FBI: Korean firm scammed out of $375K for fake Pharrell show
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by Christian Morrow Courier Staff Writer
WINNERS—Front row, from left: Grayden Sabol, Sanaa Morris, Cheyenne Rhone, Nariah White, DeAndre Gordon, Caleb Kirkland and Maddison Angelone. (Photo by Rossano P. Stewart)
Youth competition at Google creating Black entrepreneurs by Paige Mitchell For New Pittsburgh Courier
Entrepreneuring Youth has helped hundreds of youth ages 11-18 over the years by guiding and molding them into thinking and acting like entrepreneurs. Twenty-seven aspiring young entrepreneurs representing 20 different businesses had the opportunity to compete for cash prizes and local notoriety as they presented their business ideas at Entrepreneuring Youth’s iPitch Competition at Google.
“Entrepreneurs change the world…Entrepreneurial thinkIng enables young people to change their lives and in the process their neighborhoods.” JERRY COZEWITH Co-founder of EYouth During the iPitch event, there were 15 Black participants out of the 30 youth. Meanwhile, 15 out of 22 businesses represented had Black ownership.
Co-Founder of EYouth Jerry Cozewith said, “We do this because so many young people need reassurance or help to discover that there are bigger, more
diverse possibilities, for pursuing economic and civic prosperity. That they can have the life they really want.” The competition took place in Bakery Square, Youth ages 11-18 in economically fragile neighborhoods had the opportunity to learn and start their own businesses. The competition is a part of Entrepreneuring Youth’s multi-year program, designed to help young people. SEE YOUTH A4
Last year 20 percent of Pittsburgh Public Schools’ students received an out-ofschool suspension. For Black male students the number was 28 percent. Numbers like those prompted the district to seek a Comprehensive School Safety Initiative grant from Department of Justice grant to address the issue, which it won in October. On April 22, during a press event at Minadeo PreK-5 in Squirrel Hill, district officials announced that 23 schools will test whether a “restorative practices” initiative can improve safety and educational outcomes, and reduce suspensions. Joined by U.S. Attorney David Hickton, Superintendent Linda Lane and other district officials said the $3 million dollar grant will be used to initiate a program that enables students and teachers to talk over and address circumstances and
by Michael B. Rose
for the future. David Malone, president & CEO of Gateway Financial Group and chair of Heinz History Center Youth Places, an afterhosted The BMe Community’s private event to pro- school organization that mote the book “REACH: 40 helps place Black youth in jobs, moderated the twoBlack Men Speak on Livhour event. As a White ing Leading and Succeeding.” It was a night of net- American, he looked at his working and reconciling of role as moderator as a problems faced in the past mixed blessing. “It’s embarrassing that and conversing solutions For New Pittsburgh Courier
we still need initiatives like this. Having said that, this organization and this leadership are the right people to do this, we need to find a way to quickly empower our young people to become the leaders they deserve to be and give them the power to reach their potential.” Malone moderated a panel that comprised of
former Steelers’ team MVP, Super Bowl champion and current Judge Court of Common Pleas Allegheny County Dwayne Woodruff, BMe Community Founder Trabian Shorters, Pittsburgh native and actor Lamman Rucker, and former felon turned motivational SEE REACH A4
behaviors rather than automatically suspending students. The “restorative practices” program developed by the International Institute for Restorative Practices in Bethlehem, Pa., seeks to keep disruptive students connected to the schools and allow them to confront, correct and accept responsiSEE HICKTON A5
Pittsburgh blues icon Chizmo Charles dead by Christian Morrow Courier Staff writer
Reach event sells out books, inspires youths
LINDA LANE
“Chizmo Charles” Anderson began singing his signature brand of blues in the 1950s and was a staple on the Pittsburgh blues scene well into the new millennium. Along the way he entertained thousands, and inspired a host younger performers that included names like Billy Price, Warren King and Norman Nardini. Anderson died April 22 after a long battle with cancer. He was 86. Throughout his long per-
forming career, which started with the Eugene Betts band—debuting with B . B . King’s “Every Day I Have the Blues,”— he didn’t l i m i t himself as a s i n g e r. He sang country, CHIZMO CHARLES jazz, pop, and even polka music. Of SEE CHARLES A4
YWCA stands against racism on Downtown streets by Ashley Johnson Courier Staff Writer
UNITED WE STAND—YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh staff and participants along with local leaders united at Point Park University's Village Park, located on Downtown’s Boulevard of the Allies, for the 5th annual Stand Against Racism. (Photo by J.L. Martello)
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The issue of racism is just as relevant today as it was in the ‘60s. Many people of color, not just Blacks, experience racism on a daily basis. While it is an issue that many find discomfort in discussing, it is a conversation that needs to be had. The YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh took action to bring awareness to the issue at their 5th annual Stand Against Racism on April 24 in the streets of Downtown Pittsburgh. The local YWCA was just one of 152 YWCAs that held events at more than 700 sites to participate in this national campaign to raise awareness to institutional and structural racism. “We have a long history of advocating for equity…and it’s still something that needs to be worked on everyday,” said Magdeline
Ulish Carter says
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This Week In Black History
APRIL 29-MAY 5, 2015
INTERNATIONAL
FBI: Korean firm scammed out of $375K for fake Pharrell show
POPULAR STAR—Pharrell Williams arrives at Season 8 of “The Voice” Red Carpet Event held at the Pacific Design Center on April 23, in West Hollywood, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
by Joe Mandak
Associated Press Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP)—A man scammed a South Korean steel company out of $375,000 by claiming he worked with a Japanese talent agency that could help the company book a concert by musician Pharrell Williams, FBI agents in Pennsylvania said. Sigismond Segbefia, of Silver Spring, Maryland, faces multiple charges, including wire fraud, bank fraud and identity theft. He is also accused of stealing the identity of a western Pennsylvania postal worker and using it to bilk more than $445,000 from women he met on dating sites. At least one woman lost $185,000 from December 2013 to August 2014 in the scam, the FBI said. Segbefia convinced her that he owned a medical equipment business and kept running into financial difficulties while trying to ship some of the devices to England, the FBI said. Segbefia, a native of Ghana who is in the U.S. legally, was arrested April 21 by federal customs officials at Kennedy Airport in New York. He was released on bond but ordered confined to his home until his appearance before a federal magistrate on May 14 in Pittsburgh. The 28-year-old Segbefia used a company he incorpo-
Elaine Effort
rated in Maryland in October 2013 called Eastern Stars LLC to make his various claims seem legitimate, the FBI said. He used the company’s name when he told the woman about his medical
The Japanese company was “provided with a contract and invoice in the name of Eastern Stars LLC,” which claimed to be Williams’ “legal representative.” Segbefia provided “fake documents, email addresses, and the names of Williams’ real management team” before the steel company wired the money to Eastern Stars in August. FBI supply woes, and he used it again, the FBI said, when he contacted Dosko Co. Ltd., a steelmaker in South Korea. The company wanted to book Williams for a concert in Seoul and wired $375,000 to Eastern Stars, somehow believing it to be a company working with a Japanese booking agency, the FBI said.
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The Japanese company was “provided with a contract and invoice in the name of Eastern Stars LLC,” which claimed to be Williams’ “legal representative,” the FBI said. Segbefia further provided “fake documents, email addresses, and the names of Williams’ real management team” before the steel company wired the money to Eastern Stars in August. The next day, Segbefia withdrew more than $113,000 from an Eastern Stars bank account, but the bank froze the rest once Dosko got suspicious and tried to recall the $375,000 wire transfer, the complaint said. Sungdae Cho, president of Dosko, confirmed that the company has been duped and expressed relief that the suspect was caught. He said Saturday that the concert was the first project for the company planning to expand into entertainment to diversify its revenues. He said the project was spearheaded by his son, David Cho. David Cho told The Associated Press that he was introduced to a representative of the suspect’s company around September through a Japanese talent agency during a meeting in Tokyo. A few weeks later, the Japanese talent agency, which had been hoping to set up a Williams concert in Japan after his performance in South Korea, called Cho and said the musician’s side needed a sum of “guarantee” money wired immediately to confirm his schedule in South Korea. Cho said he wired the money, but around 3 or 4 a.m. Korea time, the Japanese agency called him and told him it had been duped. The talent agency that represents Williams had no immediate comment on the case. (Associated Press writer Tonghyung Kim in Seoul, South Korea, contributed to this report.)
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For the week of April 29-May 6 April 29 1992—This was the first day of the Los Angeles riots which were sparked when a nearly all White jury acquitted four White cops in the brutal beating of Black motorist Rodney King even though the beating had been caught on tape. Two of the cops were later convicted on federal civil rights charges. The riots left at least 50 people dead, nearly 1,000 injuries and an estimated $1 billion in property damage. RODNEY KING April 30 711 AD—Tarik the Moor invades Spain with force of 7,000 troops, routs the Visigoths and establishes Moor domination of Spain. While there remains some dispute over Tarik’s race, the weight of the evidence is strong that he was a Black man. He was described in accounts of the time as having “brown skin and wooly hair.” His full name was Tarik al Gibral. The famed Rock of Gibraltar is named in his honor. 1828—Shaka, the great Zulu king and military leader, is killed. His innovative military strategies kept European imperialism at bay for years as he established Zulu dominance in large parts of Southern Africa. The Zulu nation grew to at least 250,000 with an army of over 40,000. But Shaka became increasingly dictatorial. Opposition to his dictatorship combined with jealousy led his two half-brothers to assassinate him on this day in 1828. May 1 1866—The two-day Memphis, Tenn., race riots, one of the most savage events immediately following the civil war, begins. When it was over, former Confederate soldiers, angered by the loss of the Civil War and the new status for Blacks, had killed 46 Blacks and two of their White supporters, as well as raped five Black women and torched over 90 homes, schools and churches. In support of the rebel soldiers, local police arrested hundreds of Blacks and not the Whites who were rioting. However, the savage nature of the rioting in Memphis (and a similar disturbance in New Orleans) prompted Congress to pass SHAKA radical Reconstruction to aid Blacks, a Civil Rights bill, and the 14th Amendment to the Constitution guaranteeing citizenship and equal protection to former slaves. 1950—Brilliant poet Gwendolyn Brooks, the first African-American to win a Pulitzer Prize in 1950 for her second collection, “Annie Allen,” is born on this day in Topeka, Kan. At 17, she started submitting her work to “Lights and Shadows,” the poetry column of the Chicago Defender, an African American newspaper. Brooks published her first book of poetry, “A Street in Bronzeville” (1945) with Harper and Row, after strong show of support to the publisher from author Richard Wright. Brooks died on Dec. 3, 2000 in Chicago, Ill. 1967—The “Long Hot Summer” begins. The period between May 1 and Oct. 1, 1967 witnessed the most dramatic and destructive series of Black urban disturbances in American history. Major riots took place in 40 American cities. There were also GWENDOLYN BROOKS lesser disturbances in 100 smaller towns and cities. Many felt the riots were sparked by a collective sense of frustrated hopes and a new urban generation less willing to adopt peaceful means for change. May 2 1844—Master inventor Elijah McCoy is born in Colchester, Ontario, Canada. He would become the holder of over 50 patents—most were mechanical devices, which greatly improved engines, locomotives and steamships. The superiority of his inventions led to the phrase “the real McCoy” coming to mean the mark of excellent and authenticity. McCoy was born to slaves who escaped America for a free life in Canada. His parents became successful and sent him to study engineering in Scotland when he was only 16. After the end of U.S. slavery, he settled in Ypsilanti, Mich., and began his remarkable career. ELIJAH McCOY 1870—One of the most unsung religious leaders in American history, William Seymour, was born on this day in Centerville, La. Seymour became pastor of the Azusa Street Mission in Los Angeles and the catalyst for the worldwide Pentecostal movement. He not only rejected racial barriers in the church in favor of “Unity in Christ,” but he is also credited with eliminating many of the restrictions placed on women in the church. He died of a heart attack in 1922. May 3 1845—Macon B. Allen passes the Massachusetts bar thus becoming the first African-American lawyer to pass a state bar and the first Black person permitted to practice law in the United States. Allen was born in Indiana but after the Civil War he moved to South Carolina where he was elected a judge in 1873. May 4 1891—Dr. Daniel Hale Williams founds the ProviWILLIAM SEYMOUR dent Hospital and Training Center in Chicago, Ill. It becomes a major training center for Black doctors and nurses. Williams is best known, however, for performing the nation’s first open heart surgery on July 9, 1893. He operated on a man injured in a knife fight. The man would live for another 20 years after the surgery. 1961—Thirteen Freedom Riders began bus trips through the South to test Southern compliance with a 1960 U.S. Supreme Court ruling outlawing segregation in interstate transportation facilities. They were soon joined by hundreds of other “Freedom Riders” of all ages and races. Despite the Court decision, dozens of Freedom Riders were arrested as the South attempted to hang onto its segregationist ways. May 5 DR. DANIEL HALE WILLIAMS 1905—Robert Sengstacke Abbot founds the Chicago Defender newspaper calling it “the world’s greatest weekly.” Indeed, he would build the Defender into the largest circulation and most influential Black newspaper of its day. The Defender, which became the most widely circulated Black newspaper in the country, came to be known as "America's Black Newspaper" and made Abbott one of the first self-made millionaires of African-American descent. In 1919, Illinois Gov. Frank Lowden appointed Abbott to the Race Relations Commission. Abbott died of Bright's disease in 1940 in Chicago, Ill. May 6 1787—Prince Hall organizes the nation’s first Black Masonic lodge in Boston, Mass.— African Lodge #459. Hall would go on to become the father of Black Masons in America and a major Black leader in the Northeast. 1812— Martin R. Delany, a pioneering ROBERT SENGSTACKE ABBOT Black nationalist, is born on this day in Charles Town, Va. Abraham Lincoln once described him as one of the most brilliant men he had ever met. Delany would fight in the Civil War to end slavery and become one of the nation’s first Black military officers. After the war he became a doctor. But over the years he became frustrated with American racism and began to advocate MARTIN R. DELANY a return of Blacks to Africa.
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Thousands attend funeral for Freddie Gray in Baltimore by Jessica Gresko, Tom Foreman Jr. Associated Press Writers
BALTIMORE (AP)—The six Baltimore police officers suspended after a man suffered serious spinal injuries while in custody should tell the public what happened, an attorney for the man’s family said at his
“It’s like there is no accountability, no justice. It’s like we’re back in the ‘50s, back in the Martin Luther King days. When is our day to be free going to come?” Erica Garner, 24, daughter of Eric Garner funeral Monday. Bill Murphy’s remarks about the officers drew a standing ovation at the funeral of Freddie Gray. Gray died April 19, days after his encounter with police. The 2,500capacity New Shiloh Baptist church was filled with mourners, many of whom filed past Gray’s casket before the service began. “This is our moment to get at truth. This is our moment to get it right,” Murphy said. A small group of mourners started lining up about two hours ahead of the April 27 funeral. As they began filing into the
ANOTHER GRIEVING MOM—Gloria Darden, mother of Freddie Gray, is comforted as she embraces his body before his funeral, April 27, at New Shiloh Baptist Church in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) church, the white casket with Gray’s body was opened, flanked by floral arrangements. A rope was placed in front of the casket to prevent people from getting too close. One person used a cellphone to take a photo of the body.
Placed atop Gray’s body was a white pillow with a screened picture of him. A projector aimed at two screens on the walls showed the words “Black Lives Matter & All Lives Matter.” Erica Garner, 24, the daughter of Eric
Garner, who died in New York police custody, attended Gray’s funeral. She said she came after seeing video of Gray’s arrest, which she said reminded her of her father’s shouts that he could not breathe when he was being arrested on a city street. “It’s like there is no accountability, no justice,” she said. “It’s like we’re back in the ‘50s, back in the Martin Luther King days. When is our day to be free going to come?” Gray’s death has prompted near-daily demonstrations. Gray was arrested one week before he died when officers chased him through a West Baltimore neighborhood and dragged him into a police van. Police said Gray was arrested after he made eye contact with officers and ran away. Officers held him down, handcuffed him and loaded him into the van. While inside, he became irate and leg cuffs were put on him, police have said. Gray asked for medical help several times, beginning before he was placed in the van. After a 30-minute ride that included three stops, paramedics were called. Authorities have not explained how or when Gray’s spine was injured. Police acknowledged on April 24 that Gray should have received medical attention on the spot where he was arrested— before he was put inside a police transport van handcuffed and without a seat belt, a violation of the police department’s policy.
Loretta Lynch sworn in as new U.S. attorney general
by Eric Tucker
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP)—Loretta Lynch was sworn in April 27 as the 83rd U.S. attorney general, the first African-American woman to serve as the nation’s top law enforcement official. Speaking before family members, Justice Department lawyers and supporters, Lynch said her confirmation as attorney general showed that “we can do anything” and pledged that the agency would “use justice as our compass” in confronting terrorism, cyberattacks and other threats facing the country. “We can imbue our criminal justice system with both strength and fairness, for the protection of both the needs of victims and the rights of all. We can restore trust and faith both in our laws and in those of us who enforce them,” Lynch said, an apparent reference to ongoing efforts to repair relations between police departments and minority communities that they serve.
Vice President Joe Biden administered the oath of office to Lynch at a Justice Department ceremony, calling Lynch an “incredibly qualified” selection. He said Lynch had shown grace during the months-long confirmation process, in which her nomination became caught up in Congress a dispute over human trafficking legislation. The 55-year-old Lynch was confirmed by the Senate on April 23. She replaces Eric Holder, who left IT’S OFFICIAL—Vice President Joe Biden, accompanied by Loretta Lynch’s father Lorenzo Lynch, second from left, and Loretta the position April 24 after serving as attorney general Lynch’s husband Stephen Hargrove, second from right, administers the oath of office to Loretta Lynch as the 83rd Attorney Genfor six years. eral of the U.S., April 27, during a ceremony at the Justice Depart“Ladies and gentlemen, it’s about time — it’s about ment in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) time this woman is being the Eastern District of New York, which sworn in,” Biden said to applause. encompasses much of New York City, and She was previously the U.S. attorney for
(Associated Press writer Amanda Lee Myers contributed to this report.)
is expected to serve as the top federal law enforcement official for the remainder of the Obama administration. Lynch isn’t expected to make radical departures from Holder’s agenda, but has said she hopes to have a productive relationship with Congress. Holder frequently clashed with Republicans on Capitol Hill and was held in contempt during a document dispute stemming from the Fast and Furious federal investigation into gun trafficking. The Harvard-educated Lynch grew up in North Carolina during the civil rights movement of the 1960s, the daughter of a librarian and a fourth-generation Baptist preacher who Biden said would take his child to the courthouse to observe important cases. “I am here to tell you, if a little girl from North Carolina who used to tell her grandfather in the fields to lift her up on the back of his mule, so she could see ‘way up high, Granddaddy,’ can become the chief law enforcement officer of the United States of America, then we can do anything,” Lynch said.
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Youth competition at Google creating Black entrepreneurs CONTINUED FROM A1
The competition is divided into three segmented divisions by age. Each young competitor had two minutes to share his/her business opportunity and the need their business would fulfill. Youth also elaborated on their business by explaining customer benefits,
unique market advantage and owner qualifications. Eleven business leaders volunteered to judge. Judges scored presentations according to how well the young entrepreneurs made their points and on their presentations skills. “Entrepreneurial thinking is a new way of seeing the world and your place in it.
Our program helps young people build confidence and knowledge to set big goals and find or create a path to achieving them,” Cozewith said. Entrepreneuring Youth is a nonprofit organization helping middle school and high school youth learn to think and act like business owners so they can pursue
Pittsburgh blues icon Chizmo Charles dead CONTINUED FROM A1
that experience, he joked in a 1992 interview that he had “played more Polish weddings than any Black man in the country.” But it was the blues that connected him with new and younger audience as the frontman for the Mystic Nights through the late 1970s and 1980s, and also with the Rhythm Aces. But unlike many modern singers, “Chiz” could really work a room. Equipped with his signature 50-foot microphone chord, Anderson routinely left the stage to serenade tables and individuals like no one else. Jazz legend Nelson Harrison, a close friend who’d played with Anderson since the 1960s said that was by design. He remembers seeing Anderson leave the stage at the Syria Mosque in the 1970s and sing an entire set to one person. “That was his M.O. He could never just stand up in front of the band and sing,” said Harrison. “He always had to go out into the audience. I have a picture of him from gig at PPG Place where he was singing to a baby.” Harrison called Anderson “one of the greatest blues voices of all time.” “He was always well dressed, a top professional. He could do that high whistletone like Minnie Ripperton, you know,” said Harrison. “And he would trade lines— call and response—with the horns and guitars. He loved it and so did everyone else.” But even as popular as he was with audiences, it wasn’t until 1998, at the age of 70, that he made his first solo recording, “Up All Night” at the Granati brothers original studio. The album feature a host of fiends, including saxophonist Kenny Blake, pianist James Johnson and Mystic Nights guitarists James Dougherty and Warren King.
Guitarist and producer Dave Granati, who had actually left the studio by that time, recorded Chizmo live a few years later at the Blue Note/Primanti Bros. on the South Side. “I wasn’t there for the studio stuff, but I got to record Chizmo live, in his element, and you can feel it. It was great,” said Granati. “You know he love to sing to all the ladies, but the Blue Note was weird setup because the band was in this tiny upstairs loft above the bar. That didn’t stop Chizmo. He took that mike and went downstairs with that extra-long chord and sang to the girls down in the bar.” In 2003, a re-mastered CD release of “Up All Night” landed Anderson a gig opening for B.B. King through the northeast leg of his tour that year. He would also regularly open for headlining blues guitarist like Johnny Winter and Buddy Guy when they came to Pittsburgh. But Anderson also sang with other local musicians, like the Blues Orphans. Orphans frontman Bob Gabig said he was great to play with because he could do all the torch songs and Sinatra classics, but he also knew all the old Hank Williams tunes. “It was a big deal to play with him. He just took to us for some reason, and he kept it up for 30 years,” said Gabig. “All he needed was a beat and he’s go. It was hypnotic sometimes. Whenever he showed up, we just let him take the show because that’s what you do with a legend. We did a little tribute to him at the German Club gig the other night—”Just a Closer Walk With Thee,” then into “When The Saints Go Marching In,” and one of his favorites, “You Got Me Runnin’” by Jimmy Reed. He was like an uncle to us.” (Send comments row@newpittsburghcourier.com.)
to
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their dreams and confidentially create their own opportunities. The program continues to flourish through partnerships with local schools and community organizations. Entrepreneuring Youth taps into teachers and volunteer professionals as mentors and coaches to guide youth through a four plus year curriculum to learn to have the mindset of an entrepreneur. Cash prizes will be awarded to first, second, and third place competition winners. EYouth has helped more than 500 local young adults in economically disadvantaged less fortunate areas since it started in 2010. “Building a new generation of entrepreneurs is
vital to our economy and our communities,” said Rich Krauland, CEO and president of NexTier Bank, a corporate sponsor for iPitch who also volunteered as a judge. “The team at Entrepreneuring Youth has developed a phenomenal program that combines education and real world experience.” Black involvement depends on the geographic location the students are coming from, which is why expansion to predominantly Black neighborhoods is important. EYouth has plans to grow the program into more neighborhoods in Pittsburgh with high Black population. They are looking to place the program in the Hilltop (specifically Allentown near Mt. Oliver), Hazelwood,
Homewood, North Side, and Braddock. “Entrepreneurs change the world... Entrepreneurial thinking enables young people to change their lives and in the process their neighborhoods,” Cozewith said, “That is why E Youth is working to grow our iPitch event into a national competition. We want youth to create their own opportunities rather than wait for them to arrive.” Last year’s 2014 iPitch winners included businesses centered around the cosmetics and textiles sectors as well as representing food items and a personal training service. Three of the winners advanced to take first, second, and third place at EYouth’s Regional competition in June.
Reach event sells out books, inspires young people CONTINUED FROM A1
speaker, author and activist Shaka Senghor. All of the men felt they needed to speak up for the book and BMe because of the need to reverse media stigma. As Judge Woodruff put it, “When you look at the media now and the news it’s always negative. BMe is bringing out the positive true side of our Black young boys and girls as well. We are doing great things in our community and throughout the country as well that needs to be shown and talked about and BMe is the exact outlet for us to do that.” Senghor began his remarks by letting it be known that he was an accomplished author that wrote six books, had taught a class at the University of Michigan, and was an MIT Media Lab fellow. It sounded at first like just another accomplished person tooting their own horn, then he added, “All of this matters because I got out of prison five years ago after serving 19 years.” Silence, then a hearty round of applause filled the room. How he defied the odds that so many couldn’t and became a success story is dictated in books he has authored alone as well as in “Reach.” “’Reach’ is really an exciting book…One of the greatest honors is that this book will be read by the freshman class of Morehouse University and that other young men will be able to see men who came from their background do things at a high level,” he said. Senghor since being released has been a stalwart supporter for the rights of convicts present and former. His #Cut50 campaign to reduce the prison population by 50 percent by 2025 has received bipartisan support from both Newt Gingrich and Vann Jones. According to Senghor, the biggest way to help former criminals assimilate back into society is to “Ban the Box.” “We need to implement more vocational trades. Ban the box in terms of employment opportunities and gives them the chance to be judged on their qualifications instead of their past,” he said. “If
you give people the opportunity to interview, often times the people who go through the process of putting in an application are doing so to be an asset to the company, not a liability. “Often times they will succeed and be able to reintegrate into society in a healthy way that is beneficial to them as an individual, but also that’s beneficial to the community.” On a personal level he said individuals should do more outreach to people incarcerated. “If you know someone incarcerated, write them letters, talk to them about things that are available to them. Learn how to use emails, learn how to write resumes and dress professionally,” he said. Former Steeler Wes Lyons and grantee of the Heinz Endowment praised the choices for the panel. “I think everybody in the room could relate to somebody up there. Whether it was an actor or the athlete, or the guy that had the troubled upbringing and then Trabian the overall good business guy. “I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to meet positive males in particular because I find it sometimes hard to do because we are scattered around. So BMe bringing us all together is just a great opportunity.” Shorters was relieved and surprised the event exceeded even his lofty expectations. “It felt like a family reunion as much as a community event.” Shorters remarked the importance of the selection of leaders in Pittsburgh in the next two months that will receive a combined $100,000 is to lead to more than just more programs for the youth. “We are not going to just ask these ten men to continue what they are doing, which is great, but we are going to ask these 10 men to be intentional about representing these best values of the community, specifically, representing the idea that not only are Black men assets but that we are all members of the human family and we reject narratives that denigrate people and we commit to working together for a better future.”
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YWCA supporters ‘Stand Against Racism’ on Downtown streets CONTINUED FROM A1
Jensen, CEO of the YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh. “I thought (the event) was splendid. We had local dignitaries who came to speak and took a stand. I was moved by the speeches; each one was effective, yet they spoke from a different point of view.” The annual event, which took place over four hours, began with a silent vigil where YWCA staff and other volunteers literally took a “stand” for the cause by lining up in front of its Wood Street site and, for
the first t i m e , buildings belonging to this year’s event partner a n d sponsor, Po i n t P a r k TYRA OLIVER University. Many wore shirts that read, “Stand Against Racism.” David Taylor, of the North Side, said he felt compelled
to participate in the vigil because “In the wake of the recent happenings, as far as a lot of our young Black men getting killed and things of that sorts, I think it’s very important that we come out here and indicate (that) racism still exists and it needs to stop. I just want equality.” Another participant, Kimberly Turner, a client service supervisor for YWCA Child Care Information Services, said, “Everyone is affected by racism, whether it’s directly or indirectly, every single day. So I think
Kingsley conference focuses on future by Christian Morrow Courier Staff Writer
With East Liberty booming, the comprehensive Larmier Plan for redevelopment underway, and multiple development projects underway in Homewood, the Kingsley Association is continuing its efforts to ensure the Black community is engaged and active in the process of defining what their community looks like. Its recent Urban Transition Cities Movement conference featured three days of presentations and workshops focusing on just that: finding imaginative ways to increase residents involvement in shaping the environmental and economic future of their communities. “One of the main purposes of the movement is to promote local leadership development, in this case around sustainability issues,” said Kingsley Executive Director Malik Bankston. “We have to identify the ever changing challenges of growth and development to position the neighborhood and the people in it to be better equipped to participate. These things will continue to evolve and change. Our concern is how to be part of it and not have it done without us or to us.” The conference opened with representative from several of the presenting organizations to practice their “elevator speeches,” quick, pointed presentations about their projects, status and goals with an eye toward securing funding and/or establishing partnerships. Some of those taking part in the threeday conference included the Larimer Consensus Group, the Larimer Green Team, Operation Better Block, GTECH, and Penn State University. In keeping with Kingsley’s holistic approach to community enrichment, all participated in larger demonstration and workshop sessions over the following two days concentrating on community sustainability, economic development, community development, transferable work skills, small business development, community farming, health and wellness and social entrepreneurial skills. Environmental presentations ranged from the macro scale, with “Climate Mama”
Joylette Portlock’s talking on the dangers of global warming, to the more immediate, with GTECH demonstrating how growing certain plants can detoxify urban lots and others can be grown for biofuel synthesis and sale. That tied into Jerome Jackson’s OBB presentation on its Cluster Planning development model in Homewood, which an entirely community-driven, section-by-section planning process. Jackson said his presentation was very well received because very few people beyond the New Pittsburgh Courier readership knew about the process, and no one from out of town did. “No one across the country has done what we’ve done. We have more than 1,200 people directly involved with their community planning process. This is the “bottom-up” process people always talk about,” he said. “So everyone was like, ‘wow, how did you think of that?’” Finally, at the individual level, the conference also highlighted several initiative involving community members improving themselves. One of the presentations featured a demonstration of the ongoing robotics programming partnership between Kingsley kids working with 4-H City and Penn State, and which previously included collaboration with CMU, Hampton University in Virginia and even the US Navy. The 4-H City program also includes instruction and mentoring on leadership, civic engagement, entrepreneurship and education, and sustainability and architecture. Bankston said keeping abreast of doing work involving workforce development education, and skills training, climate change, smart and affordable housing, is complex work. So informing kids about robotics or gaming or coding is critical. “Here’s an activity, even a hobby, you can have a hand in that translates to real applications and possibly a career path people might not have ever considered because they weren’t exposed to it,” said Bankston. “Kids seem to be much more open to making their own job instead of looking for a job the way we did. They think about taking knowledge and applying it to something they want to work on and having employers pay them to do it.”
Community Calendar Vann Media Awards APRIL 30—The Pittsburgh Black Media Federation will host the 27th Annual Robert L. Vann Awards at 6 p.m. at the University of Pittsburgh, O’Hara Student Center Ballroom, 4024 O’Hara St., Oakland. The Awards recognizes the best journalism coverage of the African American and African Diaspora communities of Western Pennsylvania. Sonya Toler, Ty Miller and Eddie Jeffries will also be recognized for their works. Reservations are requested by April 27. For more information, visit www.pbmf.org.
Celebrating Survivors MAY 1—Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh will host its Celebrating Survivors at 6 p.m. at J. Verno Studios, 3030 Jane St., South Side. The evening celebrates those who have survived intimate partner violence as well as reflecting on the memory of those who lost their lives. There will be a silent auction, food and music by the Kevin Howard Band. There will also be a presentation of the Ted Craig Humanitarian Award. For more information, visit www.WCSCanHelp.org/Celebrating Survivors.
Fashion Show/ Luncheon MAY 2—East End Community Thrift Shop will host “Affordable Chic 2015” the 22nd Annual Fashion Show & Luncheon from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at East Liberty Presbyterian Church, Church Social Hall, 116 S. Highland Ave., East Liberty. The theme is “Joyful, Joyful.” There will be food, the opportunity to buy low cost donated clothing items and more. For more information, call 412-361-6010.
Freedom Sunday MAY 3—The NAACP Pittsburgh Branch will host its Freedom Sunday Service at 4 p.m. at Bethel AME Church, 2720 Webster Ave., Hill District. The keynote speaker will be Minister Sammie J. Dow, NAACP national youth director. The program will
also feature actress Kim El and Minister Deryck Tines and the Citywide Gospel Choir. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 412471-1024 or email naacp.pittsburgh@verizon.net.
Candidates Forum MAY 9—The Western Pennsylvania Black Political Assembly, the African American Leadership Association, the Black Political Empowerment Project and other organizations will host a Candidates Forum from 12-4 p.m. at Pittsburgh Obama, 515 N. Highland Ave., East Liberty. Candidates from the county and city controllers, Pittsburgh City Council Districts 7 and 9, Pittsburgh School Board District 8 and Magisterial Judge races. This forum is an opportunity to keep informed about local issues that are important. For more information, call the AALA at 412-540-5063 or email info@aalapgh.org.
Journalism Workshop Applications ONGOING—The Pittsburgh Black Media Federation is accepting applications for its 32nd annual Frank Bolden Urban Journalism Workshop to be held Aug. 18 at Point Park University, Downtown. Students who will be a high school junior or senior for the 2015-16 school year or those graduating high school in 2015 and are interested in pursuing a career in journalism are encouraged to attend this residential program led by media professionals. Students will produce print, online, photo, radio and television journalism projects. Applications must be submitted by June 1. For more information, call Christopher Moore at 412596-9735 or email cmoore@wqed.org. (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.)
it’s just very important for us to take a stand a n d pause for racism.” In addition to t h e MAGDELINE YWCA’s JENSEN normal rally held at the Community College of Allegheny County North Shore campus, the organization added a special kick-off rally, held at Point Park’s Village Park, that featured several local political and community officials who spoke on the need to address racism and how they represented entities take action daily. Speakers included Keith Paylo, dean of students at Point Park; Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald; Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto; Cindy Chung of the U.S. Attorney’s Office; Special Agent Raymond Duda of the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office; Bob Nelkin, executive director of United Way; Grant Oliphant, president & CEO of the Heinz Endowments; Saleem Ghubril, executive director of
The Pittsburgh Promise; Tyra Oliver, chair of the Homer S. Brown Division of the Allegheny County Bar Association and a YWCA Young Leaders board member; Marcia Sturdivant, president & CEO of NEED; Alysia Keating, director of Diversity and Gender Equality at the Allegheny County Bar Association; and Esther Bush, president & CEO of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh. “Racism is an uncomfortable topic; it’s the elephant in every room. It affects many aspects of everyday life and no one wants to discuss it,” said Oliver. “It’s important that we have this dialogue in spite of our discomfort and that we acknowledge there cannot be any progress without conversation.” Jenson said she was pleased with the kick-off rally’s turnout of approximately 60, but wishes more could have heard the messages. But of those who did, she said she hopes they think about what they heard and help move things forward. While she recognizes the rally will not solve society’s racial issues, she believes it will get individuals started. “It’s important for the community to be aware and
pull together so that we can see how to address it. This is a community that if it pulls together, and if it pays attention, can actually make (changes),” said Jensen. “We need to get out in front of this and see what we can do to be truly inclusive in the city. It really isn’t a livable city for everyone, but it needs to be.” To keep in line with its organization’s goals of “eliminating racism and empowering women,” the YWCA offers 11 programs to help women of all ages in the greater Pittsburgh community. Their programming includes four housing programs; a four-star child care site in Homewood, an after school program in partnership with the Carnegie Science Center and a health outreach program, just to name a few. “Advocacy is not just political advocacy. Advocacy is also working toward both of our goal everyday in our programs,” Jensen said. “There’s value in both and we need to walk the talk everyday in the work that we do.”
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In addition to paying to t r a i n teachers and staff in implementing the prog r a m protocols, and gathering data, DAVID HICKTON t h e grant will fund a two-year research project, conducted by the RAND Corp. that will analyze the program and determine its effectiveness. This will be done by matching the 23 program schools with 23 others that employ standard district practices. Both the study and control groups of
schools have been matched using a variety of criteria including, size, student age, grade configuration, and racial demographics. RAND Senior Policy Researcher Catherine Augustine said the study will look at suspension rates, attendance rates and student and teacher answers to annual surveys for both groups of schools. “That way, if we find a statistically significant difference, we’ll be able to attribute it to the program’s effectiveness,” she said. The study will begin with the 2015-2016 school year, and the result should be available by fall 2017. If the program proves successful, Lane said it would then be expanded throughout the district.
(For more information on the YWCA and its services, call 412255-1466 or visit www.ywcapgh.org)
Hickton, Lane detail alternative discipline school program bility for their actions, rather than simply excluding them. Discipline, said Lane, does not equal punishment. “It’s about learning how to get along, to forgive and have the other person make it right and moving forward together,” she said. “Kids will still get suspended, we know that. But if it happens, we want to only happen once.” Hickton called the grant “an investment in our most precious asset.” “If we don’t do this, if we only have a hammer, suspended students go from atrisk to drop outs and can quickly wind up on my desk,” he said. “We need to produce students and graduates rather than defendants and convicts.”
(Send comments to cmorrow@newpittsburghcourier.com.)
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APRIL 29-MAY 5, 2015
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
PEOPLE
WORK OF ART—Judge Dwayne Woodruff posing next to a painting presented to him. (Photos by J. L. Martello)
PERFECT COUPLE—Judge Dwayne Woodruff at the podium with wife, Joy Maxberry Woodruff, whom he admires for her work with their family, his campaign, law school and much more. He said he would not except any award without his soul mate. “We accept this honor together.”
17th Annual Mel Blount Youth Home All-Star Celebrity Roast
JENNIFER AND MIKE LOGAN
The Mel Blount Youth Home of Pennsylvania Inc. held its 17th Annual Celebrity Roast honoring former Pittsburgh Steelers’ Cornerback Judge Dwayne Woodruff on April 3. The event included a VIP reception followed by a general reception and dinner at Downtown’s Westin Convention Center Hotel. The purpose of the dinner was to assist in obtaining the necessary funding for the Mel Blount Youth Home, which is located in Washington County. The youth home is run by Steelers great and NFL Hall of Famer Mel Blount. More than 800 were expected to attend this year’s black tie event. There was a roast and tribute honoring Woodruff, former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback. The event also included a host of former and current players. The Mel Blount Youth Home, celebrating its 25th anniversary, provides beds for short-term emergency shelter. Referrals for emergency shelter are accepted 24-hours a day for males between the ages of 7 and 17. The MBYH also provides beds used for long-term residential placement of males between the ages of 13 and 17. The youth home offers a structured and nurturing environment that assures every child‘s safety. The children live together in a group home setting and participate in an array of activities designed to address individual treatment goals. It provides individual therapeutic techniques for pre-adolescents, including: reality therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, group therapy and anger management. Each child is evaluated during his first 10 days by the staff therapist and by a licensed psychologist within the first 30 days, which identifies his specific treatment needs and goals. An individual treatment plan for that child is then established.
SHARING LAUGHS—Franco Harris and Judge Dwayne Woodruff laughing during the roast.
THE WOODRUFF FAMILY
MASTER OF CEREMONIES ROBIN COLE
LEAH AND LOUIS LIPS
ROAST—Judge Dwayne Woodruff and Mel Blount share a laugh during the roast.
FRIENDS FOR LIFE—Judge Dwayne Woodruff with wife, Joy, and TiAnda and Mel Blount.
YOUTH—The youth from the Center for Family Excellence with Mirgeonetta Clark, front row, and Mel Blount and David Richardson, in the back row.
Life of Black man displayed in zoo matters, too
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
APRIL 29-MAY 5, 2015
NATIONAL
by Jazelle Hunt
book’s co-author is Verner’s grandson, who died in 2013. As Newkirk gathered primary sources, she was surprised to find so many news articles, scholarly studies, and first-person accounts, written in real-time as Benga’s life unfolded. And despite clear evidence, some academics were reluctant to have the narrative disturbed. “There were some institutions that were not as forthcoming as one would hope,” she says. “But I did find a lot more than I ever thought I would. Even if one institution had withheld information, there was a lot more, so I wasn’t overly reliant on one place.” In reading, she began to understand why
some sources seemed so guarded. “One of the main things I found is that he was hunted, like one would hunt an animal,” Newkirk says, referencing an article Verner had written about his method for capturing the people derogatorily called pygmies. “He was in no way complicit in his exhibition, and he resisted being there. Stories have been told as if he was a happy subject of that degradation.” According to Newkirk’s research, scientists and anthropology pioneers were among the first and loudest to defend and justify Benga’s confinement. Newkirk explains that the theme of the Louisiana Purchase Exhibition in 1904—also known as the St. Louis World’s Fair, the first place Benga was held captive—was human advancement. Many indigenous people from
around the world were kidnapped or coerced into performing in exhibits depicting man’s progress from “savage” settlements to the “civilized” White Western world. “It was all predicated on notions of science and anthropology. When The New York Times defended the [Bronx Zoo] exhibition, they defended it in the name of science,” she explains. “There were questions of whether or not he was human, whether he was The Missing Link. It was the most eminent men of New York City who defended and supported this exhibition.” Newkirk, who is also the director of undergraduate studies at New York University, where she teaches about media representation of marginalized groups, draws parallels between the racist beliefs that enabled what happened to Benga, and today’s racial climate. She says, “The refrain of ‘Black lives matter’ rings in your ear when you see what people are capable of doing. They said that the African is so close to the ape…When you look at what was considered ‘educated’ and ‘modern’ and ‘advanced,’ those were the views that were considered progressive in that period. “This is so deeply rooted in American society – this idea that Black people…are animals. My book is historical…but I leave it to others to see how deeply embedded these ideas are and how they became…the foundation for policy.” Spectacle: The Astonishing Life of Ota Benga goes on sale June 2. Pre-orders are available now through Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Newkirk hopes that her book is instrumental in correcting the historical record of Benga’s life in the United States. “The most important thing for me is to correct the historical record. It’s just such an insult that the man who’s most responsible for exploiting him has been depicted as his friend and savior for a hundred years,” she says. “[Benga’s] life was worthy of this kind of exploration, because Black lives do matter. I think we owe that to Ota Benga.”
dency to choose spouses with similar educational attainment. Rising numbers of college-educated women play a key role in this change. It is much easier for college graduates to find and marry each other when there are more equal numbers of each gender within an educational bracket. “Here’s what nobody is telling you: Find a husband on campus before you graduate.” Writing in The Daily Princetonian, Patton went on: “You will never again be sur-
rounded by this concentration of men who are worthy of you.” Race is a factor in patterns of assortative mating. Black women face more difficult “marriage markets” than White women, given current rates of intermarriage according to work from University of Maryland sociologist Philip N. Cohen. Black women have the lowest rates of “marrying out” across race lines, in part because of racist attitudes to inter-marriage. Just 49 percent of college-
educated Black women marry a well-educated man (i.e., with at least some post-secondary education, compared to 84 percent of college-educated White women, according to an analysis of PSID data by Yale sociologist Vida Maralani. The study goes on to show that there is a growing “marriage gap” in the United States. Marriage rates among the non-college educated population have fallen sharply in the last few decades, and sharpest of all in the Black population.
For New Pittsburgh Courier
WASHINGTON (NNPA)–An ordinary Internet search on Ota Benga yields blackand-white photos of a petite Black man, almost naked, smiling with a row of spiky teeth. Some accounts say he achieved fame in the early 1900s as part of controversial human zoo exhibitions in the United States. But a look below the surface reveals a true tale of extreme racism, cruelty, and widespread collusion in the kidnapping and dehumanization of a man. This is the meat of “Spectacle: The Astonishing Life of Ota Benga,” a shocking historical biography of Benga’s experience as a museum attraction––most notably as “the pygmy at the [Bronx] Zoo,” on display in an enclosure with an orangutan between 1906 and 1910. Benga was later relocated to Lynchburg, Va., where he committed suicide at the age of 32. Due on book stands in June, the historical biography retraces Benga’s journey using primary sources such as published articles, museum archives, and first-person writings from Samuel Phillips Verner, the man who abducted Benga and brought him across the Atlantic. “So much of what I read in the archives was so chilling,” says Pamela Newkirk, journalist and author of the book. “And I guess the thing that surprised me to was the extent to which the statements of elite and institutions go unquestioned. For more than a hundred years, the story of Ota Benga was told by the same people who exploited him, and that narrative has stuck all of this time.” Currently, “Ota Benga: The Pygmy in the Zoo,” published in 1993, is the book of record for learning more about Benga’s life and death. It tells the story of Verner’s exploits as a missionary in the Congo, his fascination with the racist scientific theories of the day, and his guilt over his treatment of Benga, all culminating in a tenuous friendship between Benga and Verner. This
EXPLOITED—Pamela Newkirk, journalist and author of the book said that, “For more than a hundred years, the story of Ota Benga was told by the same people who exploited him, and that narrative has stuck all of this time.” (Courtesy Photo)
OTA BENGA, 1906
Study shows educated Black women have to marry down
by Terry Shropshire
For New Pittsburgh Courier
A new study suggests strongly that the majority of educated, upwardly mobile and money-making Black women have to marry down or stay single. Take a look at what Quartz has to say: There is a growing trend in the United States towards assortative mating—a clunky phrase that refers to people’s ten-
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APRIL 29-MAY 5, 2015
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
OPINION
Rev. Burgess…Face your opponents
Guest Editorial
High expectations for Loretta Lynch After months of unnecessary delay, Loretta Lynch has finally won confirmation to serve as the nation’s attorney general. On Thursday, the Senate voted 56-43 to confirm her. Lynch is replacing Eric Holder, the nation’s first African-American attorney general. Lynch will become the first Black woman in the nation’s top law enforcement post. She currently serves as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York. Her confirmation was delayed for months for several reasons, most recently a lengthy dispute over abortion on a totally unrelated bill to address sex trafficking. Lynch boasts strong credentials and a reputation as a no-nonsense prosecutor. Partisan politics had prolonged a months-long delay in confirming President Barack Obama’s attorney general nominee. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas warned last week the Senate could bypass the sex trafficking bill that’s been somehow entangled with Lynch’s nomination in order to deal with Iran review legislation that cleared the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The delay in Lynch’s confirmation for attorney general was shameful. Her confirmation should not have been held up so long over political battles that had nothing to do with her. Obama nominated Lynch five months ago to succeed Holder as the Justice Department’s top official. Lynch would have little more than 18 months in office, during which time she would face a Republican-controlled Congress, and a lame-duck president. While this will probably leave her little time to make major policy changes, she could still have a major impact on such issues as police misconduct, voting rights, immigration and terrorism. One of the many challenges she will face is how to set priorities for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, which is now called on to investigate every suspicious police shooting in the country. Many in the civil rights community who strongly backed her confirmation are right to have high expectations of her and expect Lynch will use her legal skills and decades of experience to be a champion of all those whom the U.S. Constitution protects. (Reprinted from the Philadelphia Tribune)
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I have the greatest respect for Rev. Ricky Burgess. He has done more for the Homewood, Larimer, Lincoln, Lemington, East End area he serves than any City Council person has done in the past 30 years, but he is very, very wrong not to meet his opponents head on because of one incident. The incident that happened at one of the debates is not clear. Some say it was a fight between a candidate and an audience member. But Judith Ginyard said it was a family issue. Whatever, no one was hurt, especially the candidates. By not debating his challengers, it makes it look like he has something to hide, or that he is afraid of them, or that he really isn’t proud of his accomplishments. Sure this district is the worst in the city when it comes to unemployment, lack of education, imprisonment, blighted houses and lots, and the lack of businesses, but none of that is Rev. Burgess’ fault. It was even worse when he took office and getting worse. I’m not knocking Twanda Carlisle, she started the ball rolling before becoming sidetracked. But hopefully Rev. Burgess will not get sidetracked and keep doing what he’s doing to improve this desperately in need area of the city. Who knows, by participating in the debates he may learn something. All the candidates opposing him are intelligent people who may have a better way of doing something, which he can use. Who says that every winning idea has to be yours? If someone has a better idea, use it. Nobody knows it all. We all must
the right to vote. Our forefathers fought and died to give us that right, and any candidate worth his salt should be promoting this, and should never allow anyone or anything, including a fight, or disturbance, to block him or her from doing just that, or from getting their point of view out to the people. Sure the other three candidates in this City Council race are all ganggo through a lifetime of learning. ing up on Rev. Burgess, but he has And the wise man or woman never to realize that when you have somegets too old or experienced to learn. thing that others want, they are Rev. Burgess and all the other can- going to come at you and try to take didates can do that at these meetit. So you can just give it up, or you ings--not just from the politicians, can fight to keep what is yours. Rev. but from the community. Going one Burgess you have the seat, not on one with the community is showing up for the fight is not the great, and debates in the communi- best way to show people they should ties gives the residents a clearer keep you in that seat because who’s view of the candidates and makes going to tell them what all you have them feel a part of the process accomplished, and will accomplish which will motivate them to come in the future if you aren’t there? Not out and vote. your opponents. So I’m saying to Rev. Burgess, reJust sayin’. consider The African American Once again young people showed Chamber candidate forum, the Bthat for every one low life who PEP forum, and the Western Penndoesn’t want to work there are a sylvania Black Political Assembly hundred ready, willing and able to forum. All three are highly rework if given the chance. Young peospected organizations in the commu- ple packed the city youth Summer nity, which are having candidate fo- Job Fair at Carnegie Library rerums to introduce the community cently. More than 800 showed up, and their followers to the candidates and Mayor Bill Peduto is still saying running for all the positions up for that anyone wanting a job will get election this May 19. one. We are constantly telling the Black “This event proved that our youth community that they must vote to want to do the right thing, and want have power, well here’s three groups to be positioned onto the right path that are leading the way, and makto be successful,” said Rick Flanaing that effort to educate the comgan, manager of Eastside Neighbormunity, so every candidate should hood Employment Center. (Ulish Carter is the managing editor of the be participating. New Pittsburgh Courier.) One of our most precious rights is
Ulish Carter
Just Sayin’
Black women killed by police are ignored (NNPA)—You know their names— Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice—because these African American men were unarmed and killed by “law enforcement” officers. Their names have been part of a litany invoked when police shootings are discussed. Their deaths have been part of the impetus for the Black Lives Matter movement, especially because the police officers that killed these men (and a little boy) have paid no price for their murders. You are far less likely to know about Rekia Boyd, shot by an offduty police officer in Chicago. While the officer who killed Boyd was acquitted, her killing sparked few protests, and little national attention. Kate Abbey-Lambertz of Huffington Post identified 15 women who were killed during police encounters when they were unarmed, including Tanisha Anderson (Cleveland), 7year-old Aiyana Stanley-Jones (Detroit), and Yvette Smith (Bastrop, Texas). The killing of another woman, Miriam Carey, was especially egregious. Carey, a dental hygienist, drove her car into a security checkpoint near the White House. The Secret Service fired multiple shots at Carey, killing her and putting her 13-month-old daughter at risk. Meanwhile, a White man scaled the White House fence without a shot fired. Another made it into the White House residence without encountering a gun. A few people protested Carey’s death, but the protests fizzled. AlterNet and Clutch Magazine, online sources such as Huffington Post, reported on some of the unarmed Black women who were gunned down. Again, these killings were barely protested, and garnered no national attention. Little seems to have changed since Gloria Hull, Patricia Bell-Scott, and Barbara Smith wrote But Some of Us Are Brave: All the Women Are White, All
Julianne Malveaux
Commentary the Blacks are Men. The book, written in 1993, addressed the invisibility of African American women. While the majority of the unarmed African Americans killed by police officers are men, about 20 percent of those killed are women. The publicized killings of African American men have happened all too frequently in the past 12 months. Each killing strikes our collective community like a body blow, especially when officers are poorly trained, have records of brutality, and are acquitted. When the roll of recent killings is called, women may be absent because there has been little publicity about assaults against women in the past year. Based on the record, however, we know such assaults are likely to have happened. Contemporary African American women are not the only ones who history has swallowed. Fannie Lou Hamer was beaten so many times, and so severely that she developed a blood clot and lost much of her sight in one eye. One kidney was injured and her entire body covered with welts and bruises. She never regained her health, yet when people call the roll of civil rights leaders and icons, her name is too often excluded. There is a historical precedent for the invisibility of African American women. Fannie Lou Hamer is but one of many women whose lives and sacrifices are often ignored. Public policy also ignores the plight of African American women. President Obama’s “My Brother’s
Keeper” initiative is well-meaning, but ignores the status of young African American women. While young Black women are more likely to go to college than young Black men, those who do not go to college face some of the same job challenges as men do. Young women can benefit from the same efforts that young men are offered through My Brother’s Keeper, such as mentorship and initiatives to develop pathways to education and employment. Focusing on young Black women should not minimize efforts to improve the status of young Black men. There ought be no competition, but efforts for inclusion. The Black Lives Matter movement must recognize the killing of Black women as well as Black men. To do any less, to ignore the unarmed Black women who are shot, suggests that only Black men’s lives matter. Any African American who is shot and killed by police officers deserves our attention. Both African American men and African American women have economic, psychological, and physical wounds because of the racism we experience. Our economic wounds manifest as higher unemployment rates and lower wages. Our health wounds are illustrated through the health disparities we experience, along with differences in life expectancies. Our psychological wounds include dysfunction in our organizations and relationships. We won’t have healthy and functional communities until we focus on healing wounds among all of us — Black men and Black women. I’ve been impressed and excited by the Black Lives Matter movement and the young leadership that has emerged from it. This is a movement that, powerful as it is, would be so much stronger if it acknowledged that Black women’s lives also matter. (Julianne Malveaux is a Washingtonbased writer and economist. She can be reached at www.juliannemalveaux.com.)
‘Parent Choice’ in education helps families When I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in the mid 90’s, I moved to New York City. And I did what most young folks did them: found the cheapest apartment I could afford in the nicest neighborhood possible. That place was a first-floor front studio near Central Park. The block was lovely, but I lived in the worst building on it. Sanitation workers used to wake me up when they threw the cans against my outside windows. In the winter, I heated the place with my open stove. And if anything broke, it took forever to get it fixed. I paid about three-fourths of what I made to live in that apartment, and my landlord knew that. And because of this, our relationship was uneasy. I only pushed so hard to get things fixed because I couldn’t afford to move. She only did enough to make it barely livable. And we both knew there were hundreds of kids, just like me, ready to take my spot if I decided to head back home. It was all win for her and, because I could not move, all lose me. My relationship with my old landlord is the same relationship most
Derrell Bradford
Commentary parents and children of color, particularly in cities, have with their neighborhood schools and school districts. The quality of instruction is poor and, according to the Office of Civil Rights, students are far more likely to be taught by a teacher who is out of subject specialization than elsewhere. There are 90 schools in New York City, for instance, where not one minority child passed the recent round of state tests. These kids and families are stuck with their schools just like my old landlord and I were; the school only giving what it must, and the family desperate to get more for their child’s education. Eventually I got lucky, got a new job, and moved to a better apart-
ment. For most folks, however, moving to a better “building,” or a school or school district in this case, just isn’t an option. If you have money or influence in America, you don’t even blink when your local school doesn’t deliver. You know you can “move” to a private school or another school district, and the local school does too. So if that power is good enough for the wealthiest and most influential, why shouldn’t we give low-income families in southwest Baltimore where I’m from, or Newark, or New York the same options? As a child I got a scholarship to an excellent school and that changed my life, forever, and there is no day I don’t wake up and know how blessed I am because of it. “Parent Choice” in education is the one thing that can help families, just like mine, and help them today. Take a lesson from my old landlord. Your zip code and your income might dictate where you live…but they shouldn’t determine your child’s future. (Derrell Bradford is executive director, The New York Campaign for Achievement Now)
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
FORUM
Michael Eric Dyson vs. Cornel West
William ‘Bill’ Robinson, leadership and courage
(NNPA)—It’s the academic version of the world heavyweight championship boxing matches between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in Zaire labeled “The Rumble in the Jungle” and the Philippine’s “Thriller in Manila.” Whatever label you attach to it, the public feud between Professors Cornel West and Michael Eric Dyson, two of our most gifted intellectuals, cannot be ignored. Dyson’s original opus weighed in at nearly 10,000 words—four to five times the length of a typical magazine feature story—and landed plenty of punches to West’s body of work. Dyson charged that Obama’s inauguration marked “a pronounced and decades-long scholarly decline” for West. He explained, “It is not only that West’s preoccupations with Obama’s perceived failures distracted him, though that is true; more accurate would be to say that the last several years revealed West’s paucity of serious and fresh intellectual work, a trend far longer in the making. West is still a Man of Ideas, but those ideas today are a vain and unimaginative repackaging of his earlier hits. He hasn’t published without aid of a co-writer a single scholarly book since Keeping Faith, which appeared in 1993, the same year as Race Matters.” Despite other issues addressed by Dyson in his tome, at its core, this heavyweight fight is personal. In the interest of full disclosure, I know both Cornel and Michael and count each of them as a friend. Except for the length of Dyson’s article, the only thing surprising is that he waited this long to reply to West’s attacks on him. And readers had to wait almost until the end of the article to learn what West specifically said about Dyson that so en-
William “Bill” subpoenaed; he Robinson is the Louis ‘Hop’ Kendrick never subscribed to only son of two defollow the leader. In voted parents, Fos1989 the Lion of ter and Annie Judea K. Leroy Robinson. Mr. Irvis retired from Robinson is dePennsylvania ceased, but Mrs. House of RepresenRobinson is still an tatives and William active loving “Bill” Robinson sucmother at 95 years ceeded him. A numof age. Bill’s parents instilled in him a ber of us remember that two multimillionsense of self-worth, pride in individual dollar stadiums were being built on Pittsand race, and the importance of educa- burgh’s North Side. Bill demanded that tion. After Bill graduated from Schenley Black men and women be provided with High School he continued his education at the opportunity to share in the American Ohio State University where his major dream their rightful share of the goods was political science and graduated with a and services and construction contracts. B.A., and a developing sense of concern for He published what he called the “Report Black people. Once he returned to Pitts- Card on the Stadiums.” The White unions burgh and took a short break he then en- and the White Democrat Party members rolled at Pitt University where he ob- declared war on Bill. Bill stood virtually tained a Master’s Degree and an expand- alone as he fought the Democrat Party ing concern about Black people. Now it is and the unions. time for Bill to obtain a job and utilize At the conclusion of the building of the these years of education. He would truly two stadiums, Bill’s Report Card on the be blessed, because his first two employ- Stadiums gave the Democrat Party and ers would be truly Black men of purpose, the unions a red E, because it was deterconcern and dedicated to improving our mined that Blacks and women only requality of life. The first would be his four ceived 2 percent of the contracts. A local years of employment at the Pittsburgh daily newspaper after reviewing the conUrban League under the leadership of tracts in 2014 arrived at the conclusion THE Art Edmonds. After resigning form that only 1 percent was awarded to Blacks the Urban League Bill was employed at and women. The Democrat Party starting one of the most prestigious universities in with a new mayor now declared war on the nation if not the world, Carnegie Mel- Representative Bill Robinson and delon University and there he was intro- manded that he be removed at the next duced to another real brother, Norman election. The mayor summoned those colJohnson, PhD. Bill has often talked about ored politicians that he knew he could the importance of these two men, Art Ed- count on and state, “Bill Robinson must be munds and Norman Johnson, who played removed form office.” It is an established an important role in his development. fact that Bill’s removal from office after 14 Bill’s political career began in 1974 years was solely because of his exposure when he ran for the position of Allegheny of the Democrat Party’s total disrespect of County Recorder of Deeds. In the year of Black voters who had supported them 1978, Bill ran and was elected to Pitts- since 1936. Bill’s political resurrection ocburgh City Council, and that was the be- curred when he was elected to the Alginning of 41 years of political service. Yes, legheny County’s 10th Council District. the Democrat Party was introduced to a He has proven during his tenure on Alvery different Black politician, who al- legheny County Council that he is still ways put the welfare of his constituents concerned about the overall welfare of his before the will of the Democrat Party. In constituents. His health will not permit the history of Blacks being elected him to continue his political services to throughout Allegheny County, it is my the voters of Allegheny County and parconviction that excluding Bill Robinson ticularly to the 10th district. The chalthere have been about three other Blacks lenge to neither his petitions nor the opwho lived out the difference between a position by County Executive Rich leader and leadership. The adjective Fitzgerald was the driving force; it is his leader has been applied to every Black health. male or female who has been elected, apIt goes without saying that William pointed, or self-appointed, but leadership “Bill” Robinson’s involvement will really has eluded 98 percent. If you remember be missed, because he is the personificaPittsburgh City Council was sued in fed- tion of not a leader, but leadership. (Louis “Hop” Kendrick is a weekly contributor to eral court about a television contract and every councilperson but Bill Robinson was the Forum Page.)
George E. Curry
Commentary raged him. “In November 2012, West, friend and mentor, one of the three men whose name is on my Princeton doctoral dissertation, let me have it in the national media. It was during an appearance with Tavis Smiley on Democracy Now, shortly after Obama’s reelection. ‘I love Brother Mike Dyson,’ West said. ‘But we’re living in a society where everybody is up for sale. Everything is up for sale. And he and Brother Sharpton and Sister Melissa and others, they have sold their souls for a mess of Obama pottage. And we invite them back to the black prophetic tradition after Obama leaves. But at the moment, they want insider access, and they want to tell those kinds of lies. They want to turn their back to poor and working people. And it’s a sad thing to see them as apologists for the Obama administration in that way, given the kind of critical background that all of them have had at some point.’” As Dyson wrote, “West was just warming up.” Dyson continued, “After a fiftieth anniversary celebration of the 1963 March on Washington on the National Mall, a celebration Sharpton led and at which I spoke, West argued that Martin Luther King Jr. ‘would’ve been turning over in his grave’ at Sharpton’s ‘coronation’ as the ‘bona fide house negro of the Obama plantation,’ supported by ‘the Michael Dysons and others who’ve really prostituted themselves intellectually in a very, very ugly and vicious way.’ And recently, while promoting Black Prophetic Fire, West argued ‘the Sharptons, the Melissa Harris-Perrys, and the Michael Eric Dysons … end up being these cheerleaders and bootlickers for the President, and I think it’s a disgrace when it comes to the black prophetic tradition of Malcolm and Martin.’” West responded to Dyson briefly on Facebook, saying: “Character assassination is the refuge of those who hide and conceal these issues in order to rationalize their own allegiance to the status quo.” Dyson responded to West’s response and pushback from other quarters with a second, 2,623-word article in The New Republic. Regarding his decision to publicly answer West, Dyson, quoting old folks who administered public spankings to children, said, “Where you did it is where you get it.” Of all the issues facing Black America— police murders, poverty, mass incarceration, drones, unfair trade policies, electronic surveillance, failing schools, unemployment, Wall Street power, and Israeli occupation of Palestinians, to use part of West’s list of pressing issues—a heavyweight fight between two prized Black intellectuals is an unwanted distraction. Four years ago, I arranged and moderated a conversation between West and Sharpton at a National Newspapers Publishers Association’s convention in Chicago. It was a cordial and respectful conversation. However, it wasn’t long before West personally attacked Sharpton again. So I have little hope that a sit-down between West and Dyson would yield anything beyond a temporary truce. In the end, West and Dyson will be judged not by the amount of flowery venom they can direct at each other— we’ve had more than enough of that already—but whether they can help find solutions for the array of vexing problems that still plague our people. (George E. Curry, former editor-in-chief of Emerge magazine, is editor-in-chief NNPA and BlackPressUSA.com.)
To Tell The Truth
Presidential apologies History credits President John F. J. Pharoah Doss Kennedy for preventing the nuclear annihilation of the world by resolving the Cuban missile crisis through diplomatic means. Hard line critics claim the threat of the world’s extinction materialized because of Kennedy’s mishandling of the Bay of Pigs invasion which was intended to overthrow Fidel Castro. After the mishandling, of a pre-approved operation by his predecessor, Kennedy asked for airtime on the networks to address the nation. In this address Kennedy accepted the blame for the botched military operation, and it was viewed by some as the first televised presidential apology. Then Kennedy accepted the resignation of the CIA director. (Kennedy fired him.) Barack Obama promised the reversal of his predecessor’s policies during his presidential campaign. Once in the oval office he embarked upon what could be called the first foreign policy apology tour. The Heritage Foundation lists ten significant apologies Obama made during his first four months. One of the apologies was for the “War on terror”. Then Obama ordered his administration to terminate the Bush invented phrase. The terminology that replaced “War on terror” at the time was “Overseas contingency operations”. This linguistic change seemed to suffice as the reversal of policy Obama promised during his campaign. (After 9-11 the Bush administration declared an open war on terror. This was a policy change from the Clinton administration who viewed terrorism as isolated incidents dealt with by retaliatory air strikes.) But it wasn’t a new policy direction. Obama simply returned his predecessor’s open war back to the “need to know” operations conducted under every previous administration since the Bay of Pigs, and the new president was able to continue his predecessor’s policies, if necessary, because the public didn’t need to know. The next time the American people were reminded of the “War on Terror” Obama announced the death of Osama Bin Laden. The president proclaimed, “Justice has been done.” leaving many with the impression, after the announcement, so was Al-Quida. Now Obama’s second term is ending and the president recently delivered another televised presidential apology. Obama apologized for a CIA drone strike on an AlQuida compound that accidentally killed two hostages, one American. How long have drone strikes against Al-
Commentary
Quida been in effect after the Obama administration stopped using the term “War on Terror” and, more importantly, how many accidental casualties have occurred after the announcement of Bin Ladin’s death? According to the Washington post the CIA has conducted drone strikes against Al-Quida for more than a decade, first authorized by President Bush then expanded by President Obama. The strikes have caused widespread anger because of civilian casualties. In 2013 a US drone strike hit a wedding procession in Yemen, killing 12, (The US government refused to formally recognize the attack or publicly acknowledge civilian deaths.) and at the time of this debacle the Obama administration already surpassed the amount of drone strikes launched by his predecessor. Kennedy apologized for the appearance of American weakness and emboldening the Soviet Union, but he personally regretted abandoning his own judgment by following a previous course of action he didn’t strategize. Obama apologized for the loss of American life because he extended his predecessors course of action. But what did he regret personally? Could it be the mishandling of the Bin Laden death announcement? According to Richard Miniter, author of Leading From Behind, after Bin Laden’s death the Navy seals took trash bags full of documents and hard drives out of Bin Laden’s lair. The intelligence community expected Bin Laden’s death to remain secret until they could analyze the data, pinpoint locations of operatives, figure out how their funded, and then strike them before they realized their leader was dead. If Obama would have remained silent he could have announced the death of Bin Laden, the dismantling of the Al-Quida network, and the end of “The War on Terror”. But the President immediately announced Bin Laden’s death as a foreign policy accomplishment to aid his reelection campaign. Kennedy fired his CIA director and redeemed himself during the Cuban missile crisis. Obama got reelected, but he surrendered the element of surprise for political expediency causing Al-Quida to go deeper underground, and now he’s ending his second term like he began his first, apologizing for foreign affairs. (J. Pharoah Doss is a contributor to the New Pittsburgh Courier. He blogs at jpharoahdoss.blogspot.com)
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Lee A. Daniels
Commentary
Death Row’s other killers (NNPA)—Glenn Ford, 64, convicted of murder in 1984, spent a quarter-century on the death row of Louisiana’s notorious Angola prison before his conviction was overturned and he was freed last year. Anthony Ray Hinton, 58, convicted of murder in 1983, spent 30 years on Alabama’s death row before his murder conviction was overturned earlier this month and he was freed. That means that Glenn Ford and Anthony Ray Hinton join the growing number of individuals convicted of capital murder and other serious crimes who’ve been proven innocent only after years in prison—and whose exonerations underscore how widespread are the terrible flaws of American’s criminal justice system, and especially its ultimate evil: the death penalty. For Hinton and Ford, as with others convicted of murder, their convictions were once declared to be proof of the competence of the nation’s structure of justice. But, in fact, these men—whom the nation’s death penalty advocates would have sent to their execution decades ago—are, literally, living proof that the death penalty itself is a crime. Since 1989, according to data compiled by The Innocence Project, which seeks to exonerate the wrongfully-convicted, 329 inmates convicted of capital murder, murder, or rape charges have been exonerated via DNA testing. The exonerated had served an average of 14 years in prison. Equally horrifying are the conclusions of a 2014 study that determined that at least 4 percent of the 3,000 inmates now on the nation’s death row are probably innocent; that a “comparatively low” percentage of innocent inmates have been executed since 1973; and that there is a greater percentage of innocent people whose death sentences have been commuted to sentences of life without the possibility of parole. One of that study’s authors wrote: “The great majority of innocent defendants who are convicted of capital murder in the United States are neither executed nor exonerated. They are sentenced, or resentenced to prison for life, and then forgotten.” Whenever I read of another death-row exoneration, four considerations immediately come to mind. The first is, having been convicted of a capital crime, how does it feel to sit awaiting execution on one of America’s death rows and know that you are innocent? How does it feel to know that men and women, inhabiting offices of power and clad in the trappings of respectability, are going to kill you so they can keep pretending the American criminal justice system is just? How does it feel to know that the only thing standing between you and execution is a few people who have the resources to help you breach the extraordinarily high barriers put in place to help the legal system try to avoid admitting it made a mistake? Anthony Ray Hinton’s words, quoted in an April 5 article of theatlantic.com are worth focusing on. “They didn’t just take me from my family and friends,” he said. “They had every intention of executing me for something I didn’t do.” The second thing I think about whenever another exoneration is announced is the studied silence of the get-tough-oncrime crowd and the death penalty advocates who are always complaining that the appeals process of capital sentences is too drawn out. If those now exonerated had been executed “on time,” this crowd would have declared: justice done The third thing I think about is the injustice to the crimes’ victims of these wrongful convictions. The Innocence Project data show that in the 329 cases of DNA-proved exoneration, less than half of the true perpetrators of the crimes have been brought to justice. Finally, I’ve come to think that all these cases prove there are four kinds of souls inhabiting America’s death rows. There are the correction officers, of course. There are the men and women who actually are guilty of murder. There are the men and women actually innocent of the crime they’ve been blamed for or whose guilt was not actually proved at trial. And there are, in spirit, the death penalty advocates, hanging around like vultures waiting for the next execution so they can pull the tattered rags of their self-righteousness every more tightly around them. The death penalty is itself morally repugnant, and the growing numbers of death-row inmates whose innocence has been proven before they could be executed has shown that the process of capital punishment in America is shot through with, not just the possibility, but the reality of grievous error. So, the next time you hear a deathpenalty advocate spouting off about its validity, ask them how many state-sponsored murders of innocent people they’re willing to take responsibility for. (Lee A. Daniels is a longtime journalist based in New York City.)
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NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
New Pittsburgh Courier
mid-week networking B8
NOBLE
LIFESTYLES APRIL 29-MAY 5, 2015
www.newpittsburghcourier.com
Young People’s Division
celebrates Annual Day B2
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Debbie Norrell
Lifestyles Report
In my travels: It’s spring! What is one of the sure signs that it’s spring? The re-opening of Rita’s Italian Ice and Dairy Queen. There was no doubt in my mind that my local Rita’s would reopen, it was the Dairy Queen on Verona Road that I was concerned about. You might remember that last July, six people were injured when a landscaping truck slammed into the seasonal restaurant. The owners as well as a few employees and some of the men in the truck were injured. A gas line was also broken. It was a big disappointment for the area. It looked like the little DQ would never reopen. Well there is good news to report. I recently drove by and there is a brand new Dairy Queen, complete with a drivethru on Verona Road. I am so excited, not because I want to indulge in a lot of ice cream but because I hate to see the loss of a business. The owners seem to be very nice and hardworking, and I was praying that their insurance would bring the business back to life. As soon as the weather warms up I will stop by for a banana split or a Blizzard. I like checking out new restaurants or let’s say restaurants that I have not been to before. Last week I checked out Social at Bakery Square in what I will continue to call East Liberty. It is right across the street from where Reizenstein School used to be. Bakery Square has really blossomed, there are a lot of trendy stores and eating places for you to enjoy. Please, I beg all of the old school “Sliberty” residents not to be chased away. Be just the deer that you cannot get rid of in your back yard; the mysterious “they” say the deer were there first. Weren’t we in East Liberty first? Or maybe we were there last, either way let’s stick and stay, especially if you are a property owner in 15206, hold on as long as you can. As far as Social, the food was good, but not great. The service was very good and so was the burger. I might go back if I’m in the area, but I would not make a special trip. Speaking of burgers, McDonald’s has launched a sirloin burger that weighs in at one third of a pound and sells for $4.99. Well I have been your advance woman on this one, it is great. The sirloin burger will be available in three versions: bacon and cheese; lettuce and tomato; and a steakhouse version with mushrooms, grilled onions and white cheddar cheese. I had the one with the mushrooms. All I can say is it was some kind of good. What I don’t get is why they bring these burgers out for a limited time, add it to the menu for good. I could never understand why they discontinued the Angus burger. So now you are up to date on a portion of the east end of Pittsburgh. Follow me on Twitter @norrellnpc. (Email the columnist at debbienorrell@aol.com)
AWARDEES—Rhonda Carson Leach with awardees Debbie Norrell, Elise Roby Yanders and Shawn Hicks.
NANBPW Founders Day by Debbie Norrell Courier Staff Writer
Every spring The Pittsburgh Club of the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs Inc. hold their annual Founder’s Day Celebration. This year on April 18, they held their 56th
KEYNOTE SPEAKER—Alice Paylor-Dais (Photos by Rossano Stewart) Annual at the LeMont Restaurant. Rhonda Carson Leach, president of ARTISTIC DANCE PRESENTATION—Madison Ware The Pittsburgh Club, said that each year NANBPW sional Woman of the Year. honors and thanks deserving individuals in Your’s truly was selected as the Pittsburgh Community who have given Businesswoman of the outstanding service or have achieved sub- Year. While Shawn Hicks, stantial goals. In addition, the club awards director of Administration scholarships to college bound high school for the African American seniors seeking to further their education. Chamber of Commerce of Also on this day, the organization’s high- Western Pennsylvania, reest honor is presented, the Sojourner Truth ceived the Business Man of Award. It honors women exhibiting the at- The Year Award. Scholartributes of their national matriarch. This ships valued at $500 each year’s Sojourner Truth Awardee was Ruth were presented to Savanna Byrd Smith, director of the Allegheny Edmunds, an Oakland County Department of Minority, Women Catholic High School seand Disadvantaged Business Enterprise. nior, and Lauren WilliamsElise Roby Yanders, a first vice president at Wiles, a North Hills High Merrill Lynch with over 25 years of experi- School senior. ence providing financial and wealth manWith Anita Walker as misSCHOLARSHIP AWARDEES—Lauren Williams- agement advice and services to individuals tress of ceremonies, Alice Wiles and Savanna Edmunds and organizations was selected as Profes- Paylor-Dais as a lively
keynote speaker and the artistic dance performance by Madison Ware, over 150 enjoyed a scrumptious breakfast and the beautiful views from the LeMont restaurant. NANBPWC Inc. was founded by seven courageous visionaries who sought to promote and protect the interests of business and professional women; to serve as advisors for young people seeking to enter business and professions; to improve the quality of life in local and global communities; and to foster good fellowship.
WITH AWARDEE—Sojourner Truth Awardee Ruth Byrd Smith, second from left, with Claudia Thomas, Rhonda Carson Leach and Anita Walker.
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Praise & Worship
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
RELIGION
Young People’s Division celebrates Annual Day at Greater Allen
HILLCREST SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH 2340 Wylie Ave., Pgh., PA 15219 412-391-4334 412-566-8757
“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. & 12 P.M. Sunday (Gospel Choir Mass) 12:00 P.M. www.stbtmchurch.org
METROPOLITAN BAPTIST CHURCH
PROUD LEADERS—Back row, from left: Mark K. Alexander, Rev. Dr. Steven A. Jackson and Sis. Sharon Smith Banks. Middle row: Sis. Dorothy Stubbs, Andrew Coleman III, PCYPD 1st. vice president, and Natasha R. Harris, PCYPD director. Front row: Rev. Dr. Judith Moore, host pastor, and Sis. Patricia Jackson.
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.metropolitanbaptistchurchpgh.com metropolitanbaptist2224@gmail.com
SIXTH MOUNT ZION BAPTIST CHURCH 6556 Shetland Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15206 (412) 441-7839 Church School 9:00 a.m. Worship Service 10:15 a.m. Wednesday Night Bible Study 6:00 p.m.
East Liberty PresbyterianChurch Rev. Dr. Randy Bush, Senior Pastor 412-441-3800
SPOKEN WORD—Young Joe Bivins of Payne Chapel AME Church in Duquesne.
MIME—Lemiah Cross of St. James AME Church in Pittsburgh.
Finally it’s spring in the air, grass is growing, flowers are blooming and the spirit of the Lord is upon us. During Easter weekend, the Pittsburgh Conference Young People’s Division of the AME Church celebrated its Annual Day on April 4 at Greater Allen AME Church in the Brighten Heights section of the city. Local children and young adults, all from various communities, performed spirit-filled hymnal selections. Reverend Dr. Judith Moore, pastor of Greater Allen, along with a fine staff of youth directors, coordinated an enriching celebration of love for Christ and His spirit.
PCYPD MALE CHOIR
116 S. Highland Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15206 www.cathedralofhope.org
Journey Worship.........8:45 a.m. Sanctuary Worship.........11 a.m.
Join our growing Praise and Worship Church Community For rate information, call 412481-8302, ext 40. We are looking to
YOUNG PEOPLE CHOIR—Bethel AME Church in New Castle (Photos by Rossano Stewart)
SING UNTO THE LORD!!—Youth member Dejah Hill singing a beautiful selection of praise.
Church Circuit Gospel Extravaganza MAY 1—McDonalds and Three Rivers Adoption Council will host its 3rd Annual “Make A Joyful Noise” Gospel Extravaganza at 7 p.m. at Mt. Ararat Baptist Church, 271 Paulson Ave., East Liberty. The evening, which will be hosted by Lillian Cannon, will feature gospelrecording artist Marvin Sapp along with Deborah Moncrief, Travis Malloy and Chozen 1 Mime. For more information, visit www.3riversadopt.org.
Sing Along/Concert MAY 2—The Thomas Merton Center and other Peace and Justice Groups will host its 2nd Annual Community Sing Along/ Concert at 7:30 p.m. at First Unitarian Church, 605 Morewood Ave., Oakland. The evening will feature a variety of Pittsburgh based folk singers and artists. For more information, call 412361-3022.
Candlelight Service
feature 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 e-mail:
egaines@newpittsburghcourier.com
MAY 3—Christian Chapel AME Church, 7311 Ridgeview Ave., Penn Hills, will host its 5th Annual Candlelight Service at 3:30 p.m. The theme is “God is Our Rock, Our Salvation…” For more information, call Rev. Prudence Harris at 412-708-2509.
Church Anniversary MAY 3—Unity Baptist Church, 420 Fifth Ave., Braddock, will host its Church Anniversary. There will be a guest preacher. For more information, call 412-271-6070.
Freedom Sunday MAY 3—The NAACP Pittsburgh Branch will host its Freedom Sunday Service at 4 p.m. at Bethel AME Church, 2720 Webster Ave., Hill District. The keynote speaker will be Minister Sammie J. Dow, NAACP national
youth director. The program will also feature actress Kim El and Minister Deryck Tines and the Citywide Gospel Choir. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 412471-1024 or email naacp.pittsburgh@verizon.net.
Mother’s Day Brunch MAY 9—Mount Carmel Baptist Church, 90 Port Perry Rd., North Versailles, will host its Mother’s Day Brunch from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The guest preacher will be Minister Teresa Renee Hunt, the author of “Positioned to Be Found.” All are welcome. There will also be a bookselling of Min. Hunt’s book. For more information, call 412-823-2841.
Women’s Conference MAY 15—The Women’s Ministry of Bethlehem Baptist, 716 Walnut St., McKeesport, will host its Women’s Conference. The threeday event will include a Praise and Worship Night featuring Zanella Wingfield and the Women’s Conference Choir on May 15 at 7 p.m.; a Conference Luncheon featuring Dr. Lisa Weah on May 16 at 11 a.m.; and a Worship Service on Mat 17 at 10:30 a.m., featuring Pastor Earlene Coleman. Registration is requested. For more information, email vbrowngrayson@yahoo.com.
Health Fair/Blood Drive MAY 16—Morningside COGIC, 5173 Dearborn St., Garfield, will host its Health Fair and Blood Drive from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. There will be vendors and speakers from the health industry onhand to answer questions The Central Blood Bank will have their coach in the parking lot to take blood donations from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. For more information, call Margaret Young at 412897-2268.
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
CUISINE
APRIL 29-MAY 5, 2015
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Mentor knows best The Mother’s Day edition Family Features––Whether she’s your mom or a “like-amother” mentor, chances are you’ve got a lot to thank her for this Mother’s Day. It’s a time for celebrating your biggest supporters, number one fans and best friends. In life, we’re lucky to form relationships with women we can learn from and grow with. (For more recipe ideas to honor your mother or special mentor, visit s.wilton.com/MentorKnowsBest.)
Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Glaze Servings: 1 dozen rolls Rolls: 1-1/3 cups warm milk (105º F) 2 packages (1/4-ounce each) active dry yeast 1/4 cup granulated sugar, divided 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened 2 egg yolks 1 teaspoon Wilton Pure Vanilla Extract 3/4 teaspoon salt 4 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting Filling: 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened 1/3 cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons bread flour 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon Glaze: 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter 1/2 cup lightly-packed light brown sugar 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 1 teaspoon Wilton Pure Vanilla Extract 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup confectioners’ sugar (about 1/4 pound) For rolls, stir together warm milk, yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in large bowl. Let stand 5-10 minutes or until foamy. Add butter, remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, egg yolks, vanilla and salt. Mix with electric mixer using dough hook on medium speed until combined. Gradually add flour, 1 cup at a time, and mix on medium speed until smooth, elastic dough forms, about 5 minutes. Spray large bowl with vegetable pan spray. Form dough into ball, place into bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand in warm place for 45 minutes or until doubled in size. For filling, stir together butter, sugar, flour and cinnamon in medium bowl until well-combined. Prepare 13-by-9-inch pan with vegetable pan spray. Punch dough down and roll out to 18-by-14-inch rectangle on floured surface. Spread filling onto dough and roll up from long end, like a jelly roll. Pinch seam to seal, trim ends and cut into 12 equally-sized pieces. Place rolls into prepared pan; cover with plastic wrap and let rise 25-30 minutes or until doubled in size. Meanwhile, heat oven to 350º F. Remove plastic wrap from rolls and bake 25-29 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack while preparing glaze. For glaze, melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar and cream. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture reaches a simmer; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and salt. Whisk in confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Pour glaze over warm rolls. Serve warm.
Tropical Getaway Cupcakes Servings: 2 dozen Cupcakes: 2 eggs plus 4 egg whites, lightly beaten (reserve 2 yolks for filling) 1 cup cream of coconut 1/2 cup water 1 teaspoon coconut extract 1/2 teaspoon Wilton Pure Vanilla Extract 2 cups all-purpose flour 1-1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut, coarsely chopped 1 cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 3/4cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter, softened and cut into tablespoons Filling: 2 egg yolks 3 tablespoons cornstarch 1-1/4 cups thick mango juice, divided 1 tablespoon granulated sugar Pinch salt Icing: 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened 2-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest (about 1 orange) 1 teaspoon Wilton Pure Vanilla Extract Heat oven to 350º F. Line muffin pans with baking cups. In large bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, cream of coconut, water, coconut and vanilla extracts until well combined. In large bowl, mix flour, shredded coconut, sugar, baking powder and salt with electric mixer on low speed until combined, about 15 seconds. Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, continuing to beat on low speed until mixture looks dry and crumbly and largest chunks of butter are about 1/4 inch in diameter, about 30 seconds. Stop mixer and add half of liquid ingredients. Beat on low speed until flour mixture is moistened, about 15 seconds. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, about 45 seconds. With mixer still running, slowly stream in remaining liquid. Stop mixer and scrape sides and bottom of bowl. Beat on medium speed for an additional 30 seconds. Divide batter evenly into baking cups, filling about 2/3 full. Bake 18-22 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in centers of cupcakes comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in pan on cooling grid 5 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on grid. For filling, whisk together egg yolks, cornstarch and 1/4 cup mango juice in small bowl until smooth. In saucepan, combine remaining 1 cup mango juice, sugar and salt. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Slowly stream half of hot liquid into egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Add egg yolk mixture back into saucepan and reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Strain through fine mesh sieve. Cool completely. For icing, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy; gradually add confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, scraping down bottom and sides of bowl as necessary. Add orange zest and vanilla extract and beat until fully incorporated. To assemble, remove center of cupcake with coring tool or paring knife. Fill with mango filling. Pipe icing onto cupcakes. Note: Stir cream of coconut before measuring it, as it tends to settle as it sits. Coconut can be coarsely chopped in food processor or with knife.
Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Glaze
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APRIL 29-MAY 5, 2015
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
HEALTH
Take a Healthy Step 1-2-3 Advance Care Planning
The discussions between families and healthcare providers regarding medical care decisions are affected by the medical care needed, and influenced by cultural norms, values and beliefs. Central to core values is an individualʼs right to make life choices, especially health care choices. The Patient Self Determination Act (PSDA) enacted in 1990 ensures your rights are protected, including the fundamental rights to treatment choices, consent to treatment, open communication with health care providers, and control over oneʼs own life and death. Although discussions regarding healthcare choices can be challenging, the impact can be even more challenging due to an individualʼs illness or incapacity. The PSDA provides an opportunity for you to decide now about the types and extent of healthcare you want to accept/refuse should you become incapacitated. Furthermore, the PSDA requires agencies that receive Medicaid/Medicare funding (e.g., hospitals, nursing homes) to ask you what treatments you will or will not accept. Advance Care Planning (ACP), and Advance Directive build on the PSDA. Advance Care Planning is the process of planning for future healthcare should you become unable to communicate or incapacitated. When you are ready to document your decisions for future healthcare, an Advance Directive may be completed. An Advance Directive (living will) is a legal document that specifies what actions should be taken for your healthcare if you become unable to communicate or decide for yourself in the future, because of illness or incapacity. A statewide initiative, the Pennsylvania Orders for Life–Sustain Treatment (POLST), highlights the importance of ACP. Individuals involved in POLST have noted ACP begins with a conversation between you and your health care provider. The conversation will highlight the advantages associated with beginning the planning process. The advantages include being able make informed decisions about your care. Family members also often find peace in knowing your wishes are being honored. With an ACP, you may also be able to take advantage of hospice services. You may also include plans for the care of dependents (e.g., children) within an ACP. Finally, with an ACP in place, the transition from this life to the next is more peaceful. Al-
though there are a number of advantages associated with having an ACP, many individuals are either not aware, or due to cultural/religious beliefs do not have a plan in place. For example, the rate of completion of an Advance Directive among African Americans is typically lower than that of Euro Americans. Nurses play a critical role in providing information on the advantages of having an ACP. As a patient advocate, your nurse will, if necessary and with your approval, share your desires related to care with other health care team members. The following case illustrates the role that nurses play. Family members of a gravely ill patient with no Advance Directive continuously requested their loved one be kept alive on a ventilator. A nurse working with the family found that the family made the requests because they could not pay for burial. Social services were contacted and facilitated coverage for a funeral. Advance care planning (ACP) is a broader, less legally focused concept than that of advance directives. ACP encompasses the preparation of legal documents, and discussions within your family and physicians about future medical care decisions if you experience serious illnesses. The development of an ACP occurs through an iterative process over time in order to: 1) discern your priorities, values, and goals of care and 2) engage a proxy who will participate in the health care decision making process at any time in the future when you are no longer able to make decisions. Decision-making capacity is a clinical judgment about a patientʼs ability to make a health care decision at a point in time. The person you appoint to make decisions about your care should know your wishes, feelings and value. The knowledge will help the individual to make the best decision on your behalf. An ACP may be initiated through a: 1) durable Power of Attorney (POA) in which a designated surrogate is assigned, or 2) Living Will. Most state websites have free forms that you can use without an attorney to designate a POA for healthcare. For some states, the POA form is combined with a living will, and you can also specify your wishes for medical care. You may consult legal advice from an attorney if you have questions or extenuating circumstances. Some people are simply more
comfortable going to an attorney to have the documents completed. In the state of Pennsylvania effective as of January 1, 2015, the required format for a Power Of Attorney (POA) document is the same as that of a Living Will. A non-healthcare POA requires two witness AND must be notarized if signed on or after January 1, 2015. Early financial discussions and planning enables you to have your ACP wishes honored. Financial obligations should be mapped out. The first obligation is the cost of care. Other financial obligations to consider include unpaid debt (e.g., mortgages). Making decisions on who handles the bills and from what account will aid those tasked with managing your finances. Financial guidelines from National Institute on Aging below may be helpful to you. 1. Choose someone you trust to carry out your even if they differ from their own. 2. Asses your current financial state and compare it to your anticipated care needs. 3. Organize and review important documents (e.g., insurance policies). 4. Determine burial costs and how they will be handled. 5. Estimate costs of your disease process (e.g., cost of care, hospitalizations) 6. Be familiar with all your insurance coverage options and make plans to maximize them. 7. Get help from qualified financial/legal advisors. 8. Become familiar with government/community programs for which you may be eligible. Below are websites that provide more Advance Care Planning/Advance Directive information. www.agingwithdignity www.caringinfo.org/files/public/ outreach/African American Outreach Guide.PDF, www.NHDD.org, www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/ advance-care-planning www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/ community/directory_of_services/ 4984/advance_directives_ for_health_care?qid=39798655&rank=8 www.statelaws.findlaws.com www.takechargeonline.org Article compiled by Pittsburgh Black Nurses in Action (PBNIA): Jacqueline Blake, Joanne Boyd, Christin M. Duham, Linda D. Fleming Heath
Getting Started
Having a conversation about advance care planning is very important; it can also be a difficult one. Sometimes your loved ones can be uncomfortable discussing this subject. Even though it is hard, the time to have this conversation is now. It is easier than waiting until you become ill. Having the time for discussion and reflection can often help families and loved ones to understand each others views and can provide peace of mind. Here are some tips to get you started: • Use conversation starters: articles, TV shows, movies, or current events. • Other triggers include sermons, funerals, and medical checkups. Even talking about the death of someone you know can help get you started. • Talking about values and what makes your life worth living – and what you consider quality of life can help start the conversation. • Approach the conversation wanting to share your wishes before you ask someone else to share their own wishes. • Be prepared to have more than one conversation or that the subject may cause an emotional reaction. This is ok. Here are some examples of conversation starters: • (About yourself) I know that this isnʼt easy to talk about, but if I get sick or have an accident, and I canʼt make decisions for myself, I wanted to tell you what would be important to me, so you could be my decision maker. • (About someone else) I have also been wondering what would be most important to you if you were not able to speak for yourself? Would you want the doctors to try aggressive treatments, even if they wouldnʼt cure you, to give you more time? Or would you rather have your pain/disease managed so you feel better but might not live as long? Would you rather be in a hospital or at home? Who would you want to be around you? • Thinking about getting sick can be scary. If this is too much to talk about right now, could you at least think about these things so that we could discuss them later? • After a movie or news story: What would you want us to do if you were in this situation? • While I was in the doctorʼs office, I saw a form called the “Pennsylvania Advance Health Care Directive.” Would you be interested in reading it so we could discuss it later?
Choosing a Decision Maker
While a doctor or a lawyer will routinely ask you if you have an advance directive or living will, the conversation should truly start at home because it is not mainly about medical treatments or legal rights; itʼs about making you the decision maker, itʼs about your values, and itʼs about what makes your life worth living. For example, some people believe life is worth living only if they can feed, bathe, take care of themselves, or be free from pain. Others say life is worth living if they can talk to family and friends. Even some people say life is always worth living no matter how sick they may become. There are no right or wrong choices; what matters most is that you have taken the time to make choices and explain your choices to your loved ones. While it is important to consider your values and what is important to you during the advance care planning process, it is just as important to spend time thinking about who you would choose to be your health care decision maker. This person could also be referred to as a health care agent or a durable medical power of attorney. Be careful not to confuse this with a financial power of attorney which is equally as important, but different. Choose a decision maker wisely. You may choose your spouse, or your children, but it doesnʼt have to be either. You could choose a friend or neighbor. Think about the people that mean the most to you. Who would you trust to: • Make your wishes heard? • Follow your wishes – whether or not they agree with them? • Make sure that you get the care that you want, in the place that you want and have the people that are important to you by your side? If you do not choose a decision maker and you become unable to make your own decisions, a decision maker will be chosen for you in an order determined by Pennsylvania law. In some cases this would have been the person you would have chosen anyway; however at other times, it may not be the person who knows you or your values best, and they may not know what your decisions would have been. In other words, the best person to make your health care decisions may not be the person that the Pennsylvania Law would appoint. So take the time to name a health care decision maker. Ask them if they would be willing to do this for you, and tell them your wishes.
UPMC’s New Advance Directive
Did you know that: • More than 90% of people think itʼs important to talk about their loved onesʼ and their own wishes for end of life care • Less than 30% of people have actually done it. When you get sick you have the right to choose your medical treatment options. But what if you become very sick and are unable to speak for yourself? Who would speak for you? Would they know what you would want or would they have to guess? Advance care planning is the process of making decisions for future medical care in case you become too sick or injured to make them for yourself. It can be uncomfortable to think about, so many of us put off this conversation until later or sometimes never bring it up. Thinking about being sick can be uncomfortable to think about, so many of us put off the conversation or sometimes never bring it up. However, the easiest time to think about it is before an illness or crisis, when you have time for discussion and reflection with your loved ones. By taking the time to go through this process, you can promote peace of mind in a difficult situation if your loved ones are ever called upon to make decisions for you. The process of advance care planning involves 2 parts: choosing a health care agent, or the person you would trust to speak for you if you became unable to make decisions, and thinking about your values and what quality of life means, and then making decisions about what treatments you would and would not want based on these values. To help you in this process, UPMC is launching a new advance directive, the Pennsylvania Advance Healthcare Directive, which we will be providing for our patients and members and also to our employees and loved ones. You can download this advance directive for free at www.upmc.com/advancedirective and during this yearʼs UPMC Day of Conversation campaign we encourage you to do that and to start this conversation with your loved ones. Making time to have this conversation now with your loved ones is one of the ways you can take care of yourself and those you love. (Donald D. Wolff Jr., Center for Quality, Safety, and Innovation at UPMC)
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
APRIL 29-MAY 5, 2015
B5
New Pittsburgh Courier
B6
ENTERTAINER APRIL 29-MAY 5, 2015
www.newpittsburghcourier.com
Cover To Cover
‘One Night’ by Terri Schlichenmeyer For New Pittsburgh Courier
Would you look at that. Actually, probably, you already have. You’re one of the most observant people you know, never missing a thing, always noticing. You make a great witness because you see everything. And in the new book “One Night” by Eric Jerome Dickey, you see two people about to make a mistake. It was pouring rain that evening and it perfectly matched her mood. Once she’d been a comedian and an actress. She’d been someone’s mother but now she was dressed in a pilfered shirt from an electronics store, driving a stolen truck and trying to con somebody into paying for a box of rocks because the rent was due and she didn’t have it. The man putting gas in his expensive car looked like an easy mark. He had a bruise over his eye, which was fine: she had a bruised heart. She offered the
box for sale and he handed her the money, knowing full well that it was a con. He also handed her a business card with an Orange County number before he drove off. She knew he wouldn’t get far; L.A. traffic was backed up, police were everywhere, sirens blasting. Her boyfriend wasn’t answering his phone, so she dialed the man’s number to explain that conning really wasn’t what she was all about. He was skeptical. She challenged him to meet her at a diner. Dinner was strained but pleasant, a get-to-know-you where very little information was exchanged. She didn’t want to be alone; he didn’t want to go home to a wife he no longer loved, so they went to a movie before he kissed her in a way she’d never been kissed. She was the first to mention a hotel. He paid for the luxury room. She thought she’d been in love before: with the father of her daughter, certainly with her daughter but she’d never been with a man who did to her what the man from Orange County did. He made her moan and call out things that she didn’t know she had a voice for calling. It was only supposed to be a one-night stand. But she wasn’t being entirely truthful with him. And he definitely wasn’t telling her everything, either… Let’s start here: “One Night” is steamy. Like, burn-your-mind, hott-withtwo-Ts steamy. But it’s not just that. Author Eric Jerome Dickey ekes this novel out slowly, minute-by-minute, like a slow dance between two people who aren’t forthcoming with facts to one another—or to readers. That can be snaillike, but it’s also fascinating: we know there’s something we’re not quite seeing, but we’re too distracted by the tryst to figure it out—that is, until Dickey repeatedly interrupts the action with smartly-timed shocks that reset everything. There are a few moments of silliness in this book but overall, I couldn’t let it go and if you can handle the lengthy bedroom scenes, you won’t be able to, either. (“One Night” by Eric Jerome Dickey, c.2015, Dutton, $26.95/$31 Canada, 357 pages.)
Aretha Franklin…
Exceeds expectations during Heinz Hall concert
by Genea L. Webb
For New Pittsburgh Courier
Anticipation was high when the Queen of Soul took to the Heinz Hall stage after more than a decade-long absence in the Steel City. And Aretha Franklin certainly rose to the occasion. Beautifully dressed in a sleeveless black and white floor-length gown, the 73year-old icon took us on a journey through some of her most well-known hits including “(You Make Me Feel) Like a Natural woman,” “Freeway of Love” and “Respect” with a strong and beautiful voice, the Aretha we all know and love was back in the ‘Burgh She gave the band ample time to showcase their own musicality—her band on one side of the stage and local musicians on the other—when she left the stage for 15 minutes, making the audience restlessly calling for her to come back on stage. Near the end of the second half of the concert, Franklin called for Stephanie Turman, president of Always Busy Consulting and Franklin’s former stepdaughter (Franklin was married to Stephanie’s father, “Cooley High” actor Glynn Turman for six years beginning in 1978), to come to the front of Heinz Hall, Turman, a Pittsburgh native, looked on while Franklin sang “Angel” saying “It’s beena a while since I’ve seen her. Stephanie has grown into a beautiful young lady.” After Franklin finished the song, Turman took a seat in the orchestra section of the theater.
ARETHA FRANKLIN In 2009 Franklin was named the #1 Vocalist of All Time by Rolling Stone Magazine. She is a 2005 recipient of A Presidential Medal of Freedom honor (the U.S.’s highest civilian honor) presented by President George W. Bush. In 1999 she was awarded the National Medal of the Arts presented by President Bill Clinton. Franklin is also the recipient of A Kennedy Center Honor; A Grammy Legend Award and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. She has accumulated five American Music Awards, Four NAACP Image
Awards and 12 honorary Doctorate Degrees. In 2010, she was inducted into the Apollo Hall of Fame at the Apollo Theater. Two years later she was inducted into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame. Her latest album, “Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics” was released in 2014. The disc includes covers of “Nothing Compares 2 U” and “At Last.” The 19-time Grammy winner and the first female Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee did come back on stage and thanked the audience by
saying “You’re a wonderful audience. I can stay here and sing all night” before taking on the Gloria Gaynor power anthem, “I Will Survive,” which she covers on her latest album, “Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics.” Her disastrous rendition of a mash-up of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” had the audience looking around at each other in bewilderment. But the Queen of Soul quickly got back on her throne with a beautiful rendition of B.B. King’s
“Sweet 16” and a churchafied “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Franklin tickled the ivories, continuing in the gospel vane with a medley that included “Still Waters Run Deep” and “Angel.” She ended her reign of the Heinz Hall stage with “My Cup Runneth Over.” “Thank you Pittsburgh for being such a warm and generous audience,” Franklin said to the audience at the end of the show during a standing ovation and thunderous applause. The pleasure was all ours, Ms. Franklin.
Pittsburgh Public Theater continues its Seasons of Legends with ‘Othello’ starring Bougere by Genea L. Webb For New Pittsburgh Courier
Veteran actor Teagle F. Bougere loves to play characters that go on a journey or change. So when he found out that the Pittsburgh Public Theater would be presenting William Shakespeare’s “Othello,” he jumped at the chance to portray the captivating military general. “Othello starts out as a great general, a Black man in a White world and then when he marries Desdemona, he’s the happiest he’s ever been in his life,” explained Bougere. “Shakespeare outdoes himself with the poetry and the language in Othello and the journey that Othello takes in the piece is what attracted me to it.” Directed by Ted Pappas, “Othello” is set in mid-19th century Venice and Cyprus. It tells the story of how Othello went from a fierce leader and loving husband to jealously, betrayal and heartbreak. “Othello doesn’t really trust himself and he falls for the things that people around him are saying,” Bougere said. “The message is to trust yourself.” Returning to Pittsburgh in the title role also excited Bougere. Last season, he did the one-man show “An Iliad” at the Public to rave reviews. “I loved doing ‘An Iliad’ here in Pittsburgh last season,” he said with a smile. “Nowadays in theater, people stand up at the end and clap and it doesn’t always
TEAGLE F. BOUGERE AS OTHELLO mean something. But when people stood up and applauded after each performance here, it really came from their hearts. It felt like people really appreciated the story. My only regret is that more people didn’t get to see it. The O’Reilly is really a great theater.” After his amazing performance in “An Iliad,” Bougere worked on an independent film, “Good Friday,” in which he played a minister. It is set to be released in May. Bougere
was in the hit movies “A Beautiful Mind” in 2001; “Night at the Museum” in 2006 and “Two Weeks’ Notice” in 2002. He also had parts in the television series’ “Law & Order” and “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” as well was the TV show “Cosby.” He was nominated for a 2012 Equity Joseph Jefferson Award for Actor in a Principal Role in a play for “An Invisible Man” at the Court Theater in Chicago. For now, though, Bougere
is engrossed in his role as Othello. “On my off day I still look at the script. ‘”Othello’ calls for a lot emotionally. The things that are eating him like jealousy and insecurity, makes it harder to play the emotional side. I look at the script every day and I become totally familiar with the script and that allows me to be freer when I’m performing.” In addition to Bougere, the 18-member cast of “Othello” also stars
Amanda Lee Cobb as Desdemona; Jeremy Kushnier as Lago. Members of the design team include: Costumes, Gabriel Berry; Scenery, James Noone; Sound, Zach Moore; and Lighting, Kirk Bookman. (The show runs from April 16May 17 at the O’Reilly Theater downtown. Tickets, which start at $23, can be purchased by calling 412-316-1600 or visiting www.ppt.org. For discounted tickets through May 17 call 412.316.1600 and use promo code Courier 20.)
Wilson’s 70th birthday a grand celebration of Black culture
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
by C. Denise Johnson
For the New Pittsburgh Courier
It’s fitting that the 2015 observance of August Wilson’s birthday took place at Downtown’s revived August Wilson Center for African American Culture. The evening’s program was a kaleidoscope of culture filtered through Wilson’s words, muse and how it moved those touched by his vision and interpretation; ultimately it was a celebration of the playwright and August Wilson’s women. Following a light reception in the first floor lobby, Executive Producer Sala Udin acknowledged the entities, foundations and elected officials who stood up for the AWC in the dark days of litigation. The magic began as the Geri Allen Quartet (Dwayne Dolphin on upright bass and drummer James Johnson) broke the calm with a flourish of notes to setting the tune of night… bouts of celebration, contemplation, exhilaration and introspection. Featured player Dwight Andrews shared songs from collaborations he did with Wilson and director Lloyd Richards at Yale Repertory and served as music director for several of Wilson’s Broadway productions.
EILEEN MORRIS His contribution on reeds and flute were insights on the blues that influenced and informed Wilson’s creative sensibilities. The score from “The Piano Lesson” was a meditation of heritage, social sensibilities of the period as well as the life-blood of blues that infused the Pittsburgh Century Cycle. From Andrew’s swinging clarinet and Allen’s majestic sweeping flourishes across the breadth of the keyboards, the rhythm section fueled the tension towards a reckoning of resolution
April-May Thursday 30 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.
Friday 1 Chris Tucker BAP Events presents Chris Tucker Live 2015 at 8 p.m. at Heinz Hall, 600 Penn Ave., Cultural District. Comedian Chris Tucker will bring his high-energy tour to the ‘Burgh for one night. Tucker is known for his starring roles in the “Rush Hour” films and “Money Talks,” and his supporting role in “Friday” along with his numerous stand-up comedy specials. For more information, visit www.trustarts.org.
Saturday 2 Retail Amanda Tarr & Co. present “Retail” at 5:30 p.m. at the Kelly Strayhorn Theater, 5941 Penn Ave., East Liberty. “Retail” is a modern dance performance that infuses R&B and rap music with Amanda Tarr’s groundbreaking choreography. Due to mature language, some content may not be suitable for young children. For more information, call 412363-3000 or visit www.kellystrayhorn.org.
Sensational Sounds of the Drifters New Horizon Theater Inc. presents Ronny Love and the sensational sounds of the Drifters at 7:30 p.m. at the Kelly Strayhorn Theater, 5941 Penn Ave., East Liberty. Ronny Love and the sensational sounds of the Drifters will play some of their hits, such as “Under the Boardwalk” and more. There will also be excerpts from the play “Queens of the Blues.” Proceeds from this black tie event will benefit New Horizon Theater Inc. For more information, call 412431-0773 or email newhorizontheater.org.
Sunday 3 Othello Pittsburgh Public Theater presents “Othello” at 7 p.m. at the O’Reilly Theater, 621 Penn Ave., Cultural District. William Shakespeare’s “Othello” is about the headlong spiral of betrayal, jealousy and heartbreak in the timeless tragedy of Othello, Desdemona and Iago. This production, which runs through May 17, has rapid action and thrilling emotional scenes. For discounted
APRIL 29-MAY 5, 2015
ARTS & CULTURE
tickets are available with the use of the promo code 20. For more information, call 412-316-1600.
Monday 4 Savoy Jazz 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. The attire is business casual. For more information, call 412-281-0660 or visit www.savoypgh.com.
Tuesday 5 JazzLive 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 celebrate a decade of jazz in the Cultural District and enjoy hot jazz from some of the most talented musicians. Yoko Suzuki will be the performer. For more information, call 412456-6666 or visit www.trustarts.org.
Wednesday 6 Wednesday Night Live Jazz The Rivers Club presents Wednesday Night Live Jazz from 5:30-8 p.m. at the Rivers Club, One Oxford Centre, 301 Grant St., Downtown. Every Wednesday night local artists, many from the Pittsburgh Jazz Society’s Hall of Fame, will perform. There will be a Jimmy G’s jazz buffet and more. This event is free and open to the public. Upscale casual attire, no jeans, is required. For more information, call 412-391-5227.
that echoed the words from Wilson’s pen. The selection was a canvas for Reed Dance composite interpretation of the women in Wilson’s plays through movement, part modern dance and part praise dance, evoking a range of emotion that sparked gasps in the auditorium. Kudos to choreographers Greer Reed and M.J. Henderson. A collage of monologues from August’s women was a given because all of his women have something of significance to say and share, regardless of how many lines they may or may not have. The lyrical prose was delivered by the talented trio of Eileen Morris, Karla Payne and Thembisile Gxuluwe, the 2013 National August Wilson Monologue Winner, who also offered a spoken word piece that could easily be titled “A Women’s Psalm to August.” The words of Wilson’s women on the heel of the dance interpretation turned the 400 plus seat theater into a sacred space as the prose and its delivery through the talented women gave way to affir-
mations from the audience, not unlike those heard in pews on Sundays. There is a salve in the exchange of call and response in liberation of the spirit. Following a brief intermission, a lively discussion moderated by Eileen Morris, the only woman in the world to have directed eight of Wilson’s 10 plays. She was joined by Caroloine Jackson Smith, professor of Theater and Africana Studies at Oberlin College and a Wilson associate going back to New Haven; Anderson, associate professor of Music and African American Music at Emory University and Senior Pastor at First Congregational Church in Atlanta; and Ladrica Menson-Furr, associate professor of African American Literature and director of the African and African American Studies at Memphis University. Each panelist gave analysis of the women in three of Wilson’s plays. While scholarly, their detailed assessments were not pretentious nor condescending, but very accessible and sparked more than a few moments of insight in the audience. Even when women were not on the stage they were always a presence, especially Aunt Ester (born in 1619) who was a force of reckoning two plays before anyone laid on her in “Gem of the Ocean.” Women were metaphors and spiritual anchors through the Cycle. There was an overall consensus as Menson-Furr concluded that Wilson was not a “ladies” man, but a “woman’s.” Although a few days early of Wilson’s birthday which is April 27, the evening concluded with everyone singing Stevie Wonder’s rendition “Happy Birthday” as the cast gathered onstage to and dancer Gabriel Lee Ash served up
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AUGUST WILSON an amazing combination of nearly every contemporary dance genre including breaking, locking and other street originated steps. Congratulations to
director and Wilson dramaturge Todd Kreidler for his insight and continuity gleaned from his long association with the bard of the Hill.
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APRIL 29-MAY 5, 2015
PEOPLE
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
NOBLE mid-week networking mixer
JOY MILLER, AARON MILLER AND MIKE MILLER
Members of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives reserved the Blue Line Grill for an evening of networking to assist the general public in learning more about NOBLE and its commitment to improving the quality of law enforcement service in the Pittsburgh region by forging community partnerships and educational opportunities that raise awareness to combat all forms of violence and injustice. People from all across the city and metropolitan area attended the March 25 mixer to learn more about the opportunities in laws enforcement and to get to know some of the people involved in law enforcement.
ASST. CHIEF MAURITA BRYANT AND DIANE RICHARDS
INDIVIDUALS NETWORKING DURING THE MIXER (Photos by J.L. Martello)
AMELIA WILLIAMS AND JADE PARKER
SYLVIA WITHROW AND SHAWN ELLIES
TED JOHNSON AND CHARLENE PRATT
NADIA SCHWEIZER AND PAULA KELLERMAN
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James Clingman
Blackonomics
A shocking observation about Blacks (NNPA)—“America leads the world in shocks.” Those immortal words were spoken by the late Gil Scott-Heron during the Nixon “H2O Gate” era. Forty years later, Black people lead the world in shocks. We are shocked every time a Black person gets killed or abused by a police officer; we are shocked at the absence of indictments and convictions for those acts; we are shocked that our government will only give these acts lip-service; and we are shocked by the endless rhetoric, excuse-making, and rationales put forth as a response to Black lives being treated like they don’t matter. We are so shocked that we continue to roll out the same old tactics, chant the same phrases, and make idle threats that we know we will not fulfill. We are shocked that society will not change this endless parade to the graveyard for Black men especially. We are also shocked at the rate of our deaths and the nonchalant attitudes of those who kill us. And we are shocked by the fact that even though these killings are caught on cameras, there is still no punishment for the perpetrator. Rodney King’s butt-whuppin’ was caught on camera in 1992, and so was Nathaniel Jones killing in Cincinnati, Ohio in 2003. Heck, White folks photographed the lynching and burning of many Blacks over 100 years ago. Why are we so shocked now? I have come to the conclusion that we just like to be shocked. It’s like the old tale of a boy constantly hitting himself in the head with a hammer. When asked why he did that, he replied, “Because it feels so good when I stop.” Do we really want this lunacy, this evil, this abuse to stop just so we can catch our breath for a little while, and then return to business as usual? One thing for sure is that it will not stop simply because it ought to, as folks always imply when the news reporter poses the question, “What you think about the latest incident of police abuse?” Inevitably, as was the case in the latest abuse in Baltimore, a sister said, “It’s got to stop.” Others chimed in and said the same thing, as was said in the case of Eric Garner, John Crawford, Ezell Ford, Oscar Grant, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, and many of the others I could name. Let me try this again, after so many years of saying the same thing. The vast majority of the problems Black people face in this nation can be solved through the utilization of economic power. That’s what runs this country and, therefore, that’s what gets desired outcomes. The lack of economic power results in a perverse weakness and subordination of any group of people. Thus, Black folks are always shocked at our position, our mistreatment, and our dependency on the very political entities that care very little, if at all, about us. That’s backward and wrong-headed thinking. If Black folks in Baltimore or anywhere else want to be empowered to the degree that politicians finally move beyond merely saying what they think we want to hear, to doing what we need done for our security SEE SHOCKING C2
FUTURE NURSES—Octavia Anderson and Autumn Ficklin stand with Jessica Wimbush (Center) as they receive Mamie Garland Scholarships from the Kappa Chapter, Inc. Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc. (Photos by Diane I. Daniels)
Group molds future nurses by Diane I. Daniels
female that represents many cultures and diverse ethnic backgrounds. There are 81 graduate chapters and 39 undergraduate chapters located in 26 states, the District of Columbia, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, and Monrovia Liberia, West Africa. The vision of the national organization is to serve as an internationally recognized leader in the provision of health education, leadership development, and service to the community. More than 200 people attended the scholarship event where Allegheny County’s first African American Chief Public Defender Elliot Howsie served as guest speaker. Focusing his presentation towards the student nurses he addressed the significance of being prepared to enter the professional world. Howsie admits that while growing up there were many people like his parents, sisters, friends and people he met throughout his life that looked after him and steered him down the right road. The Wilkinsburg native said he knows his path was led by God. “There are many people I grew up with that didn’t make it or are in jail,” he said pointing out that even some of them looked out for him. H o w s i e graduated from Central Catholic High School and obtained both his under-
graduate and master’s degree in criminal justice from Indiana University and earned For New Pittsburgh Courier his law degree from Duquesne University. Education he stressed is one key step in Throughout the years the Kappa Chapter, preparing for the future. Being on top of Inc. Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc. has given your game, being honest, maintaining a more than $72,000 in scholarship money to good reputation and believing in yourself nursing students throughout the Pittsare also attributes he says he lives by. After burgh area. This year that total grew as working as a janitor, a law clerk on the Duquesne University nursing students Ocstate Superior Court and Assistant District tavia Anderson and Autumn Ficklin were Attorney he later started his own law firm awarded scholarships during the groups’ and worked as a sole practitioner where he annual Mamie Garland Scholarship event specialized in criminal law matters and themed Building Community Partnerships personal injury cases. for Health Equity. The husband of the late Three years ago at the age of 42 he was apKappa member Mamie Garland estabpointed as Allegheny County’s chief public lished the scholarship. defender, a position he pledged to bring “a “We are proud of the accomplishments of all passion for criminal defense” and believes our student members,” said Jessica Wimthat during his tenure he has changed the bush, scholarship chairperson. She noted office for the betterment. His responsibilities that Ficklin and a male student Francis Ogentail managing the office and providing efbonna attending the University of Pittsburgh fective legal representation to any indigent have been accepted into the Pittsburgh Vetperson that is in need of an attorney. eran Administrations’ Valor Program. They Pointing out to the nursing students that both will work in critical care as VA employhe was once in their position of trying to ees. Wimbush also mentioned that the local find his way, he reminded them to rememorganization has chapters on three area colber to embrace challenges. “Life is about lege campuses. The University of Pittsburghlessons, so expect to make mistakes. You Kappa Beta Chapter established in 1984, the have to show up and seize the moment. AlDuquesne University-Kappa Alpha Beta ways look and be your best, work hard, Chapter established in 1996 and the Carlow have integrity and believe in yourself.” University- Kappa Beta Beta Chapter, which Always remembering where he came from was established in 2004. and that no one gets where they are alone, Since May of 1949 the Pittsburgh chapter Howsie stressed that it is a must to give of the national professional nurses’ organiback and to pour into others. Showing by zation has been striving to develop a corps example he serves on the Allegheny County of nursing leaders and encouraging continJail Oversight Board and the Manchester uing education. “There is always going to be FACE Board. He teaches law as an adjunct a need for nurses,” said Elsie Murray, professor at Duquesne University where he CRNA Emeritus, MPM Basileus of the teaches and mentors first year minorKappa Chapter. Through the ity law students. scholarship program she says Organized with 11 chapter memtheir organization is assistbers, the Kappa Chapter will celing in developing a new ebrate its 66th anniversary generation of nurses. May1. The Kappa Chapter conKappa Chapter, Inc. is tinually rededicates itself to the an affiliate of the Washpurposes and goals established ington, DC based Chi by Chi Eta Phi, Sorority, Inc. Eta Phi Sorority, Inc. a through active participation professional association in the Sorority’s programs for registered professional nurses and stu- MAKING THE POINT—Chief Public Defender Elliot Howsie provides advice to an audience and projects on the national, regional and local levels. dent nurses male and of potential nurses.
Green Tree must pay $63 million for mistreating borrowers (NNPA)—Consumers harmed by Green Tree Servicing, LLC, a major mortgage servicer, won an important victory. Joint enforcement actions by the Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau resulted in a return of $48 million to affected borrowers and a $15 million civil penalty fine, together totaling $63 million. According to financial regulators from 2010-2014, Green Tree Servicing, LLC, mistreated mortgage borrowers who were trying to save their homes from foreclosures. The litany of charges reads like a financial nightmare for troubled homeowners: •Misrepresentation of monies consumer owed or the terms of their loans; •Failure to honor mortgage modifications made by earlier servicers; •Sharing borrowers’ debts with employers and/or other third parties; •Failure to investigate disputes before continuing collections; •Threats of arrest, imprisonment, property seizure, and wage garnishments; and •Calling borrowers and leaving voice mails at their homes and workplaces as early as 5 a.m. and as late as 11 p.m. “Green Tree failed consumers who were
struggling by prior‘convenience fee’ for itizing collecting every transaction. Charlene Crowell payments over Some consumers helping homeownwere told that they ers,” said Richard had to use the serCordray, CFPB divice to avoid a late rector. “When fee. homeowners in disOther consumers tress had their who knew they mortgages transwere late in their ferred to Green mortgage payments Tree, their previous foreclosure relief were charged up-front payments, even plans were not maintained. We are hold- for programs that banned upfront ing Green Tree accountable for its uncharges. Even borrowers who attempted lawful conduct.” to avoid foreclosures via short sales enSharing Director Cordray’s concerns, countered unexplained delays up to six Jessica Rich, director of the FTC’s Bumonths, despite having been promised reau of Consumer Protection added, “It’s quicker actions. against the law for a loan servicer to lie “It is unfortunate to learn that these about the debts people owe, or threaten servicing ills,” said Paul Leonard, senior and harass people about their debts.” vice-president for federal policy at the The irony is that Green Tree ‘specialCenter for Responsible Lending. “No one ized’ in servicing delinquent loans and deserves financial exploitation—particutook pride in being known as a “high larly when it involves the single, largest touch” servicer. Nationwide, the firm investment many consumers make in a ‘touched’ its borrowers; but in all the lifetime. Yet it is also an encouraging wrong ways. sign that joint enforcement actions can In addition to the ills cited above, hold these services accountable.” Green Tree was also charged with presThe enforcement actions are also a resuring consumers to make payments to a minder that while consumers choose third-party service that charged a $12 which lender to finance their home, they
Commentary
have no choice in selecting their servicer. And as with borrowers being serviced by Green Tree, it can be a costly difference. In years gone by, many lenders also serviced their loans. Parents and grandparents typically received their mortgage from the same bank that held their checking and savings accounts. Customers knew their bank and trusted it to be fair and accurate. The nation’s foreclosure crisis shattered many consumers’ trust of lenders—in addition to marked changes in today’s financial services marketplace. Today, few mortgages are serviced by the lender that originated the loan. Instead, most loans are bundled and sold on the secondary market as investments. In the course of selling and re-selling, a single mortgage may have several servicers. All too often, it is only when borrowers have a mortgage problem that they discover how their loan payments have been applied or related fees assessed. As servicers change, troubled borrowers can discover that their lending records have not always been kept accurately or in SEE GREEN TREE C2
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10 ways to maximize Social Security benefits For most Americans, Social Security retirement benefits typically represent 30 to 60 percent of their retirement income, yet, according to the National Social Security Association LLC, more than 90 percent of Social Security recipients receive less money than they are entitled to. For many, this can represent tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, of dollars in lost retirement benefits. The value of monthly payments available through Social Security can be the equivalent of having saved several hundred thousand dollars. Most people would want to seriously consider their options before making a decision about that much money. People shouldn’t tell themselves that it’s ‘only’ such-and-such an amount per month, as the numbers always add up. The Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants offers these 10 tips to help you make sure you don’t leave money on the table. 1. Defer Benefits to Age 70—By delaying receipt of benefits from age 62 to 70, you will increase your retirement income payment by 54 percent or more, plus any cost of living adjustments. 2. The Do Over—If you’ve already filed for benefits and wish to undo your election, you can do so up to 12 months from the date you filed. This is known as withdrawing your application. 3. Start-Stop-Start—If you elected early (age 62), and later decide to defer your Social Security income benefits, you can suspend your benefits as early as age 66. This will allow your benefits to increase by 8 percent per year (known as delayed retirement credits) to age 70, resulting in a 32 percent increase. 4. Increase Your Benefits While Receiving Your Benefits—Your benefits are based on your highest 35 years of averaged indexed monthly earnings. If you continue to work while receiving benefits, and your earnings are higher than any of the previous 35 years of indexed earnings, your benefits will be re-calculated to reflect your higher current earnings. 5. File and Suspend— Once you reach full retirement age, you can elect to “file and suspend” your benefits, allowing your benefits to grow by 8 percent per year, plus cost of living adjustments, to age 70. Since you have technically filed for benefits, although not receiving them, your spouse will be eligible to file for spousal benefits at her full
retirement age. 6. File and Restrict—If your spouse has filed for his or her benefits (and you have reached full retirement age), you could restrict your benefit to a spousal benefit and collect 50 percent of the spouse’s benefit amount. Then you could defer taking your own benefit until age 70 in order to earn delayed retirement credits plus cost of living adjustments on your benefits. At age 70, you would switch to your now muchhigher benefits. 7. Spousal Benefits—If you get married, you are eligible for spousal benefits once you have been married for at least one year. At full retirement age, spousal benefits are equal to 50 percent of your spouse’s full retirement age benefit. 8. Survivor Benefits— Once you have been married for at least nine months, you will be eligible for survivor benefits. Once you and your spouse reach full retirement age, survivor benefits will be 100 percent of the deceased spouse’s benefit amount, including any delayed retirement credits. Survivor benefits are available as early as age 60 (or 50 if you are disabled) at a reduced amount. 9. Divorced Spouse Benefits—If you were married for 10 years or longer, divorced for at least two years, not remarried, and you and your ex-spouse are at least age 62, you will be eligible for ex-spousal benefits, which are similar to benefits you would have received if you were still married. 10. Divorced Spouse Remarries—If you are divorced and then remarry, you will no longer be eligible for the ex-spouse benefits. However, if you remarry after age 60 and your ex-spouse is deceased, you are eligible for ex-spousal survivor benefits, even if remarried (assuming the criteria noted in No. 9 have also been met). The rules governing Social Security income can be very complex. You must take the time to consider the options so that you can maximize not only your benefit but also your spouse or survivors, if needed. Failing to properly plan Social Security elections can be a huge mistake. If you or a loved one is approaching age 62, it is well worth the time to consider the options that are available to ensure the best choice is made. Your local CPA can help you understand your Social Security financial issues. Be sure to contact him or her with your questions and concerns. To find a CPA by location or area of expertise, visit www.ineedacpa.org.
Shocking observation CONTINUED FROM C1
and progress, we must make drastic changes in our behavior. Our reactions to all the killings and beatdowns have been so predictable, so much so that the authorities know they just need to wait us out for a while, like the Eric Garner case, and we will go away. They know the shock value of their actions is impotent and only temporary. The Fraser Institute released an article titled, “External shocks and political parties’ attempts to ‘buy’ votes can affect levels of economic freedom,” that noted, “Economic freedom is one of the main drivers of prosperity, resulting in improved wealth, health, and education for individuals and their families.” said Herbert Grubel. “…external shocks (think wars and revolutions, economic depressions or recessions) prompt the public to gravitate to political parties promising change and dramatic new directions… Changing public views allow progressive politicians to buy votes by creating a narrative that government is better at
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looking after citizens than citizens are at looking after themselves. That inevitably leads to larger government, more regulation, higher taxes, and crony capitalism,” Grubel said. Extrapolating from that article, I would say that Black folks have come to depend on politicians for so long now that even when our people are killed by police, we run to them to solve the problem. It’s not going to happen until we wield power with our dollars and our votes. The “external shock” necessary to prompt political parties to appropriately respond to our needs must be felt by them rather than by us. That shock must be one that reverberates throughout the corporate board rooms, the halls of Congress, and 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue: No more business as usual! (Jim Clingman, founder of the Greater Cincinnati African American Chamber of Commerce, is the nation’s most prolific writer on economic empowerment for Black people. He can be reached through his website, blackonomics.com.
Supporting our own and circulating the Black dollar by Rhodesia Muhammad Special to the NNPA from The Final Call
nesses suffer because there isn’t a determined and concerted effort made on behalf of the Black community to support those businesses. The Black Business Bus Tour is an attempt to combat that lack of support in a cre-
NEW ORLEANS—On a recent Saturday, organizers and over a dozen participants met at the Black-owned Half Shell Restaurant at 9 a.m. for a bus tour to explore Black businesses in the city. The inspiration for the Black Business Bus Tour originated with Brother Asad El-Malik and Brother Reuben De Tiege. In an effort to continue the spirit of the Kwanzaa principle of Ujamaa (cooperative economics), those SUPPORTING CLEANERS—Walter Umrani patronizing Ray Brown Jr. Cleaners men in conin New Orleans (Courtesy of The Final Call) junction with the Man Up ative and nuanced fashion,” said March committee and Brothers for Bryan Turner. Better Business wanted to figure out “My objective for the tour was to exa way to increase circulation of the pose lesser known businesses to the Black dollar. masses, showing people where they can “The idea behind the tour came from go to support businesses owned by Afrithe Montgomery Bus Boycott,” said can Americans. Asad El-Malik. “I was thinking about The highlight of the tour was the peohow much effort it took for our people ple that came out. We are strategizing to pull off the boycott. Then I began to on how we can improve the bus tour in think how would a boycott look and the future, getting more males involved work today? What we came up with was and getting people more enthusiastic the opposite of a boycott. Instead of about supporting their own,” Brother avoiding a business, we decided to supReuben De Tiege added. port Black businesses. What we hoped Every rider was asked to complete a to accomplish was to raise awareness of survey regarding their experience with different Black-owned businesses, supthe Black Business Bus Tour. Four port those businesses, and show the imquestions were asked and here’s how portance of investing into self. I think people rated: the tour was great. We introduced a 1) How did you find out about the bunch of people to Black-owned busiBlack Business Bus Tour? nesses in this city, Black businesses (0 percent) Radio interview, (45 permade a few more dollars, and gained cent) Social Media—Facebook, Instapotential customers.” gram, Twitter (55 percent) Friend. The bus traveled to several Black 2) How would you rate the Black Busibusiness corridors, stopping at each to ness Bus Tour experience? allow riders to sample and purchase (45 percent) Really enjoyed it! (45 pergoods and services. cent) Good, (9 percent) Fair, (0 percent) The bus visited such businesses as I did not like it. Swilling Plaza, a shopping center 3) Will you begin to patronize any of owned by former New Orleans Prothe Black Businesses we visited after Bowl Linebacker Pat Swilling, 1st the bus tour? Lady Lingerie and Novelties owned by (64 percent) I definitely will. (27 perEvelyn Sullen, Beauty on de Bayou cent) I will try to do so. (9 percent) No, I owned by Dwana Makeba, The Chair will not. Studio Hair and Nail Salon co-owned If you said you will, which business or by Chelette Smith-Jones and Keysha businesses will you begin supporting? Dennis, The Aquatic Shop owned by Book Center 55 percent, Beauty on de Brother Vincent, the Community Book Bayou 55 percent, 1st Lady 18 percent, Center owned by Vera WarrenAquatic shop 9 percent, Half Shell 9 Williams and newly-opened 9th Ward percent, Chair Studio 9 percent. cleaners, Ray Brown Jr. owned by 4) Will you inform other friends and La’Shield Butler. family members about these business The tour ended at Half Shell establishments? (91 percent) Yes, I will. Restaurant where food was available (0 percent) No, I will not. for sale. The Black Business Bus tour was a The event was free to all riders who follow-up event to the Man Up March RSVP’D and they were escorted to the hosted in October 2014. “I think this various businesses by Brother Walter tour was a good test run. If we decide to Umrani of Mosque No. 46 and The do another tour, we will work more with PeaceKeepers and Brother Shack of the business owners to help them be better True Love Movement. prepared to receive the tourists. Also, “The intent of the organizers was to we will consider branching out to other use the collective buying power of the parts of New Orleans,” said Student ‘Black dollar’ to support Black-owned Minister Willie Muhammad, one of the businesses within our community. organizers of the Man Up March. Too often small Black-owned busi-
Social Security question and answer Question: I’m gathering everything I’ll need to file my taxes this month. Do I have to pay taxes on Social Security benefits? Also, where can I get a replacement 1099? Answer: Some people who get Social Security must pay federal income taxes on their benefits. Still, no one pays taxes on more than 85 percent of their Social Security benefits. You must pay taxes on some portion of your benefits if you file an individual federal tax return and your combined income exceeds $25,000. If you file a joint return, you
must pay taxes if you and your spouse have combined income of more than $32,000. If you are married and file a separate return, you probably will have to pay taxes on your benefits. You can read more about tax preparation in relation to Social Security at www.socialsecurity.gov/planners/taxes.htm. Social Security benefits include monthly retirement, survivor, and disability benefits. They don’t include Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments, which are not taxable. You can also get a replacement 1099 or 1042S when you open your own personal my Social Security account at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.
Greentree must pay $63 million CONTINUED FROM C1
their entirety. Because of FTC and CFPB, Green Tree will also be required to take several corrective measures: • End all servicing violations; •Provide quality customer service; •Honor prior loss mitigation agreements; •Help troubled borrowers to convert pending loan modifications into permanent ones; •Offer written options to help troubled borrowers keep their homes, including
those in which foreclosures have not yet been completed; and •Create a detailed data integrity programs that tests, identifies and corrects errors in transferred loans. What CFPB and FTC have ordered in Green Tree’s enforcement really reads like a best practices handbook. Here’s hoping other mortgage servicers will take note. (Charlene Crowell is a communications manager with the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at Charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org.)
BUSINESS CALENDAR
Members’ Mixer APRIL 29—The African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania will host its Members’ Mixer from 5-7 p.m. at the Center for Organ Recovery & Education, 204 Sigma Dr., Pittsburgh. The evening will include an introduction of the evening’s host organization, CORE, and how it impacts families in the region. Attendees are asked to bring their business cards. Reservations are requested by April 27. For more information, call 412-392-0610 or email information@aaccwp.com.
Lunch and Learn Series APRIL 30— 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 “Hiring a Home Improvement Contractor.” Caitlin Driscoll of the Better Business Bureau of Western Pennsylvania will facilitate this seminar. She will give helpful tips for hiring a contractor and understanding home improvement contracts as well as teaching homeowners their rights and responsibilities and how to avoid falling for a home improvement scheme. For more information, call 412-281-7141 or visit www.carnegielibrary.org.
Chamber Candidates Forum APRIL 30—The African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania will host its annual Candidates Forum from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the Rivers Club, One Oxford Centre, 301 Grant St., Downtown. Attendees will hear from Pittsburgh City Council District 9 candidates and have the opportunity to ask questions concerning small business advancement and economic development for the City of Pittsburgh. The facilitator for the evening will be Rod Doss, editor and publisher of the New Pittsburgh Courier. This event is open to the public and light refreshments will be served. Reservations are required by April 28. For more information, call 412-392-0610 or email information@aaccwp.com.
First Step MAY 1— The Small Business Development Center at the University of Pittsburgh will host its “The First Step: The Mechanics of Starting a Small Business” from 7:30-10 a.m. at the University of Pittsburgh, Mervis Hall, Roberto Clemente Drive, Oakland. This session is designed for new business startups and entrepreneurs. Attendees will learn about business structure and formation, insurance, government, procurement, financing options, major components of the business plan, taxation, requirements and more. Registration is required. For more information, call 412-648-1544 or visit www.entrepreneur.pitt.edu.
Resource Fair MAY 5—The American Healthcare Group will host its 8th Where to Turn Resource Fair from 8 a.m.12:30 p.m. at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd., Downtown. The theme is “Food, Housing and Transportation.” The event will include 60 exhibitors. Registration is requested. For more information, visit www.american.healthcare.net.
Finding Alternative Funding MAY 5—The University of Pittsburgh Small Business Development Center will host “Finding Alternative Funding for Your Small Business: Local Lenders Showcase” from 7:30-10 a.m. at the University of Pittsburgh, William Pitt Union Assembly Room, Fifth Avenue, Oakland. This seminar will help individuals who are trying to identify new sources of capital to grow or start their business and introduce them to some of the local non-bank lenders in the region. For more information, call 412-648-1544 or visit www.entrepreneur.pitt.edu.
Business Opportunity Fair MAY 13—The Eastern Minority Supplier Development Council will host its 2015 Business Opportunity Fair from 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at the Monroeville Convention Center, 209 Mall Blvd., Monroeville. The theme is “Connecting Relationships, Building Bridges, Gaining Wins.” This is an opportunity for certified MBEs and corporate purchasing representatives to network in an open forum. Besides developing new business relationships, it will also allow attendees to gain a better understanding of the needs of customers, and identify key areas of growth and prospects for strategic partnerships. For more information, call Meg Crossan at 412-391-4423 or email med@e-msdc.org. (To have information on Business Calendar, 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.)
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APRIL 29-MAY 5, 2015
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Sweep has Pirates looking like contenders again after slow start PHOENIX (AP)—Pitts- a two-run double off the season, allowing three ended the threat with a quick burgh’s slow start to the right-hander in the fifth. earned runs or less in 10 inning-ending double play. “We knew we had to get season is quickly fading Gregory Polanco had three straight starts. into the rearview mirror. of Pittsburgh’s 14 hits and He hasn’t had much luck the ball up and we kept The Pirates can thank scored three runs. Walker turning those quality starts swing at balls in the dirt,” their starting pitchers for also had three hits, finish- into wins this season, Diamondbacks manager the turnaround. ing the series 7 for 12. though, losing to Detroit on Chip Hale said of facing Francisco Liriano pitched Pittsburgh has won five April 15 after the Pirates Liriano.” Execution. You effectively into the seventh straight and eight of 10. were shut out and getting can have the best game plan in the world, if you inning in a combined three“We’re in a good place two no-decisions. hitter and the Pittsburgh Pirates completed their first sweep in Arizona with an 8-0 win over the Diamondbacks on Sunday. “We’re playing better baseball and it continues to start with our mound work,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. Gerrit Cole and A.J. Burnett got the Pirates rolling in the series with quality starts the first two games. Liriano (1-1) had trouble with fastball command in his 200th career start and walked six. He offset the walks with seven strikeouts and allowed CELEBRATION—Pirates’ Andrew McCutchen (22) celebrates with Gregory Polanco (25) after both scored on two hits in 6 1-3 in- a two-run double by Neil Walker against the Arizona Diamondbacks. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) nings, giving him The left-hander had an- cannot execute it, you are wins against 29 of the 30 right now,” said Liriano, who has never faced Miami. other good outing, keeping not going to do well.” teams in the majors. The Pirates gave him a The Pirates gave him “We keep playing hard, tak- Arizona’s hitters off-balance ing it one game at a time, with his slow breaking cushion right out of the some rare support, too. gate against Hellickson. Pedro Alvarez hit a two- and pretty comfortable balls. The Arizona right-hander Liriano was lifted after run single off Jeremy Hel- right now.” Liriano has been sharp walking two with one out in has struggled in the first lickson (1-3) in the first inning and Neil Walker added dating to the end of last the seventh. Jared Hughes inning this season, allowing four of his nine runs heading into Sunday’s game in the opening frame. The right-hander stumcans 45-37; the Portland Trailblazers, 57- bled through the first by Ulish Carter 31 vs. the Memphis Grizzlies, 55-27; the again, loading the bases Courier Staff Writer Houston Rockets, 57-26 vs. the Dallas Mav- with the first three batters It’s April Madness in the NBA. That ericks, 50-32; and the defending champions he faced to set up Alvarez’s means playoff time, and there’s one thing San Antonio Spurs, 55-27 vs. the Los Ange- two-run single. Hellickson ran into troufor sure at the very beginning. There will les Clippers, 57-26. Big surprise is the Oklahoma Thunder ble again in the fifth inning, be no Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs III. when Walker hit a two-run Without LaBron James the Heat didn’t didn’t make the playoffs. The results: Golden State sweep New Or- double to put the Pirates up make the playoffs with a 37-45 record. The match-ups in a very weak East are: leans, Memphis 3-0 over Portland, Hous- 4-0, giving Pittsburgh eight the Atlanta Hawks, 60-22 vs. the Brooklyn ton 3-1 over Dallas, and San Antonio and straight runs with two outs to start the series. Nets, 38-44; the Cleveland Cavaliers, 53-29 Los Angeles tied 2-2. Hellickson allowed four Games will resume this weekend. vs. the Boston Celtics, 40-42; the Chicago My predictions. Cleveland, Chicago, and runs on seven hits and Bulls, 50-32 vs. the Milwaukee Bucks, 4141 and the Toronto Raptors, 49-33 vs. the Atlanta will join Washington. Then it will struck out six in 4 2-3 inbe Atlanta vs. Washington; and Cleveland nings to end Arizona’s run Washington Wizards, 46-36. of quality starts at nine Results so far: Cleveland sweeps Boston, vs. Chicago. In the West: Memphis, Houston and San straight games. Washington sweeps Toronto, Chicago takes “You never want to fall beaa 3-1 lead over Milwaukee, and the big Antonio will join Golden State. Who plays surprise, Atlanta and Brooklyn are tied 2-2. who is not known because of the records hind anybody,” Hellickson In the much stronger West: Golden State being the same? The Clippers just may said. “It’s a good lineup. I’ve just got to be better.” Warriors, 57-25 vs. the New Orleans Peli- upset the Spurs.
NBA April Madness
Inside Conditions—The grass may not be greener by Aubrey Bruce For New Pittsburgh Courier
When the Rivers Casino opened in Pittsburgh in August of 2009, I suppose that the owners and investors may have originally thought that the venue would inherit an almost automatic demographic consisting of those from the immediate Allegheny County vicinity who in the past, loyally embarked on weekly bus trips to Atlantic City to “patronize” the slots and other games of chance. These sports “people” would surely relish a short trip to the North Shore to find “recreation” as opposed to enduring a several hours long roundtrip from the steel city to the boardwalk sitting atop Atlantic Ocean shore. Well Pittsburghers may have ceased flocking to the iconic “Las Vegas of the East” but their GPS systems may be set to navigate them to a destination not quite as close as the North Shore and not as far as the Jersey shore. At a time when many casinos across the country are drowning in debt, the Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Washington County seems to have found a formula to satisfy and quench the thirst of the patrons of the entertainment and gaming industry, while simultane-
ously avoiding red ink. One of the draws is their boxing and MMA events. This past weekend the “King of the Cage” MMA fights debuted at the Meadows. The competition was fierce and consistent. The fight on the bottom of the card was a bout between flyweights Jason Alexander versus Ben Suehr. Alexander came out a man possessed quickly ending the bout at 1:10 of the first round when Suehr “tapped out.” For those of you who may not know, tapped out means, it happens when an opponent gives up or concedes defeat. However, the men must beware of the female fighters of the MMA because when Chi Sheibley of Chicago faced Melissa Gasdick of Pittsburgh, it was just as competitive and brutal as any of the male events. These women were not on the porch drinking mint juleps and exchanging knitting needles. The first round was a true battle ending with Sheibley having Gasdick pinned at the bell. However, that would be a short-lived victory because just 8 seconds into second round Gasdick almost knocked Chi Sheibley back to Chicago. Dictionary.reference.com says that women being referred to as the gentler sex; “is a dated term, usually
used for humorous effect but sometimes perceived as condescending to women. It makes reference to a stereotype of women’s basic nature, namely that women are gentle in comparison to men.” Well, well, well, there was nothing humorous about the power of Ms. Gasdick because as far as I am concerned she is a cross between the Mona Lisa and Bruce Lee. Also, one could have been easily misled by her beauty and the two “Pippi Longstocking” braids that she sported hanging down her back. Any “normal” male who may be of the ill-advised opinion that they can successfully challenge and defeat Ms. Gasdick in a “caged” setting had better check their insurance policy first, their jock strap second and last but certainly not least, their sanity before they embark on such a dangerous journey. Miss Gasdick is no joke and I predict that she will be a major player as far as women’s MMA championship competition is concerned. The ‘Meadows’ began their ‘Madness at Meadows’ boxing series with partner Crown Boxing on July 26, 2014. That event was successful and entertaining. It also provided local boxers with an opportunity to increase their visibility as well as build a fan base, lo-
cally and regionally. For those music lovers out there upcoming musical events will feature performances by legendary singers Natalie Cole and Patti LaBelle. Both are scheduled to perform as part of the Meadows upcoming events: Ms. Cole in mid-July and Ms. LaBelle in early September. Notes: The Pirates swept the Arizona Diamondbacks over the weekend. None of the Buc’s were seriously injured by the venomous and revenge seeking D-backs pitching corps. Wow! What a difference a year makes. The Pens have finished cleaning out their lockers after a 4-1 first round series brutalizing by the New York Rangers. Pittsburgh has been bounced from the playoffs since 2009, the last year that they won “Lord” Stanley’s Cup. When Pittsburgh gets in and stays healthy only then will it be a different result. The NFL draft will be conducted tomorrow. The Steelers picks will be available, in this order; 1st round CB, second round Safety, third round CB, fourth round outside LB. If I am right, I am the “Swami.” If I am wrong then I am “salami,” peace. (Aubrey Bruce can be reached at: abruce@newpittsburghcourier.com or 412-583-6741. Follow him on Twitter@ultrascribe.)
Overtime by Bill Neal
Richardson host the B-PEP talk show every last and first Saturday of the month :10—First of all thanks to at 12:00 noon on 1360 AM the crew for the help again. WBGN Radio. Listen in or Secondly you need to know I call but get in on the conversation. Your am at the coolest community inspot in town. terest is countDon’t ask, if I ing on you. tell ya I have to :04—Speaking kill ya! Thirdly, of great fights; last week’s Top do yourself a 10 got such rave favor and pull reviews that I out your Alihad to go to the Foreman “Rumwall again: ble in the JunHere’s a Top 10 gle” VHS tape you could care and be reminded less about. of the greatest Hollywood that was H o o k BILL NEAL Muhamad Ali. ups…SuperTold everybody HOT and SuperNOT!!! Don’t ask me why? he was gonna knock him No. 10. John Lennon and out, talked to George the whole fight, roped-a-doped Yoko Uno No. 9. Saundra Bullock him and came out unscratched. Ali boom and Jessie James No. 8. Marilyn Monroe and aya…Ali boom aya…Ali boom aya!! Arthur Miller :03—Achieving Greatness No. 7. Kim Kardashian Inc., is still looking for inteland Kanye West No. 6. Scarlett Johnansson ligent, aggressive, self-motivated, hardworking, get it and Roman Dauriac No. 5. Heidi Klum and done at all cost Executive Seal tied with Janet Jack- Leaders to join our team. There are no limits to how son and Jermaine Dupree you can be. No. 4. Julia Roberts and great “Greatness Lies Within Lyle Lovett tied with Ike You.” Call 412-628-4856 if and Tina No. 3. Jennifer Lopez and you are interested and serious. Marc Anthony :02—You know I’ve never No. 2. Michael Douglas said this before. If you’re and Catherine Zeta Jones No. 1. And the No. 1 Super- reading this you already HOT and Super-NOT for all know. But you still need to the current reasons Kris tell any and everybody you Kardashian and Bruce “I know that need to be subdon’t know who I am” Jen- scribing to the New Pittsburgh Courier. One of the ner :09—OK let’s get back to oldest Black newspapers in sports stuff…DUH! America…C’mon Man!!! :01—Spurs and The Pirates swept the Diamondbacks. Not a greatest CAV’s…LET’S GET IT ON!!! but a sweep is a sweep. :00—Alex Rodriquez AKA :08—The Clippers just made it interesting. Tied it A-Rod is giving the baseball up 2-2 with the Spurs. Trust world the finger…Six (6) me “Pop” will see to it that home runs and counting. they don’t win another Watch out Willie Mays :00:00—Double overtime game! :07—The Penguins are Achieving Greatness Inc., done. Guess you fire the will sponsor the first annual high school Jr. and Sr. stucoach again! :06—Manny Mayweather dents athletes life skills and Manny Pacquiao will seminar Saturday, May 30, square off Friday night and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. To enter your the winner will be May- student male or female at weather! Take it to the no cost, call 412-628-4856. Lunch, t-shirt and presenbank! :05—In case your living tations form former college under a huge rock some- and pro athletes will be prowhere be advised that vided Game over yours truly and Odell
For New Pittsburgh Courier
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APRIL 29-MAY 5, 2015
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JOB OPPORTUNITIES
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Help Wanted
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COORDINATOR, STRATEGIC ANALYTICS ALLEGHENY COUNTY
Allegheny County is accepting applications for a Coordinator, Strategic Analytics position for the County Managerʼs Office. For application requirements and job description check our website at www.alleghenycounty.us/jobs or visit us at our Human Resources office at 102 County Office Building, 542 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA.
UPMC JOB FAIR SHUTTLE BUS OPERATORS
Are you looking for a job that offers a great benefits package and paidtime-off? Do you have a valid commercial driverʼs license and passenger endorsement? Donʼt miss your chance to interview with our recruiters! Stop by our upcoming job fair to learn more about our shuttle bus operator positions. Wednesday, May 6th 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thelma Lovette YMCA 2114 Centre Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Walk-ins welcome! To sign up, submit at an application at UPMC.com/Careers. Click “Quick Search” then “Advanced Search” and enter 2073191 in the Job Opening ID field. For any questions, contact your recruiter, Bert Smith, at smithbt3@upmc.edu. EOE/Minority/Female/Vet/Disabled
APPLICATION DEVELOPER
Position available at University of Pittsburgh, Dept. of Critical Care Medicine., in Pittsburgh, PA. Resp. for providing data mgmt. & statistical support to expanding research group. Other duties: Assist in implementation & maintenance of database datasets; Participate in maintenance & upgrades of comp. systems & web apps.; Participate in dvlpmnt of new databases/web & comp. systems projs. as determined by Data Mgmt.; Maintain existing web sites, user logins, & provide user support training as needed; Participate in data meetings; Report to supervisor, provide feedback, suggestions on programming techniques & standard operating procedures. Reqs: Bachelorʼs degree or foreign equiv. degree in Comp. Sci., Info. Technology, Info. Management, Info. Systems or related field; Knowledge & proficiency w/: SQL, MS VB 6.0, VBscript, Javascript, HTML & ASP. The University of Pittsburgh is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Applications & resumes must be submitted online at www.pittsource.com job/position #0123740. ANNOUNCEMENTS Public Notices
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (the “Authority”) will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 at 10:00 a.m., in the offices of the Authority located at 200 Ross Street, 9th Floor, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219, to discuss the issuance of tax-exempt revenue bonds (the “Bonds”) to be used along with other available funds, for the following project (the “Project”). A. Initial Owner: Addison Terrace Phase 2 LP. an affiliate of the Authority, will have a membership interest in the Initial Owner. B. Maximum Principal Amount of Bonds: An amount not to exceed $15,000,000.00 (exclusive of any original issue discount or original issue premium). C. Location of Project: The facilities of the Borrower for which the Bonds are to be issued are located at Bentley Drive, 5th Ward, City of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. D. Description of Project: The Project consists of (a) the development of a 90-unit mixed-income housing facility to be known as Skyline Terrace Phase 2, and related site and infrastructure improvements; (b) the funding of a debt service reserve fund, if required; and (c) payment of a portion of the costs associated with the issuance of the Bonds. At the public hearing, any and all persons in attendance will be afforded an opportunity to comment on the proposed project and the issuance by the Authority of its Bonds therefor. If you need an accommodation due to a disability and want to attend this meeting, please call (412) 456-5020, Ext. 6021 at least 24 hours in advance so arrangements can be made. This notice is published, and the public hearing is being held by and on behalf of the Authority as the issuer of the Bonds, as required by Section 147(f) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and regulations promulgated thereunder. Caster D. Binion, Executive Director HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH
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PROGRAM COORDINATOR/ OFFICE MANAGER
FT to provide administrative support for operations & program support for public education events. Full job description and salary info at www.aclupa.org/jobs. Apply to search@aclupa.org
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LEGAL ADVERTISING
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SPORTS & EXHIBITION AUTHORITY OF PITTSBURGH AND ALLEGHENY COUNTY
Estate Notices
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:
SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION DERIVED FROM THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2014 SUMMARY STATEMENT OF NET POSITION Assets
Current assets Noncurrent assets Total Assets
1,120,653,377
Deferred Outflows of Resources
Liabilities: Current liabilities Noncurrent liabilities
Estate of DEGARO, JANE L., deceased of Pittsburgh, PA No. 02-15-02427. James R. Brunetti, Executor, 40 Quail Hill Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15214 or to Louis C. Coles, Esquire, 41 Stratford Court, Carnegie, PA 15106.
$ 92,517,721 1,028,135,656 75,968,704
Liabilities
Estate of COLAMARINO, DENNIS J., deceased of Pittsburgh, PA, Estate No. 02-1502230. Timothy McGinley, Executor, c/o Judith A. Lehnowsky, Atty., 820 Evergreen Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15209.
40,768,885 779,935,506
Total Liabilities
820,704,391
Net Position: Net investment in capital assets Restricted for capital activity and debt service Unrestricted
LEGAL ADVERTISING Bids/Proposals
313,982,085 61,786,434 149,171
Total net position
$375,917,690
SUMMARY STATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENSES, AND CHANGES IN NET POSITION
Operating revenues Operating expenses
$21,014,515 64,219,905
Operating Loss
(43,205,390)
Nonoperating revenues, net
18,131,032
Change in Net Position
(25,074,358)
Net position, end of year
$375,917,690
Net position, beginning of year
400,992,048
PITTSBURGH WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY SUMMARY STATEMENT OF NET POSITION (Dollars expressed in thousands)
SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION DERIVED FROM THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Published in accordance with Section 8 of the Pennsylvania Municipality Authorities Act of 1945, as amended
DECEMBER 31, 2014
Assets Current assets Restricted assets Capital assets, net
$
Total Assets
$
Deferred Outflows of Resources
Liabilities Current liabilities Unearned revenue Accrued payroll and related obligations Swap liability Bonds and loans payable, net of current portion
$
Total liabilities
58,930 85,868 595,182 739,980 100,681
60,488 228 1,129 87,197 750,749 899,791
Net Position Net Investment in capital assets Restricted for capital activity and debt service Unrestricted Total Net Position
$
(51,220) 9,130 (17,040) (59,130)
PITTSBURGH WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY SUMMARY STATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENSES, AND CHANGES IN NET POSITION (Dollars expressed in thousands)
SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION DERIVED FROM THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Published in accordance with Section 8 of the Pennsylvania Municipality Authorities Act of 1945, as amended
Operating revenues Operating expenses
YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2014
Operating income
$
Net non-operating revenues (expenses)
38,489
(42,485)
Net Income
Net position, beginning of year Net position, end of year
164,255 125,766
(3,996)
$
(55,134) (59,130)
Complete copies of the annual audited financial statements are available for examination at the Authorityʼs office: Penn Liberty Plaza I, 1200 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222.
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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 PIKUNAS, WALTER PETER aka PIKUNAS WALTER P., deceased of Pittsburgh, PA, Estate No. 02-15-02202. Pauline K. Pikunas, Executor, c/o Judith A. Lehnowsky, Atty., 820 Evergreen Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15209.
Estate Notices
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 SMITH, REX M., deceased of McCandless Township, Allegheny County. No. 00388 of 2015, Rex T. Smith and Connie E. Smith, Co-Administrator and Co-Administratrix, 2209 Bond Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15237 or to Witherel & Associates, 966 Perry Highway, Pittsburgh, PA 15237.
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NOTICE TO BIDDERS MUNICIPALITY OF PENN HILLS ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Sealed Proposals will be received by the Municipality of Penn Hills, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania until 10:30 A.M. on May 21, 2015 to be publicly opened and read immediately thereafter for the following project: McKINLEY SENIOR CENTER FIRE ALARM INSTALLATION The project consists of the installation of new fire alarm system at the William McKinley Senior Center in Penn Hills. All Proposals must be in the hands of Mohammed Rayan, Municipal Manager, Municipality of Penn Hills, 12245 Frankstown Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15235, by 10:30 A.M., prevailing time on, May 211, 2015. Proposals shall be delivered in a sealed envelope and clearly marked on the outside with the words “McKINLEY SENIOR CENTER FIRE ALARM INSTALLATION.” Copies of Drawings, Specifications, Instructions to Bidders, General Conditions, Forms of Proposals and Agreement are on file and open to public inspection at the Penn Hills Purchasing Office, located at 12245 Frankstown Road, Second Floor, Room 213, Pittsburgh, PA 15235 where sets of said documents may be obtained upon payment of $50.00 per set. No refund will be made for the return of any documents. Davis-Bacon wage rates are required to be paid on this project. There will be a mandatory pre-bid meeting on Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at 10:00 A.M. at the Penn Hills McKinley Community Center, 830 Seventh Street, Verona, PA 15147. Proposals must be submitted on the forms provided by the Municipality of Penn Hills. Proposals to receive consideration must be accompanied by a Certified Check or Bidderʼs Bond from a Surety Company authorized to do business in Pennsylvania, made to the order of the Municipality of Penn Hills in an amount equal to ten percent (10%) of the total amount of the Proposal as a guarantee that, if the Proposal is accepted, the successful Bidder will enter into an Agreement within 15 days after Notice of the Award of the Contract. The Proposals must be made to the Municipality of Penn Hills, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and shall remain firm for a period of ninety (90) days. No Bidder may withdraw his Proposal during the ninety (90) day period without forfeiting his Bid guarantee. Performance, Maintenance, and Labor and Material Payment Bonds, along with Public Liability and Property Damage Certificates of Insurance in the amounts specified, as well as Certificates of Workmanʼs Compensation must be filed with the executed Agreement upon acceptance of the Proposal from the successful Bidder. The Owner reserves the right to reject any or all Proposals, or any part thereof, for any reason, and also reserves the right to waive any informality therein. Mohammed Rayan Municipal Manager
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NOTICE TO BIDDERS ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS
The Westmoreland County Housing Authority (WCHA) is requesting construction bids for four (4) prime contracts consisting of: General Construction (BUILDING), General Construction (SITE), Mechanical/Plumbing Construction and Electrical Construction associated with the following project: ACCESSIBILITY RENOVATIONS LOCATED AT PA 18-27 NEW STANTON MANOR 510 WENTSLER AVENUE NEW STANTON, PA 15672 Sealed bids will be received by Michael L. Washowich, Executive Director, until MAY 15, 2015 at 10:00 A.M. (Eastern Standard Time) at the office of the Westmoreland County Housing Authority, 154 South Greengate Road, Greensburg PA 15601, at which time they will be opened publicly. Interested respondents can obtain hard copy bid documents from the WCHA-Administration Office for a $125 fee, telephone (724) 832-7248, ext. 3056 or 3021. Electronic Bid Documents are available for downloading at no cost at www.wchaonline.com. Inquiries and plan holder registration can be emailed to eriks@wchaonline.com. Plan holders shall register with WCHA via email in accordance with the bid requirements. A non-mandatory PreBid Meeting will occur at the site on MAY 1, 2015 @ 10:00 A.M.
ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA April 14, 2015
The Office of the County Controller of Allegheny County, Room 104, Court House, Pittsburgh, PA, will receive separate and sealed Bids until 11:00 A.M. prevailing local time, WEDNESDAY, May 13, 2015, and a representative of the Department of Public Works will open and read the Bids in the Gold Room, Room 410, Court House, Pittsburgh, PA, onehalf hour later, 11:30 oʼclock A.M., for the following: DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS North Park Clubhouse Rehabilitation, Town of McCandless COUNTY PROJECT NO. ZCNP-CH02 PREBID INFORMATION: Purchase and/or view the Proposal, Specifications and Drawings at the Office of the Contract Manager, Room 504, County Office Building, Pittsburgh, PA. The nonrefundable charge for the Proposal and disc containing the Specifications and Drawings is $ 107.00 including sales tax. Bid documents may be mailed for an additional fee of $16.05 including sales tax. The Contract Manager will accept only check or money order to the “COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY.” The Department of Public Works will hold a PreBid Meeting on April 28, 2015 at 10:00 A.M. at the North Park Golf Course Clubhouse located at 10150 Kummer Road, Allison Park, Pa. 15101. Details of this project, Bidding Requirements and Contract Conditions are available on the Allegheny County internet website (www.alleghenycounty.us; click on “Departments,” click on “Public Works” then click on “Bids & Proposals)” and are also available on the Pennsylvania Purchasing Group/PAPG website (www.PAbidsystem.com; click on “bid opportunities;” then click on “Allegheny County-Dept. of Public Works-open documents” – then register if necessary). Chelsa Wagner Controller County of Allegheny
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PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY ADVERTISEMENT Separate sealed Bids for the Work as listed hereinafter will be received at the Purchasing and Materials Management Department of Port Authority of Allegheny County (Authority) Heinz 57 Center, 345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15222-2527 until 1:30 p.m. on May 26, 2015 and will be publicly opened and read immediately thereafter at the same address. TASSEY HOLLOW BRIDGE REHABILITATION CONTRACT NO. SYS-15-01 The Work of this Project includes, but is not limited to, the furnishing of all labor, materials, tools, equipment, and incidental items necessary for the rehabilitation of the Tassey Hollow Bridge. Work items generally consist of, but not limited to, concrete deck replacement, bearing replacement, concrete repairs, full superstructure painting, structural steel repairs, new lighting, and other miscellaneous repairs. Bid Documents will be available for public inspection and may be obtained on or after April 27, 2015 at Authorityʼs offices at the following address: Port Authority of Allegheny County Purchasing and Materials Management Department Heinz 57 Center 345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222-2527 Bid Documents are available for purchase as follows: Bid Documents are available in an electronic form on compact disk upon payment of $15.00 per set. Payment shall be by check or money order (NO CASH), payable to “Port Authority of Allegheny County.” No refunds of payment will be made. Upon request, Bid Documents can be mailed upon receipt of payment in full. Should the purchaser wish to have the Bid Documents delivered via special delivery, such as UPS or Federal Express, the purchaser shall provide its appropriate account numbers for such special delivery methods. This Project may be funded, in part, by, and subject to certain requirements of, the County of Allegheny and/or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Authority, in compliance with 74 Pa.C.S. § 303, as may be amended, require that certified Diverse Businesses (“DBs”) have the maximum opportunity to participate in the performance of contracts and subcontracts for this Project. In this regard, all Bidders shall make good faith efforts in accordance with 74 Pa.C.S. § 303, to ensure that DBs have the maximum opportunity to compete for and perform contracts. Bidders shall also not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, age, disability, national origin, sexual origin, gender identity or status as a parent in the award and performance of contracts for this Project. If aid is required to involve DBs in the Work, Bidders are to contact DB representative Cameil Williams at (412) 5665257. The Bidderʼs attention is directed to the following contacts for Bidderʼs questions: Procedural Questions Regarding Bidding: James Happ - Authority (412) 566-5117 All other questions relating to the Bid Documents must be submitted by mail or facsimile to: Port Authority of Allegheny County Heinz 57 Center 345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527 Attn: James Happ Fax: (412) 566-5359 In addition, the Bidderʼs attention is directed to the following schedule of activities for preparation of its Bid: 9:00 a.m. Pre-Bid Conference May 7, 2015 Port Authority of Allegheny County Heinz 57 Center Neal Holmes Board Room 345 Sixth Avenue, Fifth Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527 (Attendance is not mandatory, but strongly recommended) No site tour scheduled: Tassey Hollow Bridge location is publicly accessible. 1:30 p.m. Bids Due May 26, 2015 Purchasing and Materials Management Department Authority reserves the right to reject any or all Bids
Look for our red box WHOLE FOODS MARKET 5880 CENTRE AVE AMTRACK STATION LIBERTY AVE & GRANT ST CITY COUNTY BUILDING 420 GRANT ST CCAC—HOMEWOOD BRANCH HOMEWOOD & BRUSHTON AVE YMCA 11817 FRANKSTOWN RD EAST LIBERTY EBA EAST BUSWAY KINGSLEY ASSOCIATION 6435 FRANKSTOWN AVE. WILKINSBURG EBA EAST BUSWAY
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) FOR VACANT UNIT PAINTING AT BEDFORD DWELLINGS, ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, ALLEGHENY DWELLINGS, NORTHVIEW HEIGHTS AND HOMEWOOD NORTH IFB#300-16-15
The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby request proposals from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s): VACANT UNIT PAINTING AT BEDFORD DWELLINGS, ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, ALLEGHENY DWELLINGS, NORTHVIEW HEIGHTS AND HOMEWOOD NORTH IFB#300-16-15 The documents will be available no later than April 20, 2015 and signed, sealed bids will be accepted until 2:00 P.M., May 8, 2015 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 Thursday, April 30, 2015 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 log-in, 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 2003 S BRADDOCK AVE EDGEWOOD EXPRESS 253 EDGEWOOD AVE GIANT EAGLE #02 1800 MCKEES ROCKS RD BRAD EXPRESS 1101 S BRADDOCK AVE GIANT EAGLE #694 GREEN GARDEN PLAZA GIANT EAGLE #619 1705 S. BRADDOCK AVE PLAZA NEWS CVS 2142 SHEFFIELD ROAD 7406 CHURCH ST STEVIES DAIRY MART SHUMAN’S MARKET 1230 SHEFFIELD ST 1105 SWISSVALE AVE NEIGHBORHOOD DUKE’S SUNOCO MARKET 825 DUQUESNE BLVD 1329 TYLER STREET 7-11 GIANT EAGLE #37 KENNYWOOD BLVD QUAKER VALLEY GIANT EAGLE #6379 SHOPPING CENTER CRAFTON BEVERAGE 420 EAST WATERFRONT CRAFTON/INGRAM DR SHOPPING CENTER GIANT EAGLE— GIANT EAGLE MCKEESPORT CRAFTON/INGRAM 3812 O’NEILL BLVD SHOPPING CENTER THE TORN PAGE SHEETZ #353 474 DONNER ROAD 5400 CAMPBELL’S RUN J & S FOOD MART RD 625 W GRANT AVE SHOP N’ SAVE #1686 RITE AID PHARMACY 2103 NOBLESTOWN RD 100 WILLIAM MARKS DR SAFRANS SUPER MKT GIANT EAGLE 429 WALNUT ST 1356 HOFFMAN BLVD GIANT EAGLE #47 BP GAS STATION LYSLE & WALNUT 100 SETTLERS RIDGE CTR. DS FOODMART DR. 929 UNION ST GIANT EAGLE #74 PARKWAY CENTER MALL RITE AID PHARMACY 725 LYSLE BLVD SOUTHERN AREA: EASTERN AREA: KEN’S WATERWORKS 216 BELTZHOOVER AVE GIANT EAGLE #72 NELSON’S 1005 FREEPORT RD— 92 SYLVANIA AVE PENN HILLS: GIANT EAGLE #61 DIVINE HAIR STUDIO 2021 WHARTON AVE 10 DUFF RD COGO’S GIANT EAGLE 2400 EAST CARSON ST 9001 FRANKSTOWN RD COGO’S GIANT EAGLE #78 925 EAST CARSON ST 230 RODI RD DAILY MART SHELL GAS STATION 1125 ARLINGTON AVE 11835 FRANKSTOWN RD SHOP N SAVE THE SPOT CARRICK 11675 FRANKSTOWN RD MASH MINI MART SOUTH EASTERN AREA: 4341 OLD WM. PENN HWY SUPER STOP GIANT EAGLE #60 403 KENMAWR AVE 4004 MONROEVILLE CARL’S CAFE BLVD 337 FIFTH AVE GIANT EAGLE #76 COMET NEWS AMES PLAZA, ROUTE 22 540 BRADDOCK AVE GET IT QUICK PUFFS DISCOUNT TO500 GARDEN CITY BACCO JT RIB SHACK 1722 GREENSBUR AVE 1 RAQUET LANE A-PLUS SUNOCO DESTINY’S HAIR SALON 7403 WASHINGTON ST 408 RODI RD COGO’S 1050 BRINTON RD PUFF’S DISCOUNT TOCOGO’S BACCO WESTERN AREA:
Look for our red box WHOLE FOODS MARKET 5880 CENTRE AVE
YMCA 11817 FRANKSTOWN RD
AMTRACK STATION LIBERTY AVE & GRANT ST
EAST LIBERTY EBA EAST BUSWAY
CITY COUNTY BUILDING 420 GRANT ST
KINGSLEY ASSOCIATION 6435 FRANKSTOWN AVE.
CCAC—HOMEWOOD BRANCH WILKINSBURG EBA HOMEWOOD & EAST BUSWAY BRUSHTON AVE
10991 FRANKSTOWN RD MIKE’S SPOT 815 UNIVERSAL RD CREAMY CREATIONS 144B JEFFERSON RD SHOP N SAVE 3335 WILLIAM PENN HWY SHEETZ 3457 WILLIAM PENN HWY GETGO 10525 FRANKSTOWN RD CVS PHARMACY 10600 FRANKSTOWN RD SHELL OIL 7619 BAUM BLVD KIWI SUNOCO FRANKSTOWN AVE WILLIAM PENN SMOKE SHOP II 132 NORTH HIGHLAND AVE MARATHON GAS 6680 FRANKSTOWN AVE PENN AIKEN DAIRY 5401 PENN AVE GIANT EAGLE #17 6320 SHAKESPEARE ST HOMEWOOD MARKET 7201 FRANKSTOWN AVE SALIK HARDWARE 607 NORTH HOMEWOOD AVE NEGLEY A PLUS 123 NORTH NEGLEY AVE BAKER’S 7203 HAMILTON & STERRETT AVES DORSEY’S RECORDS 7614 FRANKSTOWN AVE HOSPITAL CORNER 4201 PENN AVE PEOPLES GROCERY 5136 PENN AVE A&M MARKET 5224 PENN AVE A-PLUS MINI MART 7701 PENN AVE WOOD & PENN 902 WOOD ST AL’S FISH & CHICKEN 1000 PENN AVE SAVE A LOT 725 ROSS AVE CVS PHARMACY 520 PENN AVE GETGO 408 PENN AVE QUICK STOP LIBERTY 3349 LIBERTY AVE K-2 CONVENIENT STORE 4900 PENN AVE SHUR SAVE 4120 MAIN ST SHELL GAS 6701 FRANKSTOWN RD UNIMART 5724 ELLSWORTH AVE GIANT EAGLE #77 254 YOST BLVD PUFF’S DISCOUNT TOBACCO 234 YOST BLVD SPEEDY MART 2131 ARDMORE BLVD SQUIRREL HILL NEWS 5804 FORBES AVE MURRAY AVE. NEWS 2024 MURRAY AVE GIANT EAGLE MURRAY AVE & LORETTA ST DISCOUNT TOBACCO & NEWS 1929 MURRAY AVE OAK HILL MARKET 504 OAK HILL DR SULTAN BEY 4601 CENTRE AVE UNIVERSITY OF PGH
BOOKSTORE 4000 5TH AVE CVS #4369 4610 CENTRE AVE CENTRAL AREA: RITE AID PHARMACY 100 WILLIAM MARKS DR FORBES TOBACCO 3801 FORBES AVE GET GO #64 4924 BAUM BLVD SCHWARTZ MARKET 1901 5TH AVE SMOKER FRIENDLY 906 5TH AVE
FABER COE & GREGG FIFTH AVE. PLACE FABER COE & GREGG 600 GRANT ST NIELSEN’S STORES #09 301 GRANT ST— ONE OXFORD CENTER NIELSEN’S STORES #13 437 SEVENTH AVE— KOPPERS BUILDING 9TH & PENN NEWS-NUMBERS 136 NINTH AVE EXTRA EXTRA NEWS 413 SEVENTH AVE NEAL NEWS 400 CHERRY WAY CVS PHARMACY #4120 610-612 WOOD ST
HILL DISTRICT: NORTHERN AREA: WONG’S MARKET 2170 CENTRE AVE ANN’S MARKET 2316 WEBSTER AVE A-PLUS MINI MART 2350 CENTRE AVE UJAMMA BOUTIQUE 1901 CENTRE AVE K LEROY IRVIS TOWERS 715 MERCER ST SHOP & SAVE SUPERMARKET 1850 CENTRE AVE
W. N. GROCERY 1018 NORTH AVE. GIANT EAGLE #25 WEST VIEW PLAZA GIANT EAGLE #45— PINECREEK 9805 MCKNIGHT RD— PINECREEK CENTER GIANT EAGLE #52 132 BEN AVON HEIGHTS RD GIANT EAGLE #67 8050 MCKNIGHT RD NORTH SIDE BEER & DOWNTOWN: BEVERAGE 1304 FEDERAL ST KWIK-E-MART ALLEGHENY GIFT 204-10TH ST CHICKALOS SNACK BAR SHOP—AGH HOSPITAL 300 LIBERTY AVE—STATE 320 EAST NORTH AVE GIANT EAGLE #652 OFFICE BLDG 1ST FL 318 CEDAR AVE LOBBY 7-11 #158 7-11 #167 1001 WESTERN AVE 643 LIBERTY AVE RICHEY’S BARBER SHOP 7-11 #165 1207 N. FRANKLIN ST SIXTH & PENN AVE QUIK-IT 7-11 #170 820 PENNSYLVANIA AVE 429 WOOD ST RITE AID #3459 LIBERTY NEWS 802 PENNSYLVANIA AVE 604 LIBERTY AVE MARSHALL SHELL FABER COE & GREGG 1500 SPRING GARDEN HILTON HOTEL—COMAVE MONWEALTH AVE SWINKO’S MARKET ESTER’S SNAX 2535 PERYSVILLE AVE FEDERAL BUILDING, MERCY STREET EXPRESS 2ND FL 6 MERCY ST SMITHFIELD NEWS 115 SMITHFIELD ST CITY NEWS & ARCADE 422 WOOD ST FABER COE & GREGG 500 GRANT ST