming and administrative costs. It is part of the Pittsburgh Foundation and receives funds from the United Way of Allegheny County. (Samson X Horne is a contributing writer to the New Pittsburgh Courier. He can be reached at samson.x.horne@gmail.com.)
PATRICK NIGHTINGALE, a criminal defense attorney, speaking to the audience.
Commonwealth Court rules for city on police residency CONTINUED FROM A1
passed a referendum to amend the Home Rule Charter to require police to live within the city limits. The Commonwealth Court ruling reverses the lower court. Writing for the majority in the narrow 4-3 ruling, Judge Bonnie Ledbetter said the Home Rule Charter “has the force of state statute.” The charter amendment made police residency non-negotiable and thus not subject to arbitration. In his dissent, Judge Robert Simpson cited the Home Rule Charter Law, noting charter amendments shall not “exercise powers contrary to, or in limitation to or enlargement of, powers granted by statutes which are applicable in every part of this commonwealth.” In cases of conflict, “statutes shall supersede any municipal ordinance or resolution on the same subject.” Fraternal Order of Police Fort Pitt Lodge President Howard McQuillan told the New Pittsburgh Courier the union is “planning on an appeal.” “You can understand the frustration of the membership with having a ruling overturned that was awarded in arbitration and then Common Pleas Court. Ultimately we believe the case will be heard in the Pennsylvania Supreme
Court and we feel strongly that we will prevail,” he said. “The bigger issue here locally is that we currently have 340 plus pension eligible employees. Many of which who may very well make this a determination factor of whether they retire or not. This will also effect the possible recruitment pool of potential qualified candidates to backfill
the many retirements we may be facing over the next few years.” Though there is no guarantee the Supreme Court will take up the case, FOP attorney Eric Stoltenberg said he is “pretty confident” the high court will hear his appeal, which he has 30 days to file. (Send comments to cmorrow@newpittsburghcourier.com.)
County, city’s first homicides of the year CONTINUED FROM A1
Chauncy Howard, of the North Side, was found shot to death in a vehicle that had crashed into a pole in the 3100 block of Universal Street in Sheraden, according to a release from the City of Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety. This is the city’s first homicide of the year. Howard’s car was discovered by Zone 6 officers who were responding to a call of shots fired in the area. Shortly after the discovery, officers arrested two juvenile males who were in a
vehicle that matched the description of a car seen fleeing the scene. They were initially charged with violation of the firearms code and taken to Shuman, but on Jan. 12, Tremond Allston and Charles Williams, both 17, were charged as adults with criminal homicide, criminal conspiracy and carrying a firearm without a license. Additionally, Allston was charged with possession of a firearm as a minor and Williams was charged with person not to possess a firearm. They are currently in the Allegheny County Jail.
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
METRO
JANUARY 13-19, 2016
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Supporters petition state for Sander’s pardon CONTINUED FROM A1
Everyone should write. It’s time to re-inspire humanity.” In addition to writing, Current McKeesport Councilwoman V. Fawn Walker-Montgomery was inspired to start a petition on www.change.org. It now has more than 500 signatures. She has posted the link on her Facebook page as well as a link to the pardon board http://www.bop.pa.gov/ Contact-Us/. “We asked for the support and you all came through,” she wrote. “I want to thank everyone who has supported Mr. Sanders and his family. All of the calls to the DA and the Mayor ( of McKeesport) are making an impact. The Governor spoke about this situation (Jan. 5) on TV. He
stated, ‘if the board of pardons has a majority positive recommendation for a pardon. He will give that every due consideration.’ Let’s keep this up.” Sanders served his four years in prison after pleading no contest to drug possession charges in 1993 and since then has been a model citizen. But as Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala’s office noted, that conviction counts as an “infamous crime,” making Sanders ineligible under state law to serve as an elected official. His only option is a pardon from the governor, who can only pardon individuals who have received a pardon board recommendation. Records, however, indicate Sanders has unpaid fines and restitution totaling more than $36,000 remaining
from his 1993 convictions. Gary Tuma, spokesman for pardon board Chair Lt. Gov. Michael Stack, said though making full restitution is not legally required in order to receive a pardon, it is “extremely advisable.” “It is a factor that the Board of Pardons can consider,” Tuma said. “There are few if any instances in which an applicant had outstanding fines and was granted a recommendation for a pardon.” The other issue for Sanders is time. At best, given the board’s case load, Tuma said a pardon would take about three years. “Since taking office a year ago, Lt. Gov. Stack has increased the number of cases reviewed by about 25 percent, from 400 to 500 per year, and is planning additional changes that could
accelerate the process further, but it would still be a matter of several years,” he said. “There is no process by which an individual case can be expedited. As a matter of fairness to all applicants, the board reviews cases in the order in which they are received.” State Rep. Jake Wheatley, D-Hill District, who had to have his record expunged before his first run for office, said he thinks eligibility challenges should only be possible “on the front end.” “I think the law is backwards. It should be up front like challenging petition signatures,” he said. “I’m very supportive of him, and if I can do anything to help, I will.” (Send comments to cmorrow@newpittsburghcourier.com)
CORRY SANDERS
East Liberty McDonald’s Coffee with a Cop
GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER—Officer Jeffrey Crawford speaking with Cecelia Price-Knight, Cerena Price-Knight, Cierra Price-Knight and Julia Keen, an employee from Macdonald’s.
ENJOYING THEIR TIME TOGETHER—Customer Cecelia Price-Knight, Cerena Price-Knight, and Cierra Price-kNight, Officer Michael Gay, Monica Malik store owner, Officer Karen McNeal, and Officer Jeffrey Crawford
COFFEE WITH A COP—Community residents, employees, police and customers all met and talked and pose for a group shot at the annual Coffee With A Cop event sponsored by the East Liberty McDonald. (Photos by J.L. Martello)
MEETING AND GREETING—Officer Jeffrey Crawford meeting and greeting Maurice Daniels 8-year-old from Stanton Heights.
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JANUARY 13-19, 2016
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
OPINION
Where are all the guns coming from?
Guest Editorial
A thug is a thug goes for Oregon occupiers The mainstream news media has a name for the armed American militants holing up in a federal wildlife refuge building in Oregon and demanding “return” of previously stolen land—occupiers. They’re like the protesters who “occupied” Wall Street, except with guns and threats that blood would be shed before they left. The “occupiers” have been afforded a respectability and analysis that protesters didn’t get when they were unarmed Black residents peacefully marching through downtown Ferguson, Mo. Nor did 12-year-old Tamir Rice receive the kind of patience and desire for “peaceful reconciliation” the militants have, when he was gunned down by police in a Cleveland park with a toy gun. And while the FBI did showed up to take on the Citizens for Constitutional Freedom, we’ve seen no broadcasts of military tanks rolling in or SWAT teams assembling. This is the case despite a Facebook message from one of the militants that read, “We have basically taken over the Malheur Wildlife Refuge. And this will become a base place for patriots from all over the country to come and be housed here and to live here. And we’re planning on staying here for several years.” He told others of like mind to “bring your arms.” Just as outrageous as the euphemistic label mainstream media has applied to the militants is the lack of in-depth and informative coverage pointing out the irony around the land’s ownership. The Paiute tribe has complained the federal government took the land from them 137 years ago. “There was never an agreement that we were giving up this land,” Charlotte Rodrigue, the chairwoman of the Burns Paiute Tribe, was quoted as saying. “We were dragged out of here.” Added Selema Sam, a member of the tribe’s council, “I’m like hold on a minute, if you want to get technical about it...the land belongs to the Paiute here.” A presidential order by Ulysses S. Grant in 1876 determined that the Malhuer Reservation—now the the Malheur Wildlife Refuge and once made up of 1.7 million acres of land—was intended “for all the roving and straggling bands in Eastern and Southeastern Oregon, which can be induced to settle there.” But when ranchers and settlers kept grazing their animals on the reservation land, they drew the wrath of the Pauite Tribe, leading to war. The 500 Pauite and Bannock members who survived were promptly marched off the land, “300 miles, knee-deep in snow…shackled two by two,” according to www.democracynow.com. The militants are no strangers to armed standoffs. Organizers Ryan Bundy and Ammon Bundy (who has himself sought federal loans) are the sons of Cliven Bundy, a man who has been fighting the federal Bureau of Land Management for decades. Cliven Bundy, who has refused to pay more than $1 million in fees and fines for grazing rights, engaged in a standoff with law enforcement on his Nevada ranch in 2014. Worth noting—grazing on the federal land costs only $1.69 per month for each cow and calf, compared to $17 on private land in Oregon. These subsidies— called “welfare” in other communities—costs taxpayers $12 billion a year, according to the Western Watersheds Project. It also cited grazing as “a leading cause of soil loss, species endangerment, invasive species infestations and predator killing.” While the mainstream news media has hard a time calling the protesters the militant terrorists they are, Black Twitter users have not. They tagged their observations and comments with terms like #vanillaisis and #yallqaeda. Indeed, not everyone is confused about how to view these “occupiers.” A thug is a thug, by any other name. (Reprinted from the Philadelphia Tribune)
Pittsburgh Courier NEW
Founded 1910
Rod Doss
Editor & Publisher Stephan A. Broadus Assistant to the Publisher
Allison Palm
Eric Gaines
Office Manager
Advertising Manager
Ulish Carter
Ashley Johnson Associate Editor
Managing Editor
Jeff Marion Circulation Consultant
John H. Sengstacke Editor & Publisher Emeritus (1912-1997)
The 114 homicides this year is the highest total for Allegheny County in seven years. Last year it was 105; in 2008 the total was 120. That high number is surprising to me because of the many stop the violence rallies, vigils and other events by mothers, churches and groups. Hopefully, this is the last time there will be three digit homicides in Pittsburgh. Hopefully, all the rallies, vigils and community meetings will help the community, police and other crime officials come up with solutions to all the street killings. But the best solutions I think will come from the multiple mothers, sisters, brothers, fathers and friends of the victims coming together to make the living understand that they are the next man standing. And, if it could happen to one it can happen to you. Why are there so many people in this country against gun control? Look, I feel that everyone in their right mind and that hasn’t been convicted of murder should have a right to have a gun to defend themselves when crazy people attack their homes, business or family. Yes, I do. But why are assault weapons being sold to common everyday citizens? Assault weapons and some of the other high-powered weapons should only be available to the police departments, the military and other law enforcement agencies. Why would I need a gun so powerful that if I shoot an invader, the bullet would go through him, through the wall, into my children’s bedroom and kill one of them? Why? Yet, there are millions of people in this country led by the GOP who are fighting tooth and nail to prevent any kind of gun control despite the hundreds of people being killed every day by mass murders, or on the streets. Yes, even though most of the guns being used to kill all these young men on the streets are illegal, somebody purchased them legally. We are talking urban communities throughout
Ulish Carter
Just Sayin’
Corry Sanders ran for a City Council seat in McKeesport and won, but when he tried to take his duly elected seat all the fireworks started. All because he had been convicted of a crime 20 years prior, and served his time; state law says he can’t hold public office despite the fact that the people said they wanted him. And they say America is a democracy? Really? There are really some stupid laws, and this is one of them. If a person commits a crime and is convicted and serve their time, be it one year or 20 years, their record should be expunged because they served their time. But for some reason a person is punished for the rest of their lives in America when it comes to jobs and political office. I thought prisons were to punish and correct, and once you serve your time you have paid your debt to society? But I guess not. Hopefully Sanders can get the powers to be to change this law or the governor will pardon him of the charges. The felony conviction was more than 20 years ago, and Sanders has been a model citizen since serving his time. *** Congratulation goes out to Geri Allen for her selection to the August Wilson Center for African American Culture board. She’s the perfect fit being an artist as well as administrator as the head of the University of Pittsburgh jazz department, and she’s the first female. The Republicans recently voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obama Care, with absolutely no replacement for the 17 million plus people who would be left with no insurance. Well as expected, President Obama vetoed it knowing that the Republicans do not have the numbers to over ride the veto. Oh, they also defunded Planned Parenthood, but the president also vetoed it.
this country. Thousands of guns? Where are they coming from? Somebody is making them. Who and what for? Are we in a war that no one declared? President Obama broke down and cried over the need for gun control, and the thousands being killed because of the lack of it. Yet, none of the Republican presidential candidates see this as an issue, let alone a major issue. They are still talking about Isis, while all these guns are gunning down our kids in the streets. According to National Urban League President Marc Morial, “on average, more than 32,000 people in the United States died from gun violence every year and more than 17,000 of them are children. Less than a week into the new year, more than 120 people have been killed by guns. Gun violence has outpaced automobile accidents as a leading cause of death. Gun violence is undeniably one of the worst public health crises in American history, yet our elected leaders have been woefully unresponsive. It’s hard to imagine such inaction in the face of any other plague responsible for such death and devastation. “There’s no question that President Obama’s plan to expand background checks will save lives. In states that require a background check for private handgun sales, the rate of women shot to death by their domestic partners is nearly halved. Those states also see half as many firearm suicides and half as many law enforcement responders shot to death. It’s hard to argue with (Ulish Carter is the managing editor of the results like these,” Morial said. New Pittsburgh Courier.) ***
Gun control alone can’t control violence (GEORGE CURRY MEDIA)— America may now have more guns than people. As President Barack Obama announces new executive action on gun control, U.S. gun manufacturing is a growth industry, almost doubling since the beginning of Obama administration (5.6 million in 2009; 10.9 million in 2013). From 2001 to 2013, according to a Centers of Disease Control and Prevention report, 406,496 Americans were killed with firearms on U.S. soil. In contrast, the number of U.S. citizens killed by terrorists at home or abroad over the same years number 3,380. Chicago suffered a spike in gun homicides in 2015 with 470 homicides and 2,939 shooting victims, the worst of all U.S. cities. Studies show a clear correlation: the more guns, the more homicides and the more people shot. Cities are racked by gun violence, yet gun ownership is much more prevalent in rural areas, as vividly displayed by the Bundy bunch that recently occupied an Oregon wildlife refuge. According to a General Social Survey report, gun ownership is declining. About 35 percent of adults were estimated to live in a household with a firearm in 2014, down from over half in the early 1980s. As hunting has declined in the country, so has gun ownership. Gun ownership is higher among Whites than among Blacks or Hispanics; higher among men than women. Gun ownership rises with income. It is higher among those earning more than $90,000 a year than among those earning less than $25,000. It is
Jesse Jackson Sr.
Commentary highest in the South Central U.S. and lowest in the Northeast and Pacific regions. Now weapons designed for the purpose of mass killing in war are available for purchase at gun shows, online and at many gun stores. These weapons are powerful enough to stop trains or strafe planes that are landing or taking off. These are tools for terrorists, easily available for sale in America. Obama has already delivered 15 national statements after shocking incidents of gun violence. Yet, no national reforms have been passed—or even gotten much consideration. After the Charleston massacre, the Economist magazine compared mass shooting in the U.S. with the grotesque air pollution in China: a horrible health hazard that the country appears incapable of addressing. Gun control doesn’t cost much. America has another abiding challenge—the explosive catastrophe of urban poverty—that also goes unmet. The City Observatory, an urban policy think tank in Portland, Ore., reports that the number of high-poverty urban neighborhoods in the nation’s 51 largest cities tripled—to 3,100—
between 1970 and 2010. The number of poor persons living in those areas doubled over those years. The poor are more isolated and concentrated than ever. African Americans and Hispanics suffer the highest rates of poverty— and are the most isolated into separate and unequal neighborhoods. Twenty percent of U.S. children lived in poverty by end of 2013; poverty among African American children was nearly twice that (38 percent). To deal with our impoverished neighborhoods, it isn’t enough to get rid of the guns. The public squalor of our inner cities has to be addressed: schools modernized, affordable housing built, mass transit supplied, available jobs created. Dealing with entrenched poverty costs real money, but less than we spend on the police, jails, drugs, alcoholism, and chronic illness—the dysfunction that comes from poverty. Today’s politicians don’t want to spend political capital on guns or fiscal capital on poverty. They’d rather pay more on the back end from failing to act than risk the up-front political and economic costs of dealing with the problems. So the war on guns is lost; the war on poverty abandoned. And the hopes of millions are dashed by that failure. In the circus of the current presidential campaign, these are two fundamental challenges that ought to be at the center of our debate. (Jesse L. Jackson Sr. is founder and president of the Chicago-based Rainbow PUSH Coalition. You can keep up with his work at www.rainbowpush.org)
Supreme Court puts reliable government jobs at risk (NNPA)—Both of my parents worked in stable government jobs, so I had the privilege of growing up in a family that owned a home, a car, and set me on a path to college and even law school. Among members of the African American middle class, my story isn’t at all uncommon. If you asked any African American over the past century what the pathway to a stable career was, they’d probably say “a government job.” That’s because when people of color were subject to widespread discrimination, unionized public sector jobs such as teachers, postal workers, and administrators were often the only opportunities available. But those jobs are under attack at the Supreme Court, and this should alarm anyone who cares about economic mobility. The court is considering a case called Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association, which could destroy the ability of government employees to receive the benefits that unions secure through collective bargaining like fair pay and safe workplaces. The lead plaintiff is a lot like thousands of other teachers in California whose wages and benefits are a direct result of the California Teachers Association’s bargaining on her behalf.
Wade Henderson
Commentary But Ms. Friedrichs sued because she doesn’t want to contribute to the union. If the California Teachers Association loses, the impact could be widespread, as any public sector worker anywhere in the country could decide not to pay their fair share of dues, effectively starving their union. Ms. Friedrichs isn’t just acting on her own behalf. She is being represented by the Center for Individual Rights, the same organization that sued to gut the Voting Rights Act and to eliminate race-conscious admissions for colleges. This lawsuit is another part of a coordinated campaign to use the Supreme Court to roll back long-standing civil rights protections that people fought and died for in the streets. Civil rights groups have filed a brief in the case because a ruling against the California Teachers Association
would undermine the ability of the nurses, firefighters, postal workers, and teachers that built the Black middle class to thrive. The reality is that women and people of color still experience pernicious barriers in employment, including unequal pay, discriminatory treatment, and unpredictable schedules. For these communities, unions have been vital to combatting discrimination and unfair treatment. More than 30 percent of public sector union members are racial and ethnic minorities, and 55 percent are women. Wages for women union members are not only higher than their non-union counterparts, they are closer to those of male co-workers. Unsurprisingly, wages for African American union members are also higher than their non-union counterparts. And unions improve the lot of all American workers by setting minimum workplace standards for all. At a time of increasing inequality, the need for strong public sector jobs is especially critical. The Supreme Court should reject this rollback of collective bargaining. (Wade Henderson is president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.)
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
JANUARY 13-19, 2016
FORUM
Black head They still speak with forked tongue coaches–college Louis ‘Hop’ Kendrick football’s last frontier To Tell (GEORGE CURRY MEDIA)—This season’s national college football championship has been decided, but no one knows how much longer we must continue to wait until the head coaching ranks are no longer largely reserved for White males, even those who have been failures at other schools. Although Blacks were 53.4 percent of Football Bowl Subdivision players going into the 2015-16 football season, only 13 (10.2 percent) of the head coaches were African Americans, according to The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at the University of South Florida. To make matters worse, Black and White coaches with similar records often face starkly different futures. Writing in the Washington Post, Donald H. Yee wrote, “Last week, one of the few black head football coaches in the NCAA’s Football Bowl Subdivision, Ruffin McNeill at East Carolina University, was fired. His record was 42-34, along with a 30-18 conference record. The winning percentages, respectively, are 55 percent and 63 percent. “Around the same time, college football writers were praising the University of Iowa for its patience with head coach Kirk Ferentz, who is being lauded for his performance this year. Ferentz has an overall winning percentage of 60 percent, and a conference winning percentage of 56 percent. Ferentz is in his 17th season at Iowa. Before this current 12-1 season, his overall winning percentage was 58 percent - comparable to McNeill’s. “Iowa, however, had to endure seasons where Ferentz won one, three and four games. McNeill never won fewer than five. As any knowledgeable college football fan knows, East Carolina’s budget is not even half of Iowa’s. McNeill’s salary at East Carolina wasn‘t even within the top 60 in the country, while Ferentz has perennially been one of college football’s highest paid coaches.
George E. Curry
Commentary “McNeill, clearly, was not treated with the same patience Iowa showed Ferentz.” Bowling Green State University announced that it has hired Mike Jinks, an associate head coach at Texas Tech University, as its new head coach. With McNeill’s firing and the hiring of Jinks, there are now 10 Black head coaches among the 128 coaches in the Football Bowl Subdivision—less than 8 percent. The 10 Black coaches are: James Franklin, Penn State; Darrell Hazell, Purdue; Curtis Johnson, Tulane; Mike London, Virginia; Derek Mason, Vanderbilt; Trent Miles, Georgia State; David Shaw, Stanford ; Charlie Strong, Texas; Kevin Sumlin and Willie Taggert, South Florida. Many Black coaches labor for years as assistants before getting a chance at the top job. However, many White coaches who fall from grace quickly get second and third chances. For example, Mike Price was fired for visiting a strip club before he could assume the job as head football coach at the University of Alabama. Still, he was able to land a job as head coach at the University of Texas-El Paso. After it was discovered that George O’Leary lied on his resume at Notre Dame, he was hired as head coach at the University of Central Florida. And Larry Eustachy’s problems at Iowa State included acknowledging that he was “a recovering alcoholic,” but that didn’t prevent him from getting the top job at Southern Mississippi. Some Black coaches have been spectacular yet remain underrated. David Shaw, whose Stanford team trounced Iowa in this year’s Rose Bowl 4516, is a perfect example. Under Shaw, no Pac-12 program had more players drafted in the past four years, including Andrew Luck, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2012 NFL draft. Stanford’s website catalogues the university’s recent success: “...three Pac-12 football championships in four years, five BCS/New Year’s Six bowls in a six-year span, all combined with an NCAA Graduation Success Rate of 99 percent, leading all major-college football programs.” Black coaches in the NFL are often underappreciated. If there were any questions about the skills of Black coaches, they should have been permanently put to rest in 2007 when the Indianapolis Colts, under Tony Dungy, squared off against Lovie Smith’s Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI. It was the first time two African American coaches met on football’s ultimate stage. To its credit, the NFL established the Rooney Rule in 2003 that requires each NFL team to interview at least one minority candidate for each head coaching vacancy. In 2009, the requirement was expanded to include interviews for general managers and similar positions. Unfortunately, universities don’t have a similar requirement. But the problem extends beyond the sidelines, which might explain why it’s so difficult for Black coaches to get a fair shake. As Richard Lapchick, director of The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport, said, “This year’s increase is so discouraging. At a time when almost all colleges and universities say they emphasize diversity and inclusion as core values, the fact is that in the 2015-16 report, 89.8 percent of our presidents were white, 86.7 percent of our athletics directors were white, and 100 percent of our conference commissioners were white. In those positions, 78.9, 79.7, and 90 percent were white men, respectively. Overall, whites held 342 (88.8 percent) of the 385 campus leadership positions reported in this study, which was an increase from 88.2 percent in 2014. Whose America do these statistics reflect?” (George E. Curry is President and CEO of George Curry Media, LLC. He is the former editor-in-chief of Emerge magazine and the NNPA. He can be reached through his Web site, georgecurry.com.)
The American Indians coined the phrase, “They speak with forked tongue,” and that phrase still holds true in 2016. The decline of the Black population in the City of Pittsburgh is no accident it is by design. There was a period of time we were denied entrance into the unions upon graduating. There were those of us who focused on prejudice and racial discrimination in the Deep South, but failed to recognize the situations in Allegheny County were almost identical. For a limited number of years we became alive and took to the streets and because of our actions there were some temporary improvements. We now are able to enroll at the colleges, join the unions, and be hired as police officers including three Black police chiefs, fire fighters, paramedics, and steel mill employment. We were hired as truck drivers, gained department store positions, were able to get mortgages, and buy any burial sites. Hospitals treated you like a human being and we were hired as educators and principals. Yes, like George Jefferson, some of us were moving on up. However conditions began to revert and our children upon graduating from college were compelled to leave this city in order to secure a decent position with a future. The steel mills began to close, Black men in the unions began to decline, and all the gains we had made began to evaporate. It was a period of time that Blacks had become passive again and once more adopted the attitude that we will overcome. After all we had supported the Democrat Party since 1934 and they owed us.
The Truth
Blacks had forgotten we had made the mistake in the early years that the people we voted for would not permit us to use the swimming pools, dance halls, public parks, had denied use jobs, entrance to college, burial in any site in cemeteries, and accommodations at Downtown hotels. A higher level of frustration has now occurred with the introduction of illegal narcotics. Those who speak with forked tongues were not overly concerned and dismissed the drugs by simply taking the attitude, “It is just something for the monkeys.” But look around the nation now. A record number of Black men in particular got caught up in drugs and with the police records the system now found another reason to deny them employment. The man in the family is now forced out the home and the families begin to fall apart. Those with forked tongues use the argument that Black men can’t receive a job because he has a record, but those without records were denied employment as well. Every time those who speak with forked tongue are confronted with the pertinent questions pertaining to the limited number of Blacks with responsible positions and the absence of governmental contracts, they always respond with flawed statistics. For too long these printed statistics are printed and never questioned. For example when will the names be made public, after all it is government money and the public has every right to know who allegedly benefits from their tax dollars. (Louis “Hop” Kendrick is a weekly contributor to the Forum page.)
Hotel Rwanda: The Presidential Suite (Hotel Rwanda: been arrested on Movie depicting J. Pharoah Doss flimsy charges, the 1994 Rwanbeaten by police dan genocide. or simply disapThe slaughter peared. Indestarted after an pendent newsairplane was papers have shot down been shut down. killing Rwanda’s Opposition parPresident. ties have been Presidential suppressed. suite: Named during the presidency of Many Rwandans have gone into exile, Woodrow Wilson. On political trips while many more have been scared Wilson would insist on having a hotel into silence.” room “conform to his specific requireWhen asked why the international ments”.) community hasn’t taken steps against Following the 1994 Republican take Kagame’s repressive regime? David over of the US congress, after forty Himbara said two words: Genocide years of Democratic rule, a political sci- guilt, “the world…regrets not having ence professor said, “There’s been a saved the hundreds of thousands who revolution and the opposition party died.” Rwandan law also bans “genocidal idewasn’t thrown in jail and no one was ology”. The law was designed to encourlined up and shot in the streets.” age unity and restrict hate speech, but Then the professor said… Kagame has used vague interpretations *** Rwanda’s current president Paul of the law to suppress any expression Kagame became internationally that undermines his authority. Recently (December 2015) a referenknown when he commanded a rebel dum was held to change the 2003 conforce that ended the genocide. The EU delegation in From 1994 to 2000 Kagame served as stitution. vice president and minister of defense. Rwanda’s capital observed there was a (But he was considered Rwanda’s de lack of “sufficient time and space for debate” on the issue, with the date for facto leader.) In 2003 a new constitution was the referendum announced Dec. 8 and adopted establishing the Republic of the draft of the changes “published Rwanda, the president served a seven publicly less than one day ahead of the year term limited by two terms in office vote. The short time between the anwith a bicameral parliament. Kagame, nouncement and the holding of the refthe de facto ruler for almost a decade, erendum left little or no opportunity was elected president under the new for all parties to present their arguconstitution, approved by 93 percent of ments.” The “yes” vote passed with 98 pecent the vote. Kagame brought economic progress of the vote. The amendment allows Kagame to to Rwanda by using generous amounts of foreign aid from the international run for a third sever-year term in 2017, community. (Foreign aid is close to half at the end of which new rules take efof Rwanda’s budget.) He’s credited for fect and he will be eligible to run for lifting millions of Rwandans out of two more five year terms, potentially poverty and promoting gender equal- allowing him to remain president until ity. Bill Clinton said Kagame was 2034. The Obama administration has examong “the greatest leaders of our time” and Tony Blair called him a “vi- pressed “deep disappointment” that Kagame has orchestrated events to sionary.” In 2010 Kagame was reelected with seek a third term in office. The US State Department said, “With this de93 percent of the vote. With economic prosperity a majority cision, President Kagame ignores an vote in favor of Kagame’s reelection historic opportunity to reinforce and was predictable, but was it probable solidify democratic institutions.” (After under a new constitution that permit- independence Africa was plagued by ted multiple parties for the election to dictators that remained in power for decades.) be almost unanimous? *** David Himbara said, “Having served Then the professor said something I as presidential aide and economic advisor to Kagame, I resigned in 2010 be- couldn’t appreciate as a student. He fore the election, after seeing Kagame said, “The great thing about our demobecome dictatorial and sensing that cratic process is the peaceful transfer much worse was on the way. Sadly, my of power.” (J. Pharoah Doss is a contributor to the New intuition was right. The death toll includes (His list was Pittsburgh Courier. He blogs at jpharoahtoo long to rewrite) and many have doss@blogspot.com)
Commentary
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.
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James Clingman
Blackonomics
Tamir Rice—The shame of it all (NNPA)—It’s not surprising that no one will be punished for the death of Tamir Rice. Since the youngster’s killing, the police, Cuyahoga County prosecutor Timothy McGinty, and Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson have refused to do anything except look for ways to sweep it away in hopes that it will be forgotten, just like previous similar acts of lethal aggression against Black people. The report stated Rice’s death was caused, “by the failure…to exercise due care to avoid injury.” In other words, the 12-year old boy caused his own death. The Mayor apologized, not for the killing, but for the words used to describe the cause of the killing. Rice was shot for holding a toy gun 1.7 seconds after the cops pulled up to his location in a park. No warning, no command to drop the gun, and no attempt to speak to Rice; they shot first—immediately, and now we are asking the questions. McGinty described the events leading up to Tamir’s death as a tragic series of errors and “miscommunications” that began when a 911 caller said a male who was “probably a juvenile” was waving a “probably fake” gun at people in a park. Has there been any disciplinary action issued against the 911 dispatcher for not relaying the entire message to the cops? The fact that those caveats never reached Officer Timothy Loehmann— who shot the child within two seconds of arriving on the scene—was more than just an administrative misstep. Like the 911 call that led to John Crawford’s death in an Ohio Walmart, for holding a BB gun, not “pointing” it at customers as the caller said, Rice’s instantaneous execution reflects an utter disregard for Black life. That disregard began with Officer Loehmann’s work history and emotional state not being fully vetted before he was given the power of life and death over the citizens of Cleveland. Wanton violence against people who pose no threat to the police was on full display in a particularly striking case in 2012. Officers mistook the sound of a car backfiring for a gunshot, thus, according to The Guardian, causing 104 of the 277 Cleveland officers on duty that night to get involved. Cops chased down and fired 137 bullets into the vehicle, killing Malissa Williams and Timothy Russell, who were unarmed. Regarding the last series of shots fired by Officer Michael Brelo, who said his life was in danger yet, in Rambo style, jumped on the hood of the car and started firing, Judge John O’Donnell said, “I cannot find beyond a reasonable doubt which of the fatal wounds he caused.” Oh, I get it. New defense: Fire as many shots by as many cops as possible so no one can determine which cop fired the fatal bullet. Everybody walks. That’s almost as good as the invention of the “Affluenza” defense (rich kid in Texas kills four people with automobile and gets probation), which suggests that rich folks are less responsible for their crimes than the rest of us because their actions are somehow skewed as a result of having too much money. Here’s a thought: How about “Pofluenza” as a defense for “Po” folks? As for Tamir Rice, there are some who are unafraid. City Councilman, Jeff Johnson, has demanded that the Cleveland Law Department do a full review and file charges of negligent homicide against the officers involved in Tamir’s death . Also, Basheer Jones held a press conference with a coalition of various organizations, to outline their demands in response to what they label as “Tamir Rice injustice,” and promised there will be civil disobedience in response to the killing. In contrast, other folks are asking LeBron James to refuse to play until justice is done. That will never happen, and even if it did it would have little effect except for news value. They should be calling on the folks who attend the games and pay millions to see James play. Oh yeah, they’d get some justice then. Money talks; T-shirts walk. If police officers were required to have personal malpractice insurance, for instance, not paid by the municipality but by themselves, and if court awards had to be paid by insurance companies rather than by taxpayers, maybe there would be fewer killings. (See www.iamoneofthemillion.com and read Plank #3 of our political platform) Injustice can and does lead to violence in return, and it could ultimately be one reason for young people turning to terrorism. While some naively think jobs will stop terrorism, a report, “The Age of the Wolf,” cited an 18-year old boy who stated, “I did not join the Taliban because I was poor; I joined because I was angry.” There is a lot of anger out there about our broken criminal justice system. I believe economic responses will accelerate the process of repairing it.
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JANUARY 13-19, 2016
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
New Pittsburgh Courier
LIFESTYLES
Pastor and Mrs. Lee
celebrate 50 years B6
JANUARY 13-19, 2016
www.newpittsburghcourier.com
Christmas play at New Hazlett B2
Family-friendly
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Debbie Norrell
Lifestyles Report
Absence of Black businesses Last week, I was trying to make last minute dinner reservations for New Year’s Eve. It was a challenge because I wanted to eat close to Downtown. The only openings I could find were very early like 4 or 5 p.m. This is truly the night eating places and clubs can make a lot of money. After making dozens of phone calls, I got the bright idea that I wanted to eat at a Black restaurant. I called Carmi and they told me they were closing early. That surprised me, so I moved on and ended up at a Station Square restaurant that was not crowded at all. This little episode made me think about the recent instructions of a Black talk show host on Sirius XM. The host said for Black people to patronize Black businesses. Tell me how to do that in Pittsburgh or in most major cities. You might be able to go to a specialty store to buy records, African artifacts or Shea butter, but if you want to shop and buy Black for necessities like toilet paper and paper towels, where do you go? This is the same issue we talked about on my talk show from 1994 to 1997. I’m not trying to come down on Black storeowners; I’m just trying to figure out the same thing that I tried to figure out 20 years ago. Case in point, a friend of mine tried to go to a Black-owned store in the Strip District right after Christmas. All the other businesses were open and booming, but when she got to the Black-owned store the doors were locked and no hours were posted in the window. Those are the things that bother me. Irregular hours, no phone listing and, in some cases, no idea of how to run a business. We always romanticize the Black-owned businesses of yesteryear. You know, those businesses that thrived because we were not allowed to go anywhere else. Right now I’m reading “The Book of Luke” by Luther Campbell. He was really a good businessman, mostly selftaught and he gave his spin on Black businesses like this, “I was breaking the rules of how business worked. Up until that time, Black-owned businesses were allowed to thrive in America as long as they stayed in their place. Black-owned beauty-care companies were allowed to sell beauty products, but only to Blacks. A Black man could own a hotel that served Blacks, but only in Overtown or Harlem. John H. Johnson could print Ebony and Jet for Black readers. But Black companies didn’t serve Whites and they didn’t take business away from Whites: that wasn’t allowed especially in the music industry.” Here, Campbell is talking about his clubs in Miami and when his records started to cross over to a White audience. Campbell was way more than a part of 2 Live Crew. I want to buy Black, but I want to buy the things I need and I want good Black restaurants. Chitterlings and champagne anyone? (Email the columnist at debbienorrell@aol.com)
MEMBERS OF THE CONFERENCE CHOIR (Photos by Debbie Norrell)
PREPARING FOR FINAL ALLEGHENY CONFERENCE—Bishop Louis Hunter Sr.
HOLIDAY MEMORIAL IN THE GRAND MARCH
The AMEZ’s 169th Annual Session of the Allegheny Conference by Debbie Norrell Courier Staff Writer
In the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church every four years a general conference is held. The Allegheny Conference took place during Nov. 3-8, 2015, in the Pittsburgh Area. On the final day of the conference at Wesley Center AMEZ Church, where Rev. Glenn Grayson is the pastor and the host pastor for the conference, Bishop Louis Hunter Sr. read the 2015-2016 pastoral appointments for the Braddock and Pittsburgh districts. The Quadrennial Theme was “Fortifying Our Faith While Focusing on our Future Through Stewardship.” This was the last conference that Bishop
Hunter would preside over for the Allegheny Conference. In July of this year, Bishop Hunter will be retired as an active bishop. In July, rules are updated and new bishops are elected. This will take place in Greensboro, N.C. The most recent conference was presided over by Rev. Stanley Dennison (Braddock District) and Rev. Dr. Lamar D. Lee Jr. (Pittsburgh District) as the presiding elders. Ingrid Flack Hunter is the missionary supervisor. A large crowd enjoyed the Nov. 8, 2015 Sunday Services that concluded with the Ushers Grand March and the reading of appointments. The crowd was elated to find that their current pastors would remain in their current churches.
READING THE APPOINTMENTS—Debra Dennison and Bishop Louis Hunter Sr.
HOMEWOOD AMEZ IN THE GRAND MARCH
COMMUNITY OF GRACE IN THE GRAND MARCH
CONFERENCE PASTORS—Rev. Glenn Grayson, Rev. Vincent Martin, Rev. Linda W. Arthur, Rev. Lamar Lee, Bishop Louis Hunter Sr., Rev. Stanley Dennison, Rev. Joseph Lewis and Rev. Gerald Akrie
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RELIGION
JANUARY 13-19, 2016
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
Praise & Worship HILLCREST SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH 2340 Wylie Ave., Pgh., PA 15219 412-391-4334 412-566-8787
“Be Encouraged”
Elder Christopher C. Thompson Power Hour Sabbath...............8:15 A.M. Sabbath School........................9:00 A.M. Divine Worship......................11:00 A.M. AYS One Hour Before Sunset Prayer Meeting Wednesday......7:30 P.M.
ST. BENEDICT THE MOOR CATHOLIC CHURCH Crawford & Centre Ave. Pgh., PA 15219 412-281-3141 Mass Sunday 9:00 A.M. & Noon Sunday (Gospel Choir Mass) Noon www.stbtmchurch.org
METROPOLITAN BAPTIST CHURCH 22 Sampsonia Street, Northside Pittsburgh, PA 15212 412-231-2554 FAX 412-231-6395 Rev. Lacy F. Richardson, Ph.D., Pastor Church School.................................9:30 A.M. Worship Service.................8:00 & 10:45 A.M. Bible Study/ Prayer Wednesday...................6:30/7:30 P.M. www.metropolitanbaptistchurch.com metropolitanbaptist2224@gmail.com
THE SHEPHERDS
REV. CAROLYN PITTMAN singing “Holy Night.”
Family-friendly Christmas play at New Hazlett Theater
SIXTH MOUNT ZION BAPTIST CHURCH 6556 Shetland Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15206 (412) 441-7839 Church School Worship Service Wednesday Night Bible Study
9:00 a.m. 10:15 a.m. 6:00 p.m.
East Liberty Presbyterian Church Rev. Dr. Randy Bush, Senior Pastor 412-441-3800 116 S. Highland Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15206
www.cathedralofhope.com
Journey Worship........8:45 a.m. Sanctuary Worship.......11 a.m.
Join our growing Praise and Worship Church Community For rate information, call 412-4818302, ext. 128. We are looking to feature
LINDA ROSS BROWN singing “I Worship You.”
Church Circuit Book Signing
JAN. 16—Rev. Carolyn Perrin will host a Book Signing for her new book at 1 p.m. at Macedonia Baptist Church, the Social Hall, 17 Cochran St., Duquesne. All are asked to come out and support this woman of God. For more information, call 412-466-7422.
Lecture/Community Conversation
JAN. 16—Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2040 Washington Rd., South Hills, will host its 2nd annual Lecture and Community Conversation on Race and Religion from 2-8:30 p.m. at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, 616 N. Highland Ave., East Liberty. Charles Marsh, the keynote presenter, will speak on “Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Journey to Reality.” There will also be breakout sessions and an interfaith panel discussion on the topic, “Faith Communities, Race, and Justice: What Can We Do?” This event is free and open to the public. For more information, email Melissa Logan at mlogan@pts.edu.
Kelso Lecture
our positive youth in the church communities. You can e-mail, fax or mail their bios and photo to: New Pittsburgh Courier 315 E. Carson St. Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Fax: 412-481-1360 email: egaines@newpittsburghcourier.com
PROTECTORS—The shepherds protecting their herd from the bad, hungry wolf.
JAN. 17—Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, the East End Cooperative Ministry and Morningside COGIC, 5173 Dearborn St., Garfield, will host the annual Kelso Lecture in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. at 3:30 p.m. at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, 616 N. Highland Ave., East Liberty. University of Pittsburgh professor David J. Garrow will speak on the theme, “The Political Evolution of MLK.” The Kelso Lecture is a celebration of Dr. King’s accomplishments and hopes for the future. This event is free and open to the public.
For more information, email Melissa Logan at mlogan@ pts.edu.
MLK Jr. Prayer Breakfast/Program
JAN. 18—The Allegheny County Bar Association’s Homer S. Brown Division will host the 17th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast and Program at 7:30 a.m. at Ebenezer Baptist Church, 2001 Wylie Ave., Hill District. The event will include a breakfast buffet, followed by a program that includes the presentation of the 2016 Drum Major for Justice award to Mufuka Martin and the Distinguished Service award to Marlene Ellis. For more information, call 412-261-6161.
Friendship Luncheon
JAN. 30—New Birth Baptist Church, 406 W. Grant St., Duquesne, will host its Friendship Luncheon from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. The last Saturday of the month, members of New Birth invite the community from the tri-state area to a delicious lunch, a clothing giveaway for the needy and an enlightening discussion. For more information, call 412466-2229.
AN ANGEL—Carolyn Pittman singing “Angels We Have Heard On High.”
Music in a Great Space
JAN. 31—Shadysie Presbyterian Church, 5121 Westminster Place, Shadyside, will host its Music in a Great Space Concert Series at 3 p.m. The featured musician will be pianist Nathan Carterette, performing Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Goldberg Variations.” For more information, call 412-682+4300 or visit www.shadysidepres. org. (To have items listed on the Church Circuit, send information at least two weeks in advance to: 315 E. Carson St., Pittsburgh, PA 15219; Fax: 412-481-1360 or e-mail: newsroom@newpittsburghcourier. com.)
A HOLIDAY STORY—“Fearless: A Shepherd’s Story” was performed on Dec. 22, at the New Hazlett Theater, located at 6 Allegheny Square East, in the North Side. The Brown Chapel Heir Force presented this original music-filled play. The family-friendly play included acting, dancing and music. The event was sponsored by The Heir Force of Brown Chapel AME Church and Bynums Marketing and Communications Inc. Proceeds from the event will benefit the educational work of The Heir Force, an educational support ministry of Brown Chapel. Pictured above, the choir singing one of its various selections. (Photos by J.L. Martello)
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
JANUARY 13-19, 2016
PEOPLE
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE LINED UP OUTSIDE CENTURY III MALL
STUFFED ANIMALS—Charisna Bottoms and Jamir Bottoms helped people find the right stuffed animals for their kids. (Photos by J.L. Martello)
CYNTHIA CLARK getting her bag of gifts from volunteer Rae Coleman, right.
Play It Forward’s gently used toy giveaway attracts hundreds
GIVING AND RECEIVING—This young woman not only selected gifts for her family, but also gave back by volunteering.
Play it Forward Pittsburgh is something very special in the Western Pennsylvania region. The one-of-a-kind gently used toy drive collects tens of thousands of toys from hundreds of local Pittsburghers and then gives them away to families in need. Unlike other area toy drives, they collect gently used toys, the ones that kids have grown out of, but still have plenty of life left in them. Families were encouraged to volunteer and encourage their kids to give their toys to other local kids. Hundreds of volunteers and thousands upon thousands of toys were given. Started by two working moms just a few years ago, Play it Forward has grown from a few thousand square feet school cafeteria in Braddock Hills to a 45,000 square feet pop-up storefront in the Century III mall. Dozens of area businesses and groups were engaged, from a tattoo shop in Cranberry to a furniture store in Washington, Pa., to collect toys and then organize them all. Anyone in need was invited to give an old toy a new home.
HELPING HANDS—Volunteers Ebony Massy, Shiane Prunty, Rae Coleman and Shaniqua Gillespie helping Ashaa Fletcher with her gifts.
FLOYD HUGHES, a volunteer, carrying bags of gifts for people.
LERIA FELIX helping to check items so everyone has a fair amount of toys.
MIA PATTERSON carrying gifts for the family.
BOXES OF TOYS
LOOKING FOR HER GIFT
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ENTERTAINER New Pittsburgh Courier
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JANUARY 13-19, 2016
www.newpittsburghcourier.com
Cover To Cover
‘Breakthrough!’
by Terri Schlichenmeyer For New Pittsburgh Courier
Way to go! Nothing beats recognition when you’ve finished a project. Good job! Well done! Hearing those things is pretty awesome. But imagine working silently for years of your life while saving lives, and almost nobody notices. In the new book “Breakthrough!” by Jim Murphy, you’ll read about one man’s accomplishment and how it went nearly ignored for decades. At just about eight pounds, 18-month-old Eileen Saxon was obviously small for her age, and she was weak. Doctors couldn’t agree on whether she could survive surgery or not, but they did agree on one thing: she would die without it. It was late November, 1944, and Dr. Alfred Blalock was standing in a surgical room, in front of Eileen’s little body.
Behind him was his assistant, Vivien Thomas, an African American man who’d perfected the procedure that was to be performed. They were about to make history. Fourteen years before that night, 31-year-old physician and researcher Blalock, a white man born of privilege, was looking for an assistant in his Baltimore laboratory. A carpenter by trade, Thomas had grown up in an industrious family that put an emphasis on education; he’d been saving his money to go to medical school, in fact, when the Great Depression erased it. His curiosity appealed to Blalock, who hired the African American man for $12 a week. Despite racial differences and an initially rocky working relationship, the two men eventually got along fine and everything might’ve continued as it was—until Dr. Helen B. Taussig came along. Taussig was an anomaly: she was female, at a time when few doctors were; she was also dyslexic and had a hearing disability, but she was laser-focused on treating babies born with heart defects. She knew there had to be a cure—so she took her ideas to Blalock, who instructed his assistant to start researching. And he did: it was Vivien Thomas who discovered how to save the lives of those babies and children. It was Thomas, a “reserved and quiet man,” who engineered the tools to do it. And it was Thomas who was almost ignored by history… Much as I loved it, I struggled with “Breakthrough!” The peeks back at mid-century medicine are fascinating, but parents should be aware that there’s quite a bit of detail about animal research, which may greatly bother sensitive kids. Author Jim Murphy is quick to offer humaneness, but I shuddered. Though there are plenty of medical terms and advanced language in this book, I think kids as young as 13 should be able to handle it, especially if they’re science-minded. Heed the cautions and, for them, “Breakthrough!” is the way to go. (“Breakthrough! How Three People Saved ‘Blue Babies’ and Changed Medicine Forever” by Jim Murphy, c.2015, Clarion Books, $18.99/$26.99 Canada, 130 pages.)
Long, Epps to host Trumpet Awards ATLANTA/PRNewswire—The Trumpet Awards Foundation and title sponsor American Family Insurance present the 24th Annual Trumpet Awards, to celebrate and honor history-making entertainment, humanitarian, political and philanthropic individuals. “The Best Man” actress Nia Long and “Survivor’s Remorse” actor Mike Epps, co-stars of the upcoming ABC sitcom “Uncle Buck,” will host the black-tie ceremony, to be held at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, on Saturday, Jan. 23. The 24th Annual Trumpet Awards will air on Bounce TV and nationally in over 75 markets. Among the prestigious list of individual honorees at this year’s ceremony include Grammy Award winning and platinum-selling artist Ne-Yo, who will be presented with “The Visionary Award;” television and film producer Will Packer, who will be honored with the “Entertainment Award;” legendary comedian and actor George Wallace will receive the “Legend Award;” and Alicia Boler-Davis, EVP and COO of General Motors, will be honored with the “Corporate Executive of the Year Award.” In a very special tribute, the African American Women in the United States Congress will be presented with the distinguished “Political Leadership Award” in recognition of their unparalleled leadership and steadfast work in representing their constituents
MIKE EPPS
NIA LONG and promoting diversity. Dr. Curtis Ivery, Chancellor of Wayne Community College will receive the “Education Award;” Alexis M. Herman, former secretary of Labor and chair & CEO of New Ventures will be presented with “The Phoenix Award;” and HRH Princess Basmah Bint Saud, international humanitarian, will be honored with the “Global Humanitarian Award.” The Trumpet Awards was conceived, founded, and nurtured by Xernona Clayton, who has built the
Awards and Awards Foundation into a renowned testimonial around the world. “We have come so far since we started this project in 1993 and I am extremely appreciative to those individuals who saw the vision and who have worked with us for over 20 years. We are most jubilant to bring this event to the world and to celebrate the achievements of those who had an impact on our community,” said Clayton. “We’re proud to partner with the Trumpet Awards Foundation and Ms. Xer-
nona Clayton to continue their legacy of honoring fearless dreamers from all walks of life. We believe the spirit of these honorees will continue to inspire a younger generation to give birth to their dreams,” said Telisa Yancy, American Family Insurance’s VP of Marketing. The 2015 Trumpet Awards was a major success. Hosted by Laila Ali and Dolvett Quince, honorees included Jamie Foxx, Tommy Hilfiger, Janelle Monae, The Isley Brothers and Lou Brock. For more informa-
tion about past honorees, presenters, performers, and The Trumpet Awards Foundation, visit www.trumpetfoundation.org. The support of corporate sponsors is vital to helping make the production of the Trumpet Awards possible; major corporate partners include: American Family Insurance, FedEx, Delta Air Lines, Cadillac, Nordstrom, The Coca-Cola Company, Home Depot, Turner Construction and MGM. The red carpet will be sponsored by Carnival Cruise Line.
Diana Ross the feature for Tom Joyner Cruise DALLAS, /PRNewswire— Diana Ross will be a featured headliner on the Tom Joyner Foundation Fantastic Voyage presented by Ford cruise with a special “Evening Under the Stars with Diana Ross.” The original “Party with a Purpose” that sells out annually, will also feature Charlie Wilson, Patti LaBelle, New Edition and Jazmine Sullivan as it sets sail to support students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The Fantastic Voyage will take place on the Carnival Breeze departing from Miami on April 23. The customized eight-day itinerary includes visits to St. Thomas, St. Maarten and Grand Turk includes guest activities, empowering seminars, theme nights, and day parties. The Tom Joyner Foundation Fantastic Voyage presented by Ford is hosted by renowned radio personality and philanthropist Tom Joyner and is the longest standing music themed and empowerment cruise. The exciting line-up, that generally books over 60 entertainers, includes the aforementioned Ross, Wilson, New Edition and LaBelle, as well as Johnny Gill, Angie Stone, Jazmine Sullivan, Faith Evans, Total, 112, Carl Thomas, The
DIANA ROSS Bar-Kays, Con Funk Shun, Switch, Brick, Steve Arrington, Tony Terry, Glenn Jones, Michael Cooper, Jon B, Case, Christopher Williams, Bone Thugs-n-Har-
mony, DJ Quick, Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Rob Base, Black Sheep, Dana Dane, Kwame, DJ Kool, Joeski Love, Positive K, Mr. Cheeks, Whodini, Harold
Melvin’s Blue Notes, Eddie Holman, Blue Magic featuring Ted Mills and Russell Thomkins Jr. & The New Stylistics. Returning as the title
sponsor of the cruise is Ford. Ford’s sponsorship of the Fantastic Voyage is part of Ford Motor Company’s overall support of education in the African American Community. Each year, Ford invests millions of dollars in educational programs that include scholarships, innovative elementary, middle and high school programs, STEM initiatives and other opportunities. Since the company was founded more than a century ago, Ford has remained strongly committed to providing pathways to success in the African American community. The Tom Joyner Foundation started its annual voyage to raise money for HBCUs in 1999 as the first to ever charter and program an entire ship. Now in its 17th year, The Tom Joyner Foundation Fantastic Voyage presented by Ford is the only charter that promotes philanthropy in an environment that is fun and uplifting. For more information on The Tom Joyner Foundation Fantastic Voyage and a full list of entertainment visit BlackAmericaWeb. com. Itinerary, schedule and performances subject to change.
Bounce TV remains fastest-growing Black network ATLANTA/PRNewswire/—Bounce TV viewership continued to soar in 2015 as the nation’s firstand-only broadcast television network for African Americans posted the mostwatched year in its history while remaining the fastest-growing Black network on television. In primetime viewership for the year, Bounce TV racked up tremendous gains in Households and targeted sales demos with increases of +23 percent among HHs (155K), +24
percent among Persons 1849 (98K) and +22 percent in P25-54 (109K). On a Total Day basis, Bounce TV ended the year up +22 percernt (145K) in HHs compared to 2014, while also posting gains of +10 percent in P1849 (76K) and +6 percent in P25-54 (83K). Bounce TV finished 2015 as the fastest-growing African American network on television in P18-34, P1849 and P25-54 ahead of BET and TV One. Bounce TV outpaced both networks in growth in multiple day
parts, led by Primetime increases of +26 percent in P18-34, +24 percent in P1849 and +22 percent P25-54. 2015 saw Bounce TV catch up to BET in viewership, beating them multiple times across multiple demos and day parts. In December alone, Bounce TV beat BET more than 30 times in key demographic delivery: Total Day: P25-54 (11X), P18-34 (2X), P18-49 (4X), P2+ (5X) and Prime: P25-54 (6X), P18-34 (2X), P18-49 (4X), P2+ (4X). Bounce TV passed TV One in viewer-
ship in 2014 and now consistently doubles and triples their delivery. Bounce TV also expanded its original series production in 2015 and the sitcoms “Mann & Wife” (First Season), “In The Cut”(First Season) and “Family Time” (Third Season) all set network records for viewership. Bounce TV is the fastest-growing African American network on television and airs on the broadcast signals of local television stations and corresponding
cable carriage. The network features a programming mix of original and off-network series, theatrical motion pictures, specials, live sports and more. Bounce TV has grown to be available in more than 93.5 million homes across the United States and 93 percent of all African American television homes, including all of the top Black television markets. Among the founders of Bounce TV are iconic American figures Martin Luther King, III and Ambassador Andrew Young.
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
January Thursday 14 Pittsburgh Improv Jam The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust presents its Pittsburgh Improv Jam at 10 p.m. at Cabaret at Theater Square, 655 Penn Ave., Cultural District. Every Thursday patrons can enjoy a night of spontaneous, comedic scenes inspired by audience suggestions and performed by experienced improvisers. This is a 21 and older event. For more information, call 412456-6666 or visit www.trustarts.org.
A Tribe Called Quest
Jazz at Andys
Saturday 16 Humanae/I AM AUGUST The August Wilson Center presents “Humanae/I AM AUGUST” at the August Wilson Center, 980 Liberty Ave., Cultural District. The exhibition is a local adaptation of Brazilian photographer Angélica Dass’ “Humanae” project, which features more than 2,500 photos in public spaces around the world. The local project, “I AM AUGUST,” includes a collection of community stories, performances and events, and takes a first step toward a vision for an August Wilson Center that boldly celebrates community in the spirit of the center’s namesake, August Wilson. For more information, call 412-338-8742 or visit www.trustarts.org.
Sunday 17 Mike Epps The Pittsburgh Improv presents Mike Epps Live at 7 p.m. at the Pittsburgh Improv, 166 E. Bridge St., Waterfront. Comedian and actor Mike Epps will return to the Burgh from Jan. 15-17 for several shows. For more information, call 412462-5233 or email Pittsburgh@improv.com.
Monday 18 East Liberty Celebrates MLK The Kelly Strayhorn Theater presents the 7th annual East Liberty Celebrates MLK at 12 p.m. at the Kelly Strayhorn Theater, 5941 Penn Ave., East Liberty. The theme is “With Audacious Faith in Our Future—East Liberty Looking Forward.” This family-friendly event celebrates the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. while highlighting the value and strength of individuals and the community of East Liberty. The day will include activities for all ages and inspiring performances. This is a pay what you can event. For more information, call 412-363-3000.
A Tribe Called Quest has debuted the first remix “Bonita Applebum” produced by Pharrell Williams via Rolling Stone. “Bonita Applebum” is the first remix to debut off of the groups 25th anniversary edition of their debut album, “People’s Instinctive Travels And The Paths of Rhythm” (25th Anniversary Edition). The album also includes remixes of “Can I Kick It” produced by J. Cole and “Footprints” featuring CeeLo Green. A Tribe Called Quest and Sony Legacy have announced a special 25th anniversary edition of the group’s classic debut album “People’s Instinctive Travels And The Paths of Rhythm.” In celebration of the 25th anniversary, the album will be remastered from the original tapes by GrammyAward winning engineer Bob Power, and re-released with these exclusive new remixes by Pharrell Williams, J.Cole and CeeLo Green. This expanded album will mark the debut release in a series of reissues by A Tribe Called Quest over the next few years.
Avant new album
Savoy Restaurant presents Savoy Jazz Mondays from 5-9 p.m. at 2623 Penn Ave., Strip District. Every Monday guests can enjoy live jazz in a sophisticated atmosphere by some of the city’s most talented jazz performers. The attire is business casual. For more information, call 412-281-0660 or visit www.savoypgh.com.
Tuesday 19 JazzLive
Wednesday 20 Wednesday Night Live The Rivers Club presents its Wednesday Night Live Jazz Supper Club from 5:30-8 p.m. at the Rivers Club, One Oxford Centre, 301 Grant St., Downtown. Every Wednesday, the Rivers Club will host local jazz artists along with a Jimmy G’s Jazz Buffett. The attire requested is business casual. Reservations are requested. For more information, call 412-391-5227 or www.riversclub.weebly.com.
and beautifully, interwoven lyrics. Fans can purchase “The VIII” via iTunes, Google Play, Amazon. Celebrating 15 years in R&B, Avant has accumulated an impressive catalog of hits that has included “Read Your Mind,” “Makin’ Good Love,” “Don’t Take Your Love Away” and “You and I” featuring Keke Wyatt among other chart toppers. On The VIII, he continues to create his signature formula of success, touching the emotional chord of the listener. (For morning information on Avant log onto www.avantlivemusic.com as well as follow him via Twitter & Instagram at @avantmusic and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/avant.)
Savoy Jazz
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust presents JazzLive at 5 p.m. at the Backstage Bar at Theater Square, 655 Penn Ave., Cultural District. Every Tuesday, guests can enjoy a free live jazz series that showcases some of the region’s finest jazz musicians. Thomas Wendt will be the featured entertainer. For more information, call 412-456-6666 or visit www.trustarts.org.
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New music, video releases
Friday 15 Andys Wine Bar at the Fairmont Pittsburgh Hotel presents Jazz at Andys from 5-12 a.m. at 510 Market St., Downtown. The evening will feature its Vinyl Fridays Happy Hour with DJ Malls spinning the vinyl from 57:30. Following the happy hour, there will be a musical performance by Kathy Connor. It is open to the public. For more information, visit www.andyswinebar.com.
JANUARY 13-19, 2016
ARTS & CULTURE
Platinum selling R&B singer/songwriter Avant is excited to release his eighth studio album “The VIII” (The Eight) via MOB/Caroline. The lead single, “Special,” which is a romantic song that breathes new life into love and commitment, has been climbing up the charts since it’s entrance onto the charts several weeks ago. It has hit the Top Five on the Urban AC charts and grabs the #1 “Greatest Airplay Gainer” spot with airplay in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Atlanta, Memphis, New Orleans among others. The VIII is a thirteen-song album that features production by Travis Sayles and Bob Robinson (Tim & Bob) and will captivate true fans and R&B music lovers with Avant’s magnetic voice
Leon Bridges 2016 tour
(Columbia Records) Breakthrough soul and R&B artist Leon Bridges has announced 2016 tour dates scheduled to kick off on March 1 in Atlanta, touching down in a slew of major cities across North America with the Texas native’s seven-piece band joining him on the spring trek. Support comes from Andra Day, who will open for Leon from May 23 through June 9. Intense demand to see the compelling singer/songwriter’s live show has been overwhelming since the release of his universally hailed debut album Coming Home (available at s m a r t u r l . i t / ComingHomeiT), released via Columbia Records on June 23. The spring tour announcement comes on the heels of Bridges current sold out fall tour. Most recently, the Ft. Worth Texas native enjoyed a homecoming of sorts, performing at the Austin City Limits Festival as well as taping his first “Austin City Limits” TV show last week. Bridges performed all ten songs contained on the new album, Coming Home, and others, for the prestigious PBS show. He will be in Pittsburgh on June 3 at Stage AE.
DJ Cubb Rock celebrates
(Double XX) Celebrity Radio DJ Cubb Rock celebrates a Jeopardy Game Show question about him as he passes 25 radio station affiliates airing his
weekend show, “Diggin In Tha Crates.” The classic television game-show quizzed its contestants using one of Chubb’s most famous lyrics: “In this year, Cubbyrock Jumped upon the scene, with a lean and a pocket full of grxeen.” Of course the contestants weren’t stumped because everyone knows the famous lyric from Chubb’s platinum selling anthem, “Treat Em Right.” The timing of Chubb Rock lyrics being used on a mainstream game show is appropriate since he’s celebrating more than 25 affiliates airing his 2 hour weekend show, “Diggin’ In Tha’ Crates,” which has become increasingly popular. The emergence of “classic hiphop” formatted stations nationally has also increased Chubb Rock’s stock exponentially as he’s the only performing nationally syndicated hip-hop artist on the radio. Distributed through Superadio Network, each affiliated market including: Atlanta, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Memphis, Reno, Raleigh, Charleston, and Cleveland is experiencing a competitive advantage during Diggin’s time slot. “Crates has all the elements of a great show. Old School Hip Hop, Old School R&B, Rap, and Chubb Rock; it cuts through on air and makes you take notice”, says veteran PD Nate Bell, WDMK, Detroit. “Word up!” exclaims ‘Baby J’ Jones, Hot 95.5 Augusta, PD. “As a throwback hip hop and R&B station exclusively, ‘Diggin in the Crates’ with Chubb Rock gives that extra bit of knowledge along with the music.” Chubb Rock can also be heard afternoons with SiMan Baby on Majic107.5, Atlanta and solo middays on WRNB 100.3, Philly, both for Radio One. Chubb Rock also famously said, “I’m the man that was born to have a mic on.” No truer words have ever been spoken...and there’s no Jeopardy if you treat ‘em right!
‘Women behind the music’ ASCAP Presents…“Women Behind the Music” is a series of events produced exclusively by the women of ASCAP’s Rhythm & Soul membership team. The program is designed to encourage and recognize women in the music creator community, and features showcases and educational panels in Atlanta, Los Angeles and New York City. More information will be released at a later date. Photos taken at an event spotlighting hip hop pioneers Salt & Pepper sponsored by ASCAP.
SALT N PEPA—From left: Pepa (Sandra Denton), Salt (Cheryl James), DJ Quiana Parks About ASCAP The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers is a professional membership organization of songwriters, composers and music publishers of every kind of music. ASCAP’s mission is to license and promote the music of its members and foreign affiliates, obtain fair compensation for the public performance of their works and to distribute the royalties that it collects based upon those performances. ASCAP members write
the world’s best-loved music and ASCAP has pioneered the efficient licensing of that music to hundreds of thousands of enterprises who use it to add value to their business –from bars, restaurants and retail, to radio, TV and cable, to Internet, mobile services and more. The ASCAP license offers an efficient solution for businesses to legally perform ASCAP music while respecting the right of songwriters and composers to be paid fairly.
Briskin Furs 412-782-3877 Storage • Cleaning • Repairs Free pick up - Delivery 347 Freeport Road Aspinwall (New & Used Fur Sale!)
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JANUARY 13-19, 2016
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
PEOPLE
Pastor Ozette Lee Jr. and Joan Lee celebrate 50 years of marriage
LOVE FOR 50 YEARS AND COUNTING—Pastor Ozette Lee Jr, and Joan Marie Lee celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary by renewing their wedding vows on Nov. 7 at Jesus Is The Way Church of God in Christ, in Braddock, Pa. (Photos supplied)
THE CAKE
Gateway Medical Society promotes medical interest in Black males through student special projects recognition The Gateway Medical Society hosted its Journey to Medicine Promotion Ceremony at UPMC Shadyside Hospital’s Herberman Conference Center, located at 5150 Centre Ave., in Shadyside. Students from the 8th through
12th grades presented their special projects and were recognized for their participation in this medical program. The program was set up to create more interest in Black male students in the medical field.
8TH GRADERS
9TH GRADERS
10TH GRADERS
11TH GRADERS
12TH GRADERS (Photos by J. L. Martello)
New Pittsburgh Courier
BUSINESS
Inside Conditions C3
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Classifieds
JANUARY 13-19, 2016
www.newpittsburghcourier.com
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What seniors need to know about financial fraud For seniors living on a fixed income, stretching their money is critical.This makes seniors particularly vulnerable to people who are intent on separating them from their hardearned dollars. In fact, one in five Americans who are 65 or older has been the victim of financial fraud, for a total loss of $2.9 billion every year, according to the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association. What can you do to protect yourself or your older loved ones from this kind of crime? The Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants provides insights on how fraud can happen and steps you can take to avoid it. A tempting target The list of scams aimed at older people includes Medicare and health insurance fraud, funeral and cemetery scams, telemarketing and Internet scams, investment fraud, home improvement and reverse mortgage fraud, and even counterfeit prescriptions or anti-aging products. Seniors are tempting fraud targets for a variety of reasons. First, they’ve spent their lives setting aside retirement savings that is now available. They often own their own homes; the value of which can be tapped. Finally, the risk of engaging in these crimes may seem low since they often go unreported because the victims are ashamed or don’t immediately realize they’ve been conned, according to the National Council on Aging. Preventions steps Amazingly, the majority of those who exploit the elderly aren’t strangers, but rather family members, friends, or other associates. With that in mind, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority has called for a 15-day safe-harbor period during which a financial adviser can put a hold on disbursements from a senior client’s account if the adviser believes the client is being financially exploited. The holding period provides time to alert a trusted contact (provided by the senior) who can step in and help prevent any fraud that might be taking place. You can always turn to your trusted CPA for help if you or a loved one are facing a suspicious financial offer or appeal, or if you believe you’ve been the target of fraud. How families can help In addition to their CPA, seniors and their families can turn to online resources from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other government agencies for tips on preventing fraud. Being informed goes a long way toward protecting against scams. With that in mind, take the time to educate yourself or to talk to senior loved ones about ways to identify fraud. Enlist neighbors and friends to speak up if they believe a senior is, or could be, the victim of financial fraud. And be sure to talk to your family’s CPA about ways to spot financial fraud in advance. Warning signs include a change in the senior’s spending habits and unpaid bills if he or she has lost a significant sum to a scammer, unexplained bank account withdrawals or transfers, and finding forged checks or financial documents. Your CPA can help No matter what kind of financial question or concern you or your loved ones are facing, your local CPA can provide valuable advice that can help you make the right decisions. Contact him or her for the insights you need to navigate financial challenges and to make the most of your financial opportunities. Don’t have a CPA? Visit www.picpa.org/moneyandlife for valuable resources including the CPA Locator tool.
TEAM WORK—-Julius and Regina Magwood of Café and More BBQ team up with Gordon Manker of the Wilkinsburg Community Development Corporation to operate their small business in the Borough. (Photos by Diane I. Daniels)
Revitalization underway Wilkinsburg strives to strengthen business community by Diane I. Daniels For New Pittsburgh Courier
Greenwood. We need more Sweet Auburn Streets,” said Gordon Manker, business development specialist of the Wilkinsburg Community Development Corporation. Supporting the mission of the WCDC to revitalize the Wilkinsburg business district and surrounding neighborhoods by managing the group’s business development programs, Manker said he is committed to implementing economic strategies to develop businesses along the business district of Penn Avenue and Wood Street. “Over 19,000 cars travel Penn Avenue a day,” he said, stressing that it is important to strengthen the existing businesses along the corridors as well as bringing new businesses to the area. As the group’s business development specialist, Manker’s responsibilities include overseeing programs to increase business development, building and maintaining relationships with business dis-
Prior to desegregation in the late 1950s and early 1960s many cities had thriving business districts within Black neighborhoods. Parrish Street in Durham, NC, Greenwood in Tulsa, Okla and Auburn Street in Atlanta, Ga. The success of the three areas in the early 20th century is credited to the amount of Black owned and operated businesses and the community’s continuous patronage. Parrish Street and Greenwood were considered Black Wall Street and Auburn Street was known as Sweet Auburn. Each area consisted of Black owned financial institutions, insurance firms, grocery stores, doctors, professionals, educators and entertainers. In the height of the Jim Crow era the determination and tenacity of Black Americans operating within the confines of extreme social and economic segregation the entrepreneurial spirit was high and a necessity. “In the midst of the 21st Century, as we have entered 2016, it is time for us to recreate the economic era of the 1950s and 60s, to think like the visionary leadership of the Black IT IS IN THE BASICS—WCDC business development specialist Gordon Manker Wall Street era of uses Core Four Business training to strengthen Wilkinsburg entrepreneur skills. Parrish Street and
trict constituents, including merchants, property owners, residents, potential retail and business partners, providing technical assistance and referrals to businesses as needed, developing a business information and resource package, convening Design and Green, Clean, and Safe Main Street committee meetings, coordinating Business District Public Safety efforts with the Borough Police and Code Departments, promoting a positive business environment, spurring food system development and increasing access to local food establishments, maintaining positive communications and working to effect policy changes that encourage and support WCDC economic development by attending Chamber, local, regional and state economic and business development intergovernmental meetings. Since joining the WCDC in March one of his tasks has included conducting an eight-week Core Four Business Planning Program, which he considered very successful. He calculates that 17 people started the class representing 11 different businesses with 14 people completing. Two of the entrepreneurs he said have been in business for at least 16 years. Fulton Building and Remodeling since 1996 and Thomas Home Child Care since 1999. The course, Manker explained is designed for entrepreneurs interested in growing their business, struggling business SEE REVITALIZATION C2
Top 5 young Black entrepreneurs to watch in 2016 by BlackNews.com For New Pittsburgh Courier
(BlackNews.com)—All of us have heard the word “entrepreneur” tossed around at some point in time. When you picture an entrepreneur, who do you imagine? Maybe you imagine Steve Jobs, Bill Gates or even Mark Zuckerberg. But they aren’t the only ones! Here’s a list of the top five young African American entrepreneurs to keep an eye on in the year 2016: No. 1—Jaylen D. Bledsoe: This 17-year-old entrepreneur is the founder/CEO of Jaylen D. Bledsoe Group, and is a motivational and professional speaker on the topics of young entrepreneurship, digital strategy, brand development and youth rights. His company focuses on helping his clients develop their brand, and his clients include superstars like Steve Harvey and Jordin Sparks. For more details, visit www.jaylenbledsoe.com No. 2—Essynce Moore: This 13-year-old entrepreneur is the founder of
YOUNG BLACK ENTREPRENEURS—Sherron Stevens, left, Essynce Moore, center, and Jaylen Bledsoe, right. Essynce Couture, a spa and boutique business for teens and tweens. She is also the author of a book entitled 6th Grade Middle School Chronicles, and is known in her community as a motivational speaker who speaks
on the topic of entrepreneurship. She also has her own clothing line. For more details, visit www.essyncecouture.com No. 3—Sherron A. Stevens: This 20-year-old entrepreneur is the CEO/
founder of Undercover Customer, a customer service consulting company that uses training and evaluations to help organizations generate more revenue by improving their customer’s experience. He has also
published a best-selling book on customer service entitled Undercover Customer: 100 Ways to Fix Your Broken Customer Service. For more details, visit www.undercovercustomer. com
No. 4—Moziah Bridges: This 13-year-old entrepreneur is the founder/ president of Mo’s Bow Memphis, a handmade line of bowties that has grossed over $55,000 in sales. He has always had a vision to bring back bow ties and make them very stylish. This young man has been featured on ABC’s Shark Tank and his bow ties have been worn by President Obama and Steve Harvey. For more details, visit http://mosbowsmemphis. com No. 5—Maya Penn: This 15-year-old is the founder of Maya’s Ideas, an apparel line that produces ecofriendly clothing and accessories. She is also a philanthropist, designer, artist, and animator. Her designs are sold all over the world, and she has customers in Denmark, Italy, Australia and more. For more details, visit www.mayasideas.com Clearly, entrepreneurship and success has no age limit and no color barrier. When you have an idea and you are passionate about it, the sky is the limit!
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Start planning your Summer vacation today Warm weather, a cruise in the boat, or a hike up a mountain. January is the perfect time to begin thinking about your next vacation and the money you’ll need to achieve your dreams—especially if taking charge of your finances is part of your new year’s resolution. Instead of charging your summer vacation on your credit card at the last minute, the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants recommends taking time this winter to plan, save, and earn so you can relax next summer without the stress of wondering how you’re going to pay for it all. Budgets and goals Making a budget probably isn’t high on the list of your favorite things to do, but it’s the only way to estimate how much your vacation will cost. Airfare and lodging are the biggies, but don’t forget about food, entertainment, pet or child care, passports, visas, and any other costs you can think of. With these costs in mind, you can set up a savings account exclusively for your vacation and have funds automatically deposited from your paycheck. Or, consider an online savings tool that transfers, tracks, and often rewards your efforts. Simple savings ideas could include the following: •The trusty change jar — it adds up fast. •Replace dining out with dining in. •Have potlucks when entertaining at home. •Bring leftovers to work instead of going out. •Break bad habits— fancy coffee drinks, smoking, and sugar addictions are not cheap. Make a New Year’s resolution to cut back or quit altogether. •Take advantage of “free days” at your local museums, libraries, theaters, and more. •Hold clothing swaps— Save money on clothes while enjoying time with friends. This is especially helpful with kids’ clothes that are typically outgrown before they’re worn out. Take a bite out of the food budget The money people spend on food during their vacation always takes them by surprise. Here are some ways you can eat on the cheap and keep this budget line item down: •Picnics—Some of the best family vacation memories are made at parks and rest stops along the way. •Kids eat free—Many national chains offer this enticement on certain days of the week. •Don’t order kids’ meals—Let children share an adult entrée. It’s cheaper and healthier. •Make lunch the big meal out. It’s usually less expensive than dinner for nearly the same amount of food.
•Cost cutting sites— Groupon, LivingSocial, and similar sites let you purchase deals at a discount for restaurants, entertainment, and more in advance all over the country. •If staying in a hotel, get a room with a microwave and fridge. Still falling short? If you’re still falling short, maybe it’s time to reimagine your vacation. With lodging a top expense, dodge the hotel for some cheaper, if not more interesting, alternatives. •Home swaps—Swapping homes is a great deal for those who can handle someone else sleeping in their bed. Well-known travel expert Rick Steves offers some great advice on this worldwide option at http://tinyurl.com/ricksteev es. •Hostels—Hostels are not just for grungy, postcollege backpackers. Couples, families, and older folks are all welcome. Some hostels offer family rooms and private bathrooms, and many are located in the heart of the city within walking distance to major attractions. Check out Hostelling International at www.hihostels.com, which also has a link to its American counterpart. •Volunteer vacations— How does picking olives in Spain or teaching English in Costa Rica sound? Whatever your interest, there’s a volunteer vacation to match it, and housing and meals are usually included. Most volunteers are repeat customers, having found that volunteer vacations are much more fulfilling and even restful than the traditional vacation. Find out more at www.TransitionsAbroad. com. Earn more Falling short does not mean you have to cancel your vacation. Shift your mindset from saving to earning with these tips: •Earning can be as simple as a trip to the attic. Underneath the dust and cobwebs may lie some valuable items you could sell online. •Have a yard sale and get rid of some of the clutter that’s been weighing you down. •Crafty? Sell your handmade items on Etsy or other such sites. •Market your own expertise or services. •Get a part-time job. This shift in mindset from saving to earning is a powerful way to reach your financial goals, no matter what they are. Talk to a CPA A CPA can provide more advice on how to reach your financial goals in both the short- and long-term. Don’t have a CPA? Visit www.picpa.org/moneyandli fe to use our CPA locator tool, as well as other budgeting resources.
CFPB cracks down on Illegal debt collections As holiday revelers a four-year period toasted the season, a Charlene Crowell from 2009 to 2014; key federal regulaand tor took two steps to 2. Introducing ensure that 2016 faulty or unsubwould bring an imstantiated evidence portant change for to support its lawconsumers harassed suits, resulting in by illegal debt collecthe collection of miltor actions. lions of dollars each On Dec. 16 and its year—often from third action against a large national pay- consumers who may not have owed debts. “The Hanna firm relied on deception and day lender, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ordered EZCorp, Inc. to re- faulty evidence to coerce consumers into fund $7.5 million to 93,000 consumers and paying debts that often could not be veripay an additional $3 million in penalties fied or may not be owed,” said CFPB Direcfor illegal debt on high-cost payday and in- tor Richard Cordray. “Debt collectors that use the court system for purposes of intimstallment loans. CFPB found that EZCORP collected idation should reconsider how their pracdebts with a litany of illegal actions that tices are harming consumers.” With court approval, Hanna and Associincluded visits to homes and/or workplaces. Even worse, by requiring payments ates and its principals will: •Pay a $3.1 million penalty; via electronic fund transfers, consumers •End illegal collection and intimidation often wound up with multiple charges. The required electronic withdrawals from con- tactics; •Be banned from filing or threatening sumer accounts frequently triggered additional overdraft fees charged by banks. lawsuits without substantial and specific CFPB’s investigation that began in July documentation on the affected consumer’s determined multiple violations of the Elec- debt; and •Stop the use of deceptive court docutronic Fund Transfer Act and the DoddFrank Wall Street Reform Act’s ban on un- ments to support its cases. In addition, three of the law firm’s fair or deceptive acts or practices. Days later on Dec. 28, CFPB filed a pro- clients—JP Morgan Chase, Portfolio Reposed settlement in federal court that once covery Associates and Encore Capital approved, will stop a Georgia-based law Group must also revamp their debt collecfirm and its principals from flooding courts tion practices and then refund millions to with lawsuits that were as faulty as they harmed consumers. These actions stem were prevalent in harming consumers. from separate collection cases. “People struggling to pay their bills Some consumer advocates believe that this first-of-its-kind suit and settlement to- should not also fear harassment, humiliation or negative employment consequences gether set a significant precedent. This second enforcement action culmi- because of debt collectors,” concluded Cornated a July 2014 lawsuit brought by dray. “Borrowers should be treated with CFPB against a Georgia-based law firm, common decency. . . .[W]e will not tolerate Frederick J. Hanna and Associates, for op- illegal debt collection practices.” Here’s hoping that more deceptive and ilerating an illegal debt collection lawsuit mill. Specifically, CFPB charged the firm legal lending practices are brought to an end in 2016. with two major violations: (Charlene Crowell is a communications manager 1. Intimidating consumers with deceptive court filings that enabled the firm to churn with the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be out hundreds of thousands of lawsuits over reached at Charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org.)
Commentary
Health insurance resolutions to consider by Tom Murphy AP Business Writer
Health insurance may not be the sexiest New Year’s resolutions subject, but thinking about it could be just as important as vowing to drop a few pounds or quit smoking. The cost of health care rises every year and coverage has been shrinking, which leaves a greater portion of the doctor bill to patients. It could be very beneficial to your fiscal health in 2016 if you make a few promises to yourself. GET FAMILIAR WITH YOUR COVERAGE Know the limits of your insurance before you start using it. No one wants to begin the year with a nasty case of sticker shock from a steeper-than-expected doctor’s bill. The particulars of your plan may have changed compared with last year, and perhaps you missed the letter or email from your employer or insurer. An outpatient surgery that would have cost you $700 last year might run more than $900 this year if the plan increased your coinsurance responsibility, or the amount you have to pay after meeting a deductible. Your deductible also may have jumped, which means you might have to spend more this year before most of your coverage begins. SHOP FOR CARE Shopping for health care is the wave of the future. Many employers and insurers are convinced that health care costs can be controlled better if providers are forced to compete for your business. Insurers are providing online tools that let patients compare prices and quality measurements for a
Revitalization underway CONTINUED FROM C1
owners, those seeking business financing and people with an interest in starting a business. His goal is to conduct the Core Four Business Planning Program in the spring and fall and to host other workshops focusing on management skills, financing, store front improvements and marketing assistance. “Strengthening our existing and older businesses while stabilizing the newer establishments is important,” said Manker. He noted that the WCDC is striving to prepare for and encouraging displaced businesses from East Liberty to relocate to Wilkinsburg. “With Wilkinsburg achieving Main Street designation and getting the Liquor License Referendum approved the Borough is prime for growth and development.” Within the last two years 13 new businesses have been welcomed.
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
BUSINESS
Café and More BBQ and Good Green Fashion are just two of the many businesses Manker has been working with. Located at 764 Penn Ave. and owned by Julius and Regina Magwood the establishment offers a casual lunch and breakfast menu that includes a variety of sandwiches, Vegan lover meals, Asian dishes, BBQ ribs and chicken, specialty coffees, teas and desserts. Equipped with WiFi, the café has a warm friendly atmosphere supplying an array of books from different countries as reading material. “I see potential in Wilkinsburg that’s why I selected to locate my business and businesses here,” said Mario DeLeon the proprietor of Good Green Fashion located at 906 Wood St. Experiencing his first holiday season in operation he mentioned that business at the designer clothing store was pretty good. “We have only been here
since June,” said DeLeon, who has plans to expand Good Green Fashion to an online business and to add a hair salon with the goal of hosting hair shows. Actively promoting the revitalization of the historic and vibrant community of Wilkinsburg the WCDC has been involved in the community since 2007. According to their records they have served 48 small, family run, and/or local businesses. Almost half, 46 percent of the business owners or managers are African American; 22. A third of the business owners are White 6; three are of Middle Eastern heritage, seven are Asian with women involved in more than 50 percent of businesses. Pleased with the business interest in Wilkinsburg, Manker said as a result a small business support program has been developed to strengthen the businesses currently located in the Central Business District and throughout Wilkinsburg. The program includes marketing, education, and funding components. “With over 50,000 people traveling through Wilkinsburg between patrons of the East Busway and traffic on Penn Avenue it is key to have goods and services to meet their needs, in order to replicate a Parrish Street, Greenwood or Auburn Street. For a total community, not just Black residents it is imperative that businesses are prepared to meet the needs of all patrons. That’s economic power.”
wide range of non-emergency care. Doing that could save hundreds of dollars on an outpatient procedure for people with highdeductible plans. But you don’t need an app or some online tool to shop for all care. Drugstores and grocers have been squeezing clinics into their store spaces for years. The world’s largest retailer, Wal-Mart, also has been developing in-store clinics that charge $59 per office visit. That’s much cheaper than the $100 a patient with high-deductible coverage might pay for a doctor visit. The cost of an office visit can vary depending on factors like where the doctor is located. If you haven’t met your deductible yet for the year, check with your insurer or the doctor’s office to determine the cost of a visit before making an appointment. TRY SOMETHING NEW Telemedicine is supposed to be all the rage in 2016, with big insurers like UnitedHealth Group Inc. expanding coverage and the drugstore chain Walgreens pushing a smartphone app that lets patients see a doctor without leaving home or work. Doctors have used video feeds and other technology for years to treat patients in rural areas or remote locations. But experts say growing smartphone use and customer demand are fueling a rapid expansion of telemedicine into everyday care. If you’re worried about a high deductible, you might want to think about adding to your insurance coverage. Companies like Sun Life Financial offer accident coverage that will provide cash that helps cover costs left behind by shrinking insurance. USE IT, DON’T LOSE IT This applies to flexible spending accounts, which employers provide to let their workers set aside income before taxes to cover health-related expenses. Resolve to use your entire balance before you lose it. Check with your employer on how that might happen. Some companies may require you to spend your money by the end of the year or give you a grace period into the new year. Many also allow you to carry over as much as $500. These accounts can help pay for bandages, condoms or cough drops, among an array of eligible items, so think creatively if you need to spend a leftover balance. Those who can’t spend down their accounts generally wind up forfeiting less than $100, according to WageWorks Inc., which administers benefits accounts for employers. LEARN DEADLINES If you don’t like your coverage, you can change it. But you have to know when the next chance will arrive. Employers hold open enrollment periods every year, generally in late fall for coverage that starts Jan. 1. That’s the main window in which people can adjust coverage, unless they have a life-changing event, like a marriage or the birth of a child. Likewise, coverage sold outside the employer-sponsored market also must be purchased largely during an open-enrollment window. For 2016 coverage, that window closes Jan. 31. If you miss the open enrollment windows and have no coverage, consider a short-term or limited benefits plan. These can provide some protection from a big medical bill, but they generally offer skimpier coverage than what you can get through an employer.
BUSINESS CALENDAR
Lunch and Learn Series JAN. 14— The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will host its Lunch & Learn Series at 12:15 p.m. at the Downtown & Business Branch, 612 Smithfield St., Downtown. The topic will be “De-Clutter and Re-Organize.” Presenter Kelly Covone-Henning of the Aging Institute of UPMC Senior Services and the University of Pittsburgh will give tips on de-cluttering and re-organizing one’s home. Space is limited. For more information, call 412-281-7141 or visit www.carnegielibrary.org.
PowerBreakfast Meeting JAN. 15—The African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania will host its PowerBreakfast Meeting from 7:30-9:00 a.m. at One Oxford Centre. 301 Grant St., Downtown. The guest speaker will be Allegheny County Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald. He will discuss his plans and vision for 2016. Reservations are requested. For more information, call 412-392-0610 or email information@aaccwp.com.
The First Step JAN. 19—The Duquesne University Small Business Development Center will host “The First Step: Business Startup Essentials from 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m. at Duquesne University, Rockwell Hall, Room 108, 600 Forbes Ave., Uptown. This seminar for new business startups and entrepreneurs will teach attendees the business structure and formation, insurance, government procurement, financing options, taxation requirements and more. Registration is required. For more information, call 412-3961633 or visit www.sbdc.duq.edu.
Financial Health Workshop JAN. 20—African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania will host a Financial Health Workshop at the Koppers Building, 436 7th Ave., Downtown. First Commonwealth Bank staff will discuss different options on accessing capital, and how to build and sustain one’s financial health. This workshop is for Chamber members only. Registration is required. For more information, call 412-392-0610 or email information@aaccwp.com.
Grow Your Business with Google JAN. 27—The Creative Technology Network in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University will host its DIY Business Building Workshop Series at 11:30 a.m. at the Pittsburgh Technology Council, 2000 Technology Dr., Pittsburgh. The topic is “Grow Your Business with Google Tools: Using Google to Expand, Connect and Sell.” This Google certified workshop will review more than 15 Google tools that can be utilized to connect one’s employees, organize their data and grow their customer base. The facilitator will be Chris Bedilli, founder of ProFromGo Internet Marketing. Registration is required. For more information, email Lindsey Bradley at lbradley@pghtech.org.
Understanding Financial Statements JAN. 28—The Duquesne University Small Business Development Center will host “Get Behind the Numbers and Increase Your Profits: Understanding Your Financial Statements Workshop” from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at Duquesne University, Rockwell Hall, Room 108, 600 Forbes Ave., Uptown. This is a handson workshop that provides a step-by-step approach to explaining two important financial statements—profit and loss statement, and a balance sheet. A representative from Wilke & Associates will offer clear examples for using these statements to make informed decisions, identify potential problems within a business and set realistic financial goals. Registration is required; attendees are asked to bring a calculator and a copy of their financial statements. For more information, call 412-3961633 or visit www.sbdc.duq.edu
Networking Mixer JAN. 28—The African American Chamber of Commerce will host a Networking Mixer from 5-7 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel& Suites Pittsburgh Downtown, One Bigelow Square, Downtown. Host Ashley Riebel has planned an exciting evening to welcome members and showcase the hotel. Members are asked to wear their logo pins and bring numerous business cards. Reservations are required by Jan. 26. For more information, call 412-3920610 or email information@aaccwp.com.
New Pittsburgh Courier
SPORTS
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JANUARY 13-19, 2016
www.newpittsburghcourier.com
Inside Conditions…Out of control by Aubrey Bruce For New Pittsburgh Courier
The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated, de-cleated and unseated the Cincinnati Bengals by 18-16 this past Saturday in the so-called “Queen City.” Shortly after the game concluded, I called a taxi driver that I had previously met when he dropped me off before the game at Paul Brown Stadium. After the game was over, I was waiting for him to arrive to pick me up, there were a rash of fights and disturbances between Bengals and Steelers fans, which was to be expected in light of the way that the Bengals “thugged” the game away. The Cincinnati Bengals, the city of Cincinnati or Bengals fans don’t deserve to win an NFL Championship, yesterday, today or tomorrow. Many of them acted as if they were rabid dogs running around just looking for something to
maim. A select few fans reflected the sleaziness of a select few Bengals players and their Head Coach, yes I said their Head Coach, Marvin Lewis that exhibit a total disdain and disregard of the rules. As a result of the Bengals latest failure, folks are whispering that because of his losing ways, Marvin Lewis has lost the respect of his players, his city and his fans. I beg to differ with that most obvious assessment of Lewis. It is my contention that he never had control, or at least it never appeared as if he did. There were specific instances when Bengals players exhibited unprofessional and negative behavior, Lewis appeared to have a slightly discernable smirk on his face. If you want to argue the point, I have two names to present to you, former Bengals wide receivers Chad (Ocho Cinco, AfroBlinko, I don’t think so)
Johnson and the late Chris Henry. It was always an “As the Bengals Turned” reality show/soap opera going on when both of these often “troubled souls” attempted to navigate themselves through the NFL as well as through life because as we all know, sometimes art often goes on to imitate life. On Dec. 17, 2009 ESPN.com news services reported that; “Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chris Henry has died, one day after falling out of the back of a pickup truck in what authorities described as a domestic dispute with his fiancée. Henry was no stranger to trouble. Indeed, his multiple arrests during a five-year NFL career were among the factors prompting the league to toughen its personal conduct policy.” Remember when the Steelers Hall-of-Fame cornerback Mel Blount athletically terrorized and brutalized unsuspecting wide re-
ceivers from opposing teams to the point that the NFL outlawed “bump and run” coverage? Well the negative behavior and antics of the Chris Henry socially brutalized society in general and the Bengals in particular prompting the NFL to toughen its personal conduct policy. During one of the many court hearings that involved Chris Henry’s legal trouble, Municipal Court Judge Bernie Bouchard once called Henry “a one-man crime wave.” With all of the talk of bounty’s on players’ heads in the NFL, could there be some sort of covert, unspoken “bread for blood” reward system now in place in Cincy? If not why are some of the Bengals players continuing to operate outside of the “legal” NFL competition box? A few years ago, Steelers linebacker James Harrison and ex-Steelers safety Ryan Clark were singled out as
“dirty hitters.” Both players were constantly demonized about their competitive juices flowing maybe a bit too freely. They were also fined and scrutinized more than the average NFL defensive players but Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin eventually seized and continues to attempt to maintain control over any of his players’ negative actions whether they be on or off the field. Ex-Bengals and current Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer never voiced it publicly or privately but I suspect that if I could drop a few cc’s of “truth serum” in his Gatorade, I would bet my grandmother’s last box of “Depends,” that Palmer grew weary of the “thug” culture that existed in the Bengals locker room and bailed to the black hole of the Oakland Raiders, his first stop before eventually landing in Arizona. No one can dare play the
race card here. I don’t want to hear the weak “rush to judgment” excuse. Marvin Lewis has had more than a decade to win an NFL Championship. It is not the lack of talent that is the problem. Marvin Lewis has proven to be a weak leader and motivator, regardless of the personnel that he puts on the field. A team usually mirrors their headmaster. There is an old Schenley High School cheer that our student body used to chant when the Spartans had the game well in hand. The chant was, “get your hat and coat and leave.” Things have gotten out of hand as far as Marvin Lewis being the Head Coach of the Bengals is concerned. Seeing as though he may not be capable of bringing home a Lombardi Trophy. It just now may be the time for Marvin Lewis to save face by getting his hat, his coat and leaving. (The source for this article was espn.com)
Steelers will face Broncos after playoff gift (AP)—Just as the Steelers were getting ready to go home in defeat the Cincinnati Bengals demonstrated why they are called the Bungals by giving the Steelers the victory to the Steelers via stupidity. Ben Roethlisberger couldn’t throw. Antonio Brown couldn’t stand without help. And in the end, it didn’t matter. The Pittsburgh Steelers are heading to Denver after the Cincinnati Bengals did what they always seem to do this time of year: they imploded. The Steelers, falling apart in the 14 minutes without the injured Ben Roethlisberger, let the Bengals implode on their way to a 1816 win in Cincinnati with penalties from Vontaze Burfict and Pacman Jones, Chris Boswell kicked a 35yard field goal with 14 seconds remaining as Pittsburgh accepted the victory. Pittsburgh (11-6) moved into field goal position thanks to consecutive 15-yard penalties on the Bengals, one on linebacker Vontaze Burfict and another on cornerback Adam Jones. Burfict dropped his shoulder and hit a defenseless Brown in the helmet as the All-Pro receiver came across the middle, and Jones lost his cool after getting into it with Steelers assistant coach Joey Porter when Porter came onto the field as Brown was being tended to by trainers. Boswell drilled his fourth field goal of the game on the next snap to give the Steelers their first playoff victory since the 2010 AFC championship. “We won the game. That’s all that matters,” Roethlisberger said. Pittsburgh bolted off the field without so much as shaking hands while the Bengals vented their frustration after easily the most painful of their eighth straight postseason losses. Roethlisberger finished 18of-31 passing for 229 yards and a touchdown in rainy conditions. Jordan Todman andFitzgerald Tous-
THE HIT—Antonia Brown is tackled as Vontaze Burfict flies past with the illegal hit. He was fined and suspended for three games. (AP Photo)
THE CATCH—Martavis Bryant’s makes a spectacular catch to help the Steelers defeat the Bengals. (AP Photo)
by Bill Neal
defensive penalties with quick snaps, making adjustments at the line of scrimmage, and running the show the way few QBs can, Rodgers threw for a pair of TDs while Eddie Lacy and James Starks each ran for a score, and Green Bay came back to overwhelm the NFC East champion Redskins 35-18. That was missing while the Packers were losing their final two games and six of their last 10 after a 60 start, letting the NFC North title slip away. And it was missing early Sunday, when Washington grabbed an 11-0 lead. Green Bay (11-6) will play at the No. 2 seed Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night. It’s a rematch of a Week 16 game that Arizona dominated 38-8. “The main thing is everybody just needs to realize the taste they had in their mouth last time,” Packers receiver James Jones said. In the other NFC game next weekend, the No. 1 seed Carolina Panthers will host the wild-card Seattle Seahawkson Sunday. With the Packers and Seahawks joining the AFC’s Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs, it’s the first time road teams went 4-0 in the wild-card round under the current NFL playoff format, which started in 1990. This sets up the pairings for this weekend. Saturday Jan. 16 the Chiefs visit the New England Patriots at 4:35 on CBS. Then the Green Bay Packers visit the Arizona Cardinals at 8:15 on NBC. Then on Sunday, Jan. 17 the Seattle Seahawks visit the Carolina Panthers at 1:05 on FOX, then the Steelers visit the Denver Broncos at 4:40 on CBS. The AFC championship is on Jan. 24 at 3 p.m. on CBS, and the NFL championship is at 6 p.m. Predictions: Steelers over the Broncos, Chiefs over the Patriots, Panthers over the Seahawks, and the Cardinals over the Packers.
well…it’s my concussions man! But keep reading. You’re now “In the Locker Room.” (P.S. text me your name. 412-628-4856.) :05—Farewell David Bowie…You “Young American.” You made “Being Real” a sport way ahead of your time when you married supermodel and Black woman “Iman”…out front, loud and proud! :04—Just a question. You mean to tell me there are two late night sports talk shows on and they can’t find one Black man to talk sports on KDKA or WPXI?
I’m just askin! :03—“Roll Tide!!!” End of story. Alabama beats Clemson. :02—Achieving Greatness Inc. still looking for talented account executives to make money now! Also smart and aggressive program planners and fashion director. Call AGI at 412-628-4856 today. :01—The Pitt basketball team is for real…now! Still have to see what we do against the big b o y s . Duke, North Carolina, Virginia. But Coach Dixon is letting them run. “Let’s” Run Boys, Let’s Run!” :00—If anyone knows Connie King from McDonald, Pa., ask her to please call me. Old friend from college 412-628-4856. ~ GAME OVER ~
Overtime
For New Pittsburgh Courier
: 1 0 — S t e e l ers…Bengals…Penalties… Missed field goals at the buzzer…Blow outs…yeah, yeah, yeah, and blah, blah, blah…Did you see “J-Lo” and Taraji at the Golden Globes? Mmmaaannn!!! :09—And secondly and even more importantly, I played the Super Power Ball. I need 1.4 billion like the next guy. Needless to say, I bought ten tickets and only had two (2) n u m b e r s on all ten tickets. But somehow the White man can’t seem to understand why Black people are mad! …huh? (Oh, my bad. That goes with another story.) :08—But did you see “J-
saint combined for 123 yards rushing filling in for injured DeAngelo Williams. Brown caught seven passes for 119 yards but was also diagnosed with a concussion. Still, that production didn’t look like it would be enough. AJ McCarron put together an improbable comeback after Martavis Bryant’s somersaulting touchdown grab gave the Steelers a 15-0 lead heading into the final quarter. The Steelers was one of the four visiting teams to capture victory last weekend as all four wildcard teams won. The Steelers over the Bengals 18-16, the Kansas City Chiefs over the Houston Texans, 30-0, the Seattle Seahawks over the Minnesota Vikings 10-9 and the Green Bay Packers over the Washington Redskins, 35-18. After 22 years without a playoff victory, the Kansas City Chiefs were determined not to give up the lead this time. The Chiefs had enough points to win after jumping ahead 7-0 in the first 11 seconds, and they used relentless pressure, five turnovers and a ball-control offense to dominate the Houston Texans 30-0. They were especially cognizant of not letting up after blowing a 28-point lead in a loss to the Colts in their last playoff appearance in 2013. Blair Walsh’s 27-yard field goal attempt into the frigid wind hooked left with 22 seconds remaining and handed the Seattle Seahawks a 10-9 victory over the stunned Minnesota Vikings in below-zero weather that tied for the thirdcoldest NFL game on record. Aaron Rodgers opened the NFC wild-card game against the Washington Redskins by going 1 for 8, and the Packers’ first four drives went: punt, safety, punt, punt. They gained all of 11 yards heading into the second period, and they trailed by double digits. And then, spurred by using the hurry-up approach he loves, Rodgers played like a two-time NFL MVP. Drawing
Lo?” And that leg! :07—OK, OK, here’s your Steelers stuff. And the Top 10 reasons we’re in. No. 1— Cause I told ya we would be. No. 2—“Big Ben” rose up “Big”…that’s what legends are made of! No. 3—The Steelers defense is for real. No. 4—Including the Dbacks, they kept the game in check, minus one big play to Green. No. 5—Because they caught “El-Choppo” the drug dealer. Why you say? El-Choppo off the market…less weed for Martavis Bryant! Oh please, you were thinking it too. No. 6—Of
BILL NEAL
course…the Martavis Bryant touchdown catch. Sorry “A.B.” that’s the catch of the year. No. 7—They won in spite of not taking the extra point vs. the two point conversation. No. 8— Chris Boswell…period! No. 9—Thank you once again Adam “Pacman” Jones and big thanks Vontaze Burfict…stupid, just stupid! No. 10—“J-Lo’s” dress…OK, whatever…haters! :06—My Connie Hawkins League veteran/partner that I saw at the South Side gas station. I forgot your name, but I know you
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PEOPLE
JANUARY 13-19, 2016 NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
NOTHING LIKE A CHRISTMAS PARTY—State Rep. Ed Gainey understands the meaning to the question, “What’s Christmas without a party?” Last month, Gainey held his annual colossal neighborhood Christmas celebration for citizens living in his district, Homewood and the surrounding East End area, at the Greater Pittsburgh Coliseum. His goal, which was to say “thanks to the community for their support as well as inspire neighborhood pride,” was achieved with catered soul food, music provided by DJ Louie Bates and many giveaways. There were raffles, toys and gift certificates that were all donated by local businesses, corporations, and churches, and added to the success of the event. (Photos /copy by Jackie McDonald)
Rep. Gainey’s community Christmas Party attracts hundreds
HAZEL LOWRY attending with several family generations.
REP. ED GAINEY addressing the crowd.
WAITING FOR THE GIFTS—Excited kids guarding the gifts.
ENJOYING THE EVENING—Rep. Ed Gainey with Mary Hill (in the red) and friends.
COMMUNITY LEADERS—Ed Gainey striking a holiday pose with community leaders and business owners.
DJ LOUIE BATES—Providing the Christmas musical beat.
KAREN PAYNE, former Wilkinsburg School director, showing her support.
New Pittsburgh Courier
CLASSIFIED JANUARY 13-19, 2016
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SONNY BOY
www.newpittsburghcourier.com
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Help Wanted
Meetings
ROBERT MORRIS UNIVERSITY
Robert Morris University seeks applicants for several employment opportunities. Visit RMU.EDU/JOBS for details. Email resume to jobs@rmu.edu or mail to: Robert Morris University, Human Resources 6001 University Blvd., Moon Twp., PA 15108 or fax to 412-397-2555. RMU believes institutional equity reflects our continued commitment to a community where everyone is both valued and respected. We are dedicated to developing a diverse population and strive to be an inclusive community that celebrates and embraces differences. EOE
9-1-1 TELECOMMUNICATIONS OFFICER, PART-TIME ALLEGHENY COUNTY
Allegheny County is accepting applications for 9-1-1 Telecommunications Officer, Part-Time in the Department of Emergency Services. For application requirements and job description check our website at http://alleghenycounty.us/careers or complete an application at our office at 102 County Office Building, 542 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT ANALYST
Life Technologies Corp., a Thermo Fisher Scientific co., is seeking a Project Management Analyst in Pittsburgh, PA, to help drive successful delivery of assigned projects, including project scope, schedule & resource risks. See full reqʼs & apply online: https://jobs.thermofisher.com/. Req # 27839BR EOE.
ELECTRICAL/EMBEDDED SOFTWARE ENGINEERS (MULTIPLE OPENINGS)
Thorley Industries LLC d/b/a 4moms (Pittsburgh, PA) Devlp embdded softwre to meet specfc systm & hardwre reqs. Desgn, assmble & debug circt boards using surfce mount compnnts; create & execte softwre unit & functnl tests; supprt Mechncl Engʼg team in devʼt of prodctn & calibrtn softwre; docmnt, defne & evalte desgns for electrncs systm modles & PCBAs, inclg multi-layr PCB desgn; carry out compnnts selctn, circt analys, PCBA layout & desgn & electro-mechncl assmbly; & contrl electro-mechncl assmblies, motr & motn contrl, data collctn & sensr technlgies. Reqs: Masters dgr in Comp Engʼg, Mechatrncs, Robotcs or dirctly relatd field. Must know robotcs invlvng sensng, actuatn & procssng info; embdded softwre for 8 bit procssrs; Altium designr, inclg schemtc captre, board layout, & routng; soldrng SMT devces; standrd lab measrmnt & test equpmnt; desgn & implmnttn of analg & digitl circty; motion contrl desgn; & Matlab, use of DSPs, Data Analyzrs, & logc analyzrs; low powr battry opertd circtry, & LCD panl hardwre & softwre intrfces. Apply at www.4moms.com U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania Vacancy #16-02 Opening Date: January 11, 2016 Closing Date: February 8, 2016
ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT I
Location: Pittsburgh, PA Salary: CL 23 / $32,672 - $53,114 Based on qualifications and experience The Probation Office for the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania provides services to 15 U.S. District Judges and 6 U.S. Magistrate Judges. This vacancy is at the headquarters location in Pittsburgh. The Probation Office headquarters is located in the U.S.Courthouse, Suite 3330, 700 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. There are two branch offices (Erie and Johnstown). The incumbent will provide office assistance in accordance with approved internal procedures and policies. This position provides technical assistance to ensure the smooth and efficient management of the office, which encompasses areas such as clerical support to court unit staff, as well as support duties such as filing, maintaining, updating and tracking of electronic files, copying, distributing mail, data entry, answering telephones, word processing, formatting, and greeting visitors/clients. Additional details regarding this position can be found on our website below. *A degree is preferred from an accredited educational institution, plus two yearsʼ general clerical experience. (Education above high school may be substituted for required general experience.) General experience is progressively responsible clerical/office work, or work in the courts or legal field. Disclosures: •Applicants must be United States Citizens or eligible to work in the United States. •U.S. Probation reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement, to withdraw the announcement, or to fill the position sooner than the closing date without prior notice. •Qualified applicants selected will be administered a written test. •Only the most qualified persons will be invited to a personal interview. The Court is an Equal Opportunity Employer Applicants who meet the qualifications must submit a cover letter, a resume, and an Application for Judicial Employment (AO78), found at http://www.pawp.us courts.gov/careers under the Careers and Internships section. Submit in PDF or Word format to the email address noted on the site, and please reference position #16-02. Failure to follow these instructions will result in disqualification.
MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT— Date Revised
Community College of Allegheny County A regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the College will be held on: January 14, 2016 4:00 p.m. Board Meeting CCAC Allegheny Campus Byers Hall 808 Ridge Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15212
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ANNOUNCEMENTS Public Notices
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH PUBLIC NOTICE OF REVISED FLAT RENT SCHEDULE
The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP), in accordance with federal law and regulation, is proposing revisions to its Low Income Public Housing Flat Rent Schedule. The revised HACP Flat Rent Schedule is available for review and comment from January 12 to February 11, 2016 at the following locations: •HACP Operations Department 200 Ross St. 6th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15219; •HACP Web Site: www.hacp.org; •HACP Management Offices A Public Hearing to receive public comments on the revised HACP Flat Rent Schedule will be held on Tuesday, January 19, 2016, at 12:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., at 200 Ross St., 9th floor Board Room. Written comments on the proposed revisions to the HACP Flat Rent Schedule must be addressed to “Attention: HACP Flat Rent Schedule” at HACP Department of Operations, Asset Management, 200 Ross St. 6th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, and must be received by 12:00 p.m. on Friday, February 11, 2016. Once approved, the final revised HACP Flat Rent Schedule will be effective March 1, 2016. Persons with disabilities requiring assistance or alternative formats, or wishing to make comments in alternative formats, can contact the HACP ADA/504 Coordinator at 412456-5020, Ext. 2504; TTY 412-2015384.
NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY FOR PUBLIC REVIEW, COMMENT AND PUBLIC HEARING HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH AMENDMENT TO THE 2016 MOVING TO WORK ANNUAL PLAN
The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) is proposing to amend its 2016 MTW Annual Plan. An amendment to the 2016 Moving to Work Annual Plan will be available for review from January 5 to February 3, 2016, at the HACP Executive Office, 200 Ross Street, 9th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219; the HACP Web Site www.hacp.org; and at HACP Management Offices. Copies of the draft annual plan and plan amendment may also be obtained by contacting the HACP Executive Office at 412-456-5012. HACP is seeking public review and comments on a proposed amendment to the FY 2016 MTW Annual Plan concerning HACPʼs plans to pursue funds for redevelopment of Bedford Dwellings through submitting an application for Choice Neighborhood Planning and Action Grant in 2016. The proposed amendment is incorporated in its entirety into the FY 2016 MTW Annual Plan through additional language referencing the application for the planning grant for future redevelopment of Bedford Dwellings. Written comments for the Amendment to the 2016 Annual Plan must be addressed to MTW Annual Plan Comments at the address above and must be received by close of business (5:00 p.m.) on February 3, 2016. Public hearings to receive comments will be held on Friday, January 22, 2016, at 12:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. at 200 Ross St., 9th floor HACP Board Room. Persons with disabilities requiring assistance or alternative formats, or wishing to submit comments in alternative formats, can contact the HACP ADA/504 Coordinator at 412456-5020, Extension 2504; TTY 412-201-5384.
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Letters have been granted on the estate of each of the following decedents to the personal representative named who request all persons having claims against the estate of the decedent to make known the same in writing to him or his attorney, and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment to him without delay:
Estate of HILL, RHAE L., of Allegheny County, No. 021500181 of 2015. Patrick Hill, Adm., 603 Anna Avenue, West Mifflin, PA 15122 or to Allegheny Law Group, LLC, 8165th Avenue, Ste 600, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.
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Bids/Proposals
Bids/Proposals
COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY PITTSBURGH, PA January 4, 2016
The Office of the Director of the Department of Public works for Allegheny County in Conjunction with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, is soliciting Statements of Interest through PennDOTs ECMS system for the following: ALLEGHENY COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS Project Management for Federally Funded Road Projects County Project No. 7A16-PGMT Local Agreement Number: L00121 This is a federal-aid project with PennDOT oversight. Statements of Interest are due no later than January 15, 2016 and are to be submitted through PennDOTs ECMS System, http://www.dot14.state.pa.us/ECMS The advertisement can be found under agreement number L00121. A copy of the published advertisement can also be found on the County Website: http://www.county.allegheny.pa.us/ bids Any inquiries into this Advertisement are to be directed to Mr. Michael Dillon, P.E., Deputy Director of Engineering, at 412-350-5469 or mdillon@alleghenycounty.us The County will use the normal selection process and preselect or short-list at least three firms for consideration for this Project assignment on the following evaluation criteria: Past Performance, Review of Designs and Provide Comments, Prioritization of Tasks and Meet Deadline, Experience and Supervisory Experience of PennDOT Projects, and Use and Experience of Subconsultants. The Countyʼs Minority and Women disadvantaged goals for these Projects will be 13% of the total price for MBE participation and 2% of the total price for WBE participation. Stephen G. Shanley, PE, Director Department of Public Works of Allegheny County
COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY PITTSBURGH, PA January 4, 2016
The Office of the Director of the Department of Public works for Allegheny County in Conjunction with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, is soliciting Statements of Interest through PennDOTs ECMS system for the following: ALLEGHENY COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS Project Management for Federally Funded Bridge Projects County Project No. AA00-0904 Local Agreement Number: L00119 This is a federal-aid project with PennDOT oversight. Statements of Interest are due no later than January 21, 2016 and are to be submitted through PennDOTs ECMS System, http://www.dot14.state.pa.us/ECMS The advertisement can be found under agreement number L00119. A copy of the published advertisement can also be found on the County Website: http://www.county.allegheny.pa.us/ bids Any inquiries into this Advertisement are to be directed to Mr. Michael Dillon, P.E., Deputy Director of Engineering, at 412-350-5469 or mdillon@alleghenycounty.us The County will use the normal selection process and preselect or short-list at least three firms for consideration for this Project assignment on the following evaluation criteria: Past Performance, Review of Designs and Provide Comments, Prioritization of Tasks and Meet Deadline, Experience and Supervisory Experience of PennDOT Projects, and Use and Experience of Subconsultants. The Countyʼs Minority and Women disadvantaged goals for these Projects will be 13% of the total price for MBE participation and 2% of the total price for WBE participation. Stephen G. Shanley, PE, Director Department of Public Works of Allegheny County
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SALE OF SURPLUS EQUIPMENT COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY
The following surplus equipment will be offered for sale to the highest bidder(s): REQUEST FOR QUOTATION 160127 - SALE OF SURPLUS ITEMS COMPUTERS AND AUDIO VISUAL EQUIPMENT, ETC. Bids are due in to the CCAC Purchasing Department no later than 2:00 PM on Wednesday, January 27, 2016. For more information, call Mike Cvetic at 412-237-3146 or email mcvetic@ccac.edu to request bid forms. Community College of Allegheny County Purchasing Department 800 Allegheny Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15233
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) FOR BATHTUB REFINISHING AT VARIOUS SITES AUTHORITY WIDE IFB#300-08-16
The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby request proposals from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s): BATHTUB REFINISHING AT VARIOUS SITES AUTHORITY WIDE IFB#300-08-16 The documents will be available no later than January 11, 2016 and signed, sealed bids will be accepted until 2:00 P.M., February 2, 2016 at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, at which time they will be opened and read aloud. Parties or individuals interested in responding may download a copy of the Invitation for Bid from the Business Opportunities page of www.HACP.org. Questions or inquires should be directed to: Kim Detrick Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 2nd Floor, Suite 200 100 Ross Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-456-5116 Opt 1 A pre bid meeting will be held: Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Dept. 100 Ross Street 2nd. Fl. Ste. 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15213 January 22, 2016 2:00 P.M. The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh strongly encourages certified minority business enterprises and women business enterprises to respond to this solicitation. HACPʼs has revised their website. As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and login, in order to view and download IFB/RFPs documentation. Caster D. Binion, Executive Director Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh HACP conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The PA Human Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) FOR WINDOWS FOR FIRE UNITS AT NORTHVIEW HEIGHTS REBID IFB# 300-38-15 Rebid
The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby request proposals from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s): WINDOWS FOR FIRE UNITS AT NORTHVIEW HEIGHTS REBID IFB# 300-38-15 Rebid The documents will be available no later than January 11, 2016 and signed, sealed bids will be accepted until 2:00 p.m. on February 1, 2016 at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, at which time they will be opened and read aloud. 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: Kim Detrick Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-456-5116 Opt 1 A pre bid meeting will be held: Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Dept. 100 Ross Street 2nd. Fl. Ste. 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15213 January 22, 2016 2:00 P.M. The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh strongly encourages certified minority business enterprises and women business enterprises to respond to this solicitation. HACPʼs has revised their website. As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and login, in order to view and download IFB/RFPs documentation. Caster D. Binion, Executive Director Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh HACP conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The PA Human Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.
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On Sale Wednesdays WESTERN AREA: CRAFTON BEVERAGE CRAFTON/INGRAM SHOPPING CENTER GIANT EAGLE CRAFTON/INGRAM SHOPPING CENTER SHEETZ #353 5400 CAMPBELL’S RUN RD SHOP N’ SAVE #1686 2103 NOBLESTOWN RD SAFRANS SUPER MKT 429 WALNUT ST GIANT EAGLE #74 PARKWAY CENTER MALL
100 WILLIAM MARKS DR GIANT EAGLE 1356 HOFFMAN BLVD BP GAS STATION LYSLE & WALNUT DS FOODMART 929 UNION ST RITE AID PHARMACY 725 LYSLE BLVD CHARLIE’S CORNER STORE 500 LOCUST ST NEIGHBORHOOD DOLLAR 333 5TH AVE GIANT EAGLE #38 1901 MURRAY AVE JACK’S E 8TH AVE
SOUTHERN AREA: EASTERN AREA: KEN’S 216 BELTZHOOVER AVE NELSON’S 92 SYLVANIA AVE GIANT EAGLE #61 2021 WHARTON AVE COGO’S 2400 EAST CARSON ST COGO’S 925 EAST CARSON ST DAILY MART 1125 ARLINGTON AVE SHOP N SAVE CARRICK SOUTH EASTERN AREA: SUPER STOP 403 KENMAWR AVE CARL’S CAFE 337 FIFTH AVE COMET NEWS 540 BRADDOCK AVE PUFFS DISCOUNT TOBACCO 1722 GREENSBUR AVE A-PLUS SUNOCO 7403 WASHINGTON ST COGO’S 1050 BRINTON RD COGO’S 2003 S BRADDOCK AVE EDGEWOOD EXPRESS 253 EDGEWOOD AVE BRAD EXPRESS 1101 S BRADDOCK AVE GIANT EAGLE #619 1705 S. BRADDOCK AVE CVS 7406 CHURCH ST HANINI MARKET 1105 SWISSVALE AVE DUKE’S SUNOCO 825 DUQUESNE BLVD 7-11 818 N. DUQUESNE BLVD GIANT EAGLE #6379 420 EAST WATERFRONT DR GIANT EAGLE—MCKEESPORT 3812 O’NEILL BLVD J & S FOOD MART 625 W GRANT AVE RITE AID PHARMACY
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MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. D
In The Spirit of King
JANUARY 13-19, 2016
www.newpittsburghcourier.com
Three individuals who have devoted their lives to the Civil Rights Movement in Pittsburgh
Esther Bush Fighting for the greater good by Genea L Webb
by Ulish Carter
For the New Pittsburgh Courier
Courier Staff Writer
In 1955 the 25-year old Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., was content with receiving his first church, Dexter Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala., and he and his wife Coretta were intent on building a family and someday taking over his father’s mega-church in Atlanta, but faith changed all that. Montgomery’s NAACP president E. D. Nixon and the overall Black community were sick and tired of segregation as a whole but the buses in particular and was looking for a way to end it. So when one day NAACP secretary and youth director Rosa Parks, a well respected woman in the community was arrested for not giving up her seat on the bus for a White man, Nixon saw this as the opportunity to act against desegregation in Montgomery, starting with bus desegregation. Parks wasn’t the first to be arrested for not giving up their seat to a White person. Some were kicked off the bus while others were arrested depending on the driver. But her actions came at the right time and place. Nixon used this as a spark calling a meeting at the largest church in the city headed by Rev. Ralph Abernathy. At these meetings an agenda to fight bus segregation and to select a leader of the bus boycott, Nixon chose that leader by challenging the young King to step out and step up. Nixon later said he chose King because he was young with little to lose, unlike most of the older ministers and Blacks in Montgomery as a whole, and that he was an excellent speaker with a solid background. That was the beginning of the massive national Civil Rights Movement that spread all over the country. King went on to become one of the greatest leaders the
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR world has known. The law throughout Southern states at that time was that there was a White section starting in the front of the bus, and Black section starting from the back. Blacks paid their fair, then got off the bus and entered from the rear side door. Most were not allowed to walk through the White section to the Black section. If the White section filled Blacks in front had to give their seats up to Whites. After Blacks won this fight, Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement spread all over the South and throughout the North. Even though most of the leaders of that era have passed on or retired they handed the torch to younger leaders and now those leaders are looking to pass the torch. In Pittsburgh some of the most noted leaders were
Byrd Brown, Harvey Adams, Alma Fox, Rev. Jimmy Joe Robinson, Art Edmunds, Nate Smith, Bob Pitts and many others. These leaders handed the torch off to many others in which the Courier is spotlighting three of these individuals who have been in the Civil Rights Movement struggle for 30 or more years. They are: Connie Parker, current president of the Pittsburgh NAACP; Esther Bush, current president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Urban League; and Tim Stevens, former head of the NAACP, and current President of the Black Political Empowerment Project. They are people who have devoted their lives to the improvement of the living conditions of Blacks throughout the city of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County.
Connie Parker An advocate for Civil Rights for more than 30 years by Paige Mitchell New Pittsburgh Courier
Constance “Connie” Parker, is known for her passion and strong contribution to the city civil rights struggle for more than 30 years . Parker, president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored
People, Pittsburgh Unit has blazed an incredible trail throughout Pittsburgh and within the Black community for more than 30 years. Parker is one of three “In the Spirit of King” veteran leaders the New Pittsburgh Courier is spotlighting for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Special Edition.
CONNIE PARKER
“I’ve been an advocate for the Civil Rights for over 30 years. I first decided to become a member of the NAACP because I wanted to be a part of something for the people, I didn’t want to just be another member— but truly do something for the people,” Parker said. Parker and the NAACP are not only looking to blur the color lines, but are also fighting to make Blacks wake up and take a look at the world they are living in. “There is no greater country than America. No, I haven’t been all over the world. But I do travel, and I’ve seen enough to know that our country is great. But right now, it’s not. The killings and the things that are taking place is ridiculous. Any time children are being shot in the streets like they are wild animals, it’s ridiculous! You can’t get a better education than you can right here. It’s not that the police are not educated, and they are well trained. But there is no excuse for the hatred that they have in their hearts. We need to take a deeper look at this hatred that is eating away at our country,” Parker said. She is fighting for change and peace. Parker makes her presence known, and is a force to reckon with. She says that the only way to win, you have to get in the ring and fight. And it’s time SEE PARKER D3
Following in the footsteps of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Esther L. Bush has dedicated her life to fight for the greater good of African Americans and minorities. “Even though I was not aware of the Civil Rights Movement as a young child, my personal value base around how African Americans were treated and the limitations on women just evolved out of my upbringing,” said Bush, president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh. “I always thought it was unfair that African Americans were treated differently and that women had restrictions on what they could do or not do because they were women. As I grew older, my values led me to learn more about the movement and my value base fit right into the Civil Rights struggle.” The Pittsburgh native and Westinghouse high school graduate joined the National Urban League in June of 1980 and worked in a workforce development program that helped place women in non-traditional jobs in the construction industry, law enforcement and firefighting in 42 cities nationwide. The avid theatergoer also got the chance to work with major construction sites across the country that had received federal funding. She monitored the sites and made sure they met the federal guidelines to include minorities and women workers. She worked for the New York National Urban League and headed its Staten Island branch before moving to the Manhattan
ESTHER BUSH branch and then serving as president of the Hartford Urban League’s before taking the helm of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh in December of 1994. She is the first female to serve in each of her last four positions in the Urban League movement. During her time with the Urban League Bush—like Dr. King—has been able to make many positive inroads for Blacks. “I have found that working for the Urban League movement affords me the opportunity to take whatever steps I see are needed in helping to move the African American community forward. I have been able to
sponsor trips to Africa to increase self-awareness and to help restore some dignity that has been eroded through years of oppression and abuse. I’ve developed economic self-reliance through education like starting the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh Charter School; I’ve developed training programs that introduce kids to STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) careers, and much more. Of course when I say ‘I’, that includes the team effort—board, staff, guild— the Urban League is an inclusive movement and I enjoy the breadth of SEE BUSH D5
Tim Stevens Reflects on journey throughout Civil Rights Movement by Samson X Horne For New Pittsburgh Courier
Sitting in the church he grew up in, Tim Stevens thoughtfully and carefully reminisced about his experiences during the evolution of the civil rights era. Trinity AME Church is located in the Hill District on the corner of Wylie Avenue and Francis Street, and is located two buildings down from where Stevens lived as a child. Stevens, 70, has been an organist in the church for almost 50 years—about the same amount of time he has served as a civil rights activist in Pittsburgh. His involvement in the Civil Rights Movement, as we know it, almost didn’t happen; in 1967, he was on his way to a lucrative career in the oil and gas business in Washington, DC. “On national television there was always pictures of riots going on... I’m watching this as I’m on the edge of being promoted as the second Black salesman in DC and I decided that that wasn’t what I needed to be doing,” he said. Stevens said he turned down a brand new car—a Camaro, and a company expense account. “My job was in commercial enterprise, but my heart said, ‘not’... It didn’t settle right with me to be working with Humble Oil Co. (now Exxon) with all the unrest, the inequalities,“ he said. Stevens said that during his early years in the
TIM STEVENS NAACP, people would ask him why he was a part of that organization instead of some of the others like the “Black Power” movement that were gaining traction at the time. He said one of the main reasons people were hesitant was because of what the acronym NAACP— National Association for the Advancement of Colored People—stood for. At that time Blacks didn’t like to be called “colored,”
and he originally sought for a name change of the organization. He later changed his mind. “In my lifetime I’ve been Colored, Negro, Afro-American, Black and African American, if the NAACP change its name every time Black folks were called something different, we would not know what the NAACP was called,” Stevens said. SEE STEVENS D4
D2
JANUARY 13-19, 2016
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
The life and achievements of Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King, Jr., (Jan. 15, 1929–April 4, 1968) was an American pastor, activist, humanitarian, and leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience based on his Christian beliefs. He was born Michael King, but his father changed his name in honor of the German reformer Martin Luther. A Baptist minister, King became a civil rights activist early in his career. He led the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott and helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1957, serving as its first president. With the SCLC, King led an unsuccessful struggle
against segregation in Albany, Ga, in 1962, and organized nonviolent protests in Birmingham, Ala, that attracted national attention following television news coverage of the brutal police response. King also helped to organize the 1963 March on Washington, where he delivered his famous “I Have a Dream“ speech. There, he established among White America what Black Americans already knew, his reputation as one of the greatest orators in American history. On October 14, 1964, King received the Nobel Peace Prize for combating racial inequality through nonviolence. In 1965, he and the SCLC helped to organize the Selma to Montgomery marches and the following year, he took the movement north to Chicago to work on
segregated housing. In the final years of his life, King expanded his focus to include poverty and speak against the Vietnam War, alienating many of his liberal allies with a 1967 speech titled “Beyond Vietnam”. In 1968, King was planning a national occupation of Washington, D.C., to be called the Poor People’s Campaign, when he was assassinated on April 4 in Memphis. His death was followed by riots in many U.S. cities. Allegations that James Earl Ray, the man convicted of killing King, had been framed or acted in concert with government agents persisted for decades after the shooting. The jury of a 1999 civil trial found Loyd Jowers to be complicit in a conspiracy against King. The ruling
his and his son’s names following a 1934 trip to Germany to attend the Fifth Baptist World Alliance Congress in Berlin. It was during this time he chose to be called Martin Luther King in honor of the German reformer Martin Luther King had Irish ancestry through his paternal great-grandfather. Growing up in Atlanta, King attended Booker T. Washington High School. He became known for his public speaking ability and was part of the school’s debate team. King became the youngest assistant manager of a newspaper delivery station for the Atlanta Journal in 1942 at age 13. During his junior year, he won first prize in an oratorical contest sponsored by the Negro Elks Club in Dublin, Ga. Returning home to Atlanta, he and his teacher were ordered by the driver to stand so White passengers could sit down. King MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. MONUMENT IN WASHINGTON D.C. refused initially, but complied after his has since been discredited and as a U.S. federal holi- teacher informed him that and a sister of Jowers ad- day in 1986. Hundreds of he would be breaking the mitted that he had fabri- streets in the U.S. have law if he did not go along cated the story so he could been renamed in his honor. with the order. He later make $300,000 from selling In addition, a county was characterized this incident the story, and she in turn rededicated in his honor. A as “the angriest I have ever corroborated his story in memorial statue on the Na- been in my life.” A precoorder to get some money to tional Mall was opened to cious student, he skipped both the ninth and the pay her income tax. the public in 2011. King was posthumously King, was born on Jan. 15, twelfth grades of high awarded the Presidential 1929, in Atlanta to Rev. school. At age 15, King Medal of Freedom and the Martin Luther King Sr. and passed the exam and enCongressional Gold Medal. Alberta Williams King. His tered Morehouse. The sumMartin Luther King Jr. Day legal name at birth was mer before his last year at was established as a holi- Michael King. King’s father Morehouse, in 1947, an day in numerous cities and was also born Michael SEE LIFE D4 states beginning in 1971, King. The father changed
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Connie Parker: An advocate for Civil Rights for more than 30 years CONTINUED FROM D1
says that the only way to win, you have to get in the ring and fight. And it’s time that we let the world know that we are here. “Its time that Blacks stand up. Defend our selves,” she said. “Let the world know what we’re gonna do, and how we are going to do it. I believe change starts at the pulpit. God is not dead, I’ve had three strokes and I’m still kicking. I recognize my purpose. I know that I’m here on this earth to make a little change.” The NAACP president recognizes that the NAACP has much work to do in this new year. “The NAACP is the biggest and baddest civil rights organization in the world,” she said. “But if people in positions are not doing their part, nothing will be done and no changes will be made. “Which is why voting should be taken more seriously. It all comes down to if the president, senators, and other elected official, or any person in leadership positions are doing their jobs and being accountable for what they said they would offer. And if not, we don’t need them taking up a seat.” Parker’s passion speaks volume throughout her speeches, and strong leadership skills. “We are too concerned about the things that do not matter. People may think they are superior because of money or a career. But through the eyes of God, we all look the same. I may be the President of the NAACP, but at the end of the day I’m just another woman walking through that door,” Parker said.“ I’m the same Connie Parker with or without the position of president, and I intend on using this blessing God has blessed me with to continue to spread change.” She mentioned a few of her heroic figures
LIFELONG ACHIEVEMENTS—Pittsburgh NAACP president Connie Parker, from left, and K. Chase Patterson, right, present Judges Livingstone Johnson and Justin Johnson with Lifetime Achievement Awards at the 61st Human Rights Dinner and Centennial Celebration. (File photo from May 27 edition). in her life that she looks up to because of NAACP. their hearts and dedication to the people: “Its time for us to get real here. Let’s deHarvey Adams, Bird Brown, and Tim mand our respect,” Parker said. Stevens, just to name a few. All three were She thanks the New Pittsburgh Courier previous presidents of the Pittsburgh for the stories that the paper publishes,
and providing blacks the voice to be heard on a public platform. Again, she said that the NAACP has much work to do but is confident that as long as she is President, it will get done.
The life and achievements of Martin Luther King Jr. CONTINUED FROM D2
eighteen-year old King made the choice to enter the ministry after he concluded the church offered the most assuring way to answer “an inner urge to serve humanity”. King’s “inner urge” had begun developing and he made peace with the Baptist Church, as he believed he would be a “rational” minister with sermons that were “a respectful force for ideas, even social protest.” In 1948, he graduated from Morehouse with a B.A. degree in sociology, and enrolled in Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pa, from which he graduated with a B.Div. degree in 1951., King was elected president of the student body. King began doctoral studies in systematic theology at Boston University and received his PhD. Degree in 1955, with a dissertation on “A Comparison of the Conceptions of God in the Thinking of Paul Tillich and Henry Nelson Wieman King became pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala,, when he was 25 years old, in 1954. As a Christian minister, his main influence was Jesus Christ and the Christian gospels, which he would almost always quote in his religious meetings, speeches at church, and in public discourses. King’s faith was strongly based in Jesus’ commandment of loving your neighbor as yourself, loving God above all, and loving your enemies, praying for them and blessing them. His non-violent thought was also based in the injuction to turn the other cheek in the Sermon on the Mount, and Jesus’ teaching of putting the sword back into its place (Matthew 26:52). In his famous Letter from Birmingham Jail, King urged action consistent with what he describes as Jesus’ “extremist” love, and also quoted numerous other Christian pacifist authors, which was very usual for him. In another sermon, he stated: “Before I was a civil rights leader, I was a preacher of the Gospel. This was my first calling and it still remains my greatest commitment. You know, actually all that I do in civil rights I do because I consider it a part of my ministry. I have no other ambitions in life but to achieve excellence in the Christian ministry. I don’t plan to run for any political office. I don’t plan to do anything but remain a preacher. And what I’m doing in this struggle, along with many others, grows
out of my feeling that the preacher must be concerned about the whole man.” In his speech “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop,” he stated that he just wanted to do God’s will. Veteran African-American civil rights activist Bayard Rustin served as King’s main advisor and mentor in the late 1950s.Rustin came from the Christian pacifist tradition; he had also studied Gandhi’s teachings and applied them with the Journey of Reconciliation campaign in the 1940s.[38] King had initially known little about Gandhi and rarely used the term “nonviolence” during his early years of activism in the early 1950s. King also believed in and practiced selfdefense, even obtaining guns in his household as a means of defense against possible attackers. Rustin guided King by showing him the alternative of nonviolent resistance, arguing that this would be a better means to accomplish his goals of civil rights than self-defense. Rustin counseled King to dedicate himself to the principles of nonviolence. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi‘s success with nonviolent activism, King had “for a long time...wanted to take a trip to India”. With assistance from the Quaker group the American Friends Service Committee, he was able to make the journey in April 1959. The trip to India affected King, deepening his understanding of non-violent resistance and his commitment to America’s struggle for civil rights. In a radio address made during his final evening in India, King reflected, “Since being in India, I am more convinced than ever before that the method of nonviolent resistance is the most potent weapon available to oppressed people in their struggle for justice and human dignity”. King’s admiration of Gandhi’s non-violence did not diminish in later years. He went so far as to hold up his example when receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, hailing the “successful precedent” of using nonviolence “in a magnificent way by Mohandas K. Gandhi to challenge the might of the British Empire... He struggled only with the weapons of truth, soul force, non-injury and courage.” One aspect scholars haven’t dealt with for the non-violent method of King is common sense and common knowledge of the South. Just about every Southerner had a gun and could use them and had
demonstrated this many times in the past when Blacks spoke out. So if Blacks took up guns in the South they would have in most cases been eliminated quickly, and probably would have been supported by many Whites in the north. King and other activists throughout the South understood this. As the leader of the SCLC, King maintained a policy of not publicly endorsing a U.S. political party or candidate: “I feel someone must remain in the position of non-alignment, so that he can look objectively at both parties and be the conscience of both—not the servant or master of either.” In a 1958 interview, he ex-
pressed his view that neither party was perfect, saying, “I don’t think the Republican Party is a party full of the almighty God nor is the Democratic Party. They both have weaknesses ... And I’m not inextricably bound to either party.” King critiqued both parties’ performance on promoting racial equality: Actually, the Negro has been betrayed by both the Republican and the Democratic party. The Democrats have betrayed him by capitulating to the whims and caprices of the Southern Dixiecrats. The Republicans have betrayed him by capitulating to the blatant hypocrisy of reactionary right wing northern Repub-
licans. And this coalition of southern Dixiecrats and right wing reactionary northern Republicans defeats every bill and every move towards liberal legislation in the area of civil rights. King stated that Black Americans, as well as other disadvantaged Americans, should be compensated for historical wrongs. In an interview conducted for Playboy in 1965, he said that granting Black Americans only equality could not realistically close the economic gap between them and Whites. King said that he did not seek a full restitution of wages lost to slavery, which he believed impossible, but proposed a government compensatory pro-
gram of $50 billion over ten years to all disadvantaged groups. He posited that “the money spent would be more than amply justified by the benefits that would accrue to the nation through a spectacular decline in school dropouts, family breakups, crime rates, illegitimacy, swollen relief rolls, rioting and other social evils”. He presented this idea as an application of the common law regarding settlement of unpaid labor, but clarified that he felt that the money should not be spent exclusively on Blacks. He stated, “It should benefit the disadvantaged of all races.” (Information obtained from various sources.)
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Tim Stevens : Reflects on journey throughout Civil Rights Movement CONTINUED FROM D1
islative support for permaHe said that the organizanent long-term effects,” tion would have lost its said Stevens. identity in the name of tryAs the current Chairman ing to maintain a politically and CEO of B-PEP, Black correct moniker, and that it Political Empowerment Proserved the NAACP better to ject, Stevens believes voting stick with its past history by is not only one of the major making it relative to current problems the Black commuissues. nity is facing, but also one of “The NAACP stand for the best answers for the something for people, they Civil Rights struggle. know is the boldest, oldest “African Americans have organization on the planet to vote, and not just in the in terms of civil rights, and Presidential Elections. I we should be proud of that fear that as people in my and focus on what we can be age group die off so will the doing now and in the fucommitment to vote. It’s a ture,” he said. sad reality that may have He charged himself to forgotten the blood we’ve make the Pittsburgh branch shared and battles we fault of the NAACP as relevant just for the right to vote,” as possible. said Stevens. “I didn’t want to spend too He also lists violence, unmuch time on what the employment, a rigged judiwords stood for and the cial system and affordable name, but rather what are housing as other issues that the deeds—the functionality hamper Blacks in the moveand the relevancy at that ment. time and moving forward,” “These things bring back Stevens said. issues that we were fighting From youth director to ex50 years ago. It’s very frusecutive director within a trating and discouraging,” couple of years, to ultihe said. mately president of the Stevens said that there is Pittsburgh branch in 1990, no national solution to the Stevens was able to move up Civil Rights issues, and that the ranks of the NAACP, in the best way to tackle them part because of his valued is by putting “boots on the ability of independent ground” in local movements thinking; a trait he admired EASING TENSIONS–Tim Stevens displays the updated version of “You & The Police” designed to inform residents and officers of their that get “emulated and duin his “Civil Rights Father,” rights and wrongs during police encounters. (File Photo taken March 18-24 edition at a B-PEP press conference). plicated across the country.” the late Byrd Brown, and “Local people have to enerhis “Civil Rights Mother,” Alma Speed Fox. Rights struggle, Stevens said there is a in Pittsburgh through her involvement in gize themselves or be energized by the “(Attorney Brown) had his own (law) firm need to re-involve young people in the the Jordan Miles case. She is very well re- folks that have the ability to motivate peoin Downtown Pittsburgh, he didn’t work movement. spected from the political leadership down- ple,” he said. “I think the collective leadership in the town through her activism,” said Stevens. for anybody, a corporation, the city of PittsHe said his focus remains on the local burgh or the county,” Stevens said. “I think blending of generations is important,” he He said one of the major take-aways scene, where the most work has to get one of the things people admired about said. that Blacks in the continuing Civil Rights done. Stevens said local activists like rapper, Movement have to remember is that, Byrd, and I did too was his independence. “My heart’s in the whole social justice “I admire (Fox’s) independence. Even to Jasiri X and Brandi Fisher have began to “The demonstration will not last but so arena and that’s where it has been, from this day as a 90-something year old “bridge the gap” of generations. long around any issue. No particular literally decades ago, and it’s never altered, He credits Jasiri X with creating “positive issue last permanently around an indi- obviously,” he said. woman, she’s very outspoken in whatever she thinks needs to be done in civil rights rap” to communicate to the community, as vidual or an incident source. It can source (Samson X Horne is a contributing writer for the opposed to the constantly negative por- movements and other things that happen New Pittsburgh Courier. He can be reached at samand women’s rights.” The independent thinkers are the ones trayal of Black men. as a result. But you have to have the leg- son.x.horne@gmail.com.) Brandi Fisher has stirred the pot of relawho will be charged with carrying the civil tions between the police and youth in Pittsrights torch. So where are the Tim Stevens of the 60s, burgh’s Black communities through her advocacy for additional police accountabil70s and 80s, today? With the need for young adults to get in- ity, “Brandi emerged as a young Black leader volved and take leadership in the Civil
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Esther Bush: Fighting for the greater good CONTINUED FROM D1
crop of young people leading its opportunities,” Bush the fight in the Civil Rights said. struggle. Bush draws on the teach“Many of these leaders ings of President Barack can be found in the Urban Obama; civil rights leader League Young ProfessionWhitney M. Young who als. The ULYP is part of a served as the Director of the national organization for National Urban League in adults aged 21-40 whose the early 1960s; business goal is to give back to the executive and leading civil community and develop as rights leader Vernon Jordan leaders in their own right,” and current National Urban Bush said. “I’m proud of League President Marc Mowhat I see the young peorial to help move Pittsple doing. I do think their burgh’s minority population approach is different and forward. not always measured “They are learned individthrough the Civil Rights efuals who spoke up and forts that we might be used speak for what they believe to, but their frustrations is right and have made a difand dissatisfaction with ference in equality and in the status quo is clear and life in America,” Bush said. is being pushed into advoAlthough positive steps cacy and community achave been made in the tivism. struggle for civil rights, “Young people need to be there’s still a long way to go. included at every table But Bush is up for the chalwhere decisions are made lenge. about how to move our com“We’re fighting for many of munity forward,” she added. the same things that we’ve “All of us ‘old heads’ need to been fighting for since bemake sure that we include fore the Civil Rights Moveyoung people as we are tryment started: trying to ing to move strategies forachieve equal access to a deward.” cent public education; to be One way of doing so is by hired on one merits for cateaching children to bereer opportunities and come strong, independent things that we already well-educated individuals. fought for, including the VotThat’s why the Urban ing Rights Act of 1965,” said Academy of Greater PittsBush who enjoys traveling burgh (formerly the Urban and going to movies during League of Greater Pittsher down time. burgh Charter School) was “All of us can name the created. With a focus on changes in voting regulaSTEM-related skills and tions over the past couple of character development, the years that result in elimi- PAVING THE WAY—Esther Bush presents honoree Ron Lawrence with the Community Leadership Award at the annual Ronald H. Brown charter school tackles the Leadership Award Gala. (File photo for Dec. 9-15 edition) nating votes, not being able achievement gap between to use student college ID’s to Blacks and their peers of vote, the lack of where people can vote, etc,” is simple: cess, and if Blacks know they’re looking to other races. “Racism needs to be eliminated. Each of be judged by their qualifications and not she continued. “Another negative that still “This focus on self-reliance runs throughexists is the unrealistic time frames for our citizens needs to be treated like an their skin color, then we would see a dif- out all of the programs and services that people to make changes in their lives given American. We need guaranteed equal op- ference. Americans need to accept the re- are provided at the Urban League from their upbringing. Expectations from fun- portunities. That’s in all our jobs—not ality of the barriers that race provides housing, counseling, health education, famders and supporters that don’t accept the just politicians and corporate America,” and if we look at those in a realistic light, ily growth and child development, mature reality of barriers that need to be overcome Bush said. “The laws in place meant to we can see that it’s an unequal playing workers training, challenging computer-fomake it even more difficult to maintain the eradicate racism and unequal treatment field.” cused programs for youth and young types of programs and services that are need to be respected and carried out. I alHowever, Bush, who was one of 10 Amer- adults and more,” Bush said. “Our effort to needed in order to establish a level playing ways say that each individual should be icans recognized at the White House as a effect change is most effective when both doing their part and their best to achieve Champion of Change in the Educational Blacks and whites work together. A coalifield.” In order to improve the conditions of their highest potential. All Americans Excellence for African Americans Program tion will beat an individual any day of the Blacks today and in the future, the answer need to have equal opportunities and ac- feels the bright spot in the darkness in the week.”
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